Goat FAQs
Are goats friendly?
They certainly can be! All of the 6E goats are friendly because we spend a lot of time with them. Most of our goat kids are bottle babies and are extremely socialized by our four children. Can goats be skittish? Absolutely. It’s important that you find out if a goat is friendly before purchasing. A skittish goat is almost impossible to care for.
Can I buy only one goat?
No. Goats are herd animals. Therefore, they must have another goat buddy. It does not matter if they will live in your house, or if you have lots of kids to play with them. It does not matter if you own horses or pigs or dogs. A goat needs another goat as company and to thrive and be healthy. Reputable breeders, including ourselves, will not sell a single goat to a home without another goat. Therefore, we typically sell our goats in pairs.
When can my new goat come home with me?
Bottle babies are typically ready to leave the farm at two weeks of age. This gives us the opportunity to make sure they have a solid start, no health issues, and get used to using a bottle. If a kid is dam-raised, they are weaned at 8 weeks old.
Will my goats eat my weeds or keep my lawn mowed?
Goats are browsers meaning they like to eat trees, bushes, and brush more than they like to eat grass. Grasses are typically the last thing they will go for. Will goats keep your field trimmed? Sure but you many need more goats than you were planning on to do the job. In addition to pasture, goats need a high quality hay, loose mineral, and plenty of clean water. Does in milk need grain. Do not expect to put them out in your field and leave them to fend for themselves.
Can I get a boy and a girl goat?
There are quite a few things to take into consideration before purchasing your first goats. The simple answer is no. Boys can breed the girls as early as 5 weeks of age but girls shouldn’t be bred until 1 year and 40 pounds. Check out our GOAT MATH page for further explanation.
I just want a pet. Why would I want registration paperwork?
Goats make great pets! If you’re only looking for pets and are not interested in having kids later on or milking, wethers are the way to go. Wethers are castrated males. Wethers make the best pets because they aren’t stinky or gross like bucks and they don’t have the hormonal swings of a doe. Wethers are also cheaper because they are not registered. If you think you want to breed or milk in the future though, you will want to go with registered goats. Check out my page on why registration matters here.
Will a goat be friends with my dog (or pig or…)?
Your goat may tolerate your others animals but goats need goat buddies. Goats speak the same language, have the same interests and keep each other company. If you want a happy goat, get two. In addition, dogs are predators and goats are prey. I never recommend keeping goats and dogs (or dogs and pigs) together for that reason. I have heard too many horror stories of the sweet gentle dog who loves every animal viciously attacking and killing the goat out of nowhere. It’s not your dog until it is.
Do goats need vaccines?
Vaccinating your goat is a personal choice. We choose to vaccinate our herd with CD&T twice annually. Goat kids can be vaccinated for CD&T at 6 and again at 9 weeks of age. CD&T can be purchased over the counter at your local feed store. It is injected under the skin (subcutaneously). If you have never given injections before, it’s best to call your vet and have them show you how to give them properly.
Do goats have horns?
Goats naturally have horns. However, at 6E Farmstead, we disbud all baby goats. While this is an unpleasant chore, we feel it is necessary for the safety of our children, visitors, and goats. Horns often get stuck in fences. Goats must also be disbudded in order to be shown at fairs and shows. If you would like a goat kid with horns, we will not disbud the kid(s) you’ve chosen with payment in full.
How often do their hooves need to be trimmed?
Goat hooves grow like your fingernails. They do need to be trimmed at least every three months. There are many videos on YouTube showing how to trim hooves. We like to use a small pair of handheld garden shears. If you’re not a fan of trimming hooves, build some play equipment for your goats with rough materials. This will help keep their hooves down and may decrease the frequency of trimming.
Do all goats make milk?
Goats are mammals. All female goats (does) have the potential to make milk. However, just like humans, goats must first give birth in order to make milk. Once a goat has given birth, they produce colostrum for the first 24 hours. Then the milk changes to the rich, creamy goat milk we know and love. We keep our goats in milk by milking twice daily until breeding. Once bred, we dry them off so they can focus on growing new kids.
What do I feed my goats?
What you feed your goat depends on what gender of goat you have and at what season of life they are in. Generally speaking, goats need high quality hay, loose minerals and plenty of clean water. Please check out our FEEDING GOATS page for more detailed information.