[mojocafa]

Hello

I have 14 Pygmy goats, 10 girls, 4wethers.  My oldest 3 girls are 18 months old and I am thinking of putting them with a billie. So do I invest in my own billie or use a stud?

[kim]

Hi Mojocafa, Ihave a pigmy male at stud  I am not too far from you just outside Dundee,you are very welcome to come and have a look and see his offspring too. Kim.

[mojocafa]

Cheers folks, Kim will pm you
Mojo

[mojocafa]

How old should pygmys be before running with billie?

I am thinking about getting an entire kid, would it need to be housed separately from the beginning and if so do I need to get a wether to keep it company. I have 4 wethers all ready but the pecking order is already sorted

Finally do they really smell that bad?

[Brucklay]

Billy's can do the deed at 3 months so really you would want to keep him separate. I got my first Billy a couple of years ago and like you although I had wethers they had they way and I didn't want to upset them so the Billy lived in his own space separated by a fence so he could see everything going on. Last autumn I got my second Billy and I must admit they do seem to enjoy having each other so chase around now and again - so maybe he did need company.
They do smell but tends to come and go when the girls are in season they are at their worst - it's musky and I don't mind it but some would.

[mojocafa]

Cheers brucklay, how old should the females be?

[Brucklay]

Oops - really 18 months - its best to wait till then for the size and fitness of the female, so they are well grown and can cope with kidding - good luck

[mojocafa]

Cheers again mojo

[mojocafa]

Update

This is my thoughts but please advise me if my heads up my .........

I have sourced a pigmy billy that has been born this year, but , he has been disbudded. All my goats have horns. Is it unwise to introduce a disbudded entire billie? could he get injured from horns .? Would he need to be housed separately immediately? I am slightly disappointed that he is disbudded, however I suppose from a safety point of view,  they can grow a mean set of horns

[mojocafa]

I have just arranged separate accomadtion for billie, hope I am doing the right thing, please advise me if I this is an unwise  mojo

[fifixx]

"Finally do they really smell that bad?"

Oh yes they do!

[Brucklay]

You say you have separate accommodation but I guess you mean he is going to run with the females during the day - perfectly feasible but you won't have a clue when they are due to kid. If possible I would give him his own area next to your female where they have a fence between them (and have heard stories some still manage through the fence) but that way you wouldn't have to worry about him - maybe let him with the herd when you out with them so he gets some attention. Saying that you have to find what works for you and your goats.