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So, you finally made the decision to add goats to your homestead! Congrats! I mean who does not want goats running around? They’re cute and entertaining and the BEST cuddlers! Goats however, are amazing escape artists and will eat those plants you finally brought back to life, so before you actually bring your adorable new friends home, it’s best to be ready. Below are my must haves to be prepared.....
Shelter: Goats need a STURDY shelter to take cover from rain/wind/snow etc. The shelter can be anything that is large enough for your chosen breed to be comfortable standing or laying down in. The shelter must be sturdy. Goats are jumpers and they love to play. Our goats are constantly jumping on top of their shelter. We currently use a shelter made from pallets and scrapped sheet metal panels. When we first brought our goats home we flipped over an apple bin and cut out a door, it worked great!
Fencing – Goats are amazing escape artists! If they can get out, they will. Proper fencing is important. Goats are also great jumpers, so your fence needs to be at least 5ft high. Gates need to close completely and have no gaps. Basically you want to make sure your goats cannot slip through, climb over or get their heads stuck in big openings.
Cattle Panel used as fencing
Stuck Goat..You don't want this...
Feed – Goats are herbivores (only eat vegetation). We feed our goats a good quality hay during the winter and let them browse on pasture during the warmer months. When our does are in milk we also feed alfalfa pellets as a treat while milking. Goats not only eat grasses, they also will eat leaves, shrubs, flowers, and the bark from the trees! Because goats are herbivores, they do not need grain to survive. We have made the choice to not offer grain to our goats. Male goats should NEVER have grain, it disrupts their calcium to phosphorus balance and will cause urinary stones and even death.
Minerals – Goats need a variety of minerals to stay healthy. You will want to use a mineral supplement specifically formulated for goats. Depending on soil conditions in your area you may need to provide and extra boost of specific minerals. The soil in our area is low in copper so we provide a copper bolus to our goats twice a year. Talk to a local farmer or veterinarian to know for sure what you need for your specific area.
Other Supplies- These are just a couple of items to get you started. Eventually you will acquire more supplies as you grow your herd or navigate towards milk or meat goats.
Hoove Trimmers – Goat hooves can get over-grown and make walking uncomfortable, a good pair of trimmers allows for easy trimming.
Baking Soda – You can offer the baking soda free choice, but I prefer to offer it as needed for signs of bloat (when a goat cannot burp). Baking soda can help regulate the PH in the goat’s rumen allowing for easier digestion.
Now that you're fully prepared for your new homestead friends go out and get those goats! Don't just stop at one, get two, three...four..five....you get the idea.
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