I have been anxiously anticipating having goats on the homestead for quite some time.  And while I’ve been preparing myself for goat motherhood, I’ve also been on the hunt for ways to save on the initial startup costs of ownership.  The kicker?  I found the PERFECT DOE (pictured above) and was added to the waiting list for a baby of hers Spring of 2018!!! Willow Pond Farm Nigerian Dwarf Goats have the genetics behind them that generate both ribbons in the show ring and some pretty impressive dairy abilities in the milk pail.

If that weren’t exciting enough, after responding to an add for a milk stand in my area, I made a new friend located not even two minutes up the road with an INCREDIBLE herd.  So, we were added to the list for a doeling from Gillispie’s LaManchas & Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats as well!!!

I may need to add another Paula Deen cook-book to my ever growing collection of favorites because soon there will be cheese and butter in everything around here!  I’ll also need to rendez-vous with Jillian Michaels but that’s for another post…

It needs to be mentioned that since we are going with a miniature breed, the tips listed may require some modifications for full sized goats.  From what I’ve read they can and will do everything possible to find the proverbial greener grass on the other side of the fence.

Tip number 1:  Try to think about and get in front of future repairs.  I’ve always looked for ways to  be proactive versus reactive and feel it’s saved me a lot, in both sanity and financial departments.  One awesome recommendation I’ve found is to run the fencing along the inside of the posts.  That way, since the goats  will naturally be leaning, rubbing and  standing up pressing out, it won’t pop the fence off the posts or unravel woven wire from the consistent pressure.

Tip number 2:  You essentially have three options for wire.  Welded wire is the least expensive up front.   4ft tall should be sufficient and if I have any escapees I will run an electric wire along the top of that.  Other, more costly, options include woven wire and cattle panels.  Because welded wire can have longevity issues, we are opting for woven, no climb, horse fence.  This ensures your squares are small enough that tiny kids can’t squeeze through.  I ran price comparisons against Lowes, Tractor Supply Co and Amazon.  Tractor Supply  for the win!  You can find it here.

Tip number 3:  Posts to hold the fence make up the other half of your largest initial costs.  From an aesthetic point of view, you may not like the look of metal posts, but they are less than half the price of lumber.  You’ll still need to purchase a few round fence posts for corners and to space every 10 feet or so, however utilizing both the stability and cost effectiveness of the metal posts makes this the most appealing option for a budget start up.

Tip number 4:  Make your own fence stretcher.  There’s no reason to buy a fancy, and steeply priced fence stretcher.  Simply notch out a 2×4, slip it into the slots and pull the fence taut.

Tip number 5:  Do it yourself!  You will spend a small fortune in labor costs if you don’t.   This will cut costs in half and offer the sense of accomplishment that only comes when you devote your time to a project and get to enjoy the finished product for many years.  Your goats and bank account will thank you for it!