Having goats is like having children; you need to know what to expect but you will never be fully prepared for them! Like the two legged kids, goats will give you moments of pure delight as well as utter despair. They are loveable mischiefs. Whenever I do a goat related post - whether it be about life with goats or making their yummy cheeses and soaps - someone asks me about keeping goats. This is the start to my answer:
FENCING: It needs to be very good. My girls are (mostly) well behaved. If a fence is not secure goats will at some point test it. Goat people say that if you can throw water through a fence, then a goat can also get through it. The problem comes in because they inevitably end up in the neighbours orchard or the chickens food which will cause their rumen to sour, then they bloat and die. We've had goats get past the fences and strip a half grown tree, which doesn't survive the severe pruning and ring barking. If your goats get into the veggie garden they may find themselves as the evening meal because your spouse or aging gardener parent have no appreciation for the cute and hungry goat.
SHELTER: Goats have hair, not wool like a sheep, and they feel extreme weather. They do not like wind or rain. And, while we have only snow on the mountains, many of you homesteaders over the pond will have snow. If exposed to extreme weather goats can get pneumonia. Boerbokke are hardy, being indigenous to South Africa, but dairy goats are a little more finicky. The sun can also be a problem. Goats need permanent access to shelter. In exteme heat they prefer trees. In rain or extreme wind and snow they need to be able to get indoors. Living in the Karoo we have extreme summers so it is vital that there is plenty of shade. Although goats do need the sunshine, I have found that often, in the middle of the hottest day, they will be out there sun tanning! Be cautious when a new udder begins to drop, with a first time mother. Because of the delicate young flesh their udders can burn. If you notice the udder gets sunburnt, rub coconut oil or spray colloidal silver. Even aloe ferrox will protect against sunburn. When your goats eventually kid they also need the shelter for the babies. Our big wooden goat house is divided into stalls inside which are specifically for the newborns and their mama.
PERSONALITIES: Goats are extremely social. They need each other. And some of them will need you! Some are very affectionate with each other. Some very affectionate with their humans. And even those a little shy or naughty will become depressed on their own. I have a few generations of families. Daughters usually still have a strong bond with their mothers even after they have their own babies. It is wonderful to see the little families eating or sleeping together. My very first goats were a mother and daughter. When the daughter kidded for the first time, her twin boy adopted granny ... and we had no milk!
You will notice that a vital part of goat politics is head butting with each other. It is their way of establishing hierachy as well as playing. When the girls are on heat then there is a lot of that going around. Don't be alarmed even though it sounds like the clash of the titans! You get to know who is who in the butting order. All my goats have horns except for one. And they are at the bottom of the food chain. Whether to debud or not is the topic for a future post (as you can see I allow my precious goats to keep their horns). Don't be surprised if they find random things to climb (and often fling themselves off!) Goats are also extremely curious. Anything new usually needs to be either climbed or nibbled (or both). We have big old logs and built a small climbing frame in the main camp. They prefer sleeping off the ground. I also have huge old tractor tyres in the area which the babies play on and sleep in, when they are very little. Goats are highly intelligent. Mine are all named and they know their names. It helps with the milking because I call as I need them to come to the milking area. Of course like children, sometimes they will answer me but stay where they are!
There are so many reasons why people keep goats or should keep goats. But it is important to get to understand and prepare before taking the plunge. They are wonderful pets, who give so much in return. If you missed out, read my last goatie post to understand what I had to do in order to justify keeping so many goats. Because, believe it or not, keeping goat is addictive! But I love my goats. I can't imagine my homesteading life without them
@buckaroo/cheese-lovers-eat-your-hearts-out
