I am wanting to get my daughter who is 12 a goat to raise with her chicks. what breed is gentle enough to be with chickens. and can I get a doe if I don't breed her will I still have to eventually milk her or only if she is bred?
Right now is the PERFECT time for you to get your daughter started in your county's 4-H program. They will mentor her (and you) and walk you through owning a goat. You can participate in their Market Goat program, which allows you to "try it out" over the summer - you buy the young goat now, raise it over the summer, and the show it at the county fair(s). It can be auctioned off at the end of the fair, or you can bring it back home (as long as it is the champion, which must be sold...).
We are new to goats, too. We just picked up our 3 market goat projects yesterday, and plan to sell the at the fair this fall. If this works out, and the kids enjoy the extra responsibility, we may look into getting some "keepers" to breed.
Showing them, at least in my county, is EXTREMELY affordable. About $20 for a show collar/handle and that's about it. Our club members share grooming stands, and I already have clippers. They are not the *big* $300 clippers, but the club leader said they will work fine for our first year.
Don't get a goat if you can't get two. They are herd animals, and most do poorly as individuals (you will hear of cases where some goats do...ok...as singles, but these are not the norm). And don't get goats if you cannot build separate housing from your chickens. They are very different animals with different needs, and goats eating chicken feed can lead to some very dead goats from a condition called bloat.
