This past weekend was a sad and happy time here at Chosen Weeds Farm. Two of our doelings went to a new home. We were so sad to see them go, and honestly, if feels a bit empty without them around; but we know that their new home will be full of lots of love and fun. There will be other babies later to love on and care for so we look forward to that.
We dropped off Alisa and Ruth (respectively in the photo above) on Sunday morning and got to chat for about 30 minutes with their new owners. I had chatted with them before we met them in person and learned that they are like minded individuals, had goats before so this wasn’t their first rodeo, have two dogs that are trained to protect the goats, have sheep and other livestock, and lots of room to run and play. It was nice to get to know them a bit better, if for even a brief time, and have some assurance that they will be well cared for. They told us they would keep in touch and let us know how they were doing in their new home. About two hours later, we got a text letting us know they were settling in well and their new names were Peanut and Petunia.
Some of you maybe contemplating getting some goats. Fist bump to ya all! After all what is cuter than this?
BUT…….before you go out and buy an adorable little ball of energy there are some questions that need to be addressed.
- Why do you want to get goats? Some goats make really good pets and there are those that are used for milk, fiber, and meat. Some people buy goats to help control weeds and brush.
- Do you have the space for goats? Notice I said “goats,” plural. Goats are social animals and will not be happy if kept by themselves. While some say they will be fine with sheep or a horse, it is best to have other goats to keep them company. So make sure you consider the cost of multiple animals when factoring in whether you can afford having goats.
- Do you have housing for your goats? Shelters don’t have to be fancy but they do need to keep them dry, out of the elements, and protected from predators (mountain lions, bears, coyotes, stray dogs, etc.).
- Do you have pasture or browsing land? Goats prefer wooded browse to pastures, so don’t expect them to keep your pasture mowed. They also prefer to reach up to eat rather than down like sheep or cattle, and will happily eat things we consider nuisances like poison ivy and thorny bushes. Also, they don’t like getting wet or stepping in water, so make sure you don’t have a swampy, muddy mess. Small pasture areas accumulate feces quickly and can lead to parasitic worm overloads. For more information click
- Do you have adequate fencing? Goats will climb on a fence, try to stick their head through a fence, rub along a fence, and will try to run through a fence. Below is a picture of what our buck did to a temporary fence when trying to get to the girls that were in heat. We also ran electric wire along the top of this fence and the permanent fence where he is kept. Along with a good quality fence, you need to buy a good quality, sturdy gate (or build one). Also, buy strong, good quality fence posts (ours are 4X4’s concreted into the ground). Some of our pasture is electric fence netting from Premier One. Please note: We did not turn our goats out and leave them alone with this netting. We actually watched them for two days (we camped out with them for one night) to make sure they wouldn’t try and run through the fence and get tangled up. We did have this happen to one of the does and we were there to turn the fence off and untangle her. She didn’t try that again. Also, if the grass is too high and thick, the electricity cannot run adequately and the goats may go through it.
- Do you have the time and energy to devote to the care of your animals? How many times have we seen people get an animal and decide it is just too much work or they don’t have the time? Please consider the time and energy you wish to devote to your goats. If you want dairy goats you have to consider milking. Whether you keep them for pets, milk, fiber, or meat you can’t just go on vacation without someone knowledgeable to care for them. They will need to be fed and watered daily. Shelters will need to be cleaned out and replace with fresh bedding often. They will want your love and attention most of all since you will become part of their herd.
- Do you have the financial resources for feed, supplies, vet bills, etc.? Like any animal, there is a cost to owning them. Depending on the bred and purpose of the goat, there will be cost differences. They will ALL need feed buckets, water buckets, hay, feed, bedding, etc. Keeping a couple of small goats as pets may be the least expensive option since they will only require feed, shelter, and the occasional vet visit. A dairy goat has the preceding plus milking supplies. The yummy milk and cheese they provide may offset the extra costs in time though.
- Have you done your homework about goats in general? Meaning, have you researched what they eat and how much they will cost to buy depending on the breed, what supplements they need, how much room they need, what supplies you will need to have on hand for emergencies? Further your research into health concerns, kidding (if you are going to raise babies), and behavior. Since we have begun this journey we have had to become perpetual researchers as we are often presented with new challenges.
So you have decided to get goats…..GREAT!…But where to go from here?
Decide on a breed-Narrowing down what purpose your goats will serve, will help you decide which breed is best for you. Within each category, each breed has its own qualities and characteristics. Do your research and find out which best suits you. We have Nubian dairy goats (stay tuned for a post on Nubians).
- Dairy breeds: Nubian, La Mancha, Alpine, Oberhasli, Toggenburg, Saanen, Sable, and Nigerian Dwarf goats.
- Meat breeds: Spanish, Tennessee, Boer, and Kiko goats.
- Fiber breeds: Angora and Cashmere goats.
- And then there are the fun pet breeds: Pygmy and Fainting goats.
Climate– Pay attention to what sort of goat will do best in the climate they are kept in. We wouldn’t want to keep an animal in the sweltering heat and humidity of Southeast Texas if they aren’t well suited for it.
Horns or no horns– Goats have horns, both males and females. There is some controversy in the goat world as to whether the goats should keep their horns or disbud them (burning off of the horn bud when they are young. See our post about this here). This decision is a personal one, so do your homework and weigh the pros and cons.
Visit the farm-This will give you a chance to see how the animals are raised, understand the philosophy of the owners (do they use all natural methods of care, conventional methods, or a combination of both?), and ask questions. You will be able to see if the environment is kept clean and how much space they have to run and play. This will help you judge how healthy the goats is. Ask questions of the owners, and be wary of those that are hesitant and not forth coming.
- Have you had any health problems in your herd, and if so, what were they?
- Have you had any goats die from undiagnosed disease in the past few years? If so, what are the details?
- Do you bottle-feed or dam–raise kids?
- Have you had a history of abortion in your herd?
- What is your feeding program?
- Is it a closed herd or open herd?
- Meaning, do animals come and go or are they isolated from others coming in?
How willing are owners to answer questions after the sale? One thing that we do for those buying goats from us is let them know that we are always available to answer questions. You can read and study about goats as much as you want, but once you are in the thick of it, something always comes up that the books don’t cover. It was nice that the woman we bought our first does off of made herself available to answer our questions when we had them. We do the same for those that are buying from us, especially first timers. We want owners to be successful with their goats, and part of this is not being afraid to ask questions. Although, we don’t have all the answers, we will definitely try and find them to the best of our ability.
Registered or unregistered-Although a registered goat doesn’t necessarily mean a better quality animal, there are some advantages to buying one. If you are just going to keep them as pets or weed and brush control, it probably isn’t necessary. Just a few things to consider:
- From a breeding standpoint, you can market to more people with registered goats. Many customers are looking to buy a registered animal. You will drastically reduce your future clientele if you choose not to register your herd.
- Registered goats have a pedigree to back them up and you can trace their lineage
- You can enter them in shows and contest (4-H, county fairs, etc.)
- Registered goats command a higher price than unregistered.
- You can always sell a register-able goat without papers but you can never do the opposite. [1]
Male or female-Male, uncastrated goats are called bucks, and females are called does. A castrated male is called a whether. Unless, you are breeding your does, we would highly recommend getting a whether if you want a male, and if you want a pet, whethers will do the trick. Bucks start getting stinky at about 6 months of age. When they go into rut in the fall they will begin peeing on their front legs and faces. As they mature, they can get more aggressive. We encountered this with our buck and had to do research on how to nip this behavior in the bud. The behavior included rearing up on the hind legs and coming down (the most aggressive), rubbing his head on us, and standing in our way when we were walking. We had to establish who was in charge of the herd, and that wasn’t him. This behavior is now under control. He will still challenge those that he does not know, and the kids are not allowed in the pasture if he is out (it is harder for kids to have a firm hand with a buck). Want more information on buck behavior? Click here.
The most important thing is to do your research and understand what you are getting into. Sure there will be surprises along the way, and the books and articles certainly can’t address everything, but you want to be as well prepared as possible.
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