New Member saying Hi!

[horseymama2]

I didn't see a forum for new member introductions, so I am making do here.

I grew up on a hobby farm in the midwest, but now live on 3.5 acres zoned agricultural in Virginia. I am have a dh of 20 years, and two darling daughters. I just finished a term paper on the evils of Monsanto and GMO seeds. This info has motivated me to return to my roots and begin raising more of my own food. I have a big veggie garden, and can/freeze veggies. We started a new flock of chickens this spring, I plant on eating the extra roos; the pullets aren't old enough to lay yet. I am considering buying a pig to raise for slaughter and a couple of dairy goats. I have never had goats, so I have a few questions.

Firstly, are pigs herd animals like goats and horses, or will one be fine solo?

Would two pygmy goats with staggered pregnancies be able to provide milk enough milk for family of 4? Can I get a doe bred by taking her to a stud like I would a horse? I don't want to keep a male if I don't have to. Thanks for any advice to get me started.

 

[TanksHill]

Good morning and welcome!!!

It sounds like you have a great place.

I will let the more experienced goat and pig people answer your questions. And believe me they will.

Your going to be a goat owner in no time.

g

 

[justusnak]

and . Sounds like you are on the right track...like us all, wanting to provide healthy food the our families. Ohhhh, so you want goats?? Have a pen? If you build it they will come! (especially if you hang around here long enough) As for the pigs. You can raise just one...however, in my personal experience...having 2 will keep them in their pen easier( they don't get lonely)..and they will gain weight faster. ( competition eating) If you raise 2 you can always sell the other one...believe me, its easier than you think to unload a pig ready for butcher. Our first attempt at pigs, we raised one. We got sorta attached, and it was hard to send him off....2 is alot easier IMHO.
Pull up a chair, grab your favorite cuppa cuppa, and relax. Everyone here is super friendly!!

 

[gettinaclue]

Welcome!

I just found out last week there's a young lady just down the street from me that raises Hampshire pigs. Maybe in the next couple of years I'll be set up to raise one or two.

I'm still kicking around the idea of goats....

And looking into bees...

And we're planning a small orchard......

Do you have any chickens yet?

 

[savingdogs]

I'll attempt to answer your goat question but I've only owned goats three years so I'm not an expert. But

My goats are mini-nubians, quite a bit larger than pygmys (nubian crossed with nigerian dwarf). We do milk them and use the milk for family use and for much of our dairy products (in season). However, goats do not continually give milk so we have not been able to stop buying dairy products 100 percent, and we have had to continue to buy butter. However, we have more milk than we can currently use.

I'm not particularly familiar with pygmys, but I read that only nigerian dwarfs have their heats year round. With other goats, they go into heat in the fall, have kids in spring and are re-bred the following fall after an interval of drying off. I was interested in nigerian dwarfs because I read they would also go into heat in the spring, so I have one goat that is 3/4 nigerian dwarf that I'm crossing my fingers will allow me to have milk in the "off" season eventually.

I have read that even nigerian dwarfs are sometimes too small to milk depending on the size of your hands, and pygmys tend to be even smaller. I know I'm going to need a short, flat milking pan in order to milk my little 3/4 cross when the time comes, her belly is hilariously close to the ground. But I'm not counting on her providing all the milk needs for the family .....ever. My larger mini-nubians each provide about a 1/2 gallon a day, which I have read is pretty good for a first freshener dairy goat of their size. I was told they had "good milking lines" and it has turned out to be true. However the most important thing I would say is what their udders are like, if you picked a pygmy from "milking lines" with good udders, you might have better luck.

I think I'd steer you toward nigerian dwarfs as opposed to pygmys however. When I went to breed my mini-nubians, I was thinking of breeding to a pygmy stud, and was told that my kids might not be considered "dairy" and would more likely be considered "meat" so that kinda turned me off, we are wanting to raise dairy goats, not meat goats.

You can take a goat to a stud like a horse, yes. You may need to try more than once. You are right that you don't want to keep a male, they really really stink, and I mean really really stink, and could make the milk stink as well if you kept them together with your does.

I hope my small amount of experience is helpful. I do really enjoy the goats and having the dairy products.

 

[valmom]

I don't have anything to add about goats, since I haven't been corrupted yet But wanted to welcome you to our little group! When are you adding bees?

 

[Dawn419]

Hello and Welcome to SS!

 

[hoosier]

I am not a goat owner, so I can't answer your question. I just wanted to say
Hi and welcome!

 

[Marianne]

Welcome from central Kansas! No goatie's here, other than what's on DH's face. Oh wait, now that I think about it, he is an ol' goat.

 

[i_am2bz]

Hello & welcome!