Nigerian Dwarf Colors & Patters
Nigerian Dwarf Goats come in a rainbow of colors and patterns.
I hope this page will help you understand the many colors our Nigerians can come in as well as help you decide what color to register your kids!
This page is a work in progress!
I hope this page will help you understand the many colors our Nigerians can come in as well as help you decide what color to register your kids!
This page is a work in progress!
Buckskin
The buckskin pattern is very common in Nigerians.
It can come in many different shades and colors but the general features are the same.
A buckskin has a darker cape over a lighter body. Buckskin can be described as Buckskin, Dark Buckskin, Mohagony Buckskin, Light Buckskin, Red buckskin or Chocolate Buckskin. Some capes can be very faint while others can cover almost the whole body. Some buckskins even change from their baby colors. When considering what color to put on registration I always go by baby color for buckskins. Buckskins also have stripes on their face and down the front of their legs.
It has been my personal experience that cape of Chocolate buckskins can sometimes look "almost" black. Get a good look at the the kid in sunlight. If it is a chocolate you will be able to see the chocolate hue on the dark face stripes and the cape. It is not uncommon for chocolates to look almost black at birth but after a few days they seem to lighten up a little.
Red buckskins will have a red colored cape and face stripes instead of black or chocolate.
It can come in many different shades and colors but the general features are the same.
A buckskin has a darker cape over a lighter body. Buckskin can be described as Buckskin, Dark Buckskin, Mohagony Buckskin, Light Buckskin, Red buckskin or Chocolate Buckskin. Some capes can be very faint while others can cover almost the whole body. Some buckskins even change from their baby colors. When considering what color to put on registration I always go by baby color for buckskins. Buckskins also have stripes on their face and down the front of their legs.
It has been my personal experience that cape of Chocolate buckskins can sometimes look "almost" black. Get a good look at the the kid in sunlight. If it is a chocolate you will be able to see the chocolate hue on the dark face stripes and the cape. It is not uncommon for chocolates to look almost black at birth but after a few days they seem to lighten up a little.
Red buckskins will have a red colored cape and face stripes instead of black or chocolate.
Buckskin
Dark Buckskin ; Blue Eyes ; Wattles
Red Buckskin with minimal White Photo Credit : Logan @
Freedom Star Farms
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Mahogany Buckskin
Chocolate Buckskin
Red Buckskin ~ Photo Credit: Margaret @ HiNote Farm
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Light Buckskin
Chocolate Buckskin
Chocolate Buckskin
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Light Buckskin ; Blue Eyes
Chocolate Buckskin
Chocolate Buckskin
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Buckskin Patterns can fade with age. My Buck Texas is a Chocolate buckskin. A high percent of his kids have always been buckskins. He is still genetically a buckskin even though as an adult he appears only Chocolate & White.
Texas is : Chocolate Buckskin & White ; Blues Eyes
Texas is : Chocolate Buckskin & White ; Blues Eyes
Baby Texas with his Buckskin Cape
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Fuzzy Texas with a Faded Cape
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Shaved Texas without any cape
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Here is another example of a Chocolate Buckskin who lost her cape. |
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The Buckskin Pattern can also darken or spread with age. Would you believe this is the same goat? Pictures taken about 1 year apart. Look closely at the white markings. Although the black color has spread over the whole body the white remains the same.
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Buckskin Pattern can also have White, Roaning or Moonspots!
Dark Buckskin with Scattered White
Light Buckskin ; Moonspots
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Chocolate Buckskin with Abundent White
Chocolate Buckskin; Moonspots; Blue Eyes
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Dark Buckskin with minimal White ; Blue Eyes
Dark Buckskin with White ; Blue Eyes
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Light Buckskin & White; Roaning
Mahogany Buckskin ; Roaning ; Minimal White
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At times the goat can have so much white the buckskin pattern is almost hidden. Think of the white as "paint" thrown on top of the original color. Genetically the buckskin pattern is still there. However, it is just hidden by the white. You can sometimes see the bits and pieces of the cape, face stripes or leg stripes showing through.
On Registration I would call all of these : Buckskin with Extensive White Overlay
On Registration I would call all of these : Buckskin with Extensive White Overlay
You can clearly see a hint of the black cape and lighter tan body color. You can also see the front leg stripe and hint of face stripe.
Same kid pictured above.
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You can see the hint of the buckskin stripe on her front legs and side of her face.
Same kid as pictured above.
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While this kid is nearly white you can still make out the front leg stripe.
Black cape can be seen on the shoulders as well as the stripes on the her front legs.
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Very clearly see the black cape and lighter body color.
Just above her eyes you can see the brown stripe. You can also see the black cape on her shoulder.
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Chamoisee
The chamoisee pattern is brown or tan in color with a black stripe down their back, solid black legs and a pair of black stripes down the face. Most will also have a black underbelly although I have seen many chamoisee who do not have a black belly. The extent of the stripes can vary from goat to goat. Some have faint stripes and others are very dark. Chamoisee can have black or brown points. Goat's with brown points are actually Chocolate. Just like the buckskin pattern above they can various amounts of white, roaning or moonspots.
Chamoisee
Dark Chamoisee with White
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Chocolate Chamoisee
Chocolate Chamoisee
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Moonspotted Chamoisee
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Chamoisee & White
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These is a Chamoisee with Extensive White Overlay. You can tell it is a Chamoisee and not a buckskin by the solid color of his legs.
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Cream
Notice the orange hue or gold ticking on cream goats?
Cream
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Cream
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Cream
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Gold
Gold can vary from a light pale color to a dark rich gold color. I differentiate pale gold from cream. Pale (or light gold) goats seem to have even gold color though out where as cream goats are more ticked in color.
Gold & White
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Gold & White
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Gold & White
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Gold with Extensive White
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Pale Gold & White
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