Breeding goats i need some answers please???

[jackrooster]

Im considering breeding my girls just for fun of have babies, not selling or making money. I would be breeding them to a pygmy buck, my friend has. I have one nigerian dwarf i think? we never really got the breed, she was a rescue and she has had a baby by an Angora buck soo i don't think i have to worrie about her to much right?? My other one is a pygmy doe that has never ben bred in her life, she is a 5 year old. I need to know everything about birthing and such, do they have problem delivering, esptially my doe that has never had a baby??? Do i still just give them regular goat food while there pregnant?? I just need some info on this subject,??

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Go to www.fiascofarm.com to learn ALL you need to know about birthing and more. As long as the doe is not a LOT smaller than the buck, you should have relatively no problems.

 

[jackrooster]

anyone else??

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
x2 on the Fiascofarm website. A goat's gestation is 5 months and for small goats you will need to be around for the birth. Sometimes when it is cold out the kids freeze to death no matter how well the doe cleans them off. Also, you will need a kidding stall set up for her and put her in there at least 2 weeks before her kidding date. You'll want some basic emergency delivery equipment, such as a bottle of betadine, a hoof snare, and a pair of disposable gloves. Puppy potty training pads make good items to have for catching kids so mom can dry them off without them getting dirty and/or hay caked all around them. Make sure she gets her CD/T booster before kidding and if you have to worm her, be sure it is ok for pregnant goats.

A smaller buck may have trouble breeding her, but could get the job done just fine. Does have been known to squat for smaller bucks. I would worry more if the buck was a larger breed than the doe. In that case, the kids may be too large for her to deliver safely. I don't want to scare you, just prepare you in case something goes wrong.

If you are not a member, I invite you to join BYC's sister site, www.backyardherds.com.

 

[mgibbzzz]

Goat due dates are very predictable..150 days, almost always to the day. I have not had any problems so far with goats kidding on their own. I agree, put them in a kidding stall/pen about 2 weeks before they are due. We try to be there when all of our kids are born just to make sure that everything goes well. Betadine on the umbilical cords after momma cleans them off. Last year we had 5 does kid while we were at work with no problem. We do try to put in extra bedding and make sure that there are no drafts. We put a heat lamp over the stall when temps are really low to help keep them from getting too cold. Hope that this helps.

 

[ThornyRidge]

definately do your homework.. read up on everything goat.. talk to goat people.. check out websites backyardherds in the goat section, fiasco farm, goatwisdom and the message board on there and some goat books.. mainly I would recommend finding someone in your area that has raised or currently raises goats and make friends quickly! Jumping right into breeding without much knowledge is not advised... pygmy's especially can be prone to birthing problems and since she is somewhat older and has not freshened I would absolutely be ready for anything.. (this means knowing what to watch for.. proper diet, having birthing kit ready to go and being there when she kids in case you have to turn pull or assist kids in birth. As far as diet is concerned you want a good diet to begin with and then depending on goats condition you would increase the grain as she gets closer to kidding and then making sure she is getting enough nutrients while producing milk.. my best suggestion is do some research first and then make a list of questions to consult with those on line and goat people in your area!!! also remember you are in Maine and it is wise to breed at proper times so you would not lose kids to cold! I breed fall to have mid spring kids...

 

[cparian]

Like everyone said, do your homework. After the prior year with a successful birth this year my doe kidded twins in April with no problem by herself. The problems arose when she developed Ketosis the day after her delivery. I spent 5 full days & nights on the floor of a cold stall with her & the babies doing everything I could to keep them all alive. I had to force Karo & Molassas down her throat every 2 hours around the clock & do penicillin & Vitamin K injections. I had to hold her upright & still so the babies could nurse since I couldn't get them to take a bottle. I had to hold the mother down so she would rest since the ketosis made her a circling zombie. Luckily everyone survived & are doing well. It wore me out & took such an emotional toll on me I had my buck banded. No more babies for me.

I think the best advice you got was to find someone near you who is very knowledgable, who could help you learn everything you need to know & be there if anything did go wrong. You can read all you want, but if anything goes wrong you find out fast how much you don't know.

I don't mean to be a naysayer, I know many goat births happen without a hitch, but I have also seen quite a few sad stories on this forum & on the backyard herd forum.