Bucklings or Doelings for us?

[hermityfarmer-women]

We will be going to a dairy to look at some babies and I wanted to see if you all had opinions on what we should get. Our options are bucklings, which we would have wethered or doelings. At first I thought just the wethers would be fine for pets for the kids/weed control, but then I thought if we ever wanted to breed and get into milking we wouldn't be able to. We are thinking 2-3 babies, should we mix and match? Do wethers live fine with does? I don't want to have to separate anything down the road if we do breed and milk. Thanks for any help!

 

[TheMixedBag]

Personally, I'd mix and match, or go with straight wethers, if you're not into milking right now. You can always buy more goats later, and if the dairy is willing, you can always use their buck(s).

 

[Livinwright Farm]

I would get 2 does & 1 wether. The does won't go into milk until you have them bred, so there is no worry there about milking sooner(Edited to: Fix spelling error than you plan to.
Having a wether will let you know when the does are in heat. He will mount them, but not be able to impregnate them. And you won't have to keep him seperated from them.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Welcome to the wonderful world of goaties!! There great animals and I think you'll fall madly in love like the rest of us!!

I would suggest getting 2 does and a weather. The weather will live just fine with the does. And that will leave you options if you want to get them breed and start milking!!

Good luck.!! What kind of dairy goats are you looking at????

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

Having a wether will let you know when the does are in heat. He will mount them, but not be able to impregnate them. And you won't have to keep him seperated from them.

Your does will mount EACH OTHER when they're in heat, don't need a wether for that!

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Having a wether will let you know when the does are in heat. He will mount them, but not be able to impregnate them. And you won't have to keep him seperated from them.

Your does will mount EACH OTHER when they're in heat, don't need a wether for that!

My does don't mount each other, but Momma will mount the bucklings when in heat.

 

[freemotion]

Wow, all six of my does wave their tails like busy little flags when they are in heat, and some of them holler quite loudly, too! No mounting here, either....(except the buck, of course!)

Wethers can be more playful and are a lot of fun. Get doelings if you think you will switch to breeding in 2-3 years.

Goat's milk, milking, making cheese......also lots of fun, but a bigger responsibility and harder to get someone to care for the critters when you go away. I still wouldn't trade it for anything. I love to milk and make cheese, and when I get overwhelmed with milk, it can go into the freezer for later soapmaking or into the pigs for bacon or into the hens for egg-making!

 

[elevan]

My does don't mount each other and my wether doesn't try to mount the does either.

So, my opinion is that if you're thinking of milking in the near future go with does. A wether will only be good as a pet to you and no guarantee of being a heat detector. I love my wether dearly and he thinks he is just one of the girls (even yells like a girl), but his purpose on the farm is to be a pet to us and a buddy to the girls.

 

[chandasue]

I would get 2 or 3 does or a combo of 2 does and 1 wether if you think you might want to milk later. I'm not really a fan of keeping animals that aren't giving me something back. (Love just isn't enough~I know, I'm SO demanding.) So if I were to keep a wether I'd train him to pull cart or pack.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

I would get 2 or 3 does or a combo of 2 does and 1 wether if you think you might want to milk later. I'm not really a fan of keeping animals that aren't giving me something back. (Love just isn't enough~I know, I'm SO demanding.) So if I were to keep a wether I'd train him to pull cart or pack.

Agreed!