FlockWorks Goats

No.  The goats are basically working visitors. 

They will stay on the job only as long as there is vegetation to be consumed.  They have no way to stay longer than the duration of the job.  Their entire diet consist of weeds, invasive plants and excess vegetation that needs to be managed.  They receive no other food, so even though the vegetation might look thick now, they will only be working as long as the food holds out for them. 

Many FlockWorks Goat jobs consist of multiple sections, sometimes even dozens of sections.  If you see adjacent weeds/brush/etc. on the same property, there is a good chance they will be headed there after the first section.  Sometimes neighbors even get in on the action and have the goats come work for them before they go, but it's all temporary.  If you are like the average person that gets to observe the goats, there is a good chance that when it's time for them to leave, you'll feel at least a little bit sad.  

Vegetation Management  

Vegetation can be managed a number of different ways: Mechanical removal (bush hogging, bulldozing, etc.), chemical application of herbicides, or controlled fire are three methods that are commonly chosen, but there are other ways...  

Goats are considered the healthiest, quietest, most environmentally responsible method of managing vegetation.  The material does not need to be removed, in fact, it gets converted into a time-released fertilizer that improves the soil.  They are quiet.  Very low risk and are non-poisonous.  

Of course, excess vegetation could be cut by hand, but it's hard to compete with a herd of goats that are at work even when they appear to be resting.  (Chewing cud: their rumination process destroys weeds seeds.)  And that's not even mentioning that much of the area that the FlockWorks Goats work in is at least difficult, sometimes actually dangerous for humans to work.  And when people work (or the machines mentioned above) weed seeds tend to be distributed, essentially furthering the problem.  

The one thing with the goats... it is a process.  They don't leave the area "neat and tidy" the first time through like a landscaping crew typically would.  But, long-term (and that's how most of the FlockWorks customers are thinking) after the goats return for future work, brushy-type vegetation dies off and grasses and lower vegetation thrive.  

NO!  The exact opposite has proven true over and over again!  

Goats truly bring a community together.  It's not at all uncommon to see people bring lawn-chairs and sit and watch the goats work, play and rest.  

When the goats get done (even the first trip through) with areas that were previously overgrown and often full of trash, this is likely to start a transformation process!   People commonly begin to look at their community differently and start to take greater pride, and even responsibility in it's upkeep.

In this category we often get asked if goats smell bad?  Essentially, will my neighborhood smell like a farm when the goats are here or after they go because of the scattered droppings?  

It is very unlikely that you will smell the goats, but it is possible. 

Our main herd, female goats and their kids, basically have no odor.  Even if you were to burry your nose in a goats coat, you would not smell much, certainly not anything commonly thought of as objectionable.  (Many people actually like their very faint smell.)

The male herd definitely can have an odor, especially from late August till the end of the typically grazing season.  We have found that really only the lead males (usually 1 to 3) have a strong odor and when outside, it's pretty diluted in most cases.     

Goat droppings are very similar to rabbit pellets.  Really, if distributed, there is no smell.  The exception to this would be if there is a unique job were the goats end up sleeping/resting in the same spot for an extended period of time, then the build up of droppings would produce a smell.  But, on almost all projects the herd(s) are moved frequently and that simply does not occur.  

Unfortunately, no.  At least not day-to-day.  

These are working goats.  They have (in almost all cases) been born in the fencing that you see and live their entire life working on managing vegetation.  Human interaction, especially over or through the fence causes significant management challenges and distracts the goats.  While we don't want our goats to be afraid of people outside of the fence, we really don't want them expecting any type of interaction with their either.  

All of this is especially true with feeding.  As you may guess, our goats are very food oriented.  There can be NO FEEDING THE GOATS!  And it's not only the management of the herd(s), but a safety issue as well.  Goats cannot eat anything. Yes, there are crazy stories about goats eating cans, car bumpers, etc.  This is not true.  More importantly, the wrong vegetable straight from your fridge can take down a goat quite quickly.    

Now, there is a chance that IF you are around when a FlockWorks Goat keeper is working, that you may have a chance to ask questions or *possibly* have a goat brought out to visit. 

On most public jobs (schools, parks, etc.) of any significant duration (weeks, as opposed to days) there is an attempt to have a session where the goats are available for a "Meet and Bleat" session.  Watch the fence signs for possible announcements.  

This is a question we get asked a LOT.  And the simple answer is that, yes, the fence is safe. 
Safe by all measured standards: national and international. 
                                   
However, safe is a word you have to use carefully.  Safe in this case means damage, not pain.
If you touch the fence, you will feel at least something.  Depending (mostly) on what footwear you have on, it will feel like a very strong static shock (minimum) to a shock that leaves your body aching for quite some time, possibly over a day. 

We strongly ask that you do not touch the fence!  You also really don't want to try the fence!  Additionally, the fence is monitored and the change in voltage and joules is registered, so please don't touch or in anyway interact with the fence or fence components!   

DOGS:  FlockWorks has had our goats on many public jobs over the years.  It's interesting to see the differences in how people choose to manage their dogs.  From our stand-point, it is strongly recommended that you do not let the dog touch the fence! 

It is believed that dogs feel the shock of the fence more than any other animal!  Their wet noses and proportionally wide padded feet really cause them to feel the shock in a powerful, dramatic way!  When a dog touches the fence, you almost always here the *SNAP* of the shock (And the yelp of the dog) and it's simply something that a dog, that's not a farm-dog, does not need to be trained to.  

Additionally: If you have a shock collar for your dog, touching the fence can REALLY throw off it's training!  

Nope.  Nothing.  We hope that you enjoy them, but we are not counting on the community to manage our herds. 

But, if you find yourself drawn into watching the goats regularly, and you have a concern because something seems "off", feel free to contact us.  But there is absolutely no obligation.  

If you find yourself concerned about the goats, you may find interest in our Animal Welfare FAQ section.