How did you get your first goat?

[Ford Zoo]

Maybe this post has already been done, but Ani's Ark's response to Silverseeds' post about dumped goats made me recall how I got my first goats and I thought it would be fun to see how others got their addiction.

I had never had a goat, had never knew anyone with them, and had no desire to get one. Then we had a family issue that made me sad. We had bought our first place in the country about a year before and I was trying my hand at raising different animals and becoming a gardener, canner, all around self sufficient farm steader. My DD17 saw an ad in the local paper for Nigerian Dwarf weanlings and bought 2 little sisters, hoping to cheer me up. The woman sent along 2 bottles and enough goats milk for 2 weeks so we could finish weaning while bonding with them. It was love at first sight, and my love for them grew with every day bringing a new adventure.

That was 5 years ago. We still have Dottie and one of her daughters, Hannah. Sadly, Mattie left us this past spring, but we have her daughter Cookie, bred to give us babies this spring. My love and dedication of these girls redefined many things for me this year. I had been so busy persuing so many new things, while becoming a "Granny" thrice over, that I had to stop and focus on a familiar saying-"Chose one thing and do it very well". I decided that one thing was goats! With the support of family, especially DH, I have, since this past spring, sold the pigs and horses, and our little goat herd has grown from 4 to 25 with 15 does bred for winter/spring kidding. Partially in thanks to all the wonderfull people here at this very forum, where I have learned so much to help make this all possible! Thank you!!

Tell us your goat story!

[Shygal]

I got my first two wethers off someone that lived nearby. They were supposedly 18 months old, but they grew almost double in size. they are good brush clearers though!

[gone-a-milkin]

I put the blame for my love of all things dairy squarely on my grandparents.

My grandfather would have died as an infant w/o out goats milk.
His mother was very ill when he was born and there was no such thing as baby formula.
He could not drink cows milk either.
His parents purchased a white milk doe named Sugar. (IDK her breeding, but I heard this story ALL my life).
A neighbor who was sort of a nurse? milked that goat and fed my baby grandpa into health on that milk.

So, there were pretty much always goats in my life. When my folks got divorced I was in 6th grade.
My siblings and I stayed w/ tthose grandparents for the whole school year.
At that time they had 30 head (mostly Nubians but a few Saanens and one memorable La Mancha doe ).
They had 2 bucks also. ( I still remember most of their names but I will spare you!)

My grandma was handmilking 16 does. BY HAND, I say! at that time...so here comes young grand daughter to 'stay' at age 11.
Any farmer can see how that is going to work out.

I still remember very clearly the first time I dropped the rennet into milk on the kitchen stove in their house.
What happened was MAGIC.

I may never recover from the spell it cast on me.

Since then there have always been animals for milk, a long funny list of them.
Oftentimes I didnt (and still dont) own most of them.
But the milk, and the milking?...yeah.

It's in my username. That is my grandpas fault.

[Zilli]

Way back when, after my first divorce, my ex and I were on pretty friendly terms.

He was a city boy and was happy to give me the farm with the old homestead house when we divorced - actually I bought him out for what was a very fair deal for me.

The homestead had always been my dream and I had made it known that besides chickens and the horse I had had since I was twelve, I desperately wanted goats.

Anyway, he was a truck driver doing local deliveries and one day he got to talking to some guy at a place he delivered to and the subject of goats came up. It seemed the other guy's wife raised and showed Toggenburgs.

She had an older mother/daughter pair of Toggenburgs she was willing to let go very reasonably and Pixie (the daughter) and Shirley (the mother) came to live with me. This was 1978 or '79.

At that time, Pixie was in milk so I got my first experience with milking and the twice a day responsibility that went along with it. When my boys were gone to their dad's, I would go out and party but I always made sure I was home for the milkings.

Part of our arrangement was that the woman I got them from could show them that first year at the county fair. They took something like a first and a second and she gave me the ribbons; I hung them on the wall in the dining room of that old house and printed up two cards with each of their names and tacked those on the wall under their respective ribbons. I was so proud.

At some point, one of her bucks came to the farm, too - Cocoa.

Anyway, long story short, at some point it became too much for me. I was a young single mother with two small boys, supporting myself and the farm waiting tables at a restaurant twenty-five miles from home, trying to juggle daycare and commuting and trying to take care of animals and fencing and everything else.

So, I started downsizing - giving goats away with the intention of getting it just down to Pixie and Shirley - when neighbor dogs got on the property and killed Pixie and Shirley and did so much damage to the buck I had left that he had to be euthanized.

So, that was the end of that cycle of goat keeping.

I tried it again during my second marriage. I talked my then husband (finally!) into letting me a goat. Yes, a single Nubian doe that a woman we had bought a horse from had for sale.

When I took her to a local breeder to be bred, the guy identified her through the tattoo as having come from HIS farm.

Anyway, "Bossie" had a single doe and another breeder I had become friendly with, who was having health issues, gave me a beautiful half sister to my baby.

So, I had three quality Nubian does.

But my husband hated the goats and it was a constant battle over them and I ended up selling them. In fact, to discourage me from ever getting goats again, when we rented a bulldozer to knock down an old building, my husband "conveniently" forgot that the milking stand that the woman I got my first goats from was in that building. He said it was an accident, but there's not a doubt in my mind it wasn't.

So.......after THAT divorce, I got back into goats - starting with a couple of pygmies. Then I got back into milking and keeping bucks and babies.

So, this time around, I've had goats for around sixteen years non-stop. And since I have no husband to answer to or to try to appease, I see no end in sight.

And, I have to apologize for something I said in another thread. I made the statement that I had never had registered goats before the LaManchas that I have now and that was an unintentional lie. I had forgotten about Pixie and Shirley (the Toggs) and Bossie, Spice, and Coffee (the Nubians). They were all registered; I just did not physically possess the registration papers.

[Dusky Beauty]

I was on the fence about goats for about a year-- I knew when I ordered my first egg ducks I wanted a dairy animal, then DH and I found a lovely milk cow on craigslist a few months later and we figured we were done--- but I kept coming back to reading all about goats every time I crossed an article about it. They're just so charming and unique! I don't think it's very fair to compare them to cows at all.

I started warming my husband up to the idea by insisting our dexter was lonely-- and a pair of milk goats would keep her company and fill a bucket at less cost than a second cow... hint hint.

Then I struck up a conversation with an HTer who lives kinda local and she threw out there that she really wanted to find a good home for her nigerians due to health problems.
I took all 9 and adore them all--- Our buck Junior is sooo sweet. My 9 year old loves on him all the time and he eats it up--- your stories about naughty bucks just make me appreciate him all the more. Herd queen Buttercup wants to be in my pocket for food and scratches in that sweet spot behind her jaw. The 4 doelings are coming around nicely too.
Since the goaties joined "the acre" it feels like a real farm. My neighbors like to sit on their porch and watch the goats and already put in a request on goat cheese :P

So I guess all the "blame" rests firmly on Cygnet's shoulders for getting me "goat-addicted". I was borderline before she drove them out to us!
I'll be shopping for a couple more to round out the herd when we have more fences done and the milk parlor done how we want it.
I think we've gone critical.

I've also made a "goat friend" a couple miles away who breeds show quality nigies-- I think we drive everyone around us crazy when we get together and get lost in "goat talk".

[prairiedog]

We had a friend in TX that had goats she said she would give us one if we wanted. So we loaded up the van and took a trip to see them one weekend. Stopped in Joplin to take her a pyr pup from another friend. Came back with a nubian doe a wringer washer a couple of chicks and two guinea pigs in the back of the van. Poor Daisy was wild about 5 years old never milked. After a ten hour drive we got her home and she lived in half of the chicken house. She was an only goat we knew nothing about them and the friend did not give any info on them. We thought she might be bred but she wasn't. We started looking for info on goats found this forum and DGI and added some more and were hooked.

[Backfourty,MI.]

We hadn't lived at our homestead very long & my cousin (HT member Michiganfarmer) had a goat he got from another HT member but it wasn't what he wanted. It was an intact male Pygmy but Dh was convinced we needed that goat so we bought it from my cousin for the same price he paid for him.

Of course we knew nothing about goats but figured out soon we had to have another so we got a female. We have since switched breeds twice now but we were hooked after bringing Gilbert Home. My cousin kept telling me about this forum & to join & eventually I did. Been the best thing I've done since getting into goats. Without this forum & everyone here that has helped me over the years I would have never made it this far with our Goat venture or some of our other critters for that matter either.

[sammyd]

Buddy's dad had some goats. Wife and I were looking at sources for home grown milk. We went over and checked out the guys animals and liked them.
He brought out 2 glasses of ice cold goat milk and we had 2 goats loaded before the glasses were finished......it was really good milk

[Minelson]

We moved here from Minneapolis 6 years ago. It was a promotion/relocation with hubby's job. I did not want to move here. I told hubby the only way I would do it is if we could get a place where I could keep horses on the property. My Dad and stepmom came to visit and told us we HAVE to get some goats. They live in the subs of Milw and had 2 ND's in their back yard until the city told them they had to get rid of them. I never met those goats. The only goats I had ever had interaction with were at petting zoos. I never saw any goats around here and didn't know anyone with goats so I put an ad in the local paper... Wanted: Pet goat. A gal at the feed store had told me I should only get one because if I get 2 they will get into more trouble together. And find one without horns. 2 people responded to my ad. The first 2 I looked at were wethers with horns and I didn't want horns. Then we went to the 2nd guys place. He had a couple of babies! They were not available but it was the first time I ever saw baby goats! He showed me the 2 that were available. A black and white doe without horns. And a brown, homely looking, pregnant goat with horns. I fell in love with the brown one. She wanted to come home with me. We left because she had horns and she was pregnant. The next morning I went back with my horse trailer and got her. Brought her home...no fencing, no food, nothing but a horse stall. We named her Gretta and she followed me around every where and stayed right by the house. Then I found this forum and it saved me and helped me get through the babies being born and everything!!

[wildhorse]

I went to an adga Nubian breeder walked into the pin and muffin came up put her chin on my chest looked me in the eye and grinned. I was in love and miss muffin gave me my first bottle baby.

[Donna1982]

My mom started the obsession when we lived in Tennessee. She got a few Boers and raised a commercial Boer herd for years. I was the typical late teen early 20's child that wanted to do my own thing but still played with the babies and went out there once in awhile to help hold if they needed a shot. Never really paying attention to what I REALLY needed to pay attention to. Fast forward about 7 years we (Eric and I) bought a 5 acre farm and one Easter we went to my mom's house and fell in love with a Boer buckling named Jason. The whole ride home Eric and myself talked about getting into goats. He loves the looks of a Boer and at the time I knew nothing of my little vegetarian velociraptors.

Fast forward another year, I was out at my mom's house helping her and I spotted this little chocolate and white buckling who had NO EARS!!! I asked mom of course "What happened to his ears." She laughed and said those are LaMancha goats they are born like that. It was love at first sight, Louie became his name and he became my partner in crime. I had Louie for a very sort period of time around 4 to 5 mouths before he passed away (still breaks my heart) but hes the one that started my obsession with LaManchas. I never see myself with out one or two or 20.

[JJMILKPail]

One of my neighbors, Mary, had goats and when my mom went to see her, Mary had a friend over with a 4 month pygmy doe that had her back foot frozen and the hoof was gone. Mom bought her for $20 and we fell in love. When she was smaller we used to take her to my grandparents on Sundays. She also you used get on our donkeys back and they used to walk up and down the driveway. Now she is way to fat to get on Jenny.

[mekasmom]

My first goat was a sanaan named Daisy. I bought her for my son from one of his 4H friends. She was a lovely goat.

[chma4]

Birthday present from my parents 3 weeks after I had my first daughter and was stuck home and bored. her name was Tabby

[farmmom]

I was living with my folks for a while after my DH died. My youngest couldn't drink grocery store milk without spitting up. My folks had Nubian goats that were bred, and had been milked at one point, but were dry. I asked them if I could milk them when the kids were born and try the milk for my youngest, they agreed. So, kids came and were bottle fed while I gave milk to my son with great improvement in his health. When I moved out, the kids went with me and became my starter herd.

[Suzyq2u]

Star came home to us from an ad on craigslist. She was everything we didn't want She had terrible feet, horns, copper deficient etc. She had been raised alone and had no intentions in interacting with the others we brought home there after. She came home in our van and I watched as the folks driving by took pictures and I knew life would never be the same
She's still the boss, still a mess, lol. I honestly don't know why we keep the @#$# goat she can turn on her attitude in a minute, she's turned out to be a great mother & she's always interesting!
then:

now

[Zilli]

WOW! What a difference!

She's beautiful - fat and sleek and shiny.

[Suzyq2u]

Thanks That was just before this last kidding (about a month ago). She's come a long way, still cranky though! lol

[Zilli]

Originally Posted by Suzyq2u

still cranky though! lol

Oh, well......lol

[Frosted Mini's]

My first interaction with goats was in the vet tech program; we went out vaccinating and trimming hooves for several herds one weekend. After that, my mother-in-law got some goats, and even though her herd queen was weird with strangers, I still liked them. When we moved to Jackson Hole, we lived in a small cabin with some property, and I asked the landlord if it would be okay to get some dairy goats. I thought it would be fun to have my own milk and make cheese, etc. So, I found 2 Nigerian dwarf goats nearby and got my fencing put up and brought them home. One was suppose to be pregnant and the other was milking. The one that was suppose to be pregnant turned out not to be, which I realized when we brought a buck over to breed our milker-we also noticed that doe never was interested in the buck for the month he was there. That stinker, had backed up to the buck pen and got pregnant just 2 months after the last time she kidded! So, we had itty-bitty Nigerian babies the day after Christmas in Jackson Hole, -20 weather. And they did just fine! The other doe kidded in April, which was a much better time in Jackson to have kids. We also went back to the breeder where one of the Nigerians was originally born, and got a mini alpine bottle doeling. When I got pregnant, we decided we couldn't live in Jackson with a child, so we moved out to my in-law's place. On the way, we stopped where the one mini alpine came from and got another doe and a buck. We bought a couple of alpines to make more mini's with, and got a Nigerian buck. I am now addicted to mini alpines. All the original mini-alpines we bought turned out to be CAE+, so we don't have them anymore, besides the breeder never gave us their paperwork. Of the original herd, actually, I only have one of the original 2 Nigerians, and the Nigerian buck. I got my first goats 4 years ago, and now have a herd of 15 alpines, mini's, and Nigerians, including 2 bucks. I am breeding them for show and milk, and I sell the milk and cheese. If I ever get "out of goats", I will probably always keep at least a couple of them for my own use.