Do you keep your bucks together?

Tango · #1 03/29/14, 01:08 PM

I was reading a goat site and noticed they wrote about a buck pen and having several bucks together and it was working out well. I'm going to keep my buck in a pen away from the girls instead of keeping them altogether this time around. And I was thinking of a companion wether but looks like I can keep more than one buck per pen so I could keep a buck that I'm not breeding, like the buckling I'm getting which I thought I would have to sell in a couple of years. Instead I could stagger bucks and years if I could keep two or three together. Do any of you keep bucks together? Pros? Cons? Thoughts? Thanks

Alice In TX/MO · #2 03/29/14, 01:23 PM

Yes, two bucks together. One will be dominant, but as long as he is not mean, it is ok.

GoldenWood Farm · #3 03/29/14, 02:01 PM

I have always kept my bucks together and ran as many as I think 5 in one pen? Everyone got along great though there where some minor fights during rut. I keep my boys WAY away from my does which helps.

Justine

Tango · #4 03/29/14, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenWood Farm

I keep my boys WAY away from my does which helps.
Justine

About how far is way away? I'm putting my buck pen on the other side of the property but my land is only 400 feet wide there. So the front of the buck fence will be about 150 feet from the front of the doe's fence with the orchard, once it establishes, in between.

dozedotz · #5 03/29/14, 02:15 PM

Both of our Nubian boys have been together since they were 8 weeks old. One is larger than the other...but they have never had a serious altercation. At breeding time one of the boys comes up from the buck pen to be with half the girls and half the girls go down to the buck area to be with the other boy...works great!

Tango · #6 03/29/14, 02:17 PM

This arrangement sounds way more "closed herd" friendly and happy than trading out bucks every year or two. Thanks

Backfourty,MI. · #7 03/29/14, 02:47 PM

I usually keep 2 bucks together & sometimes a wether or 2 in there also unless they are with the does'.
Our buck pen is about 75 feet from the does' is all.

onebizebee · #8 03/29/14, 02:52 PM

I keep my two bucks in the bachelor pasture. They have their own house and hay feeder and water. This works fine for me I have a closed herd.

ne prairiemama · #9 03/30/14, 03:47 PM

We do! We've had up to 4 bucks (thats all we had) in a pen without issues

GoldenWood Farm · #10 03/30/14, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

About how far is way away? I'm putting my buck pen on the other side of the property but my land is only 400 feet wide there. So the front of the buck fence will be about 150 feet from the front of the doe's fence with the orchard, once it establishes, in between.

Gosh....a couple hundred feet? They can see other from their pastures but the does barn is out of sight from the boys. It can work even if they are closer but I just noticed my boys don't fight as much if they don't see the girls during rut

.

The nice thing about them being able to see each other from their pastures is I can always tell when I have a doe in heat

. The biggest thing is you never wants bucks on the other fence from does because they can and WILL breed through a fence. I would say if the bucks are going to be closer to the does just make sure their fencing is Fort Knox strong.

Justine
PS: Hot wire will be your best friend!

Tango · #11 03/30/14, 05:18 PM

Okay. Thanks ya'll. I was surveying the site for the buck pen earlier on this fine sunny warm day

looks like I have fence after fence after fence to build and my elbows hurt with little things like lifting the auger to say nothing of using it. But it is a good distance away and they will be able to see each other before the fruit trees grown and during winter. Anyone up for a fence building party / barbecue / help a poor woman out weekend?

wintrrwolf · #12 03/30/14, 05:56 PM

As Justine/Goldenwood p.s'd my bachelor buck pasture is not really that far from my girl's pasture but I do use hotwire. I have had up to 2 full grown bucks and 2 bucklings housed together and they have been just fine, even during rut. Right now I only have 2 bucks. I like this set up because when one of the girls goes into heat she stands at the fence and gazes longingly at the boys

(well at least those that are hussy's about it)