From Our Farm to Your Herd: Caring for Your New Goats

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:18:37 -0700

So, you’re bringing home goats—welcome to the adventure! Whether you’re adding them to a homestead, planning for fresh milk, or simply looking for fun-loving backyard pets, one thing’s for sure: happy, healthy goats make life better.

At Clover Dreams Farm, we’ve built our herd with care, and along the way, we’ve learned a thing or two (or a hundred). This guide covers everything you need to get started, from basic care to feeding tips—so you can feel confident knowing you’re giving your goats the best.

Disclaimer: We’re passionate about goats and love sharing what we’ve learned through hands-on experience at Clover Dreams Farm. However, we are not veterinarians. This guide is based on our insights and practices, but every goat and situation is unique. If you have concerns about your goat’s health or care, we always recommend consulting a trusted veterinarian or experienced goat mentor.

First up: the essentials—because a well-prepared goat owner is a happy one. 🐐🍀

🐐 Goat Essentials Checklist

✅ Companionship is Key – Goats are herd animals and need a buddy of their own kind. A lonely goat is a sad (and noisy) goat!

✅ Fresh Water – Goats can be picky about their water—keep it clean and cool. We use 2-gallon buckets for kids and short stock tanks or 5-gallon buckets for adults.

✅ Shelter – A dry, wind-free space is a must. We use Pet Barns (dog houses) and IBC totes (Goat Condos). Bonus: A Pet Barn roof doubles as a sunny nap spot!

✅ Bedding – Inside shelters, we use pelletized bedding in summer to soak up urine. In winter, a thick layer of straw keeps goats warm and cozy. We don’t provide bedding in the entire pen—we find that it makes stall clean up day easier with a leaf blower.

✅ Fencing – We use 16-foot cattle or goat panels from TSC. These allow goats to stand on the fence without breaking it. Avoid welded wire; the welds will break over time.

Minimum height: 50 inches
Keep climbing structures away from fences to prevent escape attempts!

✅ Collars – We use plastic chain collars with poly chain links (Jeffers). These break under stress, keeping your goat safe.

✅ Travel – For Nigerian Dwarfs, we love 36” plastic dog kennels—safe, spacious, and easy to clean. They work for both kids and adults, keeping travel stress low (and mess contained!)

🥕 Safe Treats & Foods to Avoid

Safe Treats (in moderation!):

✔ Carrots, pumpkin, squash
✔ Black oil sunflower seeds
✔ Watermelon
✔ Animal crackers

Toxic & Avoid:

🚫 Oleander, lantana, azaleas, rhubarb, wilted cherry leaves
🚫 Bread, dog/cat food, avocados, potatoes
🚫 Excessive grain (can cause bloat)

👉 Helpful resource: Fiasco Farm’s Poisonous Plant List

🩺 Signs of a Healthy Goat (and When to Worry)

Healthy Goat Checklist:

✅ Bright, alert, and social
✅ Eats and chews cud regularly
✅ Smooth coat, clear eyes, and pink gums
✅ Pellet poop (not runny or clumpy)

Warning Signs:

⚠ Loss of appetite, bloating, excessive teeth grinding
⚠ Runny poop, lethargy, hunched posture
⚠ Labored breathing, weakness, odd behavior

🚨 If your goat shows these signs, consult a vet or experienced goat keeper ASAP!

🩹 First Aid & Goat Care Kit

Always good to have on hand:

🟢 Flexible Thermometer (Normal temp: 101.5-103.5°F)
🟢 Goat Nutri-Drench (For quick energy & immune support)
🟢 Electrolytes (For dehydration)
🟢 VetRx (For respiratory support & congestion relief)

🦶 Health & Hoof Care

CD&T Vaccine

All our goats receive the CD&T vaccine, which helps protect against Clostridium perfringens types C & D and Tetanus. Some goats may develop a small lump near the front leg—this is a normal reaction and should resolve on its own.

💉 We recommend an annual CD&T booster to maintain protection. If you're unsure about timing, check with your veterinarian or local goat mentor for guidance on scheduling.

Hoof Trimming

Trim hooves every 2–3 months to prevent overgrowth and discomfort. We recommend Producer’s Pride Burgon & Ball Footrot Shears (TSC).

🌿 Minerals & Nutrition

Recommended Pre-Mixed Minerals:

Manna Pro (Orange Bag, TSC) – Great for all goats; contains ammonium chloride to help prevent urinary issues.
Sweetlix Meat Maker – Great for non-alfalfa diets; contains cobalt.
Sweetlix Magnum Milk – For goats eating alfalfa; contains cobalt.

Our Experience with Free Choice Minerals (2026 Update)

We transitioned our herd to a Free Choice Mineral System in early 2025 and have loved the results. Each of our pens in the main barn is equipped with a 20-compartment mineral feeder, and we’ve found that once goats have had a few months of access, maintenance is simple—cleaning and refilling just once every 1–2 weeks.

💨 Pro tip: A leaf blower makes cleaning out feeders a breeze before refilling!

We know this system isn’t for everyone. For example, our buck pen is still using a traditional approach—they receive 1 tablespoon of Manna Pro per buck per day.

While it takes a bit more setup, the Free Choice system has allowed us to better support the individual needs of our herd, and we continue to monitor how it impacts their health and behavior over time.

🚛 Quarantine & Introducing New Goats

When bringing a new goat home, quarantine for at least 2 weeks away from the herd. Stress from moving weakens the immune system, and this time allows them to adjust, build resilience, and prevent illness from spreading.

Tips for a smooth transition:

Keep them in a quiet space with consistent food, water, and routine.
Monitor closely for changes in appetite, droppings, or energy levels.
Gradual introductions to the herd work best! Start with a fence buffer before full integration.

🐐 Goat Kid Care

Feeding:

Our Nigerian Dwarf kids get free-choice orchard alfalfa hay, plus:

Kent Blue Seal Home Fresh 16 Grow and Finish 18DQ Goat Feed (Online Purchase & Shipped to us by Tractor Supply)

Nutrena Country Feeds Goat 16% Pell et with Decox is similar, found in store at Tractor Supply

💡 We recommend keeping this diet until 6 months old for the smoothest transition.

At 6 months of age, we recommend:

Doelings: Continue to enjoy Orchard Alfalfa Hay or transition to an alfalfa pellet and hay.
Wethers: Switch to Bermuda hay—low in protein & calcium, reducing urinary risks.
Bucks: Our Bucks enjoy Orchard Low Alfalfa Hay and Timothy Pellets (Timothy is a great source of Zinc and Copper)
Grow & Finish Pellet can be stopped at this stage for non-breeding goats.

Health Notes:

✔ All kids are disbudded at Clover Dreams Farm. Bud caps may fall off—this is normal! Hair will grow over the spots.
✔ Castration (Wethers) – Testicles are banded and will atrophy/fall off in a few weeks.

Bonding:

Be calm and patient. Sit with them, let them approach on their own time—treats help!

Bottle Feeding:

We recommend that all goat kids be bottle-fed to a minimum of 8 weeks of age.

Companion wethers - weaned at 8 weeks of age
Bucklings - wean at 8-10 weeks
Doelings - Can be fed milk to 10-12 weeks (we will feed ours up to 16 weeks, dropping to 16 oz bottle daily at 12 weeks of age. We want them eating hay and grain in addition to milk - we have found that this allows us to have goats that are at breeding size in the fall of their birth.)

How often and how much?

This is a great question - as overfeeding can be deadly. They will always act hungry to do their natural instinct to suckle.

After feeding the suggested amount, feel the goat kids tummy - It should feel firm, not sunken in or rounded. Adjust feeding accordingly.

At 4 week or older goat kids are feed cold milk (whole cows milk) twice daily. We will provide a bottle nipple that fits onto a 20 oz soda bottle.

Below is a chart with suggested feeding amounts based off the goat kids current weight and the % of body weight in ounces - this amount is to be feed daily - if feeding twice a day split this feeding in half. We personally do not feed our Nigerians more than 18 oz in one feeding.

Weight in Pounds	Day Total 10 % of body weight in Oz (Recommended for Wethers)	Day Total 15 % of body weight in Oz	Daily Total 20 % of body weight in Oz
10 #	16 oz	24 oz	32 oz
11 #	17.6 oz	26.4 oz	35.2 oz
12 #	19.2 oz	28.8 oz	38.4 oz
13 #	20.8 oz	31.2 oz	41.6 oz
14 #	22.4 oz	33.6 oz	44.8 oz
15 #	24 oz	36 oz	48 oz
16 #	25.6 oz	38.4 oz	51.20 oz
17 #	27.2 oz	40.8 oz	54.4 oz
18 #	28.8 oz	43.2 oz	57.6 oz
19 #	30.4 oz	45.6 oz	60.6 oz
20 #	32 oz	48 oz	64 oz

🐐 Does in Milk: Daily Milking Routine & Feeding

Goats are social animals that thrive on routine and predictability. A consistent schedule helps them feel secure and reduces stress.

Milking Routine:

🕕 Milk twice daily (6 AM & 6 PM)
🫙 Sanitize & strip before using the Simple Pulse Milking Machine, then hand-milk the last bit.
🧴 Post-milking teat spray: Fight Bac or Chlorhexidine for udder health.
🔼 Milking stand setup: Goats walk up a ramp and eat concentrate while milking.

Milking Doe Diet:

✔ Free-choice orchard alfalfa hay
✔ Alfalfa Hay Pellets (20% of body weight daily, split into two feedings)
✔ Concentrate mix: Elk Grove Milling Pelleted Goat Feed Mix

🎉 Welcome to the wonderful world of goats! If you have any questions, reach out—we love helping fellow goat enthusiasts! 🐐💕

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