Hello All,
My name is Maranda. I'm a Wife and SAHM! We homeschool and are venturing into the wonderful world of small farming! We currently have chickens (for eggs and meat), rabbits (for meat), and pigs (also for meat! lol). But we are getting Nigerian Dwarfs in a couple of weeks and I AM SOOOO Excited!!! I was wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of some really great resources? I would like some that are specifically for ND's, but any info would be great!!
I'm looking for info on the topic of to vax or not to vax? We are going to raise them for the milk, so I'm not really excited about the idea of doing vaccinations.
Anyway, Thanks so much!! I look forward to getting to know you all :)
Blessings In Christ,
Maranda
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Replies
Here is one discussion on copper that kept getting resurrected for about two years:
http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/forum/topics/copper-1
Since that conversation started, I quit bolusing and started top-dressing, which is so much easier!
Maranda A. said:
WOW!! You have some smart kiddos!! WOW! lol We have been HSing for about 4 years. Both of my boys are ADHD and have learning disabilities, so homeschooling was the only option for us in my opinion.
I'm really concerned about the vaccination thing. If we are going to drink the milk I'm not crazy about the idea of ingesting the vaccines, KWIM?
Where would I find the posts on copper?? I'm like super new here! lol I will definitely be checking your book out!!!
Thank you for your help! SO very much!!
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for responding. Sounds like you have a fabulous family :)
I have 2 boys, 12 (13 in a few months) and 9. We are going to start off with a Doe; about 3 years old. She's kidded before and is used to being milked. She comes from a great blood/milk line :) I'm debating on having her bred before she comes. That way I don't have to worry about borrowing a buck. And she will come with a kid; not hers...that will be freshly weaned. I hope that will be a good pair to start with. I wanted to kinda have both stages so that I could learn on them before we get any more :) I'm soooo nervous!!
I'm from Alabama too! I think my profile says GA? LOL I'll have to check it and see. I am super excited to meet new goat friends :) lol
Thanks for such a warm welcome and for the info :)
Margaret Langley said:
Thank you Debbie Lynn! I appreciate your help :)
Debbie Lynn said:
Hi Maranda and welcome! We homeschooled our children also. My oldest daughter is now an electrical engineer in Chicago, and my youngest is heading to University of Illinois in September as a junior majoring in biochemistry for her pre-med program. My son will finish up at the local junior college this next year and will probably transfer to a theater program at a university the next year.
We love our little goats and make all of our dairy products with their milk. We quit vaccinating about seven years ago, and everyone is still kicking. After ten years I've come to the conclusion that once you get the nutrition right on your farm, everything else pretty much takes care of itself. If you read the old posts on copper you'll see my story, so I won't repeat it here, but I am totally sold on the importance of getting the nutrition right on your farm. We're in Illinois and goats never lived here in the wild, so that should have been a hint to me that it might be a challenge nutritionally, but I love the little darlings so much now that I can't imagine life without them.
And if you get the Storey goat book, make sure the copyright is 2010, not 2001, which I still see on Amazon but has a lot of outdated info. If you're interested in growing all of your own food, you might find my book helpful -- Homegrown & Handmade, which is pictured on the right side of this page. There is a section on home dairy, which includes info on everything from buying goats to making cheese.
Hey Maranda! Welcome! I want to know how many children you have and their ages. I have 7 and have done a good bit of homeschooling over the years but presently my four still in school are in public schools. Next year I will have 2 entering high school, 1 still in middle and 1 still in elementary, 2 in the army and the last one, my second born just bounces between playing nanny to our little army brat grandaughter for his brother (he and his wife are both stationed in Ky. and live in Tn.) and any jobs he can pick up there or her at home here in Al. and helping out around here with his siblings and our goats. Now, back to the goats. I also want to know how many and what you plan to get to start out your herd. You will LOVE them, I am sure, they are sooo cool. And as Rachel and Debbie have said, you have come to the right place. You will find a wealth of knowledge and genuine kindness here from a large group of generous people. Much of the same spirit you are probably use to finding among most homeschoolers. I can tell you from experience that you most likely will see similarities in the spirits of the people involved in both of these aspects of your life. I certainly have. The Fiasco Farm site will also probably become one of your favorite sights. Hope you enjoy the forum as much as I have!
Thank you so much! Ya know, you would have thought I would have paid attention to the fact that the site is called "Nigerian Dwarf Goats"! LOL It's been a long day :)
I will have to check in to getting that book. Thanks again!
Personally, I think this site is your best go to place for Nigerian Dwarf specific information!! :) As for books, I really like Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats. It's pretty comprehensive and covers a lot of ground without giving you the "go to the vet" solution for EVERY ailment.
There are several people here that do not vaccinate, so you should be able to do some Forum Searches and find good information to get you started! :)
Welcome!!