tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-652834985543565257.post5137735629564060801..comments2023-10-25T04:44:22.605-05:00Comments on Homesteading and Homekeeping at Whisper Wind Farm: Bucks on the FarmKathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09932224189710732528noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-652834985543565257.post-18990175579128917042010-12-27T07:07:17.215-06:002010-12-27T07:07:17.215-06:00We will always have a buck of our own for breeding...We will always have a buck of our own for breeding purposes, but an 8 month old buckling can do the job just as well as a 3 year old buck. I don't ever plan to not have a buck, simply because it would be next to impossible to find a buck close by when the girls come into heat. We have 7 does and want to build the herd to 10. Having that many to transport would be a nightmare. We already new when we got the boys that after a couple of generations they would have to be replaced anyway. I think that we have just decided to do the replacing on a more regular basis. The boys aren't overly aggressive and still love to be scratched behind the ears and on top of their heads. However, they will challenge if you are keeping them from doing something they want to do, like stealing the horses food. And then of course there is the mess they have made of the field fence from their body weight and climbing out to.....steal the horses food. But we will always have our own means of breeding the girls each year. Thanks for the thoughts, KatKathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09932224189710732528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-652834985543565257.post-1003554077778987612010-12-22T22:49:55.973-06:002010-12-22T22:49:55.973-06:00In your circumstances I'd do the same thing. ...In your circumstances I'd do the same thing. We didn't want to keep a buck year round because we didn't have a separate pen. However, when last years breeding season passed w/o us finding a suitable buck, we decided to buy one. He's an Alpine, and his parents are registered, but he's not. Our girls are registered, and for $75 it seemed like a good deal. He's been mild, even this rutting season. I'd have to get his info out to remember if he's going on 2 or 3. We have him at our "pasture" with our 2 cows, which is a couple of miles from our house. We take the girls over there when they're in heat. It's fenced with 5 ft pipe fence and heavy gauge, small square field fencing. We have to feed him from Nov to March, and until I calculate that cost I can't say if it's cheaper to keep him or pay for breeding. I think with 6 does, keeping him will be cheaper. If we run into trouble like you're having, we'll probably reconsider.<br /><br />Hope you don't get hurt!Kelly Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859487060142048869noreply@blogger.com