Nigerian Dwarf goats: compact, loud, surprisingly opinionated, and an absolute liability around anything they can stand on. Meet the herd.
The herd matriarch. She has strong opinions about feeding schedules and will let you know, loudly, if you are 30 seconds late. Leadership through volume.
The ambassador. Friendly to a fault, will investigate anything new introduced to the pen, and has a special gift for escaping enclosures that should be escape-proof.
The youngest member of the herd. Still establishing her role but already demonstrating impressive climbing skills and a complete disregard for designated eating areas.
The ongoing project of building goat-proof infrastructure. Current score: Goats 7, Infrastructure 3. The fence has been reinforced twice. It will be reinforced again.
Nigerian Dwarfs max out around 22" at the shoulder and 75 lbs. All the personality of a full-size goat, deployed in a significantly smaller package.
Smart enough to solve problems, curious enough to go looking for them. They will test every weak point in your fence line, methodically and repeatedly.
Nigerian Dwarfs produce high-butterfat milk relative to their size. Rich, sweet, and excellent for cheese and soap making. A legitimate secondary purpose.
They will eat brush, weeds, and invasive plants with enthusiasm. They will also eat your garden, your jacket, and anything you made the mistake of leaving within reach.
Give a Nigerian Dwarf something to stand on and it will stand on it. This is not negotiable. Infrastructure planning must account for this as a baseline assumption.
Goats are herd animals and do poorly in isolation. Two minimum, three is better. They will also befriend dogs, chickens, and anyone who shows up with treats.