2.20.12 Hello, I just read your goat thread. You did good listing the things goats need. I have 3 pygmy goats. They are about 4 yrs old. I previously had 2 girl goats who lived for 12 years.

My goats are in a good sized pasture that is fenced in with horse wire I think it's called and it is 6 feet high--built to keep goats in and other animals out. It would be very difficult for any animal to get in and for my goats to get out. The posts are large and close enough that the wire does not get loose therefore the goats cannot push their way out. I have several gates that I can open and close off part of the pasture.

Yes, they do need shelter as they are not fond of rain or snow. Yes, they love to climb and I have some homemade stands they use.

I live in the country and once in awhile wild dogs come by and I do not want my little goats hurt which is why I paid for some fence people to put up heavy duty wire about 2x4 inch and 6 feet high. Also I'm told we have coyotes although I've never seen one and we do have foxes and these could get rabies. I dont know about the CPT shot (maybe they got that shot before I bought them-cant recall) but I have my goats vaccinated for rabies JUSt in case something got inside the pasture.

Mine eat goat chow (I use Southern States - pellet for them) and some hay every day. I did have a messy brushy area with trees and vines and they cleaned it up. I am glad you have more than one because one goat would get very lonely. I've heard people say "I want a goat" and I always tell them to get at least two. Two females are better than a boy and a girl unless you want to have more goats.

You mentioned your grandparent's farm. I hope you fence in the area with wire such as horse wire (something with small squares) so dogs and other animals can't get in and hurt them. Something such as barbed wire in strands would not be good enough to keep other animals out and I dont think it would keep goats in as they would just crawl under.

ok, that's it for now. I dont know if you still come to this site or not but if you do, please give an update and photos of your goats.