# Goat and sheep care notes

> Goat and sheep care articles on water, minerals, breeding records, winter preparation and kidding supplies, with sources and practical small-herd notes.

Canonical: https://backyardherd.com/blog/

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[Before the first hard freeze: a goat and sheep water check](https://backyardherd.com/blog/goat-sheep-water-check-before-freeze)

Michigan State and Kentucky Extension guidance on winter water for goats and sheep: intake falls when water is icy, so check heaters, cords and access before the first hard freeze.

[Deworm When They Need It, Not When the Calendar Says](https://backyardherd.com/blog/deworm-when-needed-goats-sheep)

UMN, UMD and Iowa State Extension on barber pole worm in goats and sheep: why calendar deworming backfires and how the five-point check decides who needs treatment.

[Hoof Trimming on a Schedule, Not a Crisis](https://backyardherd.com/blog/goat-hoof-trimming-routine)

Langston and Mississippi State Extension on goat and sheep hoof care: check every 4-6 weeks, trim in thin slices until you see pink, and let dry ground do half the work.

[Getting Goats and Sheep Ready for the First Hard Freeze](https://backyardherd.com/winter-prep-goats-sheep.html)

Extension winter guidance for goats and sheep: ventilated shelter, hay for warmth, water checks twice a day, and what cold-weather newborns need.

[Copper: Goats Need It, Sheep Can Be Poisoned by It](https://backyardherd.com/copper-goats-sheep.html)

Goats require copper like beef cattle; sheep are sensitive to copper toxicity. Extension guidance on keeping one barn’s minerals straight.

[Goat Gestation: Turning a Breeding Date into a Due Window](https://backyardherd.com/goat-gestation-countdown.html)

Goat gestation runs 145-155 days. Why the breeding date is the whole game for kidding prep, and two easy ways to run the countdown.

[Know 'Normal' Before You Need a Vet](https://backyardherd.com/know-normal-goat.html)

Penn State Extension's advice on catching sick goats early starts with knowing what healthy looks like - behavior first, then baseline numbers.

[Stocking the Kidding Kit: Cornell's Essentials List](https://backyardherd.com/kidding-kit-essentials.html)

Cornell Cooperative Extension's lambing and kidding kit, explained - the essentials every producer can assemble, and what belongs to a vet conversation.

Editorial team · Published October 20, 2026 · Not yet reviewed by a licensed veterinarian

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