So now he wants a goat

[trystinn]

Friday Josh, Brenda, the doggies and I all bundled into the van and headed south to visit Erin, our Hay Lady's. and pick up this month's allotment of hay. Crazy cuteness going on over there with twin baby goats less than a year old. New donkeys (including a Jack Ass, very fluffy) and

Erin, in all her marvelous generosity, offered us a whether goat (neutered male) when the other goat delivers. *gulp* Josh is ecstatic.

Now, in all fairness to Josh, this may actually be a good idea. We have a ton of blackberry bushes, as do friends, so we could rent the little guy out from time to time. We already buy hay, adding an additional fence to hold a goat wouldn't be too tough on us or our pocketbook and we already have a Dogloo he could use during winter (though we'd have to build/procure, etc.) a block for him to stand on. This will likely necessitate moving the firepit, which isn't too much of a problem - we'd considered it, anyway.

I did, however, draw my line in the sand - we have to run a water line out to that part of the property with a proper spigot, etc. if we do this. I'm tired of hoses running all over the place. I'm also really tired of having to turn off the spigot at the house, then walking back to Duckgard & Bunhalla, then back to the house to turn it off. Oh and I'll need really cute, fabulous yard galoshes. Which may be hard to find in size 11s.

Honestly, I don't know enough about goats. And we all know I'd be the one taking care of him 150% of the time. Flash and Dozer would likely adore having one, Gracie would wear herself out trying to herd him (which could be a good thing). Also, I'm not sure we're allowed to have a goat according to the private community's Bylaws - though I am committed to getting on the Board to make our rules more agriculture-friendly.

So we have somewhere between 7 & 9 weeks to learn and prepare for the goat, if we're going to do this.

Comments

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Read obsessively about ruminants and their problems before you get one. There's hoof trimming, nutrition, and parasite stuff that you really need to get in your head before you play this particular game.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I expected the hooves (poor Josh was like "they have hooves?") issue and I recall how the stable goats constantly had to be de-wormed (eww). The more research I'm doing, the more I'm panicking.

I think it's too much for our little place but I at least want to get my facts straight before I turn the idea down completely.

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Hooves require dumping the animal on its ass and trimming them. This is required more often because goats have a fast growing hoof. With goats, all you do is add water and their hooves grow even faster. Their hooves will also tear up the space they live in and make a very muddy mess.

They do have deworming issues, and you need to read up on nutrition carefully.

You -can- do a goat on a lot your size, but you've got a LOT going on there and need to make a fair assessment before you get into this one. Seriously. Remember all I have had to say about the FW and what goes on there.

[beltainelady.livejournal.com]

I had looked into goats when we lived in PA. I love them, but weren't allowed to have them due to the town rules.

Anyway, the one thing that jumps out at me is that goats are herd animals, and need to have at least one other animal with them or they are miserable.

Maybe the ducks would be enough, but I believe the literature I read said that goats do well with horses, ponies, sheep, etc. as buddies.

[alfrecht.livejournal.com]

That's one of those vocabulary words you never know until you know it--we always get people in the first-year Celtic Lit classes going "What's a wether?"

Gosh, that would end up being quite the menagerie out there, then...!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I'd heard it before but hadn't been as . . . .explicitly aware of what it meant.

No goat. :)

[q1.livejournal.com]

i want to see pictures of this fluffy jackass.

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

Is this one of the goat breeds that faint?

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Oh Gods, that would be hysterical. Can you imagine Flash and Dozer taking turns howling at it to make it pass out?

[lore-of-lore.livejournal.com]

If you want someone else to talk shop with about goats, on my Facebook friends, look for Kelly Baker, she's a goat farmer :)

[melody1228.livejournal.com]

Make sure that fence is stong if you get a goat. One of my really good friends in middle/high school raised half a dozen goats at a time for 4-H. If you spent the night at her place, you got up to help her with the goats in the morning. Those goats were always trying to make a break for it. One memorable February morning found me and my friend chasing after Chloe the goat when I left the gate a little loose and she head butted her way out, lol.

[wild-heart.livejournal.com]

I think the idea is crazy, but at least I can point you toward boots.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

The goat isn't happening, too crazy for even us.

But those boots. Hmn. Thank you!

[wild-heart.livejournal.com]

Do look around on the zappos site. They've got a zillion choices in colorful wellies!

One of their outlet stores is about a half hour drive away from me. If you thought you might be interested, perhaps I could toodle on over and see if they've got any of these on super-duper sale and ship them myself. For that matter, their other outlet store is just around the corner from where Evan is living, so he could do the same!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Wowsa - now that's a great idea. Lemme look around the site - I'm an 11 in most shoes.

Does anyone know how the ankle support is for these?

[wild-heart.livejournal.com]

Wellies typically don't have any sort of ankle support. They're like somewhat more fitted galoshes for adults. They're also 100% water and muck proof, which is why they are de rigueur in wet temperate zones.

Zappos has free shipping. Both ways. I'd forgotten about that. What's there to lose? Seems to me that they're bound to have something you love, and if you find that you *do* love them, I can get to the shop. We frequently get coupons in the mail for the outlet store.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the shipping information, I found a gorgeous pair I adore (less than $40). Now I just need to figure out if there's enough ankle and arch support (some do, some don't according to comments). I can re-support the arch with a device, not sure what I'd do with the ankles.

[preachan-sidhe.livejournal.com]

If you have any questions or run into problems you can hit me up. I raised and bred goats for years.

However, I will suggest that while it sounds like infinitely more work, goats are social animals and like companions so you might want two. I can see one goat on it's own getting into some mischief. Of course, two goats conspire in mischief so it's six in one hand, half dozen in the other.

And I second the creating of a fortress to hold the buggers in. These aren't pygmies, right? Those little shits can break out of just about everything. Also, for your peace of mind make sure you get a very secure, locking latch for the gate, we used a chain actually. Goats are notorious for figuring out complicated means of escape.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

We decided against it, too complicated and didn't want to work so directly outside our Community Bylaws.

[preachan-sidhe.livejournal.com]

That makes sense. Goats are really an odd animal to care for. They have an intelligence very similar to dogs with social needs and training, but completely different physical needs. They are a lot of fun, though!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Which is why I'd rather enjoy them over at Erin's - where she has multiple medium & large farm animals, acres of land and lots of resources (her hubby is a doctor!).

It was fun looking into it, I so adore learning about odd things. (Btw, did you know grizzlies & polar bears are breeding hybrids called Polar Grizz's?)

Speaking of odd things, Josh and I attended a BBQ over at our former HPs & HPSs on Saturday. Had fun, but still feeling a bit underwhelmed, ambivalent, etc.