Acclimating & Introducing Billy Goat to Nanny Goat

[SmithsCoop41]

Yes. I recommend a mineral formulated for goats because it contains copper which goats need. I have used the cattle blocks for years without problems before I started using a loose goat mineral. I would assume what else you feed will determine if they need extra copper or not.

Yes I've got the mineral block specifically for goats, but it's in the coop and I've still got him inside with me, so he's not getting that right now. I did feed him some cow milk yesterday at lunch and evening when I got home from work. He drank it good, however, I'm concerned that he may not be drinking as much as he should, but....he is also eating hay. He was getting hay and mama's milk at the previous owners', and she said she assumes he was maybe drinking some of the water that they had out for mama and baby. I'm not so sure, because I tried to give him some water last night, he inspected it a little, but lost interest and moved on. I did offer the water a decent amount of time AFTER he had ate the milk and hay though. When I figured he needed to drink something. Maybe that had something to do with the disinterest in it? Idk. At 8 weeks old, if they are also eating hay, how much milk consumption is a good amount per feeding, and how many times a day should they be fed the milk? Online I seen where a bottle twice a day is sufficient, but I don't think it mentioned hay being in the equation, so I assume it was talking about just the milk, and nothing else. Don't remember how much milk he drank at lunch, I wanna say maybe 2 ounces?, and then that evening he drank almost 4 ounces, and then I gave him some hay and just a handful of alfalfa pellets in the bottom of the hay bowl. He ate pretty much all of the hay, but didn't quite finish the pellets. He wanted to keep eating it but I heard so much online and all about not letting them just eat and eat and eat because it can cause bloating, which could be fatal? Is that correct? The hay he had was like a timothy hay with possibly some various types of other hay in it like alfalfa and bermuda. He didn't have but a handful.
Let me know if I am doing something wrong, or need to possibly change something. Also, about the water thing....about at what age do they normally start drinking just water, and is there a trick to getting them interested in drinking it? Or do you have to kinda let them get really thirsty, so it's much more probable they'll drink it?
I hope that don't sound too harsh, because I just want the best for him, but if he needs to be transitioning from milk to water, what are the best ways to go about that? Maybe cut back on the milk? But then I'm worried he won't be getting enough to drink and get dehydrated before he comes around to the water.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Kids can be weaned at 8 weeks. When I bottle fed kids I generally weaned them at 8-12 weeks. He will drink water when he's thirsty. I would let him eat the hay free choice. I don't generally feed any rations here. I'd probably do a handful or two a day at most. He need the hay to help develop a healthy rumen. Males can develop urinary stones if fed too much grains so limit those.

 

[SmithsCoop41]

Kids can be weaned at 8 weeks. When I bottle fed kids I generally weaned them at 8-12 weeks. He will drink water when he's thirsty. I would let him eat the hay free choice. I don't generally feed any rations here. I'd probably do a handful or two a day at most. He need the hay to help develop a healthy rumen. Males can develop urinary stones if fed too much grains so limit those.

 

[SmithsCoop41]

So you're saying I could leave a handful of hay in the crate with him in the mornings with a bowl of water, and let him decide when he wants to drink the water? I'm afraid he will eat all the hay, and no water, and either get choked, compacted, or something go wrong to cause various problems if he doesn't drink enough water with it. I have to work during the day, and I'm not there to to keep an eye on him. I would be very nervous and worried something may go wrong. My mother lives with us due to her being disabled, and so my mother-in-law sits with her during the day, and she could check on him for me ever so often if absolutely needed, but she doesn't know anything about goats, etc, and she pretty much prefers not to have to worry/mess with the animals if she doesn't have to, and I too, don't want her to have any extra on her, as my mother's care is first.

Also, how many ounces of cow's milk should he be drinking per feeding/per day, being that he's eating a little hay now?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They won't over eat hay, or choke. He will get until full, than chew his cud after a while. They are designed to eat quickly, than move on to somewhere safe to process it.

I can't advice on the milk. I wouldn't feed much if at all. He technically doesn't need it.

 

[SmithsCoop41]

They won't over eat hay, or choke. He will get until full, than chew his cud after a while. They are designed to eat quickly, than move on to somewhere safe to process it.

I can't advice on the milk. I wouldn't feed much if at all. He technically doesn't need it.

Ok, thank you for the information. I was able to get the Clostridium C&D/Tetanus Vaccine yesterday at Tractor Supply. They had one bottle of it left when I had called around lunch, so I called again when I got off work, and they still had it! When I got home from getting that, I offered him only water and a handful of hay, no milk at all. I kept an eye on him because I wanted to settle my anxious nerves, and after a little while of him eating his hay, I looked again, and he was drinking the water! YAY! I was so relieved! My mama goat heart was relieved! After a little while of him eating, I "tried" to give him the vaccine....I um....decided to let my husband do it; And I know there isn't much to administering it to them, but I just couldn't do it. I had my mama holding him for me, but she's disabled and has had strokes, so her strength isn't what it used to be, and I couldn't stand the thought of it possibly hurting him if it ended up being a bad experience. I hate needles and hate getting shots anyway, so I hate having to be the one to give the shots to an animal or another person, even though I know they need it, and it is a simple task. So, after attempting several times to "pinch" up the area to give him the shot, and all the while thinking when I do go to give it to him, what if he freaks out or moves and causes me to give it to him incorrectly or hit his muscle instead of under his skin, after all them attempts, I just decided to just wait for my husband to give it to him when he got home. So, my husband gave it to him and so the baby started hollering some, and when my husband pulled the needle out, there was like a little bubble/knot there that went away after a few minutes. He seemed fine though afterwards.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Goats tend to scream and fight when given shots, so waiting for your husband was a good idea. I do understand the worry.

 

[Love Donkeys]

We raised Meat Goats for about 15 years, we stopped because I severely fracture my shoulder. We had 250 Savanna/ Spanish does and had 3 Savanna/ Spanish adult bucks and 3 junior bucks.

If you breed your doe, let's say today November 13th, she should kid out around April 15th. Does carry for approximately 150 days....

There is an excellent book on Goats and Goat management called....
SIMPLY MEAT GOATS
Written by Sandra G. Solaiman, PhD, PAS.
George Washington Carver Agricultural Experiment Station
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL. 36088....

We purchased the book when we attended a Goat seminar at Tuskegee University. You may be able to purchase it through Amazon. If you can't find it there I would contact Tuskegee University....

If you like magazines the best one is Goat Rancher. You can contact the magazine at goatrancher.com....

When you check the worms do it by the FAMACHA score, you can Google it on line. Secure your Goat, put your hand under its chin, with the other hand gently pull down the lower eye lid and check the inner lid color. If it's RED do not worm, if it's pale you deworm. (We did this monthly on every Goat) The reason you don't deworm without doing FAMACHA is the worms will become resistant to the dewormer....

Does will come in estrous (heat) every 18 to 24 days from mid August to begin of January. During estrous their actual breed time is around 12 to 36 hours. The buck will really start to smell because he will urinate on himself to attract the does (It's really nasty) but the does love it. Keep the buck with the doe for a month and a half to make sure the doe is bred. The buck should separated from the does until the next time you want to breed your does....
Hope this helps......

 

[SmithsCoop41]

Goats tend to scream and fight when given shots, so waiting for your husband was a good idea. I do understand the worry.

Okay! Yes I told my mama, "well I guess I couldn't be a vet" LOL, because I couldn't bring myself to do it, but I have confidence that I could do it once I got the hang of it, but I just was nervous because I've never done it, and didn't wanna hurt him, and his like "ba-ba-ba" was so pitiful! Thank you for all of your help, and reassurance that he will be okay.