Decided I’m going to start a farm thread instead of keeping up with my other threads (except the Sparkle waiting thread).
I currently have 13 goats, but have decided Nigerian dwarfs aren’t a great fit for my doe herd, so Clover and Lavender are moving on (possibly tomorrow).
I raise everyone organic and on intensive rotational grazing, and everyone but the bucks and ND respect 3 strand fences. So my days of moving netting will be reduced once I only have Alpine does and Jane (large ND).
I also raise free range ducks and hatch them. Focusing on purebred Ancona. I plan to sell off the non Ancona once my ducklings start laying.
I’m excited to start getting into mini alpines to increase butterfat and so I can have smaller bucks. The size of the does doesn’t bother me but 200#+ bucks do.
My herd consists of-
The alpines:
Sparkle, Carmel, Snickers, Cocoa, Blossom, and Fudge.
The Nigerian dwarfs:
Jane
Mr. Bing
Cabochon farm Gold rush
and coming soon mini alpines, due June 25, ?, August 7 and 10. All by Mr. Bingley, does in order are Blossom, Sparkle, Snickers, and Carmel.
I’m hoping to start making money off the animals in the next year or two instead of it being a hobby. So far I’ve gotten a lot more duck egg customers and sold a few ducklings. I’m surprised how few I sold though, since people had said it was hard to get them from hatcheries. Plus only a couple hatcheries even carry Ancona.
I have tons of people interested in milk once I have more, and have also started making goat milk soap.
My goal is a healthy, low maintenance herd with good production including milking through. So far everyone is low maintenance, now I’m just working on winter milk. Gold rush’s grand dam milked well for 2 years straight, so I’m hoping his daughters will too.
