Author Topic: Keeping the buck by himself (Read 3448 times)

fifixx · « **on:** November 14, 2012, 12:48:22 pm »

I separated out the buck and the wether from the females yesterday, Hunky the wether not happy and let me know all night long as shut in pen!

This morning I let them out into their paddock and he jumped out 4 times - and as i was in a hurry to go out, I gave in and put him back with the females.

My buck is up for sale, so might go in the next few weeks. Can I keep him alone? He is near the house and there is always something going on, the chickens are next door and he has a cushy pen. Poor Hunky (who should be off to the freezer, but has achieved pet status unfortunately) really doesn't like being his "boyfriend" any more after all last year till September.

If he doesn't sell soon, I could buy next year's buck and keep them together (I have been offered one, but he is dehorned, so can't really keep have one horned and the other not). I don't really want to buy another before selling him - cashflow will get a battering

fifixx · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2012, 10:32:53 am »

could do with some wise words!

jaykay · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2012, 11:54:36 am »

Ok, here's some words, not sure how wise they'll be

Had he mated with all the girls? What is he like left with them? I'm wondering if you could just let them all live together or if he really does have to be taken out? Some billys are aggressive, others not. But obviously if you have females you don't want mates that's not a good plan. Could you have a 'grown ups' and 'female youngsters' field instead of a male and female field? That depends if he's nice to the girls or not.

No, not a good idea to keep a horned and unhorned goat together.

Obviously it's not ideal that he's on his own but if he has to be, better that he should be near the house and with plenty of coming and going. Phew, you have a better stomach than me, keeping a billy near the house

Do you have male sheep he could hang around with instead. This is best away from the smell of inseason females, of either species, since that might cause them to be bolshy with each other, whereas generally they can get along fine if there is nothing to stir them up.

fifixx · « **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2012, 11:24:48 am »

He's difficult to keep with the girls as when we are around, he likes to gently butt us - not good with a goat with curly horns which drew blood on my stomach a few weeks ago!

We have just managed to get some of the huge fences that councils use - so the plan is to fence around his pen and the wether will have to go back with him, this is the reason we have kept the wether and not eaten him!!

He's up on the UK goats website here http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/sale2.html#bo , hopefully he'll sell and I can wait till next year to get another buck

colliewoman · « **Reply #4 on:** November 16, 2012, 10:01:13 pm »

Phwoar!!! If you want to hire him out for a bit do let me know

Or have some girlies come to live in his pen for a month?
Mine aren't boers, but I put them to a boer as I have no intention of keeping kids so they go for meat/swapsies

fifixx · « **Reply #5 on:** November 17, 2012, 04:04:47 pm »

You'd be welcome to have him for a month, but - he has just been CAE certified - I need to find out the cost of re-blood-testing etc if he's not sold. Unless you are CAE tested?

colliewoman · « **Reply #6 on:** November 17, 2012, 06:52:14 pm »

Unfortunately mine aren't at the moment as my vet looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked about it

Mind you if you saw the state of the commercial herds disbudding round here you would'nt be suprised

Could you PM me with a price for him please? Is he an escape artist or would he live in a little herd and not always be looking to chase the horizon?

Last year I got suckered with a billy who could jump 9 foot, didn't serve a single one of my nannies and raped the ewe lambs. Needless to say I am cautious now