# Sharing my 1st time goat adventures



## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

First, I just want to thank everyone on here for all of their patience with my questions and the input given. I can't believe I'm actually about to get my first goats! I'm very excited but definitely a little nervous, so happy I have this community to turn to with questions. I thought I'd make a thread that shares my progress along the way, enjoy!

We decided on a 8 x 13 plastic shed made by Tremont from Home Depot, it had great reviews and so far we are very happy with how it went up. The hardest part was the foundation; we ended up spending a day and half on that back breaking work due to our slope. The building itself went up in 4 hours. We are partitioning the inside to have our food and supplies on the other side, we'll see if that lasts, fingers crossed! 



For fencing the below post was invaluable to me, thank you all! We ended up doing 4x4 posts with sheep/goat panel plus a high beam at the top. Very happy with how it came out, the slope again made it much more difficult and I had to fill in some of the bottom parts with heavy rock and make a couple of removable high beams above the gates for added predator scaling/jumping deterrent. 

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f193/fencing-confusion-180545/





Food was another source of confusion for me and the below thread and feedback was very helpful. I've gone out and found everything including a local supplier for hay. I made the hay feeder out of a roughneck tote as shared on the forum. With the hay and bedding in their now, it finally smells like a barn.

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f193/feeding-program-recommendations-questions-180789/



Toys - the fun part! I love seeing everyone's ideas on toys and can't wait to finish building my ideas. For now I made the below see saw. We're collecting wire spools and concrete cinderblocks for my ideas. There will definitely be more pictures to come of toys!





So tomorrow is the day - I pick up my first 2 goats - I'll be sure to provide an update with pics!

Christine


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Looks great!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Looks awesome!!


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## Chopsgoats (Aug 20, 2013)

Where are you located in connecticut ?? Everything looks great


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## SeventeenFarms (Dec 10, 2013)

impressed!


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## KristiStone (Apr 29, 2015)

That looks so cool and so much fun! Great job!


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

Thank you! I'm in Columbia.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Looks great! I really like your "NO GOATS" sign! Have fun with your new goats!


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## CecilandNellie (Aug 17, 2014)

I love the No Goats sign, too. I wonder, though, about the height of the dividing wall. I recently had a kid who was able to repeatedly jump (it was not one accidental jump) over a 4 foot solid wall like that. I used part of a wire panel to make the wall go up to 6 feet.
My big fat mama's can't jump a 4 foot wall, but those kids..........especially the pre-teens and teens...........


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## just_plain_bob (May 4, 2013)

looks great 
i used to use that same black food dish and hated it
i now use one thats not screwed into the wall
if its at eating level, its also at pooping level 
good luck


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## Mike_CHS (Mar 25, 2015)

It looks like your hard work is paying off and it does definitely look nice.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Wow!!! I'm impressed Looks great! Good job


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

And here they are, settling in nicely. This is Hope (white female) and Courage (black wether). They are twin Pygoras born in March 2014. They are a little shy, particularly the male as he was picked on in the previous herd, but we're working on it. Extremely sweet. And so far I've found their true weakness is animal crackers 

They spent last night outside, no way I was going to be able to get them in the barn. To my surprise, it was quiet all night, I was a bit on edge hoping the night would go well.



http://s100.photobucket.com/user/ctopal/media/Left Bend Farm/20150921_182048_zpsrthqw6h6.jpg.html


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## CecilandNellie (Aug 17, 2014)

I would love to be able to have 'first goats' again! So much fun, so sweet. Those two are beauties! Lots of work paid off by lots of fun!


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

sweet setup!


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

Thanks all for the compliments, it makes me feel better. We're having to put up some stockade on the back fence line to appease a neighbor who thinks it looks like a dump. You can't please everyone! Here you see the dogs checking them out. This intro went a lot smoother than expected. There was a little barking from my female dog and the goats stood their ground. Hope stomped her hoof on the ground at the barking and my dog jumped back, it was too funny. That was the end of that. Now they just walk around the fence, but no drama of any kind. We're back to letting them outside off leash and unsupervised.





And just this morning Hope jumped up on our cinderblocks to get a different angle on the hay. She stayed like that eating for quite some time, which I couldn't believe. See how precarious she looks, her back hooves aren't even on all the way. I was happy to see her climbing, because I'm excited about the spool structure we will be building soon. My husband just came home today with a really big one, the last one I really needed. Hopefully we'll get that built next weekend and I can share pics.


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

How did your teeter - toter go over? I'm always looking for new toys for ours to play with.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Wow, looks great! I love your hay feeder!!


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

No action on the teeter - totter yet. My guys are pretty docike, I think spunkier goats may like it.


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## GoatCrazy86 (Oct 7, 2013)

That is one cute little setup!!!


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

I spoke too soon possibly on the teeter-totter. This morning I saw my female walking on her hind legs trying to eat leaves off the trees, it was hysterical! Then I saw her get on the teeter-totter with just her front feet and walk all the way to the other end, again just the front feet. I also saw the two of them play for the first time, they were hopping all around and jumping up and butting against one another. They must be getting comfortable!

One other trick I figured out today. Instead of shoving the probios goo squirter in the goat's mouth and getting them all upset, I make a goo sandwich with animal crackers. Courage ate them right up!


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

So I finally had some time and dry weather. Here's what I did with the spools and the cinderblocks I have so far. If you have any creative suggestions for either, please let me know, I have an almost unlimited supply of both. I haven't seen them go on the spools today, just cinderblocks so far.







Also decided to make a climbing hill in their barn. As you can see, Hope approved! You also might notice that my indoor feeder is now on the ground rather than hanging up on the wall. That's because I came home one night to Hope standing on top of it! So lucky she didn't jump to the other side with the supplies or that her weight didn't bring the whole wall down! They are getting more used to us by the day, it's very rewarding.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

it's amazing how much trouble they can get into..."exploring" ;-)


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

What a wonderful setup , i love it ! Congratulations on your first goats 
You did a wonderful job setting that all up , what lucky goats you have 

There are a few red flags i see ( at least for me they are ) , the hanging toy that looks like a tire ? Be very careful one of them doesn't get their neck caught in the rope loop and it gets twisted and traps them. Goats can be outrageously "playful" and i wouldn't want to hear about any accidental goat hangings....

The cinder blocks are great , but make sure they can't shift them and have them fall ontop of someone or crash into their legs...

Keep all spools and climbing toys away from the fences , you never know when they will decide to "visit" the other side 

Avoid heartbreak , never trust dogs unsupervised with your goats.

Cant be too careful with goats , keeping them out of trouble is a chore in itself , lol.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

an idea for cinder blocks, this will take an hour or two to do, get a 3/8 dia concrete drill bit and drill through the blocks and then get 1/4-20 bolts and fender washers (cheap ones from say tractor supply) and then you can connect them, do not over tighten so you don't crack blocks

When snug you can crimp the ends of the bolts to mess up first thread or two and nuts can not come off with out a wrench

Or maybe doubled over .070 electric fence wire, run through the open holes (make sure they can not get to the spot you twisted together)










I noticed ours when excited will jump from a cinder block and kick it over as they launch

Just some ideas ;-)


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## dnchck (Mar 24, 2014)

Trickyroo said:


> What a wonderful setup , i love it ! Congratulations on your first goats
> You did a wonderful job setting that all up , what lucky goats you have
> 
> There are a few red flags i see ( at least for me they are ) , the hanging toy that looks like a tire ? Be very careful one of them doesn't get their neck caught in the rope loop and it gets twisted and traps them. Goats can be outrageously stupid or shall i say "playful" and i wouldn't want to hear about any accidental goat hangings....
> ...


All great advice!! I was thinking the same thing with the hanging toy. I would be afraid of them strangling themselves!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

My spools are always getting moved around and a few times a week i have to move them back to where i want them. I had one goat , Mocha , decide to pol vault over the fence since the spool was right next to it. She did it quite easily too , lol...So thats why i mentioned the climbing toys getting close to the fence. The cinder blocks , i have a pile of them myself outside their pen. When they are out and about , they are always ontop of it. I have seen blocks get shifted and roll down towards other goats. That could've been disastrous if they didn't move quick enough. Im only mentioning the above things cause I've seen it happen. The only thing i haven't had happen was a dog attack , THANK GOODNESS. I'm extremely careful about my guys. Reading all about the horrific dog attacks here i won't let my goats and dogs together unless I'm there. And if i walk down to the house , all goats are put in their pens and dogs follow me in. I have some bushes near the house they cannot eat , so i don't take the chance of having them all follow me down , ever. Ive heard of a goat strangling itself in a tarp. Ive used tarps before for shade cause the trees didn't have leaves yet. Never again after hearing that story. You learn , Im blessed i was able to avoid these disasters with my own guys.


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## Encgoatlady (Mar 20, 2015)

It's beautiful!!! I want to come live there and I'm not even a goat. At least, I don't think I'm a goat.......


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

Wow - thanks for the review all, definitely saw things I hadn't. I cut off the swinging tire yesterday and will fix it over the weekend to not include a loop. I think I'm pretty good on the spools being far enough from the fence, the distance is hard to see in the photo. Bansil - thanks for the walkthrough and diagram on the blocks, I'll have my husband take a look and help me out. And couldn't agree more on the dogs, mine aren't allowed in even though they are old guys at this point. 

I did see them on top of the spools and walking the planks and up on the other cinder blocks. So they've at least used them once


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Im glad you took the tire thingy down  
Thats good they are getting used to their new surroundings and climbing on their toys . It feels good to see them relaxing 
I had a old agility teeter i had put in my guys pen once. I thought it was a fabulous toy for them until i saw a unsuspecting goat laying right under the part where it would come down.....then one of the goats decided she wanted to play ontop of it. I never ran so fast in my life and hopped the fence (amazingly i made it ) and got the goat that was laying under it up rather rudely .....but i avoided that accident , thank goodness. I took that toy out immediately. I thought , what were the odds of a goat laying under the part that would come down ? Then i thought , these are goats , anything is possible  You always have to be one step ahead of them or else there's trouble , lol..


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh my goodness. What a lovely set up! We had to do a real rush job on our barn and pen because we didn't have long at all to get ready for our first goat. You've done such a nice job - and your goaties are adorable. Congratulations!


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

I use lots of cinder blocks for goatie toys and I've found that gorilla glue works great to keep them in place. Just glue 'em together and they seem to stay pretty well.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I love it.


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## pamdharing (Sep 11, 2011)

What kind of goats are you getting, your new area looks GREAT!!!


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## MoonShadow (Mar 1, 2015)

AncientBlue said:


> I use lots of cinder blocks for goatie toys and I've found that gorilla glue works great to keep them in place. Just glue 'em together and they seem to stay pretty well.


Great idea with the gorilla glue, I might have to steal that one huh!


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

pamdharing said:


> What kind of goats are you getting, your new area looks GREAT!!!


 Thanks! I got Pygoras and I'm finding them to be perfect as my first time goats. Very quiet and gentle, nice size for handling, but curious and full of antics. Next spring I will likely get a pair of Nigerian Dwarves too. Here they are enjoying the spools and blocks.


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

More adventures to be posted shortly as I just found out I have to shear my female  I was just starting to settle into goat ownership and feeling comfortable with everything and like I knew what I was doing. I even had a few medical issues come my way and are handling them. The breeder typically didn't shear until spring. But I found out that a fall and spring schedule may be needed and that explains the terrible mats she is starting to get so a fiber expert advised that I better shear or she'll be an entirely matted mess come spring. This learning curve feels steep, but taking it one step at a time. My husband built the stanchion that was stickied in the barnyard bonanza section. I just have to add a feeding pan to it. I've got clippers on order and have the right scissors for hand shearing. Now I need to get the right comb or brush and a mat cutter. Hopefully next weekend I will be able to share the after photos and stories!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

I have no experience with Pygoras but i would be afraid of them being cold in the winter with no coat....just my two cents..

Love those pictures of them on their spools , they look very comfortable and happy in their pen  
Nice job on the milk stand ! Love it


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

Well I successfully sheared Hope last weekend. I then outfitted her with a handmade dog coat for a few days. Her fur was too thick to go through with a 1 inch guard so I had to just buzz her by hand. Hence the patchy look. But because of the weather I felt it better to leave her patchy with the extra hair rather than neaten her up. I got 6 oz. of fur, a lot was throw away because of the mats. While up there I also trimmed her hooves for the first time. It went pretty quick. The hardest part was getting her locked into the stanchion and then keeping Courage off of it and from getting her food. She was mad at me for a few days, but we've since made up.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Looks good for your first shearing.


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## O'Boy Goats (Nov 1, 2015)

Wow, this looks great. Hope you're enjoying your goats! I have 4 Nigerian boys and we love them. I love getting new ideas on different websites and I may pattern our new goat area using some of the ideas you've done. Our area is also on a bit of a slope and of course always hard to deal with a hill. We've had these guys for 6 months in an area of our lower fenced yard. I put up a temporary fence with dog kennel sections on the open side while I decided if that would be the permanant place for them (and it will be) so we're ready now to get the real fencing done but it's worst hilly part so i really like what you did with the fence and that really solves that problem for me (thanks!)


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

We've been busy over the winter anddid a few enhancements. We put up a clear roof over the porch to allow the goats more room when it's rainy so they don't get cabin fever  And now I don't get the rain in the barn soaking up my bedding pellets in the front, win/win! But what I'm really proud of is our new feeder. I printed out pictures/diagrams of someone else's and handed it off to my husband. He had it whipped up in no time and it works out perfectly!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

^^^ ooh, I like both ideas


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice.


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## Kbennj (Mar 21, 2016)

This is a great concept. Very handy. I would worry about pressure treated lumber near their food source, but I really like this. Great job!


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