keeping a buck....

[The Tin Mom]

okay. We got a sweet little buckling because I don't want to drive three hours several times to get my girls bred. We purchased him from the same breeder that we purchased the girls from. He is very affectionate and likes people alot.

Right now, my buckling is with the girls, and he can stay there for about two more weeks, but after that I am concerned about him getting lonely. We have a temporary pen set up for him and will have a permanent one soon.

Suggestions, please? Any ideas besides getting a wether? My dh really likes the goats but I am not sure how he would feel about a "non-producing" goat.

[topside1]

Why are you penning him up?

[sammyd]

We let ours run with the herd full time. Other than not having a real good idea of when the kids would show up it wasn't a big deal.
We didn't have the milk quality issues that some people mention. And since we worked with him every day he didn't get as wild as some I have seen.

[The Tin Mom]

Originally Posted by topside1

Why are you penning him up?

I don't understand the question.

He will have his own pen so that he doesn't get attacked by our dogs or the bobcats around here while he is little. Also, from what I have read, bucks are big and strong when they get older and then they stink. During mating season I believe they can be somewhat unreasonable as well....

Is there another way? Am I missing something?

Thanks

[Goat Servant]

A "non- producing" goat has a purpose, to keep the buck company.

[topside1]

Sorry what I ment is why can't he run with your does? Without company in a pen the old boy will go nuts...Like Sammy I also run my buck with the girls, never had a problem, less chores and it's easy to tell when your does are in heat...mark the event day down and add 150days for a kidding date...

[RiverPines]

Having 2 bucks is nice for several reasons, get 2 unrelated and you don't have to worry about inbreeding right away. 2 bucks gives you more choices for breeding if you get 2 of different colors. 2 bucks are not lonely. 2 bucks helps if one gets ill or hurt and dies. So why not just get another buckling?

I agree with keeping bucks penned separate to avoid pg does at all different intervals, breeding right after kidding, and breeding to young of does.

[Rockytopsis]

I don't consider a bucks companion wether a non producing goat. He has a job to do and that is to keep the buck company. Well worth the cost to me.

[Laverne]

I have mine penned alone about 12 feet from the girls area. He seems fine seeing and smelling them from a distance. Even when they go out to graze and they are farther away he is fine. I asked the breeder I got him from about that and she said he'll do fine and would get used to it. He seems perfectly content. Maybe it's just him.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Rockytopsis

I don't consider a bucks companion wether a non producing goat. He has a job to do and that is to keep the buck company. Well worth the cost to me.

Yeah, but that wether eats the same as another uncut buck. I'd rather have the two bucks.

I had a 2 year old Nubian buck out with the ladies for awhile and he really didn't stink. Some do worse than others, but if they're out on open pasture then it's not very noticable at all. Still might taint the milk, but I kind of doubt it with as mild of an aroma as he had.

[The Tin Mom]

Well, hmmmm....

I wouldn't consider a buck companion a non-producer either - (but not sure about my husband... he has already been pretty great about my goats...)

I am concerned about the smell issue, not so much but some about the "un-scheduled" breeding.

This little guy is really sweet and they are LaManchas, and the does are very easy to handle.....

[The Tin Mom]

Originally Posted by Ernie

Yeah, but that wether eats the same as another uncut buck. I'd rather have the two bucks.

I had a 2 year old Nubian buck out with the ladies for awhile and he really didn't stink. Some do worse than others, but if they're out on open pasture then it's not very noticable at all. Still might taint the milk, but I kind of doubt it with as mild of an aroma as he had.

That would be my husband - he would rather have two bucks.

Could the two bucks be penned close enough to each other to be company without the worry of fighting? We have dogs and I don't have anywhere to open pasture them. (Although I wish I did)

[Rockytopsis]

True Earnie, I will have 2 bucks this fall in the same pen. I am just trying to help her convince DH that a wether is a usefull animal. And he can always go to freezer camp very easy and you can also teach the wether to pull a cart, and use him parades and stuff.

[The Tin Mom]

Originally Posted by Laverne

I have mine penned alone about 12 feet from the girls area. He seems fine seeing and smelling them from a distance. Even when they go out to graze and they are farther away he is fine. I asked the breeder I got him from about that and she said he'll do fine and would get used to it. He seems perfectly content. Maybe it's just him.

This would be ideal for us.

I guess the key is being able to see and smell the other goats?

[The Tin Mom]

Originally Posted by topside1

Sorry what I ment is why can't he run with your does? Without company in a pen the old boy will go nuts...Like Sammy I also run my buck with the girls, never had a problem, less chores and it's easy to tell when your does are in heat...mark the event day down and add 150days for a kidding date...

Doesn't the milk get tainted?

Thanks!

[The Tin Mom]

Originally Posted by Rockytopsis

True Earnie, I will have 2 bucks this fall in the same pen. I am just trying to help her convince DH that a wether is a usefull animal. And he can always go to freezer camp very easy and you can also teach the wether to pull a cart, and use him parades and stuff.

Pull a cart, hmmm.... I had seen something on that - forgotten about it till now...

Freezer camp would also be a nice option.

Definitely two things that would persuade DH.

Thanks!

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by The Tin Mom

That would be my husband - he would rather have two bucks.

Could the two bucks be penned close enough to each other to be company without the worry of fighting? We have dogs and I don't have anywhere to open pasture them. (Although I wish I did)

My experience with bucks is that fighting IS company. They prefer it and aren't really going to injure each other. They fight, then take a break and sit down beside each other to chew their cud, then get back up and fight some more.

Y'all have yet to convince me that a wether IS a useful animal, unless it's putting on weight for butcher.

As to the goat cart, I think that's what most people say when they don't want to kill a goat. "Well, I can always teach him to pull a cart." Ask yourself this question ... have you ever been performing some task on the farm and said to yourself, "Boy, this would sure go easier if I had a goat to pull a cart."

[Rockytopsis]

I actually use my wether. He is very gentle. We have used him in several 4H projects where total strangers can pet him and 4H kids have no trouble leading him when they don't have a goat of their own. I do have a harness and cart and as soon as I get the shafts he will pull a wagon in several Christmas Parades and in Pumpkin Town. He also has several costumes.

I also have several freezer camp wethers.

[BlsdMama]

Originally Posted by Ernie

As to the goat cart, I think that's what most people say when they don't want to kill a goat. "Well, I can always teach him to pull a cart." Ask yourself this question ... have you ever been performing some task on the farm and said to yourself, "Boy, this would sure go easier if I had a goat to pull a cart."

LOL! This is EXACTLY why we decided to teach Black Jack to pull a cart - neither of us can "do the deed".... But, to justify, we do have a 10yos, a 7yod, a 5yod, and a 4yos, and getting drug around by a goat in a cart would keep them occupied for hours. Only swordfighting with sticks can do that as well and I figure the cart is remarkably less dangerous.

So, yes, some of us CAN justify an utterly useless goat. That said, *I* haven't figured out a good answer to the "how to keep a buck and keep him and me happy" question. Good luck with that.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Think of buck mentality as sort of 15 year old human males. If you've taught freshmen in high school, you'll know what I mean.