FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why are goats better than herbicides and mechanical vegetation removal?
Traditional methods for removing vegetation can be expensive and harmful to the environment. Machines have difficulty accessing steep and environmentally sensitive areas, human removal is very labor intensive and costly, and herbicides are harmful to water, soil, desirable vegetation, humans, and animals. Goats have narrow mouths that crush what they eat making seeds that might otherwise be fertilized no longer viable. This is a big plus since machine cutting actually encourages more vegetation in the next growing cycle. Goat manure is also an excellent all-natural soil fertilizer. Our goats are tame, affectionate and incredibly fun to watch. 

What plants will goats eat?
Lucky for us, goats love to eat the plants that plague our yards and drive gardeners crazy. A few of their favorites are listed below, but rest assured, they happily devour countless others! Poison ivy, oak, and sumac, English ivy; kudzu, multi-flora rose, privet, wisteria, briars, blackberries; smilax and many more.

What about my ornamental plants and/or plants that we do not want to be eaten by goats?
No problem! We are experts at covering and/or fencing out any vegetation, large or small, that you want to be protected. Goats do not prefer grass, so lawn areas are not damaged.

How do you contain the goats, do we need to have fencing?
You do not need to have fencing. The Goat Squad installs a temporary electric net fence that both contain the goats and protects them from potential predators.

Can I play with the goats when they visit?
Goats are nature’s best weed eaters, but a visit by the goats is a wonderful event in and of itself. We allow customers to interact with the goats as much or as little as they like. With customers who want to interact with and get to know the goats, we will take the time to introduce you to them, let you interact with them and tell you as much or as little as you want to know about enjoying and even raising them. Many customers choose to kick off a visit from the goats with a get together where people (including children) can meet and observe these remarkably useful and adorable creatures. On the other hand, if you’re busy, your hands are full, or goats are just not your cup of tea, you can just sit back and ignore them while they eat your weeds and brush.

What if we have a dog? Will the goats be afraid of it? Do we need to keep it inside when the goats are here?
We are glad to accommodate your dog’s needs while the goats are on site and have never had a problem with the goats coexisting with family pets.

What do we have to do to in preparation for and during the visit?
Not a thing. We handle everything from the moment we pull up until the time we leave. Beware though – the goats are tame, lovable and fun to watch and you may spend extra time gravitating outdoors to watch them devour your unwanted vegetation.

What kind of sites do you service?
All kinds! No site is too big or too small.

How many goats do you bring?
It depends on the size of your property and vegetation density, but for most sites, we bring between 25-40 goats.

How much does it cost?
Each property is different and everyone has different a different vision for what they want to achieve. Please contact us for current prices. If you would like to schedule an on-site estimate, we can discuss service and pricing specifics, depending on your goals for the property. 

What is the first step?

Please call us at (919) 374-1856 or email us at info@goatsquad.com to ask questions and learn more.

After gathering the basic information needed to determine if your property is a good fit for services, we recommend a site visit/consultation. During the consultation, we assess your site for grazing, explain the process, discuss maintenance strategies, answer questions and provide a time/cost estimate. Consultations last up to an hour and the fee for locations in the Durham-Chapel Hill-Raleigh area is $100.

We are also happy to assess your site through photos and a phone conversation. Because every property is different and there can be factors that do not display in photos, we will not know for certain what is required until we see the site in person. That said, we will give you our best estimate and update you if we anticipate changes after we get an on-the-ground view of the grazing area.

For locations outside the Durham-Chapel Hill-Raleigh area, we can assess your property via photos and a phone conversation or make special arrangements for an on-site consultation.

What sets your business apart from similar services?
The Goat Squad is a licensed, insured locally grown and owned business with a roster of fans and happy customers. We love our work and take great pride in the results.  As our customers will attest – we’re not satisfied until you’re satisfied. Our goats are well cared for, vaccinated and raised with love and attention. This makes them very comfortable around people and a lot of fun to interact with. In fact, our goats are so tame and adorable that we also rent them out for parties and events.