advice separating does and bucks

I am going to be picking up a herd of NDG's (2 bucks, 3 does) that have been sold to me unexpectedly. (The seller is going to be adopting a child and having to leave the country so she decided to sell her NDG herd and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Lucky me!) I currently have two wethers that I bought from her last Spring.

So here is my dilemma. I need to pick them up asap, we JUST moved to a new farmstead and WINTER is already here! I have a small temporary outdoor pen set up and I have a large barn with only two joining stalls. The floor is concrete and the joining wall about 41/2 foot tall (my wethers did manage to jump it); I can add a fence panel to the ceiling to prevent anyone going over. One of the does is being exposed now however the other two does will not be a year until late January. My plan when I pick them up is to keep all the girls together and put all the boys together in the larger stall. If the doe being exposed now turns out not to be pregnant then I will wait until the other two does are old enough to move everyone around. Am I playing with fire by putting the goats in such close proximity of each other? Is my barn going to get destroyed by horny bucks or sound like its full of screaming goats in heat because they can smell and see each other?

Thank you for your help and guidance! I am very excited for my new journey!

Krystal

Keeping them separate is a good idea. If there are spaces in the fencing between the boys and girls, you might consider putting farm fencing all the way to the floor, at least a foot or so from the sides of the stall, to keep the boys from getting to your girls through their shared fence. Electric strands help too, if that's a possibility. Any shared fence lines should be doubled in this way. I use electric, because I have had through the fence breedings, through fencing double lined with netting. It wasn't enough, and the boys still managed.

Your barn will most likely be VERY stinky, and yes. There will be lots of blubbering and calling when the girls are in heat. I would actually be more concerned about the stink damage... because buck stink is like super glue. It doesn't go away easily. Is it possible for you to construct something like a hoop house for your boys? I use two cattle panels, side by side, Make a frame with 8ft 2X4, then bent into a half circle, attach the ends of the panels with large fencing staples, and cover with a large tarp. The 12X16 tarps from Costco work well. To create a wind break at one end, I used wooden pallets at one side, (there is usually a little extra tarp, and I cut that off the top, and use it to "seal" the holes in the pallets) Put the open side or the hoop house away from wind, and this will protect your boys from the wind. Some people use large dog shelters like the Igloo for their boys. I have a couple of those too, for the days when one of my bucks gets persnickety with the other one, and won't "let" him in the shelter. To hold the tarp along the edges of the hoop, I use shoat rings, and nails for the ends where my 2X4's are. I'm not sure where you're located, but this might be a viable option for you depending on how cold it gets where you are, and the condition of your boy's winter coats.

Replies

Krystal Keiser November 20, 2014 at 2:04pm

Thanks again Rachel,

I was just outside (finally a nice"r" day out) going through my buildings and I think I will actually put my bucks in my hog barn. I was going to use it for hogs but really, I don't plan on farrowing so I really don't need the hog barn for hogs any time soon anyway. I live in Nebraska, on top of a bluff, our summers are hot and winters are cold. Winter just came early and we have gotten snow and the temps have been between 10 and 32 degrees with even colder wind chills so I do want everyone to have permanent houses. I will get a few of those igloo houses, good idea for emergency shelter.

The stall wall is very sturdy and the planks are too close for any accidental breedings. I was more concerned with stressing anyone out with trying to get to each other and the constant "teasing" that would take place from being so close.
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres November 20, 2014 at 12:51pm

Keeping them separate is a good idea. If there are spaces in the fencing between the boys and girls, you might consider putting farm fencing all the way to the floor, at least a foot or so from the sides of the stall, to keep the boys from getting to your girls through their shared fence. Electric strands help too, if that's a possibility. Any shared fence lines should be doubled in this way. I use electric, because I have had through the fence breedings, through fencing double lined with netting. It wasn't enough, and the boys still managed.

Your barn will most likely be VERY stinky, and yes. There will be lots of blubbering and calling when the girls are in heat. I would actually be more concerned about the stink damage... because buck stink is like super glue. It doesn't go away easily. Is it possible for you to construct something like a hoop house for your boys? I use two cattle panels, side by side, Make a frame with 8ft 2X4, then bent into a half circle, attach the ends of the panels with large fencing staples, and cover with a large tarp. The 12X16 tarps from Costco work well. To create a wind break at one end, I used wooden pallets at one side, (there is usually a little extra tarp, and I cut that off the top, and use it to "seal" the holes in the pallets) Put the open side or the hoop house away from wind, and this will protect your boys from the wind. Some people use large dog shelters like the Igloo for their boys. I have a couple of those too, for the days when one of my bucks gets persnickety with the other one, and won't "let" him in the shelter. To hold the tarp along the edges of the hoop, I use shoat rings, and nails for the ends where my 2X4's are. I'm not sure where you're located, but this might be a viable option for you depending on how cold it gets where you are, and the condition of your boy's winter coats.

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