Hello from Kansas

[Tehwrd]

Hello! I've been lurking around here for a few days now and reading through various threads. We are currently living in the city of Wichita and within the next 6 weeks (provided everything goes smoothly) will be moving to more north east Kansas to a 3 acre farm that we will be renting. This parcel sits on 200 acres. It has a gorgeous greenhouse and an already tilled and fenced large garden area. It seemed like a good idea to rent our first foray into homesteading. Maybe? It is possible that the current tenants may be leaving a Nigerian dwarf billy goat along with his two kids (male and female), which are by him from a pygmy doe who apparently died shortly after kidding, a male muscovy duck, and a hen (no idea what kind - I saw a quick glimpse, she's white). They've all been free ranging. In this case, I suspect free ranging means fending for themselves. I'm not sure how old the kids are, I think the Billy is about a year, and I do not know how old the pygmy mama goat was. They asked if we would take those animals on if they cannot take them with them. I'm not sure what this means for our future animal situation. I really did not want a billy goat and now it looks like we may have a couple here soon, one of whom will be a Nigerian/Pygmy cross. With that said, I'd also hate for those animals to become homeless. We were planning on getting a Nigerian doe for milk and possibly a Nubian doe also for milk or a Nigerian or Nubian wether so they'd have a goat buddy. I was in the process of scouting those two breeds and trying to find reputable breeders - now I'm not sure what to do with these two billy goats we will have. We are also planning for some chickens. I will be getting 4 Bovan browns from a friend (two from a hatch around easter and two from a hatch later this month - not sure how that will work with the mystery hen. In the spring we are planning to get more chickens, too since the hatcheries have pretty slim pickings left and I'm not sure how to find breeders (if there even are any) around the new area. Once we have established our little homestead with the chickens and goats, I'd like to consider a dairy cow. We have owned horses in the past, but had to board them at a boarding barn, so this foray into livestock is a new adventure that we are most eager to begin.

 

[Baymule]

My advice is to have the male goats castrated. These can be your practice goats. Keep them a few months, get comfortable with goats, ask any questions that you may have and figure out where to go from there. Probably the best use for them would be in the freezer to feed your family, little meat that may be due to their size. Pets can be great, but they eat too so a better use would be to direct your dollars towards an animal that will give you a return for the money you spend on them. Not to sound cold hearted, but if you have milk goats, you will have kids--and you can't keep them all. Raising meat for your family is an honorable way to utilize the kids you raise. you might even think about a meat breed buck to breed to your dairy does to give you kids with more meat that what pure dairy kids have.

If the people who have the goats want you to promise to keep them forever for pets, take a pass on the goats.

Renting a place to get your feet wet, before committing to buying a place is a good idea. Farming can be hard work, there are ups and downs, you will laugh and you will cry. We wouldn't take anything in exchange for living on our little farm. Raising our own meat and vegetables is extremely satisfying. When the grocery store shelves are bare, it is a darn good feeling, knowing that you have a garden and animals for meat, milk and eggs. Congratulations on making the decision to live a better life.

 

[Tehwrd]

My advice is to have the male goats castrated. These can be your practice goats. Keep them a few months, get comfortable with goats, ask any questions that you may have and figure out where to go from there. Probably the best use for them would be in the freezer to feed your family, little meat that may be due to their size. Pets can be great, but they eat too so a better use would be to direct your dollars towards an animal that will give you a return for the money you spend on them. Not to sound cold hearted, but if you have milk goats, you will have kids--and you can't keep them all. Raising meat for your family is an honorable way to utilize the kids you raise. you might even think about a meat breed buck to breed to your dairy does to give you kids with more meat that what pure dairy kids have.

If the people who have the goats want you to promise to keep them forever for pets, take a pass on the goats.

Renting a place to get your feet wet, before committing to buying a place is a good idea. Farming can be hard work, there are ups and downs, you will laugh and you will cry. We wouldn't take anything in exchange for living on our little farm. Raising our own meat and vegetables is extremely satisfying. When the grocery store shelves are bare, it is a darn good feeling, knowing that you have a garden and animals for meat, milk and eggs. Congratulations on making the decision to live a better life.

Thank you so much for this advice! I had read just recently that goats needed to be castrated between 8-12 weeks. It sounds like maybe that is not true! If that is not the case, we will definitely be doing that first thing. I didn't really think about meat goats, I've never had goat meat. I do not think you sounded cold hearted at all. We are definitely meat eaters here and will have both egg and meat chickens and eventually a milk cow, whose calves will end up in our freezer. Do you know what goat meat is comparable to? I will definitely be taking a pass on the goats if it's a keep it forever kind of thing.

We have dabbled in farm life in the past, and when this opportunity came up - it seemed perfect. While we're renting and having 100% of the reality of farming, we will be saving and planning for our own homestead at some point. Thank you so much for your input!

 

[Baymule]

It would be a good idea to study the goat forum. There are lots of good posts there, lots of information that would benefit you. We have sheep, I don't know a lot about goats. I haven't eaten goat, since we don't have any, LOL. There are lots of nice people who will be glad to help you along the way. @B&B Happy goats