Admit it.
The question isn’t whether you’re going to get goats, the question is which goat supplies you need make it happen.
And I’m here to help you do that.
Just your regular old goat-enabler over here. Hell bent on convincing everybody to get some goats! Yee-haw!
So, whether you’re going to get two goats or ten twelve, I’m going to make sure you’ve got all the goat supplies you need to get started. Because, c’mon. Can you really pass up a chance to bring one of these guys home?
Goat Supplies for Raising
If your goal is to raise goats as pets or for meat (pet people, pretend you didn’t read that), here are the goat supplies you’ll need. I’m going to assume you’re starting with adult goats. If you’re bringing baby goats home you’ll get the supplies below and also check out my post here on how to care for baby goats.
Shelter & Fencing
- Fencing can be as simple or as extravagant as you want, but just be sure to follow these rules to keep your goats from breaking out.
Watering & Feeding
- Hay – A green hay like alfalfa, timothy, or bermuda or a mixture of those. Any feed store will carry it.
- Grain – Grain is only necessary if your goat is pregnant or in milk. Even then you’ll only give about a handful or two per day.
Supplements & Extra Care
- Hoof shears – You’ll need to trim your goat’s hooves every few months. Here’s my tutorial on trimming goat hooves and here are my favorite shears.
- Minerals – These minerals will help support any missing mineral gaps in their diet. Kelp meal is also another good source of trace minerals for goats. You don’t have to do both, just one is fine.
- Deworming – I use herbs to naturally deworm my goats. I purchase from Fir Meadows and it lasts me at least a year!
- Vaccines – I don’t vaccinate my goats, but I want to list it here in case you feel like you should. Mainly it’s the CD&T vaccine and you can purchase it here. You can also read more about vaccines for goats here.
- Testing – You may need a few supplies for testing and in that case, check out my post here for full details of how to test your goat for diseases.
Baby goat Supplies
- You may need different supplies depending on if your goat needs to be bottle fed or not. Read more here on the supplies & care needed for baby goats.
Goat Supplies for Milking
Milking Supplies
- Goat Milking Stand – You can make your own here with these free goat stand plans.
- Feeder – This goat feeder will go on the stand.
- Goat Hobble (optional) – Not every goat needs to be hobbled in order to be milked, but if you have a goat that kicks more than you can manage, try this goat hobble.
- Stainless steel Pail – When you’re dealing with milk, it’s important that you use a seamless stainless steel pail. This will make sure that the pail can be cleaned well between each use.
- Udder Wipes – We make our own homemade udder wipes, but you can also purchase pre-made udder wipes here.
- Milk Strainer & Filters – After you milk your goat, you’ll definitely want to strain it with a stainless steel strainer & filters.
- Jars & Lids (to store milk)
- Teat Dip or Homemade Balm – Teat dips are designed to clean and protect the teat between milking times. You can purchase chemical teat dips, but I like to just make my own homemade udder balm.
Treats during Milking
- We usually give a couple handfuls of grain, another handful of black oil sunflower seeds, and chopped carrots.
Goat Supplies for Kidding (goat birth)
When it’s time for your goat to deliver, it would be a good idea to go over my pregnancy & kidding checklist for goats. That article will help make sure you have everything you need to have a safe & successful birth!
Get your goat
As daunting as it seems to have to gather a bunch of supplies, hopefully you can feel better knowing that this is a one-time occurrence. Now all you need is a goat to complete the dream. Head over to my post here to learn more about choosing the right goat for you.
Was wanting to know what grain you would suggest feeding to pregnant or in milk goats? (Clicked on the link and it wasn’t available)💖
Hi Kacie-
I’m sorry the link didn’t work. It is fixed now and you can also find a link to the suggested grain on DaNelle’s Reource page: https://www.weedemandreap.com/resources/
Thanks for reading and posting!
-Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, DaNelle! I lover your videos and me and my family own two kids they are both Nubian and Boir mixed. Ones a girl and the others a boy both about one two years old maby older. But my question is, What types of weeds are safe for your got from your vegtible garden? My family and I have been giving weeds we pick but I’m not sure if their good for them. Please hive me answers. 🐐
Hi Jadyn-
The following article talks about what goats eat, including weeds, and gives a link to information about poisonous plants. https://www.weedemandreap.com/what-do-goats-eat/
I hope that helps!
Thank you
-Bobbi(DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hey DaNelle! I looove your blog! We are thinking about getting a goat or two (maybe even some sheep and chickens cause you’re my inspiration!) if we can get our landlord’s on board! This is going to be a really helpful resource cause my husband is definitely a planner and wants everything laid out for him, so thank you! I have been devouring all your goat posts because I feel like it will be quite a learning curve for us, but I’m so excited about it 🙂 One question, do you trim the hooves yourself or hire a farrier?
Hi! Here is a post about trimming goat hooves. I hope it helps!
https://www.weedemandreap.com/trim-goat-hooves/
Thank you so much for your blog!! I am a recent new goat owner and I have read, re-read, and re-read all of your advice and followed your check lists. We just had a brand new healthy baby Nigerian goat born 3 days ago and both Momma and baby are healthy and doing amazing thanks to you!!! Soooo freakin cute 🙂
Hi DaNelle!
We were so very fortunate to inherit two milking goats, one brown and one black. They’re Alpine and Nubian cross. This year Miss Brown had triplets and Miss Black had twins. Miss Brown has two weathers, Miss Black has one doeling. The other babies the person who gifted us with the goats kept the remaining babies. The previous owner was out of work for many years and finally got rehired, the goats were too much of a chore for her now that she’s working full-time. She explained that she milks the goats twice a day. We’ve owned goats before but one was a weather and the other a doe, but we never bred her. This is my first time owning milking goats, this morning she was so full I felt so bad for the Miss Black, so with help from my mother, we caught her and I got into an easy flow of milking her. She gave about 2 cups worth of milk. Miss Brown however, did not give any milk what so ever, maybe her babies are still on the teat. I cleaned her teat with baby wipes. I just saw your daughters video on teat cleaning. I have so many questions! What do you use to clean her teat? How long can I store the milk? Do I have to boil the milk? I’ve heard of raw goat milk being boiled! For what? What is the purpose of boiling it? I’m going through your website now on what to do, but I think talking to you first hand will answer a lot of my ongoing questions! Please, help! 🙂
Hi Jeraldine! How exciting! It can be overwhelming to start with milking goats, but hopefully I can help. Here are the answers to your questions:
What do you use to clean her teat? I use udder wipes here: https://www.weedemandreap.com/homemade-udder-teat-wipes-milking/
How long can I store the milk? Here’s our protocol for keeping milk fresh: https://www.weedemandreap.com/goats-milk-keep-fresh-store/
Do I have to boil the milk? I’ve heard of raw goat milk being boiled! For what? What is the purpose of boiling it? We drink our milk raw, here’s info here on it: https://www.weedemandreap.com/drinking-raw-milk/
Hi! I’m wondering, how often do you give your goats the herbal dewormer? The website says “Fed 3 to 5 days in a row at twice per day, then 1 or 2 times weekly. ” Is that too much? I want to really take good care of my goats and I’m preparing for my goat to have kids in February so really want to give the best I can to her and my buck as well.
I am so glad I found your blog!!!
Hi there DaNelle I want sure on what post to ask you this, but how often do you trim your goats udder and there hair. Maybe you could make a video of how to. Thank you love your blog.
Great question, Igor! We do it about once a year in the Spring:)
Hi, DaNelle!
My family and I are planning on getting 2-3 Nigerian Dwarves. Most likely all females. We have the land, but just have a few questions…
For beginner goat owners, what age goats do you suggest? I’m not sure we want to jump right into kidding or anything like that. Maybe a yearling so we can get used to caring for goats a couple of months before doing the breeding? Or does in milk? Any thoughts? Also, what about shelter? We live in TX in the Hill Country about an hour away from Austin, and I think we might have some coyotes around, and definitely buzzards and vultures. Maybe some dogs. Do I need to lock them up at night to be safe? I heard goats don’t really like to be confined…
One more thing. We’ve always wanted a dog, but with the whole homestead thing we don’t know how a dog would act around the goaties. I know there are Livestock Guardian Dogs, but we don’t want a huge fluffy dog (even though it sounds cute!) shedding everywhere.
Thanks and sorry for my ‘few’ questions! You have been a great inspiration and help with our to-be little farm! I love your blog and you make learning all this stuff a cinch, not to mention being hilarious!
Hannah, how exciting! I have a bunch of information in my “A Simple Guide to Buying your First Goat” that will help answer those questions. Also, you shouldn’t have to worry about any kind of birds with goats, but coyotes can be a real problem. We keep our goats at night close to the house which has prevented coyotes getting them. Dogs can do great around goats, too, but you’re right a livestock guardian dog will be best for protecting:)
Thanks so much! I’ll be sure to look into that..
🙂
Do you guys wether you bucklings? If so, what method do you guys use? I am planning on wethering three of my bucklings and am a little nervous good thing I will have an experienced goat lady to help:)
-Thanks, Grace
Good question, Grace! We do wether our goats by banding them. I’ll definitely do a blog post about it!
Hi,
Which would recommend goats or sheep as far as milk goes and just taking care of in general.
Thanks
Hi Brenda,
I would recommend goats for milk, sheep are a bit tougher to milk, and would be something you’d need to try after you’ve had experience raising & milking goats:)
So I just bought twin goats that will be weaned and coming home in two weeks! (EEK!) I’m in Indiana and have been talking to other homesteaders new to goats and they’re all telling me worms are a serious issue, even when wormed. They’ve even lost a few. Now I’m terrified I won’t even be able to keep my babies alive! Any advice to calm my new flat mom jitters?
Hi Jerri,
Don’t be too concerned, there are definitely things you can do to stay on top of it. They may be talking about coccidia instead of a worm infestation. We deworm our animals with an herbal mix here, but for coccidia, it’s really common in baby goats so I am thinking that’s what they’re talking about. There are things you can do to keep them healthy, there’s more info here for ya’: https://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/coccidiosis06.html
We are planning to get pygmy goats. How many would you recommend getting at one time. We also need a nice looking fence for them that is a reasonable price. Any suggestions?
At least 2 would be best!
These two article might help:
– https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-fencing-breaking-out/
– https://www.weedemandreap.com/how-much-space-need-raise-goats/