# Raising goats with an extremely full time job?



## Breezy-Trail

So my last job (which didnt go well) turned out to be very part time..hardly worth the gas.
I can't find a standard part time job...or even a full time job.
I can only find a VERY full time job.
It is about 10.5 hrs a day for 5 days a week with possible overtime on fridays.
I think pay os around $8-9 an hr...so making some good money but at long hours.

I would have to be up milking at 5 and leave for work at 5:40 (at the latest) and be there at 6. I actually should be there a little early...which means I need to be up at 4:30.
I would get off at 4:30 and home around 4:50 just in time to milk.
Then barn chores, feed and water, eat and back to bed around 9.

Anyone work FT with goats. I wonder how you guys do it...
Might take me some getting used to and prioritizing first.

But I am calling for an interview and if all goes well I will have a good paying job with long hours.
It is assembling steel cages for shipping. Same thing everyday which helps.
I could afford a lot more for my goats but not much time for them during the week.
Whole week end off though so I can make up for lost time.


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## lissablack

I think you need to have a job like that. I know it will be hard, but you will be able to afford to take care of your goats and other things too. It will get you experience working that will help later. Sounds like a good thing. Hope you get it.

Jan


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## KW Farms

As long as you don't have a large herd...I think you could do it. :hi5: There'd be less time for the goats...but you would have weekends so that would be good when you needed to catch up on vaccinating or hoof trimmings or something. And you'd have some time to just take a break and just focus on the goats during the weekend.


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## liz

Jesse.... I work 5:30 am to 2pm most times 6 days a week, I get a day or 2 off mid week, I work every weekend too.
I keep my herd small...I'm up at 4am, in the barn to milk and feed up to 3 does, feed kids and give hay to everyone at 4:20, back in the house to strain milk and pack my hubbys lunch by 5, get dressed for work and out the doort no later than 5:20...it helps that I work 5 miles from home :wink: 
After work, I'm in the front door and let my 2 dogs out while I fill water buckets, out to the barn to let babies and mama's out, does in milk get fed on the stand at 3( they stay penned inside the first 5 weeks due to the "before daylight mornings and are too small for me to be comfortable having them out unsupervised"...everyone gets a meal of crushed hay cubes, babies get a grain ration and all are out to pasture til dark, during this time is when I get caught up on household chores, get my Goat Spot time in as I watch my goats in the pasture...bedtime is at 7:30-8pm with a hay feeding and everyone is happy til the next morning. I have certain days when I let house chores go just to be outside with my goats, wether it be cleaning stalls or doing neccessities, I take all the time I can to enjoy them. Oh...and I'm very happy with my "hermit" life :wink: 

It does take getting used to and it will take some time to get a routine down but after 12 years of working this shift, my goats( and my hubby) have adapted very well.


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## DDFN

Jesse: It is very do-able. It may not be very fun but can be done. When I use to work about an hour drive unless traffic from the farm; I would get up about 5 or 5:30 feed/hay/water/milking horses, sheep/llama, goats, ducks, turkeys, dogs and cats leave by about 6:30'ish to be at work by 7:30'ish. We saw clients until we were done so must nights it was 6:30 to 7:00. Be home by 8:00'ish feed/water/hay/milking everyone again and play catch-up on the weekends. There was never any time for anything but feeding through the week but weekends we could do worming/trimming/handling and other needs (fencing/hay etc). Some times you just have to do what you need to in order to bring home the money to take care of the babies. My times for feeding through the weeks were not the best for milking but it had to do. I tried to take a job closer to home to help with time and money but it did not work out so I now have plenty of time to tend to the farm for right now.

Hope it works out for you.


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## SandStoneStable Farm

It can be done! I currently have 15 goats counting the babies (will scale back to 9 or 10). 
Similar as above. I'm up at 4am out the door by 7a. 4-7 is actually my favorite barn time now, I bring out coffee and work with the goats and chickens. they're calmer then 
Anyway, off to work - home by 6-6:30pm back to the barn for a quick check and a splash of hay if they're mouthy then in the house for dinner, etc...
7:30pm start their bedtime routine, play with babies check on health, etc... Everyone bedded by 8p - ish then in the house for any chore that I feel I might do, maybe 
Weekend is hoofs, barn cleaning, etc... if I work a weekend I just make whatever weekday I'm off my barn day.

I keep a calendar book for goat stuff only, meds, hoofs, kidding dates, etc... with me so I can check it often and know what I need to do when I get home. I do have a neighbor that loves to come over and play with them, so they have my number if there is an emergency.

It does require discipline and the desire to balance life and goats. I chose to do this and learned to love the early morning routine!


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## Willow

Similar story...Up at 4:30 am get my coffee take care of goats. Bring in milk, filter it.
Finish getting ready for work. Leave at 6:20. Teaching by 7:05, leave school at 3:30 -4:30, stop by to see my Dad in assisted living. Get home about 5. Take care of goats and chicken and ducks...enjoy them. Make dinner, eat, check in with Goat Spot, answer parent and student emails. Correct papers. In bed by 10:30-11pm. Catch up with everything on Saturday. Do about 6-10 hrs of schoolwork - correcting , planning on Sunday. I enjoy my job, my animals, my husband and life...and look forward to vacation time to catch up at home/farm.


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## nubians2

It is doable! It takes commitment and drive. You will need to be organized. When you have the time you catch up or plan ahead for days you know you won't be able to. It would also be nice if you have someone you could rely on and train to feed or milk if you get stuck at work longer than expected. Those days do happen. Also if you are milking it is best to do every 12 hours but my girls have learned to be a little flexible. I milked last year at 10:30a.m. and 8:00 p,m, because I started work at 4:00am. I switched my schedule a little so I know start at 5:00 and I will milk before work. 

I believe you enjoy your animals enough to make this work. Good luck with your job search!


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## Breezy-Trail

Thanks everyone, nice to know there are other "work-a-holics" that raise goats.

It is going to take some organization for sure. I just need to take a day or so to organize my chore area and keep it that way during the week. I believe I have commitment and drive.

I also think this would be good for me. To make some good steady income.
I am putting together my breeding plan and it is looking near impossible without a job, a good paying job even better.

After I get a job I plan to keep my eyes out for a milk machine. I will have 4-5 to milk this year and 2 of them are high producers that take longer (twice as much milk). I will try to get something used perhaps. The year after I should have at least 6. This will save some time. I will be getting back into my schedule of sweeping the pens out every morning.

So I am going to call tomorrow for an interview. Sounds like they are looking to hire several people so there is a good chance I get the job. I will keep you guys posted.


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## toth boer goats

Great advice given.... :grouphug: 


Good luck on the interview...... :hug: ray: :thumb:


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## HoosierShadow

I'm sure you can do it, you don't have a large herd, but I'd keep your number of milkers down so it doesn't become too overwhelming, well especially in the beginning. Even being a hard worker, if your not used to working those long days at a job, it'll take time to adjust.
I remember I wasn't too much older than you when I took on a job 6 days/48+ hours a week and I was a single mom with a 1yr old daughter. It takes some getting used too, but once I did, I was fine. 
My husband works 6 nights/11 hours and still manages to do some things here at home. He usually gets about 4 hours a day at home to do stuff.


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## Willow

Good luck in the interview, Jesse. Be confident and focus on your strengths and abilities. Stress that you are willing to learn and to work hard. I am sure that you will succeed.


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## Breezy-Trail

Well if this was an actual company I would have an interview today.
It is an employment agency.
I called them and had an interview over the phone. Then I need to apply online (again) and the lady is going to have them look at my application. I am under-qualified being as I have no work experience.
So at this point I don't know if I will get hired. If I do it is going to be a long process. A few more phone interviews before an actual interview. So I will let you know how it goes.


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## Breezy-Trail

Okay, I found they needed 2 years experience for that job.

I have more questions about a few other jobs.

I am considering a career in landscaping. I have been for years but never sure if it was the career for me. I am wanting to get a landscape laborer jon to get some experience in the field and to know if I like it enough for it to be a career.

However the job I found is long hours. Pay is $10-12 an hr to start and 10.5 hrs per day and I would be milking every 12.5-13.5 hrs. That is cutting it quite tight. Is it a possibility at all?

There are other jobs that pay as good but one is installing fences..not landscaping like I would want. I could be home in time to milk unless I had to do overtime (then my sister could milk). I only have 3 to milk this year. 

So kinda wondering if I should just get a job for now or a potential career.

I am hoping another landscaping job comes along that isnt so many hours...but they usually are 8-11 hr days depending.

I need a job soon with bills coming but trying to figure how to work 40-50 hrs a week and raise goats. My sister can sub for milking every now and then but not every evening.


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## Maggie

Jesse we own a landscaping business and it is really enjoyable. We do mulching, brush hogging, natural stone work- walls, patios, sidewalks etc, some fencing, etc and my husband has been doing a lot of excavating/grading this spring with our excavator. It is just my husband and myself, so we can be as flexible as we want to be. I am able to be home with the goats a lot when my husband is doing machine work. Our business site is on our links page on our website if you are interested in looking.
In your case it would obviously be different work lol. We worked on one job with another crew and they seemed to enjoy working together, their boss wasn't the greatest though! Friends of ours also have a mowing business, that also does some mulching and other lawn type services and they do really well.


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## Maggie

Also one thing to think about with a landscaping job is what you are going to do in the winter time? My husband plows snow and still does some excavating work if the ground isn't frozen... I just play mid-wife to goats lol.


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## Breezy-Trail

I have always enjoyed it as well. At age 13 I was cutting my uncle's 3 acre lawn just for the fun of it. Then we lived on a friends farm (shooping for a farm of out own) I cut a 3-4 acre lawn with a commercial zero turn mower for the whole season. Now that was fun! 
I just never really thought of it as a career.

I plan to go to college for business A.A.S and landscape developement A.A.S. Classes are fall through spring which is in the off season. So I will be going to college in the winter. Maybe a part time job at a resturant just to learn some customer service skills and practice public/professional communication. Both programs are 2 year programs that would allow me to stay busy during the summer. Unless the 2 degree can be done at the same time it will take 4 years(4 years of Sept-april/May). I am thinking it would be nice to own my own company someday.

People say the right career is one you could get up everyday to do and like doing/enjoy it. I would almost be tempted to do it for free (and have while I was at the other farm). I like the work. So I think this could be good move for me.


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## Maggie

> People say the right career is one you could get up everyday to do and like doing/enjoy it


Very very true. Sounds like you on the right path :thumb: 


> I cut a 3-4 acre lawn with a commercial zero turn mower for the whole season. Now that was fun!


Lol you are like me, we have a zero turn and I really really like to mow. We don't to lawns well besides our own, but I am always tempted to go over to the neighbors and mow too


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## keren

You dont necessarily have to milk at 12hr intervals, I know many people (including me) who tweak it to suit their schedules and the goats do just fine. 

As for working full time, I work full time 5 days a week plus every second weekend I work both days as well. Mine is the type of job where you are never off the job. Its not only the hours spent at the actual place, I take a lot of work home with me and I am expected to always be "on call". I get up to milk at 4am (at the moment the girls are dry so its 5am), milk and feed and leave for work between 5.30am and 6am. Get to work at 6.30am or 7am depending on the day (I have an hour drive to work). Finish work around 3 or 4 so my work hours arent as long as yours (potentially) but there is another hour and a half drive home (traffic) so get home anywhere from 4 to 5.30 sometimes 6. Get home and eat something, usually try to head outside to feed and milk around 6pm. 

Weekdays are very basic, I dont spend much time with them just enough to feed them, milk where needed and make sure everyone is alive. At the moment they are dry and work is very busy so its about a half hour morning and night. At times I hate not being able to spend a lot of time with them but at the same time I am so exhausted and I am grateful they can look after themselves. I leave the bigger jobs like worming, foot trimming, vaccinating etc to the weekends that I am not working. Same with pasture management, stable cleaning and fence building/fixing. I get by on one water trough scrub and re-fill per week, which is usually on a friday evening - for some reason friday evening when I get home I dont feel as tired even though I know that is not logical.

If you are anything like me, it will get exhausting. Sometimes I wonder why I do it. There are days that I get home and I dont want to go out and do the chores, and its ok to feel like that. There are also occasional days where I just do the bare minimum, I milk the milkers and feed the bottle babies and the others dont get their feed for the day because thats all I can drag myself into doing, and I fall asleep on the couch. It doesnt happen often, but sometimes you are just too exhausted and you need to remind yourself that its ok. But even though I get like that sometimes, I still love them and that is why I do it - fulltime job is what allows me to afford to keep my goats, and they keep me sane otherwise with a job like mine I would go crazy. 

I hang out for weekends when I can spend some time just playing with them and loving on them, I think they wait all week for it as well. 

You get to learn little tricks for making it easier and faster as you go along. I have multiple sets of feeders, and I set them all out on the weekend with feed in them, so that morning and night I can just pick up a stack and drop them out for all the goats. The feed pans I use are a couple bucks each and I have quite the collection now, took me a little while I just bought a few more each time I have some spare cash. 

I also have five bathtubs all set out in a row in my main pasture that my does are in. On the weekend I dump a heap of hay into each of them, and then put a sheet of corrugated iron over it, held down by a heavy piece of wood or a fence post. Then all I do is lift the cover off one each day in the morning - only takes five seconds and then the goats have their hay for the day. My buck has a big square tub in his shed that I can fit a small square bale in, I give him one on the weekend and that gets him through the week. 

One thing that can be difficult is managing breedings and kiddings. What I do is synchronise the does using CIDRs, pull them on a thursday before I have a weekend off and they are ready to be bred on saturday. Then I know the dates they are due, I request leave from work so I can be with them and ensure nothing goes wrong. This year I plan to induce them so they kid on a weekend - I will take the friday and monday off, have a long weekend and then I can make sure the kidding goes right and the babies and mums are healthy. I am also going to try raising the kids on ad lib cold milk this year as I cant bottle feed more than twice a day.


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## Breezy-Trail

Well today I found a labor gig job (1-2 days only). It was 9 hrs working and 2 hours driving (both ways). It was setting up shelving for a dollar tree going up. The metal sections were heavy but not bad.
That was the longest I ever worked and to my surprise I didnt get drained. I was awake at 5:30 (when I saw the ad on craiglist) and out of bed to milk at 7. Then the guy called me and I left at 8 and started work at 9 and left at 6. I was home in time to milk at 7. I quite like the longer hours. I am just now starting to feel a little tired. Still had energy left for chore time earlier. I guess I have some endurance.

I found a landscaping company 30 mins away that is hiring laborers. That would be better being closer to home. It would save an hour of driving.Other than that I have written 3 companies about it.
I am hoping to get a job for working 40-50hrs a week at $10 an hr. I like to work and working outdoors is preferred so I hope I can find the perfect job.


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## lottsagoats

I have a tiny farm/kennel with lots of animals and a full time job off the farm. I have a schedule that I follow and heaven help me if something messes up that schedule because then all he11 breaks loose! 

I work 3-11. I do chores 3 times a day. I do the first set, including milking my 10 does and bottle feeding the kids, at 0830 or so. I do not set the alarm as my dogs wake me up on time. 

In order I:
feed the inside dogs and get them out. 
feed/water the hens, pick up eggs
hay the horses and goats
Bottle feed the kids
feed and clean the outside dogs
milk and grain the goats
pasteurize the milk
get everything ready for pre-work chores.
feed cat

At 1330:

hay the horses and goats
fill water
feed all dogs and get them out/in
bottle feed kids


at 2330:

Get dogs out
feed/water/milk goats
bottle feed kids
feed/water horses
feed cats
pasteurize milk

On days off I clean stalls, trim feet, vaccinate, disbudd and any maintenance work that needs to be done.

I also cut and drag home my own firewood. I live alone, so I have to do everything. I don't get paid much, so I can't afford to pay anyone and I have to do my own farm work, repairs, building and firewood.

I have my system down. Right now it takes forever because of the bottle kids. It goes smoother when I don't have to bottle feed.


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