# Selling goats



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

How do you guys sell goats?
Like, where do you post them for sale? What do you find to be effective marketing strategies?
It seems I've had these four wethers for sale FOREVER. I've posted them all over Facebook, craigslist, and on our website. And I put a flyer up at the library. Any other ideas?


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Are you saying "not for meat"? JC, because I think wethers are hard to sell at times even without that stipulation....
May however just be the time/area...I have always been able to sell mine but if they don't sell by fall, they will go to auction, if we don't process them ourselves.


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh sorry, I use CL FB and word of mouth


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

No I'm not saying "not for meat". Should I add that? Frankly, I wouldn't care if the one went for meat. But the others...


----------



## HappyCaliGoats (Mar 19, 2014)

I think the goat market is down this year.. I'm having trouble selling a wether and a milker..


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I had two (buckling and doeling) reserved at a few weeks old, they're gone now, and then two doelings went a few weeks ago. Since then I've only had one inquiry, which did not turn into anything.


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Do you have a state or local area classifieds? An example of one we have that's popular in ND is http://www.bismanonline.com/ .


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Here's one that looks interesting for your area. http://www.classifiedny.com/classifieds/ads/north-carolina/pinnacle/goat-for-sale , though I guess that one's not exactly NC specific.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I'd never thought of that. Thanks! I'll post them there.


----------



## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

My goats have been selling like _crazy _this year! I think the longest I've had an add up is 5 days before someone responds - whethers and doelings are going quickly, while some bucklings have to wait longer for the right person. I sell mostly on craigslist, but also Facebook and a website called hoobly.com. I've got responses from all three, mostly craigslist though.

Here's a link to my remaining adds, if you're curious how I do it. Not sure if they're all that great or not, but I can say it's working.
http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5599168111.html
http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5612915077.html

I think a big part of selling is the pictures - if you're not already, take the time to get some decent ones. Mine aren't the best in the world, but they stand out in a quality comparison with my competition's photos (in my humble opinion, anyway. ) A good website is also a great asset, if you don't already have that too - it shows a buyer that you're a legit seller. I made free one with weebly, and it says I get 80-100 unique visitors a week!


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Well, here are some ads and our website:
greenthomestead.com
http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/grd/5536188480.html
http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/grd/5621233897.html


----------



## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

Those adds look pretty good to me - definitely lots of nice pictures!  

One thing I have found is that the automated craigslist email will sometimes not deliver messages. I stopped using it and made a farm email address for people to contact directly. I get some weird spam sometimes, but I've never loss contact with someone like I would over the craigslist moderated email. 

Another thing about craigslist is that it just searches specific words - search engines like Google will make guesses and match synonyms but craigslist is a 1:1 perfect match to whatever you type in. At the end of my adds I put a bunch of tags where I type in all sorts of words that I think people who might want goats would search, things like tractor or truck or hay, so even someone not looking for goats will stumble across my adds. Sometimes I even misspell words in the tags, just incase the person searching does as well.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Thanks! So you put your email in the description?


----------



## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

Yep. When you make the add, you have to check the box "no replies to this email" and then it will let you put your email in the add.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Oh, okay. I'll go change that now  Thanks so much for all your advice!


----------



## VVFarm (Dec 14, 2015)

ShireRidgeFarm said:


> Those adds look pretty good to me - definitely lots of nice pictures!
> 
> One thing I have found is that the automated craigslist email will sometimes not deliver messages. I stopped using it and made a farm email address for people to contact directly. I get some weird spam sometimes, but I've never loss contact with someone like I would over the craigslist moderated email.
> 
> Another thing about craigslist is that it just searches specific words - search engines like Google will make guesses and match synonyms but craigslist is a 1:1 perfect match to whatever you type in. At the end of my adds I put a bunch of tags where I type in all sorts of words that I think people who might want goats would search, things like tractor or truck or hay, so even someone not looking for goats will stumble across my adds. Sometimes I even misspell words in the tags, just incase the person searching does as well.


Yep, I do that too. But I cringe every time I write the tags: Boar, billy, nanny, billies, nannies... LOL


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

I've never had trouble selling kids before, but right now is just awful for me too!I don't have room for 2 bucks! I've only ever used Craigslist but I need to try something different. My photos aren't as good as everyone else's though--here are the 2 kids I'm trying to sell. They're San Clemente Island Goats. 

How do you get such good pictures? They're so close up & nice colors too.


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Having trouble trying to get the pictures on here...


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Not very good pictures & I should have brushed them first.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Where's that thread?.....

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f193/taking-good-pictures-your-goats-how-160191/


----------



## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

I sell on CL, and at the local auction.


----------



## jaimn (May 16, 2015)

ShireRidgeFarm said:


> My goats have been selling like _crazy _this year! I think the longest I've had an add up is 5 days before someone responds - whethers and doelings are going quickly, while some bucklings have to wait longer for the right person. I sell mostly on craigslist, but also Facebook and a website called hoobly.com. I've got responses from all three, mostly craigslist though.
> 
> Here's a link to my remaining adds, if you're curious how I do it. Not sure if they're all that great or not, but I can say it's working.
> http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5599168111.html
> ...


Wow- great ad! I love the details in it. I knew mine was slim anyways, but I now see so many holes compared to yours!!

here's mine: http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/grd/5625169496.html

Yes to pictures! I (finally) got a deposit on some goats yesterday, and buyer said that another ad popped up the day he contacted me, but my pictures were better. Now I just need to post updated pics!


----------



## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

I use Craigslist, a local free sales site called Uncle Henry's and some free online classifieds for Maine and New Hampshire. Most of my responses have been from CL or Uncle Henry's though. As far as photos go, CUTE sells. Pretty sells. And nice, posed conformation sells. I usually start with "cute" and go from there.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Well, looks like three or even all four of them might be sold! :leap: 
Wow! The lady I buy feed from said her husband was interested in getting goats for pasture maintenance (they have sheep). Today I sent her some info about them and her reply seemed pretty promising... I just hope this doesn't fall through!


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Ranger1 said:


> I sell on CL, and at the local auction.


Hi Ranger! How does the auction work? What percentage do they take & can you set minimum bids? What quality of goats are usually there? Are buyers mostly looking for brush eaters, pets & meat or are there people looking for specific breeds or possible breeding stock? If the goat doesn't sell do you have to quarantine it when you get back home, or are they not in with other goats?

Thanks! I really need to sell a buckling but don't want him eaten.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Depends on the auction. The one use in my area is a cull auction for meat. I sell the last auction before Cinco De Mayo any kids, of either sex, I have left and any cull does. I cull hard here. The male kids go for BBQ locally, the does go to the veal farms or the Mennonites for milkers, and any adult wethers or bucks get shipped to Mexico. I save a lot of money by not keeping kids past 4 months old. If I'm using this auction bucklings are wethered and/or disbudded, doelings are disbudded to prevent them from going to a couple groups in the area that practice sacrifice and need perfect animals. 

Goats haven't really sold to the general public in this area for years.


----------



## jaimn (May 16, 2015)

catharina said:


> Hi Ranger! How does the auction work? What percentage do they take & can you set minimum bids? What quality of goats are usually there? Are buyers mostly looking for brush eaters, pets & meat or are there people looking for specific breeds or possible breeding stock? If the goat doesn't sell do you have to quarantine it when you get back home, or are they not in with other goats?
> 
> Thanks! I really need to sell a buckling but don't want him eaten.


My neighbor took his bred registered Kiko to auction because she wouldn't sell on CL, and he got $86 for her as she was sold in a lot with six other goats. He was pretty disappointed, and I think may keep his goats a little longer for sales. Maybe it was the time of year though too, not good for goat sales. My friend is always telling me to take my extras to the auction when the market is good (she's a hard culler too, but I'm a pushover willing to buy extra hay).

Can you wether and keep him? Or sell him as a wether? If you advertise as a brush eater that drinks 1/6th the water of a cow, and make him appealing for fire control, he might find a happy home.


----------



## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

catharina said:


> Hi Ranger! How does the auction work? What percentage do they take & can you set minimum bids? What quality of goats are usually there? Are buyers mostly looking for brush eaters, pets & meat or are there people looking for specific breeds or possible breeding stock? If the goat doesn't sell do you have to quarantine it when you get back home, or are they not in with other goats?
> 
> Thanks! I really need to sell a buckling but don't want him eaten.


Right off, I'm quite sure it's a big meat auction. There are lots of Mexicans working at the orchards in our area, and they come buy them.

They take about 10%, I believe and you can't set reserves. I've never attended a sale, so I don't know what kind go through-mostly meat I think. They always sell.


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

catharina said:


> Hi Ranger! How does the auction work? What percentage do they take & can you set minimum bids? What quality of goats are usually there? Are buyers mostly looking for brush eaters, pets & meat or are there people looking for specific breeds or possible breeding stock? If the goat doesn't sell do you have to quarantine it when you get back home, or are they not in with other goats?
> 
> Thanks! I really need to sell a buckling but don't want him eaten.


 A lot depends on the auction. They take a %, and there may be other fees that they "nickel and dime ya" with feed, water, etc (if they stay the night or something.)

It's really anyone's guess as to what they are going to bring, though the one that my goats eventually go to, seems to stay rather steady. I sell to a guy here in town who takes them, and any other goats that he bought in the area, down to Ft. Collins, CO. I take in a little less, but I avoid any fees, transportation, missing work, hotel room etc etc. Then it's a done deal, he says what he will give..take it or leave it, not really a mystery on what I'm going to get then.

Here's some reports from that particular sales barn, may interest you to look at them to see what they are kind of going for. From my understanding, everything at that one pretty much goes for slaughter though....

Here in ND, twice a year (close to me, there's several other places that have it too), there's a sale called Alternative Livestock auction.. People bring in...well, basically anything. The usual are goats, sheep, llamas, mini ponies, some hogs, miniature cattle....(though I have seen camels and ostriches before), along with all different types of poultry and rabbits. You could maybe keep your eyes open for something like that if there is such a thing in your area. Majority of the stuff there is sold for as pets or for hobbyists.


----------



## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

My husband is part of a live stock auction group on Facebook for mid-Missouri. That's how we found our first goat. Our second goat a friend in NC found for me (the goat was local to me but not for him, I wasn't finding anything on my own). My next two goats I had to do A LOT of searching for and ended up on Craig's list where I messaged the seller through...a few hours later I found their website. Fortunately these goats were REALLY local (ten minute drive from us).

It seems to me it really depends on the market. The first goat we got we didn't know what we were doing and my husband just bid on the first cute goat he saw and we ended up with a goat (we were SO unprepared!!!). He was sold as a mini-Fainter that probably won't faint (he never has). Second goat was a Nigerian dwarf and when we lost him I decided no more NDs for me. Which made it REALLY hard to find a goat since most people around here sell NDs or ND crosses or Boers, turns out I could've gotten a free boer to bottle raise, husband's relative raises them and all his does were having multiples that had to be bottle raised. So I guess what I'm saying is know your market and what people in your area are looking for. With my last two goats I knew exactly what breed I was looking for and REALLY lucked out finding them so close to home and at a price I could afford.


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Wow! Thanks everyone! It sounds like I'd really have to check the local auction house out. I'd hate to send a rare breed goat to slaughter, & we do have a large Mexican community here. I absolutely don't mean that as racist-as a vegetarian I really don't see that it matters what species of domestic animal other people eat in their cultures. Humane slaughtering methods would be a huge concern for me though, if it did come down to that.

I will keep him unwethered as long as I can. Do any of you have an opinion on if bucks sell better than wethers or not? He won't develop the beautiful horns that San Clemente bucks are known for if I wether him. People seem to buy these goats as backyard pets/milkers, just pets, or, with the other bucklings I've sold, sires for non-San Clemente dairy does. (I'm waiting to hear about the results of those crosses with great interest. They don't have very good dairy conformation or super high production, but really high butterfat & mild flavor. Also they can breed throughout the year.)

I'm surprised they don't seem to sell as brush eaters--they're really good at it & I do emphasize that in my ads. I will specifically mention fire prevention now though--thanks for mentioning that. Plus the water savings, since I live in crispy dry California!

At a certain point it would be cheaper to have given him away for free instead of feeding him month after month! I guess I will lower the price again but I hate to; I'm afraid it will affect prices for the breed & there are 2 other breeders (bigger ones) in my area.

Thanks again everyone-good suggestions. I'm going to go edit my CL ad right now.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The thing I would be worried about with San Clemmy buck is the are game hunting farms buying him for guided hunts.


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

catharina said:


> Wow! Thanks everyone! It sounds like I'd really have to check the local auction house out. I'd hate to send a rare breed goat to slaughter, & we do have a large Mexican community here. I absolutely don't mean that as racist-as a vegetarian I really don't see that it matters what species of domestic animal other people eat in their cultures. Humane slaughtering methods would be a huge concern for me though, if it did come down to that.
> 
> I will keep him unwethered as long as I can. Do any of you have an opinion on if bucks sell better than wethers or not? .


If you attend a auction you will see real fast that in most cases it is more nice to the animal to go to slaughter. I sold, and still sell quite a few animals at the sale and have seen some of my girls come back threw and it makes me sick to my stomach. If I wasn't so far from a actual butcher place that's where all my kids and culls would go. Over and done with no abuse. 
As for bucks and wethers it totally just depends on the buyers. Adult boer bucks usually go for up to $300. Yearling 100lb wethers are about $200. For me anything that has balls gets handed before they go to the sale. Most of my bucklings are not culls and I'm not having anyone get my lines for sale yard prices. Plus it also almost guarantees that they will be butchered. There is a few buyers who buy smaller wethers to resell once they are larger


----------



## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

I have a much harder time selling bucklings than wethers. The people in my area are mostly looking for pets, and most of the people who come are getting their first goats. 

I think I am very fortunate in where I live - no one has goats like mine within an hour and a half radius of me. All the people I've met have been so nice, too.


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

goathiker said:


> The thing I would be worried about with San Clemmy buck is the are game hunting farms buying him for guided hunts.


Eeeew...I hadn't thought of that!:shock: They were indeed hunted on the island for trophies. CA might be too PC for canned hunts--I've not heard of any game farms in my area for sure....But I will definitely keep that in mind--thanks for mentioning it.:chin:


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Eastern and Southern Oregon is full of Game Farms though and once they get on the flippers truck?????


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

goathiker said:


> Eastern and Southern Oregon is full of Game Farms though and once they get on the flippers truck?????


Yes--that's why I will keep your warning in mind! They charge large sums for these "hunts" so it would be worth the money to transport animals. Also, the goats aren't really that expensive (bucks go for $300 max, at least where I am) so there's a big profit margin I bet. I wonder how to identify these people if one answers my ad? Have you ever met one? If I sell him as a wether they won't want him as he would just grow "girl horns" according to the lady who runs the SCI Goat Association. Wethers still help the breed by just showing people they exist--wethering is starting to sound like a better idea every minute. We always sold our Alpine wethers quickly as yard ornament-pet-brush eaters.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Here, check this out :lol:

https://www.bing.com/mapspreview?&t...73x14747384974023066719~&v=2&sV=1&FORM=MAPAGG


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

OK-that was fairly reassuring. None of them seemed to feature SCI Goats. I did a further search & couldn't find any elsewhere either-some had Catalina goats & ibexes that looked like goats, even some sheep (barbados, strangely) but I will still keep the possibility in mind.


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Here's a picture of my wild beast:


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Love his horns  Also wanted to mention he is in need of a proper hoof trimming. If you are not familiar with how they should look there are a ton of threads on here with pictures that show proper hooves.


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

NyGoatMom said:


> Love his horns  Also wanted to mention he is in need of a proper hoof trimming. If you are not familiar with how they should look there are a ton of threads on here with pictures that show proper hooves.


Yes--how embarrassing. I put it off because he's such a big pain in the butt & also I'm not very good at it. :sad: I promise to do it tomorrow if it stops raining! Maybe I'll look at some of those pictures first. The soft heels really baffle me. People have shown me twice but I'm kinda dense I guess! I'm terrified of hurting any of my goats.

Sam will be happy to hear that you complimented his horns. He's extremely proud of them. I don't know if you can tell, but in the photo he has hooked his horn high up into the fence so he can dangle with his front feet off the ground. He really loves doing that but it wrecks the fence. He has many horn activities & they all end up destroying something.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Sam sounds like quite a character :lol:

When I was new and rather horrible at hoof trimming, I trimmed the same goat's hooves every day for 4-5 day, getting a little bit more off each time. I didn't have to slave away for an hour while they got worse and worse behaved, and I wasn't so scared I'd hurt the goat. Of course, I do have a stand and disbudded goats


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Don't worry I think everyone that had to learn on their own went threw the same thing. Looking back now I shake my head at how I did it and thought was the correct way lol. Even then I'm still learning. Just a few months ago I was stalking a thread and someone said most of the time people don't take off enough heal and that's what most goats look like they have weak pastures and they kinda rock back on their heals. Made no sense to me but decided I would just try it on a doe and sure enough she came out looking great lol. So just keep practicing any you'll get it. And I must be dense too because this is year 6 for me lol


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Wow, Jessica, glad you mentioned that! Gonna try it on my weak pasterned doe


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yeah I would try it. Just take a little off and see if it's fixing the problem and not making it worse then either take more off or leave it be and you know it's not the issue. But so far since I've been doing that they look like all theses 'pros' (lol) when they get done, all standing nice a pretty


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Nope, not dense, just not experienced enough yet


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! The goats started out as my daughter's FFA project about 5 years ago I think, & I slowly got hooked! I was always happy to be the goat holder & not the hoof trimmer. Then she turned 18 & moved out & there I was. That was just a few months ago. I know I'm not cutting off enough at all because in a week or 2 they look like they need trimming again-so I may as well try the 4 or 5 day in a row method!


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

:GAAH::GAAH:I gave everyone a hoof trim & tried to be braver. I ended up making 2 of them bleed! Even worse, it was the buckling's first trim & then I hurt the doe who is really shy already.


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

It happens to all of us, don't feel too bad about it. 

I have to do a couple tonight too that I've been avoiding...mainly my buck, but it's gotta get done...sigh.... I've been doing a new thing though that seems to help. I have a goat halter that I put on them and clip the side of it to a panel on the feeder. Works like a charm, no movement and it's over with real quick. Amazing how much faster it goes when their aren't dancing all over the place.


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Now that I tie his big horns to the fence it's a lot easier!


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

I finally sold the buckling! I'm very happy for him-he's going to be the sire for the first herd (as far as we can tell) of San Clementes in Washington State. His new person is a vet tech & experienced breeder, so I can't even imagine a better outcome than this! She found my Craigslist ad all the way down here in CA & it so happened we had a trip to Canada planned. I built a heavy duty plastic lined cardboard "car stall" with a reinforced part to tether him, & we put him in it, put it in the back of the car, & many hours later transferred him in his little stall to the back of the new owner's car. One of my fears was him somehow bolting at a rest stop, so we just kept him tethered in the stall the whole time--being he only weighed 35 or so pounds it was easy to carry the stall where it needed to go. I think it also made him feel safer through all the changes. He hardly cried at all. We spent some time all together with the buyer so he could get used to her before we put him in her car & continued on to Canada. She says he's doing great & getting over his shyness quickly.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

That's awesome!

I sadly haven't sold any of my four yet :GAAH::wallbang:


----------



## Dairy_goat (Apr 11, 2015)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> That's awesome!
> 
> I sadly haven't sold any of my four yet :GAAH::wallbang:


What about sending them to a local livestock auction house?


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I, ummmm.....don't wanna :underchair:


----------



## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Seems so traumatic for the animals. It would be a last resort for me, & only if circumstances were desperate. In fact, I'd rather give a goat away to be a pet than send it to auction. Of course, I'm a hobbyist, not a farmer!


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Thank you for putting it poetically


----------



## Dairy_goat (Apr 11, 2015)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> I, ummmm.....don't wanna :underchair:


Sorry! I just thought you were desperate for getting rid of them! That is what I will do with my wethers that no one wants to buy next year (or send them to the butcher). Have you tried your local yardsale fb page? (check the rules first!) that is where I sell most of my pet goats! Good luck!


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

It's okay, figured that was so.  My dudes are a bit (or a lot!) like pets. Yes, I've posted them on four different for sale and livestock pages multiple times.


----------



## MilknHoneyFarm (May 12, 2015)

We post them in the Georgia Farm Bulletin and have had good success.


----------

