# 12 Step Goat Program



## Oat Bucket Farm (Jan 22, 2011)

Someone suggested that I should post this here because you guys would really like it. Its one of my blog posts 

12 Step Goat Program 
I am a member of a goat forum and in a thread someone commented that goats were addcitive and that we needed a 12 step program. I realized after I read that, that we already have one. So I wrote out the steps so everyone can know them.


step 1. see goats on TV/in a magazine/on the internet

step 2. think they are neat and read a little about them

step 3. start thinking you might want some someday

step 4. see a goat in person and fall completely in love

step 5. decide that you definitely want goats after you have everything ready

step 6. (this is an important one) join forum full of goat addiction enablers or GAE's

step 7. talk to GAE's and start feeling that you really can't wait as long as you thought you could

step 8. read every link they give you

step 9. read posts on the forum made by the GAE's about pregnant goat bellies and look at pictures of baby goats and talk of wonderful milk and soap.

step 10. put deposits on a couple of disease free doelings (you learned about diseases from all of those GAE's) to be born in a couple of months because you can't stand waiting a moment longer

step 11. drag significant other out into the cold to help you build shelters and fencing as you scramble to be ready for the new arrivals.

step 12. bring home baby goats, fall completely and totally in love and start making breeding plans. Within a couple of weeks you purchase a buckling and friend for him. And the cute little doeling you saw for sale on the forum a couple of weeks later. Then put up another shelter and pen for the buckling, realize that maybe you do have room for that other cute little doeling you saw on that website and that maybe that handsome buckling you saw on the forum would be a good idea too because you will need someone to breed next year's babies too because you have to keep some of them to see how they turn out...


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## Roll farms (Jan 22, 2011)

Oh man...Now I can add GAE to GBSB....(goat boobie squeezer brigade).


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## lilhill (Jan 23, 2011)

We need some steps on how to STOP the addiction.  Never mind, there is no known cure.


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## scrambledmess (Jan 23, 2011)

Completely embarassed, that is SO ME!   Though I haven't got the buck yet, but that is not from not looking more from not finding


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## chandasue (Jan 23, 2011)

I resisted the urg to add to my little herd for over a year but I'm in full blown addiction now with a baby reserved, posted a wanted ad because I can't find anyone that wants to part with what I'm looking for, buckling and a buddy is reserved. There really is no cure for this addiction!


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## ksalvagno (Jan 23, 2011)

That sure isn't me (17 goats later)


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## lilhill (Jan 23, 2011)

My addiction has resulted in 24 does, 3-1/2 bucks (I co-own a buck) and another buckling reserved.  That's the count today ... and tomorrow is another day.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jan 23, 2011)

This week I found myself awaiting our upcoming February kiddings so impatiently that the thought occurred to me "If I had more does I wouldn't have to wait so long between kiddings," and it actually sounded good.  Yeah, there's the solution!  More does! 

Need... babies.... soon.


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## peachick (Jan 23, 2011)

WOW.  I had no idea goats would be so addicting.  I got my first one in May....6 months later I accumulated 6 more!


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jan 23, 2011)

Yes sadly, there is no cure. The only hope for someone who is addicted to goats is to feed the addiction. I have a doeling and buckling on reserve for this next spring and plan on retaining one of my own doelings this spring as well. If I had more room I would also add the mini-mancha buck that I saw for sale. I need to move so I can have more goats...


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## chandasue (Jan 23, 2011)

Oat Bucket Farm said:
			
		

> Yes sadly, there is no cure. The only hope for someone who is addicted to goats is to feed the addiction. I have a doeling and buckling on reserve for this next spring and plan on retaining one of my own doelings this spring as well. If I had more room I would also add the mini-mancha buck that I saw for sale. I need to move so I can have more goats...


Yes! That''s what I keep telling DH. We need more land.   (BTW it's a good thing you're not closer, Oat Bucket. I'm on the hunt for lamanchas and there all my money would go right to reserving your babies.)


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## julieq (Jan 23, 2011)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> This week I found myself awaiting our upcoming February kiddings so impatiently that the thought occurred to me "If I had more does I wouldn't have to wait so long between kiddings," and it actually sounded good.  Yeah, there's the solution!  More does!
> 
> Need... babies.... soon.


Isn't it great to be able to actually admit to something like that and KNOW that we all consider that a normal, perfectly acceptable thought process?!  

DH has a degree in psychology, so perhaps we could consult with him as a group?  But then maybe not.  He just agreed that we purchase one of our bucks back this morning and even thought the asking price was right...


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## Roll farms (Jan 23, 2011)

I knew my hubby had finally (after...oh...only 10 or 11 years) come over to the dark side with me when I bought those 3 does a few weeks ago and he didn't go  when I told him the price.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Jan 23, 2011)

Hi...uhhh...My name is Becky...and uhh...Im addicted to goats...


New member! GAE!!!   and Rolls GBSB!!!!!


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## AkTomboy (Jan 23, 2011)

Im doing soo good so far its been over two years of looking into getting ND's and I still dont have any reserved yet........ getting closer every day but still


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## ohiofarmgirl (Jan 23, 2011)

great work, Oat Bucket!


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## RoeDylanda (Jan 24, 2011)

Well, step 4 came between steps one and two for me... and now I'm at 9 and a half. I'm doomed!


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## Mea (Jan 24, 2011)

Oat Bucket Farm said:
			
		

> step 5. decide that you definitely want goats after you have everything ready
> .


Somehow i always miss this step..... the "After you have everything ready" part....        I think that happened once..........


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jan 24, 2011)

Well actually you notice that step 5 just says you WANT goats after you have everything ready, not that yu GET goats after you have everything ready. That is why later in the steps you are dragging significant other out into the cold to build shelters and pens while you scramble to get ready and you will notice in step 12 that you buy the buckling and his wether buddy and THEN build the pen for them,lol.


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## peachick (Jan 25, 2011)

Mea said:
			
		

> Oat Bucket Farm said:
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hahah  I know.  
Its not...  if you build it, they will come.
Its....  they came, so I will build it.


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## jodief100 (Jan 25, 2011)

Problem?  I don't have a problem.  I need more goats-now that's a problem.  







Chandasue, where are you?  I have a LaMancha expecting in June and a friend of mine is expecting some now......


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 25, 2011)

GBSB

 

aw geez! this is great! 

"it's not if you build they will come
its... they came so i'm building it"

too true!!!  

hi... i'm new... i'm a goat addict, GAE, GBSB,.....


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## Mea (Jan 25, 2011)

ohiogoatgirl said:
			
		

> :aw geez! this is great!
> 
> "it's not if you build they will come
> its... they came so i'm building it"
> ...


Ay-yup !!!


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## chandasue (Jan 25, 2011)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> Chandasue, where are you?  I have a LaMancha expecting in June and a friend of mine is expecting some now......


Central MN... that's a bit far unfortunately. :/


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## mossyStone (Jan 25, 2011)

OHHH boy now they have a name for whats been going on here......


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## Roll farms (Jan 27, 2011)

So I dreamt last night that Jodie's "Fat Girl" kidded quads and all 4 were beautiful, 2 teated does and I BOUGHT THEM ALL.

Do you have ANY idea how disappointed I was to wake up and realize it was a dream?

I even saw their pics in my dream, darn it.  I WANT THOSE GOATS!


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## jodief100 (Jan 27, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> So I dreamt last night that Jodie's "Fat Girl" kidded quads and all 4 were beautiful, 2 teated does and I BOUGHT THEM ALL.
> 
> Do you have ANY idea how disappointed I was to wake up and realize it was a dream?
> 
> I even saw their pics in my dream, darn it.  I WANT THOSE GOATS!


Cleo didn't even look pregnant and she had triplets.  Fat Girl is HUGE so she might have quads in there.  All my kids so far this year have been girls......

I am such an enabler


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jan 27, 2011)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> All my kids so far this year have been girls......


I am GREEN with envy!  So far this season all of ours have been bucks... :/  I keep telling myself our Jr. buck is just getting all the "boy swimmers" out of his system on our NMGA does so his "girl swimmers" have a good crack at the ADGA does.  We will see very soon how my theory holds up.


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## jodief100 (Jan 27, 2011)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> jodief100 said:
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The bad part is unless I am holding back keepers, I want boys!  They get big faster so I get more lbs on the scale at sale time.  

Nothing ever works out the way you want it to does it!


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## Lady Jane (Jan 27, 2011)

I love those 12 steps. ^_^ I must say that just about two weeks ago I had no idea or inclination to get goats again (we haven't had them for about 6 years). I mentioned to my Mom "You know it would be nice to have goats again.." It was supposed to be just a random non-incidental comment. She surprised me by saying, "Why don't you get some?" 
That did it. She put the idea into my head and I ran with it. Now, a couple weeks later we are getting back into goats.  I also was out in the barn in the freezing cold getting ready. Similar to step 11. 
It is ironic, but just a few days prior to my deciding to get goats my Dad had been bragging that we did not have anymore animals around to worry about and how nice it was..........


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## rebelINny (Jan 27, 2011)

This is so funny! You guys crack me up  I am definitely an addict. I started out with two goats four years ago and I have had as many as 40 after kidding season. I am down to 22 now with kidding's starting any day now.......I love goaties and I really do want some boer does but I am waiting to get some test results back on my dairy herd first and then well........I gotta do some working to bring in the money to finish the addition to the barn so I can keep more  then maybe I'll have some boers. Of course if I get boer does then I HAVE to buy a boer buck to breed them two. Maybe two boer bucks so I have variety


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## bettybohemian (Feb 9, 2011)

In addition to the twelve.step program, we should probably add some sort of relationship counseling or perhaps advertise for.divorce lawyers. I was told no more goats two goats ago and I've even began to lie about where they came from " honestly honey, she's just going to be here for a month. I'm goat sitting" or " I don't know where it came from, it was tied to the pipe corral when I got home.today!" Lol


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## lilhill (Feb 9, 2011)

I happened to overhear my dh telling someone that I was only going to maintain 12 or 15 goats, when I actually have 24 does in the doe pasture and currently 3 bucks in the buck pasture with another one coming next month.  Guess he just never bothers to count them anymore.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Feb 9, 2011)

ahhh... ya i'm a super addict....
i have two saanen does who are bred for kids in may. praying for 2 boys and 2 girls. then i will sell the girls and wether the boys and train them to pack and harness. even if i only get one boy i will keep him. so then i will be milking two does and have one or two wethers and i'm buying two angore does here soon and i'm looking at tennessee fainting goats. 

so ya.... A D D I C T E D!!!!!!


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Feb 10, 2011)

The key is to get you hubby to come over to the dark side,LOL. Or just keep at it until he at least resigns himself to the fact that its an addiction and you can't help yourself and any kind of intervention will actually make the addiction worse. Which will force you to purchase at least ten more goats to relieve the stress of the intervention.


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## sammileah (Feb 10, 2011)

chandasue said:
			
		

> jodief100 said:
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there is a breeder north of cedar Rapids Ia that might have what you are looking for.  do a search on craigslist for cedar rapids.    I'm picking up a new doe monday and maybe a buck.

I started out by just "looking' at a pair. they came so we built.  buck was a pita so we tried goat.  now doe is alone so got a cute little pygmy.   then she has twins.  bucks boo. and human boys lay claim there goes getting rid of them.  so 3 boys, 1 doe.   
now i got goats for milk and she milks nice but not enough need a new doe.  taked hubby into it yay.  also need a buck for next years babies. 

i beleive body snatchers have taken my husband.  monday trip is 1-2 goats and incubator and hatching eggs. told my hubby i was picking up some new chickens someone had to get rid of.  no reaction. huh  oh i ordered 25 chicks nada.  i'm beginning to wonder is i should send him in for a MRI.


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## chandasue (Feb 10, 2011)

Thanks, I did see that in my searches but it's a bit far. I, however, solved all my goat longings by getting a hold of the breeder I initially had a doeling reserved with and worked it out with her to get another doeling and an unrelated buckling. She had said that she didn't want to part with many does this year so I thought for sure she wouldn't have any more for me but I was wrong and I'm getting a good deal to boot!    However, April cannot get here fast enough so I can get them!


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## chandasue (Feb 10, 2011)

Well not quite ALL of my goat longings...... Angora or pygora are still on the list. But that's more in the future when I can REALLY do some expansion.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Feb 10, 2011)

oh no.... 
i'm looking at tennessee fainting goats... 
they are only about half an hour from me...

must... resist...!!!
soooo.... c u t e!!!!
must not call about price!!!

oh, who am i kidding? i'm calling!
maybe i can get my friend to drive me out and i can bring them home and tell dad they were gifts. 
hm... :/


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## redfarmhouse (Feb 10, 2011)

Yep, been busy building a goat shelter and a gate in the cold.


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## poorboys (Feb 10, 2011)

my dh tells me no more, and then he gets on the sites and tell's me where their is some nice looking goats, and ask me if I want them  He is for sure an addict But my addiction is just as bad, we'll say (we need to cut down) and then we buy again!!!!! No were not addicts


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