Need a lawnmower so considering two Goats

[omgus]

Right, simple enough, i need my garden cleared (brambles, nettles overgrown grass) so rather than man up and actually do something myself i fancy getting a couple of goats. I have a horse shed, about 1/3-1/2 acre of grass in a nice out of the way location and can park my car in the other driveway to avoid opening the gate. I would be adopting/rescuing and have no worries over male or female goats as they would be neutered and not worried about milking them.

Does anyone have any experience with goats?
What do they need?
Are they easy to keep?
Do they need much attention?
What are the start up costs?
Are they as territorial as i have heard, I like the idea of having Guard Goats?

Edited by omgus on Thursday 25th November 16:26

[sinizter]

They climb. So they will probably get out of your field/yard and go wandering off.

Perhaps consider sheep.

That is what the Italian parks authority lot use for lawn mowing.

Edited by sinizter on Thursday 25th November 16:33

[omgus]

Can't risk sheep, the Shepherd might think they have escaped from the field next door and take them back.

Oh and because sheep are the stupidest fking animals i have ever encountered and i would end up stewing them.

[mat13]

omgus said:

Can't risk sheep, the Shepherd might think they have escaped from the field next door and take them back.

Oh and because sheep are the stupidest fking animals i have ever encountered and i would end up stewing them.

Dye them pink, sheperd can't claim them then and you won't lose them
in the snow.

[Davel]

Let them eat the grass etc - then eat them!

[Scraggles]

not like goats, was some place that needed goats moving, she said push them from the back, fker jumped back and the horn whacked me right in the eye, luckily no damage

pink sheep seem a good idea, when you get bored of them stting all over the lawn, a pre-died sheepskin rug will be great

[Mobile Chicane]

Goats will eat anything - shrubs, washing, but not the grass. They stink too.

[omgus]

My house is surrounded by sheep and horses, i don't think two goats will make much of a difference.
I know they eat anything, considering the amount of brambles and nettles i have that is part of the appeal.

I still want some, i just know very little about keeping them.

[AndyAudi]

Goats would tend to eat almost anything, sheep are more selective.

You would be amazed at how much hens clear an area, scratching everything out of the ground with claws (especially if you feed them on the ground).

Pigs are the ultimate in ground clearance and very clever too although the smell isn't great.

eta www.allgoats.com

Edited by AndyAudi on Thursday 25th November 17:42

[sinizter]

Just be careful when Googling - DO NOT ADD AN 'E' to 'GOATS' by mistake.

[AndyAudi]

There also appears to be details for a "Surrey Goat Club" on the BGS Contacts Pages.

[omgus]

AndyAudi said:

Goats would tend to eat almost anything, sheep are more selective.

You would be amazed at how much hens clear an area, scratching everything out of the ground with claws (especially if you feed them on the ground).

Pigs are the ultimate in ground clearance and very clever too although the smell isn't great.

eta www.allgoats.com

Hens would probably get got by the local wildlife (and the cats) Pigs would be great but i wouldn't be able to keep them. Goats can clear the ground without completely ruining it and if needed can be moved into another location to give it the garden a rest.

Also the Landlord is very specific that i cannot have Pigs, Lamas, Alpacas or Cows but does not mention goats.

Will check that link out now.

[Piglet]

My sister has a pair of goats, she'll be here next week so I'll ask her for her views. She lives in the middle of nowhere, (Friesen Island off the coast of Germany - basically a sand dune in the middle of the North Sea!). She loves her goats, they take them for walks!

[pokethepope]

AndyAudi said:

Goats would tend to eat almost anything, sheep are more selective.

You would be amazed at how much hens clear an area, scratching everything out of the ground with claws (especially if you feed them on the ground).

Pigs are the ultimate in ground clearance and very clever too although the smell isn't great.

Edited by AndyAudi on Thursday 25th November 17:40

I think he wants the lawn mowed, not destroyed.

[Toyless]

omgus said:

Oh and because sheep are the stupidest fking animals i have ever encountered and i would end up stewing them.

A sheeps first thought in the morning is "how can I die today ?"

Horrible creatures.

Goats are far more fun.

Edited by Toyless on Thursday 25th November 23:00

[omgus]

^^^^ fking Sheep, when we used to move vehicles in the field we had to do it with the lights off, if the see a car headlight they will run straight into it, and the hard headed bds will do a lot of damage.

Tenex, not quite as you put it. Yes i have a problem, and yes goats are a solution but if i really wanted it fixed cheap i would just get a couple of Workmen in to clear it.
I have the land, i love animals, i work too many hours to have a dog (in my opinion), i will be able to give them a good home and in the longterm goats will cost a lot more than a lawnmower. I have thought about it and my thought led me to ask, does anyone have any personal experience of keeping a couple of goats?
Website are all good for research but sometime you just want someones personal experience/advice.

[y2blade]

Mobile Chicane said:

Goats will eat anything - shrubs, washing, but not the grass. They stink too.

this^^^

A few years back a friend of mine thought a goat would be a good idea...it ate EVERYTHING/ANYTHING it could get too (including items on the washing line) two weeks later it was given to the local farm park

[tenex]

omgus said:

^^^^ fking Sheep, when we used to move vehicles in the field we had to do it with the lights off, if the see a car headlight they will run straight into it, and the hard headed bds will do a lot of damage.

Tenex, not quite as you put it. Yes i have a problem, and yes goats are a solution but if i really wanted it fixed cheap i would just get a couple of Workmen in to clear it.
I have the land, i love animals, i work too many hours to have a dog (in my opinion), i will be able to give them a good home and in the longterm goats will cost a lot more than a lawnmower. I have thought about it and my thought led me to ask, does anyone have any personal experience of keeping a couple of goats?
Website are all good for research but sometime you just want someones personal experience/advice.

Apologies. I got hold of the wrong end of the stick. I have deleted my post.

[omgus]

tenex said:

Apologies. I got hold of the wrong end of the stick. I have deleted my post.

Bloody hell, i didn't mean delete your post.

No worries about it, buying goats to mow the lawn makes it sound much less serious than the amount of thought that is going into the process. no need to apologise.

[Georgiegirl]

We used to have goats they were brilliant - total characters. If you get them fairly little they are absolutely hilarious and will be very tame. They weren't at all difficult to look after, very low maintenance as long as they have a shed or something with some straw in to sleep and somewhere to mess about they are happy. Go for it!