I don't want goats!

Getting mentored by an experienced goat breeder is a great idea. It will give you a better look at the reality of raising goats. I love my goats and can't imagine not having them.
You get all the worst case scenarios when you read the threads. We hardly ever post that we had a great day and everything went as usual.

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Living the good life in Kansas.

I had a cat for 13 years - cat got old and died.

adopted a new cat, lost him within months. another new cat, same deal, third try was working out so we got a second cat, lost them both within two years. went through 3 more cats in 18 months. got another cat - cat is now 14. last year we got him a friend. we've had vet bills over the years from fights and parasites and whatnot, but both are doing fine.

goats are kinda like that too. you can have bad runs, or you can have years of peace. people are a better source than shelters/auctions.

(this year I was a poster of "oh I've made a horrible mistake and I am going to have a disaster." - but in the end, the kidding was easy and the kids were fine - aside from being boys)

If that were true, no one would have goats.

Ah, you will be fine--if you're experienced with dogs and cats giving birth, you have an advantage. But going to a goat farm to learn would be a fantastic idea.

I'm a newbie, too. I started with a couple of wethers, just to get used to general goat health and management. Did that for about four years. I too thought the whole breeding and birthing thing would be too much worry and work. A couple of years ago I finally bought my first doe, as I was hankering for fresh goat's milk. Bred her, waited 5 long months, and after sitting by her stall waiting for her to give birth, and nothing was happening, I finally went inside and took a quick nap. Came back out, and she had two lovely kids on the ground.

I retained her doeling, bred her last year, and she kidded exactly the same way--waited for me to go away, and then had her kid immediately, with no fanfare.

It was just a fluke this year, that my older doe happened to give birth in the middle of the afternoon, during beautiful weather, on my day off, so I was able to attend and supervise the birth. I didn't need to do much, but it was a good education for me.

It's good to be prepared for the worst, but so far, I've had good luck. Beginner's luck, maybe?

Life is full of things that hurt. If it doesn't faze you to loose a momma or a baby that you've worked to save, then you shouldn't be raising animals. If you are a good animal keeper, then the losses hurt. And yes you can avoid the pain of losing a baby or a momma here and there by just not having them. But if you go through life never opening yourself up to the possible pain that comes from attachment, then you aren't truly living.

Make your decision based on whether or not you truly want the lifestyle that goes with having livestock, particularly dairy livestock. Are you willing to be up every morning for milking and home every night for milking. Its not something you can skip because you are sick,or tired,or want to go out of town for a couple of days. Are you willing to deal with the fact that you will rarely if ever go on vacation again? Finding someone to feed dogs,cats,and horses is way easier than finding someone willing to milk twice a day. Are you prepared to bottle feed any babies that need it? Bottle babies are a lot of work.

Those are the things that should make up your mind about whether or not you want goats. Not whether or not you might suffer heart ache at some point in your goats raising years.

Dogs can get hit by cars, so can cats. You have them, despite the possible heart ache. Same thing with goats.



edited to add: we had a an easy kidding season. All babies were born healthy and beautiful and the mommas came through birth just fine. The only loss we had was a doe we had to put down because of CAE and that was our fault for ever bringing home an untested goat in the first place when we knew better. However even in that, that goat taught us a lot and we have no regrets. Having her in lives, even for the short amount of time she was here was more than worth the pain of putting her down. And we have her beautiful CAE free daughter to remember her by. We also have two babies that we brought in from Tin Mom's who are both growing beautiful and healthy.

If goats truly aren't worth the heart ache to you, then they won't be worth the work either.

Come on, you know you want to have them Bella says, "I am SO worth any pain. Or maybe I am the pain...in the backside! Don't you want a pain in the backside too?"

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To be honest, I've been surprised at the number of problems that people here have had...but like others have said, I think it's more a matter of people posting when they have problems and need help. You don't hear about the good and easy times (which there are a lot more of).

Having any animal involves risk, something might happen. Dogs can get sick too, they can get hit by cars, does that mean you don't have a dog? Would you give up the experience of forming that bond with your dog, just because you don't want to have to lose him someday? Pain is a part of life, if every person and animal in our lives were going to be around forever, I don't think we would appreciate them as much. And honestly I don't think that goats have more problems than any other animal. In fact, goats are one of the hardier livestock animals. Some genes are hardier and healthier than others, and there will always be risk, no matter what, with any animal (livestock or pets). But that's life.

Many problems are caused by over management and ignorance sometimes its just bad luck. We all have learned greatly from each other and helped, laughed and cried. You can not expect to love and not expect to get hurt, you can stick your head in the sand and let life go on about you but thats not much of a life. There have been some sad times here but I can look back and say this has been one heck of a ride and I wouldnt have missed it for nothing. Granted theres days I wanna say forget it and sell them all but I know I couldnt do it, Ive kinda tried.

You cant look at Yarrows 2011 baby kid photos and not want goats.
I used to think working for an equine vet that all horses where idiots but mine because all i seen was injured or sick horses, when in reality that was just a star in the universe

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I'm a goat person, not a people person,
De @ Udderly Southern Dairy Goats
we will be adding a new breed in the spring

Oh darn you are far and I do not know of anyone who has goats out there.
If you ever get over toward the Denver area let me know, I am about 40 mins North of there. But be prepared because my goats will climb in your lap So do not wear white. Yes one lady showed up here in white pants, high heels and a satiny shirt. I thought she was insane

LoL Alice is right, after reading some posts in CF I will never live in a cul-de-sac, they all seem to have crazies in them

Before you decide one way or another do visit a place with goats, ask questions. Do not base your decision on what you are reading here. It has been a tough Winter and has caused people issues as well.

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You may not copy my posts or pictures without my consent on this board or any other.

OatBucket....I swear you are torturing me on purpose!!!! I can't have a la mancha right now.....So quit with those adorable pictures before I get myself in trouble!! lol Those earless babies just kill me!!

Merks......any living being you bring into your heart and home has the potential for heart break and catastrophe. Be it livestock or pets.....

As long as you stack the odds in your favor, the chances of horrible problems are slim.

Find an established, health tested herd and see if the breeder would mentor you. The closer to you, the better, even if it means going with a different breed than your first choice.

Educate yourself and prepare way in advance. Find sources for feed and minerals that are recommended by others who are successful in goats. Find a good vet who would be willing to make farm visits in emergency situations. Set up secure, quality fencing (don't cheap out here) and good shelter....

And whatever you do, don't buy goat's without documented proof of current health testing. Steer clear of sale barns/auctions. Don't buy "pity cases"....poor goats in rotten condition.....your setting yourself up for a long road of fixing someone else's mistakes and that's no way to start out.

I've noticed many problems can come from impulse buys. Someone sees cute baby pictures, goes and buys the first goat they can find. They aren't set up correctly, they don't have meds on hand, they don't have a vet to call, pens aren't goat proof ect. ect. So when even a minor problem arises, they simply can't handle it and are stuck in a frantic scramble trying to find a solution/remedy...

I have a friend in this situation and the most basic things are nerve wracking because she has NOTHING but food and hay...

Goats are awesome. We've had an uneventful year.....my girls kidded without issue, my babies are healthy and thriving and the worst thing I've had to deal with is multiple midnight barn checks waiting for babies and had to treat my bottle buck for coccidia.

But if I came on here and posted every single good thing that happens with the goats, I'd have a minimum of 5 post per day......On forums you get a higher concentration of "bad happenings" post simply because no one here has time to post every single good thing that happens, but the rare problem that crops up is posted about to get input, advice or perhaps just to warn others to not make "x mistake"......

Start out with two wethers.....or if your wanting milk get a doe in milk and a wether or dry doe as her companion. You don't have to start out with breeding/birthing. Start slow until you feel confident in your management and abilities and then consider the whole breeding bit

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Best Wishes,
Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com

Keep up with Noodleville Goats on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/NoodlevilleFarm

If you try to avoid the bad, you avoid all the good that comes with it, too. That applies to everything in life.

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I am the daughter of Earth and Water,
And the nursling of the Sky;
I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores;
I change, but I cannot die.
The Cloud
Percy Bysshe Shelley

To look out & see Grandma Goat, her daughter & grandbabies all curled up together. Quite often.
To invite a neighbor child to experience milking & doe just looks at him like, "You're not mine these dont belong to you!" And wont let milk down for the stranger.
Making cheese & passing out samples but have to turn them away when they want to buy cause you ate it all.
A freezer full of meat!
Watching a doe in her last stages of labor & bringing her to kidding stall & she goes right to work having kids.
Conversly, giving up checking every few hours & she has them all by herself, cleaned & ready for adoration.
If there IS a problem, telling your husband "No dont call vet I can do this!"
The LGD who you heard snarling at a yearling a few minutes before was because he was attending a birth of a doe you werent certain was prego.
Same LGD makes sure no one else gets too close to a baby when you are bottle feeding it.

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Bob and Nancy Dickey
Laughing Stock Boer Goats
"Seriously Great Bloodlines"
and the meat goes on....
Near Seattle

Bittersweet is a flavor that one must learn to relish, else one will end up a bitter, and stupid, old person who still rants that the world is, indeed, flat and any fool can see that.

Last April, I lost my dear, sweet, darling Boston Terrier who had been my constant companion for many years. Does that mean I will never have another dog again?

I lost my grandmother to cancer when I was 16 and was devastated.....did that mean that I should have decided to stay far away from my family, and not love them, else I will get hurt?

~smiles softly~ Life is loss. We lose our family, our parents, our friends, our pets...heck, we even lose our things to accidents and wear and tear. (Lost my darling, sweet, 1971 Ford Gran Torino that I spent YEARS restoring and souping up, to my sister's boyfriend, who "borrowed" it and wrapped it around a telephone pole.)

"Things might go wrong, and livestock might die, and I might not be there when something bad happens and I could lose my goats, and, and..."

Yeah, and you could get run over by a beer truck on the way to work and not ever have to worry about whether or not your goats were okay. It could even be a beer truck that is transporting something cheap and bad....like a truck full of Cobra or something else that comes in a BIG can or bottle.

"Something bad could happen and I could be emotionally hurt" is not a good reason to not get livestock. It is only a good reason to spend the rest of your life huddled in your closet, afraid of the world.

After all, if you leave your closet, you might meet someone or something really cool and wonderful, and you might like it or them, and then you could lose them, and you would be HURT!
\
~shakes her head wryly~ Nope. If you don't want goats, that is cool. But come up with a better excuse than that.

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Peace,
Caliann

"First, Show me in the Bible where it says you can save someone's soul by annoying the hell out of them." -- Chuck

All the heartache of losing babies, does, bucks and even having to sell; all the yuck of being midwife, pain of having to disbud, trim hooves etc.... is nothing compared to the joy of holding a newborn, being greeted and even stormed by those lil' darlin's. I LOVE goating.

I recommend it to all of my friends and relatives!

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Paul Bridges - LaCabra Farm; Uvalda, Georgia - USA

I agree with Paul I don't milk or breed or anything...just love on my little family of 3 mini's. They are my angels and I can't imagine life without them. They are total entertainment for me and hubby (more me, he gets mad at them). I can't imagine a life without goats
I look at all the problems and heart ache here as gaining knowledge and compassion. You are going to see more problems because "we" love our goats so much that we post and question everything. It's a lot like working in a vet clinic...we see so many problems and illnesses. But it is constant learning and one scrap of joy outweighs all the previous heart ache and frustration. We live for that feeling of joy. And that is what I get form my 3 little trouble making goaties

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Teach only Love...for that is what You are

WOW!!! You all have written some very thought provoking stuff, relating not only to goats but to life in general. I have lost several pets in the past and that is hard to deal with, but we move on. We have no vets in this area so if there is trouble, then I or DH will have to be the one to put the animal down. Neither of us believe in allowing an animal to suffer. I don't want goats as pets, I would like them for meat. I am a born and raised city girl who didn't even know the difference about cows for the longest time. There are boy cows and girl cows Right??? LOL I know better now. If we are so lucky to get the property we are trying to buy, then I will really have to think this all through. We can't have goats here, but I can have chickens and thats first on my list. I really want to thank all of you for all of your thoughts and support on this. I have to say honestly that the goat forum has the most thoughtful and caring people on the entire HT site. I know that you all post elsewhere, but you get the rude ones in there and it seems to put a damper on the good. Here all of the good come shining out

That is because goats are great and it rubs off on their people

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Bob and Nancy Dickey
Laughing Stock Boer Goats
"Seriously Great Bloodlines"
and the meat goes on....
Near Seattle

Awwww I think that might just be the truth

I agree!!
These people here are great & I don't know what I'd do with out the goat forum here & my internet friends from HT!

I am surrounded here in GA by goatsnobs. Of course, I can't throw stones because I was one ONCE - IT SEEMS SO LONG AGO...

BackFourty is absolutely correct. No where else can I cry about losing a baby goat and the people REALLY feel my loss EXACTLY as I do. HT people ARE THE GREATEST!

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Paul Bridges - LaCabra Farm; Uvalda, Georgia - USA

That does make it easier if something should go wrong and you lose a goat... they were terminal anyway, so you aren't going to get too emotionally attached to them. Of course it's always a bummer when you lose one, no matter what, but at least it's nothing like losing a pet.