# How long did it take you guys to build your herds?



## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

How long did it take yu guys to build your herds to the point where you are completely satisfied with what you have now? 
And did you make your money back if you shipped in babies? 
Any nip and tuck tips I can use? 
I am planning on shipping in 1300 dollars worth of babies (2 bucks, 1 girl) in 09 . . . starland nigerians will just happen to pop out the money to send me to college . . .


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I built mine then change my mind and started over again. NOw I have what I want  

It took me a year and a couple months.


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## FarmGirl18 (Oct 5, 2007)

I'm just now re-building my Nubian herd, started in the spring shipping in 4 babies, 3 does and a buck. Not sure when I'll get to where I'm satisfied.  I plan on shipping in probably 2 more does next spring..and then I'll go from there I guess. I spent a lot of money on these goats...but I think in time I'll be able to make it back.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I started with 4 goats 14 months ago. I went up to about 25 then down to 13 then up to 20 something and now I am at about 18 with possibly 4 more coming. And not one is from the original herd. I am right where I want to be for now. All different lines - all different colors- differnt breeds - so I have a great mix going on.


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

I went from one to 15 in about 2 years, i'm cutting back to 9 -after those stinkin wethers are gone- then i will hopefully ship in a buck and doe. I want to keep around 20  if possible, but mostly Fullbloods and PBs, which I'm building up to (the highest percentage doe is 88%, her kids will be PB)


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## heathersboers (Sep 5, 2008)

I started out with 5 and then sold them to buy fullblooded boers-then sold them to buy registered boers. I have had up to about 60, but we are down to about 40 now and have what we want to keep for show and breedstock- if things don't change though- We might have to sell about half of our herd. It took us about 5 years to get what we wanted.


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## HollowbeadRanch (Oct 5, 2007)

Well.... I did Boers for a about 5 months and decided they weren't for me.... I started in the Minis at the beginning of July 2007 and had just purchased my last Does to complete my herd this July... so I guess about a year (even though I have been in goats since January 2007). I have had up to 40 head of the Minis at one time... but now I am having to temporarily sell out, and I am thinking about going in a different direction when I rebuild my herd in the Spring. And only plan on having less than 20 head.


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## Muddy Creek Farm (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't think I will ever be to the point where I am "done" I will always be selling and retaining and occasionally buying new goats. I feel comfortable with where I am at right now, And I hope to get my goats appraised next year, this coming show season will tell me whether I am satisfied or not :ROFL: I am also hoping to go on milk test at some point.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i agree with chelsey , i'm not done with building my herd and i wont ever be.. i think a good breeder should constantly be improving the breed they have, i mean you can be pleased with what you have, but you can never have a perfect goat


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I agree entirely with Chelsey and SDK (Sarah, right?) We'll never be completely satisfied as there is always room for improvement but I am content with what we have now. I do want to improve udders though! 

We started with 2 does July 2007 (one more, Honey, that was reserved in May but didn't come home until September). Now we are at 14 does (3 months to 5 years old) and a yearling buck.


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Hey,

Our herd built up fast, we had 72 goats now we have 49 goats though as of Saturday afternoon.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

i started out many years ago with nubians and lamanchas. and then in 99 an alpine doe was given to me, i fell in love with the breed. she was an alright doe. did well in local 4-h shows, but i wanted better. I got lark in 2000, and it went from there. I have four does contributing to what i call my foundation herd. All of my current herd can trace back to one of these four. (one of those does only ever had bucks, but her kids are grandsires of many i have now) But like others have said i am satidfied but there is always room for improvement. I get a new buck about every year, always hope to improve on one thing or another. Every year three to five milkers get sold so i can keep three to five kids.
beth


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## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

I agree with most... never be done building, always bringing in new lines for improvement as needed. But it is going on 7 years for me now since I got my first Nigerian, and my herd is bigger than it has ever been. I probably should downsize, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. :shrug:


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## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

I was just wondering because I'm in the process of getting my first two niggies . . . :shrug:


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## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

Oh how exciting you are going to love them! But bewarned, they are very addictive. :shades: 
I started with just 2 for "pets" and now look at me with 25+ Nigerians later. :roll:


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## Muddy Creek Farm (Oct 5, 2007)

I enjoy the challenge of making a nice herd, both in the show ring and milk pail. I don't think any good herd ever stops trying to improve. :thumb:


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## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

Perfectly said Chelsey! :hi5:


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

That is very well said Chelsey!!  I am so excited for next year bringing in new bloodlines!! :clap:


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

I grew up with daries and love them but I just don't have time to milk right now.I got pygmies 3 three years ago and while they are great pets they just weren't quite what I had in mind. Now I have 6 boers and while I know they can still be improved a lot and I will never be done I like the place I am now where I know what I want and how to get it. (Well sorta)


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Yep, you'll enjoy the Nigerians for sure! We have had Nigerians then we gradually made the transition to Mini-Nubians!


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## newtogoats (Aug 28, 2008)

Amy, can you tell me why you switched from Nigerians to mini-nubians...was it looks, milking, temperment, saleability, other reasons?


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

newtogoats,

Well, the reason we switched from Nigerians to Mini-Nubians was that my sister and I were the only ones who could milk them, we wanted a medium sized goat that would be easy to milk, etc. and their personalities and disposition are the same as the Nigerians though, we sold out of Nigerians about 3 or 4 years ago now. We love Nubians but they were just too big for us to handle then we found out about Mini-Nubians and fell in love with them since they are a perfect size for us and have pretty much the same personality as Nigerians and they give as much milk as full sized Nubians do!


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## newtogoats (Aug 28, 2008)

Thank you Amy.


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

About how much do your mature mini-Nubian does weigh??


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Olivia,

They probably weigh 100-150 but this is just a guess though since we have much bigger Mini-Nubians here than the breed standard though especially the bucks.


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## mnspinner (Aug 13, 2008)

I got my first 2 NDs in 2000 just as pets and started breeding a couple years later. Up to to 18-20 now. Really can't go over that, as time, space and expense preclude more. But I'm nowhere near the base herd I want. I am working now on 3-4 basic lines. It took me that long to see the look I wanted to acheive. The challenge is putting top udders on the more refined appearance I'm after. It's gonna take awhile yet!


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Good luck with your ND's Lynn!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Lets see. We are into our 4th season with Boers and one Nubian. Im just beginning to get an idea on what to improve. It has really only ben since we got our feet wet by showing. While thats not our main focus at all I have learned a whole lot about confirmation and still have a long way to go.
We started out with 3 % FF's and the Nubie. Im getting an idea on who throws what. Watch them throw a wrench in that concept come Feb!!
Every year we are more selective as to who will be registered. The first yr one shorty with a dippy back shouldnt have been.


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

Nancy, not to get offf track but would you register a market weather if he was going to the meat market for sure from the 4-H fair?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes I would, dont all animals have to be registered somewhere if they are shown? At least thats what Ive always thought.
We havent shown any market wethers yet.... the boys get sold.


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

At our 4-H fair they don't have to be.


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## jordan (Nov 22, 2007)

I started in '01 with ND's. I don't have any of the animals I bought my first year and a half. 
I wised up pretty quick (I jumped in before doing a sufficient amount of research on breed characteristics) and started over. I looked to the old timers such as Brush Creek, Caesar's Villa, Goodwood and Willows for my foundation animals. All of my goats have these bloodlines behind them (keeping in mind that Rosasharn is almost entirely Goodwood based). Any new animals I've brought in have also had these lines in their pedigrees while adding a little something new on the sire or dam's side.
So I guess I would have to say it took me almost two years to "build" my herd and 5 years later it is still evolving while the foundation remains the same.
I am most fond of my Brush Creek and Caesar's Villa lines and where I've been able to go with them.
I remember telling myself that 10 was my maximum :roll: My NEW max is 30! I'm almost there and will have to make some extremely tough decisions next year in order to keep the kids that I just HAVE too! 
Lois 
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

Well I'm pretty happy with where I'm at right now. Taken me 3 years to get here though.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have "attachment" issues with my goats....they are my pets/hobby first and the milk comes with the kids...selling "pets" is a plus when it comes time to "finance" my hobby and well, being picky about my only registered nigi doe's future kids as well as where they go would be my priorty when it comes time for her to deliver, my doe looks better than some that I have seen personally and my buck is not bad either, the buck she is bred to looks very good and has good lines, and I think if she does well and has doelings, depending on how things go here, I may just end up "adding" to my registered herd....any bucks of the crosses are wethered before they leave and any bucks born out of the registered doe will be carefully scrutinized before I would decide to sell as a buck....my cross girls are here til I would have to dig a hole...they are too well loved for me to ever sell them to bring in new stock, so I guess I am very comfortable with the goats I have and have made more than a few families happy with their "pets".


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## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

My herd is getting close to where I want it to be, although this is only my 3rd year with the LaManchas. I have two LaMancha grades that will be leaving after they freshen. Then I will have to evaluate my remaining does to decide if they stay or if they go. With feed costs being so high I cannot afford to keep anything that isn't producing what it should be. All buck kids and wethers that aren't pre reserved are sold soon after birth. I think my herd will be nearly always changing-if feed costs keep getting higher-they'll all be finding new homes.


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