Housing

 

It is a requirement that your goats have constant access to a shelter that is dry, draught free and warm/cool as appropriate depending on the season. As stated, your goats should be able to stand upright but I'd go further and say that YOU should be able to stand upright! It's no fun having to bend over double while trying to clean your goats out. We have a pre existing stone barn for our goats but a stable or shed will work well too

Your main shelter/stable should have a door that you can lock up at night. Goats don’t really have any predators, unless dogs can access your property, but they are a prime target for being stolen as they can be sold on for a lot of money (or worse)

The indoor area should allow a minimum of 2 square meters per goat (for Pygmies, allow more for larger goats) and you should provide a raised area covered with straw as goats prefer to sleep off the ground. Goats hate wet, windy weather so, particularly in winter, will spend quite a bit of time indoors. You should ensure they have their hay and water inside so they don’t have to brave the weather in order to eat and drink. Salt/mineral licks are also best kept indoors as rain will wash them away.

Field shelters, if needed, can just be a roof and 3 sides as long as they're big enough to provide real protection from the weather.

 

Goats, generally, hate getting wet!! Although there will always be exceptions to this rule! The problem is goats, unlike sheep, don’t have any protection against the rain and if they get wet and aren’t dried really quickly are susceptible to pneumonia so it’s really important to ensure they make use of their shelters.

 

Fencing

 

Goats are notorious for escaping! It is a good idea to get your perimeter fence installed or upgraded BEFORE you get your goats.

We use galvanised steel wire with a narrow gauge, this will allow them to fit no more than their snout through and stop the pushing through the fence. This wire is sandwiched between post and rail fencing and also stops the goats from pushing through.

For Pygmies your fence should be at least 4 feet high and your rails should be placed at the very bottom, middle and very top making your fence too strong to push under, push through or pulled down to climb over! Make sure the 'gate furniture' is on the outside because some goats are perfectly able to open gates!

Also keep all play equipment away from the fence or they will use it as a springboard or 'uppy'

The amount of land you require will depend on how you plan to feed them. If you're fortunate enough to have a large , safe field that provides a variety of forage for your goats then that's fantastic. But it is entirely possible to keep 2 Pygmy goats on a 1/4 acre in your garden (providing that all potential toxic plants are removed. We are able to to have a separate family garden by the house, enabling us to grow flowers and shrubs safely away from the goats. The children can also play without fear of being butted! We have our goat pen sectioned off at the back where they can see, hear and interact with us. We do have some purposely planted, safe shrubs growing up against the fence and this allows our goats to browse without completely destroying the plants. We also have a very large, old Goat Willow tree (aptly named!) that they can reach the lower branches of. We feed them fresh cuttings when available but 'supplement' their diet with a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.

 

Storing Food

Hay (and straw) should be kept off the floor using pallets, these will keep it dry and allow air to flow. Goats must never eat mouldy, musty hay as it can cause Listeriosis, if allowed to get wet your hay must be removed. Other bagged feeds are best stored in lidded bins to keep dry and prevent vermin from eating and soiling it.

The only food your goats need constant access to is hay. All other food should be kept well away from them with double, triple locks! This is even more important if you have other animals as goats will get very ill if they eat too much of their own food or any food not meant for them.

 

Entertainment 

Goats absolutely love to play! The possibilities are endless when it comes to play equipment...you can make it yourself out of pallets or old (but solid) wood. You can repurpose old play equipment after your child outgrows it. Or you can buy purpose built equipment.

Climbing frames, balance beams, seesaw's, raised platforms are all great additions to your goats enclosure. As are things like horse hay balls, dog treats balls, footballs, strong dog toys!

Providing places to scratch is very important for the health of your goats skin and coat. You can buy purpose made products or, like us, simply screw broom heads to fence posts!

 

Walking and Events 

Believe it or not you can take your goats for walks! It can be a wonderful way for them to browse a variety of different sources that may not be available at home and can help keep their feet in good condition.

BUT you must obtain a license in order to do so, this is actually a pig walking license but it covers goats and is obtained through APHA providing there is a safe place for you to walk.

If you want to attend fairs or other attractions with your goats you must also have the appropriate permit (from APHA and your local council) and appropriate insurance.

If you want to show your goats in competitions then you must abide by the rules set by that particular association. You will likely need insurance, health certificates, vaccination records etc...