I've noticed in websites and when visiting others that a lot of people seem to keep collars on their goats at all times. I've been nervous so I never have collars on unless we are doing something.
I'd like people's opinions on this - what you do, when you start having kids wear collars, what kind of collars, any hangings or problems?. Clearly it is easier if you want to grab a coat - to have the collar on.
I have a little "collar fetish" - OK - I only have a couple sets of barn shoes and 1 pair of sneakers... but I have 3-4 collars for each of my 2 dogs and now - I have a collar for EACH goat. I'm addicted to pretty collars.
I have the ones that do have the quick release if they are caught, but tell me more!!!!
Judy
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I have the plastic collars that they sell through the goat supply catalogs. They are supposed to have a 60# break point, but the ones from Hoegger break MUCH easier than that! They are not even helpful for leading a goat if the goat is really resistant because as soon as you put a lot of pressure on it, it breaks. The Caprine Supply collars don't break when simply leading a goat, but goats lose some of them also.
The only thing I don't like about them is that no one recognizes them as collars, and lots of people ask, "Why do they have chains around their necks?"
I've had my two does for almost a year now. One I got as a yearling and the other I got as a 2 month old.
My yearling doe came with a collar, a simple chain with a zip tie for a customized fit. She still wears it to this day and it does its job and looks pretty on her. For my other doeling I waited till she was 8 months old(mostly grown) before I got her a collar, an adjustable nylon dog collar. I made sure I got her an adjustable collar so she would be able to grow and still fit in the same collar.
I haven't really been that worried about them getting caught on things. I do have a large blackberry bush growing wild in my yard and they love climbing through the brambles and eating the leaves (oddly not the berries). Even though they come out of the blackberry bush with purple berry juice stains in their fur, neither of them get caught not even the one in the nylon collar.
I fine the collars to be very useful with my slippery little goats, without horns or collars there's not really anything to hold onto. Even my older doe who's almost 5 months pregnant (with maybe triplets) finds a way to slip past me to steal a mouth full of lettuce from the garden.
As for putting collars on young kids. I'm not really a collar fanatic, I just wanted to buy a collar once. That's mainly why I waited till my doeling was 8 month old before putting a collar on her. The lady I bought my older doe from kept collars on all her goats and she had one 3 week old buckling she was retaining, that had a collar on.
I have lots of bramble browse and the goats would surely get caught in it with collars on so I don't use them. I do have them -- collars with leashes attached (the snap on kind) and just snap one on when I need to lead someone. I have 3 sizes, one for my biggest girls and boys, one for my smaller girls and boys and one for babies that I hardly ever use. That works well for me. I do some training with the collars and leashes on, so I just snap one on and they don't seem to mind.
My goats where the basic Retriever brand nylon snap collars from Tractor Supply. I don't keep the collars snug like you would on a dog, but not so loose that they're likely to get caught on something or slide right off. Personally, I use the collars everyday on the milkers for leading them out of the barn after milking. I don't put collars on the kids until they are too big for me to carry and I need to start leading them instead. When they're small, it's just easier to pick them up and carry them when you're trying to move them from one spot to another. And I find they have no problem wearing a collar versus not wearing one.
Btw, I understand your "collar fetish." I love accessorizing with collars. My dogs have 2 each, one of which is personalized with their name on it. And the color of each of my goats collars has to go well with their coat color ;)
I don't leave collars on any of my goats. I spent years as a horse person, and we never left halters on horses due to the risk of them getting caught on something and hurting themselves trying to get unstuck, and it carried over to goat keeping. I really almost never have to lead them anywhere (they line up pretty nicely to come into the milking parlor). I don't go to shows, and my vet makes farm calls. So the only time I use a collar or halter is when I'm arranging a date between one of the does and one of the bucks. Getting them together isn't the problem. Getting the buck to go back home requires use of the collar.