Brand new goat owner

[Latestarter]

Greetings and welcome to BYH. lots of great goat folks here, so you're in good company. Make yourself at home and browse around to "meet" folks.

 

[Nariah01]

You can drive down here to Redding and I can set you up with mini Alpine wethers or doelings for cheap, I have an abundance this year. LOL

But seriously, if you want dairy I would say any breed. LaManchas are usually pretty friendly, Alpines are usually bossy, and Nubians have a reputation of being noisy. Many people like the Nigerian Dwarfs, they are smaller, easier to handle and cheaper to feed. There are other breeds but those are the most common. A wether makes a good companion but they can be a little more complicated to feed when living with a doe...the wether should have very little grain.

I sell my kids for $50 for a wether and $150 for a registered doeling. I have sold unregistered doelings for as little as $75. But you want to make sure it comes from a healthy herd. The two main diseases in goats are CAE and CL with Johne's being a close third. They are all tested for by a blood test, but the kids need to be over 6 months. I don't know if your friend did any test on the goat or not but just be careful and ask about testing. You don't want to start off with sick goats.

I really wish you were closer. I could make you a good deal. I am building a dairy and I am about 20 goats over what I need right now.

Glad that your girl is being sweet, some of them are, and some are brats.

Man I wish I was closer too! Yeah people up here are selling their doelings and some older does for like $300 and up. Their aren't too many under that in our area, there are a few but not too many. They did all the routine care and such but they didn't test her for anything. I was going to talk to my vet to see what it costs and when I could get her out to do those tests. She seems pretty darn healthy and well cared for at least.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Our 3 goats are 2 wethers and a doe, the boys are pygmy/boer crosses and the doe is FB pygmy....she is the black one in my avatar....as you can see she is much smaller, but they get along pretty well. The only time it is an issue is when she is in estrus and both boys will harass her. I would suggest another doe and if there is an age difference it will allow the older to readily be the dominant one until the other matures, this will allow them to get accustomed to one another without the battling from the beginning. We got our 3 all from the same herd and they ran boers and pygmies together, so I don't think they would cause ya problems either. They will certainly butt heads, so don't be too alarmed over it....it is what goats do. I think you'll enjoy having them around and they will endear theirselves to ya just like your horses do. We were nervous too, at first....but, after a couple of yrs we really enjoy interacting with them and the nerves have calmed down greatly....

 

[babsbag]

There are certainly expensive goats here too but I don't show and I don't do milk tests so really my goats are just goats. I makes sure they are healthy but I don't price them over the moon. I sold 5 in milk last year to someone for $200.00 a piece and I was ok with that.

You can send the blood to WADDL for testing or I use Sage Ag Labs. They have a bio-security screening for $15.00 the covers CAE, CL, and Johnes. Your vet can draw it and you can send it in yourself and get the report sent to you, might save some money that way depending on the vet.

 

[Devonviolet]

Hi Nariah. Welcome to BYH, from the big, beautiful state of Texas!

How exciting to get your first goat. You are wise to get her a companion ASAP. I got 4 Nigerian Dwarf wethers shortly after we moved here early in 2015. We now have two LaMancha dairy goats, who kidded this past Spring, and gave us two wethers, that we plan to sell, and a sweet doeling, that we will keep, to breed and start milking when she is about 18 months. We are currently milking our two girls and I get a gallon plus a quart every morning, with which I am learning to make all kinds of yummy cheese!

We also got two Maremma LGD's (Livestock Guardian Dogs) puppies, to protect our goats from the heavy coyote predator load around here. Our LGD's have proven to be invaluable. If you are going to breed and increase your herd, you should consider getting a couple LGD's to keep the predators away. Two are better than one, because the coyotes (and other similar predators) like to divide and conquer. Half the pack will draw a lone LGD away from the herd and then the other half the pack goes back to kill off the smaller/weaker herd members.

When we first moved here, we found big coyote paw prints and wild pig hoof prints in the mud, all around the farmyard. Since we got our LGS's, we have not seen one paw or hoof print!

The previous owners did not have LGD's. They had 2 Hens, a rooster & a turkey hen. Just prior to us moving in here, a raccoon ripped the head off a chicken, and left the body. Since we have been here, we have had as many as 32 chickens, as well as Guinea's, ducks and now geese, and we have not lost one bird to predators. In fact, our female, does what I call "guarding the sky". When a hawk or vulture fly overhead, Violet sees them and starts barking at them. They very quickly fly away. Violet does not have access to the poultry, but the big birds don't know the fencing is there, and won't take a chance that Violet might get them if they try to grab one of our birds. So, I just love it when I see Violet barking at the sky.

You have gotten some excellent advise from @babsbag. I'll tell Ya! If I lived in the PNW and needed a goat or two, I would jump at the chance to drive down and buy some goats from her!!!

I look forward to seeing your little girl. Of course we think all goats are beautiful! So, please post lots of pictures. I'd love to see your horses as well.

One more thing. You did mention that you are from the PNW. I would suggest that you go into your profile and add your location - only be a bit more specific - like state and nearby larger city. We are a curious lot. But, only because we care and love to help each other. I think you will find that we have some exceptionally knowledgable backyard herders, here, and you are in for an awesome journey!!!

 

[Nariah01]

Our 3 goats are 2 wethers and a doe, the boys are pygmy/boer crosses and the doe is FB pygmy....she is the black one in my avatar....as you can see she is much smaller, but they get along pretty well. The only time it is an issue is when she is in estrus and both boys will harass her. I would suggest another doe and if there is an age difference it will allow the older to readily be the dominant one until the other matures, this will allow them to get accustomed to one another without the battling from the beginning. We got our 3 all from the same herd and they ran boers and pygmies together, so I don't think they would cause ya problems either. They will certainly butt heads, so don't be too alarmed over it....it is what goats do. I think you'll enjoy having them around and they will endear theirselves to ya just like your horses do. We were nervous too, at first....but, after a couple of yrs we really enjoy interacting with them and the nerves have calmed down greatly....

That is good to hear that they Pygmy get along well with the Boers. Since you have Pygmy's are they trouble? Because all the ones i have seen have this look on their face like they are just waiting to cause trouble. lol Everything I have read on Boers say they are pretty docile and gentle goats, not saying I have a problem with more spunk but I just kind of want to know what I am in for with some of the breeds before I set up times to go look at any.

 

[Nariah01]

There are certainly expensive goats here too but I don't show and I don't do milk tests so really my goats are just goats. I makes sure they are healthy but I don't price them over the moon. I sold 5 in milk last year to someone for $200.00 a piece and I was ok with that.

You can send the blood to WADDL for testing or I use Sage Ag Labs. They have a bio-security screening for $15.00 the covers CAE, CL, and Johnes. Your vet can draw it and you can send it in yourself and get the report sent to you, might save some money that way depending on the vet.

Oh thank you so much for that information! I am planning on contacting my vet today to price it out and its nice to have a more affordable option. Do the places you mentioned have information on how to send the blood properly to the labs? So I don't screw it up and all that. I so wish I could come down and get a goat from you, but it would take us so long to get there, and with two small children and no family around us to hold down the fort while were gone it would be so tough. The goats around here that I am looking at for her are pygmy, their are some Kinder doelings available, and their is a Boer breeder not to far from us that prices reasonably. Then there is one older LaMancha doe a small drive from us.

 

[Nariah01]

Hi Nariah. Welcome to BYH, from the big, beautiful state of Texas!

How exciting to get your first goat. You are wise to get her a companion ASAP. I got 4 Nigerian Dwarf wethers shortly after we moved here early in 2015. We now have two LaMancha dairy goats, who kidded this past Spring, and gave us two wethers, that we plan to sell, and a sweet doeling, that we will keep, to breed and start milking when she is about 18 months. We are currently milking our two girls and I get a gallon plus a quart every morning, with which I am learning to make all kinds of yummy cheese!

We also got two Maremma LGD's (Livestock Guardian Dogs) puppies, to protect our goats from the heavy coyote predator load around here. Our LGD's have proven to be invaluable. If you are going to breed and increase your herd, you should consider getting a couple LGD's to keep the predators away. Two are better than one, because the coyotes (and other similar predators) like to divide and conquer. Half the pack will draw a lone LGD away from the herd and then the other half the pack goes back to kill off the smaller/weaker herd members.

When we first moved here, we found big coyote paw prints and wild pig hoof prints in the mud, all around the farmyard. Since we got our LGS's, we have not seen one paw or hoof print!

The previous owners did not have LGD's. They had 2 Hens, a rooster & a turkey hen. Just prior to us moving in here, a raccoon ripped the head off a chicken, and left the body. Since we have been here, we have had as many as 32 chickens, as well as Guinea's, ducks and now geese, and we have not lost one bird to predators. In fact, our female, does what I call "guarding the sky". When a hawk or vulture fly overhead, Violet sees them and starts barking at them. They very quickly fly away. Violet does not have access to the poultry, but the big birds don't know the fencing is there, and won't take a chance that Violet might get them if they try to grab one of our birds. So, I just love it when I see Violet barking at the sky.

You have gotten some excellent advise from @babsbag. I'll tell Ya! If I lived in the PNW and needed a goat or two, I would jump at the chance to drive down and buy some goats from her!!!

I look forward to seeing your little girl. Of course we think all goats are beautiful! So, please post lots of pictures. I'd love to see your horses as well.

One more thing. You did mention that you are from the PNW. I would suggest that you go into your profile and add your location - only be a bit more specific - like state and nearby larger city. We are a curious lot. But, only because we care and love to help each other. I think you will find that we have some exceptionally knowledgable backyard herders, here, and you are in for an awesome journey!!!

Thank you for the warm welcome! The people we got her from are actually breeders of Great Pyr. livestock dogs. When we get some we will probably get them from the same people, they have some nice dogs there. When we were having trouble with our chickens getting eaten they even offered to let us borrow the Male Pyr. until we could get things straighten out so the they would have some protection. They really are great people, And I can't wait to get some puppies from them but it will probably be a bit as well have some other things that are a bit more important first.

I will get some photos of Oreo today when I go out to check on her. In the meantime I can post some photos of my Horses.The Paint is my DH horse Dolce, and the black one Is my horse Solaris. Sorry for the poor photo of my Solaris I guess I need to update our photos of her as its the newest one I have of her. lol She will just love getting all prettied up for a new photo.

 

[Devonviolet]

Wow! Your husband's paint is gorgeous! Your Solaris is a good looking horse, as well! Is that something written on her neck? And are we getting a small glimpse of you, on the left???

I look forward to seeing pics of your Oreo.

 

[Nariah01]

Wow! Your husband's paint is gorgeous! Your Solaris is a good looking horse, as well! Is that something written on her neck? And are we getting a small glimpse of you, on the left???

I look forward to seeing pics of your Oreo.

Yeah Dolce is really pretty, that was a gosh like five years ago, she has gotten old now but on a good day I can still groom her up till she shines. She is in her early twenties now. Solaris looks a lot better when she is groomed up and not all shaggy from winter. I think I have a older full body photo of her around here somewhere I will dig it up. The freeze brand on her neck is from the government when they collected her off the range. She is a mustang, I bought her through the BLM when she was four. She lived in the wild for two and half years before that, she came from Devils Garden California. And yes that is me on the sidelines, before kids, so don't look anything like that now, lol. I do not photograph well so I try to stay out of them. Well Poop I though I had a better photo of Solaris around here somewhere but I guess I don't, I will have to try and get one of her today too, after I clean all the dirt and poop that she probably rolled in off of her. lol