# How do you go about picking up the goat berries?



## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

I am learning a lot from this forum... and one thing I know I have never done is pick up their poop from the grass! (embarrassed) Luckily, their fecal came back clean recently so that's good. They do chow down on their grass frequently though. How do you all pick up their berries from the grass? I feel like it would be difficult, but I would be willing to try to keep up with it.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

A small rake and a dustpan or a dog poop bag and I pick it up like you would dog poop.

How large of a space are we talking?


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> A small rake and a dustpan or a dog poop bag and I pick it up like you would dog poop.
> 
> How large of a space are we talking?


Dog poop and gloves may be my best bet. They are on about 1/2 acre right now. We have 6 total but not goat proofed yet. :cooldude:


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

DaGoatandPugLady said:


> Dog poop and gloves may be my best bet. They are on about 1/2 acre right now. We have 6 total but not goat proofed yet. :cooldude:


Our neighbors think we're crazy, always out there in the grass with blue surgical cloves and dog poop bags.

Before I discovered the dust pan technique, we were using gloves inside and on the patio to toss the poops into buckets.

Not as difficult and tedious as you'd think.

I don't know where we'd be without nitrile gloves!!


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> I don't know where we'd be without nitrile gloves!!


:haha:


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Our neighbors think we're crazy, always out there in the grass with blue surgical cloves and dog poop bags.
> 
> Before I discovered the dust pan technique, we were using gloves inside and on the patio to toss the poops into buckets.
> 
> ...


Awww, at least your husband is willing to help you pick up the poo!!! lol, don't think mine would be on board with that. Good thing I'm a nurse, free gloves for me! I'm gonna need 'em lol


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

I do not pick berries out of grass. Ever. Their loft gets scraped daily and the dirt floor of their stalls get shoveled out once a month or so in spring, summer and fall.... winter is deep litter. Ours get moved every three weeks to new grass. What is left can compost into the ground. By the time they go back onto that ground the worm eggs should way be all died off.


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

Sfgwife said:


> I do not pick berries out of grass. Ever. Their loft gets scraped daily and the dirt floor of their stalls get shoveled out once a month or so in spring, summer and fall.... winter is deep litter. Ours get moved every three weeks to new grass. What is left can compost into the ground. By the time they go back onto that ground the worm eggs should way be all died off.


Awesome! My long term goal is to move them around a bunch but right now I only have two areas that I rotate every 3 months. I never picked their berries up before and their fecal has been good so... IDK!!!


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## sunnystatekidz (Jul 20, 2019)

I’m trying to figure this out as well and would love to hear more methods . I only have 7 goats and still this seems to be a task - the rake just doesn’t work for me , they go right through the little rake forks .


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

sunnystatekidz said:


> I'm trying to figure this out as well and would love to hear more methods . I only have 7 goats and still this seems to be a task - the rake just doesn't work for me , they go right through the little rake forks .


If you can divide your big space into smaller spaces. Then keep them off one space for three months. It helps with worms. Do not let the forage or grass get low low before you move them. Our spaces are about half an acre each. We have six spaces on one pasture for them. When one gets eaten down they get moved. We can tell too when they need be moved because they start eatin the hay. Our bucks have a bit over a quarter acre and we do the same with them. There are only two bucks and there are five does and wethers together. Then until we sell this buckling there is another space for him and a wether.


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

Sfgwife said:


> If you can divide your big space into smaller spaces. Then keep them off one space for three months. It helps with worms. Do not let the forage or grass get low low before you move them. Our spaces are about half an acre each. We have six spaces on one pasture for them. When one gets eaten down they get moved. We can tell too when they need be moved because they start eatin the hay. Our bucks have a bit over a quarter acre and we do the same with them. There are only two bucks and there are five does and wethers together. Then until we sell this buckling there is another space for him and a wether.


Do you have a shelter for each space or do you bring them in at night?


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

DaGoatandPugLady said:


> Do you have a shelter for each space or do you bring them in at night?


The bucks have a shelter that is moved with them and everyone else is put to bed in the barns at night. But they have access to The barns all the time. The buckling and one wether have a shelter in their space as well. But those two go into the barns at night.


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

Sfgwife said:


> The bucks have a shelter that is moved with them and everyone else is put to bed in the barns at night. But they have access to The barns all the time. The buckling and one wether have a shelter in their space as well. But those two go into the barns at night.


So, your six areas have a path to the barn?


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

DaGoatandPugLady said:


> So, your six areas have a path to the barn?


Yes. There is permanent fence around part of it right now. And then we use electric netting that is moved. There are gates down the fence line that open to the netting as it i moved. We are workin on all of it bein permanent fence on the perimeter and will use the netting for the divider "panels". . I can take a pic tomorrow if you would like me to.

And the bucks shelter... it has four sides and a door that we could put them in at night but we just dont. They do go in it at night on their own though to sleep.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Kids...I use my kids :heehee:

We do daily scooping here, with a shovel we scoop up clumps and mounds and any areas that seems to be popular to poop...then once or twice a month we rake real well. We find since starting the daily scooping, its easier come raking time. My only regret is not doing it sooner..so many blisters could have been prevented by not raking every week!


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

Sfgwife said:


> Yes. There is permanent fence around part of it right now. And then we use electric netting that is moved. There are gates down the fence line that open to the netting as it i moved. We are workin on all of it bein permanent fence on the perimeter and will use the netting for the divider "panels". . I can take a pic tomorrow if you would like me to.
> 
> And the bucks shelter... it has four sides and a door that we could put them in at night but we just dont. They do go in it at night on their own though to sleep.


Please do take a pic!! Thank you  I'm a visual person for my inspiration.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

I rake the dry lot daily. And I sweep the porch and their pallets. But I have NEVER cleaned goat poop out of the grass. Hmmmmm.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

DaGoatandPugLady said:


> Please do take a pic!! Thank you  I'm a visual person for my inspiration.


Ok not the best but it gives the idea. You can see gates. Right in front of those is a lane they use. The bottom gate is used twice... he just swings the fence to new. You cannot see all the gates but hopefully it will give an idea of what i mean.


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## Chris488 (Sep 4, 2018)

I was gonna say 'with my bare hands" but I think the OP was referring to fresh berries. 

Sometimes they get in the mineral/ baking soda dish... whaddya gonna do?


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

I don't


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

Chris488 said:


> I was gonna say 'with my bare hands" but I think the OP was referring to fresh berries.
> 
> Sometimes they get in the mineral/ baking soda dish... whaddya gonna do?


I do pick them out bare-handed out of the mineral dish now that I think about it (shy)


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

i THINK I MISSED SOMETHING
Are goat berries bad for grass?
here i have been using water and wash them in to the ground. I thought they were fertilizer.
now i got to find a way to sweep them up
would a leaf vacume work
I know I know how about a side walk sweeper or a lawn grass sweeper.
How did i miss this one I have a shop vac
I am going to go back and read this thread again i think i missed something


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## Little Cow (May 31, 2010)

Ours are on a dry lot with excursions into the yard or pastures. We clean their paddock and stall regularly, but not the yard or pasture. They only go out when there's no mud or puddles (goodness knows they wouldn't want their hooves to get wet). The only ones that clean the yard area are, well, um, er, *ahem* the dogs, actually..... (What are you eating?! No! Bad dog! Aaaah! Don't lick me!).


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

fivemoremiles said:


> i THINK I MISSED SOMETHING
> Are goat berries bad for grass?
> here i have been using water and wash them in to the ground. I thought they were fertilizer.
> now i got to find a way to sweep them up
> ...


It all depends on how many goats you have, how much space they have, whether they are grazing alot or how much they struggle with parasites.

We DO keep our girls small pen and stall clean (Heck, I think they're cleaner than my house!) But we do NOT "clean" our grass. My girls don't graze much at all, except in the spring. At that time, we relocate them every couple of weeks, so parasites aren't as much of an issue. Once the weather warms up here, my girls prefer to browse in the woods when we let them out, However, they are in their dry lot pen most of the time. So grass cleaning is not a priority for us.

You need to assess your goats and their habits as well as their health and your management style. THEN you can decide if you need to be a poop Nazi or not.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

fivemoremiles said:


> i THINK I MISSED SOMETHING
> Are goat berries bad for grass?
> here i have been using water and wash them in to the ground. I thought they were fertilizer.
> now i got to find a way to sweep them up
> ...


Simple answer, yes.

Goat berries contain parasite eggs.

Parasite eggs usually need grass and moisture to reproduce.

What you're doing is giving them both.

Now, this may not have a HUGE impact if your goats aren't overgrazing or if your grass is kept high, etc.

However, I'd avoid this if possible.

In my opinion, don't fret about what's already there in the grass... but the grass isn't a good dumping ground for more poop.

Goat poop acts as a fertilizer, but in order to use it safely on your own grass it should really cure first. That means sun/heat, breaking it up, and then and only then is it safe to use. So if you've got poop piling up on a dry lot area and it's starting to cure naturally, chances are it's probably safe.

But fresh poop is just parasites, that's how it is.

It's quite simple actually, would you want your poop swept onto your food? I know we don't always think about it this way, but we take poops out of mineral feeders and other feeders, we get mad when they poop on hay they are supposed to eat... grass isn't any different if they graze on it often.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

So this is the back side of not being able to shift their grazing lots?


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## kathyc (Jan 14, 2017)

sunnystatekidz said:


> I'm trying to figure this out as well and would love to hear more methods . I only have 7 goats and still this seems to be a task - the rake just doesn't work for me , they go right through the little rake forks .


I finally found this rake, it's small but the tines are close together and it gets most berries. https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/gardening-tools/rakes/72384

I also use nitrile disposable gloves, unfortunately one of my goats has developed a taste for them, he's eaten at least 3 pair over the last couple of months despite my best efforts to keep them away from him - he even attempts to eat them off my hands. Haven't seen them come out the other end yet....


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

kathyc said:


> I finally found this rake, it's small but the tines are close together and it gets most berries. https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/gardening-tools/rakes/72384
> 
> I also use nitrile disposable gloves, unfortunately one of my goats has developed a taste for them, he's eaten at least 3 pair over the last couple of months despite my best efforts to keep them away from him - he even attempts to eat them off my hands. Haven't seen them come out the other end yet....


He will cud them, they will come out in very small pieces. I had a similar problem with plastic bags, some of my goats believed them to be very very tasty, because I tried my best to hinder them from eating them ... :shrug:


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## kathyc (Jan 14, 2017)

ha! This same goat also is obsessed with the 30 gallon plastic trash bags! Night before last he ripped one out of the garbage can (only turned my back for a second) I chased him all over the pen and he finally dropped it. Was partially chewed but he didn't swallow anything thank goodness. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone with this nutcase of a goat!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Maybe I should not have mentioned my plastic bag eaters ... Sorry, I did not know your goats read my entries over your shoulder ... 

More seriously, I noticed the behaviour increased when I took the plastic from them, perhaps they thought I wanted that precious treat myself ...:shrug:


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

kathyc said:


> I finally found this rake, it's small but the tines are close together and it gets most berries. https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/gardening-tools/rakes/72384
> 
> I also use nitrile disposable gloves, unfortunately one of my goats has developed a taste for them, he's eaten at least 3 pair over the last couple of months despite my best efforts to keep them away from him - he even attempts to eat them off my hands. Haven't seen them come out the other end yet....


Yeah my goats love nitrile gloves. You just gotta keep good track of them, and don't let goats near your fingers when working.


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Yeah my goats love nitrile gloves. You just gotta keep good track of them, and don't let goats near your fingers when working.


Glad I'm not alone with my boys. Literally opened his mouth and pulled a glove out yesterday. That was fun! Lol. Learned my lesson.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I use my John Deere 5320 to scoop up the goat berries on my place(dance)


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I also use anaerobic, facultative and aerobics


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

DaGoatandPugLady said:


> Glad I'm not alone with my boys. Literally opened his mouth and pulled a glove out yesterday. That was fun! Lol. Learned my lesson.


And you still have your fingers? 


fivemoremiles said:


> I use my John Deere 5320 to scoop up the goat berries on my place(dance)


Don't you get lots of grass and earth too?


fivemoremiles said:


> I also use anaerobic, facultative and aerobics


I understand this is a joke? Otherwise, please explain!


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

This concept of picking goat berries off the grass to me is --is such a good reason to sell the goats. life is too short for this kind of foolishness.
if you do not want your goats to get parasites then use a cut and carry system. Letting the berries compost under the goat pen and cleaning it out after it has heated for a time. this is more logical to me.
or better yet use an intensive rotational system where the worms die before you return the goats to that paddock again. you move the goats when the grass is 6 inches tall. and letting the grass grow the clover bloom and the bumble bees can thrive. It gives the birds food and nesting grounds. in short Incentive rotational grazing creates a balanced ecolagy on your land. I have frogs again and turtles too. I am seeing birds i have never seen before. the cotton woods have young trees growing. 
you can not fix the world but you can fix the environment on your little peace of heaven


Sorry I got a little passionate but watching my ranch transform right before my eyes is so exciting.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Exactly, fivemoremiles, and now that I have land to play with the goats will become part of the ecosystem instead of so much a livestock. 
People who have several goats on a half acre though, they do need to protect their little space.


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> And you still have your fingers?
> Don't you get lots of grass and earth too?
> I understand this is a joke? Otherwise, please explain!


Yes, I'm fast! I'm a nurse so I'm used to getting in and out of places I'm not supposed to be, lol.


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## DaGoatandPugLady (Nov 19, 2018)

fivemoremiles said:


> This concept of picking goat berries off the grass to me is --is such a good reason to sell the goats. life is too short for this kind of foolishness.
> if you do not want your goats to get parasites then use a cut and carry system. Letting the berries compost under the goat pen and cleaning it out after it has heated for a time. this is more logical to me.
> or better yet use an intensive rotational system where the worms die before you return the goats to that paddock again. you move the goats when the grass is 6 inches tall. and letting the grass grow the clover bloom and the bumble bees can thrive. It gives the birds food and nesting grounds. in short Incentive rotational grazing creates a balanced ecolagy on your land. I have frogs again and turtles too. I am seeing birds i have never seen before. the cotton woods have young trees growing.
> you can not fix the world but you can fix the environment on your little peace of heaven
> ...


Honestly, I love this response and thank you for it. I really don't see myself going out and picking up goat berries. We have had clean fecals thus far and we are trying to implement the rotational grazing system. I think picking up berries is way too much work for the amount of acreage I have to work with. I can understand if your goats are in a small lot and you don't have many goats.

Thanks for your response!!!


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

fivemoremiles said:


> This concept of picking goat berries off the grass to me is --is such a good reason to sell the goats. life is too short for this kind of foolishness.
> if you do not want your goats to get parasites then use a cut and carry system. Letting the berries compost under the goat pen and cleaning it out after it has heated for a time. this is more logical to me.
> or better yet use an intensive rotational system where the worms die before you return the goats to that paddock again. you move the goats when the grass is 6 inches tall. and letting the grass grow the clover bloom and the bumble bees can thrive. It gives the birds food and nesting grounds. in short Incentive rotational grazing creates a balanced ecolagy on your land. I have frogs again and turtles too. I am seeing birds i have never seen before. the cotton woods have young trees growing.
> you can not fix the world but you can fix the environment on your little peace of heaven
> ...


Amen! We do rotational and just in this year have seen such a huge differences in wildlife, how well the grasses and not weeds grow. It is wonderful! The next adventure will be tryin a no till garden. .


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