# Does a buck need a companion wether?



## jjstroz (Jul 24, 2012)

Our buck pen is on the opposite side of the barn than the doe pen. The buck's pasture comes up along our back yard so he isn't isolated. As we rotationally graze our horses and cows he has company in with him. We do have a young wether who has been living with him and I'm trying to weigh the benefits of keeping the wether vs the costs of keeping the wether. Give me your opinions!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Just my opinion but I think your buck will be much happier with a goat buddy. The horses & cows are nice but they don't snuggle with him on cold nights or play head butt.

To feed a wether who basically just needs hay shouldn't cost that much more.


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

We had to pull our bucks wether last year because he gave him pneumonia. It was the most heart breaking thing I have ever seen. The buck pouted and mourned his friend. He became mad and you could not walk in the pen with him. Once he had his buddy back he was fine. Happy go lucky, you could actually touch him now. So yes in my opinion they need a friend. I always tell people this... You could go without talking to a human but would you be happy to never have human interaction? Most likely not.


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## mamato3 (Nov 1, 2008)

I usually put a doe in with my buck.The wether to me is a waste as my goats have to pay for there up keep. But after a yr of raising my boy with a doe and at times alone. Ive decided to try and keep 2 bucks together that why i can have a choice of who i breed to who.


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## PFS farmer (Sep 25, 2012)

I'm curious myself to see others opinions.


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

You could keep another buck with him, as well. 

Basically, with ALL goats, you need to have two of them together. Lots of folks only want to keep a single buck, so they get a wether, a hermaphodite, or a sterile doe as a "friend" for them. Goats simply cannot be kept alone, and seeing cows and horses on the other side of the fence is not enough.

Imagine if you were put in a glass room, all by yourself, and you had no one to talk to or interact with...but through the glass, you could see gorillas and chimpanzees going about their daily lives. Would that satisfy your need for socialization?

The reason most people do not keep a doe in with their buck is that a buck can be dangerous to have around during kidding, and he can be dangerous to young kids if he feels threatened, and who wants to milk a doe covered in buck goo? Living full time with a doe can also affect rut in bucks, and you never know if it will effect them positively or negatively. And what if you don't want to breed that doe this year? Or twice a year? And who are you going to put with him while she is kidding? Etc., etc.

So, when folks only want to keep a single buck, they tend to go with a wether buddy. The wether can pretty much be kept with the buck 24/7, 365, you don't have to worry about unplanned breeding, and they eat very little.

Or, you could diversify your lines and get another buck. Bucks do fine being kept together once they get their status with one another sorted out.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

After Auto buck was put in the ground, his wether buddy did ok but was kinda lonesome, even being able to touch noses with the does.
We got another buck. They compete for hay/feed (which wether gets maybe a couple handfuls just to keep him busy while growing buck gets his grain)
They spar & sleep together.


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## JBarGFarmKeeper (Nov 1, 2011)

I have 'several' goats but for my 2 cents, I'd keep another buck. You can keep kids and rotate breeding...


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

I have 4 bucks that stay together (honestly was not my plan) BUT it does give me diversity in breeding. They fight, play, mount, moon over the girls, and sleep together. They are happy.


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

Okay..after reading this I have become aware of just how strange our buck Jake is. When we put him in with the does..we have to take our whether, Black, out. The two do not hit it off..never have. Jake is a bully and he can back it up.

So, Jake lives with the steers..usually 2-3 of them. He tussels with them..they say uncle and all is well. He can see and sniff through the fences at the girls when he is with the steers..he is just anti-social with other male goats..intact or not. Hmmm.


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