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DeEtta

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Hello everyone. I'm back into goats after 18 years. I missed my goats and their antics. I have 1.25 acres. .25 is fence off for 2 girls. I plan on fencing another .25 acres soon to rotate them. They are in PB grass. Of course so much has changed. I've been reading your posts and things are coming back to me. Thank you for adding me.
I do have 1 question. How do you keep them from eating fence posts.
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Alaskan

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It looks like their pasture is mostly grass...

I would try to cut branches for them and toss some in every day or so.

if that isn't possible, do they have free feed hay?

Also... because that pasture is so beautiful and grassy... and bare.... they might also need some toys...

And... you can paint the posts with no-cribbing paint for horses.
 

DeEtta

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It looks like their pasture is mostly grass...

I would try to cut branches for them and toss some in every day or so.

if that isn't possible, do they have free feed hay?

Also... because that pasture is so beautiful and grassy... and bare.... they might also need some toys...

And... you can paint the posts with no-cribbing paint for horses.
Thank you.
Yes, their field is grass with little weeds. They have coastal hay at all times. But they don't seem to eat much. I think they are waiting for their lunch of peanut hay. I give them peanut hay because there are no trees or leaves to forage on. Are they being spoiled with the peanut hay causing them not to eat the costal?

Toys are a great idea. It makes sense. They act the same as my dog when playing, even pulling each other's ears. I could watch them all day laughing.

One of my girls, Mazy, is very tame. Sometimes to tame a she likes to nibble on people. She was a rescue and very sick. I almost lost her but she is doing good now. Trying to get weight on her but I know it's a slow process. BoPeep is not so tame. I got her after Mazy was healthy again and it off the quarantine pen. It's been a month and she still won't let me touch her or come close to my hand. She is coming in the shed now when I feed rather than wait til I leave and dart in. Is there a way of making her less nervous? I don't push the issue and I do talk to her. I've always had very take goats before.
 

Mini Horses

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Time and patience. When other visits, she'll learn but, slowly. A chair in the field, treats in you hand. 😂. Goats are almost always food oriented! Mine love bread.

Agree with @Alaskan to toss some small branches with leaves to them.
 

DeEtta

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Mazy loves lettuce and pumpkin seeds. BoPeep stuck her nose up. I'll try bread, thanks. And a chair. 😊

I'll have to get tree branches from mom's.

I'm thrift store shopping for toys for my girls. Plus I'm getting cable spools from down the road. With I'm done, they will have a gym. What we do for our goats, lol
 

Alaskan

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Oh... also, do they have free choice minerals?

No idea about the peanut hay verses coastal.

I never had much hay choice.

Peanut hay is way higher in protein than coastal...

10-15% on average for peanut, verses 6-11.

They also have vastly different calcium and phosphorus. Peanut hay is just like alfalfa for calcium and phosphorus.


Anyway... not sure if goats can taste the extra protein?

If you can find anyone with a brushy area that they want cut back... you could cut the brush and bring it home.

There are a few poisonous bushes.... you will have to look up what you have access to.
 

DeEtta

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Oh... also, do they have free choice minerals?

No idea about the peanut hay verses coastal.

I never had much hay choice.

Peanut hay is way higher in protein than coastal...

10-15% on average for peanut, verses 6-11.

They also have vastly different calcium and phosphorus. Peanut hay is just like alfalfa for calcium and phosphorus.


Anyway... not sure if goats can taste the extra protein?

If you can find anyone with a brushy area that they want cut back... you could cut the brush and bring it home.

There are a few poisonous bushes.... you will have to look up what you have access to.
They have a mineral block for goats that they lick on all the time. Very happy girls.

They only get 1/4 flake of peanut hay a day which they devour. It helps put weight on my skinny girl. They nibble the coastal but a flake will last a week. I think they find coastal boring.

The lot next to me is thick water oak and another type of oak tree. I am able to get branches from there.

When I get their play yard finished I'll post pictures.
 

Alaskan

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I have never heard of a mineral block for goats...

Didn't think there was such a thing.

I know the cattle and horse blocks are too hard for goats, and they don't get as much as they need, eventhough they like to lick them.
 

DeEtta

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I found the block at the feed store labeled for goats. It does have about the same as the loose minerals.

They really don't like to stand and lock the block. But because it's so humid right now the block gets damp every night and the girls take advantage of the minerals crumbling from the block.

When it gets hot and dry in the summer I will change to the real loose minerals.
 

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