Buckling but no wether temporarily

[mzgarden]

So, me again, asking for expert perspectives.
We have our two does.  We have a buckling we are picking up Saturday.  We had a wether reserved - then the Momma tested positive for CAE so we passed.  We had a breeder who agreed to reserve a boy from a future kidding but once she saw the boys,  decided they are too good to be wethered - which I understand.  No problem, except we're back again looking for a wether and not finding anything we're comfortable with-so very few people test their herds.

So, as of this weekend, we will have our does and in a separate pen will be our one new boy.  He will overnight in a separate stall alone where he can see/hear the girls, but will be separated from them and during the day, he will be in a separate fenced pen for a period of quarantiine where he can see the girls but won't be with them.

I know goats shouldn't be alone and he won't be permanently - but it seems it may be a while before we can find a buddy for him.
We are continuing to look for a dairy-sized boy we can have as a wether - not picky about breed/mix-breed but I don't want to bring Johnes, etc. onto the property. 

How bad will it be for our boy to be alone until we can find him a buddy?  (and I sure wish more people tested......)

[mzgarden]

Thanks. We thought we had a buddy all lined up several times. We'll just keep putting out the word and hunting.

[Bear Foot Farm]

You could always get another intact male if they are more easily obtained, and them keep the better of the two after they mature, or band him yourself.

They won't fight much while young

[Wendy]

My buck is alone all the time. I may get another buck this fall, but he does well in a pasture by himself. Doesn't seem to mind at all.

[mzgarden]

Well, we are on our way for the 3 hour drive to go get our new boy. Pictures to follow I'm sure. Thanks again for everyone's input and quick help when we ask questions.

[mzgarden]

Well, that was a big disappointment. Traveled 3 hours to get our reserved buckling and 30 minutes before we get there, he seriously breaks a front leg. Poor thing. Breeders took him to a vet teaching hospital and it will cost $1,000 for pins, splits and surgery and then another 4 weeks of treatment. We're have to pass on this guy now, not sure what they're going to decide to do. Called our original breeder of our girls back and surprisingly she had someone back out of one of her bucklings - so we'll wait another 5-7 weeks and hopefully finally get a boy on the property. Boy, this has been one frustrating journey trying to get a clean tested Nubian boy. Ah well, onward and upward.

[Bear Foot Farm]

That's a shame about the leg.
Raising animals is a surpise a minute

[KittyNC]

I've decided that if I ever keep a buck again (I've been selling them before they turn 2 because they're so much easier for me to handle) that I will get him a wether buddy of a smaller breed. That way when the inevitable "romancing" of the wether starts, the little guy can just walk out from under the buck and be none the worse for wear.

[mzgarden]

a little update - we finally did get a buckling (10 weeks) and a wether (5 weeks) from a clean/tested herd. They've been here 3 days and are doing great.

[Wendy]

5 weeks is awful young to be sold. Are you bottle feeding him yet?

[mzgarden]

oh yes, sorry, I should have said that. We are bottle feeding the littlest boy. He was one of trips when born and has always been a bottle-baby. The breeder freezes gallons of goats milk to use with her bottle babies. We brought home about 8 gallons of frozen goats milk to continue feeding him. When we get down to the last 3 gallons, we'll start adding some organic whole cow's milk a little at a time, so when we run out of goat's milk, he'll already be converted over without a big upset.