All About Silkies, Nigerian Dwarf Goats & More
Since we are new to Nigerian Dwarf goats, we have done quite a lot of research getting ready for our three coming in the next week. I like to know what I am getting into in as much detail as possible. Goat fencing can be confusing because there are a lot of opinions on what does and does not work….
It will be kidding time here in a few short months and we just can’t wait to see all the adorable bouncy babies! Our first year kidding we were so nervous and were not sure what goat kidding signs to look for.
We knew how to tell we had pregnant goats, so we knew we definitely had babies on the way. We had so many questions about what the goat labor timeline would look like. …
You made it through the summer and now the weather has started to get a bit colder. You may have noticed your goats’ coats (ha ha) have started to get thicker. They are not out grazing as often as usual. And they are eating A LOT of hay. It should be pretty clear they are preparing for Winter. Now you too can prepare and learn how to care for goats in Winter.
Goats are outdoor animals, and because of that, they are pretty good at surviving outside. You can, however, learn some tips about caring for goats in the winter that will make their lives much more comfortable….
Milking goats will of course be on your list of farm chores if you are breeding dairy goats. In addition to knowing what goat milking supplies are needed and how to milk your goat, you will also need to know what to watch for in case your goats experience decreased milk production….
What the heck do you do if you walk into your barn in the evening, open up a cabinet drawer and a NEST FULL OF BABY MICE jump out at you?! Well, if you are me, then you squeal and run out of the barn. Compose yourself and then peak your head back in to see if they have all magically gone away. After all, the chickens and goats aren’t going to feed themselves. And (gulp) their feed is in there – WITH THE MICE!
If you have animal feed sitting around, you will eventually need a feed bin. You can buy feed bins or metal trash cans. But if you have a lot of feed to store, those options can get costly. A cost effective (and customizable) solution is to learn how to build a feed bin….
It is always exciting when we bring new animals to the farm. However, it is important to make sure that they are integrated properly. This will prevent any of the animals already on the farm from getting sick. Even animals that appear perfectly healthy at their current homes may start to present with sickness after a move. This is due to the stress and new environment. With chickens, common things that might come up are respiratory illness and coccidia. With goats, things like coccidia or worms. Lice and Mites can also be brought in by new animals.
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