Keeping a buck in the barn with the girls?

[MamaDee]

We have a friend who is moving and can't take their buck. He is a purebred Nubian, gentle. They have him for sale for $300, but offered to give him to us for helping them out the next few week-ends with milking, etc. while they are away.

We have a big barn with an extra pen. We could, with only the purchase of one more roll of electric fencing, fix up that pen so he had access to outside. Can we keep him in the barn with our girls? We don't have alot of extra money to build something for him outside--and frankly it would be alot easier to take care of him inside the barn with everybody else. I've heard bad things about the smell tainting milk, etc. Every time we've borrowed a buck, we haven't had that much trouble--but we haven't kept them that long, though.

Where do you all keep your bucks?

Dee

[pookshollow]

Mine are in the barn in a stall across from the girls. Never had a problem with stinky milk. Mind you, I've never had a really odiferous buck, either!

[goatkids]

Our bucks share a fence line with the does, milk is sweet and fresh, no buck smell! Then again, our bucks hardly smell themselves-

[sammyd]

Ours is in a pen right next to the girls. Our milk has no problems.

[MamaDee]

That is good to hear! Thanks. I was hoping not to have to trudge outside and lug buckets of water (not to mention feed and hay) through snow this winter. And we'd have to come up with some kind of shelter.......we already have a big barn. Much simplier!

Dee

[steff bugielski]

My big stinky boy is with the girls 24/7. no bad milk ever.

[goatsareus]

I try to keep the buck in with the herd as much as possible. He gets his own pasture in the summer so we can control breeding season. We keep young bucks. We have never had a problem with off flavors in the milk.

[susanne]

big stinky buck was in the barn for a couple of weeks, milk is fine like always. key is not to leave the milk uncovered in a smelly area.

[pookshollow]

key is not to leave the milk uncovered in a smelly area.

I never leave the milk uncovered in any area! If the flies didn't get in it, the cats and chickens would!

[ajharris]

My buck runs with the girls all the time. No problem with stinky milk.

[Freeholder]

My buck is with the girls all the time, too, and no stinky milk here.

Kathleen

[LittleRedHen]

no stinky milk here either and the buck is with the girls 24/7 but he only stinks himself if one of the girls are in heat and otherwise smells the same as them. So its not a constant stench

[cjb]

The milk will be fine but boy howdy - that barn is gonna stink.

[ozark_jewels]

My bucks all live beside the barn right next to the does and yes, my boys smell awful(I don't mind it, but its *very* strong). No bad milk tastes at all.
You mention electric fencing......are you planning on using that to keep him away from your does?? If a doe is in heat, electric fence won't be enough to separate them.

[MamaDee]

Oh, boy. About the electric fence.....I didn't even think of that. We have the girls outside pasture area fenced off with woven electric fencing. The girls respect it and don't get within 3 feet of the thing. I was planning on having the 8 month old buck have a pen next to the girls inside the barn--they are made out of the wire combo panels. But for outside, I thought if I bought just one roll of fencing I could use one of the side of the girls electric fence and use the next roll to make the other three sides. But........will the buck go right through it, or what? I didn't even think of a buck using it.

Dee

[topside1]

No stinky milk here in TN. Buck with does 24/7, makes chores a lot simpler....

[goatsareus]

we successfully utilize electric fencing to contain the buck in his pen and the 7 acre area for the rest of the herd.

The buck pen has two sides common with the larger pasture/woods. One common side is right next to the loafing area directly outside the milkers barn. This common fence line has NINE wires, from 6 inches above the ground to 4 feet high. The other common fence line and all the other fence lines have 4 or three electric wires.

[MamaDee]

What we have is that woven wire/mesh type electric fence. It is not strong, but the whole thing is electrified.

Dee

[ozark_jewels]

Depends on the buck....some it would keep in, some I have had, certainly not. Guess you'll find out which type you have.