New goat owner help needed

[Nbullinger]

We brought home this mini Lamancha on Tuesday. And noticed she was pretty round.. she was born Jan 9th.

Is she pregnant, fat, normal, or bloated? It’s pretty firm on one side but a little squishy on the other.

We’re very new to goats and I’m so afraid of messing it all up.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Looks normal to me for a ruminant, and a dairy breed of goat. The rumen is on the left side.

 

[Nbullinger]

Looks normal to me for a ruminant, and a dairy breed of goat. The rumen is on the left side.

Okay, so she’s just eating well then? I researched so much but still feel so lost with goats

 

[The Chick Addict]

We brought home this mini Lamancha on Tuesday. And noticed she was pretty round.. she was born Jan 9th.

Is she pregnant, fat, normal, or bloated? It’s pretty firm on one side but a little squishy on the other.

We’re very new to goats and I’m so afraid of messing it all up.

Do you know if she's been running with a buck? If she did, there is a chance she could be pregnant. Like oldhenlikesdogs said, it could very likely be her rumen on the left side, however is she continues to grow on her right side, it could be that she is pregnant.

 

[Nbullinger]

Do you know if she's been running with a buck? If she did, there is a chance she could be pregnant. Like oldhenlikesdogs said, it could very likely be her rumen on the left side, however is she continues to grow on her right side, it could be that she is pregnant.

We have her with a buckling, she wasn’t separated from the others when we got her. We haven’t seen them do the deed though, and he was born New Year’s Eve so he’s around the age to breed

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Okay, so she’s just eating well then? I researched so much but still feel so lost with goats

Most goats come into heat in the fall. Sometimes they cycle year round, but that hasn't been my experiences keeping goats. If pregnant she would carry it on the right side as mentioned by @The Chick Addict , and you can feel them towards the end of the 5 month gestation.

She could use a bit of fat on her spine, but is probably a good weight for her age and breed. My la mancha wethers were a bit fatter at that age.

With goats you need to be careful with the diet. Don't switch things up too quickly. Especially when feeding grains. Best to vaccinate for enterotoxemia to hopefully prevent problems.

Goats should have free access to a good loose mineral made for goats which usually contains copper. I provide free choice baking soda as well to help prevent digestive problems. Tetanus vaccination is always a good idea. Worm as needed by eye rim color. Feed lots of roughage, and figure out what type of fencing works best for you. Goats are escape artists, especially if they are unhappy.

 

[Nbullinger]

Most goats come into heat in the fall. Sometimes they cycle year round, but that hasn't been my experiences keeping goats. If pregnant she would carry it on the right side as mentioned by @The Chick Addict , and you can feel them towards the end of the 5 month gestation.

She could use a bit of fat on her spine, but is probably a good weight for her age and breed. My la mancha wethers were a bit fatter at that age.

With goats you need to be careful with the diet. Don't switch things up too quickly. Especially when feeding grains. Best to vaccinate for enterotoxemia to hopefully prevent problems.

Goats should have free access to a good loose mineral made for goats which usually contains copper. I provide free choice baking soda as well to help prevent digestive problems. Tetanus vaccination is always a good idea. Worm as needed by eye rim color. Feed lots of roughage, and figure out what type of fencing works best for you. Goats are escape artists, especially if they are unhappy.

They just had their vaccines right before we picked them up! They were wormed 2 weeks ago and the rims of their eyes are still pink

I’m trying to get the feeding thing down but it’s a bit confusing. They don’t eat their minerals but have them offered free choice, as well as baking soda. They have free choice hay, and I’ve been feeding 1/2 cup grain per day - though they act like they’re still starving

I bring them little pieces of apple, carrots, or banana once a day. Just a small bit.

We’ve been taking them for walks and they will graze on the weeds.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Goats will always act like they are starving, especially for goodies like grain. You can also feed them tree trimming if you have willow trees, apple trees, or pines. A goats normal diet is to browse. They will graze, but it's not what they would normally do. They will eat various weeds, and twigs. They go crazy for the raspberry rambles I trim in the fall.

My goats consume more baking soda in warm weather when on pasture and more mineral in winter when on hay.

Ours like apples, carrots, celery, stale breads, tortillas, and various crackers for treats. Most won't touch a banana but a few love to eat the peelings.

 

[Nbullinger]

Goats will always act like they are starving, especially for goodies like grain. You can also feed them tree trimming if you have willow trees, apple trees, or pines. A goats normal diet is to browse. They will graze, but it's not what they would normally do. They will eat various weeds, and twigs. They go crazy for the raspberry rambles I trim in the fall.

My goats consume more baking soda in warm weather when on pasture and more mineral in winter when on hay.

Ours like apples, carrots, celery, stale breads, tortillas, and various crackers for treats. Most won't touch a banana but a few love to eat the peelings.

Oh good! Our boy loves bananas, the girl not so much. Is 1/2 cup grain okay for them then or do they not need it at all since they have all sorts of other stuff?

I only give it because I read that the young goats needed it

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That sounds like a good amount to me. It's especially important to be careful feeding grains to wethers. They can develop urinary tract stones and get blockages. Females do okay eating grain and some is needed for energy when pregnant and nursing.

I usually give young ones a bit of grain as it can help with taming them down if they need to be.