# Getting my first goat.  I'm so excited!!!



## mordarlar (Nov 15, 2010)

We are picking her, and her kid, at the end of the week.   

I know she is a pygmy cross and i suspect the other breed might be Saanen.  Any ideas?  Her current owners said she is larger than a typical Pygmy cross.

Her kid was sired by a Boer buck.

If she is a cross of these two breeds, what might i expect?  I am really hoping for brush eating, fairly winter tolerant and a small amount of milk for soap making.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Nov 15, 2010)

WELCOME...and good luck with your new goats!!  I have Toggies no mixes...so I dont know about Pygmys and Saanens mixes?  Sorry...

But most all goats are winter tolerant as long as they have a place to get out of the weather and plenty of free choice hay.  And it depends on where you live to.  Im in NH so we get alot of winter weather...so mine are in the barn pretty much all winter..except they wander out on the nice days...and as for brush...if they like it they will all eat it.  We can keep black raspberries growing...they just love those...watch for poisons..there are somethings goats cannot eat..so read up and check your property...important to know!

And as for milk/soap...you will have to breed her...if shes not coming bred...

Enjoy!!!  Goats are alot of fun!!!


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## mordarlar (Nov 15, 2010)

Emmetts Dairy said:
			
		

> And as for milk/soap...you will have to breed her...if shes not coming bred...
> 
> Enjoy!!!  Goats are alot of fun!!!


Thank you for the welcome and the reply! : )

She just birthed the male kid less than two months ago.  How long should i wait, do you think, to have her bred again?


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## Emmetts Dairy (Nov 15, 2010)

Ohhhhhh..you said that!!!    Im sorry...



No need to breed her if she is milking right now!!!  That would just make the milk taste yukie!!!!    

Sorry...I totally overlooked that it was her kid that was coming with her!!  

Your allset then!!!!    Thats great!!!


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## savingdogs (Nov 15, 2010)

What a pretty doe and babe! It looks like a good start. 

I'm not an expert, but I'm expecting my first kids this spring/early winter. I have read that after two months of age, you can start keeping the baby from nursing at night and milk her in the mornings and the baby will still have plenty to drink during the day to supply its needs, just give it hay as well. That is what I'm planning on doing! Since you only have the two, I'd just put the baby in an enclosure inside the barn at night so it can still see mom and not be alone, but not be able to nurse, since you only have two goats. 

I'm not familiar with milking those breeds either, but since you don't really need much for soap I would be optimistic if I were you. I'm raising my mini dairy goats for the same reason.


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## warthog (Nov 15, 2010)

Lovely goats.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 15, 2010)

Congratulations!!! She's adorable!!

To my knowledge, saanans are FANTASTIC dairy breeds! I think you'll get enough to make soap, probably.....


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## mordarlar (Nov 16, 2010)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> What a pretty doe and babe! It looks like a good start.
> 
> I'm not an expert, but I'm expecting my first kids this spring/early winter. I have read that after two months of age, you can start keeping the baby from nursing at night and milk her in the mornings and the baby will still have plenty to drink during the day to supply its needs, just give it hay as well. That is what I'm planning on doing! Since you only have the two, I'd just put the baby in an enclosure inside the barn at night so it can still see mom and not be alone, but not be able to nurse, since you only have two goats.
> 
> I'm not familiar with milking those breeds either, but since you don't really need much for soap I would be optimistic if I were you. I'm raising my mini dairy goats for the same reason.


That is what i'd like to do to.  It seems that a share system would also take some of the pressure off.  Days when i am unable to milk or do not need any, the kid could just be left with his mother overnight.  i also like the idea of that they will be allowed to behave more naturally.  Seems better for them in some way.


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## mordarlar (Nov 16, 2010)

Thank you warthog and Dreaming Of Goats & Sheep.  I can't wait to pick her up!!!


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## savingdogs (Nov 16, 2010)

mordarlar said:
			
		

> savingdogs said:
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I agree! This is how our own goats were raised and their personalities are just stellar. They follow us around like dogs on a walk and we can let them free range our forested area and they never leave. The only problem is they hang out on our porch, hoping to find us. But we love them and would like to raise loving kids just like them. But they were not bottle fed.


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## glenolam (Nov 16, 2010)

Welcome and congratulations!

I'd just like to throw out that you might want to consider banding or castrating the buckling since he can and will breed his mother if he's left in tact (unless he's already been wethered).

I think you're correct on the Saanan cross, but you might never really know for sure!


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## cmjust0 (Nov 16, 2010)

First of all...very cool.   



			
				glenolam said:
			
		

> Welcome and congratulations!
> 
> I'd just like to throw out that you might want to consider banding or castrating the buckling since he can and will breed his mother if he's left in tact (unless he's already been wethered).


I second this..  If he's 2mo old, he's old enough for it.  Since there are only two of them and they're meant to eat brush, I'd probably just keep him as a pet wether so mama won't get lonely.  

Something else I'd suggest is to start milking pretty much right away, and to freeze the milk.  She's in peak lactation right about now and appears to have a good level of condition on her, plus the kid's pretty much weaning age.  If you don't get your milk now, my concern would be that she'll start losing condition at precisely the *wrong* time of year on account of having to make a ton of milk for the kid, which would mean weaning him off just to keep mama's condition up...and the problem there is that there are only two of them, so weaning him traditionally by splitting them up wouldn't really work....which more or less means you'd have to tape her teats to deny him access and cause her to dry off...  

And if you have to dry her up before you get your milk for soap, well...you won't have any milk for soap!

Just a thought.


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## mordarlar (Nov 16, 2010)

Thank you glenolam and cmjust0  

I am really torn about banding him.  I had planned to band him as soon as we picked him up and let them settle for a few days.  But last night i started thinking...

We have 50 acres that is pretty overgrown.  We plan to move there in the spring and in the meantime we are renting.  While renting we are limited on the animals we can keep.  These two will be on their own through the winter and then will be joined by others.

In the spring we plan to get a few more goats and start a small herd. The breeds we've been interested in raising are Pygoras (manageability for shearing, nice fiber, brush eating machines and more hardy than Angoras) and increasingly Boers for their meat qualities, which will be increasingly important as we tiptoe toward self sufficiency, as well as their overall sturdiness.  

The buckling is a Saanen(?), pygmy and Boer.  I know that he could not be bred to a Pygora because he will probably be too large but what got me hesitating on the banding issue is the idea of breeding him to one or two older Angoras.  

I am smart enough to know i cannot simply throw all the breeds i like into a pen and have them breed perfect little mixed multi purpose super kids but i do wonder if some of the diluted attributes of each breeds strengths might add help contribute to an easy to mange multi purpose little herd. 

Moving along and slowly ideas are being replaced by action. 

cmjust0, that is really good advice.  Problem is that it might take me all winter just to learn *how* to milk her.


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## cmjust0 (Nov 16, 2010)

Question...

Are you _absolutely sure_ that what's got you thinking about perhaps *not* banding him is the idea of using him as a multipurpose herdsire, or could you just be attempting to rationalize your way out of having to snap a rubber band around his lil' sack right off the bat?

Juuuuuuust wondering.  

Also...do you have any predator-bait-type animals out there now, and if so, how are they fairing?  I ask because...I gotta tell ya...leaving two goats out on 50 acres over the winter with no protection unnerves me more than just a little..


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## mordarlar (Nov 16, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Question...
> 
> Are you _absolutely sure_ that what's got you thinking about perhaps *not* banding him is the idea of using him as a multipurpose herdsire, or could you just be attempting to rationalize your way out of having to snap a rubber band around his lil' sack right off the bat?
> 
> ...


Alright, i'll admit it...YIKES!!!  


They'll be staying where we rent through the winter.  We currently are renting a small rural apt./inlaw suite.  They won't be more than 40 ft from our door and only a few from the chickens.  In the spring, the lot of us will move over to try and tame the 50.


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## cmjust0 (Nov 16, 2010)

mordarlar said:
			
		

> Alright, i'll admit it...YIKES!!!


AHA!  -- band him.

Or make someone else band him.  Or take him to the vet to be 'cut.'  He needs to be parted of his junk somehow or another -- and I'm saying that as a guy.  Trust me when I tell you that I don't take stuff like that lightly.





> They'll be staying where we rent through the winter.  We currently are renting a small rural apt./inlaw suite.  They won't be more than 40 ft from our door and only a few from the chickens.  In the spring, the lot of us will move over to try and tame the 50.


Ok, that makes me feel a lot better.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 16, 2010)

Yes... I would definitley "get rid of his junk" some how....  Milking isn't that hard to learn..... just bump the udder, squeeze the top and move your fingers down. I've only done it twice, though.... so I'm still not good   You'll get the hang of it  When are you picking it up? Make sure you get some pictures!!!!


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## savingdogs (Nov 16, 2010)

Oh my goodness, have you SMELLED a mature buck? It is the most disgusting ripe ugly odor that permeates everything and your whole farm will smell. You do NOT want one. He would make all your goats stink BAAAAD. We just had one visit for a few months and the barn and the other goats still smell somewhat like him after a month, although it is improving. Normally your goats will smell good, without a buck, all earthy and like fresh hay and whatnot.

I think your idea of creating a herd is great but you don't really need a buck until you have quite a few does. Bucks are for people who are REALLY into goats because they might need to keep not only a buck but a friend goat for the buck to live with, off in a pen to themselves, far, far from human noses and the other goats. 

We had a little pen set up for our visiting buck and found it was way, way, too close to the house. 
And I don't have a sensitive nose.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 16, 2010)

I know.... they smell TERRIBLE!!!!


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## mordarlar (Nov 16, 2010)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> Oh my goodness, have you SMELLED a mature buck? It is the most disgusting ripe ugly odor that permeates everything and your whole farm will smell. You do NOT want one. He would make all your goats stink BAAAAD. We just had one visit for a few months and the barn and the other goats still smell somewhat like him after a month, although it is improving. Normally your goats will smell good, without a buck, all earthy and like fresh hay and whatnot.
> 
> I think your idea of creating a herd is great but you don't really need a buck until you have quite a few does. Bucks are for people who are REALLY into goats because they might need to keep not only a buck but a friend goat for the buck to live with, off in a pen to themselves, far, far from human noses and the other goats.
> 
> ...





			
				Dreaming Of Goats & Sheep said:
			
		

> I know.... they smell TERRIBLE!!!!


 Ok, ok...understood.  

Banding


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## Calliopia (Nov 17, 2010)

I know you are already banding, this is just a courage booster. 


   It's REALLY not that bad.  They yell when you pick em up and flip them purely from the indignation at being flipped on their keester.  The boyos I've done haven't even noticed the banding bit since they are too busy yelling at me for daring to pick them up.   It completely reminds me of the 9yr old boy getting mom spit cleaned in front of the cute girl.  MOMMMM...!  STOP IT!!.


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## glenolam (Nov 17, 2010)

Sooooo true!  FWIW - once you move onto the 50 acre peice (nice for you!!) you can start the search for a new herdsire & put this little wether in with the buck - sorta kill 2 birds w/one stone...you'll give the mom some company for the winter instead of having to separate them with no friends around and then all you'll have to do is buy the buck and another doe in the spring & you'll be all set!


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## poorboys (Nov 17, 2010)

looks like you have a sannen!! great milker  Patty


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## dianneS (Nov 17, 2010)

Does anyone here use a burdizzo?  I had two boys banded and two boys done with the burdizzo and the burdizzo boys were so much happier.

The guys with the bands on em' for two weeks were just not very cheerful during that time.

The other two were fine, no muss, no fuss.  It was a once and done deal.  One quick pinch and it was all over, they were right back to normal!


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## mordarlar (Nov 23, 2010)

Well i picked Tilly and Rufus up on Friday. 


Here are some cute pictures.

We transported them in the van.







For the time being we have them sleeping and resting during the day in an old dog cage.  With all the stress of new people, places and things, Tilly really seems to prefer the security of the pen.  She is a really easy to manage goat but our beagle stresses her a bit when she is out of the pen so it is harder to get pics.  






This is Rufus after he picked up the feed bowl with his head.






Here is Tilly helping Rufus remove said feed bowl.








Since we picked them up they have been allowed pretty free access to leaves and other treats of autumn.  We gave Tilly the option of baking soda and minerals and about 3 cups of sweet feed a day.  I gave them both some raw pumpkin seeds that i had been saving for the chickens as a wormer because i am worried about using anything more powerful.  The woman who sold them to us informed me that Tilly had been pastured with two bucks and that she had possibly been "bred back".  I wasn't thrilled and needless to say...pumpkin seed dewormer. 

She lets me brush her and handle her face, legs and udders with no trouble.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 23, 2010)

OMG they are beautiful!!! Congrats!


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## ChksontheRun (Nov 23, 2010)

They look wonderful.  I hope you enjoy them!  They seem like very friendly, family goats.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Nov 23, 2010)

Thats great!!    Have fun with your new goaties!!!!


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## mordarlar (Nov 23, 2010)

Thank you everyone!!!  We're really happy to have them here.


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## IloveEdwardCullen (Nov 23, 2010)

meee tooo!!!! I iz going to get me first goat!!

some of you guys may know me as iluvschickees on BYC


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## savingdogs (Nov 23, 2010)

I would be very happy! Beautiful babe and lovely goats.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 23, 2010)

IloveEdwardCullen said:
			
		

> meee tooo!!!! I iz going to get me first goat!!
> 
> some of you guys may know me as iluvschickees on BYC


Do you know Chicken boy sam on BYC? That's me! You remind me a lot of Mrs. Fluffy Puffy.......


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## IloveEdwardCullen (Nov 23, 2010)

Dreaming Of Goats & Sheep said:
			
		

> IloveEdwardCullen said:
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iv heard of her, not of you srry.....


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 23, 2010)

I think I actually just posted on a same thread as you in the ducks topic..... lol I'm gonna start a BYC thread on here so then I don't hijack this thread


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## mordarlar (Nov 23, 2010)

Dreaming Of Goats & Sheep said:
			
		

> I think I actually just posted on a same thread as you in the ducks topic..... lol I'm gonna start a BYC thread on here so then I don't hijack this thread


I don't mind : )  I have the same name over at BYC but am also a chicken nut.


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## mordarlar (Nov 23, 2010)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> I would be very happy! Beautiful babe and lovely goats.


Thank you savingdogs : )  She has a really sweet nature.  And the baby is too ridiculously cute for words.


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## dragonlaurel (Nov 24, 2010)

They are adorable. Start milking her some right away. If she is that sweet and already let you touch her udder,  she may have been milked before. She sounds perfect for your family. 
Enjoy your cute boy too, but get his pieces gone quick.  A sweet wether stays a sweet wether his whole life.  Much better with little children around.  Bucks in rut can be hard to deal with.


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