[Jellyhead]

Hello peeps me again :roll: well, as if we didn't have enough animals :roll: (NEVER) someone has asked me to take her two goats Mabel and Alice. Some Pyreneen breed aged 6 and 3 mother and daughter. Rescued some years ago almost wild, I have met them as I pet sat for them last week and although they are quite tame now, I really think they changed (for the better) towards me and Lily in the 5 days we were there. They are naughty (NO SURPRISES THERE THEN) and are clipped to a concrete ball and chain to stop them escaping.
What do you think? we have loads of land to put them on, they are used to being led (they pull your arms off though) to the field and back and they could be secured in shelter over night. I love em and want to give em a good home but dont want loads of grief  :roll: well not loads n loads n loads n loads  

[kimT]

I would love to have goats and hope to one day and already reading about them. Country smallholding has a nice article about starting with goats in its August issue.
When at country shows I'm always taking pic's of lovely goats and one year I spent most of an afternoon talking to the goats at the Pateley show cause it was pouring down!
 :roll:

[Foxy]

All I know is they eat eveything,my gran used to keep them in Ireland and they even chewed her clothes of the washing line!  

[GrannieAnnie]

We had a chocolate brown pygmy goat called Winkie, and a Bagot goat called William.  Winkie was a sweety, but William was Evil!! Apparently you can't tame Bagot goats, they are semi feral.

I spoke with the lady who runs the Bagot goat society, and she said she keeps 40 of them, but in the winter when they go into the sheds, she has to feed them all in separate stalls, otherwise they'd kill each other for the food!!!! lol

I enjoyed having them, but in those days I couldn't face poop, and Brian got fed up with looking after them as I worked in London, so we re-homed them to a lady in Hampshire with a lovely acre field and 12 Soay sheep!!!!

But it depends on what the breed is like, if you like them and they like you, why not?

[Daisycow]

My auntie has 6 goats on her land, 2 big ones (dunno what breed they are, but they aren't friendly, can be quite agressive!!) and 4 pygmy's who are so cute and friendly. One pygmy has only one ear as it got attacked by a dog and it got bitten off  :shock:  :shock: but its ok now.
The only issues she has with them is administering medication, they can be quite a pain to catch then dose!!  :roll:
I think she enjoys having them though.

[Porffor]

if i ever win the lottery i'll have a couple of goats roaming my small holding! lol but sadly it's a dream unfulfilled at the moment.

[beki]

We have two goats and they're more like pets than anything!  

They're twin brother and sister (Mork and Mindy) and they're about 18 months old now. They're pygmy X dairy goats

When we first got them, we had to put electric fencing all the way round the paddock at normal height, then another strand ABOVE the equine fencing we have, and then another strand above the gate  

They share the paddock with our pony and have access to the field shelter during the day. At night they come in and share a stable (pony has her own).

They're loveable rogues really. They don't really contribute at all, other than keeping the weeds down and giving us their company, but we wouldn't be without them!    They're our pets! xxxx

[blulagoo]

I am SOOOO jealous Jelly, I have always wanted goats but have kids (!) instead.

Need more land! Need more land!

Any suggestions anyone?

[Jellyhead]

Move out here, more for less

[blulagoo]

I would like a shot - OH not so keen and chldren cry at the mere sight of me looking at the property pages from anywhere! Other difficulty would be working - oh and the language, although I can speak it a bit. Did it take you long to pick it up? How long have you been out there?

[Jellyhead]

4 years but ashamed to admit that still only have a little of the language. Kids fluent now, Lily was 8 and Josh was just 5 when we came. OH speaks fairly good French but mine is abysmal tho have picked up a lot since been here. My philosophy tho, live life doing what you want as far as possible you only get once chance, take it, if you dont take chances you could be unhappy for ever :roll: I always had a yen to live abroad, I have been very very lucky and am really happy here, we all are

[blulagoo]

so what do you do? I presume you are not millionaires and may have to earn pennies? Sorry euros!

[Jellyhead]

Hubby works on line for the same co. he worked for in uk, cos its computer based he can work from home. its not high earning so I go pet sitting to bump it up a bit. At least he doesnt work such long hours and because property isn't as expensive we dont have a mortgage. We have a med. size house with about 4 acres or so, it is such a lovely way of life over here and for us there really is NO GOING BACK

[blulagoo]

I am now green with envy!!  :alien: Now how can I apply for passports as a surprise? OOOH and get him on a plane as he doesn't like flying, doesn't like the chunnel and gets seasick.

Perhaps i will retire there as a mad old women with 50 chickens and cats.

[blulagoo]

ALONE!!