Baby Goat. Should I?

[Striker911]

I know of a free goat. Its a male and is a mixed breed. Owner says its not looking very healthy. Mom passed and so did her other 2 kids (she had 3). This would be my first EXP and I wonder if I should pass on this kind of issue being as it would be my first EXP. Things to consider. The owner probably did not give the kid any colostrum supplement. This is probably why it seems sickly but I am not sure as I only seen it on a camera phone. Should I???

I have a pen but not sure if it would work for a goat. Its 4' chain link that's 20x20'. I would need to build a small building in the pen to keep it out of the elements and that's not an issue. Would 4' be high enough to keep it in? What else should I consider before making a leap like this?

 

[AshleyFishy]

Personally I would pass. Sounds like it will be on death's doorstep in no time. Plus some issues if you introduce it to your soil, you have it for a long time. So if later you got another goat it might pick something too.

How old is it? In what manner did they lose the others? What are the symptoms? what breed is it?

Also would you be planning on keeping it as a pet? There is very little resale value on a bottle buckling after milk cost.

 

[Striker911]

Its a Boer, Sarda mix. It is small. A little under 2 weeks old. The owner stated that the mother was old and had many kids. Like maybe the issue was she was too old to have triplets. As far as the rest of the info goes, I would have to call and ask. The owner works with my wife.

 

[NaturesPace]

If you did get him you should neuter him and keep him with another goat. They are not happy as a single goat. The could eat lots of poison ivy and blackberry bushes that you don't want, but a friend is a must.

 

[Striker911]

Not sure I would want a herd animal that was neutered though. I had planed to get a couple in the next year or so, but this one just fell in my lap. It would be half the battle for free. Any other reason to neuter it other than to keep it in check as an only goat? I would like 4 total (ideally) and it would be nice to only have to pay for one.

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

What are you wanting goats for? I know the little buck is a boer (meat breed). Seeing as the little guy is sickly right now, he might still be sickly as an adult and you might have trouble with breeding him. Going the cheap route isn't really a healthy attitude since goats need to be fed and properly cared for (they will need hay, minerals & vitamins, dewormings, possibly grains and adequate shelter and fencing) and that will add up in cost. Not all the time, but most of it, you usually get what you pay for. Just jumping in isn't fully wise when it comes to goats or any livestock; they're not like cats and dogs. It is super beneficial to do your research ahead of time and think about what you want in your goats and still have healthy, happy stock.

 

[Striker911]

Thanks. I did some looking into it and that's why I decided to wait. Then this came up. I have way too much to do this year. I plan on building a poll barn, adding onto the house, rebuilding my tool shed, just to name a few larger projects. Oh and we need a pump house after this winter : (.

As far as what I would want out of it. I want production. Milk, meet, and more things to do lol. I have all the building supplies on hand to house it, but buying the rest would probably just jeopardize my other plans and it could all just be for nothing. So far I am leaning towards the idea of holding off.

 

[rebelINny]

Sounds like you may want to hold off. Starting off with a bottle baby is a battle all on it's own. There is a lot to know about having a bottle baby.

 

[taylorm17]

I agree with all of the above posts. If you did get him, I would neuter him because he is your first goat. I would definitely have a companion (goat companion) for him. If he is weak and sick as a baby he may not recover if it was that he didn't get any colostrum. Also there really is no 'cheap' route when starting with goats. They require certain things like said above. Also starting with a sick goat, with you not knowing the real problem, can cause you problems with later goats. A goat normally isn't free unless there is something wrong with it. I personally wouldn't take him. Also you may want to start off with purebreds, in my opinion. Babies can be sold for more that way and if it is not just a dairy breed, it may not produce a lot of milk as what you may want.

 

[Striker911]

Okay I am going to pass then. Thanks for the helpful information. As stated, I just dont really know what I would be getting into. I was saying the same thing to the wife when she told me about it. "Free is not always the best price".