Questions For You Chickenpeople

[JP]

Pygmy goats are fun.  Pam has two, named Jack and Jill.  They've been here about 4 years now.  We can give you all kinds of info on them if you wish.  Think of them as dogs with horns...   They are easy to care for, too!

Ok, here's a few questions.
How big do they get?
Do you need more than one?
Where can I get some?
What do you feed them?
Can you leave them unsupervised for a few days or so?
Do they stink?

Thanks,


...JP

[reinbeau]

Dwarf Nigerian Milking Goats, JP, get goats with a purpose!

Our friends have them, they are absolutely adorable.  They love pats, they love treats, they really are like dogs, in a way!  They've got a nice 10x10' or so shed (split into two) with a corral around it, I don't know, it's about 30x50' or so.  There's four goats that live in there.  Your questions will have to be answered by a goat person, though, I have no idea what it takes to care for them.  Perhaps some of these google links will help!

[poka-bee]

JP your girls are beautiful!  You look younger sans the beard!  I love my EE's. they are so pretty and have great character!  The only goats that stink are the billy (un neutered male)  Doe's don't smell, well they have a sweet goat smell, sort of like a horse but not as strong, maybe in between a cow and horse.  I would go with the Nigerian dwarfs Ann was talking about.  They really are adorable, smoother coated and the sounds they make are cuter.  I personally don't like the sound of the pygmy's.  They are lighter boned also I think.  I always had toggenburg cause they look like little deer but they do get over 100lbs.  It would be wonderful to look forward to moving to your country place, how big?  BTW the chix can completely clean a turkey carcass in around 1/2 hr...heh heh heh and they have a ball doing it!

Jody

[JP]

Wasn't certain if you said pygmys or Dwarf Nigerian Milking Goats Ann. Thanks for clearing that up. These sound even better as I love goat's milk.

Jody, we have a little over twenty acres, mostly hard woods, white oaks and red oaks, some hickory mixed in, about 3% pine the rest huckleberry, dogwood, maple and some junk trees like gum. About 3 and 1/2 acres is open, which includes a pipeline and two powerlines.

My chickens seem a little "picky" they didn't touch the turkey carcass, even after two days. They love their scratch and mash, grass, earth worms, love grubs! They mostly ignore the pumpkin I gave them. The way they constantly peck and scratch you'd think these things would get 300 lbs or more!


...JP

[lenape13]

Pygmy goats are fun.  Pam has two, named Jack and Jill.  They've been here about 4 years now.  We can give you all kinds of info on them if you wish.  Think of them as dogs with horns...   They are easy to care for, too!

Ok, here's a few questions.
How big do they get?
Do you need more than one?
Where can I get some?
What do you feed them?
Can you leave them unsupervised for a few days or so?
Do they stink?

Thanks,


...JP

They don't get too big.  Pam's are maybe two feet at the shoulder.

Yes, you should have more than one as they are very social animals.

Craigslist is a good place to check.  Pam actually got hers from a petting zoo a few miles down the road.  (The owner also has an animal rescue.)

We feed a mixture of goat pellets, cracked corn, and rolled oats.  We also keep a supply of hay onhand for them.  These are spoiled rotten, so they won't touch the grass.  We have to actually mow the paddock.

You could leave them unsupervised for a few days, as long as they have enough hay and clean water.

Males will definitely stink unless you neuter them at a young age.

I'll try to post some pictures of our simple set-up tomorrow.