Feeding a Wether and Doeling

[mjoubre]

Hi everyone! I'm new to goats. I will be picking up a 6 week old Nigerian Dwarf wether and a 7 week old Pygerian (75% Nigerian Dwarf and 25% Pygmy) doeling this weekend. I was wondering if it was okay to feed them both a goat feed with Ammonium Chloride in it? I know that is good for him but didn't know if it was okay for my doeling to eat.

 

[Stacykins]

Hi everyone! I'm new to goats. I will be picking up a 6 week old Nigerian Dwarf wether and a 7 week old Pygerian (75% Nigerian Dwarf and 25% Pygmy) doeling this weekend. I was wondering if it was okay to feed them both a goat feed with Ammonium Chloride in it? I know that is good for him but didn't know if it was okay for my doeling to eat.

Congratulations on the new additions!

You are going to need to bottle feed them for a few weeks at least. Eight weeks is the bare minimum age a goat kid should be weaned from the dam or a bottle.

What are they eating at their current farm? What grain, mineral, and what hay? Ask if you can purchase a bale of their hay when you pick them up, and a few pounds of the grain they're eating, and some of the mineral as well. Though a good breeder will send that along. I offer folks who purchase my kids grain and mineral for the road, and if they want it, hay as well. Moving to a new home is stressful enough, a sudden diet change is worse. You can slowly change to what you want to feed them, because likely your food choice will be what is available to you!

Yes, feeding a feed with ammonium chloride is fine, even for a doe! It won't hurt her, and it will help prevent urinary calcifications for him. Have you located a source of hay to feed them, since that is the backbone of a goat's diet? That is hugely important to have a source you can depend on.

 

[mjoubre]

Congratulations on the new additions!

You are going to need to bottle feed them for a few weeks at least. Eight weeks is the bare minimum age a goat kid should be weaned from the dam or a bottle.

What are they eating at their current farm? What grain, mineral, and what hay? Ask if you can purchase a bale of their hay when you pick them up, and a few pounds of the grain they're eating, and some of the mineral as well. Though a good breeder will send that along. I offer folks who purchase my kids grain and mineral for the road, and if they want it, hay as well. Moving to a new home is stressful enough, a sudden diet change is worse. You can slowly change to what you want to feed them, because likely your food choice will be what is available to you!

Yes, feeding a feed with ammonium chloride is fine, even for a doe! It won't hurt her, and it will help prevent urinary calcifications for him. Have you located a source of hay to feed them, since that is the backbone of a goat's diet? That is hugely important to have a source you can depend on.

Thanks so much for your response. He made 6 weeks this past Monday and the doeling will be eight weeks on Thursday. I didn't know what age they were suppose to wean. She told me they were weanlings. I will have to ask her if I can buy some of her feed and hay. I asked what to feed them and she told me a goat feed with no molasses and no sweet feed. I have a friend that gets hay delivered to her for her horse. She said her hay is either Bermuda or Timothy. Will that hay be okay for them? I don't mind bottle feeding to finish weaning if that is what needs to be done. I attached pictures of them if you would like to see them. Thanks again!