Goat Question?

[hobobrando]

I have wanted to get a couple of goats for awile now but my mom desnt want to fence off another section of our yard. I was wondering if it was alright to have them on say a 25ft. lead attached to a post near some fresh vegetation and a lean to shelter nearby. Then in the mornings I could hook them outside and at night I could put them in the future goat house. Then I could move there little outpost every couple of days.

 

[freemotion]

It can be done in theory, but I wouldn't. It makes your goat into bait. Goats are yummy to dogs, wolves, coyotes, and a tethered goat is a sitting duck.

 

[hobobrando]

Thanks for the info maybe I can convince my mom to let me build a fence behind the chicken coop. How large should a goat house and run be for 2 goats?

 

[Blackbird]

Tethered goats can alsp easily choke themselves to death and get tangled up.

I've been told that you generally need ateast 15 sq feet per large breed goats for a run/pen.

 

[enjoy the ride]

hobo- do you have a specific kind of goat in mind? Do you want a pet or dairy or meat?

Depending on what size goat and how much browse you have, you could make portable fencing for goats out of cattle panels- they can be tied together around berries and things you want them to eat.
But they would need a secure place to live- because like freemotion said, they are very attractive to dogs and such and need a secure place to live when you aren't there. Even in the cattle panels, I would not leave them alone if you have any dogs, coyotes, bear, etc running around in your area.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I had goats last year. I had originally thought to keep them in with the horses, but the fence would keep them in. soI had them on leashes. I am a stay at home mom--so I was home all the time, and checked on them frequently. They would get tangle up occasionally, so you had to be there to untangle them. Also I put mine in an unused dog kennel at night-right next to the barn-so they had protection at night.

It was obviously not a good workable situation, and with just buying the place--putting up a new fence for the goats was nowhere NEAR the top of the priority list, so we ended up getting rid of them.

Funny --I come home -log on and see this post. We were just at an animal farm/petting zoo. The has pygmy/nigerian mutt goats there, but their two females who wer in milk had nice sized teats--milking sized teats. So the fencing can be up in less than a week. I think I'm getting goats again.

 

[FarmerChick]

Unless you can babysit them all of the time, any teethered PREY animal is a goner.

I rescured a baby goat cause it was tied in the yard and the owners dogs killed the momma. I didn't want this goat cause it wasn't what I was shopping for, but how could I not buy it and save it.....still have her after 10 years!!! Doing great in a fenced pasture.

Fencing keeps good in, bad out. Mostly...LOL

 

[freemotion]

Good fences also make good neighbors, especially if one has goats!!! That way, your goat won't end up in your neighbor's kitchen, as one of mine did once.

It is such an amazing relief to have great fencing. I no longer get up with the flashlight when I hear the coyotes (sometimes every night between 10pm and midnight....they come right up to my fence, I see the tracks. They look into my neighbor's windows, they have no fence.)

I hear a lot of good things about electronet, keeps critters both in and out, depending on which side of the fence you want them on! And it is easily moved.

You can also build a moveable goat house, it would take a couple people to move it, but I was looking at my 4x4x8' chicken coop (4' tall, plywood sheets) and might use it for a baby buck pen if needed next spring. I put pressure treated 2x4's for the very bottom frame, so it can be right on the ground. I really should put it up on bricks when not in use, to make it last longer.

I made it with the lower half of the long walls hinged so that I can lift them up for ventilation in the summer and drop them if it gets cold or rains. I can latch them all the way open or closed, or set up a brick and have them mostly closed. There is hardware cloth on the inside to keep critters in...and out. Works great. Cheap, too.

 

[hobobrando]

Thanks for the info. I have one more question, If the goat house is up off the ground does the fenced in area need to be well drained?

 

[Blackbird]

I've never heard of goat houses up off the ground, but the pen should have drainage. Walking in mud can lead to hoof rot.

Edit: Okay, sorry, I should explain. The second they step in a mud puddle it isn't going to kill them, but their feet shouldn't be constantly wet.