Goat shopping - considering a variety pack

Oh I love the goat camping pic! I know although the breeds and breeding do play a huge part....each goat is different and feeding and milk handling will play a huge part. I'm just excited and like to hear what all the goat lovers out there think about, well about everything! Caliann, I will post pics, and thank you for the kidding advise. I'll probably ask more when that time comes around, as I think your process is one I'd like to mimic. I have thought about the dwarf Nigerians, cheese in mind... I also agree beauty is not everything....but something has to make you fall in love. You have to spend a lot of time and money caring for them...so...it might be their look, personality, or milk...dream world...of course it would be nice to have all three!

And perhaps a job for that black wether your little boy likes so much?


Did someone mention that we're enablers?

~laughs~ There is a saying, "You don't milk color." You don't milk beauty, either. BUT! Who wants to look at an ugly goat on the milkstand twice a day?

And each person's idea of "beauty" is different. My DH LOVES the look of Nubians. He can go on and on about those elegant, roman noses, those adorable floppy ears, that stately conformation.....

...while I stare at him in bewilderment. *I* find those roman noses to be funny looking, and the floppy ears, while cute, to be inelegant, and that stately conformation looks coarse to me....

Then again, HE thinks my beloved Alpines look "frail" and "prissy". What does he know anyway?

And yes, goats do love to go camping. They can be taught to carry your packs for you; they can even be taught to pull a cart like a pony! They love to go hiking, and when in a new place, will stick close to you.

Goats are like dogs, except they eat your marigolds and give you meat, milk, and fiber (depending upon breed).

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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

My daughter knows I've been playing in this goat forum all morning...haha....just minutes ago she was talking about him...he was something! no need to enable me....I think I'll be able to get myself into plenty of trouble on my own...haha! Fun!

I have had all kinds of different breeds of goats and I have just fell in love with the Oberhasli's. They are so docile, quiet and just so pretty. I don't know where you are located but around here crossbred does unless they are registered as recorded grades only go around $100 to $150 tops for the registered grades. When I was milking I was getting about a gallon a day from her. I don't drink the milk as we use the milk to make soap and I just don't like the taste of goat milk either. It sounds like you have done your research on the health of the herds, you just want to make sure they are coming from a cl and cae free herd. The reg. Oberhaslis in my area go for about $200 and up.

Colors, I think you should be warned:

Many, many times I have gone somewhere to pick up ONE, count that, "1", goat. A singular goat. Only once, in the many times I have gone to buy/pick up ONE goat have I returned with less than THREE goats.

I have tried many things to avoid coming home with more than the ONE goat that I was going to get. I have driven a very small car, sure that only one goat would fit into the back seat, only to discover that two goats fit just fine in the backseat with some squishing, and one in the passenger side seat resting her head on my knee. I have tried bringing my *husband*, Mr. Stingy Tightwad himself, with me, only to have him say, "Well, it IS a good deal....". I have even tried making sure I had ONLY enough cash on me to buy that ONE goat, and no debit cards, credit cards, or even a checkbook on me, only to have the enabling person (who knows who she is. ) say, "Oh, I'll trust you for it. Get it to me next week."

I finally gave up. Resistance is futile. Now I just make sure I have enough on me, and bring a large enough vehicle/trailer, to pay for and bring home a herd of goats. Because sure as taxes, that will be what happens.

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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

I think you CAN have all three, and in the end, I"m sure all this research will really pay off and you'll be quite happy. Wasn't trying to be critical, just to clarify.

I think Alice makes about the best point here - start with GOOD STOCK, no matter what you decide. SOlid, advice there. We're still buying from the same breeder for that very reason.

I think you end up falling in love with whatever you get too (though I'm not sure our new bucky boy won't have his work cut out for him on my end). DOn't forget to start collecting equipment between now and the day goat's hit the property. That kept the excitement up for us while we were waiting. Also - get that cheese making stuff. You can start learning that right away. Raw or non homoginized cow's milk is probably easier to come by - and you'll appreciate knowing what to do with all that milk when the hooves hit the driveway. Trust me, you can be overwhelmed with milk from all those does in about a week!

Case in point! 1 Kinder doe at 2.5 lbs per day for a 2 adult household. Oy!

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Look for incidents on the learning curve at: http://littlecricketchronicles.blogspot.com/

Caliann...so funny! First visit, I went looking for 2 goats, reserved 3, and you all and my children have nearly talked me into a pet weather, haha! Lfrj, didn't take your post bad in any way! And I love the fridge picture! I do have a extra fridge all ready and will start looking, even a couple years out, for cheese equipment, classes, recipes, everything! You all make me want to go back and pick them up today...should I wait and pick them up at the same time? The runt is going to need another month on mom?

They will be happier if they all come at the same time. Also, it will be easier on your runt if they all come at the same time. Goats lose their "status" in a herd after being separated for about a week. Even 3 or 4 days can cause them to have to go through all of the goatie politics and dominance games all over again, which can be stressful on a young goat that has just been moved.

If everyone already knows everyone, and all are comfortable with each other's status in the pecking order, it will be easier on them to move. The little runt will be at the bottom of the totem pole anyway. If you move everyone, then wait a month to move her, everyone will be showing her, all over again, that she is he bottom of the totem pole. It is better that she doesn't have to go through that.

There will be some head-butting and rearranging of status after the move, as you aren't taking ALL of the goats. No matter how much you want too. But the runt should be left out of most of it if she moves with them.

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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

Me, too.

I used to think that an entire herd of white goats would be boring - until I got my first Saanen and fell in love with everything about them.

Now, to me, there's something almost soothing about looking at a herd of beautiful white Saanens in the fields.

That said, I have never actually had an all-Saanen herd. I seem to end up with a mish mash of breeds and crosses. Right now, I have two registered LaMancha does (only one of which I milk; the other came to me as a "charity case" - she was headed to the sale after a massive case of mastitis and losing half her udder - I won't be breeding her), three LaMancha/Saanen crosses (who seem to have inherited the best of the two breeds, IMO), a Boer wether I bought last year when he was a few days old to bottle raise with the single doeling my LM had, some other crosses (including a huge Snubian wether), some leftover pygmies, and my beloved 14-year-old Saanen doe, Sweet Pea (sixteen goats total - six of which are all over the age of twelve).

When I had gotten out of the milking thing for several years (but kept all the goats I had), I often said that if I were going to do it again, I would love to have an all-white herd. Then I stumbled onto a great deal on a BLACK LaMancha first freshener.............

My very first goats, 30-some years ago, were Toggenburgs. I realize it was a long time ago, but I don't remember there being any issues with the milk. I do remember it taking on a bit of a "flavor" after four days or so, but I've read here other people having those issues with older milk, too, and from other breeds than Toggs. (I had a boyfriend at that time who introduced me to Amaretto and goat milk - YUM!) I also liked their personalities and the babies are adorable (of course, that can be said of every breed, can't it?).

My LaMancha's milk is awesome. I have a little more casual approach than some others here in regards to the cooling of the milk (I don't do any chilling of the bucket or the jars it goes into, nor do I put it in an ice bath or freezer before it goes into the refrigerator) and I always have wonderful tasting milk. I always use the freshest stuff for drinking and cooking (the bottle babies get the older stuff and the dogs and cats get the oldest) but sometimes I will find a jar that doesn't get rotated properly and will end up being as much as eight days old and I'll take a sip - just to see - and even at that point, it's been fine (happened just this morning, with a jar of milk dated 9-30).

Anyway, good luck with your "goat shopping." You are obviously excited about embarking on this next adventure and I wish you great success with whatever breed or breeds you end up with.

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Whatever floats your goat!

Kitten season is here. Please spay and neuter. You'll save lives.

Then we must finish that job, hmm...here's a good one. (put your helmet on Callianne)

SAFE! I can't download videos today! So no passing out from overwhelming cuteness!

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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

.....

I'm smiling and laughing.....I think you have one! Haha

If you decide to get your new goats from your teacher I would pick out the best of the one's he has for sale. I Love Nubians & their long floppy ears so I'd have to pick 1 of them for sure. You know your going to end up with more than 3 right?
Of course you need a pet wether for the kids(human) & to be the bucks buddy!!

Welcome to our crazy forum too Btw.

Won...ahh...haha

I have a variety of goats.... Alpines, Lamanchas & 1 Nubian.

I grew up with Alpines & just love them.... Beautiful, intelligent animals with an awesome will to milk. The Lamanchas were something I swore I'd never own.... They were just too strange looking...

"Never say never....."

Now I must say I'm quite smitten with my Lamanchas. I get butterfat comparable to Nubians, but with volume & length of lactation closer to my Alpines.

Our 1 Nubian is just 7 months old & was a birthday present for my daughter.... Thought I'd regret the purchase as I really hated the Nubians I owned years ago, but we love this quiet, mellow lil doeling

Buy what appeals to you, and if you buy a variety, then decide you don't like a particular breed, then sell them & buy more of what you do like

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

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Don't cross out the alpine because she's not friendly. I know "friendly-ing up" a goat isn't for everyone, but my alpine doeling that had never been touched in her life, was friendly in a month. (Then again, she was a bottle baby)

Good luck in you goat endeavor!

Still sold on the Alpine....she'll be the queen...I'm sure!

And...again you all win....called to reserve the black horned sweet Lamancha wether....my little man can show him under pee wees...I guess my kids are in love with the Lamanchas and the Nubian and Alpine will be my labor of love!

Thanks again to everyone for responding! Neahhh!

Waiting for the baby Nubian...I'll post pics in a month or so