So, you’ve gotten your first buck, now what? Is there anything special you need for them? Well the answer is yes and no.

There are actually two kinds of bucks. You have the bucks, like the one above, who are able to breed. Then you have bucks, as the one pictured below, that are wethers. This means they have been castrated and cannot be used for breeding.

The picture above is my Cress. He is a wether. He cannot breed. He can be kept with either the bucks or the does. Cress came to me with two does so he is usually with them. Huckleberry is my billie goat. He is my breeder.

So, now that you know the difference, we can go into what they need. Huckleberry needs to be separated from the does or we would have pregnancies whenever he felt they were needed, rather than when I plan for them. So the first special thing you would need if you decide to get a buck is a pen for him.

Cress can spend time with the rest of the herd because he cannot get the does pregnant. So during the day, he gets to roam with the females while Huckleberry has to stay in his pen. Huckleberry gets to come out at night, after the does are put away to roam the yard for about an hour or so while Hubby cleans his pen.

The other thing to remember is that bucks don’t need grain. It can cause issues for them. That’s really all you need special for a buck though. As long as you interact with them, they will still be very sweet goats that enjoy people’s attention, just like your does. I will warn you, however, during breeding season, bucks really do smell something awful! This smell will get on you any time you interact with your buck. So just something else to keep in mind.

Have a great day!

Renee