How long have you owned goats?

[ksalvagno]

I was curious as to how long people have owned goats. I saw a post that said many people get out after 4 years. I have only owned goats for 3 months so I'm not jaded or anything yet. However, I have been in alpacas for 12 years so I think i do have some sticking power even after the initial glow wears off.

 

[lupinfarm]

A week

They escaped their second day here, but that was mostly my fault. Naughty girls, caught them trying to break into the horse pasture. I think with the initial glow, it's more an issue with breeders who lose interest due to mortality rates, not enough time, escapees, etc. COST. I think the hobbiests, those who have a few goats, maybe a small herd tend to stick to it a bit longer because they are family pets, not just another number (and their are many-a-breeder in this category)

I love Alpacas, we have 2 Alpaca breeders closeby, one in Stirling is called "Alpaca Lunch Farm"

 

[lilhill]

Five years for me, and plan on going another 15 at least. Yep, folks want to be a breeder and make lots of money. Then they find out they aren't going to get rich doing it and the work is quite intensive, expensive and sometimes heartbreaking.

 

[norcal]

3 months.

Our plan was to get lil ones, let them help clear brush & weeds and then to eat them (hope I don't offend some of thee). However, we got bottle babies, mistake #1, probably won't be able to slaughter ourselves (as they're kind of pet-like now), and I've heard it costs too much to have someone do it for you.

I don't want the land getting too over grazed and the bottom of the property is not "properly" fenced, so don't know how we're going to get them to the brush there. So, we may be those that have goats, then don't have goats, then miraculously have goats again - if that makes sense.

 

[Roll farms]

I've owned them for 15 yrs or more.
Been breeding them on purpose, but still just as a hobby, for 9 years.
My job went to Mexico 6 yrs ago and I decided to raise goats and sell hatching eggs / chicks for a living.
I'm not getting rich, but they have finally started at least paying for themselves...more than I can say for the prairie dog / ferret / cavy / dogs / cats / rat / fish that live here!

 

[freemotion]

I've had them for about 7 years, plus a few years when I was a kid, the family had goats for milk and meat. I've had my own goat to milk for the first time recently....my younger brother milked when we were young.

I did get in trouble once when my mom looked out the window and caught me leading one of our dairy goats across the snow, with the toboggen tied to her collar, then I would turn her around and let go and jump on the sled while she ran back to the barn!

 

[FlightsofFancy]

I did get in trouble once when my mom looked out the window and caught me leading one of our dairy goats across the snow, with the toboggen tied to her collar, then I would turn her around and let go and jump on the sled while she ran back to the barn!

OMG! Too funny! My girls (3 and 5) are constantly doing things like that. They are grounded from the barn this week for tieing Barbie to one of the goats.(But Mommy she wanted to go for a ride ) The goat wigged out and ran around bizerk. It took me 20 minutes to catch her.

I have had goats for 3 years and I am only getting started!

 

[goat lady]

We started out with two in March of this year. Now we are up to 8. One gave birth to twins two weeks ago. I pulled them and have started the process of bottle feeding them in hopes to sell them off. Too many females for my 4month old buck. My daughter bought two does about 5 weeks ago that are bottle babies. I have one doe that is about 3 weeks from kidding and another that should kid in Nov. We got those two pregant. Our human kids are adults and we started with rabbits and chickens and just expanded to goats. It is alot of work sometimes, but I think it is worth it. In this economy we get so depressed with money and not having jobs, but my goats always put a smile on my face when I go out to visit with them. I am just hoping they will pay for their own feed one day. Not hoping to get rich by breeding them. The nieces and nephews love visiting them and one day I will have grandkids that will want to come visit also.

 

[mully]

5 years an never tire of them ... they are such silly creatures and so fun to play games with.

 

[freemotion]

I did get in trouble once when my mom looked out the window and caught me leading one of our dairy goats across the snow, with the toboggen tied to her collar, then I would turn her around and let go and jump on the sled while she ran back to the barn!

OMG! Too funny! My girls (3 and 5) are constantly doing things like that. They are grounded from the barn this week for tieing Barbie to one of the goats.(But Mommy she wanted to go for a ride ) The goat wigged out and ran around bizerk. It took me 20 minutes to catch her.

I have had goats for 3 years and I am only getting started!

Whatever you do, don't let them watch the old version of the movie "Heidi!" That is where I got the toboggen idea, seeing the goat hitched to a little cart. Of course, that goat was trained, not lactating, and had a proper harness for pulling. Something my childish brain ignored!