# Questions about kinders



## speckled6 (Sep 7, 2017)

Hi all,
I'm looking into getting goats next year.
I want them for milk and meat, so kinders seem to fit the bill.  I have a few questions for anyone who has/has had kinders.
Is the milk sweet?  I've read it's high in butterfat and delicious, but never tried it (or any goat milk).  Is it possible to skim the cream or do I need a separator?
I've heard the meat is lean...like venison, any input in that?  Does anyone have experience processing them?  Or can you take them to a processor?
I also want to try tanning pelts (starting with rabbits this year) what is their fur like? Close like the Nubian side or furry like pygmy's or is it a grab bag?
Also, do they make a lot of noise like the Nubian or is this also something that can be bred for?
If this should be posted somewhere else, please let me know, I wasn't sure where it should go.
Thanks,
jean


----------



## Baymule (Sep 7, 2017)

@Goat Whisperer doesn't SBC have Kinders?


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Sep 8, 2017)

SBC has mini Nubians, not kinders. I believe @frustratedearthmother has kinders though!

I haven't had their milk, but I imagine it would be sweet. Maybe not the same as NDs though. You can skim some of the cream, but a cream separator will give you more cream. 

The meat is similar to venison, it is very good! Just make sure you don't eat an intact buck, it'll make you . Goat buck meat is far far worse than deer buck meat. You can process them like deer, we personally choose to take them to a local processor. 

I imagine the coat will vary. I don't own them but I own other breeds and it depends on the goat. Same thing with the noise. Our Nubian doe doesn't make a sound, she's the quietest goat on the farm. We have others that just love to talk. Again, just depends on the goat


----------



## speckled6 (Sep 8, 2017)

Thanks for the responses!
6 months ago I would have asked why even have goats?  Now I read about them constantly!
I think it was a less expensive (and less intimidating!) way to get milk at home that brought me to the idea of getting goats.
I'd read about the benefits of raw milk and I've been dealing with IBS-D for 2 years.  I was hoping raw milk might help with the symptoms, but I don't know if it will or not.
I also like the idea of making butter and cheese at home, so when I found out kinders have a high butterfat content, I figured that would be a good fit.
Plus, they're adorable!
So I'll take all the input I can get.  I'm still learning (and still working on DH to bring him around to the idea!)
Thanks,
jean


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Sep 8, 2017)

I do have Kinder's.  I'm milking one right now that freshened in March.  She slacked off a little bit in the crazy heat we've had for the last couple months, but now that we've cooled off a little she's increasing production again.  I am only milking once a day and tonight she gave about a quart and 3/4's....almost a half-gallon.  The milk is rich and creamy like pygmy milk.  It will separate after sitting for a few days and can be skimmed off, but like GW said, a separator would be awesome!

I milked this doe last year.  




This is my Kinder buck.








I have NOT processed one yet.  I have wethered several in anticipation of butchering, but have ended up selling every one before we got to harvest one.  I have eaten pygmy and it was delicious.  I can imagine that they taste like any other goat.

I really like my Kinder's and expect that if I had to choose only one breed to keep, between my Nubian's, Nigerian's, Pygmy's or Kinders  - I'd probably pick the Kinder's.  They also seem to have that hybrid vigor - they are more parasite resistant than any of my other breeds.  The Pygmie's being a close second in hardiness... Nigerian's third and Nubian's are jut plain ol' wussies, lol.  Of course - that's in MY herd in My location.  I certainly can't speak for everyone.


----------



## speckled6 (Sep 8, 2017)

Thank you so much!  Your buck is gorgeous, I love their airplane ears
I was reading one of your threads about the milker you got.  Getting a milker is out of the question for me financially (and I kinda wanna be able to say I milk myself)
Do you remember how long it takes to milk by hand?  I'm a city girl and haven't ever milked anything.  DH worked on farms when he was younger and looks at me like I'm nuts when I say I will milk by hand.  He just keeps saying "do you have any idea how LONG it takes to milk???"  I just tell him, of course not!  He also has no idea how determined I am to do it myself...
I did manage to find a couple of kinder breeders here in WI, so I have my fingers crossed for next spring to be able to purchase a few goats.
I would like to start with 2 does and a buck (separated, naturally) and I'm hoping to find an Angora wether to keep my buck company.  I just can't stand the idea of having an animal that doesn't give something back (besides our dogs, but it's our fault they're loafers!)
In your goat keeping experience, do you think that would be a good start?  If not, what would you suggest?
I haven't decided yet if I will start with kids or a doe and her doeling with a buck kid from another line... just not sure on the best way to go.  All I know for sure is I'd like to have milk 
Thanks,
jean


----------



## speckled6 (Sep 8, 2017)

Oh, one more question...how are kinders with fences?  I was just reading about a mini Nubian that keeps jumping the 5 ft fence 
I definitely don't want anything to happen to the goats (or our cars!)
I know all goats are different, but I've read that the smaller the goat the higher and more often they jump regardless of things to keep them occupied.  (As a side note, getting goats is dependent on us buying at least 2 acres that borders our property.  That way the does and the boys will each have about an acre to roam and play without them living together)
Thanks,
jean


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Sep 8, 2017)

speckled6 said:


> Do you remember how long it takes to milk by hand?


I'm actually milking by hand right now.  We've recently gone through the Hurricane Harvey mess and I moved my milkers out to the big barn.  (The machine milker is in my smaller barn.)  I had to hand milk while they were in the other barn.

I've recently moved the does back up to the front area, but I"m still hand milking because I need to give the machine a good cleaning.  So for at least three weeks I've been hand milking again.  I can milk the Kinder in about 5 minutes.  That's just milking time - not prep or clean up.  The Nubian I'm milking - her mother - takes a bit longer.  The Kinder is actually finer skinned and easier to milk than that particular Nubian.

I've never had a Kinder test a fence - but none of my other goats do either.  Exception being tiny babies that can walk through the spaces on a stock panel.

Hope you get to realize your goat dream!


----------



## speckled6 (Sep 9, 2017)

I forgot you live in Texas.  Hope you didn't get hit too hard and that you don't get hit by the other hurricanes.  Such weird and dangerous weather this year.
Thank you for all your input.  I truly appreciate it.
jean


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Sep 10, 2017)

Are you sure you want to keep a fiber animal in with a smelly buck? Bucks pee all over themselves, and get their odor on all their pen mates. 

Hand milking is no big deal as long as you don't have carpal tunnel or arthritis. I am handmilking 10 does in the morning and 6 in the evening. All by hand. Doesn't take long when you are conditioned to it and can milk fast.


----------



## speckled6 (Sep 11, 2017)

@Goat Whisperer - thanks for pointing that out.  I honestly hadn't thought of it!
I will have to rethink that idea...but don't Angora bucks do the same thing?  I can't imagine people sheer their bucks and just throw that fiber away?!
So many things to consider, but thankfully I have time.  I absolutely will not get goats until their fencing and housing is complete (did that with chickens AND rabbits...not gonna repeat that mistake again!)
Thanks again,
jean


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Sep 11, 2017)

I don't know what they do with the fiber off of the bucks. I know it gets washed anyway but I'd definitely want to have more info before buying the animal. 

I probably wouldn't be a huge deal to toss the fiber from a buck. One buck can service many does, that alone will cover the cost. 

But I really don't know much about fiber animals. I've helped clip angora goats in the past, but that's about it.


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Sep 11, 2017)

You could just keep two unrelated kinder bucks together. That would allow you to retain doelings… yes I'm an enabler


----------



## speckled6 (Sep 11, 2017)

I hadn't thought of keeping 2 bucks either... didn't know you could really.
Yes, you ARE an enabler... I love it!


----------

