So we're back to considering goats... Nigerians or Kinders?

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
Hahaha, not quite a gallon a day, more like a gallon every 2-3 days, depending on if the kids have cereal for their after school snack. I figured I would have to check the breeding stock before I purchased any kids.

New question, for space efficiency reasons, could the goats share the same run as the chickens? If not, I have room for their own enclosure but since I am planning on redoing the chicken area and moving it, could I effectively keep them in the same "free range" area with separate living/sleeping quarters?

 

[nurturingnaturally]

From what I've read, you can keep them together, but you have to keep the goats away from the chicken feed. Someone with more experience will chime in too though I'm sure.

 

[Lifesong Farm]

Considering the stocking rate for goats is15/acre as long as you supplement feed they do ok in smaller spaces. How much space are you thinking?

 

[mom2jedi]

Looking at 1/4 acre browsable land with 1/8th acre permanent space dedicated for their run. Going on 15/acre, is that for standard goats or dwarfs? We were thinking two does with possibly a wether for company when we have to take one to breed/vet or maybe even 3 does.

 

[bagendhens]

ive heard stocking rated for standards is about 8 per acre...
more for ninis/dwarf breds.

i dont know that id want a mini doe bred to a standard buck...i wouldnt think youd want the buck that much bigger than the doe for saftey during mating and saftey during pregnancy and kidding.

if you want the pro dairy of the nigi i can imagine breeding a nigi doe to a pygmy buck would give you small meaty kids...pygmy are of course a meat breed and being of the same size on average of a nigi i can see that being a better combination for a nigerian doe...

if your willing to suplimental feed standard goats would do fine on a small property, 2 does would provide you milk for the family plus some for cheese and even soap if you pull the kids, or keep the kids off overnight, milk in the mornings and let the kids have the rest during the day.
a very common dairy/meaty mix is to breed a nubian doe to a boer buck, lots of milk from momma and typically good meaty kids who can often be sold to families looking for a good multi use goat, and extra males make for great freezer fodder

we had a lady down the street from us a few years ago with 1/8th of an acre, she had 1 nubian doe and 1 nubian x lamancha doe, she suplimental fed them obviously, but they were quite happy living as back yard goats on a relitivly tiny lot. she moved about a year ago, good timing too as 3 months later they made owning goats in our town illegal on less than 5 acres

her girls were just stunning and she used whatever buck she could find each year, i know she bred the nubian to a boer buck at least twice and put the kids in her own freezer, and the nubi-lamancha mix was usually bred to nigerian buck, the kids typically whent to "pet" and "back yard" homes.
but you could absolutly do a couple of standard dairy does on a small lot/limited space if that might be a better fit.
they were happy, very active as kids but relitivly quiet as adults, the pure nubi did like to talk a little though lol. she also trained them to carry packs and would take them for walks for excersize.
she did alot of enrichment toys with them (putting the feed in those kibble balls) ect.

 

[mamabird]

Hmmmm, what if I had Nigerians for milk and bred them to a Nubian? Would that give me better meat animals in the offspring? There's a mini farm near me that offers Nubian buck stud services and since I'm not planning to have my own buck this might be a good option.

Don't go that route! A mini-nubian would be a great option because of the milk-ability. However, you want to get a female nubian and breed to a male nigerian - using a nubian male with a nigerian female would put the doe at risk for problems, because the babies would most likely be too big for her to handle.

There are nigis out there that are very milkable, although there are just as many that have small teats - so you would have to do your homework.​

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
Don't go that route! A mini-nubian would be a great option because of the milk-ability. However, you want to get a female nubian and breed to a male nigerian - using a nubian male with a nigerian female would put the doe at risk for problems, because the babies would most likely be too big for her to handle.

There are nigis out there that are very milkable, although there are just as many that have small teats - so you would have to do your homework.

I already posted a DUH moment about breeding a small doe to a larger buck

. I have a cold so I wasn't thinking right. I know you have to breed the other way so the babies aren't to big for the mom. I haven't seen mini-goats of any variety for sale in our area but I will keep looking.

 

[Laughing Duck]

I don't know much about Kinders, but Nubians are also supposed to be a dual purpose goat meat/milk origonally. A friend of mine is a Nubian breeder and mentioned this to be. Mini-nubians would be a better choice probably, I have Nigerians and Alpines, and mini-alpines.

Nigerians have high butterfat, so are great for making cheese. I haven't made it yet...but looking forward to it!

 

[lemurchaser]

There is a nigerian dwarf dairy near me. I know they consider the girls retired when they won't breed back. Usually 9-13 years old. They get 2-3 quarts at peak lactation, but more like 1-2 quarts for most of the lactation period. With 2 does you'd have to breed one every 6 months to keep one of them in a decent milk producing stage. It would take some management, but you'd be able to get a couple gallons a week from 2 does. I'd get 3 does, so if one doesn't breed back right away, you have a buffer there and a third goat for when one is away.

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
Yeah, this is a good idea. We'll probably end up doing it this way when we do.

Ok, next question! I know goats prefer their own species when it comes to companionship but is it the same for sheep? In other words, could we raise one lamb at a time in with the goats and it would be happy? (I know there are feeding issues when keeping them together and will plan for that.)