Frequently Asked Questions

What Do Goats Need?

 

Goats Need Other Goats

You can never have just one. Because goats are herd animals, they need the companionship of another goat. They will not thrive if they are alone. If this is your first goat, you must get two. If you already have goats, you can introduce your new baby into your existing herd.

 

Shelter

Nigerian Dwarf Goats don’t need elaborate housing, but they do need shelter from wind and rain.

If they are protected from wind and can stay dry, goats can tolerate a lot of cold. They don’t need a heated barn. In the winter, they grow a cozy cashmere undercoat that helps keep them warm. In colder winter climates like we have in Ohio, you can also provide them with some dry bedding such as straw where they can snuggle in together. Having a shelter that you can close them into at night, gives them extra protection from frigid winds and gives them protection from predators as well.

 

Fencing

 

Goats need good fencing.

 

It is said that the quality of your fencing (or lack thereof, lol) makes the difference of whether you love your goats, or don’t. If your goats are getting out, and you are finding them eating your roses and beautiful flower beds, chowing down on your garden, or jumping on your car… well, you will soon be losing your patience with them!

 

We have had great success and are very satisfied with our fencing! We are using a 4 foot high, woven wire fence for our does Larger breed goats may need a taller fence, but the 4 foot fence has been adequate for the smaller Nigerians. We haven’t had anyone get out. 

Note: If you are keeping a buck, it will probably be necessary to have a 5 foot fence for his area.

 

Important! It is never safe to tie or tether a goat outside! A goat will easily get tangled and can be hurt. And leaving a goat tied outside makes them easy targets for predators.

 

What Do They Eat and Drink?

 

Water

Your goats need fresh, clean water available at all times!

Goats enjoy warm water in the winter. This is not a necessity, but if you are fortunate to have electric available, you can provide your goats warm water in the winter by putting a water heater in their bucket. This encourages them to drink more water which is good for them.

Hay

Good Quality free choice hay is the most important feature of a goat’s diet!

 

Goats should have access to hay at all times. Even when your goat has outside pasture or forage available, they need the long-stemmed hay to keep their digestive system functioning well.

Put their hay in a hay feeder instead of on the ground. Once hay falls on the ground, the goats consider it “dirty” and will not eat it.

 

Forage

Having access to outside vegetation is an excellent way to increase nutrition for your goat. Goats enjoy nice pasture, but they don’t require lush pasture grass. Goats thrive on weedy, brushy and wooded areas. Goats love poison ivy, poison oak, blackberries and other invasive plants. They will improve pastures that have become overgrown by eating the weeds that other livestock won’t eat. Some people keep goats for the sole purpose of cleaning up overgrown, neglected areas of their property.

 

Minerals

 

Minerals are another essential component of your goat’s diet. Hay alone typically won’t provide all the vitamins and minerals a goat needs. Be sure to buy a mineral specifically formulated for goats. Use a loose mineral instead of a mineral block. It’s important to offer the goats free-choice access to minerals at all times.

 

You can buy a small black goat mineral feeder at TSC. The goats will eat the minerals when their body needs it. Put out small amounts at a time because the goats will not eat it if it is not fresh.

An excellent goat mineral that we use is called

“Sweetlix Meat Maker Goat Supplement”. We find it at our local feed co-op.

 

Grain

 

All goat kids need grain to provide more protein while they are growing. It is important to use a goat grain specifically designed for goats with 16% protein.

A small daily portion of grain is all a growing kid needs- about ½ cup per day for the Nigerians.

It is important not to over-feed grain!

Growing goat kids typically need grain until they are about six to eight months of age.

After six to eight months, goats do not need grain at all.

Bucks, wether and dry does should never have grain. It is especially important to not feed grain to bucks and wethers because it can cause serious, and sometimes fatal urinary calculi.

 

Only pregnant and lactating does require grain.

 

Other Things Goats Need

 

Hoof Trimming 

Goat’s need regular hoof trimming to keep their feet healthy. The hooves on goats grow like fingernails. They need to have excess trimmed away periodically. We like to trim hooves about once per month. You can buy goat trimmers at goat supply stores such as Premier1supplies.com or Jefferspet.com

 

Hoof trimming is not difficult, but it does take a little practice, and it can be a little intimidating at first.

If you do happen to buy a baby from us at Brownwood Nigerian Dwarf Goats, we are happy to show you the basics of hoof trimming before you take your baby home.

 

Grooming

 

Goats love to be groomed, and it helps their coat stay clean and healthy. We like to use a dog slicker brush to brush them. All of our goats enjoy this extra attention and bonding time.