Hope the subject line got your attention!! We are looking for what we are finding out is a hard to come by commodity-a water bed mattress. The area we live in has 0 waterbed shops and haven't found anyplace on-line. Any suggestions of where to e-shop?? Now, the goats. We just bought a little 5 acre place (finally out of town!!!) and I would very much like to get some pygmy goats this spring. Anyone have experience with the critters and would like to share their knowledge with a country-girl-wanna be?? Thanks and God bless. Q.

-- Queen (queenbuffness@hotmail.com), December 10, 2000

Answers

May I suggest that you make sure you have good fencing because they will get out. Don't know how sometimes but they try. I finally ran a line of electic fence. That kept her in. A six strand of electric doesn't work as well as woven fence either. They kinda run through it.

Did you by chance look into Nigerian Dwarf goats? They are very popular right now and you could probably make a good profit from babies. Also, if you want milk, the dwarf would be the way to go. They come in neat colors too.

I miss my waterbed. I loved getting into a warm bed in the winter. My husband didn't like it though. Had to admit that when he worked shifts, it was too soft when he wasn't home. Supported the baby when I was pregnant though but I had a time getting out of bed toward the end.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), December 10, 2000.

Most people around here gave up on the waterbed craze after the popularity kind of waned and most of the shops in the bigger towns went out of business making it hard to get replacement heaters and other things needed for them. In most beds, (if the frame looks nice and all that) folks are just putting conventional mattresses on them around here. Put "water bed" in a search engine on the computer and see what you come up with.

I'm looking to get some Angora goats but would also like to have some sort of minature goat so I'll be watching replies from other folks on your goat question.

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), December 10, 2000.

We always raised Pygmy goats for our horses we raised-----My Dad raised quarter horses & broke colts for other people for all the years I was at home growing up & until the end of his life---he also kept & raised Beligum horses---we found the pygmy goats were the best to keep with the horses---they (the goats) were only together when it was breading time----the rest of the time their job was to be with the horses. They traveled well in the trailors when we transported the horses / they kept the colts calm in the barn when we were breaking them----the goats followed the horses to the pasture & stayed with them & graised. Can't remember ever haveing a time we didn't have them around!! No special fencing/ except for the horses. We started each new baby as soon as we could in with the horses. We wouldn't have been with out them-we also sold them to other horse breeders. We didn't have them for the meat---or milk but to be with our horses was their main job & all (except for a few) did a good job! We also raised sheep---along with about everything else you can name-- --we saved many a lamb on one of our mama goats, also.--since we may have raised them for different reasons than you might intend my answer many not have been much help to you!! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), December 10, 2000.

try going to www.bigsurwaterbeds.com

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 10, 2000.

Queen, I will also give you the advice about getting into the Nigerian Dwarfs. You don't have to be in the show arena with them to get some very good prices for these, small, very dairy does. You may want to bring a more experienced goat person with you to help you pick them out, buy me lunch and I will come :) Just straight across the board besides the profit margin, comes the popularity of the bucks, to be used on first freshening dairy stock for mini-nubians, mini-lamanchas and the such, a true milk goat, easier birthing with a more dairy body, instead of being bred shorter and stockier (cobbiness which translates into more difficult kiddings) They are also very beautiful, come in all colors. I am actually thinking of getting into these animals in my old lady retirement years! Vicki

Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 10, 2000.

What about Boer goats? They aren't very big either.Anyone have feelings on them? They're meat goats and people here in KY are raising them.We're giving them consideration.Have talked to a few owners.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 10, 2000.

Can't help with the goats. But if there is a Walmarts near you They usually carry the mattress's and assorted parts you might need.

-- Anthony J. DiDonato (didonato@vvm.com), December 10, 2000.

Boers are just shorter. They weigh a ton, but look smaller next to a tall dairy goat.

-- Teresa in TN (otgonz@bellsouth.net), December 10, 2000.

I just got two Boer does, mother and daughter (not pure but close enough) They are the quietest things. I had to keep looking under their tails to see when they went into heat because I missed it the first time. (Hopefully they each have two does so I'll have my herd) They are hardy, not minding the snow or rain at all. I was trying to decide between the Boer or Nigerian Dwarf at the time and had a good deal drop into my lap so it was the Boers. I also didn't want to milk so it is perfect for me. I have no problem selling them for meat (as long as I don't have to do it) I also like the droopy ears.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), December 11, 2000.

Don't know anything about goats but do know about waterbeds. We got ours in 1978 (when we got married) and are on the 2rd mattress. Trust me, there is nothing like waking up to your husband saying, "My underwear is wet" at 2 am. Oh well, at least we were home. Have not figured out how it got a hole but it did. We bought our current mattress at Wal-Mart, as much as I HATE that place they do have waterbed supplies: mattress, liners, conditioner, etc for reasonable prices.

After sleeping on a waterbed for 22 years it is hard to sleep on anything else.

-- Viv in TX (kudzu1@webtv.net), December 12, 2000.

If you want miniature goats and don't want to milk them, then I guess it just comes down to what you like to look at. Pygmies are stocky and Nigerians have a more angular, dairy look. They also tend to have louder colors. I don't think you can really consider a Boer a miniature. Every well-bred Boer I've seen has been quite heavy. I think, but don't quote me, they range from 125 to 200 pounds (does and bucks, respectively). I could be off here, just guessing from what they look like. My Nigerian does weigh around 50 or 60 pounds, and the bucks get a bit bigger, as usual. I haven't had any trouble selling my Nigerian kids. They are quite personable, even though they are dam-raised. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about Nigerians.

Re waterbeds, around here, they are in the paper quite often. Not just the matress, but the whole bed. With the very low prices, though, it seems like it would be less expensive to buy the whole thing, use the mattress, and get rid of or use the rest another way. (I've often thought the heater, with thermostat, would make a good heat mat for starting seedlings, but haven't tried it yet.)

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), December 14, 2000.

I have pygmies goats now, but I don't really have any experience since we have only been out in the country for 6 months. I had a nigerian dwarf and she was so hateful and horrible, I will never get another one. BUT, I have been told over and over that that is not the norm, I probably got an abused one. I bought her at an auction, didn't really know what to look for. I love my little pygmies, they fit my personality I think.

As to the waterbed, before you could buy supplies at Walmart, I bought mine at a regular furniture store. If you haven't already, call around and just ask if they order the mattresses. The one we bought from didn't carry them regularly, but would order them, not charging me any extra for the service. It was rather nice. :-)

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), December 16, 2000.