Goat Bloat
Many people think a goat is bloated when it simply has a large belly. I have seen many people post online, “My goat has been bloated for several days,” which is impossible. A goat with bloat will die within hours … Read More
12 Fun Facts About Goats
It probably comes as no surprise to hear that goats are my favorite animals. In addition to their incredible personalities, they are also just really fun creatures. But they are also misunderstood, so here are a few fun facts. Goats … Read More
Can I keep sheep and goats together?
Like many things related to livestock, the answer to the question, “Can I keep sheep and goats together?” does not have a simple yes or no answer. Sheep and goats have the same diseases This is probably the #1 reason … Read More
Beginner’s Guide to Raising Goats
Whether you already raise goats or you are thinking of getting a couple, you’ve come to the right place. This Beginner’s Guide to Raising Goats includes links to some of Thrifty Homesteader’s most useful goat posts. Caring for goats is … Read More
A Beginner’s Guide to Sheep
Are you considering getting sheep or do you already have a few? In addition to providing an introduction to raising sheep, this post also includes some of Thrifty Homesteader’s most useful posts about sheep… Getting Your Sheep When it comes … Read More
What Nobody Tells You About Raising Ducks
If you’ve ever thought about raising ducks, this guest post by Rebekah Pierce of J&R Pierce Family Farm will help you get started successfully and if you already raise ducks, please share your tips in the comment section! Here’s how … Read More
Copper Deficiency Case Study
We’d had Nigerians for three years when I purchased Muse, my first LaMancha, a yearling in milk. At six months fresh, she dried up, which was disappointing, but I was eagerly looking forward to her kidding the next spring. We … Read More
Planning the Sustainable Garden: What Will You Grow?
When planning the sustainable garden, you should choose varieties of plants that will allow you to save seeds for planting the next year. This means they should be open pollinated, not hybrids, and not genetically modified. Hybrids will not reproduce … Read More
Alfalfa Pellets vs Cubes and Hay
Even though I have written about feeding alfalfa pellets to goats, I still get a lot of questions about exactly how pellets are different than cubes or hay and how they should be used as part of a goat’s diet, … Read More
Pet Goats: 8 Things You Need to Know
Goats are probably the second most common barnyard pet with chickens coming in first. Although I jokingly refer to goats as vegetarian dogs because of their friendly nature, their needs are very different. For years I’ve been responding to emails … Read More
