Goats - who has them?

[NoddalottaFarm]

Hello all!

My husband and I have just started researching Nigerian Dwarf Goats. We are learning quit a bit, but would like to know "personal" stories now. What are your pros/cons about them? Are they really as outgoing as they say? I'd like to learn feeding and nutritional requirements from people who have them too. Would just 2 or 3 Nigerian Dwarf Goats be happy? We have an empty barn since my Mini died and it would be nice to have some babies again.

(Not goat babies, but furbabies.)

Any information you can give me would be very appreciated. We like to research furkids before we add them to our family and we think ND's would make a nice addition so far.

Thanks!!

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

I think three goats would be very happy together. They can be very sweet and affectionate if you work with them regularly. They don't like to be led on a lead but I'm sure if you trained them early they would be fine--same with trimming feet. Any time I try to walk them somewhere they fall over and act like they're dying (total drama queens in that department). There feet are really easy to clip, unlike horse feet. They can jump pretty high so make sure you have high fences. They hate water. For feed my aunt gives them sweet feed since she has pregnant/nursing does and some orchard grass. Also its good to leave them some free choice baking soda. If you are getting whethers/bucks make sure you feed them ammonium chloride or make sure the feed has it to prevent urinary stones. In general goats don't handle trauma well and can go into shock easily if something bad happens to them so keep your eye open for that. One last thing is make sure you are diligent about worming ! Make sure you are deworming regularly. My aunt actually breeds them so I know quite a bit about them so if you have any questions feel free to ask or PM me.

 

[little lady]

We currently have one wether, that nobody wanted so we brought him home. I don't think he knows he is a goat, but he does know his name. Everyone that meets him loves him.

He gets fed Nutrena 10% animal feed and seems to think the hay stacked in the barn is his for free choice eating.

He enjoys spending time out in the pasture with my paint mare and we will occasionally find them sleeping together. I would love to get more but I get the same answer when I ask for more miniature horses...no.

All in all he has been a very much enjoyed addition to our farm. Not sure how long they live but the people we got him from thought he was 2-3 years old and we have had him at least 8 years so I guess were are doing something right.

 

[mini horse mania]

We have had registered boers...sold all of em!!we lost thousands....when a thousand dollar doe dies,and you see no reason,that,hurts...now we have 40 one month old alpine kids,and a few pygmies...pygmies and nigerian dwarfs are very hardy and parasite resistant,something the boers lacked..the smaller goats are easier to handle. Do not mix horned with dehorned,also id they are just for pets,i would castrate the males.they sure do stink when they are in rut...as mentioned,baling,soda does keep the acid in,the rumen under control,preventing bloat...alfalfa will give bucks urinary calculi,and cherry trees and cornbread will kill them....we have the best luck with electric fence.we tried wire,but they rubbed on it and bent it,got their heads hung up etc...they are fun,especially the kids!!

 

[LAZY J MINIS]

I HAVE PYGMIES AND THEY ARE VERY HARDY. MINE ARE ALL BOTTLE BABIES AND DON'T KNOW THEY ARE GOATS.SWEETPEA HERDS THE CHICKENS AND DUCKS AROUND THE PASTURE AND INTO THE BARN. TUFFY IS MY BIG BILLY AND HE WILL COME WHEN CALLED AND STILL SUCKS MY THUMB IF UPSET OR MAD AT MY HUSBAND(THEY DON'T LIKE TO SHARE). THEY PLAY IN WITH THE MARES AND BABIES AND ARE PROTECTIVE OF THE BABIES.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

They also love stuff to play on. So if you can give them safe things to climb on, old plastic slides, plastic barrels etc they'll have lots of fun.

 

[jacks'thunder]

I have 3 goats. I have a Pygmy, a Sannan, and a Dwarf Nigerian. The Nigie I have is the least friendly of my group but thats because she came from a rescue situation and was never handled. Even now after 3 years she thinks I'm going to hurt her if I go near her and runs away from me like I have the plague! LOL! My pygmy is fun and she was a rescue. She has a huge personality and is always up for a walk on the leash. My Sannan is my favorite though! I raised him from little and he is a gentle giant. He is easily the height of my minis and is calm, cool, and collected. Just a great all around guy. Now let me say I have had many other Dwarf Nigies and most have great personalities! Mine just had a tough start but she's safe and really does not hurt or bother anyone. She is just REALLY shy which makes it hard come time to trim hooves or anything that involves one on one.

Personaly I'd get ones that are dehorned. My group now is and my barn and feeders thank me!! LOL!!

Good luck! Goats are great fun!

 

[Shari]

I brought home two, 9 month old Nigerian dwarf wethers and love them! They are soooo cute!!

 

[ErikaS.]

I breed myotonic (fainting) and mini silky fainting goats. I like NDs and might eventually get some for home milking... or maybe a Lamancha. Having 2 goats is good, three is better... or if you're like me: 15. I feed mine free choice brome hay, some alfalfa pellets and Dumor sweet goat feed. Mine also get cattle grazer's loose mineral (free choice) and baking soda (separate, free choice). Also, goats are browsers and love tree branches, bark, shrubs, rose bushes amd nice landscaping. Mine get a Christmas tree or two for Christmas. I love my goaties! They are so much fun to watch and interact with. Whatever breed you decide on, I think you will enjoy them. Pm me if you'd ever like to talk goats

 

[Lizzie]

For any breed of goat, it is best to get those who are already de-horned. Goat horns can do untold damage to other animals, humans and especially children.

Goats don't eat tin cans and garbage etc., as is often put about. They require good food, like any other animal. They often will strip your trees of bark and anything they can reach on their hind legs. So wrap your tree trunks in chicken wire.

They are not particularly good, for weed control. But goats are happy little animals. Always having fun, when they are not eating. They require very good fencing and a nice big rock to jump upon. They love to jump on something high.

They most usually are friendly creatures and will come into the house if they can. Whole males can be dangerous. Very dangerous in the larger breeds. They can easily kill a human. They also smell.

Certain breeds produce vast quantities of milk. The milk is naturally homogenized. This means, unlike cow's milk, there is no cream on top. Goat milk makes wonderful cheese. We bred Alpines for many years. Now my daughter has two dwarfs. Just pets. They are females and not bred. Many goats can be found in rescue. My daughter obtained both of her little people from rescue.

Lizzie

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I have Nigerian Dwarf Goats, they are mainly my pets, but I do breed and raise some babies. I love goats, I always tell people they are like dogs that live in the barn! The Nigerians make great pets, if you get them from a reputable person/breeder they should be well handled and friendly. You can find some that are bottle fed and they will be more "attached" to people, but I have some that were not bottle fed and they are still friendly and lovable.

Wethers (neutered males) make great pets, just remember not to feed too much grain (sweet feed type mix) or alfalfa as this can cause urinary stones. Do provide free choice salt & mineral blocks, and baking soda (this helps to maintain the correct ph in their rumen, and they will eat it as they need it, helps prevent bloat). They are browsers not grazers, they will eat some grass, but they will not eat it down like horses. They do like poison ivy, brushy stuff, some weeds, etc.

Goats love treats, we do crackers, dry pasta, peanuts, raisins, black oil sunflower seeds, horse treats (they love the peppermint kind), carrots, etc.

 

[Tab]

I love and appreciate goat farmers because I could never own goats again. I love goat milk, goat milk soap, and chevon is also surprisingly good, but mostly in stews. That said, we are not fans. I love animals and never thought I would dislike one, but I had two pygmy goats and they were nothing but trouble. Chewed a hole in my barn door, chewed my tack, got out of their enclosures constantly, pooped and peed on clean hay bales, ate all of the good plants, ate the horses tails, ate all of the grass and hardly ate a single weed. Couldn't re-home them either. Nope, not a fan. Mine were never "wet" but I hear the small breeds have very high milkfat content in their milk. The only nice thing about them is when they did get loose (on a daily basis) they didn't roam onto the road because they didn't feel safe roaming too far away from the horses.

 

[NoddalottaFarm]

Thanks to all of you for your replies to my post. Thanks to "Tab" too, because I did ask for the good and the bad.

I appreciate all the helpful hints and new items to research!! I love this list.

Thanks!!