Topic: goats...

[bayou girl]

yes, i am thinking that.  we have an electric charger.

[barleychown]

Do you know what type of goat? And if they have horns?

[bayou girl]

no, i don't know anything about them.  i did do all the reading, and think i don't want to get one with horns.  a doe or wether for me for sure.  just not interested in having billy goat gruff in my yard!

[barleychown]

They smell...a lot. (Bucks, that is.)

You really need to have at least two, or the one will forever be breaking out looking for company. Two wethers could be found easy, and will cause the least amount of trouble.

If there is a good community of traditional hispanic or middle eastern folks near you, getting rid of the wethers when they have served their purpose will be no trouble.

[Tina]

 

[bayou girl]

tina, you are bad   my ex eats goat.  i don't.  there is a good bit of hispanic and some asian.  not so much mid-east around here.

i'm really contemplating though... scott is still really worried about the smell.  i know goats don't smell the best.  and i see you talking about trimming hooves and such.  i really, really don't need another animal that needs lots of care.  which is why i was contemplating "borrowing" or "renting".   I was also thinking, i'd need to put a fence around the oak trees to keep them from nibbling?  I only have a couple.   do they dig out like dogs?  i know they climb.  i am thinking one of those movable dog yards.  the kind with 5 or 6 panels.  then i could use it for my dogs later when i redo their yard.  i will tell you, all that reading scared me.  but i know i can't afford to do the clearing mechanically, and am not fond of the idea of the fumes for the fuel.  doing it by hand is out of the question.

[Tina]

I really have not eaten much goat. I prefer kid.

[bayou girl]

the smell of it on the barbeque turned me off.  we won't even go the smell of them cleaning them.  the hogs didn't smell so bad.  but, that was in cal, when we lived in the dessert.  i'd rather not think of any goat i have here for very long being the main course...

[Tina]

No, pets and meals should never be mixed up together.

[wimc]

They aren't as good at grazing as horses and cows are, at least the goats we have aren't. So we let a neighbor bring her hosres down and do their thing, about 4 acres.

We have coyotes everywhere (day and night) and they seem not to go near our goats, they both are bigger than coyotes.

[barleychown]

In all honesty, my girls rarely smell, so long as their bedding is clean...and they are not in heat. When in heat, the base of their horns has an area that has the goat smell gland...but I'm pretty sure that gets burned off in goats without horns.

I trim hooves maybe every 6 to 8 weeks...and it takes all of 15 minutes, if they are in a good mood.

They are pretty proficiant at stripping bark off trees, but all my trees are young.

[bayou girl]

this isn't grazing i want them to do william.  it is clearing underbrush.  i live on an old tree farm, and the rows of trees have been cut a few at a time, but there is a lot of underbrush that has taken over.

so, a semi-mature oak should be ok?  will they eat sweet gum trees?? i hope???  i hate those things and they are like weeds here.  those and silver maples.

[wimc]

Sorry about that, still wouldn't put much faith on goats, they seem to be picky eaters.

[barleychown]

If given the option, they are picky eaters. They are  much like deer...take a bite, walk a few steps, take another bite. However, when penned, they will eat what is available, though you will have to supplement with hay, just to keep their bellies in working order.

I have a sweet gum tree...I'll offer them a bit and see what they say. And, I'm really not sure about mature trees...I don't have any that mine have access to. I'd imagine they will try to eat the bark, if nothing else better suits them or they get bored. I make new play structures frequently for my girls...

[bayou girl]

i'm thinking i should get a roll of hay to put in the pen with them.  for whatever they do with it. eat it, climb on it, whatever.

[Tina]

Not too tall. They are tricky critters.

[bayou girl]

yes, maybe i'd do better with just a couple of bales... now that you mention it.

[Dianna]

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaa...