Goats?

[Snal~]

Nigerian Dwarf Goats to be exact. Anybody have experience?
We are pre planning for our retirement, which will include chickens for sure, probably a pig or two, but we're also looking into this type of goat specifically. They would be for milking...milk/cheese/yogurt/ect.

 

[Goofyfoot2001]

We had nigerians but they kept emailing the neighbors so we got rid of em.

 

[Snal~]

We had nigerians but they kept emailing the neighbors so we got rid of em.

The dwarfs can't reach the keyboard....that's why they cost more.

 

[Goofyfoot2001]

The dwarfs can't reach the keyboard....that's why they cost more.

Thing is, they will tell you what you want to hear. That's how they get you.

 

[Crazy Carl]

Do NOT underestimate their intelligence. They will get into/out of/on top of stuff you'd never believe & will eat anything ALL the things. They are pretty funny, though.

 

[Burt Gummer]

I’ve heard they taste like deer.

that’s all I’ve got to offer

 

[Cluck Norris]

Nigerian Dwarf Goats to be exact. Anybody have experience?
We are pre planning for our retirement, which will include chickens for sure, probably a pig or two, but we're also looking into this type of goat specifically. They would be for milking...milk/cheese/yogurt/ect.

We have 5 females and 2 males with contracts on two more females, they are great little goats. we are getting into the soap business and cheese business(hitting farmers markets and festivals). We just bread all of our females and will know next month if any of it took, we are worried that we might have two sterile males(odds are not good but we will see).
If you have any specific questions just let me know, also right now the goat market is crazy so just be prepared.

 

[xtp308]

I can only say: run 4 strand electric wire to keep them in. Don't waste the time and effort on any other fencing because it won't work.

 

[Cluck Norris]

I can only say: run 4 strand electric wire to keep them in. Don't waste the time and effort on any other fencing because it won't work.

We use 5ft tall welded wire for pins with a “stringer” board across the top and bottom, these are the birthing pins and the nighttime pins. But on open pasture 4 stran with two some what low is the only way to keep in these little goats

 

[Snal~]

We have 5 females and 2 males with contracts on two more females, they are great little goats. we are getting into the soap business and cheese business(hitting farmers markets and festivals). We just bread all of our females and will know next month if any of it took, we are worried that we might have two sterile males(odds are not good but we will see).
If you have any specific questions just let me know, also right now the goat market is crazy so just be prepared.

Thanks! I have a ton of questions, but trying to find most answers online before I bombard anybody willing to help. How much land do you have to support 9 goats? Or do you pasture them at all?

 

[Cluck Norris]

Thanks! I have a ton of questions, but trying to find most answers online before I bombard anybody willing to help. How much land do you have to support 9 goats? Or do you pasture them at all?

We have a large farm, the goats are just what we are branching out to next.
Primary pins(where they sleep, birth, and stay if it’s bad weather) are about 40x60 for the females and the bucks pin is 40x40. Truthfully you can get by with very little for then Nigerians, they are small goats and don’t require a lot.
If you get males don’t feed them grain, just hay, to much grain and they will get kidney stones and die.
Realistically, we could fence in an acre and they would be fine, but this summer we will be fencing in 30 to 40 acres, but that’s a separate venture(cows)
They have been in the pins due to breeding season and we were studding out a male as well so there were 10 goats in total in the pins for 30 days and it is the lowest I have ever seen the grass. I can put you on a real good feed but depending out your area it may be hard to find, I get ours out of Burlington.
They are not very needy, one big thing is learning how to trim hooves and how to deworm, because you don’t want to have to call a vet out every other month to do it for you.
If you want shoot me a list of questions or shoot me you number and I’ll call you tomorrow

 

[JohnnyTyler]

we are getting into the soap business and cheese business

Any thoughts on putting some of that cheese in BST? 🙂 The wife and I love us some goat cheese.

 

[Cluck Norris]

Any thoughts on putting some of that cheese in BST? 🙂 The wife and I love us some goat cheese.

Eventually, we have to work in supply and inventory first

 

[Grits]

Thanks! I have a ton of questions, but trying to find most answers online before I bombard anybody willing to help. How much land do you have to support 9 goats? Or do you pasture them at all?

Walking weedeaters. Start a side business of land clearing if they start eating you out of house and home.

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[Cluck Norris]

pig

We have those as well so we can talk all things farm if you need help in that area as well

 

[NCFubar]

Walking weedeaters. Start a side business of land clearing if they start eating you out of house and home.

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While that is a good side business for most ... if they are selling the milk or using it to make say cheese you gotta watch what they eat or the taste of the products can get some funky tastes.

 

[Grits]

While that is a good side business for most ... if they are selling the milk or using it to make say cheese you gotta watch what they eat or the taste of the products can get some funky tastes.

Didn't know that male goats made cheese?

Just jerking a chain. Take males and non milkers to do the weed eating. Reduces the pressure on grazing parcels.

Dad kept goat while I was living at home. Best damn weed eater that there was. He cleared a couple of acres of scrub pine and honeysuckle by just moving them from one area to the next.

For the OP. If they get loose, just feed them soda crackers. The goats will follow you anywhere. You can become the pied piper.

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[beamernc]

We put up one of the double metal carports with the sides all the way to the ground for the goats, dogs and alpaca. We have 48" woven goat wire with 2 strands of barbed wire on top, and have not had any goats get out. We have had as many as 19 on our small pasture, but down to 7 now. The 7 did not keep the pasture mowed down last summer and I had to mow it at least every 2 weeks.

If you have coyotes, you need to look at some type of protection. We have 3 Great Pyrennes in with ours and have never had an issue with coyotes or stray dogs. Before we got the dogs, we had a lot of trouble with stray dogs killing chickens and guineas. I checked the game camera on my driveway today and I had 2 coyotes in the driveway last Friday morning. That's probably why the dogs have been barking so much lately.

 

[SnowRooster]

We have 5 females and 2 males with contracts on two more females, they are great little goats. we are getting into the soap business and cheese business(hitting farmers markets and festivals). We just bread all of our females and will know next month if any of it took, we are worried that we might have two sterile males(odds are not good but we will see).
If you have any specific questions just let me know, also right now the goat market is crazy so just be prepared.

Do you by any chance sell raw goats milk, not for human consumption?
I use it in my dog’s food. It’s good for dogs with sensitive stomachs and the old fellow I used to buy from retired to FL And buying at the pet food store will break the bank.

Sorry OP, not trying to hijack the thread.