[Carl f k]

Was thinking about this overnight. You are like me Carl in that you are researching as much as you can before you step in (see my border collie threads!!).  I was wondering if you would be interested in coming along to some of our Worcestershire goat club meetings?  We have people from Oxford and all over the place so its not confined to worcester 
Over the winter/spring we meet monthly. We cover topics such as mating, kidding(when to step in/what mum needs immediately after birth/not to feed concentrate etc), kid care (ie. knowing when to disbud/worm/vaccinate etc) and its first Saturday each month just off of the M5. It also places you into a network of fairly local goat keepers and for Heidi might be a nice refresher and for you a good place to learn (as it has been for me). Let me know if you want more details 

Thank you Lisa please send me details

[Carl f k]

I think Willow is a lovely name too.  My son had a rat called Willow once.  I am intrigued though that she is a GG x Tog but is white like a Sanaan. 

Thanx MGM she is more of a creamy brown with white on her nose..not very clear on the pic but it was taken with I pod..not very good camera, I'm sure when we get her there will be some better pics

[goosepimple]

Just caught up with this one Carl - great! good luck with her, I'd love to see more pics, and I wouldn't disbud the wee ones.

[Lesley Silvester]

I think Willow is a lovely name too.  My son had a rat called Willow once.  I am intrigued though that she is a GG x Tog but is white like a Sanaan. 

Thanx MGM she is more of a creamy brown with white on her nose..not very clear on the pic but it was taken with I pod..not very good camera, I'm sure when we get her there will be some better pics

That explains it.  I know that genetics do some funny things though.  My Curry's dad is a British Alpine but he obviously got the Sanaan colouring apart from a tiny black mark on one leg.  Looking forward to seeing more pictures when you get her.

Have you done your goat shed and yard yet?  And got your holding number?  I was so excited when I first got mine.  I felt like a proper smallholder.   

[ballingall]

White is by far the more dominant colour. We have some who are more than 3/4 British Toggenburg, and they are still white!


My sister and nieces have 2 female kids- sisters from this year. Mum is half British Toggenburg, half British saanen (nearly), dad is British alpine. The kids? One is a little bit brown roan, but her base colour is white, and the other sister is pure white.


Beth

[Carl f k]

Waiting for holding number to come still, will be starting building the weekend, hate these dark nights can't crack on with it 

[Carl f k]

Just caught up with this one Carl - great! good luck with her, I'd love to see more pics, and I wouldn't disbud the wee ones.

You wouldn't disbud goosepimple? Most seem to, any reason or just your preference ?

[goosepimple]

Carl I wouldn't keep horned with unhorned, you're not supposed to although some people do.  If you have children that will be handling them often then maybe it's something to think about or if you consider that one day you will sell on the mother and just keep the offspring then maybe too. 
 
Personally I wouldn't do it by preference though, I like the look of an animal with horns, I don't think goats are that attractive without and they look great with, just part of the pleasure of keeping animals is to look at them and like what you see. 
 
With horns is the way they come out and is the way they are meant to be in my opinion.  You just take a bit of care when handling same as you would with horses hoofs.

[Penninehillbilly]

Hi Carl and Heidi
Sorry just have to put my oar in here, (and this is only my opinion don't want to sound aggressive or upset anyone),
I kept 3 males, left horns on as they would be going for meat. I hate them, always worried when bending down for buckets as they come close to check nothing left in, saw one with it's horn caught in anothers collar, luckily as another goat moved in it disentangled itself. one bullies the others and often has hair stuck on the end of it's horns. Also they can't scratch the top and back of their heads easily, at least they come to me for their heads scratching  . They are lovely temperments really but I can't wait to get rid of them.
In saying that, just bought 2 boer goats, had my doubts because still horned, but their horns sweep straight back, not upright like the others. But any kids of them will be disbudded.
Horned goats always make me think of the poor things you would see tethered out on wasteland, having to defend themselves, (obviously not suggesting anyone on here keeps goats like that!) hopefully mine will never be in that situation, hence no need for horns, I would rather see 2 goats bare head butting, they soon back down, than seeing 2 (as in my boys) hoping they don't catch an eye or something.
I also like to be close to my girls, but don't want MY eye putting out either, I often sit with them and they rub their heads on me, I wouldn't do that with horned.
OK, now I'll     
 
Forgot to say - Congratulations on getting Willow, I crossed my Toggs with a BS hoping for a pale brown, but they were all white, white is the dominant gene, this year the X's are running with a Togg male, hopefully 3/4 togg might be something different.
 

[Penninehillbilly]

Just re-read Heidi's last posting, of course we are all happy for you Heidi and Carl, it's only 2 years since I managed to be in a position to get back into goats after 20+ years enforced break. The excitement, nerves, 'is everything ready, have I got the right food in, hope they like this hay', I remember it well. Kept them in a couple of days so we got to know each other, then horror of horrors, yes I did tether them for a short time, the fencing contractor hadn't been, one girl jumped the wall and set off, luckily I still had hold of the other and Cin came back to her friend, obviously bewildered by the big fields after her small one, but if she had carried on running, she may have managed to get out of that field, so a shaky first outing. all settled now though.
If you can't borrow a friend to come wth her, can you spend a lot of time with her? I'd be a bit worried transporting her too near her time, but I presume you'll know that and not leave it too late .
When is she due? sorry if you've said that, if I try and go back to look I'll lose all this lot
Looking forward to updates, feeling quite excited with you.
 

[Carl f k]

Just re-read Heidi's last posting, of course we are all happy for you Heidi and Carl, it's only 2 years since I managed to be in a position to get back into goats after 20+ years enforced break. The excitement, nerves, 'is everything ready, have I got the right food in, hope they like this hay', I remember it well. Kept them in a couple of days so we got to know each other, then horror of horrors, yes I did tether them for a short time, the fencing contractor hadn't been, one girl jumped the wall and set off, luckily I still had hold of the other and Cin came back to her friend, obviously bewildered by the big fields after her small one, but if she had carried on running, she may have managed to get out of that field, so a shaky first outing. all settled now though.
If you can't borrow a friend to come wth her, can you spend a lot of time with her? I'd be a bit worried transporting her too near her time, but I presume you'll know that and not leave it too late .
When is she due? sorry if you've said that, if I try and go back to look I'll lose all this lot
Looking forward to updates, feeling quite excited with you.

Thanks penninehillbilly but I don't think Heidi will be back on.. Was well p****d off because it put a downer on the whole thing

She is due in march