# Transporting goats Newbie ?



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Well I was hoping to pick up my girls this weekend and the trailer that my hubby said he could borrow fell through so, the owner of the older doe transports in the back of her path finder, I have a durango but will be picking up another doeling from another farm. Is it possible to transport 2 would I want them seperated ( I assume yes) but it is not possible the farms are 2 hours away in a huge triangle. I was thinking I could sit in the back seat with doeling ( 6 months) and let nanny have back end. Please anyone that has transported in a car and learned something they needed to know before they did it please chime in, the doeling will be riding for 2 hours them while we are transfering the nanny we will get her out to walk a bit. Then another 2 hours home. Or should I just desperately call everyone else I have not tried yet ( the list is SHORT)and hope I can come up with a trailer.


----------



## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

make sure you put down something to take care of pee. We used a tarp with old blakets on top to absorb.


----------



## reicheru (May 16, 2008)

When we take our pickup to get a couple goats [or the great prys I bought], we just use our goat tote. The most I've ever put in there was 2 ginormous boers, though I bet I could have done one or two more. When we take the suburban, I put a tarp down in the back and then put a large/extra large wire dog crate with pan and shavings in the back. I only feel comfortable with one in there, but it works. You could probably do the same and put the doeling in a smaller dog crate [medium sized, maybe?]. Personally, unless it's a really small baby, I don't like them riding loose. I'm not sure what breeds these are or how big the back of a durango is... but it's an idea.


----------



## crazygoatgal (Jan 15, 2008)

I have done crates and loose. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The crates keep the vehicle clean and everyone separated and they don't fall down every time there is a turn or stop because they don't have alot of room. Disadvantages are that they don't have a lot of room to move around if it is a long ride and crates can take up a lot of room. Getting a crate the right size but not too big for the space allowed is always a trick, especially if you need more than one. If you have a barrier, loose works well for multiple goats and I like that method for long trips, but your car does get messy.


----------



## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

I have crated. I use a feed bag or straw in it so if/when they pee it is not so bad. 
I have done loose for small babies. Only problem is if they get off your lap they will pee. 
It can be done without the trailer, just make sure you have blankets, tarps and etc to keep the pee from getting on to your car. 
Put the big doe in a carrier and keep the small doe in the backseat making sure she does not get up front. Putting her on the floor by your feet on a blanket works well too and keeps your legs from falling asleep.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

I do have one wire dog kennel but I not sure if it would be big enough for a full grown nubian I will go measure and you all can tell me what you think. OK I went out and measured it is 21 wide 27 tall and 36 long it is collaspible so if it was not big enough we could tie it to the top of Durango for the trip home. The older doe is going on 3 yr. and the doeling is 6 months. I have plenty of old blankets as I pick them up cheap ( .50 - 1.00) when I can at Tag sales because my dog thinks he is too good for straw in the winter so I use blankets in his house and just throw away after. Not too worried about getting it too dirty that could just end up an excuse for a good detail. We sold truck finally then a year later we bought house in country and the durango became the farm truck, looking for a good flat bed now as my grandmother has given me one of those stockage type pens that sits on a flat bed to transport animals will need to add something across the top but this will become transport as soon as we get a flat bed.


----------



## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

You could probably shove the Nubian into that crate -- it's the same size as my wire crate. She'd lie down for the trip (a good thing, as she wouldn't be peeing.) It'd be awfully cramped, but wouldn't kill her. A friend borrowed my Oberhasli buck last winter and hauled him in a crate that size for two hours (a hundred miles); ditto when she brought him home. I was a little dubious, but it didn't hurt him any. I wouldn't make any longer a trip than that, though, without taking them out to walk around for a while. (On a lead rope, or you'll lose them.)

A six-month-old kid is going to be too big, and too active, to ride far on your lap. Use a crate for it, too, if you can -- you won't need such a big one.

I normally just tie all the goats that are riding inside my vehicle (or in the back of my pick-up). I've used the crate to carry several small kids -- bottle babies -- while an adult doe was tied alongside them.

But you've got to confine them some way -- tied, crated, or some other barrier -- or they'll end up in the driver's lap, or standing on his head. NOT a good thing!!

Kathleen


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

BlueJuniperFarm said:


> But you've got to confine them some way -- tied, crated, or some other barrier -- or they'll end up in the driver's lap, or standing on his head. NOT a good thing!!
> 
> Kathleen


Sounds like maybe you or someone you know has had a funny (dangerous but funny) experience can you just imagine the looks of the people passing. I will have a couple of lead ropes with me so I think I can get everthing together now. Thanks everyone.


----------



## reicheru (May 16, 2008)

yeah.... my big ol boer doe rode almost 3 hours one way to be bred [and then brought back the same way] in a dog crate about the same size. The older doe should be okay in that. I'd still crate that doeling as well. If she's anything like my kids... ugh... there's a reason why one of them is named PITA. sdfgasdfsdf


----------



## Lada (Jun 7, 2008)

We put our full-grown Nubian in a crate that size when we picked her up. Good luck!


----------



## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

We have a mini van and no probs transporting sheep, goats and we even moved a mini horse.

We just lay down a large rubber mat and pile in hay.
We dont have a prob with goats falling all over or anything.
We have done cross state trips already without a prob with several animals together.

The only time I worry about separating is if there are different sexes of breeding age.


----------



## goatrancher0129 (Apr 3, 2008)

when i hall my boer goat i just walk him right to the passenger door and he jump right in to the truck and lays down. lol


----------



## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

The crate size sounds about right. And yes you will also need to crate the younger one at least it sounds like it from your description. 
All we have is a full size truck with a can o pee. Whenever we haul we put down a rubber matt made for the bed and toss some shavings on it to absorb the urine. We dont tie anyone up Im always concerned about someone's legs getting tangled.
And a useful tip I learned for you all..use a 2x4 cut to fit the space between your bed & tailgate when unloading especially. We call em "Leg Savers".


----------



## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

Heck, I've transported goats in a little Corolla! LOL And once a guy showed up here to take a goat, and put it in the back of his Civic! How he got the crate in there, I don't know.

I would do the crate. The thing is, goats can be wiggly and get away from you. They can be a lot stronger than they look, particularly if they panic. Not good if you open the door and out they go. You will have a really hard time catching them. If you do decide to take them in the vehicle loose, be sure they have a solid collar or harness on.

I just lay a tarp down (small one from the dollar store, just the right size!) and set the crate on it (this is a wire crate, so obviously if you have a plastic solid-walled one, you probably don't need the tarp). They would be fine in a crate for a couple of hours.

I wouldn't recommend putting them in the trunk, though, unless you were positive there was good airflow. I would be concerned about fumes.


----------



## ajharris (Jan 26, 2006)

It can be done. I am hauling home 2 Saanens Thursday in the back of my Explorer. I will put down a tarp and hay. The goats WILL settle down after a while. Heck, I hauled 3 pigs home in the back of a mini van once. I think goats are better travelers.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Well today is the day. I did find a larger crate but 2 crates will not fit in back end so There will be a tarp. straw on one side with the doe that is 6 months and I will be sitting in the back seat and I can tie her halter to the headrest. The doe will have my larger crate that I had to fix to take some chickens to auction last night. So bleach and a good airing out we leave in about 4 hours. I will post pictures tonight.


----------



## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

Just don't ever transport intact bucks loose in the car.  The smell will linger forever.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

well things went fairly well, plans were 2 goats came home with 3 HUBBIE goat goatitous. So we ended up putting the 2 doelings in the crate and tieing the nanny. You should have seen the face when we pulled through the drive through. THank Goodness for the straw and the tarp, I think the nanny went within 30 seconds of being loaded.


----------



## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

I went through a Tim Horton's (coffee shop) drive through with my tiny baby Nigie in the front seat. The window clerk freaked! LOL She called the whole staff to come to the window to see....."SHE HAS A GOAT IN THE CAR!" She said she'd seen snakes, rabbits, ferrets, and could now add "goat" to the list. hehehe

Which reminds me, pooks, if you're out there, what was it you called your Nigie baby once, when some people asked if you had a goat in your arms? A something-chihuahua?


----------

