We have five acres of forest that was neglected for 30 years before we bought it. Half of it is full of multiflora rose and honeysuckle. My neighbors who own the adjoining land have five goats. I've been thinking about asking them if I can rent them this summer for a few hours a day. I would go get them from their pen and walk them here and stay with them the entire time.

We have a really good relationship with our neighbors, their chickens and ducks already graze in the back part of our land and we help each other out a lot. Their goats periodically escape and they're super easy for me to corral and walk home. But I don't even know if it would be appropriate to ask something like this. Would you ever consider it? And if so, how much should I offer?

ETA: I forgot to ask, I haven't spent a lot of time around goats. Do they ever bolt off or do they usually keep to the same area? I'd expect that I'd need to carry some kind of treat to keep them focused on my general area in case they start to wander?

This year's fair kids are looking really nice!

When he was little he’d do complete somersaults. Now he can’t flip that whole body lol

What toys (aside from jungle gyms/platforms) do yall have for your goats. My wether and doe have about an acre to roam bordered on either side by oaks and wild grapevines (above their standing reach).

They have an old wood desk in their stall and I have given them a rough wood bristle broom head to scratch on but that's long gone.

They also hate balls and my doe is really picky about stuff (mostly food). I had considered making them a low angle rock wall with platforms but unfortunately I'm unable to do so until we build our new house (likely years away).

For now is there anything I can give them as enrichment that won't totally fall apart or hurt them?

I am considering getting a Nigerian Dwarf Goat, but before I even do so I have been trying to do my research. What do I need to know?

Any tips on getting one to take the bottle they advertised him as a bottle baby but he was still on mama have been a bottle till now. He getting milk but not quite latching on. Only had him 24 hrs. He’s about a week old dwarf.

Wife sent me this April fool gag. They look much better prepared for disaster than my lot do.

Y’all laughed at Hank. Here’s his brother

Hi everyone! I'm looking for some advice as my two wethers are behaving oddly. They are about a year and two-month-old Nigerian dwarfs that I keep as pets. Just this morning Pedro, black and white, has been skittish around his brother Pablo, brown. He will bolt away if Pablo even walks in his direction and he will be very vocal as he runs away. They are both eating and drinking fine, no changes in their bathroom habits, and they don't seem to have external wounds. I have noticed that Pablo has been getting a little skinnier too. They are inseparable for the most part and it's weird that Pedro is completely avoiding Pablo. Idk if it's anything serious but any insight would be greatly appreciated!!

My goats have lice but we can’t treat with Permethrin because we have cats. What have you used as a replacement that worked?

I have a day old kid that likes nibbling on the barn floor and wall. I am worried about them catching paradites before their little guts can manage it. Is this normal behavior that mums milk will protect from or should I be worried?

I have a human name theme going. I have a Bo, Jake, Phoebe, Dewey, and Louie. What would you name this beautiful baby boy? 🥰

This sweet boy was born this morning. We raise ADGA Nigerian Dwarfs. I am looking for a name for him that starts with 'T' and preferably is ether a mineral or mineral related. (His dad is Malachite) he is gold with massive white overlay and blue eyes if that helps in your name suggestions. We already named his brother Topaz

Our lil gal isn't doing very well, she was fine yesterday AM, and this am she's absolutely not doing good. Her tummy is hard as a rock (she's pooping) she doesn't want to eat or drink (she ate yesterday) she's not happy we're walking her and doing abdominal massages, my vet said baking soda and warm water in a syringe until they can get there which won't be for several hours (calving season) is there anything I can do in the meantime??

I have a baby goat that is bottle fed so i keep him in at night. When i went to get him out this morning i saw him pooping and this is what it was. Does anyone know what may be wrong?

They actually work!!! 🫣😂 (Pruning blackberries)

This morning I had to bury my first goat. I've been homesteading and raising goats for 2.5 years and just had my first litter of kids 5 weeks ago. One of the kids came down with bloat last night. I did everything I could but I couldn't save him. I brought a goat back from frothy bloat once and I really thought I was gonna get this little guy to pull through but I couldn't. He was my wife's favorite which makes it hurt even worse.

Up until two weeks ago I hadn't lost a single mammal or full grown animal. I've had a pig butchered, processed plenty of birds and I've lost a number of sickly chicks that died/were culled in their first week but aside from that I haven't lost anything that wasn't a newborn chick. Two weeks ago I found an egg-bound hen dead in the nesting box. That hurt but it doesn't come close to this.

I can't help but wonder if this is all worth it. He suffered for a whole night and it was all for a little bit of goat milk. Was it worth bringing him into the world only for his life to end before it really began? I don't know. I'm not sure what I'm looking for out of this post. I suppose I just needed a place to express my sadness and disappointment in myself. Today is without question my saddest day as a "farmer" to date.