New goat herd project. advise pics posted

[Southern by choice]

The only leasing I do now, is to two farms who only have animals they got from me, and they still have them tested before I let them use them.

No way I would ever consider leasing them to anyone else.

The "service" I was considering would be to keep a couple of bucks in a totally separate area from my animals, that I would then not use to breed my animals. Good bucks, but not great ones. Would probably use them that way for a year, test them to make sure they were clean, and then sell them.
But, I don't know. There would probably be good demand because of the goat rules in Raleigh.

I knew you had a plan. Personally I think it is a good idea. We get lots of calls too and we just say no. Mostly it is someone with 2 goats and they don't want 4. (Buck and wether or 2 bucks)
Like you said- in your area many cannot have a buck.

 

[babsbag]

I don't mind bucks, I just need more pens to keep them in.
They do fine together until rut and then trouble brews. Also obviously need them separate for breeding too.

I DO NOT love on bucks any more than needed and I make sure I change clothes before sitting in my car or house.

I am very entrenched in Alpines, would like to switch to LaManchas, and maybe breed some minis. I need more bucks

 

[heatherlynnky]

For now rent a stud is the best option. Maybe once the honey do list is a bit smaller a separate area could be arranged. Right now I have just the right amount of housing for the girls but no separate area for boys. The horses do not much care for goats in their area and my cows are being bred for milk also. I had baby boys at one point and they were sweet as could be but with no separate area its was not feasible, they could not stay with mom and aunts. A neighbor with a buck that knows me and the gals is our best bet for now.

I have another friend( I got one of the goat gals from her) who wants to talk about buying bucks and swapping them between farms. She raises very small scale and so am I so that would be nice. I am really limited on how many I can have right now. I think max number of permanent resident goats would have to be around 6 at least for the next year or so. So how many keep their bucks full time with their girls? I was under the impression that was not ideal?

 

[babsbag]

I used to keep my buck with the girls. I wasn't milking much and not during rut. Then I got another buck so the boys stayed together all of the time. I also like knowing when my goats are bred, another reason to not keep them together full time.

 

[goats&moregoats]

It definitely is not ideal for breeding reasons. I kept my buck with my girls for two months, this year. I got end results that I wanted for four of them, but ultimately put another at risk. Won't be doing that again. No buck now until next fall and by then will have separate area set up for them. Last year he was with all the older girls, and I ended up not knowing exactly when two of them were due. His stinkiness did not rub off on the girls, but then again he wasn't to awful bad anyways.

 

[heatherlynnky]

We shall see what happens next year. I think for this year I stick with the plan. Next spring he is expecting kids from his beautiful ND buck and if housing and another fenced in area can be provided I may consider. Everything in its time. I am taking baby steps here lol.

 

[Southern by choice]

We hand breed. Doe goes into heat and we bring a buck up and put him in the breeding pen and put the doe in. Stand and watch, done and over in a few minutes. Repeat the next day. Mark 150 days on the calendar. We always know the due date no guessing. Of course you have to remember to keep an eye on them to make sure the doe settled and doesn't go back into heat.

If you know when they cycle then bring the buck in a day or two before- leave them together or do the hand breeding for a few days then off they go.

Many do leave them with the does for a month or two and that works just as well. I just don't like the guessing and waiting game. Too many sleepless nights as it is.

 

[OneFineAcre]

For now rent a stud is the best option. Maybe once the honey do list is a bit smaller a separate area could be arranged. Right now I have just the right amount of housing for the girls but no separate area for boys. The horses do not much care for goats in their area and my cows are being bred for milk also. I had baby boys at one point and they were sweet as could be but with no separate area its was not feasible, they could not stay with mom and aunts. A neighbor with a buck that knows me and the gals is our best bet for now.

I have another friend( I got one of the goat gals from her) who wants to talk about buying bucks and swapping them between farms. She raises very small scale and so am I so that would be nice. I am really limited on how many I can have right now. I think max number of permanent resident goats would have to be around 6 at least for the next year or so. So how many keep their bucks full time with their girls? I was under the impression that was not ideal?

No they don't stay together
Just for breeding
And still no pictures of your girls?

 

[heatherlynnky]

lol no sorry I got a bit involved in chores today. Moved and reorganized a medicine closet, cut and stacked a couple ricks of wood and rearranged a chicken coop so we could add 3 more nesting boxes. By the time I was done all I wanted was some chinese and exhausted vegitation lol.

 

[heatherlynnky]

These are not the newest pics but some from last year. The babies are the 2 little billies I sold. The white gal without horns is crystal and the black gal is Olivia. The horned one with the crooked mouth is Hotwheels Holly. I added in a picture of my very favorite confidant and hopefully future milk provider Bessie. These are my sweet girls.