Goats are common farm animals, but some people have also started caring for them as pets. If you’re looking for interesting animals to keep in your backyard, then getting a few goats might make sense.
You might want to make sure that you have a good amount of space if you’re planning on doing this, though. It’d be difficult to keep goats in a small yard for many reasons.
Some even worry about whether the goats would be too loud for their neighborhoods. Are goats noisy or is that not a huge problem?
Read on to learn more about goats and how much noise they might make. You’ll also learn some tips about how you can keep them quiet.
Goats Can Sometimes Be Noisy
Yes, goats can indeed be quite noisy sometimes. Generally, goats are only going to be noisy when they have a good reason to make noise.
Goats will often try to let their owners know when their needs aren’t being met properly. If a goat is making a racket, then there’s a good chance that it needs something.
There are a few other reasons why goats might start making noises, though. Learning about each of them might help you to keep the goat quiet because you’ll be able to keep the goats happier.
If you get good at caring for goats, then you should be able to keep the noise down quite a bit. You might not be able to keep the goats silent, but they shouldn’t make so much noise that it’ll be a huge bother.
1 – The Goats Are Hungry
Of course, goats are going to make more noise than usual when they’re hungry. If they didn’t get enough to eat, then the goats might start crying out to try to get your attention.
Your goats are going to be smart enough to understand that you’re the person who provides them with food. They know that if they get your attention, it’s possible that they might be able to eat.
The goats shouldn’t cry out if they’re being fed properly, though. If your goats are hungry, then you might not be feeding them enough throughout the day.
Feeding your goats is absolutely something that you want to get right. Goats need to eat approximately two to four pounds of hay each day.
There are different approaches to feeding goats that you can try out. Some people feed their goats twice per day.
Others will simply give the goats a constant supply of hay so that they can eat whenever they feel the need to. This is probably the easiest thing to do since goats need access to roughage so their bodies will function properly.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide what is best. It’s simply important for you to feed the goats enough so that they can stay happy and healthy.
2 – Water Needs
Goats also need to drink quite a bit of water each day to stay healthy. Experts recommend that you give your goats two to three gallons of water each day.
Lactating goats will need a bit more water than that. You’ll want to try to get lactating goats to drink a bit more than usual to compensate for giving milk.
Your goats should have access to clean water constantly. This means that you’ll need to work to change the water out pretty regularly.
If you want to keep the goats happy, then you’ll need to check the water situation multiple times per day. Goats will sometimes be picky and might not drink the water when it’s getting a bit murky.
The water will get dirty as the goats drink it, and sometimes dirt or hay will get into the buckets. This is why it’s imperative to keep changing things out to get the goats clean water.
If you have goats that are stubborn and won’t drink enough water, then you might need to use a handy trick to get them to drink. Sweetening the water with a bit of molasses will make it irresistible to your goats, and they’re going to want to drink plenty of it.
3 – Shelter Issues
Your goats could be crying out because they don’t have adequate shelter, too. Goats need to have a place in your yard where they can stay safe and relax.
Simply keeping your goats in a fenced-in area won’t be enough. Where are the goats supposed to go when it’s raining or when there are thunderstorms?
You’re going to need to build or purchase some type of shelter for the goats. Three-sided shelters are popular for goats because they’re very easy to build.
Essentially, you’ll be building something that has a roof and three sides. The goats will be able to enter the shelter from the front and they can lay down underneath it to stay safe.
You’ll be able to lay straw or shredded paper on the bottom of this shelter so that the goats can use it as bedding. If you have provided adequate shelter to the goats, then they should be less likely to be noisy during bad weather situations.
That being said, sometimes goats will get noisy when the weather is bad. Goats might get afraid if it’s storming pretty bad, and some goats will be noisier than others.
It might make sense to go out and check on them to try to keep them calm. Regardless, you’ll be able to know that you did your part if you ensured that the goats have shelter.
4 – Loneliness
Goats might cry out when they feel lonely, too. This likely won’t be an issue unless you’re only caring for one goat.
If you have multiple goats, then they’ll be able to socialize and keep each other company. It’s really best to keep at least two goats if you’re interested in raising goats.
Caring for just one goat is going to be much harder. A single goat might get depressed, and it’ll make much more noise than usual.
Sometimes goats get very attached to their owners, too. It’s possible that your goat might cry out to try to get your attention sometimes.
This probably won’t happen all the time, and you can try to train the goat to be quiet by not giving in. Just know that most goat loneliness problems will be solved by raising several goats instead of just one.
5 – Injury or Illness
As you might expect, goats are going to cry out when they need help. If you’re hearing your goats make noises, then they might be in danger.
Sometimes goats will get noisier if they’re being bothered by predators in the area. This could mean something as simple as dogs, but they could have spotted a more problematic predatory animal.
This is why it’s important to protect your goats by keeping them in an area that is as protected as it can be. If you’re worried for your goats, then you should try to protect them with fences that will keep predators out.
Goats might also hurt themselves sometimes for various reasons. If a goat gets its head stuck in a fence or something, then it might cry out so that you can come to help it.
Sick goats might make noise sometimes, but not all sick goats will. It’s important to keep an eye on the goats to check them for health issues.
If you ever see that one of your goats is sluggish or acting strange, then you might want to call a professional. A veterinarian can come out to your location and examine your goats.
This can help you to solve many potential problems. Hopefully, after solving health issues, the goats will be quiet and content.
Some Goats Are Noisier Than Others
Some goats are just going to be noisier than others. If you have done all that you can to keep the goats happy and healthy, then it might be that your goats are just a bit noisy.
You’ll find that specific goat breeds are going to be a bit louder than normal. Sometimes certain traits will be bred into goats, and this means that the goats in question might just be slightly louder than you want them to be.
You could try to buy goats that are known to be quieter. If there is a problem with keeping noisy goats in your area, then you might wish to look into which breeds are the quietest to get the best results.
For the most part, goats shouldn’t be any louder than barking dogs. In fact, most would say that goats are much quieter than rambunctious dogs.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned a lot about goats and why they can be noisy. If you want your goats to be quieter, then you’re going to have to ensure that their needs are being met.
Do your best to give the goats enough food throughout the day. You’re also going to need to give them access to clean water that they can drink.
Goats need shelter so that they can hide during storms. Some goats will get a bit loud during storms due to being scared.
You also want to raise goats in herds instead of just keeping one of them. A single goat will cry out due to loneliness, but it’ll feel much more content if it can socialize with other goats.
Protecting goats from predators is also important. You want to keep the goats safe from harm.
Sick or injured goats will sometimes be noisy, too. Be an observant goat owner so that you can take action fast.
As long as you keep all of this in mind, it’ll be easy to get good results. You should be able to keep the goats quiet enough that it won’t be a major issue.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house. Growing up, I had pet dogs, cats, deer, sugar gliders, chinchillas, a bird, chickens, fish, and a goat.