Frequently Asked Questions
Are your goats tested for communicable diseases?
All of our adult goats are tested for CAE, CL & Johne's and found to be negative.
Are your goats registered?
Yes, all of our goats are registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, ADGA.
Do you allow visits to your farm before we commit to a reservation?
Unfortunately, no. We are unable to keep up with the demand for visits and have made the difficult decision to limit farm visits only to animal pick-ups. We have an extensive history of honest sales and healthy goats.
Can I purchase just one goat?
Yes and no. Yes if you already own goats, no if you do not. Goats are herd animals and MUST be with other goats or they will not thrive. They can become so lonely and stressed that they die. Any reputable goat breeder will confirm this fact.
How much do your goats cost?
Wethers (castrated males) range from $200 - $250 while bucklings and does range from $550- $650. We do not routinely offer any group discounts. Registration paperwork is included with the sale of bucks/does and fees are the responsibility of the buyer.
How much is a reservation?
An unborn doe or buck kid is $100 to reserve, and wethers are $50. To reserve a living kid or adult, it is 50% of the sale price required to hold the goat until pick up. This is applied to the purchase price of the goat and is not refundable.
Do I get to pick which breeding(s) my kids are reserved from?
Wether reservations are done as a list of desirable traits with your deposit holding your "place in line" to choose. Does and bucks can also be done based on traits or by breeding. We take reservations conservatively so that we can do our best to fill everyone based on the desired traits/breedings. We do reserve the right to keep any and all kids from any breeding regardless of any paid reservations. In this event, a refund will be provided or the option to roll over your reservation to another breeding.
What payments do you take?
Venmo is our preferred payment method but we can set up payments via credit card (for a fee), PayPal, or Zelle.
How do I reserve my goats?
Please complete the reservation request form to begin the process of reserving a kid(s). Once we receive your reservation request form, we will contact you with instructions on how to submit payment, etc. You can visit our Kidding Schedule to see what we have planned!
The last two years, almost all of our kids were sold before they were born. We strongly recommend placing a paid deposit to reserve your kid(s). By placing a non-refundable, paid reservation, you "save your spot in line". The first step is to complete the reservation form. We will contact you to arrange payment and to discuss the best fit for you. Once the kids are born, you will be contacted and given the option to purchase or pass.
Please review our sales policies to address any further questions. Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Until pregnancies are confirmed by a blood test, we retain the right to change bucks used.
What do goats eat?
We all think of those iconic goats chewing on a tin can when we think, "what can goats eat?" However, goats actually have very specific dietary needs and restrictions. While they can and will eat weeds, this alone is not a suitable diet and you will have sick goats on your hands very quickly. We have written a very detailed article about what goats need and what we feed our herd.
What kind of housing/shelter/fencing do goats require?
Goats require protection from the elements and predators. Here in our area, we have coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, raccoons, and even bears. We employ two livestock guardian dogs, or LGD’s, who are on patrol 24/7. This is a predator-friendly way of protecting our animals (and humans!) without having to harm the predators. Read more
Can I have goats in a small backyard?
While our miniature goats are small and do not need as much space as larger livestock, they still require sufficient space to run and play. Goats penned in small spaces 100% of the time are not as healthy and happy as those who have the freedom to roam. More importantly, usually, people with “small backyards” are not in areas zoned to legally have livestock animals. Goats are not considered pets by most cities. You will need to contact your local zoning commission to see what your property is permitted to have.
Can I bottle feed my babies? And how do I go about doing it?
Are you wondering if bottle babies are right for you? This detailed overview of feeding schedules and requirements is a good place to start to see if bottle babies are a good fit for you.
Bottle feeding is going to give you a huge payback for your time in their temperament. We bottle train all of the kids but unless there are special circumstances, they stay with their moms until they wean/go home. The ideal age to get them is 3-4 weeks old and then bottle feed 2-3 times per day. This makes for very friendly but well-mannered goats. Some people want them while they are fully dependent on bottles. In this case, we usually wait about a week to make sure they are developing well and really ready to go home.
Should I get boys or girls? Or one of each?
This is the question we get asked the most from new goat owners. Are girls, “does”, or castrated boys, “wethers”, better for pets. (Let’s just state right now with no hesitation that intact males, “bucks”, are NOT good pets and should not be considered. Intact males of most livestock species can be aggressive, and in the case of goats, STINKY. You would be setting yourself, and your beloved pet up for failure.) Read more
How are goats with dogs?
One of the most commonly asked questions we get is, do goats get along with dogs? Our goats are raised with dogs but they don’t love them all. Our two LGD (livestock guardian dogs) are loved and trusted by the whole herd. Our labs and the other small dogs are tolerated but often the goats will charge at the smaller dogs to keep them away from the herd, especially the babies.
Each dog gives off a certain energy and the higher energy dog breeds may make the goats nervous and/or stressed. The goats may try to run the dog off, possibly injuring the dog. Or this fearful behavior may be returned by the dog resulting in injury to the goat.
Dogs are predators and goats are prey. Period. Dogs should never be left alone with goats, especially babies, until they have proven to be 110% trustworthy. Even a dog wanting to “play” can chase and scare a goat literally to death. We highly recommend having a professional dog trainer evaluate your dog's behavior around the goats prior to allowing them together.
Goats should never be acquired to be companions with a dog or dogs. They all may eventually get along just fine but it is not an appropriate pairing to do intentionally. We will not sell any single goat to a home that does not have an existing goat herd.
How do I integrate a new goat(s) into an established herd?
Space is the key. If your herd is in a big open area with plenty of space for the new goat(s) to retreat, bullying should be at a minimum. However, there will be a long period of time where the bigger, older goats will be boss-man-boss and the younger ones will be submissive. As they grow up, this can change. You may see some head-butting and conflict as your babies get bigger and decide they want to move up in the ranks.
The main danger in bringing in a new goat, no matter the age or size, is the rest of the herd allowing the New Kid to eat and drink. The best way to do this is to give the new goat(s) somewhere safe to eat on their own. With babies, you can do this by giving them a separate area that has an access small enough that the adults can’t get in. This gives them a completely safe space to eat, drink, rest, etc where they can’t be bullied but they can still go in with the rest of the herd to snuggle and play. This is essential in a smaller pen situation.
There are hierarchies in every animal group. The "pecking order” isn’t a cliche for nothing! In goat herds, not much is different and Top Goat can change as the herd ages and develops. As in any animal group, as long as someone is willing to submit, there are generally no injuries. It’s when two or more decide they want to fight for that leader position even if it means getting bloodied. We typically let them work it out so long as no one is being injured.