Anyone out there raise Saanens?
I bought a beautiful Saanen doeling from a breeder on May 18th. The doeling is 18 weeks old right now and has a heart girth measurment of 25 3/4" putting her at weighing around 66 pounds on the goat table thingy.
This is my first time raising goats. I am just getting into it.
I e-mailed the breeder yesterday asking her simply what the signs of goat heat were because originally she told me that Bella could bred anytime after 90lbs and I am using her stud, so I wanted to get used to looking for the signs when she's ready to go into heat.
I get a response from her telling me what to look for but that I need to be prepared to not breed her because her two sisters (she was a triplet) are growing well, but look small breeding wise.
I responded to her that I certainly hope she only means that she cannot be bred this year, and not forever.
I am now a mess and don't know what to do. I don't know the proper growth for Saanens because these are my first goats. But I personally feel that a 18 week old doe at 66 pounds isn't bad.
If I can never breed her then I will need to sell her because I cannot have animals on the farm who don't contribute in some way. I am attached to this doe. Who wouldn't be, it being my first.
I am wondering if she is simply trying to get her back from me to keep or resell her to someone for a higher amount. I was told not a month ago, that her two sisters were appraised and are very valuable goats and that Bella is worth much more than I paid for her ($150).
This breeder has strung me along I think. When I originally contacted her early this year I was looking for Nigerians. I went out to see and put a deposit on two Nigi does. While there I fell in love with a older Saanen doeling whom I was told was for sale for $150. I was swayed by their milk capacity and instead of the two Nigis I went out their for, put a deposit on one Nigi and the super friendly Saanen doeling.
Two weeks before I am supposed to go pick up my new goats, I get an e-mail from the breeder telling me that her daughter has changed her mind and wants to keep the Saanen that I put the deposit on. Instead she offers me a 10 week old Saanen doeling from a triplet kidding, as they wouldn't need 3 doelings from the same lines like that.
I reluctantly agreed as I felt bad for the kid who was attached to the doe I put a deposit on.
In this time, she also talks me out of the other Nigi I had a deposit on, and into the dam of the doeling I was taking, telling me that I cannot bring her home until she is done being shown, this October. But that I can bring home the 10 week old Doeling now.
Okay, they put me in a bind. Cannot have just one goat... She offers to loan me a 5 month old Nigi doeling until the older Saanen doe can come home to keep the little doeling company. Great. I bring my goats home. All is well.
Then I am hit with this today. I don't know what to think. She seems to like changing her mind and trying to change mine and because she's a breeder, I have trusted her because I am new to goats. Now I am starting to question whether I should trust her or not.
I bought a beautiful Saanen doeling from a breeder on May 18th. The doeling is 18 weeks old right now and has a heart girth measurment of 25 3/4" putting her at weighing around 66 pounds on the goat table thingy.
This is my first time raising goats. I am just getting into it.
I e-mailed the breeder yesterday asking her simply what the signs of goat heat were because originally she told me that Bella could bred anytime after 90lbs and I am using her stud, so I wanted to get used to looking for the signs when she's ready to go into heat.
I get a response from her telling me what to look for but that I need to be prepared to not breed her because her two sisters (she was a triplet) are growing well, but look small breeding wise.
I responded to her that I certainly hope she only means that she cannot be bred this year, and not forever.
I am now a mess and don't know what to do. I don't know the proper growth for Saanens because these are my first goats. But I personally feel that a 18 week old doe at 66 pounds isn't bad.
If I can never breed her then I will need to sell her because I cannot have animals on the farm who don't contribute in some way. I am attached to this doe. Who wouldn't be, it being my first.
I am wondering if she is simply trying to get her back from me to keep or resell her to someone for a higher amount. I was told not a month ago, that her two sisters were appraised and are very valuable goats and that Bella is worth much more than I paid for her ($150).
This breeder has strung me along I think. When I originally contacted her early this year I was looking for Nigerians. I went out to see and put a deposit on two Nigi does. While there I fell in love with a older Saanen doeling whom I was told was for sale for $150. I was swayed by their milk capacity and instead of the two Nigis I went out their for, put a deposit on one Nigi and the super friendly Saanen doeling.
Two weeks before I am supposed to go pick up my new goats, I get an e-mail from the breeder telling me that her daughter has changed her mind and wants to keep the Saanen that I put the deposit on. Instead she offers me a 10 week old Saanen doeling from a triplet kidding, as they wouldn't need 3 doelings from the same lines like that.
I reluctantly agreed as I felt bad for the kid who was attached to the doe I put a deposit on.
In this time, she also talks me out of the other Nigi I had a deposit on, and into the dam of the doeling I was taking, telling me that I cannot bring her home until she is done being shown, this October. But that I can bring home the 10 week old Doeling now.
Okay, they put me in a bind. Cannot have just one goat... She offers to loan me a 5 month old Nigi doeling until the older Saanen doe can come home to keep the little doeling company. Great. I bring my goats home. All is well.
Then I am hit with this today. I don't know what to think. She seems to like changing her mind and trying to change mine and because she's a breeder, I have trusted her because I am new to goats. Now I am starting to question whether I should trust her or not.
