The Goats in the Yard go May-May-May
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According to history goats were the first really domesticated animals. Their main purposes were for meat, milk, dung as fuel and skin for clothing. So they weren’t really pets, as we know it, we don’t really eat our pets.
There are more than 300 species of goats today, and research has shown that this number derived from just a handful of the original specie. The deer is the goats closest relative but are also crossbred with sheep.
Goats are loving, friendly and are a good choice for pets. If you have a backyard with grass and shrubs you are good to go. They are low maintenance, just provide them with a place to eat and sleep and they are fine. Cleaning up after them is only necessary if they come into the house to do their business. No need for cleaning up outside as their dung is a natural manure. You bathe them once in while with anti-flee and anti-tick solution and they are not smelly at all.
Brushing their coat is a good idea to get rid of debris and dead fir; this will make them look shiny and healthy. As with any pets you want to occasionally check with the vet for de-worming (you can get products from farm store) and vitamins. I personally don’t give my goats vitamins, I occasionally give them feed from the farm store. Most of what they eat outside will provide enough nutrients.
Remember to give your goats water even if they don’t drink it, you never know when they get thirsty.
The goat above this capsule died a couple of months ago. Here is a little tribute to him.
* * * * * * *
You were the apple of my eye
you followed me around
Even through the house
which you were forbidden
I had to lock the door behind me everytime
when I pick you up
your head would rest on my arm
or my shoulder
you thought I was you mother
No other goat will ever take your place
I miss you Bugle Boy!
My Goats
Mamma was born April 3, 2010 and I am now a grandmother. She gave birth to Bugle Boy on April 9, 2011. Her mother Lucky gave birth on April 3, 2011 to a girl named April and a boy we call Black Spot.
Baby goats are also low maintenance as their mothers are natural parents. It sometimes amazes me how motherly and instinctive mother goats are. When the kid strays the mother will stop and call and the kid will call back and come running to its mother. They are very protective of their young and do all the cleaning up after the kid, unlike dogs or cats. You don’t need a litter box because mother goats take care of the business of the baby goat for a few weeks. When the baby goat’s poo is hard and shelly like a big goat the mother will stop cleaning up.
Kids are playful and frolicking. It is best to tame them early as this will make them easier to handle when they are big. The older folk warns never to play with the kid’s tail as this will make the mother abandon the kid, even bucking the kid to death, (my fiancé strongly believes this). I try not to touch the tail while playing with them.
Three of my goats are now pregnant so am expecting to be a grandmother in another few months. Some of them are camera shy so the photos did not come out so well so I will post them when I get good shots.
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Sheep Royal is actually the name we call her, she is mixed breed. They are wonderful animals. If you were in Jamaica I could arrange to give your son a kid! Hope you get one soon.
Thanks
Cardisa
......thank you so much for educating and enlightening me about goats, in particular, the personal aspect of this hub intrigued me about your own goats - as you can see I have two cat-goats - lol lol - Little Miss Tiffy in the picture who has attained diva status - and Mister Gabriel who is a big boy, all white and profoundly deaf - but his life is charmed, so don't you worry, he gets outside with the benefit of a leash and body harness!
We are both animal lovers and I am glad you like the hub. Take care of Gabriel and Tiffy (She's beautiful).
Thanks
Cardisa
That's why Tiffy's attained diva status! Colin, you never fail to amaze me---had to find out through Cardisa you harness/leashed a cat, too! Gabriel is so luck to have you--have you got a hub on him, like Cardisa on her goats? Oh, Cardisa, I've followed comments here because I was so charmed by the pics and enjoyed the info. If the chief isn't following, ignore me! Your title/pics keep me coming back!
Maybe we could get the scoop on Tiffy and Gabriel and write the Hub for Epigramman, I hope Gabriel's harness isn't too tight.
Thanks for coming back Teylina. Maybe I should do one on my two dogs. The dogs in the yard go Bow-wow-wow!
Cardisa
Hello Cardisa,
I didn't know this much about goats. I really like goat's cheese. I think I would consider having goats as pets and now I know about cross-breeding. Thanks for educating us about these furry animals! Nice Hub!
I never had goat's cheese but goats are wonderful low maintenance animals and loving too.
Thanks Capncrunch
Like your comment--good idea--both! Imagine he's enough like me to keep that harness just right--cats are so different from dogs. Bow-wow-wow is a super name! I've bookmarked this for future ref! It really is a super hub! Outta here for a while!
See you later Teylina!
I love your visits, you spice up the comments.
Thanks
Beautiful hub, Cardisa. I'm sure you take really good care of your animals, and probably your friends too.
I love animals as much as I love my friends!
Thanks SubRon7.
You write so lovingly about your own goats, you've made me want some. Nice photos. Thanks for a very interesting hub.
L.T.
Thank you Itfawkes, I love my goats so much. I work away from home so only see them every two weeks, I miss them so much and ask about their well being every day. I think that's the real reason my fiance loves me, he is a goat lover too.
Good Morning Cardisa,
Oh I love your goats..how sweet they are..your hub just makes me want them more..I had to work on getting the chickens to convince my husband..now I am working on two goats..lol..wish me luck..may take some time on this one..Lovely hub..thank you,
Sunnie
Good morning Sunnie, I know it's going to be a 'sunny' day that you visited me so early.
Come to Jamaica and I'll make sure you meet my goats and maybe I'll just give you one!
Ha ha, Cardisa! I'll send my son! I have a series of five photos taken when he was quite young at a pet farm full of goats-- he was determined to take one home, as the photos show! I've always heard they make great pets, and I'm glad I've been following your hub. Glad Sunnie commented -- y'all gave me the happy give-n-take I needed to get going--OUTSIDE! Hugs to all of you -- goats included!
I wish I had known you a year ago, I went to Jamaica...I sure would have come by..I would have brought our mermaid whacha ma call it's and we could have had a swim..and I could have picked up a goat...I have never seen any rules on having a goat on a plan..have you? lol
I have seen quite a few quacks though..Whoops did I just say that..Have a great day!
Sunnie
Hey Teylina, long time no see. Send me the pics, I'd love to see them. Tell me when you are coming to Jamaica, not sure you can actually travel with the goat but you can adopt one and I'll send you pictures. If it happens that you can travel with the goat I arrange one for your son.
Hey Sunnie, I don't know about the rules for goats on the plane but sure knows that the rules for quacks should be changed.....lOl...HAHAHA
Love y'all's comments on the quacks on the planes! LOL - Far as I'm concerned, even not counting them, goats would be preferable to some of the people allowed!!!!
Teylina, you cracking me up........hehehehehe!!
Cardisa , My Mother always called my Father "you old goat " , but with your hub I now know what a real goat is!...LOL......:-} Awesome hub.
Ahorseback, don't tell me you never saw a goat before.....lol
You mother must have loved goats too!
I love this hub! Your goats are soo cute! I enjoyed reading this so much :)
Oh I have , and I'm becoming one following in my Fathers footsteps. We had a pet deer when I was little though , does that count?....LOL....;-}
Thank you Stacirena89, I wish I get you one but not sure the plane would allow it!
Ahorseback, yes, the deer counts as it's the goats closet relative.
Thank you...you old goat...lol
Maaay Maaay Maaaay! :-} Keep smiling girl.
I love fainting goats. They are a blast to watch and play with. My sister tried to raise goats once, but it didn't work to the best of her advantage. It made me laugh so hard I had to write a hub about it. Great job!
These are adorable. I have seen some goats close up-just a few-as this is farm country where I live, but I never knew about their upkeep compared to other animals. This reminds me of the song that most people speed up so that the words do not make sense any more:
"Mare eat oats
And does eat oats
And little lambs eat ivy.
A kid will eat ivy too, wouldn't you?"
Hahaha..lol Ahorseback, you are a riot....hehe
Tlpoague, I must check out that hub of yours. I am laughing already...lol
I have never seen fainting goats..those must be really funny to see...lol
Flora, I don't know the song but it doesn't make any sense to me. But goat's have a sixth sense about eating any thing that will poison or hurt them, unless they are very young. They develop the sixth sense as they get older.
I remember when I was a child thinking that "kid" is the song meant a child not a goat. But it is often jumbled into something that sounds like
Maresy dotes
And Dosey Dotes
And little lambsy divy
A kid'll eat ivy too, wouldn't you.
Makes even less sense, then
Hehe...lol
I think the word 'dotes' was actually for goats..but what do I know..I don't know the song.
I bet if we Google it we'll find it!
Does' eat dotes. Doe a deer a female deer. Hopes this helps.
We had goats when I was young and they weren't pets and they were smelly! But FUN! Thanks for an enjoyable hub!
The ram goat smells very much like pee but the she goats don't really smell unless they get wet in the rain. Their pen should be dry all the time and they wont really smell.
Cardisa - my daughter's grandparents had a farm with lots of goats:) lol They were really great animals and like you said very easy to take care of because they are so self sufficient. One of them used to like to "butt" a lot and my girl would get a huge laugh out of that! Fun hub!
Kelly, the boy in the first picture like to do that too. My fiance would slap in on the behind when he does that and we would have a nice little quarrel...lol
Teylina Level 6 Commenter 13 months ago
Got to check out this Sheep Royal! Love the pics. Have loved goats since young, living in St. Louis, and my son tried to take one home from the original Busch Gardens!