Flat collar or slip lead for bringing home kids?

Miranda Kurucz

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Nov 19, 2016
Messages
58
Reaction score
62
Points
73
Location
Kitimat, British Columbia
In June-July I will be bringing home two 8-12 week old Nigerian Dwarf wethers. I just wanted to make sure there was no unforeseen issues with using a slip lead on them for travel and leading time in lieu of a lead on a flat collar? I was not certain of the size of collar that would be most appropriate as they will be so small and thought that a slip leash can at least grow with them.

Thanks!
 

Devonviolet

Herd Master
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
3,402
Reaction score
8,170
Points
513
Location
East Texas - Near Sulphur Springs
:frow Hi Miranda. Allow me to be the first one to give you a big Texas Howdy, and welcome you to Backyard Herds!

:welcome
I'm by no means an expert, but I would think using a slip lead would work fine. Would it be possible to ask the seller to measure their necks, and let you know the size (in inches), so you can buy a woven, buckle collar? I would think that would be the most secure way to lead a goat. Is it possible the seller would have collars on them when you get them?

We have four Nigerian Dwarfs & they always have a buckle collar on. We got them at 8 months and they came with collars. I'm thinking we put bigger collars on each of them at about 18 months.

We haven't had to do it in a while, but if they sneak out the gate, when we are going in or out, I have learned, that the easiest way to get them back, is to do a slip loop, using the handle end of a 6' woven lead. I put the slip loop over my hand. Then, I put a bowl of their favorite treat (feed pellets) in the same hand. They are a sucker for treats. :lol: so, instead of running away, they start eating. That makes it really easy to slip the lead over their head. :celebrate then off we go . . . back inside the gate. :lol:

I hope that answers your question. If not, I'm thinking @Southern by choice, or @babsbag will have a better answer. They are two of our many goat gurus here on BYH.
 
Last edited:

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
@Devonviolet gave you great advice. For my little kids I go to the Dollar Tree store and buy the small dog collar; they work on my minis just fine. They would probably work on nigis too. The slip lead is fine, but they will try to choke themselves if they aren't used to it. I too slip a leash through the handle and use that as the "collar". With goats that young what ever you use there should be no problem, but with big goats I like the slip lead just in case the collar breaks. But all of my goats wear flat collars all of the time.
 

Latestarter

Novice; "Practicing" Animal Husbandry
Golden Herd Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
11,384
Reaction score
17,481
Points
623
Location
NE Texas
Greetings and welcome to BYH! Make yourself at home and if you have questions, just ask away! There's already a wealth of info, experience and knowledge shared in the various threads. Browse around a bit and jump right in when you hear the call!
 

Miranda Kurucz

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Nov 19, 2016
Messages
58
Reaction score
62
Points
73
Location
Kitimat, British Columbia
:frow Hi Miranda. Allow me to be the first one to give you a big Texas Howdy, and welcome you to Backyard Herds!

:welcome
I'm by no means an expert, but I would think using a slip lead would work fine. Would it be possible to ask the seller to measure their necks, and let you know the size (in inches), so you can buy a woven, buckle collar? I would think that would be the most secure way to lead a goat. Is it possible the seller would have collars on them when you get them?

We have four Nigerian Dwarfs & they always have a buckle collar on. We got them at 8 months and they came with collars. I'm thinking we put bigger collars on each of them at about 18 months.

We haven't had to do it in a while, but if they sneak out the gate, when we are going in or out, I have learned, that the easiest way to get them back, is to do a slip loop, using the handle end of a 6' woven lead. I put the slip loop over my hand. Then, I put a bowl of their favorite treat (feed pellets) in the same hand. They are a sucker for treats. :lol: so, instead of running away, they start eating. That makes it really easy to slip the lead over their head. :celebrate then off we go . . . back inside the gate. :lol:

I hope that answers your question. If not, I'm thinking @Southern by choice, or @babsbag will have a better answer. They are two of our many goat gurus here on BYH.

Thank you so much for your response!! I hadn't totally expected the boards to be so active -- or I would have checked back sooner to see responses!

I guess I should have done a bit of an introduction:

Hello! I'm Miranda -- I live way up in Kitimat in Northern British Columbia! I have 2 dogs (we just lost one of our old boys :(), 26 chickens, a snake, an amazing stepson, and a very patient man!! I'll take that big ol' Texas Howdy any day and follow it up with a Hi there-eh!

At this time the goats are of course still in the gestation period -- but the breeder has been super informative and super helpful! I'm sure she would definitely be up to pretty much any request that makes the transition easier on both us and the kids. The reason I was asking was I'm super used to having dogs and I used to run an organization that did spay/neuter clinics and took on medical case / behavioural case dogs. It was always more comfortable to pick up a new pet with either a slip collar and lead or decent harness -- these were always the leash of choice for dogs who may be bolters as they could sometimes back out of their flats etc. I saw a good sale on a dog collar store for some really nice braided leather slip collars + leads and wanted to know if for pick up and for any turn out if these were good more because I'm a vain jerk who wanted my goats to rock some stunning braided leather for their car breaks on their long ride home to Kitimat! Be my little show boat, show goats.

I've heard mixed on keeping a flat collar on. Our area will have a bit of trees and browse that the goats can get hung up on so I've been wary about having a full time collar. I think with time I'll see how that goes. Our pen is going to be pretty bomb proof due to the predators we have.

My goat run and home is in Renovation mode! My partner had goats for many many years but the run has been empty for the last 5 years or so.

We have a goat house that is approximately 8 x 8 ft --- 6 x 6 are a closed shelter with a 2 foot over hang on the front and to one side. For the run I am extending out so it goes around my stepsons old tree house -- and then I am going to be building ramps up to the tree house / tree perch for the kids. I'll do updates once we actually get going and start making progress. We have a lot of apex predators in the area so we are doing 5 foot chain link panels with a 2 x 12 extended from the fence posts on top of that. On the ground we have railway ties dug down for any predators who may try and dig in. I'm still debating on if we will run an electric line over the top. Wolves, Grizzlies, Coyotes are the norm here but our chicken coop has kept everything out and is pretty similar in design.

So hello! Can't wait to be an active poster -- or to take in ANY and all advice offered to me! I am so excited to get started with our goats!
 

Miranda Kurucz

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Nov 19, 2016
Messages
58
Reaction score
62
Points
73
Location
Kitimat, British Columbia
@Devonviolet gave you great advice. For my little kids I go to the Dollar Tree store and buy the small dog collar; they work on my minis just fine. They would probably work on nigis too. The slip lead is fine, but they will try to choke themselves if they aren't used to it. I too slip a leash through the handle and use that as the "collar". With goats that young what ever you use there should be no problem, but with big goats I like the slip lead just in case the collar breaks. But all of my goats wear flat collars all of the time.
I was worried about a new baby getting more stressed by being choked.. I think I will bring both a flat and a slip and probably 30 options just to make sure we get the right one! haha
 

Miranda Kurucz

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Nov 19, 2016
Messages
58
Reaction score
62
Points
73
Location
Kitimat, British Columbia
And welcome to BYH. Hope you enjoy your visits here and share more about your farm. We like any and all pictures.

I will share more on our goat run as soon as we get it looking good.. which is looking like we will be starting that in spring as snow is supposed to start flying here any minute now!

Here is our pre-chickens coop before we added the top to the run -- and some better ventilation.
1Fai5Vw.jpg


Harvest day -- one of our plots and our green house. The chickens get to free range with us when we were are out in the yard. My partner works week on week off camp work -- so they get a good week and then a week of just weekends and evenings when my work days are done.

T62HX03.jpg


When we first started getting eggs and I made a little post for our local Facebook page:

NB3Ru4m.jpg


Went with a pond for helping water the flock!
GVciICk.jpg


What it all looked like when I first started -- didn't spend a dime. Used all things found or that we already had to spruce it up to the thing of beauty it became!

J9Ogujx.jpg
yLFDxOL.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top