Feces
Every animal produces poop, but here’s where goats shine.
If cows produce the worst feces in the world, those big cow flops, then goats are on the other end of the scale–they produce little dry black pellets that essentially disappear into the grass.
When they’re first pooped out they’re a bit soft and might get stuck on your shoe, but they dry quickly and once they do, they’re not messy at all. When our goats get onto our back porch and poo, we just wait a few minutes for the little ball bearings to dry out then just sweep them off, no mess at all.
And goat urine is not smelly at all. It’s urine, but if they pee on the lawn you’ll never notice it. And it’s not high-nitrogen like chickens, so it’s not particularly hard on grass. I’ve never seen a dead spot caused by goats.
General
It’s a lot like owning a Great Dane instead of a Chihuahua. You need to think about slightly better fencing, a bit more food, and bigger and better shelter.
But they really are like big dogs — they’re very friendly, very inquisitive, but like a dog they’re very easy keepers once you get your system down.
And like dogs, some goats become almost lap animals, while others might remain a bit more standoffish. All goats will swarm around you when you have some goat treats, but they’ll each have their own personality. Again, a lot like dog ownership.