# Shes driving me crazy!!



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Little background: 
Some of you know if you have been to my house that my aunt lives next door to me. Over the years that I have had goats (14) she has been off and on interested in them. Lately though she has become obsessed with the goats milk. I thought it was a fade like each and every other time where she will want it for a couple weeks but if I ask for help with the goats to keep them fed she decides she doesn't want it. 

Im trying to convince her that her own herd would be great for her - she doesn't work and stays home all day. But her husband doesn' want animals. Such a shame because they have an acre wooded lot that isnt' being used. They also have a poll barn that would only need some siding and wala they have a shelter. I mean the hardest parts are out of the way. :sigh: 

So instead she is trying to find a source of milk for when my girls dry off. Its very hard since in NJ you cant legally sell raw goats milk even for pet consumption so in general no one really is interested in trying to sell it under the table. I have been nice and told her I would try but so far the people i know dont have any nigerian dwarfs in milk only a lamancha. I need to see if she will like the taste of their milk and we may have a temporary solution. 

Im considering seeing if she will want to lease some of my goats = this way she doesn't technically own them and when they go away I will feed them and care for them. But I dont have to pay for their feed and milk them. I know business with family can get dicey so I want ideas if you have any for helping me make a good pitch to my aunt about this.

Then once my Uncle sees how it does work out for them to go places and do things even with animals then maybe she can start her own little herd. 

I need ideas on: who owns any kids born? do we split it 50/50 or does she own them? 
If she decides to sell a goat: do I give her any profits, I dont if its a free lease right? 
Who pays for vet bills? the leasee or the owner? 

anything else Im missing?


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## Willow (Jun 12, 2011)

Does your aunt actually want goats? If not I would suggest backing off from the lease idea. If she isn't interested in owning goats and only wants the milk...just give her /sell her the milk. Maybe you could work out a simple barter or exchange for each quart. Perhaps sharing goat feed cost seems a bit too much for her and she would be willing to buy you bread or fruit or something. I have a friend who exchanges her homemade bread for milk and another who gets a gallon of milk and makes cheese and then shares 1/2 the cheese with me.
I agree that business with relatives can be dicey and may not be worth the stress.
How would a lease situation help you?


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Hm, I get a bad feeling somewhere in my stomac when I read your entry. Even with the translating machine, I have difficulties to get the details, but I think I have the main things clear. And my first feeling is that if your uncle and aunt do not really want their own animals, then it might not be so nice to be a goat at their place. Unused wooded acre or no unused wooded acre. Leased or owned, no big difference for the goat.

One model could be to lend her a couple of goats for a specified period. Then, she will not be able to sell any, and the kids will be yours. A contract where she promises to call for a vet when necessary.

Or you could rent the unused acre for the price of so and so much milk - if that can be forced into the legal room.

If you can teach me how to send you a PM I might add something more.

- And it would be nice if someone could teach me how I see the age of a thread and of an entry! I fear that I am answering an old question ...  

/Trollmor


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

oh no she wants goats - its my uncle who doesnt want to be tied down (something about wanting to up and leave whenever he feels like it - which they rarely do anyway)

she does buy the milk off me right now - but my girls are going to be dried off soon. I dont want to keep paying to feed them since she doesnt pay me enough to keep them in milk. Its hard on my budget to keep does in milk. Plus she would want milk all year round and I cant milk in the cold - I refuse to. 

a lease situation would help me because I wouldnt have to sell the two does I was going to have to sell in the spring because Im retaining doe kids.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

I would consider selling her a herd share...there are some pretty good contracts available online that lay out all of the info/details. Basically, she would be entitlted to the milk that her "share" of the herd produces and she would pay a weekly or monthly boarding fee to cover the cost of care for her share. Around here, it usually costs $20-30 for a share and boarding fees range from about $5-8/week...that will get you 1 gal of milk/week. If she decided she didn't need milk anymore, she could sell her share back to you.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

right now she is getting a quart a day which ends up being that she almost pays for a bag of feed per two weeks. But I dont just feed grain. They get hay and they get alfalfa pellets and beat pulp.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

Is there any way you could keep just one doe in milk to provide the quart a day that she wants and then you wouldn't have to be paying to keep several does in milk??


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

StaceyRoop said:


> They get hay and they get alfalfa pellets and beat pulp.


And care and hooftrimming and vet when needed, and ... Oh, dear, if one starts summing up, the milk will be really a piece of gold ...


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

the driving me crazy part - forgot to add that:

She wants milk so bad she asks me every day or almost every day if "so and so milks their goats" and "dont you know someone in ____town, do they milk?" and then tells me I should buy more does in milk etc. 

Im just not up to doing all her little errands or buying all the goats that are in milk just because she feels she needs to spread goats milk around to her friends too (yes she has told me that ). So I told her "why don't you get your own little herd" and she was considering it and said that she would if my Uncle would let her. 

The wooded lot has had a horse on it and its mostly cleared its just like my backyard (we are neighbors like I said) and she does have chickens. They have a pool as well. So its not a super overgrown woods just a nice shady area with good drainage - we have sandy soil but they are up on higher ground then we are so they drain faster.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

StaceyRoop said:


> Im just not up to doing all her little errands (...)


There you have, I think, the "jumping spot". The important thing. She do her own errands, and that's it. Especially if it is difficult to get it inside the law.

Beside that, of course, we help good neighburs out. And our best friend CAN be our relatives or our neighburs, but there is no guarantee for it ...

I have noticed ...


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

Would she be interested in learning to care for a goat? Since you are neighbors, it seems reasonable that she could learn to milk herself and could come over do basic care to keep a doe or two in milk. If she could provide some care in addition to paying for doe's feed that would make it more worth your while. If her husband does not want goats on their property, this may be her only option.


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## Willow (Jun 12, 2011)

Ok...I'm getting the picture. Now I think that she should get her own goats and you can be her mentor/advisor as she gets started...no $ involved and no obligations from you ...and she can join TGS.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I just casually mentioned the leasing option to her when I brought milk over this morning. I know she will need to run it by my uncle before even considering it.

OH and the thing is its my Uncle who LOVES the milk - my aunt does too but she has to tell him to slow down since the milk isnt as easy to come by as store bought milk obviously. 

So I told her that next year I plan on selling my milkers and keeping a lot of junior does. I will still have maybe 3 in milk but may only have 2. This significantly reduces the supply. So with that in mind I hope she either considers purchasing the does Im going to sell OR she leases them out or gets her own. I know she will love work with them and all. 

I know goats arent for everyone but in this case I really feel its best she get some of her own - its hard to have her just come over and help because I like things done a certain way adn she NEVER follows directions properly (Im a tad picky). 

And I dont really need help - I just need more room and more money - the work is never an issue.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Trollmor said:


> StaceyRoop said:
> 
> 
> > Im just not up to doing all her little errands (...)
> ...


I know I know -- but I have a hard time telling her I wont do it.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

If they truely rarely go anywhere, get uncle to understand that you could be there to take care of aunties herd while they're gone. I mean you could milk for a couple days if you needed to and she would give you someone to fall back on in an emergency.

Or start a herd as a joint effort. Which would give you more room and more money.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I know! It just seems like not a huge issue, but for some reason it is to him.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

StaceyRoop said:


> I know I know -- but I have a hard time telling her I wont do it.


Yes, that is the though bit. Question is, how do we support you in standing up for yourself and for your goats without being mean to her or her husband? I don't know how, but I know it is necessary. Everyone needs good friends!


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I would try and get them to make their area ready and get their own herd. 
She can buy your does in milk and maybe a few others. I will have some. :wink: 

Maybe they can be able to not feel tied down if you say you will care for their herd when they go away and if you feel that she would be a good at watching your do it in trade or if not them a small fee if necessary. Hopefully since they don't go away often it will all be fine. 

I do think you are better off with her having her own and then all vet care responsibility and costs are on them. 

If they want to to pick up their feed when you go for yours it will be 50 cents a bag or something to help supplement your gas. 
May work out to everyones benefit in the end.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If the addiction to milk.. is so great with the uncle...say straight out... it is either leasing or buying the goats for the milk... to keep up with the demand for the want of milk... tell uncle.... breeders cannot legally sell to you milk so... you don't want to get into trouble or get anyone else into trouble..... Tell them ..the in between can be accomplished better... if they get their own goats for that supply in demand and figure out ...how many they will need to do so... 

If you lease...say straight out... I love you guys you know that I do but ...with any lease comes a contract...which will help with any disputes that may or may not arise down the road... 

With the kids born...if they are only leasing to get the milk.. then ..you will get all kids.... If they are preggo you and her will split 50/50 in the feed and care so the Doe is up in her nutrition for both.... If later she decides that she wants to own her own herd then... you can add a lease with 50/50 ownership of kids born ...so she can create her own herd....of so many.... and have that number in the lease contract... 

Your Aunt shouldn't get any profits from the kids no...it is a milk lease...

Vet bills or any care of the goat is 50/50 ...as you both ...are taking the care in the aspect of milk to breeding care..which the Goat has to be pregnant in order to give any milk or babies... :wink: :hug:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Well I own the bucks so I think I should get more of the share in profit from the kids either way. 

Now that I mentioned leasing I will wait to see what she says about it and if she is interested and then go from there.

Logan I think he same way too! I figure though if she leases then she will eventually want her own  I don't plan on being here in 5 years (hopefully less) so she will need to figure something out since it won't be next door for the rest of my life


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Well I own the bucks so I think I should get more of the share in profit from the kids either way.


 OK then... there ya go...you put the % that you want on them... :wink:


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## Tolers Boers (Jul 4, 2011)

probly don't want my pennies worth...but she needs to get her own goat.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I know Tolers! But im trying to help me so im not going crazy over here!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

OK, I could say something in a PM, but have not yet the option. I shall have to wait ... :impatient:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

just click the email option


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

StaceyRoop said:


> just click the email option


Hm, I don't know this forum yet. Where do I click? Users Control Panel and Options? Or?

On the other hand, this entry puts me 1/25 closer to the PM option ...


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

You say they have a horse and chickens...who takes care of them when your uncle wants to up and leave? Adding a few goats to this mix seems easy.Two more animals to take care of is nothing. Trying approaching him in a way taht suggests this. Especially if you are willing to milk the goats when they are gone. And that milk can be frozen to use when they get back!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

She jsut leaves extra water and food. Chickens dont gorge themselves on food like ducks will. 

They no longer have a horse and the pen was taken down - I think she was the last large animal they ever owned.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Hm, I don't know this forum yet. Where do I click? Users Control Panel and Options? Or?
> 
> On the other hand, this entry puts me 1/25 closer to the PM option .


To use PM feature... Do you see under what you wrote above....or even on my post answer here to you.... right on the bottom of each poster... there is a spot to click on... Profile... PM... email ...ect...very tiny buttons..... go to the member you want to PM and click on it...it will take you there ...so you can write what you want to.... :greengrin:


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