Could I keep a goat with my chickens? ***edit: I Found a goat!

[MissJames]

Quote:
... How can you suggest to me that I get a doe instead of a wether and then go on about how wethers are unwanted everywhere? That sounds a little hypocritical, no offense. Shouldn't I get a wether if they are so unwanted? He would be a spoiled pet. And not all bucks are breeding quality and some should not be allowed to reproduce. And some are just pets. I agree, that is a dangerous philosophy.

I was actually only going to get one of the bucklings,but the breeder called me one night to ask if she could give me the other one she had.She was worried it would end up as dinner.
There are people out there who see goats as meat and some as dairy producers and some as pets.Also show goats. I can't critisize the ones who see goats as a meat product because I eat beef and poultry. HOWEVER I can save the goats I have and give them a good life. It's a personal thing and a sticky subject.
You should get what works best for you.I started out getting 2 pygmy's in March.The breeder then had some Nubian crosses and I bought 2 doelings.I fell in love with the bigger goats and traded her back the 2 registered Pygmy's[from show stock] for 3 more of her Nubian cross babies.Then she asked me to take the last buckling.So I have gone from 2 Pygmy's to 6 bigger goats in the space of a month.It's a sickness I tell ya!

 

[Picklestix7866]

I've heard that wethers make better pets anyways.

 

[Granolamom]

We've recently aquired an Alpine/Pygmy doe and her twins, one of them a little wether, and the other a doeling. I can already tell, after 2 months, that the little boy is going to be the perfect pet, out of all three. He acts like a puppy, is totally tame, loves to hang out, race and horse around with my kids, and tries to get into the house every chance he gets. His sister and mom are a lot more "goaty" and reserved. We love all three for who and how there are, but "Luigi", the little buck, definitely gets most of the hands-on lovin' from my children, because he's so personable. So, as far as wethers are concerned, my humble recommendation is: Go for it!!!

 

[Picklestix7866]

Thats awesome. That sounds exactly like what we are looking for. I have been searching CL every day so far. Hopefully I'll find one nearby soon.

One question: How big are Nigerians and Pygmies?

 

[Granolamom]

They're the smallest ones you can get, so perfect for starting out. My doe, being an Alpine/Pygmy mix, is 23 inches from the ground to her shoulders, and that's rather on the tall side. I think that purebred Pygmees are quite a bit smaller than that. You might want to go and actually compare the two by looking at some, because you should get what looks pleasing and cute to you (Pygmees are rather short, stocky and round, like Butterball turkeys, and I prefer a more slender looking goat)

 

[Picklestix7866]

I'm just looking for a companion goat for my goat now. He is about a medium sized goat. He is a little taller then my black lab. lol. I don't know the exact height. But I guess I'm looking for a goat his size or bigger cuz he can be pushy. I have no idea what breed he is. Do you have a guess? There is a pic on page 1.

 

[Granolamom]

That picture is gone! Go ahead and post another one, and perhaps we can figure out what he is (I'm by no means an expert, but I've looked at a lot of goats, lately, and I bet there;s someone on here who can tell you what he is...)

 

[Picklestix7866]

lol oops. I forget to post them.

They are up now.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

I have some goat experiences on my web site
and also information from
To: [email protected]

they are a very good group
ask for Irene and she will answer with the good advise
I know they get a bottle from the TSC store and it sells a sack of milk replacer
give them a try
THIS INFORMATION FROM SHEEP SITE

Milk Replacer for triplets or quads. When setting up a nursery for quads or triplets do this: Build two or three small wire pens up off the floors so the manure falls out but the lambs feet can't go thru. The pens need be in a well ventilated area out of any drafts, but doesn't need to be heated. You can suspend a heat lamp over the first pen to help dry lambs on cold nights or use a hot box to get them started.

Take only the largest and strongest lambs & rear them in a pen on milk replacer. Try to get them before they nurse mom, but make sure they get colostrum (cow colostrum works for me, it is easily gotten. It helps the high cost of milk replacer by weaning them onto a ground ration. See the Cornell Website on the ration components & prepartion.

Don't use calf feeds because they have too much copper & you'll kill the lambs. Put an automatic milk replacer feeder set up in the pen for free choice feeding, the type the lambs have to suck work well gravity fed ones leak. The milk should be cold, 40 degrees, to limit amount they consume at any one time. Have another feeder with the ground ration, balanced corn meal & soybean meal with minerals & vitamins constantly available.

The lambs will nibble & acclimate themselves to solid food. Small quantities of lamb pellets will assist in the transition to a diet of only pellets. The lambs will wean themselves from the milk replacer in about two weeks. Move them to the next pen as they do. Water now needs to be constantly available. The lambs need to be weaned to pellets in this pen. As they mature in pen 2 move them to pen 3 just the pelleted lamb ration fed free choice.

Finish them in this or another pen with pelleted feed. still free choice. After 45 days you can feed them out normally by starting them on your feed lot ration. They'll grow as fast as lambns on their mothers. the other lambs she has will grow faster as they don't share milk with these. The stronget lambs of the birth need to be taken as they are better equiped for this. MB

 

[mekasmom]

Quote:
... How can you suggest to me that I get a doe instead of a wether and then go on about how wethers are unwanted everywhere? That sounds a little hypocritical, no offense. Shouldn't I get a wether if they are so unwanted? He would be a spoiled pet. And not all bucks are breeding quality and some should not be allowed to reproduce. And some are just pets. I agree, that is a dangerous philosophy.

My Son-in-law is part owner in a farm auction service. We are there every week either working or just observing. Wethers are almost always sold to the chivo dealer. There are three days of auctions a week about 25-40 whethers come in each week. Less than five of them a month find a home anywhere other than the chivo dealer. If you plan to keep this goat forever then it's wonderful. But if you are just going to whether him and might sell him later, he will have a much greater chance at life if he is intact. Almost all whethers, maybe 99% end up as meat. If that doesn't bother you, then go ahead and whether them. It does bother me, so I will not whether my billys. In fact, I keep them until they are old enough to have a boar-taint because I know that will be their best protection from the dealers. Chivo dealers buy whethers at almost $2 a pound which is much higher than most people looking for a pet are willing to pay. So the whethers, even as young as a few weeks of age, go to the chivo dealer.