I was interested in getting a pygmy...but I'd rather buy a young one. At what age are goats typically sold? It will be the first goat here...and may be followed by others..but it will be alone a while. Also, i dont think there would be time to bottle feed an extremely young kid.

Is anyone here familiar with Far North California? Around davis or sacramento. I have looked and Im having a hard time finding someone who sells pygmies.

thanks alot.

-- Dani (Muhawi@aol.com), July 17, 2001

Answers

Not sure about pygmies, but we raise Nubians and have sold them as young as two weeks. The buyer needs a source of fresh goat milk however. We wean kids no younger than 8 weeks, but prefer to go 12 weeks. A kid can be sold any time after weaning if the buyer cannot get milk to feed. I'm not a fan of milk replacer. Ideally, a kid should not leave the farm the same day as weaning: too much stress all at once. Give him a week after weaning before taking to a new home. Also, remember that goats are herd animals and are not real happy alone. Pygmies are particularly good at escaping through fences and a lone pygmy will try. It is best to have two for companionship, unless you want to spend a LOT of time with the one.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 17, 2001.

Dani, I live near you [ antioch]. the sac state fair is coming soon and I am sure there will be breeders of pygmis there.My friend is going to breed hers but not sure when, and my daughter will be breeding her champion nigerian in october for march babys, if you know any one interested in a nigerian baby doe if she has one[ the buck if she has one is already sold].

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), July 18, 2001.

Hi Dani... I would not recommend getting a young bottle baby...they are very time-consuming, and typically don't end up as healthy as the dam-raised kids, especially if fed powdered replacers rather than real goat's milk. I wean my pygmies at about 8 weeks old. By that time they've been eating solids for several weeks, and have been vaccinated, dewormed and been on coccidiosis preventative. You have several registered pygmy breeders in your state, and in the northern part of the state, as well as OR and WA. You can visit the NPGA website where there's a breeders directory by state to locate someone. I would not get just one, however. One will be quite lonesome and nervous and noisy...this is a herd animal, and they prefer a buddy. You can get to the NPGA (Nat'l Pygmy Goat Assn) website from my website's "LINKS" page... http://www.minifarm.com/prairie_oak good luck! Patty :)

-- patty putnam (littlegoats@wi.rr.com), July 19, 2001.