Probably unpopular subject, but could someone be really honest with me? Bucklings

Thanks for the good answers and honest warnings, too. I was thinking about getting Nigies specifically because the boys might be easier to place in pet homes--but then their larger number of births per pregnancy would suggest not to get Nigies (for me, anyway). I know finding quality pet (or even brush-eating) homes can be extremely tough, so that's why I was wondering where you guys were having good luck with yours. I wouldn't be interested in charging a lot for the boys--I'd give them away free if I thought that didn't make it more likely for them to be tossed aside or abused. My goal is to have a place big enough, and a herd small enough, that I can keep extra boys that I can't find decent homes for. Financially, I can deal with a bunch of cute freeloading pet goats if I have to. I'm talking very small scale, here (one freshening a year, or less if I have a doe that keeps milking relatively well without yearly freshenings)--I know this couldn't work on a larger scale.

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I certainly see where everybody is coming from. I think if you raise goats, you must understand they often will go for meat. I raise beef cattle and never had problems selling them but I am very attached to one billy that is 1 month old. I pulled him and he follows me and cries to be held. I am trying to get used to the idea he will have to go soon. These are boar goats , so I need to get a little more distant. I couldn't kill my old hens either. I could whether him but there goes the meat goat business. I was surprised how much personality the goats have.

Ok, now don't hate me for saying this. Yes they are cute BUT they are livestock. Yes I love my goats and I spend a lot of time and give
them a lot of attention however one needs to be practical here.
I can show you 5 goat rescue sites in WA state alone that have 15 to 25
in rescue. Needing home. Our local humaine society can vouch for confiscated abused and neglected ones. Many bought as pets and left alone with no attention outside with no shelters. I hate to say it but I would rather it end up on someones table for dinner than live a life of misery.They are cute when they are babies, unfortunately most humans I know lose interest when the initial OO's and AH's subsides.
Be practical, and even with just 2 or 3 remember,
if bred once a year you will usually end up with 6 and most years 50% or
more will be bucks.
Kudo's to everyone who wethers, cause there are way to many intact males
not needing to be a herds gene pool.BTW even as brush eaters, they are a herd animal and wh subject a goat to live a life alone on
someones property with no attention, no medical care, etc.
Many brush eating homes don't trim feet, don't doctor, etc.
Just try to be practical and realistic.

Doc---I have a holstien bottle calf bull at 7m that is a big goof in comparison to the dairy goats(which I adore) but the calf is quite a big "baby"....He always wants "MOOOOOOOORE" so I tell him when he can say "please" he might get it! He's still going in the freezer....unless the circus wants him when he learns to ask politely. HEHE

You're going to have to either butcher some of them or sell them for meat. There are not enough long term (goats live for 10+ years!) pet homes for all those wethers. And if there's one thing that makes me hopping mad in a hurry, it's folks who sell any and every buck born on their place as a "Registered breeding buck! Top quality!" regardless of quality or the animal's worth as a sire.

I would rather butcher them myself than to have someone else do it. When I do the dirty deed, it's over with instantaneously, and from what I hear, it doesn't happen like that for everyone.

Well, the really large multiples don't usually seem to start until they have had a few freshenings and then alot of times it if a does gives many kids than the milk quantity should be really good.

Around here, especially if you breed good quality animals, the Nigerian wethers get sold pretty quickly. If you managed to do a little cart training as well, it may show people in your area just how much fun they could be, especially if you could manage to do a parade once a year or something. I mean how cute would two little Nigie wethers be pulling a cart. That has to inspire. The wethers are more dependable and really just about the only ones you should use for cart driving, so i hear. Also that would be such fun for the kids!! I would say you would want to make sure to do breedings that would encourage good dispositions.

Nigerian wethers can be shown in 4H classes, as can pygmy wethers.

I sell mine for bucklings, or 4-h whethers, or butcher them for my own freezer. I'm very excited this year as finally my youngest son is old enough for 4-h, he has his own ADGA membership and a small herd a buck, a doeling, and he's going to pick out a whether if we get any and keep him for cart training. Yippee! He may get to pick out one of my doelings If I get enough this year for an addition to his herd.

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