Livestock No More Goats

[Freeholder]

Probably no more goats ever again. Sold my whole herd today (ten total, including three kids and two yearlings). (I still have chickens, just half a dozen bantam hens and a rooster right now, though with my brother and his wife moving here, I'm planning to get or hatch a few more.) It feels kind of strange, after almost forty years raising the critters, not only to not have any now, but to know that I probably will never get any more of them. I was a little shocked, I had three guys all wanting to buy the whole bunch, all for weed and brush control.

Kathleen

 

[West]

Probably no more goats ever again. Sold my whole herd today (ten total, including three kids and two yearlings). (I still have chickens, just half a dozen bantam hens and a rooster right now, though with my brother and his wife moving here, I'm planning to get or hatch a few more.) It feels kind of strange, after almost forty years raising the critters, not only to not have any now, but to know that I probably will never get any more of them. I was a little shocked, I had three guys all wanting to buy the whole bunch, all for weed and brush control.

Kathleen

Just out of curiosity, did you get a good price?

 

[Chicken Mama]

Can you tell us why you made the decision to sell after all these years?

 

[bluelady]

Aw, I only had mine for a couple of years, but it was sad to let them go. Goats have such personalities you get super attached to them. Even the annoying ones...LOL! We got rid of ours at a loss, because they were all registered or eligible, but it was a great decision because they all went to a sweet homeschooling/homesteading family who had more experience with goats than I did. They were as attached to each other as I was to them so I wanted them to stay together.

 

[Freeholder]

Just out of curiosity, did you get a good price?

Could have done better selling them individually -- I got $1200 for ten goats, including three small kids. But I wanted to get it done; selling them individually would have taken longer.

The reason for selling was my bad back -- finally accepted that it's never going to get better (and there isn't anything I can take for it anymore). I can still manage some chickens, but the goats were too much. Sad, but also relieved, to see them go. But the guys who got them have had goats before, and know what they are doing, so they should be fine.

Kathleen

 

[West]

Could have done better selling them individually -- I got $1200 for ten goats, including three small kids. But I wanted to get it done; selling them individually would have taken longer.

The reason for selling was my bad back -- finally accepted that it's never going to get better (and there isn't anything I can take for it anymore). I can still manage some chickens, but the goats were too much. Sad, but also relieved, to see them go. But the guys who got them have had goats before, and know what they are doing, so they should be fine.

Kathleen

Yeah, moving sacks of feed and the once in a while one needs to pick up a goat, or move them around..I too see that someday I'm going to need to give it up too.

Not a bad price, that will buy a lot of chicken feed.

All the best.

 

[Freeholder]

Yeah, moving sacks of feed and the once in a while one needs to pick up a goat, or move them around..I too see that someday I'm going to need to give it up too.

Not a bad price, that will buy a lot of chicken feed.

All the best.

I think I can buy chicken feed in 20-25 lb. bags, too. I've had to start buying dog food that way.

Kathleen

 

[Freeholder]

My brother and sis-in-law are moving onto the property -- they are buying an acre from me to put a house on. So I will have some help. But she is sick (has lupus, has had heart attacks), and he also has a bad back. I'm hoping between us we'll be able to keep a garden and some chickens going.

Kathleen

 

[fish hook]

My brother and sis-in-law are moving onto the property -- they are buying an acre from me to put a house on. So I will have some help. But she is sick (has lupus, has had heart attacks), and he also has a bad back. I'm hoping between us we'll be able to keep a garden and some chickens going.

Kathleen

Really hope that works out for you. Sad to have to give up your goats. Mine have been gone for several years, for the same reason. Had to let the chickens go as well.

 

[ioujc]

Could have done better selling them individually -- I got $1200 for ten goats, including three small kids. But I wanted to get it done; selling them individually would have taken longer.

The reason for selling was my bad back -- finally accepted that it's never going to get better (and there isn't anything I can take for it anymore). I can still manage some chickens, but the goats were too much. Sad, but also relieved, to see them go. But the guys who got them have had goats before, and know what they are doing, so they should be fine.

Kathleen

I know. And I know it was a very hard decision for you.

The only reason I haven't done this is mine are Nigerian Dwarf goats.

I also can barely manage my 3 big dogs>>>>Great Pyrenees.

I keep forgetting I will be 70 this year>>>> I don't feel that old until I have to manage things>>>like unloading 10 fifty pound sacks of grain or lifting (or trying to) bales of hay>>>I too have a bad back, (two herniated discs) but it just frustrates me that I can't do what I used to do!! In my head I am NOT this old and creaky!!!

I am close to that point>>>>>>

 

[Walrus]

Probably no more goats ever again. Sold my whole herd today (ten total, including three kids and two yearlings). (I still have chickens, just half a dozen bantam hens and a rooster right now, though with my brother and his wife moving here, I'm planning to get or hatch a few more.) It feels kind of strange, after almost forty years raising the critters, not only to not have any now, but to know that I probably will never get any more of them. I was a little shocked, I had three guys all wanting to buy the whole bunch, all for weed and brush control.

Kathleen

One thing about it, Kathleen - things are going to be a lot quieter around your place.

 

[Freeholder]

One thing about it, Kathleen - things are going to be a lot quieter around your place.

Temporarily, at least! With my brother and his wife moving here, there's going to be construction going on as they get their house built (whether it ends up being site-built, or a double-wide -- the road may not be wide enough to get the halves of a double-wide in here, is the question). And then we'll have their company, so we aren't going to be as isolated as we have been.

Kathleen

 

[Freeholder]

I know. And I know it was a very hard decision for you.

The only reason I haven't done this is mine are Nigerian Dwarf goats.

I also can barely manage my 3 big dogs>>>>Great Pyrenees.

I keep forgetting I will be 70 this year>>>> I don't feel that old until I have to manage things>>>like unloading 10 fifty pound sacks of grain or lifting (or trying to) bales of hay>>>I too have a bad back, (two herniated discs) but it just frustrates me that I can't do what I used to do!! In my head I am NOT this old and creaky!!!

I am close to that point>>>>>>

The Big Dog I have right now (mostly Great Pyrenees) is still fairly young, just almost two years old, and she is a handful sometimes, but I would hate to have to do without her. I did debate finding her another farm, because I plan to keep my chickens contained from here on out, but I think it's worth keeping her around for the intimidation factor. Plus she will keep deer out of the garden.

My friend who is on the road a lot wants a LGD for her place, but couldn't figure out how to raise a puppy when she's gone for several days almost every week. So I offered to have the pup here when she's on the road; she'll take it home on the days she's home. I think it's going to work out well for both of us and for the pup, because this way he'll get used to me so I'll be able to handle him if necessary when she's away (she has someone checking on and feeding her animals while she's away). And he'll be used to getting in a vehicle -- it's hard when you have a dog that size and have to take it someplace, and it doesn't want to get in the truck or car! She's getting a Karakachan pup, which is a new breed to me, but they sound interesting.

Kathleen

 

[Walrus]

The Big Dog I have right now (mostly Great Pyrenees) is still fairly young, just almost two years old, and she is a handful sometimes, but I would hate to have to do without her. I did debate finding her another farm, because I plan to keep my chickens contained from here on out, but I think it's worth keeping her around for the intimidation factor. Plus she will keep deer out of the garden.

My friend who is on the road a lot wants a LGD for her place, but couldn't figure out how to raise a puppy when she's gone for several days almost every week. So I offered to have the pup here when she's on the road; she'll take it home on the days she's home. I think it's going to work out well for both of us and for the pup, because this way he'll get used to me so I'll be able to handle him if necessary when she's away (she has someone checking on and feeding her animals while she's away). And he'll be used to getting in a vehicle -- it's hard when you have a dog that size and have to take it someplace, and it doesn't want to get in the truck or car! She's getting a Karakachan pup, which is a new breed to me, but they sound interesting.

One thing my Pyrs really seem to dislike is riding in a vehicle - they don't even want to load up in the back of a UTV when we're just going to go down to the river for a bit. I've never quite figured out why but even the puppies are like that.

 

[Freeholder]

One thing my Pyrs really seem to dislike is riding in a vehicle - they don't even want to load up in the back of a UTV when we're just going to go down to the river for a bit. I've never quite figured out why but even the puppies are like that.

When we moved from Oregon to Kentucky about four years ago, we brought my Maremma X Akbash, who was then about six years old. I had always had trouble getting her into vehicles for going anywhere (usually trips to the vet). So I was pretty concerned about trying to travel 2/3's of the way across the country with her. But she never gave me a minute of trouble on the trip! She'd almost never been in the house (only twice in her whole life before the move), but was a perfect lady in motel rooms; loaded in the truck without any problem; just generally behaved like a champ the whole trip. We lost her about a year ago, sadly. I'd hoped to have her for at least a couple more years.

 

[ioujc]

My girls>>>>2 of them are about 6 years old and then I have the SMART dog's daughter>>>>who is also very intelligent and understands the Livestock guardian idea. She, Stubby, is about 15 months old. They are all three, Great Pyre and Commodore mix. Stubby has a minute amount of Husky>>>>but it is not discernible in her appearance and definitely not in her behavior.

One of the older dogs is really, REALLY STUPID, as far as livestock guardian!! She will chase any farm animal and hurt/kill it if allowed to.

That is why she is pretty much locked up>>>>>HOWEVER>>>>>she will absolutely guard the property from ANYTHING!! She especially dislikes people who have alcohol or drugs in their system!! Don't quite understand where she got this from, but it is absolutely a "NO FAIL" system!! I have had people come on the property>>>>male and/or female, who have been "using" something and she literally will "track" them, looking for for an opportunity to "get 'um!!" I have to keep her under control when she is like this and she is a pretty big, strong dog!! I have seen her go after livestock>>>>don't want to see what she would do to person!!

Other folks, who apparently have "clean" systems, she will take right to, and enjoy them being around. She does not however, want anyone near her "Mama" (me!!) The drug and/or alcohol use is apparent (to me from either the smell or just asking>>>which they will tell me the truth to get the dog "off" of their heels>>>>because she is quite intimidating with her behavior!! She will be all ridged, down her spine and snarl if they try to come any closer to me or onto the property!!

The other two will do this too, but are more obedient to my commands>>>she, on the other hand remains vigilant and threatening to keep them "at bay."

The other two will act this way with the livestock if there is any threat to them, but Sadie is just focused on guarding MOM! AND>>>>having "fun" messing with the livestock!

 

[nomifyle]

No more goats would make me very sad. We have ten and they are all brush goats. We do not buy feed for them, although DH got a bale of hay last month for $20. And he gives them a little bit of corn from time to time.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[Freeholder]

No more goats would make me very sad. We have ten and they are all brush goats. We do not buy feed for them, although DH got a bale of hay last month for $20. And he gives them a little bit of corn from time to time.

God is good all the time

Judy

I hadn't needed to buy feed for mine for a couple of years, though if we'd had a bad snowy winter, I would probably have needed some. But I haven't been milking, haven't been able to get hooves trimmed (though none of them were really long when we loaded them up), haven't been able to worm them or vaccinate or anything. And then my brother and his wife are moving onto the property, and I didn't want them to have to worry about being accosted by one of the bucks (they weren't mean, but could be annoying). So it was time to let them go. But yeah, it makes me sad.

Kathleen

 

[marsofold]

We keep six St. Croix hair sheep for meat purposes. Totally wormproof and not escape artists. We took a shed and turned it into a sheep cave, divided down the middle with the rams (2) on one side and the ewes (4) on the other side of a barrier. Cleaning out the sheep cave is the most stressfull task in my life. I have to use a snow shovel to shovel a mix of pine shavings (bedding) and sheep poop into seven 55 gallon garbage bags. A total of around 350 pounds of the mix to be hauled away on a wheelbarrow to be dumped on my "compost" pile 500 feet away. I'm now almost 69 years old, with arthritis starting in my hands. Not sure how long I can keep up the task.

 

[Freeholder]

We keep six St. Croix hair sheep for meat purposes. Totally wormproof and not escape artists. We took a shed and turned it into a sheep cave, divided down the middle with the rams (2) on one side and the ewes (4) on the other side of a barrier. Cleaning out the sheep cave is the most stressfull task in my life. I have to use a snow shovel to shovel a mix of pine shavings (bedding) and sheep poop into seven 55 gallon garbage bags. A total of around 350 pounds of the mix to be hauled away on a wheelbarrow to be dumped on my "compost" pile 500 feet away. I'm now almost 69 years old, with arthritis starting in my hands. Not sure how long I can keep up the task.

Even with small livestock, there is a lot of work -- handling bedding, as you mentioned. Handling animals for worming and vaccinations, hoof trimming (if necessary), disbudding and castrating and tattooing or putting in ear tags if you need to do that. Daily handling if you are milking. Feeding, and handling all the feed. Water -- hoses help, but water containers need to be cleaned regularly, and sometimes dumped and moved. And on and on....we are down to just chickens now. I'm considering rabbits, if my brother is willing to help with them once they get moved here. I could do most of that, most of the time, but there would be days once in a while when I couldn't, like the last three or four days with the sciatica attack. (Though, next time that happens, I'll know what it is and be on top of it faster.) I'd like to get some ducks and geese, but probably not this year. Maybe next year, depending on several things. But, no more animals larger than that.

Kathleen