# What to do



## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

We had to change our plans for our goat housing at the new place, we just can't afford the fencing and sheds we had originally wanted and now I don't think we have the room for all 6 goats. I had made the decision when I was down at the new farm to sell my fullblood doe and her two kids. Problem is I don't want the doe bred again due to having deer worm and difficulties with her first pregnancy. She is very much a pet and I don't want her to end up on someone's table. Yes shes a meat goat, but I also have a special attachment to her and why I kept her. I had hoped our neighbor would want to buy them, she is a rather wealthy woman that has a collection of spoiled animals including two of our goats so I know my doe would have a forever home and never be bred, but she couldn't take them. Now I am so torn if I should just try to keep them or sell them? We only ended up with a 5 X 10 shed. I'd have to divide it in half and put in another door as the other doe and her kids are a bit of terrors to these 3. The fencing I had will probably only fence 1/2 acre, so I am worried about not having enough pasture to feed all 6 without supplementing more than I wanted to. We have a lot more acreage, more than we need for the horses, we just cant afford to fence it all for goats. Our horses are sooo much easier to fence, they'd probably stay in a strand of dental floss! 
If I sell them I will most likely have to divide up the trio. I have not registered the two kids yet, but they could be and both are breeding quality. I paid $1200 a piece for both parents so they certainly aren't junk lol. 
If you made it through my babbling good for you


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## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

Wow, sorry to hear your dealing with all of that. If you feel like you want to sell then maybe you should do that and only keep the ones you feel like you can't live without. You can always put up fencing a little at a time as you can afford to do that eventually you'll be able to do more.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I hate having to make those kinds of decisions. You probably aren't going to like what I'm going to say tho... I know what you paid for the goat, but she isn't worth that now since she can't be bred. You will only get market value for her. The trio IS going to get split up. What does it cost to register the kids? If it's not a lot, get them registered and sell them. Mama? well....you either have to decide to keep her as a pet for yourself or just sell her and hope for the best. If you don't have room, tho, she becomes a liability and a strain on your resources. Like I said...I hate having to make those kinds of decisions. And...I have bought "pet" animals like that from people who refused to split some up and the pet has gone straight to the sale. I don't lie and tell them I'm keeping it, but I don't tell them it's going to the sale either. So, be aware that whoever buys her (unless you know them) is probably going to either sell her or eat her.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Oh I already know she is not worth what I paid for her, if shes not going to bred and not going to be food shes not worth a dime. I would most likely give her away to a good home, the thing is finding a good home for her that is going to stay a pet. I'd keep just her and sell the kids, but my other does that I am for sure keeping beat up on her. 
It shouldn't be as complicated as I feel it is lol, I am just way too attached to my goats!


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I kinda thot I was telling you what you already knew. LOL It's horrible trying to make those decisions. I have a daughter who gets upset when we have to decide if one is worth keeping or not. It shouldn't be complicated, but it always is! Good luck.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

I have such a terrible time selling my goats even when I know they are going to have a good home! We had around 40 goats this spring, but that is what put the down payment on our new place. 
If the goats all got along better it would be easier to keep them all but my Maggie is really a horrible goat lol. I already have a horse that is just a pet, so I don't really need to add onto the feed bill for pet animals. We were originally going to fence in our entire pasture with boxwire and keep the horses and goats together until we figured out how much that was going to cost us! There is split rail already on part of the horse pasture, so seems silly to replace that. The back side of the field will just be a couple strands of electric, not enough to keep the goats in and coyotes and neighbors dogs out. There is going to be too much pasture for our fat horses, we talked about getting a feeder calf in the spring to help keep the pasture down so I don't have to brushhog as much... but Id probably get too attached to that to sell it in the fall too!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Have you thought about the cheap plastic snow fence? It gives a visual barrier that would keep a tamer doe inside the horse fencing. Perhaps the pet goat and the pet horse could be bonded. She may not stray out of the fence if that horse is her only companion.


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## HoukFarms (Apr 14, 2013)

If you are going to sell the doelings
what ones would they be?


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

My fullbloods


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

Oh Maggie I am sorry, that is a tough decision to have to make. I agree that maybe she can be bonded with the horse. I hope you find a solution that gives you peace.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Think I have found someone to take them, at least the momma for sure  She'll be even more spoiled then she is here.


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## HoukFarms (Apr 14, 2013)

That's good


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