calling all goat owners!!

[TheDuckCrew]

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I don't have any pets. All my animals have to work for they're food. The only reason my chickens are getting food is because they give us eggs. The only reason My budgies have food is because they produce wonderful chicks that are worth $$$. To me, thats what a hobby farm is. I won't get any goats that do not produce milk, that will waste my money! NO MILK NO FOOD! LOL (jk) But yes, wasting money is the last thing on my mind...

That was just an FYI on how I do things.

LOL


~Rio

makes sense. i've been thinking about selling eggs once i've got three (or hopefully four!) laying ducks. i wouldn't know what to do with the milk though. wouldn't it have to be "cleaned" or something? and would the doe have to be bred before to produce milk? the nigerians are starting to wear me down a bit...i want them too! can i have them all? lol!!

 

[RioLindoAz]

Quote:
I don't have any pets. All my animals have to work for they're food. The only reason my chickens are getting food is because they give us eggs. The only reason My budgies have food is because they produce wonderful chicks that are worth $$$. To me, thats what a hobby farm is. I won't get any goats that do not produce milk, that will waste my money! NO MILK NO FOOD! LOL (jk) But yes, wasting money is the last thing on my mind...

That was just an FYI on how I do things.

LOL


~Rio

makes sense. i've been thinking about selling eggs once i've got three (or hopefully four!) laying ducks. i wouldn't know what to do with the milk though. wouldn't it have to be "cleaned" or something? and would the doe have to be bred before to produce milk? the nigerians are starting to wear me down a bit...i want them too! can i have them all? lol!!

I know what you can do with the milk!

You can drink it!

The milk doesn't have to be pasterized if you know your herd is healthy. After you milk your goat, you put its milk in the fridge and drink it after 2 hours. Just make sure you shake it well. When my grandma had goats, there would always be a thick layer of cream floating at the top of the milk. If it isn't mixed into the milk, you can end up with unpleasant lumps in your cereal..

~Rio

 

[username taken]

For what its worth, I think you have better chances of convincing your parents if you get two does. You should be able to get two that are already pregnant - in a few months you will have at least two kids to sell and that will offset some of the cost of their purchase, and/or their feed and upkeep. Your parents will like hearing that you have thought about that sort of thing.

With the milk, legislation varies in different areas, you will need to do some checking. Some areas, you are allowed to sell raw milk to people, some areas you arent. Some areas you are allowed to sell it as pet milk, others you arent. If you are able to sell some of it, again thats going to help offset your costs. Also, other ways of utilising the milk are to feed it to orphaned animals, make cheese or soap or other products from it, or feed it back to the does as a high energy and protein supplement.

With only a couple animals, the best way to make the most money from them is to have the absolute highest quality you can possibly afford. So, if I were in your shoes, I'd aim to get two registered, show quality Nigerian Dwarfs. The reason being, you can ask significantly more for their kids. Yes, the initial purchase price will be higher, but if you just get run of the mill $25 does, how much do you reckon you can sell their doe kids for? $25. If on the other hand you get $250 does, you can sell their kids for $250 (depends on quality of course but if you start with high quality does you are far more likely to produce kids that sell for high prices, and if your breeding program is correct you can usually sell kids for higher than momma's price). Now here's the important part: the $25 dollar doe eats just as much food and costs just as much to maintain than the $250 doe!

As far as getting her pregnant, you can ask the breeder who you purchase your does from, if you can bring them back to her place to mate with her buck when they are in heat. Most breeders will let you do that. Its easy enough to put them in the car and drive over there - you can fashion a diaper for them if you are worried about mess.

Rio - not all breeds and even individuals have that much cream - your doe must have been particularly good in that regard. As a rule, goat milk is naturally homogenised so the cream doesnt settle out as easily as milk fresh from the cow. The Saanen doe I am milking now doesnt have any cream that rises to the top. Generally speaking, Nubians and Pygmies have the most cream, Saanens the least, and all other breeds are somewhere in the middle. If you dont like the cream you can skim it off the top and use it as cream, whipped cream or butter, or just throw it away (or feed it to the cat).

I quite like my milk warm straight out of the goat

 

[TheDuckCrew]

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well...don't think my parents would go for the whole kidding idea. that might drive them away. the whole pregancy thing, the extra care, the actual kidding, probably wouldn't work.

but milk sounds like a good idea! we go through milk like CRAZY so even if we didn't sell it, they'd end up earning some of their keep.

i was also wondering if some people could post pics of the nigerians or pygmies?? thanks everyone for all the help!

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Why not just lay out all your finances and costs, explain to them how much you've thought and planned them out and ask them to help you make it a small learning business venture.

you're a teenager, practicing what they've taught you to use later in adulthood, having them to help you understand business is a very valuable thing.

Why not write up a business plan, including all the various uses for goats, the costs of covering your does with a good buck, showing, 4H for ribbons to add value to your animals, and also show through craigslist or other ads how well they sell in the area as milk animals, pets or companions for other animals. Then show your financial estimates and go from there.

In the real world if you love something enough you should make money sharing it with others. Thats how people should make money, and how they should run their businesses. You're on here a lot during the day time hours so Iam betting you're home schooled- this could be your business and economics studies.

Thats what i would do.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

LOL when i wanted a dog, and a horse, and chickens, and a cat my dad said no but i got them all anyway and then he couldn't resist and fell in love with them hahaha... and that was all before i turned 20, im 20 now.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

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i'm not homeschooled. i was on vacation for a couple weeks and i get out of school around 210 and practically never have homework since after vacation, so i don't have much to do. i would be at the barn, but my horse is hurt and she can't be ridden for another week or two.

but a small business venture is a good idea....very good idea.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

oh no. oh no. i found two nigerian dwarf breeders nearby! ut oh. its fate, it must be fate!

 

[RioLindoAz]

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LOL

Good luck!

 

[username taken]

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lol

I'd suggest you head over to www.thegoatspot.net

there are a HEAP of nigi breeders and plenty of nigi photos there, including does of various conformational quality, udders, kids etc. its kidding season now so there is plenty of cuteness going round on the boards lol

pregnancy and kidding can be daunting at first, but I promise you it is one of the most rewarding things you can ever experience. you have your input in it from the moment you take the doe to see the buck, bring her back, watch her for 17 -21 days to see if she's pregnant, then the wait (usually not so patient!) until the fourth month when you finally see something happening, the udder developing, then the nail biting of when is she going to kid, then the worry that things will go wrong, the heartache when they sometimes do go wrong and you lose a doe or kid or both, the pride when you see the babies born and they wobble round on their feet, the awe of hearing that special mum-baby talk is undescribable, and the feeling when the little babies love on you, climbing in your lap, jumping all over you.

the breeder you get your does from most likely will:

a) let you bring them back for mating
b) accept a kid back for payment for mating
c) come over and help if necessary when your doe is kidding

most goat breeders are friendly and a tight knit community, and will do their utmost to encourage new breeders.