looking to get goats have some ?????

never really around livestock but we have the land so i thought why not, just got a few ??? what kind of shelter do they need? ppl use them for weed control around here, do i need add to the diet? we have a well just dont want run it dry, so what do they need as far as water? I mean we run two houses off the well and have never had any issues, but we also use it the garden, just don't want to run dry. I have heard that it is na good idea to have a couple of lamas with your goat heard. Lamas protect the goats from critters!!

Goats need some kind of shelter to get out of the rain and wind. Although they can withstand cold, they really don't like to get wet. We have small barn on skids that can be easily moved with a tractor, but there are all types of structures that will work depending on the size of the goats, including very large dog houses.

They drink somewhere around 1/2 to 1 gallon of water per day per goat and they do better if you keep the water fresh and in some kind of dispenser that they cannot easily soil.

Many folks here keep either a livestock guardian dog (LGD), a donkey or a llama with their goats to protect them from coyotes and bobcats. I have heard that if you have two llamas or two donkeys they ten to pay more attention to each other and less to the goats - but I don't have personal experience with that. We have a great pyr that watches over ours.

One word of advice - goats are great at clearing land, but they are also little escape artists! Our pygmy goats are so small they walk through the fence like it was swiss cheese. We have had to put chicken wire around the entire pasture to keep them in - and they still sometimes manage to get out! Luckily we are out here in the big middle of nowhere and we don't have neighbors to complain, but it is still quite annoying!

Having said all that - I have never regretting my decision to get goats. I love every one of them. They are relatively easy to take care of and are very sweet and fun.

Good luck!

I can't believe I missed this post. I would supplement their feed. I'm not sure they would get all the nutrients they would need just eating weeds. We don't have an LGD or donkey or llama with our goats and so far we've been ok, but we don't have a problem with wild critters getting in with them either. We have a barn that ours stay in at night. I agree with NE Ala, they can be escape artists, in fact, we have one we named Houdini due to that fact.

Like NE Ala, I have never regretted getting ours. We have Nigerian Dwarf goats and I absolutely love them, they give great milk too.

I agree with the escape artist statement. A friend of mine had a Lamancha who got out of everything they tried to keep her in. I got one and it looked just like her, the other one had died by this time, but I swear it mine was related to her because she was the same way. I found that if I kept her occupied she was content to stay right where she was. Another friend who has Nigerian Dwarfs and they get out all the time.

I alwayskept a mineral supplement and baking soda in with my sheep and goats too.I love goats and can't wait to get started with them again.

Goats are awesome! We give our goats good hay and a pound of grain per day, and of course we let them out occasionally to graze on weeds. Goats have different personalities, they are affectionate, and they are smart! And if there is a itsy bitsy chance of escape, they will find it! In return for good care they provide about a half a gallon of milk or more per day. I love to make goat milk tapioca pudding, which costs very, very little to make. Have fun!

Welcome to the group Cyndi.

Welcome Cyndi. Glad to see another goat lover.

I have a LaMancha who is about a year old and she is such a sweetheart I can't believe how lucky I am. I'm going to look at another one on Tuesday who is in milk and if her CAE and CL tests come back negative I will bring her home in about a month. In addition to those two I am buying a Nubian doe in milk once she has her kids around the 17th of July. I wouldn't buy her but I did tell my friend I would so I will follow through on that. I'm a little concerned because she is seven years old and she miscarried once this fall but she was rammed by a ewe and miscarried two days later. I can't wait to start milking again.

backtotheland, welcome back.   I've missed seeing you around here.

Welcome back backtotheland

Thanks Sonshine and Patrice. It's good to be back and have life settling down a little bit here.