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RE: CHEESE LOVERS, EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!
Two is the perfect number! For a small family. For basic homestead needs. As well as the happiness of the goats. You must get tame goats though or you will regret it and have endless trouble with skittish creatures. Try and find a reputable goat dairy or owner who will sell two girls to bottle raise. Twin girls or a mother and daughter is also ideal.
So a mama and a baby is enough? I was figuring on two adults and a baby when I looked to see if we have space, but if one mama and one baby is plenty, then we should have no problem finding space for them.
I was kinda thinking about two girls that would alternate breeding seasons, but that's coming from someone that's never had a goat lol
What I'm seeing is that they need about 200 square feet of outdoor space and 10 square feet of indoor space each for dwarf breeds. Which is another question. What breed do I want? I heard someone mention breeds that are specifically hardy and parasite resistant, which sounds ideal.
We've got a lot to learn before we bite the bullet, but from a space standpoint, goats are feasible.
As for skittish animals running around, we have plenty of those with our first three chickens. So it'll probably be best to start with little goats like you said so that they can get used to us being around them.
Definitely do your homework before getting goats. I will do a post (have so many goat related topics to write about!) but there are a couple essentials. 1 FENCING!!! Make sure that you have goat proof fencing especially if there are areas that are out of bounds (such as veggie gardens). 2. Shelter. While they love suntanning even on the hottest days goats HATE rain and wind (and snow if you have in winter). They need a safe, warm, dry little spot. 3. Get to know what vegetation on your property could be a problem to goats. I've lost goats to poisonous plants. It's horrific. That said they love diverse grazing and will clean up overgrown bushes, trees, gardens. Clean water is very important especially if you are getting dairy goats. Last tip is the parasites. Stay on top of keeping them parasite free. A heavy worm load will kill a goat. Yip. Been down that road a couple times in my early inexperienced days. Another horrible way to lose goats. I do everything naturally (medical is for an absolute crisis). If you free feed them naturally anti-parasitic plants they will thrive. It deworms goats as well as boosts their immune systems. My goats LOVE olive leaves, garlic, aloe. They aren't as crazy about cloves and wormwood but you'd be surprised how they self medicate. If they eat it you know they need too
As far as how many and the breed: What type you get is based on what you can find, firstly. I love my Saanen. Dwarf goats are really hard to get in SA. I did get a couple once. They were wild. It didn't work for me and because the goatie side of our farm became a business I needed larger milk producers. British Alpine and Toggenberg are popular in SA but my favourite (and the goats I've always had) are Saanen. They're the white Swiss variety and well known for having the most placid personalities. I know you get a larger selection of breeds in the States. Ask around. I think two would be perfect for you: mother and daughter or twin sisters as I said. Remember they will have babies (they must annually or every 18 months in order to stay in milk). Believe me you don't want wild goats. It's no fun working them. And the children will love tame pet goats. They a riot! Very loveable. Very interactive.
Hope this long essay helps?
Make posts. I owe you so many upvotes for all that information. Saanen goats are available here, along with boer, dwarf Nubian, and Kiko goats. Those are the ones I see most of on craigslist. I'll look between those four for now and see what I can learn. I did read that oak and plum are poisonous to goats, and I have both of those here in abundance.
Anything you can post about anything is sure to be helpful. I love hearing from professional homesteaders! :D
Hardly a professional! Just some bittersweet experience. But I'm happy to share. I think I will post as you aren't the only one asking advice. I don't know kiko but I hear they're good milkers. Boer is more a meat animal. I've had them and they are by far the naughtiest goats of any breeds I've had. One of my best milkers is from Boer crossed with Saanen. So if you can get the mix you may like it