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FRENCHIE FARM

Modern Homesteading & Sustainable Farming

in Goats

Beginner tips for raising goats: part 2

If you officially decided to buy goats, but now you need some beginner tips for raising goats, then this post is for you! *This post is part 2 of a blog post series. Part 1 discussed everything you need to know about buying your first goat*

Beginner tips for raising goats

When Ben and I decided to start a homestead in our own backyard, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Although neither of us had any prior experience with farming, we decided to jump right into homesteading. We literally had no idea how to raise goats, so we spent countless hours researching best practices. If you’re looking for beginner tips for raising goats, then this blog post is for you. I’ve compiled all of the information that we’ve learned over the past year+ of raising goats in the beginner tips for raising goats below.

Frenchie Farm beginner tips for raising goats

Set up appropriate housing and fencing

Goats have a reputation for escaping, and for good reason! Goats are extremely curious and if given the opportunity, they will escape. Be sure to set up appropriate fencing (we ordered our electric fencing from Premier 1, but here’s an Amazon option!) It’s a bit pricey, but it’s an investment worth making. Goats also need appropriate housing to protect them from weather and predators. We live in the Chicago suburbs, so we have hot summers and cold winters. Our covered deck provides our goats with extra protection from heat, wind, and extreme cold temperatures. We also have fully enclosed goat houses to keep our bucks and does safe from predators at night (and protect them from harsh weather.)

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Feeding guidelines & beginner tips for raising goats

One of the most important items on my beginner tips for raising goats list?  Don’t forget to research feeding guidelines! Goats are ruminant animals that eat (and poop!) all day long. Up until recently, we fed our goats primarily alfalfa hay. At the time, we had 2 dry does and 1 doe in milk. One of our dry does (Penny) developed a zinc deficiency due to the high calcium content in the alfalfa (too much calcium binds to the zinc, causing a deficiency. The easiest way to treat a zinc deficiency is by removing the excess calcium from the goat’s diet.)

One of the biggest challenges of having a small homestead is when your goats require different feeding guidelines. Our dry does need less calcium, so we switched them to Timothy grass hay. Our milking doe needs the extra calcium, so we supplement her with extra alfalfa (i.e. extra calcium.) In addition to browsing the pasture, we use the following feeding guidelines for raising goats:

Dry does / bucks

  • Free choice water
  • Timothy grass hay (or an alfalfa/grass mix offered on a free choice basis.)
  • Black oil sunflower seeds offered as a snack.
  • Small amount of high quality grain
  • Free choice loose minerals

Doe in milk

  • Free choice water
  • Alfalfa hay (or alfalfa/grass mix) offered on a free choice basis.)
  • Free choice loose mineral
  • Supplement with alfalfa pellets at least two times per day (especially important if feeding something other than pure alfalfa hay) – able to eat as much as she wants
  • Food on the milk stand (2x/day) – alfalfa pellets, grain,black oil sunflower seeds

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Have supplies on hand for raising goats

  • Hay
  • Straw and/or pine shavings for bedding
  • free choice loose minerals
  • baking soda (offered free choice if you suspect bloat)
  • Probios
  • Electrolytes
  • Herbal wormer (there’s a lot of controversy about wormers out there. If you have a major wormload, then an herbal wormer probably isn’t the best option. We use an herbal wormer as a maintenance, but it’s difficult to determine if the herbal dewormer is working or if we simply haven’t experience a major worm problem.)

Frenchie Farm Frenchie Farm beginner tips for raising goats

Get a goat mentor

This might be one the most most important beginner tips for raising goats. GET A GOAT MENTOR! I’ve had the opportunity to connect with a few Chicagoland farms, and it’s been such a blessing. When you wake up in the morning and your baby goat has diarrhea, or you notice a weird bald spot on your doe, then it’s time to contact your mentor. Online forums often times provide awful advice, so it’s always a good idea to have a few trusted people on hand that you can contact directly. Wondering where you can find a mentor? Network on Instagram or continue relationships with breeders after you purchase your goats.

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Have a vet lined up

Mentors are great (and often times have more direct experience with goats), but be sure to have a vet lined up as well. At some point in your goat raising journey, you’ll find yourself needing to call a vet ASAP. I would recommend connecting with the vet prior to picking up your goats. Most farm vets make house calls, so be sure to inquire if he/she is able to provide services in your geographic area.

Frenchie Farm beginner tips for raising goats

Annual testing

I briefly discussed annual testing in this post, but ask your vet if he/she can complete testing for you. Other options include competing the testing yourself or finding a local vet tech that visits nearby farms. (We have a wonderful vet tech/mentor that does our testing – if you’re located in Chicagoland, then I would be happy to send you her contact information!)

 Do you have any other beginner tips for raising goats? Let me know in the comments below!

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Colleen 🐐🐓🐶
Well, despite my denial, I suppose that it’s off Well, despite my denial, I suppose that it’s officially fall 🍁 I tend to hold onto summer time as long as possible, especially because the bitter cold winter months are brutal in Chicago. With that being said, I’m learning to appreciate all of the seasonal changes that naturally occur on the farm, even if they aren’t my favorite 😉 Early morning chores are filled with brisk air while fog covers the rising sun. It’s beautiful in its own unique way, and maybe one day I’ll love the changing seasons as much as I love the summer heat. Or maybe I’ll move somewhere warmer in another life, who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️
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Do you prefer the heat or cold fall days?
After such an emotional weekend, I woke up feel ex After such an emotional weekend, I woke up feel extra drained today. I wanted to press snooze when my alarm went off, but I decided to get up early for a quick workout and chores instead. And gosh, isn’t it crazy how those simple decisions turn your day around right from the start? Plus, seeing these boys run toward me every morning is simply the best.
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Today was hard. . . Today was processing day for o Today was hard.
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Today was processing day for our first round of meat chickens, and I’ve spent much of the last 24 hours crying. I said my good byes this morning, and I feel grateful for Ben taking care of the logistics. Does it get easier? Is it supposed to? I don’t know.
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I usually share the fun, light hearted parts of homesteading. This part just feels hard. And sad. And I feel a lot of guilt. I feel comforted by the life we gave to our birds, but also guilty that we’re the ones who took it away. 
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Homesteading is just really hard.
Tomorrow is the day that I’ve been dreading for Tomorrow is the day that I’ve been dreading for quite some time - processing day for our first ever round of meat chickens. As a previous vegan, I’m struggling. I’d be lying if I said that I’m not tearing up typing this, or that I didn’t tear up while walking by their pasture during chores tonight. This part is really hard.
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But here’s the thing - I don’t think “hard” is a bad thing. Actually, it’s a good thing. Because if we don’t have a level of guilt and appreciation for animals, then there’s something seriously wrong ... and that’s exactly what’s wrong with our current food supply system. 
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So I’ll continue to feel guilty, because I SHOULD. And I’ll continue to feel grateful, because I SHOULD. And I’ll continue to feel really sad knowing that I’m responsible for loss, because I SHOULD.
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And the second I lose sight of that guilt and gratitude? Well, that won’t happen. Trust me ❤️
Nope, that’s not my incredible white farmhouse, Nope, that’s not my incredible white farmhouse,  but maybe one day ours will looks similar! 🙌🏼 Have you met my friend Maddy over at @addisonfarmssc? We’ve been friends on these little squares for quite some time, and holy moly, she’s definitely #onetofollow ! 
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The face your LGD makes when the bucks try to flir The face your LGD makes when the bucks try to flirt and blubber at them 🤣 MOM?! HELP ME!
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The moment you realize that you literally have the The moment you realize that you literally have the most handsome buck ever 🙌🏼 Chester is a rather refined buck - he prefers to stand majestically while the other two crazy boys do all sorts of weird things, including but not limited to, flaring their lips, blubbering, flirting, and drinking pee 🤢 What kind of questionable things do your bucks do?
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When the new @beekman1802 Bloom Cream is incredibl When the new @beekman1802 Bloom Cream is incredibly moisturizing, formulated with goat milk, AND packed with probiotics, the goats can’t help but check it out! #ad 🐐 I’ve been using the newest Bloom Cream moisturizer for the past few weeks and I’ve been LOVING it! It’s an incredible mix of super hydrating, gentle, and light weight all mixed into one. Perfect way to re-hydrate after long days on the farm.
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@beekman1802 also recently launched at @ultabeauty, so it couldn’t be any more convenient to try out a few new clinically kind goat milk skincare products! Shop in store or online - you’ll thank me later 😉 What are some of your favorite skincare products? @beekman1802 @ultabeauty #beekmanblooms
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