Beginner's Guide To Raising Goats | How To Choose & Care For Your First Goats 

Oh wow, that escalated quickly, lol! I agree, goats are the best!

So, goat math is like chicken math! They add up quickly...😅

That's awesome, thanks for sharing!

From someone with chickens, turkeys, and rabbits, what was your biggest difficulty with goats?

@@oliviag6407 letting them free range amongst our trees and 2 acres while keeping them out of our plants. We are still tweaking our efforts!

❤❤Oh that's awesome 👌

@@rockyplacepygmies I definitely see how that would be tough. It’s a hassle enough to shoo poultry from digging up our mulch and eating our fruits and vegetables 😂

You are so welcome!

Same here. It sounds like they do require a decent amount of attention. So it may not be the right time for us just yet.

I’m getting two soon! Do you have them on a farm or in your backyard?

@dejLoaf22 I actually have them in my yard. I'm working on building them a shelter. Make sure they have their cdt shots. They are alot of fun. Sweetest animals I have ever seen!

That's awesome!

Thank you, I'm so glad you liked it!

They are!

Glad it was helpful, and thanks for watching!

Thank you! Yes, goats are nosy and adorable 🥰

I love them too!

I'm so glad it was helpful!

Great to hear!

That's great, I love my milk goats! I'm so glad you found the video helpful!

Thank you for watching!!

Thanks for watching!

Glad it was helpful!

Congratulations, and thanks for watching!

Aww, thank you for such kind comments! I'm so glad it was helpful. Soon I'll be making a video about renting a buck, as we get ready to try that with our girls soon.

Subscribed and looking forward to it!

@@mrswray Thank you!

Beautiful natural

Thanks for watching, I'm so glad it was helpful!

Thanks! I hope you get those goats someday!

I'm so glad, thanks for watcing!

I'm so glad it was helpful! Good luck and have fun with your new farm and goats!

Aww that's so nice of you to say. We certainly love them as much as we can.

@@YouCanFarm if only tigers could be so gentle! Namaste, friend 🥰

Thanks! Goats can be a great addition, but like everything else on the farm, they come with their own unique challenges. I hope you do try them again!

Congratulations!

Awesome, have fun with your new girls!

Thanks for watching!

Thank you very much!

You are so welcome!

Thanks for watching, I’m glad you found it informative!

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I tell people the same thing all the time! A goat mentor can be invaluable. I'm always learning new stuff about goats too, there is so much they can teach us.

I'm so glad it was helpful!

That's wonderful!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you! Glad it was helpful!

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks!

Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

That's wonderful, keep up the good work!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thanks for watching!

Glad you enjoyed it

Thanks for watching!

Thanks so much for watching!

That's wonderful, I hope you find the right fit for both of you!

Thanks, I'm so glad!

I'm glad!

Yes, thank you

I am also animals lover ..I like animals and gardening .

Thank you for the encouragement!

Glad you are enjoying it! We are in North Carolina

​@@YouCanFarmWhere at are you located in North Carolina? I am located in North Carolina to, idk if y'all allow people to come by but if so I'd love to learn more about goats if y'all do. We are looking to have goats. I am more hands on an never even milked a goat.

Thanks!

I'm so glad you found it informative!

Yes!

And I love her!

Thanks!

Thank you!

Thank you so much!

Hello and welcome! Glad it was helpful!

Aww, thank you!

Thanks

I agree!

Yep, they are super cool.

They are pretty stinkin' cute!

Thank you!!

I definitely prefer goats as well! I wish you all the best in your homesteading endeavors.

@@YouCanFarm thank you!

You have to have at least 2 because they will not tolerate being alone, but I think 3-4 is better just in case you need to separate one or if you (hopefully not) loose one.

Thank you!

Sounds like a great herd!

Congratulations! You certainly don't need to listen to my advise, lol. You do it your way and I bet things work out great! You might consider getting a buddy wether (castrated male) to hang out with your buck and keep him happier. My friends had their buck alone, separated by an 8-foot fence, and he jumped it several times and killed 4 out of 8 of his own kids before they sold him. Not typical, but it happens.

In nature animals interact with water sources in a transitory manner. When you fence livestock around a body of water they tend to congregate there all day and pile enormous amounts of feces and urine into that water, destroying that local ecosystem in a very short period of time. Preventing this is taught as a core tenant of good agricultural practices. I certainly don't approve of all the other pollution that goes on in the world, but I am going to be as environmentally conscious on my small farm as possible. This is a big reason we constantly move our animals, mimicking nature and helping to prevent any negatives on the land impact from their waste. Deworming on a regular schedule will lead to chemical resistance in your parasite population, and is highly discouraged. You are also harming the microbiome of your animal's gut each time you administer it. Better to focus on raising animals with stronger immune systems. Dewormers do carry over into the meat and milk, and each has a withdrawal period associated with it. The question of goats per acre is very hard to answer, because there are so many variables to consider. The more room the better, and/or move them as often as possible. Also the question of supplemental feed is very difficult for me to answer, since that depends on prices in your area, availability of free forage, size, age and purpose of your goats. Typically a single adult goat that is not grazing needs at least one flake of good hay per day. If they are growing, reproducing or lactating they will need more, plus extra nutrition in the form of legumes or grains. Yes, I find both males and females need about 18 months to hit full maturity in my mixed breed grazing system. In intensive heavy grain fed operations raising meat breeds they can be finished faster. Yes, the goats generate a profit for our farm, utilizing them for meat, milk, tourism and education.

Me too!

Definitely! Properly managed grazing with any ruminant species is beneficial to the health of the soil. Our goats are more focused on wooded areas, and where they clear heavy overgrowth we see more native grasses popping up later.

The portable net fencing we used is electrified, so that helps protect the goats and sheep. We sell the meat by the retail cut at local farmers markets, and we do have to have it processed in a USDA or state inspected facility.

Thanks! I don't keep any animal that gives me a hard time, so I haven't had to deal with any head butting me. I also don't touch them much up by their horns, so they won't think I want to interact in that way. If one does get frisky, I immediately flip them on their back to establish dominance.

That's cool, we don't see any of those breeds here.

@@YouCanFarm which goat breed of pakistan do you like ?

The cross bred goats are really variable as far as milk production. My Nubians are great producers though!

Yes they are!

We use an older model solar charger from Premier1 Supplies that they don't make anymore. I've heard their newer ones are not as good. I think Gallagher has a better reputation lately, but I haven't tried them myself. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Congratulations, mini Nubians are a great choice! To get them used to you, just spend some time sitting and quietly talking to them. Try to do this at the same times each day, and bring treats! Goats are very food motivated most of the time. Once they start coming up to you, give them some nice scratches. You can also try to pet them while they are eating, as they will be distracted and less fearful. As far as dog introductions, that's a tougher one. Goats are naturally fearful of predators, even if they mean no harm. Just try your best to keep everyone calm at first - again, food distractions may help. Hopefully they will do some sniffing through the fence and get to know one another over time. Best of luck!

@@YouCanFarm Oh my goodness...THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! I am so over the moon excited and soo cannot wait for this next chapter!🐐❤ Again, thank you!!! I have subscribed and will be following you for some great inspiration.🥰

We take them to a USDA inspected processing facility to have them done.

Great suggestion, I will have to do a video on that soon!

@@YouCanFarm That would be AWESOME. My boys also don't like to go to bed. We have to lock them up for safety, and they have a very clean and lovely place to sleep............thank you so much!!!!!!

@@joep2796 You'll only need to bribe them until you establish the habit. Carry food at first, and have more waiting for them somewhere inside their pen. Once it's clear they know the pen food is waiting for them, you can stop carrying it. Six months after they start looking forward to coming home, you won't need the food anymore. It's hard to know why your boys don't want to go into a structure at night. It might be worth putting a camera in there, see if you can sort out if something is making them uncomfortable. I had that problem too, and it turned out that my head goat was beating up on everybody. I made a couple more food troughs and built a small platform that she claimed. Now she stays busy protecting her food and her place, and anybody who doesn't want a fight just stays away from those things.

@@highfive9835 Thank you SO much!!!! Very helpful indeed.

@@joep2796 Good luck!

Thanks, I'm glad you found it helpful. To buy that many goats I would look for an auction near you.

Just keep doing what you are doing. Sit with them and feed treats, and slowly get them used to being touched while you are treating them. If you can do this at the same time each day that would be even better. Goats love routine and it builds trust, because it implies you will do what they expect. My goats particularly like neck scratches, and if you do get a chance to hold them, try to cuddle them until they fall asleep. Soon they will be your best friends!

@@YouCanFarm thank you so much for the advice!!

@@sierrarapp9099 you're welcome!

I wish I could keep them all as pets, but unfortunately I can't afford to. We love them all while they are here!

That's awesome that you are learning about them now. You'll be so prepared when the time comes!

No, we move them to a permanent area with access to a barn during the winter. We don't get snow very often, but we do get freezing rain which can be dangerous for animals to be out in.

That's great that you met some goat friends! My goat's favorite natural treat are dandelion leaves.

It's hard to say without looking at exactly what plants are out there, but generally if they can reach it and it's edible, a few full sized goats could get through that in 3-6 months. A larger herd would be more efficient because they would compete for forage, whereas just a few with an abundance to eat might be very lazy about it.

Honestly I'm not really sure. I've raised ones that were handled a lot as babies, and they were too friendly as adults, always wanting to rub up on me. I actually preferred the attitude of my last buck, who was not handled at all before I got him and was fearful of me. He kept his distance and I much preferred that.

No, not my sort of thing

Yes, you definitely would want to fence off access to the pool. I have heard awful stories of baby goats falling in pools. I'm not sure about the fake grass, but I would be worried that they would try to eat it and probably destroy it.

Yes, I wouldn't recommend it. Goats hate standing on wet ground, and it can cause hoof rot.

If you are looking for small and friendly, Nigerian Dwarfs are very popular. But a smaller goat won't be able to carry as much on a pack as a full size goat. I believe Alpines are popular pack goats.

Hi Georgia! That's wonderful that you are getting goats soon. Your questions are bit difficult to answer without knowing more about your situation, but I will do my best. The size of the enclosure depends on how big your goats are, and what it will be used for. If it is just to house them and feed hay then it doesn't need to be very large, but if it includes their area to browse and find their own food it will need to cover a lot more space. Goats are good at finding their own food. For just 2 goats you should be able to feed them with just the forage you have available, but you may have to supplement them with hay if it is not enough or doesn't offer enough nutrition. This year we had to feed more hay then I would have liked because we had too many goats for the amount of land available, so the goats cost a bit more than usual, but the cost will still only be about $50 per goat. The amount of milk from each goat varies through the season and the individual goat, but typically I get about a quart from each one if I milk once a day. When I milk twice a day I get almost double that. I hope this helped a little!