The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on March 13, 2012, 02:52:17 pm
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My goat is due to kid this weekend. We have a back up plan for boys in that a friend of hubby's will take them at 3 days and raise them as meat. I cannot raise them for meat myself.
However, the thought of Puffin having a boy or two and then an empty paddock after day 3 doesn't sit all that easy with me. I have 4 small children who are so happy to be having kids and please don't get me wrong, I do appreciate that I should be teaching them where meat comes from and being slightly more 'grown up' about it (me, not them) but that's just how I feel :-\
So...If they are boys, what are the chances of me being able to sell them at a later date as pets once weaned? They are from the Willowbank herd bloodlines (Miss Ogden's goats are very well known and very beautiful!)
Please don't eat me alive for being a wuss!
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That's terrible. What a pansy. ;D ;D ;D
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You're entitled to be a wuss. don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. ;D Seriously, you have your views and I respect that. If you are planning on keeping them entire, you will have to separate them fairly early on or they'll be after their mum with evil intent.
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Thanks Dizzy -0 you've just given me a laugh, I needed one ;D
yes, I'd castrate so they'd at least be safe to be around until sellable age.
I think I've broken my foot, am sat here with it tightly bandaged trying to avoid a&e. and trying not to swear between my tears ::) how can I be such a muppet to do this 5 days before my goats due date and when I have 3 bottle fed 10 day old lambs to look after :'(
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I think I've broken my foot, am sat here with it tightly bandaged trying to avoid a&e. and trying not to swear between my tears ::) how can I be such a muppet to do this 5 days before my goats due date and when I have 3 bottle fed 10 day old lambs to look after :'(
Get yourself to A&E mrs ::)
Yes, I know what a pain it'll be, but you'll be patched up and back to normal in no time, compared to leaving it to it's own devices to heal for god only knows how long :-\ And with possible long term pain and problems in old age - you know better ;) Get down and get it sorted :bouquet:
I can't send reiki - it's not recommended for breaks :(
Karen x
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Oh no, what have you done? I broke mine 9 years ago, it was excruciating. As soon as it was in a cast I was completely fine and able to walk about normally. Luckily it was my left foot I broke, I swapped cars with my dad who has an automatic.
Poor sausage, hope it's ok. Keep us posted. Chin up. :-*
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I think I've broken my foot, am sat here with it tightly bandaged trying to avoid a&e. and trying not to swear between my tears ::)
Tssssk! What have you done?
Hope its an interesting story ..... unlike mine which is "took wellies off, washed hands, turned to get towel, ******* 'ell that hurts!!!" So, probable stress fracture to bottom of big toe, no point x-raying as it won't show up until its healing apparently. ::)
Its absolute agony ... so you have my sympathy Plums :bouquet:
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I might be in Worcestershire next Fri/Sat/Sun if I am I'll pm you and if you want I can come help out and do heavy stuff for you!
In the meantime, have a looky at this site, it may be a good place to find potential homes for your boys ;D
http://www.harnessgoats.co.uk/ (http://www.harnessgoats.co.uk/)
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Hey PE hope you got yourself sorted, hope your ok - I think is up to you what you do with your offspring - There's no right and wrong - it's a personal thing - if it was possible I would be sooooo tempted to keep lots of kids but I just can;t and people want them so it works out all round - that's not to say it's a bad thing
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I second getting to A&E - once you've got a cast on it, if appropriate, it'll hurt a lot less :-* It's my constant fear, damaging myself and then who would look after my animals :-\
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I think I've broken my foot, am sat here with it tightly bandaged trying to avoid a&e. and trying not to swear between my tears ::) how can I be such a muppet to do this 5 days before my goats due date and when I have 3 bottle fed 10 day old lambs to look after :'(
There must be something in the air, my usually very well behaved tup managed to knock me sideways butting my knee, fortunately I fell against the gate and so was not on the ground. not broken or anything, although there was a strange sound when it popped out (and then back in again), and I can just about bend it again (thanks to double-doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen).... that means I am terribly late with my heptavac for the sheep, as I can only do it this coming weekend... I am now also using a stick when going into the boys field.... oh and two goats due to kid in the next two weeks...
Re male goats/wethers - it would be very unlikely that you would get someone to take them on as pets longterm, unless it is a farm park or similar (that's where my two GG boys went last year, but they were meant for the freezer...). You could try and sell them to someone for meat later, even if you wouldn't be eating them. But that is very difficult too.... so really I don't know what advice I could give you, other than that you are between a rock and a very hard place.... with only one goat to kid chances of only male offspring are quite high...
another possibilty would be to bring in another female kid (and bottle feed her), if you only have males, and sell your male kids as planned... - JUST DON'T GIVE THEM NAMES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!
Hope your foot is getting sorted!
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THanks all. Lots to think about. NOt been to A&E because my dear husband has walked out on me leaving me with 4 children to try and sort out. could today get much worse?! probably not. somehow got to get the girls to bed and hobble up to the lambs to feed them, have had enough :'(
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I'm not surprised you've had enough, what's he doing heading out and leaving you to it with a damaged foot ::)
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THanks all. Lots to think about. NOt been to A&E because my dear husband has walked out on me leaving me with 4 children to try and sort out. could today get much worse?! probably not. somehow got to get the girls to bed and hobble up to the lambs to feed them, have had enough :'(
|What? Permanently? Chin up Plums, have a moan to us. :-*
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Huge row. no idea where he's gone. have had enough! so much rubbish going on at school with a mad parent who keeps ranting at my daughter its just caused an arguement.
He doesn't want all these animals so I normally just get on with caring for them anyway which is fine but its him that wants the boy kids to go at 3 days and I find that too harsh :'( sorry, shouldn't be blethering on really!
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Oh Dear, you do have some trouble with your feet don't you (BTW how are the toes?).
What happened? OH broke his 2 years ago, just slipped on some grass. If he'd carried on putting weight on it it could have moved and been a lot worse, SO GET TO THAT A&E! (Isn't that what you would tell others they should do?) :)
I know it's difficult, but try and think what the males will be like in a year or so, unless they are going to be company for a nanny (or a racehorse?) they don't have much going for them as pets, some breeders have them destroyed at birth so they don't end up being shunted around, Toggs are a lot bigger and stronger than pygmies!
I think you should train them to harness and deliver soap on a cart pulled by 2 goats ;D.
Anyway be positive, could be all girls yet, mine both had 2 females last year. Though I can guarantee mine will be all males this year because I found a registered Togg male for them. (due in 2 weeks, getting excited now, but don't care what they have has long as things go OK, fingers crossed.
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6 new replies just while I was typing mine! I'll post anyway
He probably knows you'll get too attached to them and won't be able to let them go.
but you still need to get that foot looking at, no friendly neighbours who could help out somehow?
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Yes, I know you're right. we've already got one wether and he's huge so another would be daft. the 3 day option probably is best all round but it would be nice to have a girl to show for it all.
the chilblains finally went with the help of snowfire - there are some sore area's on 2 toes but not a patch on what I was suffering! oh and bought some muck boots, they really help too!
have taken some anti inflammatories, foot elevated now the lambs are fed for the night (early feed because I had to tonight due to the girls all being awake) and I will see how it is morning. if still bad will get a lift to hospital :)
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I might be in Worcestershire next Fri/Sat/Sun if I am I'll pm you and if you want I can come help out and do heavy stuff for you!
Swing by minchinhampton for a cuppa and see the kitten:-)
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when he sees how adorable the kids are, whatever sex, he may just change his mind. My husband (also not a natural born animal-lover) is besotted. Mind you, they did climb on to his lap for a cuddle - who could resist?
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Big hugs
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Just browsing and saw your post, one of those too much moments!! We all have them but some worse than others, too much too look after indeed, I can see that one may cause a row and all the other crap on top......you have loads of good friends that will support you and us on virtual world will also do what we can......it can be hard some times!!!!! :bouquet:
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HOpe you have been to A&E, like Happyhippy says, if left you will have problems forever and when you getting on it will be harder..I have found that one out!!
Hope your hubby has seen sense, men and women think soooo differently,,we all need mediators on occasion, I was mad with my hubby yesterdaya s we went shopping and he looked so vacant and i was in so much pain, with no money either it was not worth the effort!!!! We do not always say exactly what we are feeling so, hope things are at least improving!!!!!
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Hope he's walked back in by now and taken you to A&E.
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He has walked back in, things are calmer but still not good. Foot not broken (thank goodness - I would have struggled to cope on this hills, even the lambs paddock is on quite a steep gradient!) but badly bruised so painkillers and a tight bandage and It feels much better. Can't get my muck boots on though as they are too tight so its UGGS every where ::)
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I bet you will not take advice to rest it? mind you its hard with animals and children anyway, hope things improve as the sun comes out!!! :wave:
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I slept for 3 hours yesterday afternoon which was weird! must be painkillers. today is much better but still can't get my boots on, never mind - could be worse!
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At least it's improving and can only get better.
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Thank you MGOM :)
very much better today. I posted a pic on facebook yesterday as even I hadn't realised how bruised it was and how much of my foot was covered in this green/grey/purple mass.
I have learnt my lesson ;)
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Good to hear. Hope things are better with OH as well. Mine reminds me at intervals that the goats are only here because I want them and that he helps me because I need help, not because he wants to.
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Good to hear. Hope things are better with OH as well. Mine reminds me at intervals that the goats are only here because I want them and that he helps me because I need help, not because he wants to.
You are lucky he helps. Mine reminds me the goats and horses are mine, my idea. He does nothing to help, not even with the land
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Mine is good like that. He won't garden but he will help with heavy things and he always hangs onto me when I'm standing on the edge of the raised beds (20mm of wood) to tie bean poles together.
He's going away on Monday to train with his ninth guide dog. Don't know how I'm going to manage without him. I'm going to have to do housework. :( :( :(
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just stay outside - if you're not in the house to make it untidy... ;D
Is Vincent staying with you then?
What's the new guide dog like, have you or him met him/her yet?
:dog:
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It's the dogs that make it untidy - loads of hair. Victor (not Vincent) will still live with us but just be retured. the new dog is called Pirate. He is a retriever x lab aged just over two years old and gorgeous.
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I know its Victor (as in Meldrew!) Goodness knows where Vincent came from!
My typing fingers are sometimes in a totally different place & time to my brain, sorry!
Pirate, what a great name!
I know just what you mean - Sheba is moulting (do GSDs ever Not moult?!) and the house is full of little bundles of fluff from her undercoat - if we had hamsters, you'd think they'd escaped & were breeding! ;) :D
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When we had a GSD it always amazed me that he actually had any left, there was so much on the floor.
People have been asking if Pirate has a black patch over one eye. I say yes but as the rest of him is black, it doesn't show. ;D
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just stay outside - if you're not in the house to make it untidy... ;D
Tip of the Day :D
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no but would definately be interested in a billy - especially if in north yorkshire;
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no but would definately be interested in a billy - especially if in north yorkshire;
Are you looking for pure Togg or BT? My BT is due to kid any moment (her date was/is today), and I am sure with my luck there will be a male in there...She is Lochinvar breeding and the male is Guilden. I am not planning on keeping any males intact this year, so would need to know asap. But I am in the Scottish Borders.
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no but would definately be interested in a billy - especially if in north yorkshire;
I have 2 pure Toggs due anytime now, in kid to a registered Linray male, last year crossed them with a BS, all females, this year, probably all males! West Yorks.