# New to owning Pygmy goats and I have a few questions.



## Reynolds1844 (May 7, 2011)

I am new to owning pygmy goats. We are going to an auction this coming up weekend. I am not breeding, I am only getting 2 for pets. The fence and shelter are ready. What I need to know, just to make sure I am doing this right, is what and how much to feed them. 
My sis-in-law and her husband recently got 4 goats. They feed theirs 1.5 cups of sweet feed per goat. That's what I intend on doing. They get very good hay, which mine will get also because my horses only eat the good hay anyway, so that's what I will have. I have read that they like apples, dry banana chips, crackers and mineral blocks. Any info on owning pygmys will be reatly appreciated. 
Thanks in advance. onder:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Going to an auction is risky... it is more than likely you are getting someone Else's problems.... CL and CAE are just 2 serious problems that are very bad....and I'd hate to see you getting those issues.... :hug: 


Check to see if there is a farm sanctuary around ...they may have pets for sale or try a private ranch that sales pygmy goats... Or a petting zoo...ours here sells pets once in a while.... :wink: 

Maybe check craigslist in you area also...

I have the big boers ...so I am unsure how much to feed the pygmy..


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Welcome from :wave: NJ

I agree with Pam! Please don't go to a auction I wool date for you to regret it later. Some diseases like CL can live in the environment for a long time so if the goats were sick with something like that you would have the issue even after they were gone. Lots of people take their cull goats there. Lots of health issues! Being a new owner the last thing you want is health issues and vet bills. There are lots of kids looking for good homes! 

We would be happy to answer any question!  

Loose goat mineral is better than mineral block since they can consume the needed amounts easier. 

Good luck with your purchase. I am sure you will love your goats! Just be careful because they can be addictive! :wink:


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

Agree with Pam about the auction. I think it is rare for good quality healthy goats to end up at auction.

It would be better to give them loose minerals than a mineral block. Purina goat minerals will do and are widely available.

They may not need any sweet feed at all if they are not breeding and have good hay. But if so, not much. My Kinder milkers only get a cup of sweet feed on the stand each time, and they are producing milk. Pygmies are smaller (kinders are a pygmy/nubian cross). It isn't very hard to make them fat. I have a very round pygmy wether. He gets alfalfa hay and two peanuts a day, and that is all and he is still really rotund. Once they get like that it is pretty hard to get it off them. Personally I would skip the crackers. Apples are good, and the banana chips probably are too. I haven't tried that. They would love salted roasted peanuts in the shell. All of these should be for treats, use them for socializing and training. Pygmies won't be needing a whole bunch of food. 

Jan


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I agree...auctions are risky places to purchase pets from.....and if you want pygmies, the chance you'll get a true pygmy is zip because alot of people think a pygmy is just a "short goat" and not a specific breed. 
I raise pygmy/nigerian crosses as well as registered nigerians and sell my cross kids as pets, healthy and my herd is tested negative.
I do tend to over feed but nigies and pygmies do well on minimal grain unless producing or growing and 1 flake of alfalfa hay 2x a day feeds 3-4 adults with pasture. I do give my growing babies from 6-7 weeks and older 1/2 cup of an 18% feed am and pm with free choice hay and browse, loose minerals are best and those are also free choice in a goat proof feeder.


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

if they are pets and wethers and over a year they don't really need any grain.. I'm still figuring out my wether diet 4 years into this whole thing but the main idea is to have a balanced Ca ratio... to avoid urinary calculi... on the other hand if you are getting does then their "plumbing" is wider so they don't have so many problems....
anyway welcome!
Miranda


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## Calico Patch Farm (Mar 8, 2011)

Goats need protection from the weather. Although they love to be outdoors on sunny days, goats hate rain and snow. A clean, dry, 4 foot by 6 foot draft-free shed and a 10 foot by 20 foot fenced yard can house two pygmies or NDG’s. This is a minimal size, and the larger area they have, the happier they will be. This indoor area should open to an outdoor pen in a way that the goats can come and go as they please. The four or five foot high fence should be a sturdy, close mesh wire, such as chain link or stock panels. This will keep the goats in and the dogs out. Shavings or straw should be used for bedding. An elevated platform should be provided for sleeping, especially if there is a dirt floor.

Food should be placed in a dish, not on the ground. Fresh water should be kept in an easy to clean container that can’t be tipped over easily. 1 to 2 pounds (about one flake) of alfalfa or timothy hay (or a mixture) and one cup of goat feed should be fed daily, preferably in two feedings. Grass hay can be used as a supplement also. Feed rations must be adjusted to each animal. Always have a clean trace mineral salt block available, or a loose mineral supplement. These can be found at feed stores. Goats love to browse and will happily eat weedy areas, including poison ivy. (Consuming poison ivy will not harm them.)

The hooves need to be trimmed about three to four times a year. This will help prevent hoof rot and lameness. Regular deworming for internal parasites needs to be done regularly, three to four times a year. Your veterinarian can recommend an appropriate product. It is also important to have a good relationship with your vet that knows about goats. Don’t wait until the middle of the night when you have an emergency to meet your local vet! Tetnus and Enterotoxemia (overeating disease) boosters should be given yearly. Some plants can be poisonous to goats. Many houseplants and ornamental garden plants, such as rhododendrons and azaleas are poisonous. In the pasture, goldenrod is a threat. Please research plants poisonous to goats to see what you need to avoid.


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