# At what age do you decide to wether?



## jaycee (Aug 3, 2011)

Hi I have a month old buckling named Mork who was the only boy I had from an unregistered doe this year. The registered buckling I had sold quickly and the doelings I'm keeping to expand my herd. Mork is from very good stock I believe even though his mother can't be registered. I had only intended to start my herd with registered does but when I saw these goats I couldn't say no as her mother and grandmother were really just massive and unlike any Nubian does I had seen. But now I'm realizing it may be hard to sell an unregistered buck even though there is alot of interest in the girls registered or not.

So my question is... at what age do you make the decision to wether a buck like this? I am not in a great hurry to sell him even though I posted his ad early as he wont even be weaned till nearly August. I have also read that some say it may be unwise to wether at too young of an age before their urinary tract is fully developed. But I do know from my experience with cattle that the younger you do it, the less stressful it seems to be on the animal.

I also would rather not sell him as a wether for meat purposes thats why I didnt price him very cheap. ...

Oh here is his ad on clist btw...
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/grd/3056631484.html

Any suggestions?


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## rosti (Feb 1, 2011)

I wether at 2 weeks of age.


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## Mini Goat Lover (May 4, 2011)

I like to wether at 8 weeks of age. That way they have plenty of time to develop and less of a chance of getting urinary stones.


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## kid'n'kaboodle (Mar 5, 2011)

I would prefer to wait until 2 months old for my pygmy wethers. The last ones I did were sold at four weeks old for pick up at 8 weeks so I wethered them at 4 weeks so I could monitor when their sacs fell off and ensure they were healing well.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

We have boers. They were wethered at 8 1/2 weeks this year and we wethered them at 10 weeks last year. I wouldnt wait too long after 10 weeks. They do better at a younger age in my opinion at 8-10 weeks. We band and prefer that method.


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

I wether at 7 weeks b/c i heard they can breed at 8 weeks. My bucklings were mounting everything at about 10 days of age. :laugh:


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

We've wethered ours at 1 week of age, but sometimes wait until 2 weeks. Just depends on when the buyer wants to take them. We've had some people want to take them under a week, and some want to wait a little longer. I've found that the younger they are, the easier it is.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Have you folks that wether early had any problem with urinary blockage? My vet said to wait till 12 weeks! I've had some people bring the boys back to wether...but...that is such a pain in the backside! I think 8 weeks seems to be average...I think I'll start doing it a little earlier.


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

I have banded kids from 1 week old to 8 weeks, mine seem to suffer less the younger they are. I have not had an issue with stones, although the oldest wether I have had was three, that I banded. He was banded at a week old, though.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I've never had any issues with UC, nor have I had anyone who bought wethered kids contact me with issues...I band at 7 weeks, the oldest wether I currently have is 4 years old and he was wethered at 2 years old...no issues.

I agree with banding and do think that some boys take it harder than others and waiting longer, well...theres just "more" there to accomodate the band as well as shrivel...doing it younger is a bit less traumatic.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Thank you for the info. I think I'll do it earlier from now on. I agree it's easier on them when they are younger. I had some folks here 3 times this year...1 to pick out kid...2 pick up kid...3 bring back for banding. With 14 boys that's...what...43 visits! Not counting the "shoppers"! No wonder I was crazy!


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

I banded at 3 weeks last year, but I doubt I will be banding anything anymore. I will be sending most of my boys to auction, and there's a large ethnic community who wants them intact and horned, and it's much cheaper and easier on the boys if I just let them be. I didn't band anyone this year and the buck I have growing for the freezer is growing like a weed and it logs like I'm going to get nice oysters for the frying pan too.


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