# Which to Get----Buck or Wether-----or whole herd?!?  Update---HELP!



## drdoolittle (Apr 1, 2012)

I am planning on adding another goat to my small herd and can't decide which would be best, a wether or a buck?  The goat I get is going to be a companion for the buck I have now-----when he's separated from my girls.   A wether would be o.k., but I'm thinking that another buck would be nice if I want to breed my girls to a buck from a different background.  My buck only about a year old and the one I'm looking at is about 7 months----would they get along o.k.?

Here's a pic. of my buck, Scout:







Here's a pic. of the other buck:


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## ksalvagno (Apr 1, 2012)

Either would be fine. Whatever will work for you. Just introduce them slowly.


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## Mamaboid (Apr 1, 2012)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Either would be fine. Whatever will work for you. Just introduce them slowly.


x2

They will joust a little no matter which you get, but should get along great.  Nice ages to put them together.


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## drdoolittle (Apr 1, 2012)

Well, the lady who has the buck I want is now saying she doesn't want to sell him separate from the other 3 pygmies she has!  It's 2 does----one white and one white and tan, and another buck---white.  They are all young---the buck are both 7 mos., and the females are probably 1-2 years (both probably bred).  She wants $200 for all 4.  I think it's a great deal----I can always re-sell the ones I don't want.  But, WOW, what a lot to take on at once!  What do you all think?


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## ksalvagno (Apr 1, 2012)

If they are healthy and you have the room, go for it.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Apr 1, 2012)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> If they are healthy and you have the room, go for it.


x2 if I were you, they'd be in my herd by now.


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## drdoolittle (Apr 1, 2012)

My Hubby will absolutely KILL me!  I think he'll be fine once I sell off any kids (remember, two of the does I have now are bred).  I could end up having any where from 8-12 kids!  

I have plenty of space for 3 bucks---my bucks pen is !6' x 16' and his "house" is the tank part of a dunk tank----4 goats could easily fit in there, so 3 will be fine.  

My question----how much square footage would 6 does need in their shelter?  I have a huge run-in shed that has 3 1/2 sides----we split it in half----the chickens coop is one side of it and the other half is for the goats (they are completely separated of course).

The pen area is 100' x 100' sq.----so about 10,000 sq ft.  Of course, about 1/8 of that was fenced off for my pig pens.


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## ksalvagno (Apr 1, 2012)

How big is the shelter? Is is possible to move the divider and give the goats a little more room if needed?


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## drdoolittle (Apr 1, 2012)

O.K., here are pictures of the other goats (you've already seen the one buck):




















And here are some pictures of my pen, shelter and goats----just so you have an idea: The first 2 are showing off my does relaxing in the pen.  In the 3rd pic., you can see the goat shed way in the back, and in the 4th, you get a shot of the end with the pot belly pigs' pens.  Oh, I guess you can see the shed in the first 3 pics.---you can also see my buck pen (with the big blue dunk tank shelter).


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## SheepGirl (Apr 1, 2012)

Sheep need 12 sq ft of space for their shelter (for the average 150# ewe) and 30 sq ft of exercise space in a drylot (which is basically what you have). So I think you'd have enough room if the space requirements were same for goats.


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## ksalvagno (Apr 1, 2012)

It looks like you should have enough room. Good luck!


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## drdoolittle (Apr 1, 2012)

Now the lady is saying she would be willing to just sell me the one buck.  I wish she wouldn't have said that now that I was pretty resigned to buying all of them.  Ugh!


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## drdoolittle (Apr 1, 2012)

Well, I talked it over with Hubby, and we've decided to get all 4 goats!  I am so, so excited!  I will try to post pics. of them once they get here----even though you've already seen some.


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## Mamaboid (Apr 1, 2012)

drdoolittle said:
			
		

> Well, I talked it over with Hubby, and we've decided to get all 4 goats!  I am so, so excited!  I will try to post pics. of them once they get here----even though you've already seen some.


Your grounds are great, and it looks like you have lots of room.  You have more than we do since the flood, and we have nine goats right now.  It is great that you are getting all of them.  Isn't G.A.S wonderful?


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## drdoolittle (Apr 2, 2012)

Yes, it is great!  This is something I had as a goal----having a herd of 8-12 goats----but didn't plan on doing it this year!  Now I have to get ready for the babies that are coming!


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## Queen Mum (Apr 2, 2012)

drdoolittle said:
			
		

> Yes, it is great!  This is something I had as a goal----having a herd of 8-12 goats----but didn't plan on doing it this year!  Now I have to get ready for the babies that are coming!


OK, you love the idea and you know it.  (just teasing a bit here.)   You have G.A.S.  and it's expanding.   (Goat Addiction Syndrome)   Your property is perfect for a bunch of goats.  Have a lot of fun with your babies.  

BTW,  it is really fun to watch the babies (and the mamas) play on climbing toys.  You might consider building something out of scrap lumber.  Now that you are "resigned" to having this herd.


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## marliah (Apr 2, 2012)

No advice, just wanted to compliment you on having one of the best goat yards I have ever seen! Such a nice setup you have!


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## drdoolittle (Apr 2, 2012)

Thank you, everyone for the compliments!  My husband is so wonderful for building my pen and the goat shed (it was originally a run-in shed for 2 horses).  I do have some things for them to climb on----a bench seat (big enough for 4 or  human adults to sit on), an overturned HUGE stock tank, and a big tractor tire that my sons buried part-way in the ground.  You just can't see them in those pics.  I would still like to get some of the cable spools so many people use.

Well, after a long drive (almost 2 hrs one way) the goats are home and settled-in (after getting their CDT shots and a dusting of powder---in case of lice).  I still can't believe how lucky I am!  I think the litle white buck may be part angora---really cool.  But he's probably going to end up being sold---don't know for sure yet.  I'll post pics. later---now I have to go get groceries-----teen boys are never satisfied!


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## drdoolittle (Apr 3, 2012)

Just an update on the goats.  I trimmed their hooves today, and they were just terrible!  Even the bucks, who are only 7 mos., had the edges of their hooves bent around the bottom of the hoof!  I'm sure they all feel much better. 

 I don't get the woman I bought them from.  I know she got them at a sale barn, but that doesn't excuse her fom caring for them properly.  When I got to her house, her alpacas and sheep were just loose on her property and ran across the road in front of me.  Her ponies were also just loose wandering around.  

3 of the goats were confined to a horse trailer, but the third was just wandering around with another goat.  She also had about 7 dogs running loose.  I can't believe she let the goat that's so close to kidding just run around like that, or that she was going to take her to the sale barn if she didn't sell yesterday.  I gues they need room for a horse that's going to foal soon.  But the BARN!  The stalls were full of what could have been bedding, but just looked like piles of manure.  And there was all kinds of stuff just laying around, from horse leads to shovels and rakes and chains.  I know that's how some people keep their places, but she made the comment that her kids are in 4-H and that's why there was dog agility stuff set up in the yard!  I thought 4-H was to teach children to properly care for animals----especially cleaning out the stalls and trimming hooves!  The basic care is so much more important than whether you can lead your goat/dog around the ring.

All I know is that when I've sold goats, I've trimmed their hooves prior to the new owners picking them up and made sure they new about keeping it done.  Also, one of the first things I did when I got my auction goats home was to check their hooves and trim them.  Why are there so many people with goats who don't seem to want to care for them properly?!? 

Well, here's newer pics. of the does, but I haven't had a chance to take any of the 2 little boys.  The brown/white and tan buck is so much prettier than the picture she sent me showed!!  I am just so thrilled that I got him!

This is Maggie:











And this is Ida:


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