Goat folks, need some help. *pics added*

Awesome Paints · 10-05-2009, 10:36 AM

We went to an auction yesterday and did not come home with a pony but we did get a nanny and 2 kids. We had goats when I was younger but it's been years. So I have a couple questions I'm hoping somebody can help me with!

1: How long is a goat's gestation period? She is supposed to be bred back to a Boer billy.

2: How old do you let the kids get before you wean them? (Don't really know how old they are now thought.

)

3: We had a couple kids this time last year and they both got bloated up and died. I do not want to kill these also so I need some help with what and how much to feed them. Do you leave them on the grass or dry lot?

I think that's it for now, I appreciate the help!!

algae · 10-05-2009, 11:09 AM

If I remember rightly gestation is about 5 months.

Kids can be weaned at 4 or so months.

Goats will generally do well on grass, with a few flakes of hay in the winter time. The ration of grain for a dry doe, buck, or wether is 1/2 a cup of grain (sweet mix is good), for a doe with kids 1 cup of grain is good. I only give our goats grain if they are getting a bit thin. Most are fine with out grain.
Bloat is often caused by over feeding grain, so that might be it if you where feeding your other kids grain.

Karen Cole · 10-05-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awesome Paints

We went to an auction yesterday and did not come home with a pony but we did get a nanny and 2 kids. We had goats when I was younger but it's been years. So I have a couple questions I'm hoping somebody can help me with!

1: How long is a goat's gestation period? *** Five months give or take two weeks. Any idea when she was bred?***

She is supposed to be bred back to a Boer billy. What kind of doe is she?

2: How old do you let the kids get before you wean them? (Don't really know how old they are now thought.

) ***Depends on the doe and kids any time from 3 months to 6 months.***

3: We had a couple kids this time last year and they both got bloated up and died. I do not want to kill these also so I need some help with what and how much to feed them. Vaccinate them with Bar Vac CD/T 2cc under the skin (armpit works well) at 8, 12 and 16 weeks then twice yearly.

Do you leave them on the grass or dry lot? *** Browse is best, otherwise a good quality grass hay works wonders.***

***We do grain but they only get enough to bring them up from the pasture each nite. Milkers get all they can eat while on the stand and our bucks are supplimented pretty heavy this time of year but they have a big job to do. If it's not breeding season they are not grained.***

I think that's it for now, I appreciate the help!!

Hope this helps
Karen

Awesome Paints · 10-06-2009, 10:56 AM

Thank you algae and Karen!!

I think she may be a pygmy goat, I have pics to post here shortly. Hopefully you can help me guess how old the kids are.

I will write down the vaccine and get some soon. Right now she in in a small grass/weed pen but we will be moving her to a bigger area as soon as hubby gets the holes filled in from the stupid hogs.

She's been eating the grass but looks a bit sunken this morning so I gave her a little hay. I also gave her a handful of oats last night to see if she would come up to me to eat. Would oats be okay to feed her all the time or should I get an actual goat feed?

Okay, off to photobucket to get pics. I'll be back in a couple hours.....

algae · 10-06-2009, 11:04 AM

Oats are fine.
Congrats on your new friend!

Awesome Paints · 10-06-2009, 11:43 AM

Okay here are the pics, I think she's pygmy and the babies could possibly be half Boer if she is bred back to one. But I don't know... what do you think?

algae · 10-06-2009, 01:33 PM

They're cute! The kids do look a bit Boerish.

Karen Cole · 10-06-2009, 03:15 PM

I think she's a mutt goat but she looks to have really good width and length. She very well could be crossed with a Pygmy but I don't think she is a Purebred. Her kids do look like they could be Boer crosses although it's so hard to tell for sure. They look nice and healthy though and if they are Boer/Pygmy they should be really nice does when they grow up.

Some of our best crossbreds were Boer/Pygmy and I tell you if I could find a standard sized Pygmy buck from a clean herd I'd get one!!!

Good Luck with them they do look nice
Karen

farmergal · 10-11-2009, 02:15 AM

I see little horn buds so I'm going to guess the kids to be around 8 weeks old.

They are cute!

Awesome Paints · 10-12-2009, 08:38 PM

Karen thanks for the info! Like I said before I don't have a whole lot of experience with goats other than what we had as kids. I know they were pygmys and one nubian that I bottle raised and was a huge pet. From what I've researched on the computer she also looks like a nigerian dwarf but I wasn't sure how big they were.

farmergal the babies do indeed have little horns popping thru. Right now they're about an inch long.

Any tips on taming them down enough to pet them???

Karen Cole · 10-13-2009, 06:08 AM

With a good side, rear shot we'd be able to tell you better what she is. With her horns, width and hair I might lean towards Mini Sannen.

You want to tame the kids....blackmail works really well. Food, treats are great tools. If Mom is friendly tie her up and set with her the curiosity for the kids is just like for cats. They won't be able to stand themselves and will eventually come over to you. It will take time so don't rush them and don't move fast a horn to the head is terribly painfull.

Karen

Awesome Paints · 10-13-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karen Cole

With a good side, rear shot we'd be able to tell you better what she is. With her horns, width and hair I might lean towards Mini Sannen.

You want to tame the kids....blackmail works really well. Food, treats are great tools. If Mom is friendly tie her up and set with her the curiosity for the kids is just like for cats. They won't be able to stand themselves and will eventually come over to you. It will take time so don't rush them and don't move fast a horn to the head is terribly painfull.

Karen

I will try to get some more pics of her soon, it's raining tonight.

What are good, healthy treats for goats? Momma is not real friendly either but she has got to where she will holler at me when I'm outside and she'll eat hay from my hands. So at least we're making progress.

Karen Cole · 10-13-2009, 04:44 PM

Just a handfull of sweet feed would probally get her to come around quick. Goats really don't need grain unless your milking or showing them so using it as a treat works really well.

Range · 10-13-2009, 07:53 PM

The route to the heart is through the stomach! Mine like bread. One likes carrots. Another likes pears and apples.

Just sitting and letting them know you are not a giant goat killer is beneficial! Plus, once they climb on you, if you can find their itchy spots.....

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
I need your help folks	snickers	Forum for MO/AR	4	05-18-2008 09:22 PM
Baby Goat Poop-*Goat PICS added	Cami-002	Farm Animal	6	02-23-2008 03:56 AM
Any WB folks here?	Kahlua_Twist	Breeding & Genetics	10	05-27-2006 09:10 PM

10-05-2009, 10:36 AM
Awesome Paints Coming two Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,967	Goat folks, need some help. pics added We went to an auction yesterday and did not come home with a pony but we did get a nanny and 2 kids. We had goats when I was younger but it's been years. So I have a couple questions I'm hoping somebody can help me with! 1: How long is a goat's gestation period? She is supposed to be bred back to a Boer billy. 2: How old do you let the kids get before you wean them? (Don't really know how old they are now thought.) 3: We had a couple kids this time last year and they both got bloated up and died. I do not want to kill these also so I need some help with what and how much to feed them. Do you leave them on the grass or dry lot? I think that's it for now, I appreciate the help!! __________________ Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why it is called the present. Last edited by Awesome Paints : 10-06-2009 at 11:45 AM.

10-05-2009, 11:09 AM
algae Weanling Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 258	If I remember rightly gestation is about 5 months. Kids can be weaned at 4 or so months. Goats will generally do well on grass, with a few flakes of hay in the winter time. The ration of grain for a dry doe, buck, or wether is 1/2 a cup of grain (sweet mix is good), for a doe with kids 1 cup of grain is good. I only give our goats grain if they are getting a bit thin. Most are fine with out grain. Bloat is often caused by over feeding grain, so that might be it if you where feeding your other kids grain. __________________ Proud 'owner' of: RogueBellaCottia Last edited by algae : 10-05-2009 at 11:12 AM.

10-06-2009, 10:56 AM
Awesome Paints Coming two Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,967	Thank you algae and Karen!! I think she may be a pygmy goat, I have pics to post here shortly. Hopefully you can help me guess how old the kids are. I will write down the vaccine and get some soon. Right now she in in a small grass/weed pen but we will be moving her to a bigger area as soon as hubby gets the holes filled in from the stupid hogs. She's been eating the grass but looks a bit sunken this morning so I gave her a little hay. I also gave her a handful of oats last night to see if she would come up to me to eat. Would oats be okay to feed her all the time or should I get an actual goat feed? Okay, off to photobucket to get pics. I'll be back in a couple hours..... __________________ Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why it is called the present.

10-06-2009, 11:04 AM
algae Weanling Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 258	Oats are fine. Congrats on your new friend! __________________ Proud 'owner' of: RogueBellaCottia

10-06-2009, 11:43 AM
Awesome Paints Coming two Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,967	Okay here are the pics, I think she's pygmy and the babies could possibly be half Boer if she is bred back to one. But I don't know... what do you think? __________________ Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why it is called the present.

10-06-2009, 01:33 PM
algae Weanling Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 258	They're cute! The kids do look a bit Boerish. __________________ Proud 'owner' of: RogueBellaCottia

10-06-2009, 03:15 PM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,533	I think she's a mutt goat but she looks to have really good width and length. She very well could be crossed with a Pygmy but I don't think she is a Purebred. Her kids do look like they could be Boer crosses although it's so hard to tell for sure. They look nice and healthy though and if they are Boer/Pygmy they should be really nice does when they grow up. Some of our best crossbreds were Boer/Pygmy and I tell you if I could find a standard sized Pygmy buck from a clean herd I'd get one!!! Good Luck with them they do look nice Karen

10-11-2009, 02:15 AM
farmergal Kid Safe Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 6,063	I see little horn buds so I'm going to guess the kids to be around 8 weeks old. They are cute! __________________ Knowlege is out there, you just need to know where to look.

10-12-2009, 08:38 PM
Awesome Paints Coming two Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,967	Karen thanks for the info! Like I said before I don't have a whole lot of experience with goats other than what we had as kids. I know they were pygmys and one nubian that I bottle raised and was a huge pet. From what I've researched on the computer she also looks like a nigerian dwarf but I wasn't sure how big they were. farmergal the babies do indeed have little horns popping thru. Right now they're about an inch long. Any tips on taming them down enough to pet them??? __________________ Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why it is called the present.

10-13-2009, 06:08 AM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,533	With a good side, rear shot we'd be able to tell you better what she is. With her horns, width and hair I might lean towards Mini Sannen. You want to tame the kids....blackmail works really well. Food, treats are great tools. If Mom is friendly tie her up and set with her the curiosity for the kids is just like for cats. They won't be able to stand themselves and will eventually come over to you. It will take time so don't rush them and don't move fast a horn to the head is terribly painfull. Karen

10-13-2009, 04:44 PM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,533	Just a handfull of sweet feed would probally get her to come around quick. Goats really don't need grain unless your milking or showing them so using it as a treat works really well.

10-13-2009, 07:53 PM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,739	The route to the heart is through the stomach! Mine like bread. One likes carrots. Another likes pears and apples. Just sitting and letting them know you are not a giant goat killer is beneficial! Plus, once they climb on you, if you can find their itchy spots..... __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery