[langdon]

thank you everyone who sent your replys regarding me and my wife in getting a billy.
after looking at the situation we have decided not to get one.
your comments helped us to make a wise decision and we are sure its the right one.
we said to each other not to forget why we got our girls in the first place,
to enjoy having our own supply of goats milk in the near future.
you could say smallholdings are like a lawn, admire a big lush one, but keep a small one yourself!
ya we made the right decision, thanks once again guys

[Roxy]

Firstly, I want to say I think you have made the right decision.

But, I hope we (or me!) have not been responsibe for that decision.  All I wanted to do was to paint a clear picture of what billies are like when they are entire.  All to often, people get them, find they cannot cope, and then what?  Unless they are well bred billies, really good quality, they are hard to sell or even give away .......and thats not fair on the billy goat.  Its not his fault is it!!!

In all honesty, do like you say, enjoy your nanny goats, by all means let them kid, and then you have milk. 

Do go and visit a stud with an entire billy goat ....ask questions........I am pretty sure you will come away knowing you have made the right choice in not keeping one.

[langdon]

ta roxy, just to let you know me and beth talked alot about it and we deff
made the decision ourselves! but not with out great advice and knowledge of goat husbandry
of your self and others.
me and beth were saying when milly and molly have kids(cant wait for that moment )
what will we do with billy kids, i mean of course we love them and look after them, but if a billy is not for us
now a billy will not be for us then? as we will still be only new to goat husbandry.

[jameslindsay]

If you are just after pets you could have the boys castrated and keep them. I have 6 castrated boys and they are great to have around.

[langdon]

mmmh something to think about

[doganjo]

Or sell them on?

[langdon]

how old do sell on kid goats and how much are people willing to pay

[Roxy]

Pygmy kids are much sought after, even the castrated boys......I have just been offered £150 for Little Bob!!

Other castrated males, well, personally, I have 9 of various breeds (including pygmy) and I was given them all free.  Having said that, some people will pay £25 each as pets.

Dare I suggest you could rear the male kids and eat them?  I have a number of people waiting for castrated billy kids for this purpose.  Goat meat is very nice - you do not get attached to the kids though, and definitely no names, as they tend to stay then.

As to age for selling.  I would not let them  go before 12 weeks at the earliest, unless to an experienced goat keeper.  Although long before this time they are eating goat mix and hay.  They are doing this within the first week of life!!  I just think leaving them to drink their mums milk gives them a better start thats all.

I can see you recoiling in horror now about me suggesting eating the goats.  Honestly, its nice meat, and not a bit like lamb as people tend to think.  Its very lean too. Have I sold the idea yet??

[langdon]

ME RECOILING IN HORROR, NOT ON YOUR NELLY!
WE WANT TO BE AS ADVENTURES IN SELF SUFFESSENT AS POSSIBLE.
IM A BIG MEAT EATER ANYHOW.
THE BEST DISH I EVER HAD WAS 'HOP N RUN' OSTRICH AND KANGAROO SERVED UP WITH FAT CHIPS MMM

[Roxy]

There you go, then.  Problem of what to do with little billies is solved.  Make sure they are castrated though, as the meat will be tainted otherwise.

Never had kangaroo or ostrich......

[Anke]

You can always get a billy later on, once you know how its all going.

And I am planning to eat any males that we might have this year (not counting my chickens/kids before they are hatched...), as we do the same with lambs anyway and nobody bothers about that. but yes, NO names!

[langdon]

beth said she couldnt think of eaten a young goat, not that she wouldnt enjoy the meat but that she thinks
to much of them.
im goina have to find a way of killing them with out her knowing

[Wizard]

Are there other sorts of chips worth eating I think wrongly of course Proper beef dripping potatoes peeled or not 5/8ths of an inch square take them in a tea towel and dry them as much as you can while the dripping reaches 160 degrees Lower them in and remove when golden and one breaks easily to show a beautifull flowery middle yum yum yum