Help getting my first 2 goats what option to choose?

[Mrichard0930]

Hello I want one male one female but the female was sold.
I have two options now asking which would be best?
1. Get two whetherEd males
2. Get the male now and female get once another is available (hopefully).

Would it be okay a gap in time getting second goat? I’m nervous about the never own one goat slogan

We have turkeys ducks cats and dogs.
I’m not sure how crazy a goat would be inside but he could with a diaper come in and/or I can put dogs out a lot I live on secluded 3 acres
Thanks for any help

 

[NatJ]

What age goats? For what purpose? Is there a reason to end up with exactly two?

If you want two goats to eat brush all summer and butcher in the fall, then the two wethered males would be the obvious choice.

If you want them to be pets forever, and never plan to breed anyway, then again I'd go with the two wethered males.

If you really want a milk goat or to breed goats, then of course you'd need a female.

You might be able to get two wethered males now AND a female later. That way you would have three goats for a while, and you could choose between later butchering one male, or keeping all of them.

Is there the option to get a female plus a male together at a later time?

I don't know how big of an issue it is to keep a goat alone. If you get one baby goat and raise it with no other goats for a while, it may have trouble learning to get along with other goats later (or it may not have trouble--I just don't know.)

 

[Mrichard0930]

What age goats? For what purpose? Is there a reason to end up with exactly two?

If you want two goats to eat brush all summer and butcher in the fall, then the two wethered males would be the obvious choice.

If you want them to be pets forever, and never plan to breed anyway, then again I'd go with the two wethered males.

If you really want a milk goat or to breed goats, then of course you'd need a female.

You might be able to get two wethered males now AND a female later. That way you would have three goats for a while, and you could choose between later butchering one male, or keeping all of them.

Is there the option to get a female plus a male together at a later time?

I don't know how big of an issue it is to keep a goat alone. If you get one baby goat and raise it with no other goats for a while, it may have trouble learning to get along with other goats later (or it may not have trouble--I just don't know.)

Hello thanks for response!!
They are babies. As pets forever. No milking plans. No plan to breed. No preference on sex I just want them to be happy most importantly - so I wasn’t sure if they prefer each sex? I stick with two animals each. I have two cats two dogs 2 turkeys 2 ducks lol I just am trying to not overwhelm myself especially being first time goat owner.
So if two males would be happy maybe I should do that?
Or I can keep waiting for a female to become available and get her ASAP?

 

[NatJ]

They are babies. As pets forever. No milking plans. No plan to breed. No preference on sex I just want them to be happy most importantly - so I wasn’t sure if they prefer each sex? I stick with two animals each.

In that case, I strongly recommend the two wethered males.

They should get along just fine--I don't think they care about gender if they are wethers.

But an unaltered female will go into heat and WANT to breed, on a regular basis, so will probably be less happy.

 

[cassie]

For your purposes two wethers would be your best bet. You can keep little babies in the house temporarily to keep them warm but, babies or not, you cannot turn them loose. Pooping and peeing on everything would be the least of it. A diaper can take care of that. However, goats jump on things, pull on things, and chew on things. Like books, magazines, and electrical cords. A friend of mine had a couple bottle babies in the house. She came home one day to find they had gotten out of their box and were amusing themselves by running up and down the keyboard on the piano.

 

[Mrichard0930]

In that case, I strongly recommend the two wethered males.

They should get along just fine--I don't think they care about gender if they are wethers.

But an unaltered female will go into heat and WANT to breed, on a regular basis, so will probably be less happy.

Okay thank you so much for your help !!

For your purposes two wethers would be your best bet. You can keep little babies in the house temporarily to keep them warm but, babies or not, you cannot turn them loose. Pooping and peeing on everything would be the least of it. A diaper can take care of that. However, goats jump on things, pull on things, and chew on things. Like books, magazines, and electrical cords. A friend of mine had a couple bottle babies in the house. She came home one day to find they had gotten out of their box and were amusing themselves by running up and down the keyboard on the piano.

lol okay thanks good to know I was tempted to bring them in the house just for fun because I have diapers but guess I’ll not do that lol

 

[cassie]

You can for short periods and if they are under supervision.

 

[Karen386]

Definitely get at least 2 so they have a playmate. Both from the same place if possible so they have a friend that they already know. If you don't have plans to breed, 2 wethers would work best -cheaper and no hormones to deal with. And enjoy! They are a lot of fun.

 

[RiverOtter]

Wethered boys make the best pets!