We haven't talked about goats in a long time
 

The city of Chicago has decided that it's ok to keep pygmy goats:

Chicago...goats? But the link you gave said Seattle.

Come to class!

I am deeply flattered to have my posts mistaken for dar512's. Thank you for the compliment.

Confused?

You should be.

pssst--dar--story in chi-town media was about *Seattle* city council's enlightened decision.

The Goat Justice League Prevails!

Ack. *dar512 scribbles note -- must learn to read*

It's ok dar... 3/5 mbas say that unrequited longing for a goat of one's own can interfere with reading. You should pay a visit to Griff. He's a teacher, for pete's sake!

Oh, and don't forget - it's past 1999. :p

Problem: Once you've satified your goat craving, its all about the cheese. The Buddha teaches that these cravings are the root of suffering.

Indeed.

The founder of The Goat Justice League says she gets a half a gallon of milk *A DAY* from her nanny. She lobbied the city council members by sending them packages of homemade cheese.

Yay Cheese!

The cycle of desire and disillusionment is best exemplified by our relations with our furry brother, the Goatisttava.

You have desire and relations with "our furry brother*?! No wonder you have disillusionment. I suggest you research the word nanny. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Pygmy goats are great pets. No reason not to let people have them if you are going to let people have dogs.

They might be bothersome in a multi-story apartment building, especially with wood floors. But then Nike could develop sneakers, fitted just for little goat feet! They could have pictures of carrots on them.

I don't know if Nike makes them, but there are sneakers for pygmy horses.

I was just talking to one of the moms at our local elementary school, and she was explaining how they are raising chickens again this year. They hadn't done it for a few years, but they just got the coop fixed and are starting up again this Fall. It actually sounds kind of interesting. They will get plenty of fresh eggs and it will be a nice learning experience for the kids.

The only thing that's unusual about this is that Arlington VA is a fairly urban area with money. Not the kind of place you would expect to see chickens. I hope to get over there some time and see the set-up, but I don't think it will happen.

Apparently it's legal to raise poultry here. Who knew?

A lot of older cities still have grandfathered poultry legality but Arlingtons pretty modern, yes?

Yeah, it is pretty modern. Mostly post WWII, but I don't know when it was founded. It split off of DC, probably around the turn of the century.

Honestly, I didn't look up the law, but she was talking like she knew it.

I'd love to raise chickens, but then I'd have to get a banjo and start a band called the Chicken Pluckers.

I went mandolin but it is a pose thing, competence is not required. Maybe you could lean more Bela Fleck?

My jazz bass instructor lives in Chicago proper. One of his neighbors has chickens. I know this because the rooster crowed one morning as I was walking past. It's not something you expect in an urban situation. I jumped about a foot, but managed to not drop anything.

Why wouldn't it be legal?

Too many animals in a crowded space leads to disease. Plus, neighbors often don't appreciate the smell if there are too many animals in a close setting.

I thought that was what an apartment building was.

This was the latest goats thread so...

Weird-talkin' goat

I lold.

Ha, I saw that on Break.com the other day. I lulzed a little bit too.

Thank you in advance for perma-banning anyone who was going to turn this into a goatse fest, I had my worries.

And you know, really, we don't have enough conversations about goats.

I sent that link to my family and my sis-in-law said she was laughing her head off because it sounds like when my brother does his Jerry Lewis impression. Mom said it was her fault because she took him to the drive-in movie when he was still a baby to see a Jerry Lewis flick.

I, for one, feel that whenever we can open the lines of communication regarding goats OR Jerry Lewis then we have forged an important road in our quest for community and humanity. I'm a bit choked up right now.

Nice one UT! Truly out loud.
The girls are trained up on milking now because I was out of town for a trainer training. Now that I have backup maybe we should get too many goats.

HEY!!

We are raising chickens with some friends at their acrage this spring. Started with around 100, but the up and down weather has cost us about 15 so far. Pneumonia we think. Just going to eat 'em, no eggs or anything. I will post some pics and video when I have a chance in a couple weeks. Been meaning to anyway.

Man my eyes are playing tricks on me. I thought the title was "We haven't talked about goals in a long time".....lol!

I tend not to open anything that says "goats" or "goatse" on it while online.

So, you will open anything that says "goats" or "goatse" if you are offline? ;)

well, my goals are to eventually retire in Mexico with a full staff to look after me.

. . . what's that?

eh?

goats. GOATS! I don't know from goats!

Nevermind!

lol @ Cloud.

:)

(crys) I'm so confused!

"Mmmaa-a mmaa mmmaaa maa mmaaa mmmaaa!"

(Caprinese to English translation: "Don't let them get your goat!")

Awwhhh now come on guys!!! stop kidding around:D

I'm udderly dry, I goats to get some beer now:D

I know I know you all think I'm a ninny:D ......oh my god I kill myself sometimes:sweat:

Sorry didn't mean to BUT in :sweat:

Oh my god make it stop!!!!!!:sweat:

We talked about goats very recently.

Last night, in fact. Here are some of the local options.

Griff, paging Farmer Griff, white courtesy phone please.

If you're thinking about it V, They're good pets if you have good fences. We have their paddock area plus a moveable electric fence so they can get at the succulent stuff that isn't people food.

Yes, I am *definitely* thinking about it.

A few questions. I know they're herd animals. Is two sufficient? Along with dogs? Is one too few? I have in mind two does. I'll scare up the link from the local rescue site....

Also, there is no way we'll be able to let them graze for their sustenance. Not. Possible. We'll definitely have to supplement their diet. I know they'll eat all the green from the grass to as high as they can reach. I'm...prepared for that. What about trees? We have five or six lilacs in the back yard, and a three pines, one holly and one cherry. None are seedlings, all well established trees. Are they in peril?

When you say good fence... what do you mean? We have a couple different fences on different sides of the yard. Some is six foot dog eared cedar, solid fence, solid posts. I installed it years ago and over engineered it a bit. Plenty strong. Other parts of the yard have four foot high chain link (lowest height, other places higher). Also quite solid, but there certainly is purchase there for tiny feets.

How much poo am I going to be shoveling? How much food will I be putting in? Noise? We have close neighbors. The dogs are well behaved, but we do bring them in when it's cold rainy or they're barking like maniacs. I never thought I'd be asking this question, but are they ... is it conceivable that they could come inside?

What about their housing? What kind of goat house will be needed? Bedding?

I am nervous. Tink is open to owning goats, again. But though she's ok with milking them, she isn't into the milk or cheese. Yogurt?

We love pets, as I'm sure you know. But I don't want to be a poor keeper.

You should have a pair, anyway. They really want to hang out with somebody. Our's lay down at night as close to the dogs as they can get. They will go find friends if there aren't any around.

They'll break down larger bushes to get at the green and will nibble bark as well. We put chicken wire around an 8" dia. maple that was being stripped of bark between rubbing and gnawing. The lilacs are probably in trouble. A fruit cherry is probably in trouble. The holly may be toxic? We got our's for their destructive potential because of the Game Commision's poorly considered invasive species introductions. They will knock down and strip fully grown multiflora rose, autumn olive, and Russian olive. We move them around in the electric fence so they have fresh greens in season.

Our permanent enclosure is a page wire that is designed for goats. As long as it is tight they can't climb it. The cedar fence should be sufficient. I think the chain link will be okay as long as they can't get on top of it.

Our two goats used about 40 bales this winter, but the feeder was loose so they wasted a lot of hay until I put a piece of fence inside it. The manure is like deer or sheep, dry pellets not messy and very good for gardens. You'll be very popular with the local garden folk. If you connect with them waste disposal should be a snap. We also feed a 18% dairy goat mix to them since Tinker (the goat) is milking about a quart and a half a day. She isn't a pure dairy breed so some goats will produce more. You'll also want a mineral block for them.

If you don't breed them you won't have to deal with milk. Tinker makes some noise when she's in heat, so you might have to listen to that occasionally. Housing is minimal. I built a shed for them but with your climate you'll probably only need a little lean to or something to get them out of the rain/mud. The last maintenance thing is their hooves. They need to be trimmed regularly, but it isn't difficult. If they are not taken care of it can be a real health issue for them.

So you're not getting in the goat business?

TBD.

First, we're getting into the Hawaiian vacation business. Tink and I didn't think it would be fair to the goats to get them, then leave them. When we return, the subject will be reopened. She's said she's open to the idea. I still have some work to do in the back yard, landscaping, etc (laying sod, to be honest). And I think the "basement" of the treehouse will be the best location for the hutch/shelter/den/palace for our newest family members. And that's not yet built.

But I did clarify which pair she *doesn't* want. A pair of young males who look like total badasses. Check out Jimmy and Billy. Oops, link dead. Here is cached picture.

Pagan looking pair eh? ;)

Goat don't give a shit:

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