Goats and coyotes

[Tlcranmore]

Hi everyone I'm new to this site and I hope my questions aren't silly. My youngest is finally graduating and the house will be empty, and I love to be outside, after a few years of trying to convince my husband he has finally agreed to goats....finally.... my first question is I have been told that it is not good to only have 1 is this true? And second altho I have never seen them i have heard coyotes at night what do I need to do to protect the goats?

 

[Ponker]

I have little Finnsheep that I am starting to raise for fiber and showing. The coyotes around here are very bold with the influence of several years worth of 'dumped dogs' joining the packs they've grown very large. Two shot during deer season (not by me, although I did see one from my stand) weighed in close to 100lbs, far larger than a 'normal' coyote. This year they are staying away from the local herds because there is a lot of natural food available to them. (We had a deer disease which killed of a number of the local deer.) In the past, they've been bold enough to take newborn kids and lambs as well as kill older sheep and goats (and dogs). To keep our animals safe from the coyotes, we bring them in close to the barn at night and turn them out during the day. We are also training a Livestock Guardian Dog. Our neighborhood has a good number of LGDs on duty. It's a great deterrent but if you have a large number of predators, one dog isn't enough especially if you leave stock (smaller stock) on pasture away from the busy area of the farm. Other animals are also good for protecting flocks like llamas and donkeys for example.

Fencing can also help. A good woven wire fence (barbed ran along the top) with electric at nose level on the outside can be helpful.

Goats are herd animals and are more comfortable having a buddy. Personally, I am getting two because of that very reason. My two little milk goats are coming home in April! and bringing their kids. Spring is an exciting time.

 

[babsbag]

Welcome to BYH. Glad to hear that DH agreeded to the goats, they are the MOST addicitive animal I have ever owned so be warned. One is not enough and they do need a buddy (or two)...just sayin'...they are like a potato chip; no one can own just one.

As far as the coyotes, I now have Livestock Guardian Dogs but before that I had a hot wire on the fence. We installed it on the bottom so no digging and on the top edge and also one above the fence by about 2-3". My DH set up the fence so that the fence itself would work as the ground so the coyote did not have to touch the physical ground and a wire to get shocked. Touching the fence and the hot wire was enough to do it, that way a climbing coyote would still get shocked. So do chickens, toads, and lizards. For fencing we use the 2x4 no climb, also called horse wire. The goats were brought into an inner corral at night just to make me feel better but a coyote could have breached that corral with no problem. The coyotes can climb a fence, no problem there.

I LOVE my dogs.

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings @Tlcranmore from the front range in Colorado Welcome to BYH. Being an "empty nester" isn't ALL bad... Love my kids and grands, don't get me wrong, but love my "freedom" as well! Only you will know if it's 'right" for you. Grats on your soon to be acquired addiction! Oh... you did say you were getting goats didn't you? Two would be a more or less required minimum, 3 is better, that way if they don't get along, there's an "odd goat out" so they aren't at each other all the time. I have to confess I haven't got mine yet... I was to have them this spring, but am now moving this summer so had to put it off.

There are other threads on here about coyotes and deterrence. The highest priority should be good fencing and hot wire. If you have a structure/enclosure you can lock them in at night (barn), that will go a long way toward protecting them. Just a word of caution... many folks lose their goats to dogs, not coyotes... their own, the neighbors or strays.

Anyway, lots of good info here and great folks to ask help from if/when you need it. Get comfy and spend a bit . Feel free to jump in when you have a mind to, and please share some pics when you finally get your goats!

 

[cjc]

We struggled in the past to keep our lambs safe and here is what we did. We put chicken wire around the entire pasture...big job, big expense. The chicken wire helps keep them in and helps keep other animals out. Coyotes can also not jump a fence that has rounded bars along the top...apparently. Electric fencing of course does help a lot but we could never do that as we don't have power back in their pasture. Coyotes do attack during the day but at our farm it has only happened at night. We put a secure door on the shelter in their pasture and we locked them in every night.

I agree with everyone above. 2 at least. Like all animals they get lonely. Good luck!

 

[Tlcranmore]

Thank you all so much for the advice it will go along way. The baby goats were just born 2 days ago, so can't wait for this snow to go away so I can start building a pen to bring them home. Now just need girl names....

 

[Latestarter]

Oh my... we're already tal Excited for tyouking in plural(s)... Goat(S) were born... Bring THEM home... girl name(S)... Looks like we got us the makins' of another fine goatie! Excited for you Hoping to see pics when you get them all home!