Our Herd – Critter Creek Farm

Years ago we started off with two goats, a mother and her doeling. For beginners, this was a great way to start off in the goat world. With her mother by her side, we didn't need to worry about weaning a baby goat. Goats can be easy keepers until they are not. With the help of a mentor we made it through the first year. Which is why I love to mentor people who purchase from us. I want your babies to be as healthy as ours. My customer know I am just a phone call away.

There is a lot to learn about goat care. Goats are ruminants and can be plagued with parasite problems. With parasites becoming drug resistant we wanted to raise our goats as naturally as possible. We use good hygiene in the pens, pasture rotation and herbal wormers. Their diet consists of healthy pastures, forage, Sericea Lespedeza pellets, locally raised hay, as well as vegetables and herbs we grow at the farm. All food sources depends on the time of year, goats gestating and availability of forage.

A few years ago we introduced the mineral buffett instead of mixed commercial minerals. It is amazing to watch each goat self select the minerals they need and leave the ones they have adequate levels. By far, Selenium is the most popular which is no surprize. South Carolina is a selenium deficient state. Their coats reflect this and are thick and shiny and birthings have been much easier. Another huge change was adding the Sericea Lespedeza pellets. This is a grass that kills worms. Yes even the Baberpole worms. The tannins in the grass interfere with the worms ability to feed and reproduce. The tannins also reduce the ability of the females worms to produce eggs, lowering contamination in the pasture.

There is nothing more relaxing and uplifting than watching baby goats hopping around the yard. We were hooked. Breeding became a passion about sharing that joy. If you are interested in goats please contact us for more information and to get on our waitlist. We do not take deposits for the waitlist.

When babies are born we then take 50% non-refundable deposits and encourage you to come visit your babies while they grow. Babies go home at 12 weeks which is the normal time frame that moms have started weaning their babies. Many breeders will let them go home earlier but I feel they need more time for the rumen to develop, mature and for the animals to learn all they can from moms. Taking home babies too early can lead to undue stress, increased worm load and coccidiosis.

We raise Mini Tennessee Fainting goats (Myotonic Fainting Goats) and Mini Silkie Fainting Goats. They have become my favorite! They are a show breed and many have championship lines. For me they are strictly bred as pets and are extremely friendly, quieter than most goats and gentle.

Other important differential characteristics of the myotonic goat include very teachable/trainable, stiffness, high quality adaptation to low-input farm land and foraging. Myotonia is not a "seizure" and is not painful!! Myotonia congenita is caused by an inherited disorder of a chloride channel in the muscles of the skeleton. It is simply a delayed muscle relaxation after excitement. It can be good excitement as well as being startled. Most common fainting occurs when they see me walking towards them with the grain bucket!!

As adults they rarely challenge a fence and certainly do not jump as they lose that ability most of the time due to the myotonia/stiffness. All of our adults will quietly walk up to you and wait to be brushed, fed or loved on. These goats are perfect for young toddlers or children with disabilities.