I have goats.

[Khavilah]

Or, rather, goats have me.

Two six-month-old Nigerian / Nubian wethers named PJ and Clyde. And about 30 chickens who have to fight the goats for food if I forget to lock the coop door.

My (human) kids and I are living in Utah with a veritable zoo of reptiles and fish to go with the chickens and goats. And one cat.

One day I'll get goats to milk, but for now I'm good with the two troublemakers I have.

 

[SA Farm]

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I know how you feel about the trouble-makers. Sometimes we can't walk through the barn yard without goats alllll over us! It doesn't get much better when you have milk goats - they're trouble-makers too!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oops - double post.

 

[babsbag]

Goats are fun and trouble on the hoof. I have almost 30 of them right now.

Please be diligent about keeping them out of the chicken feed; it can make them very sick and possibly kill them.

 

[lavslady]

Welcome to BYH
I have 3 6 month old Nigerian dwarf wethers. They are so much fun!

 

[Sumi]

Welcome to BYH I'm seriously considering getting goats, but you guys are making me worry LOL I love their milk though...

 

[hilarie]

I'm curious Babsbag - what's in chicken feed that's bad for goats?

 

[MsDeb]

Welcome! I have ND's (and one ornery little Kiko runt who can get through almost every fencing combination) and they "helped" us put up new temporary fencing yesterday. Almost wired a couple of noses and hooves to fence posts. I considered it a successful evening when we got the fence up without my husband whacking one of them on the head with his hammer.

 

[babsbag]

The chicken feed is high in protein and corn and can really get a rumen out of whack. The high calcium level is not good for them either, it can be much higher than what they need. It CAN also contain animal by products which you never want to feed to a goat. If the goats get into the cracked corn it can cause acidosis and potentially cause founder. Also I have heard that the medicated feed is particularly bad but IDK.

There are many threads on here and other boards where goats have been very sick and some have died after eating chicken feed. Usually it will cause bloat and constipation. And they seem to love it.