I think I'm going to sell one of my Nubian does. How do I make

[ne prairiemama]

sure she goes to a good home? I will post her here but should I put her on craigslist at all or no?

How can I tell if someone will take good care of her?

[dozedotz]

This one hits really close to home! Because we just have to cut down our numbers due to our age I had to find a buyer for one of my favorite doelings. She was born here last year. This was her FF year. She is spoiled rotten and cute as a bugs ear. Where to send her? So, this is what I did. I did not put her up on Craig's List although we use it all the time for selling kids and have not had a problem. Instead I listened very carefully to everyone of our buyers...old and new...and remembered which ones really liked the breeding that went into this kid. Some people like certain lines, or certain traits found in certain lines. Narrowed it down to two buyers and then made the decision. She stay with us all summer so I get to enjoy her a little longer and they do not have to mess with another FF, she will go bred to Noble (one of our customer favorites) and the asking price was reasonable as compared to what I might have asked if I were just selling a doe. I think all of us will be happy. I hope.

[ne prairiemama]

Thank you doze

[V-NH]

I have bought five goats off of craigslist. It seems like the place to go for livestock, at least in NH.

[Clovers_Clan]

I've had success selling goats to decent people on CL. But there are certainly plenty of riff raff too.

You might try doing a farm ad. Include your testing status and farm philosophy, breeding program/lines etc. A few general pictures of your herd. Don't post prices or specifics of the animal for sale. Someone who is serious about doing research and looking for a good, disease free herd will contact you to see what you might have available for sale. Someone looking for a cheap goat on a whim won't bother contacting you. A number of good breeders in my area do these postings from time to time. Its a good way to get your farm name out there to new goat people who can give your doe a good home.

[mygoat]

Is just fact that once you sell an animal, it is out of your hands. You're better off for having sold an unnecessary animal, and hopefully it ends up in a good home. Unfortunately most goat owners only own goats for 2 years or less, so a 'forever' home is most likely a worthless venture. They are livestock and unfortunately while we like goats, it is not our priority to keep every animal that doesn't further our goals just because other people don't keep goats the same way we do. The main thing I offer is to help them with any questions they may have at any time - wether they buy a goat from me or not.

To ensure a doe goes to a good home, I try to make the most versatile, inherently valuable animal that I can. Registered, Healthy, productive, performance tested lines, disease free, disbudded (if dairy), and conformationally correct to the best of my ability. I price them accordingly and usually that there is enough to keep your average poor home away from them. (You know, the infuriating "Goats wanted - free or cheap" ads) I also do not try to overprice them for my area and for their quality though.

Dairy bucklings I often sell for 25.00 as soon as they are castrated/disbudded. Non-registered of course. Doelings I do NOT sell for 'cheap' without papers, and out of FF dams, doe kids start at 150.00. I do NOT sell dairies with horns.

I post a lot of ads on CL, and have replied to many as well. I also use hoobly and facebook a lot to sell goats, works well for me.

[GoatGirl123]

You can never be absolutely sure somebody will take good care of her, but when you have a prospective buyer get info. Why does the person want the goat? For a pet, for brush clearing, for milk, or for fiber (if a fiber goat) are good answers. Also make sure that, if the buyer is new to goats, the buyer has done their research and really knows how to care for goats. All the while tell the owner extensive info on the doeling. That all should be good enough to make you breathe easy and be pretty sure she went to a good home.

[GoldenWood Farm]

Donna took the words right of my mouth. It is impossible to know a goat is going to a forever home, that being said I do the best I can to make sure all of my animals go to a good home. If I have reservations about someone having the ability or willingness to care for the goat well I won't sell the animal to them.

If someone balks at my prices I tell them where our local auction is located and make sure to warn them what their "cheap" goat will probably cost them in the long run.

I have taken some of my kids down to auction at 8 weeks because I honestly don't have a place to raise them out to butcher age and I need them gone. They most likely go for meat though maybe sometimes they are a pet, one thing I make sure is that I castrate any males I send down. I will NOT send an intact male to the auction because I don't want some unsuspecting person to end up with an intact buck.

I love my goats dearly but I also know they are livestock so I must treat them accordingly .

Justine