taking all my grade goats to the auction today

[Kshobbit]

Well I tried to sell them, I mean the three FF with their lovely "Crusader kids" at their side plus the three spring doelings on craigslist.and all I got was some strange emails. I could have sold the two smallest wethers but one got his hoof caught in the fence and is limping.
So here I am up early, the truck is all set up for the trip. I hate taking my babies to the auction but I really really can not afford a goat herd of 28 goats. so all the grades from the sheep lady are going except for Eunice the pretty brown spotted unicorn horn goat. she has the best udder and teats of the grade FF does. Her twin buck kids will be meat. I am keeping the two little wethers as my junior buckling is their best friend (lucky for them). I am keeping my three purebred does and their three purebred doelings so my herd will still be too big, 12 total but 4 are freezer boys and that takes me down to 6 keepers, 2 bucks and 4 milkers plus the kids
It still makes me cry to think they will be sold for meat. If you could see the kids you would want one, as they are flashy like Crusader, all black and gray and white and brown with spots and splashes and really would make decent family milkers. I won't do this again. The sheep lady will have to find someone else to take all her unwanted kids. I was hoping 6e would be able to do it but I have not seen her online in a long while. No matter I will not take anymore kids to bottle raise, love, and care for only to go to the auction. I will stick with my purebred and pray to God that with all the expense and testing and work I will not only find them good homes but make a small profit from them.
And no I am not a newbie I am an old hand at this but gas, feed, hay has gotten too high for me to be such a fool for my goats.

[Minelson]

I'm sorry Not a good day for you I'm sure

[chewie]

i've been in those shoes and they pinch terribly. sorry for a rough day for you.

[Oat Bucket Farm]

I understand completely. With the cost of feed and gas and such, with the economy the way it is, it seems people don't want to buy much of anything.

[houndlover]

The only way I keep my herd numbers down is to sell the kids within the first month as bottle babies, when they are cute and before I think "oh, I should keep that one until its a yearling (or bred, see her udder? ha ha)". Bottle babies go quick.

[madness]

Aw, that sucks!

A fellow goatherd mentioned an interesting tip recently. She had one doeling that just wasn't selling for whatever reason last year. She kept dropping the price until she figured she was stuck with yet another goat (trying to cut down on her 13 milkers!). Finally, she was frustrated and listed the doeling for $400. Sold her that same day! :O