To start off, welcome to the goat world! This is our first year with dairy goats, and you learn so much so fast!
First of all, what is the purpose of these goats? Meat, milk, fiber, pets, show, etc? We have ours for both milk and as pets. We have one 7 month old alpine doe, one 7 month old nubian wether, and a dry yearling nubian doe. We plan to breed our yearling at the end of this month for January- February babies. Since we have dairy breeds, that's mostly what I will be referring to when it gets more specific. Other than that, general care is pretty much standard, aside from food. Also, are there any clubs such as 4-H or FFA that you could join? We have met so many wonderful goat people through these two clubs. Without them, we would be lost!
Also, make sure you invest in good stock! I cannot emphasize this enough. You can plan on paying upwards of $250 for a decent doe around here. In fact, Heidi's cousin recently sold at a national goat convention for over $3,000. Obviously, that is really extreme, but you see what I mean. Also, if the breeder does not have a CAE/CL disease free herd with papers in hand, walk away immediately. Trust me, you do not want to have to go through the horror of ending up with sick and diseased goats.
Are you looking to buy kids, adolescents, or adults? Whatever you do, do not go to any sale barn looking for your first goat. Most likely, you will end up with someone's sickly unwanted cull. If buying kids, always ask to see the mom. Try to evaluate her confirmation and ask how she does at shows. Even better, milk her yourself and see what it's like. Ask for pedigrees and milk records, look at the sire's dam, and check out the general health of all their animals and their management system. find out everything you can!
Furthermore, I would not reccomend a buck at all for a first timer. Your parents are right to think that they stink. If you have ever been near a buck, it will make your eyes water and cause a little gag reflex. They must be housed separately from your does at all times, aside from a visit once every year. They are very strong and driven 200 pound animals with only one thing on their minds. They want those does! They pee all over their fur, often causing sores on their skin. In parts of the country where they have very cold winters, they have bucks whose ears have become frostbitten and actually fallen off due to them peeing all over their heads.They also require extremely strong and expensive fencing. Also, if you have close neighbors, be prepared for some complaints. To be fair, bucks are only in rut for part of the year. We do not keep a buck, and had Shasta surgically castrated at 3 months. Aside from obviously not having an udder, he is just like a doe. Wethers make perfect pets and are readily available. Usually costing between $30 and $70 for one who is health tested and cared for. The only downside is they are prone to UC, which you just need to be aware of and feed them properly. Also, make sure he is castrated 2 months or older to help prevent stones, it isn't nearly as much of a problem for females. Personally, I think it is a MUCH better idea to pay for a stud service when starting out. This also allows you to have more genetic diversity and keeps you from having to replace your buck each year. That said, if you are really ready for all that, go for it!
Furthermore, we feed all of our goats pure alfalfa to keep them healthy. Some people use clover or timothy. Here, we pay around $40 per month in hay only for three goats. Goats will NOT eat anything. In fact, they are one of the pickiest animals I have ever owned. Also, you should be feeding free choice goat minerals (not sheep, goats require copper) and baking soda to prevent bloat. When my does are in milk, we will begin feeding grain ($15/50 lbs), black oil sunflower seeds, and alfalfa pellets just to keep her weight on. Food is by far the most expensive aspects of raising goats. Also, if you start with kids, you have to buy around 8 gallons of whole milk per kid for at least 3 months.
Do you plan on keeping them on a dry lot or pasture? This is another costly aspect of goat keeping. They are known escape artists, and need quality fencing. Plus, if kept on a dry lot, they rely completely on you for feed. Also, beware of predators! Coyotes and mountain lions can easily take down a smaller goat!
Finally, you will have to vaccinate and deworm your goats. Ours were vaccinated for CDT at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and now yearly. Plus, their mom's were given the CDT and Bose before giving birth. You will need to do a fecal to figure out how you want to go about worming. Some people use herbal wormers, some chemical, and other use both. It's all how it works out for you, and your goats, where you live. You will also need quality hoof trimmers too. This needs to be done about once a month, and be prepared to de-horn if you have kids. Milking, kidding, breeding, and kid care are also important, but better for another time. Also, if showing, you will need to invest in some good clippers.
One great website is Fias Co Farms:
http://fiascofarm.com/ . They have awesome info on everything from birthing to feeding to bucks to milking. Also, check out byc's sister site, Backyardherds:
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/
Good luck with your goat journey! It isn't easy or cheap, but with some connections and a lot of knowledge, it will be a very rewarding experience. I hope I covered all of the basics. Good luck!
I hope you get you goats 
