what do I do now???

So I was supposed to be getting two does that were going to kid out at the breeder. Well, they both kidded and both had to have c-sections. She called yesterday and does not want me to take either of the does or their single kids because of the birthing problems. She has offered to give me 2 older does in milk in their place....one was born in 2005, Aliana and the other was born in 2008, Bered. Both are beautiful girls and fantastic mothers and milkers. Aliana had triplets this year and Bered had quads.

I have paid $900 for the two does that were bred and I want to be fair to her but also fair to myself. Aliana also has a doeling that was born in March that has not been sold. I told her to map out a couple different scenarios and we would decide what to do from there. HELP!

I don't know what to do. I want to be fair to her but I want it to be fair for us too. I paid for 2 does that would be in milk and their babies but she paid for the c-sections and expenses. She kept them at her place because we were waiting on the gates to come in and it would be too close to their due dates to move them and because she was concerned they were not as big as she would like for the duration of their pregnancies. She didn't want us to have to assist if there were problems since we are newbies. Since she's been doing this almost 20 years she doesn't think twice before jumping in to assist so she said she would birth them there just in case.

She is being and has been very good to us in this process. We were supposed to get babies last year but then the new house fell in our lap and we couldn't take them cause we didn't have any pasture fencing or housing for them. We haven't been in this house a year yet. She is very responsible and wants to do right by us but I'm just torn. I want to take Bered, but since Aliana is older I am considering taking her doeling that was born in March. We'll see what she says.

Here is a link to see a pic of the older does, Aliana and Bered

http://cornerstonefarm.net/gtdoes.html

And here they are with pictures of their kids...the doe that available is listed as retained with Aliana

http://cornerstonefarm.net/gtkids.html

What do I do???

Well, I definitely want Bered. She is being very responsible and she is very strict about what she qualifies as "dairy quality" and "pet quality". She has put the two does up for sale with their babies as pet quality goats. She will give strict instructions not to breed them next year and be very upfront about their conditions with anyone that is interested in them.

She was upfront with us about Tally and we still made the decision to take her even though she cannot be bred, but she gave us Tally free of charge, she just wanted her to have a good home where there would be the guarantee of no bucks. Just having them around the farm, even though they are on separate sides of the property makes her nervous because if Tally ever gives birth it will kill her.

She has always been very honest with us and I appreciate the fact that she is refusing to let us take the two does we had agreed upon since they had issues with birthing. I know I want Bered and she is in milk right now with 2 weeks until she weans her babies. As far as Aliana goes, I think I would be happy with either her or her doeling. As long as I have one good milker and another good structured doe I'm happy.

I feel bad about taking two of her proven milkers and good mothers but I don't know what else to do. All her new doelings have been taken already and her only other choice is to give me the older does. I just hate it for her. I guess I just need to toughen up a bit, huh?

Replies

Lori Adams April 19, 2011 at 8:13am

Well, I was looking at her kid list and she has retained several doelings this year so I may be able to a different little one and still take Bered. We'll see what happens.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle April 18, 2011 at 9:22am

You could just take Bered and wait until next year to get another milker or doeling. She'd have Tally for company.
Lori Adams April 18, 2011 at 7:56am

Well, I definitely want Bered. She is being very responsible and she is very strict about what she qualifies as "dairy quality" and "pet quality". She has put the two does up for sale with their babies as pet quality goats. She will give strict instructions not to breed them next year and be very upfront about their conditions with anyone that is interested in them.

She was upfront with us about Tally and we still made the decision to take her even though she cannot be bred, but she gave us Tally free of charge, she just wanted her to have a good home where there would be the guarantee of no bucks. Just having them around the farm, even though they are on separate sides of the property makes her nervous because if Tally ever gives birth it will kill her.

She has always been very honest with us and I appreciate the fact that she is refusing to let us take the two does we had agreed upon since they had issues with birthing. I know I want Bered and she is in milk right now with 2 weeks until she weans her babies. As far as Aliana goes, I think I would be happy with either her or her doeling. As long as I have one good milker and another good structured doe I'm happy.

I feel bad about taking two of her proven milkers and good mothers but I don't know what else to do. All her new doelings have been taken already and her only other choice is to give me the older does. I just hate it for her. I guess I just need to toughen up a bit, huh?
Deborah Niemann-Boehle April 17, 2011 at 11:01pm

I don't think you should take the two does that just had c-sections, and if I were in that breeder's shoes, I'd be selling them as pets without papers and with strict instructions to whomever bought them that they were pets and should not be bred. As far as what to do at this point -- just look at it as a $900 balance with the breeder and start over.
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres April 17, 2011 at 8:12pm

I personally think I would take the does and ask for the doeling that Aliana has.
Kimberly Martin April 17, 2011 at 7:57pm

Ditto on the history of C-sections with so little experience. I would be afraid myself. Aliana is beautiful, and not all that old. If you take her baby, you'd still have to wait for babies and milk.
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres April 17, 2011 at 5:41pm

It sounds like the breeder is def. trying to do right by you... although I would probably ask if there was a way to work a doeling into that mix... Those does are still relatively young... you're likely to get at least three or more years of milking out of them... I'm not sure what experienced goat people would say, but I'd be warry of trying to take on a doe with a history of Csections.

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