Would you do this?

[Shygal]

I have a chance to get 2-3 day old unregistered Nubian doelings for 15$ apiece. That means bottle babies.

While it seems like a very good price to me, the time taken feeding them, and the risk they wont make it seems high also. Would I be better off buying an adult goat and just paying more for it?

[Starsmom]

$15 each is an excellent price. As far as bottle feeding goes, it really isn't that big a deal. Actually it is quiet enjoyable and gives you the opportunity to bond with the new goats. It makes them a much calmer animal than ones nursed by the Mama Goat. You can learn alot about them, their personalities and that info will become invaluable to you later.

[billooo2]

Just my personal preference.....I would not start out with babies. You don't get milk for another year. When you buy babies, in a way, you are buying a "pig in a poke." You won't know what you have until they kid, and you see the udder and what the milk production is like. I prefer buying milkers because I know what I am getting. I can't help but wonder if the old adage applies here, "you get what you pay for." It may just be my skepticism, but if something is too cheap, there is usually a good reason.

If you just want them for pets, and milk production is of no concern, then that makes the whole scenario different.

I guess it depends on why you want them.

Good Luck!!!

[Meg Z]

There is a breeder around here who routinely sells off her kids as bottle babies, unless she specifically bred for replacements. I would buy her kids for that price in a heartbeat.

Then there's another person my friend bought bottle babies off of. They both died, and she found out that his herd had some kind of disease (don't know what) and that's why he was selling.

Moral of the story is...it depends on the circumstance. If the breeder is reputable, and all his/her stock is good quality, I'd jump on it!

My 4 cents...like gas prices, I'm doubling!
<eg

[Freeholder]

If the parent flock was healthy and decent stock, I'd take them at that price, but I already have milkers and could feed surplus goat milk to them. They are more likely to survive and do well on goat milk rather than kid milk replacer, anyway. I start all my babies on goat milk and don't switch them over to milk replacer until they are at least three or four weeks old. I prefer them to be eating hay and grain before I switch them. I have a lot less health problems with them that way.

Kathleen

[mpillow]

The price sounds great. But I would be looking closely at his herd and asking lots of questions. You can get a bucket feeder and let them free choice their milk but cleaning the buckets are a pain....you'll have to feed 3 times a day until about two weeks or longer if your schedule works....I wouldnt wean them before 10-12 weeks which is alot of replacer. Bottle fed does are wonderfully easy milkers when the time comes....you wont be sorry about the added work!

One question you might ask beyond disease is concerning how closely dam and Sire were related.... inbreeding is ok sometimes but not always.

[Tango]

Considering that bottle baby bucklings go for at least $50, that is definitely a good price, if they come from good milking lines. Bottle babies can be fragile however, so I have to say for starting out, they wouldn't make the best investment. Every year I read several dozen bottle babies dying (and many more bottle calves). It 's a heart-wrenching experience. Learning about goat care first hand is easier when you start out with a healthy adult or two. Good deals on healthy adults can be found. They will provide you with a fair opportunity to learn and gain experience, a quicker curve to breeding, gestation, birthing, and milking and less risk of getting attached and then losing her. Not saying that bottle -feeding wouldn't be rewarding but I don't think it is the best way of starting out. And yes, after figuring out your materials, precautionary meds and necessary meds, and your time, you'll be paying considerably more than $15 each. I paid $75 for a young adult Alpine already bred. She freshened with twins three months later. She's now bred for the third time here. Best wishes with your decision.

[shelbynteg]

I would take those babies in a heartbeat if they have received colostrum.