For several weeks, it has been in the plan to expand the main goat area, i.e., where they spend most of their time. In the beginning while awaiting the two weeks for Ginger's birth and the first two weeks afterward, their outside space was only about 10x15. Then I doubled the outside space, still hay/straw on dirt, and fixed another space on the other side of the yard much, much larger for them to be in part of the day that was grass, etc. I keep worrying about them not having enough space even though the breeder said that was more than enough for three ND goats. Today, with the help of my neighbor's son, I added a cattle panel between my border fence and the end of the garage, they now have an additional 10x27 space accessible to them all the time which doubled their always accessible outside area and is all natural (maybe too natural for city dwelling<g>). Of course, it will be eaten down in the next few weeks (or days depending on their enthusiasm); today, I think they got all the rye grass heads that had grown that tall as well as any remaining blackberry leaves and many filbert tree leaves. (I've been fighting that volunteer filbert tree for years; with them eating the leaves and eventually the bark, it may go the way of unwanted filbert trees.)
When I asked my neighbor to move three large rocks from my fish pond area into the new space, he asked me why. I told him he would see. Well, of course as soon as the girls had access, they were jumping on and over the rocks. I'll be adding an a-frame-type shelter with cleats on the sides like in their sometimes space. Of course, because they don't need it for shelter since they have their inside space available, it will be "needed" for climbing and chasing. They have so much fun with the other one. At first they were munchkins and when their tummies were full, they started playing. However, Capri managed to somehow get her nose far enough through to eat two rose blossoms off the rose next to their area as well as the top of the stems; it's variegated red and very fragrant but I don't think she cared, it just tasted good and she butted Summer away when she tried to "help" her.
Now I have to decide if I want to cut down two cherry trees so they can have a U-shaped area along three sides of my yard. I hate to ever cut down trees but this would give them a lot of space. If I do that, I need to figure out a way for the chickens to get into their house without goats getting in there also. I can put swinging gates on the chicken yard the goats can open and the chickens cannot but the chickens' food is another issue. Of course, the goats won't bother their water and I will need to move my beehives to another area so they don't become mountains for goats to be queen of. If I do that, the neighbor's blackberries will not be growing into my yard! However, I will need to protect my grape vines from goat appetites.
So now they are where the neighbors can freely see them without having to look through fence slats so that will be a huge hit. People have changed their dog-walking routes and baby-stroller routines to include seeing the goats. I put 2x4 fencing inside the cattle panel to discourage reaching through, the border fence is chain link. As of today, seems I am competing for title of zip-tie queen on our group because we sure used a lot of them.
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Oh, you are probably right about waiting. Having grown up on a farm, even my yard seems small (it's 100x135 and mostly back yard) so I always worry about them not having enough space. Of course, when I got my ten chickens, I was worried they didn't have enough space and kept expanding it in the first few weeks. Then one day, I was in the back by the R.V. gate and looked around - those ten hens had *more* room that most children have! They had 100 feet across the back, about 20 feet deep and some "around the corner." I took away their "around the corner" so now the hens (seven at this time) have about 2,000 square feet - don't think they are crowded. If I expand the goat space to include that in the "U" shape, the girls will have that plus two more areas that would include another 1,500 square feet. If the cherry tree and plum tree are not an issue for them, then I can immediately give them about 800 square feet that I'm not using now and have to only add one fence and add a cattle panel to the chicken yard fence (goats being stronger than hens). I have junk stored in part of that area that needs to go so giving it to the girls is a good idea as it will make me clean it out. It's also where I want to build their mini-barn. I probably do need to get serious about getting them out of the patio (covered and mostly enclosed) and make that corner people space again so the barn is a good idea though I really like the convenience of where they are right now. The door to the patio is just six feet from my kitchen door (both enter the garage) so I don't even go outside to care for them.
Margaret, if you have a plum tree on the fence line and even feed them plums, those cannot be toxic. The goats I had over the winter add apricot leaves, cherry leaves as well as all the other fallen leaves before I "learned" the cherry tree parts are toxic. I do know that cherry stems release cyanide if chewed so we are not supposed to eat those. I wonder if there are any truly reliable lists. I have it on good authority that rhododendrons are deadly and gave the one plant in the backyard to a friend where it is flourishing. Tomato plants are also supposed to be highly toxic though the NDs I had over the winter ate some and had no ill effects from those either but these girls won't be in the garden area regardless of where all I let them roam. I was a bit more casual with "field goats" than I am with these as well as these being my babies from the get-go and not a test. The two I had before have a wonderful home with some great people that had been wanting goats for a while and absolutely love them so it was a perfect match. I still do not believe my good fortune in the timing of re-homing them and these girls being available as I had wanted all along to buy from this breeder.
Yup, waiting until later in the summer to give them more space is likely a better idea. Concentrating on getting the barn built should probably take more priority than I have given it. Adding a couple of toys in a few weeks to their expanded area will make it new for them and they do have a good view of the neighborhood and all that goes on around them.
Hmmmm I had forgotten about the idea they are toxic... I'm always so skeptical of those lists... I have oak in my goat yard, and my goats LOVE the leaves... no one is dead yet... They also have a plum tree at the fence line, and I feed them plums off of it. They love them.
I like Margaret's idea of waiting a while... because the new space will be entertaining for them for a long time. Even if you end up making all the changes, it wouldn't hurt to wait a while. Then they'd be that much more excited about the new space!
Yea, I was wondering that also, about the cherry trees. I also wonder if you really want to do all that? Sounds like you are going to have a lot of issues with going a step further now. You have just done a good bit and I am sure they are enjoying it right now. If you take your time, to figure out what to do with the bees and all, the goats should be fine with that. At any rate nice story about your work in progress.
Everyone says cherry leaves and parts are toxic to them. I'd rather not cut them down. One is a Bing cherry tree that is old and dying because of being butchered long before I bought this house; the other is a Queen Anne which I rarely get fruit from because the birds get it just before it gets ripe. If I could keep them and not be concerned about poisoning my girls, I would. I keep hearing various things about cherry trees like only wild trees are or only choke cherries, only wilted leaves, all sorts of variations. One source says any soft fruit trees are toxic also; I have plum and pear trees that would be in the "U" shape if I do that. I am so against cutting down trees.
Any reason you can't leave the cherry trees up for the goats?