Getting Goat kids

[chickens really]

Do you feed them grain or treats? That makes mine look for me. When just getting hay or pasture they mostly ignore me.

Of course but it’s not what she cries about. It’s actually me..

 

[Duckfarmer1]

So adorable..❤
What's the pink tape on the Does horns for?
I've seen other people have tape on their goats horns too..

I put it on there for hunting season. i just haven’t been able to get it off yet. She doesn’t love me picking at it... but, it doesn’t cause any harm

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Do you feed them grain or treats? That makes mine look for me. When just getting hay or pasture they mostly ignore me.

I feed mine both. They get grain because it’s winter and they need the extra due to the cold. The moms need it for the milk. They get alfalfa pellets because the hay is not available much around here. They get alfalfa cubes, but they go stale a FAST so don’t get a 50 lb bag...they like fig newtons, animal cookies. Marshmallows if I have to give them a medicine. I try to limit treats, but I’m a softie. . The sweet feed is in my grain mixture. I mix my own grain.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

https://thriftyhomesteader.com/genetics-polled-goats/
Here's some information.

Most dehorning does need to occur when the kids are less than a week. You can dehorn adults, but it generally has to be done by a vet. We have used castration bands with success, but it doesn't always work the first time, and you can end up with scurs.

I just had my kids disbudded...we had to wait a week to make sure the vet could feel the horns coming through. It’s a toug( process. But...I got horned in the eye two weeks ago...plus, I’ve got countless bruises on my legs right above my knees....so...I would recommend the disbudding even though it takes your breath away to watch.

as for doing the older ones...you said you’ve done it yourself with the bands? Scurs would be better than horns in my book. Maybe we’ll try it. Already got the bands!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Yep! She jumps up top no problem and comes Maaahhing me to death looking for me. She finds me and all happy then..

Actually I’m on BYH and most goat farmers recommend getting a hot wire fence. I know, I know...sounds awful and expensive. But....apparently it’s not that stron* of a charge, and they only touch it once and learn. There are also ways to teach them how to not go over it by using a dog tie out and let her touch it to her foot and learn that the fence ‘bites’. Appevent ly, you can attach this hot wire to the top of your fence now..they have extenders..like, a foot? Once she knows it’s hot...she won’t go near it again. My friend put the dog tie down on the ground and let the dog and goat hooves touch it a few times and then showed them the fence. She said they learned right away. Then, this also keeps predators out, so they can’t hurt your babies. This is why I’m considering it. I’m pretty sure it would be cheaper than an entire new fence all the way around? Just a thought.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Omg! How cute!
One of mine is naturally polled. The other isn’t. He just has little buttons now, but this breeder doesn’t dehorn hers. How late can it be done?



Yes! I went out to let them run around for a little while, but didn’t take a bottle yet. The little one absolutely loves his bottle time. Can suck 8 oz. down in no time! So when I didn’t have a bottle with me, he started nibbling my fingers and sucking on them. It tickles! Lol

Around a week or so. I just had my one month old done. Because she’s so old, we just bought her, she end up with scurs, the curled horns that can’t really hurt you.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I was standing there because she lost sight of me and came running over the top maahhing me to death! She definitely cries about me and can't be content without me! In her secured pen she bawls if I go outside for a minute. When loose she stays right beside me. Goodness I'm her Mama..

You love it...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I just had my kids disbudded...we had to wait a week to make sure the vet could feel the horns coming through. It’s a toug( process. But...I got horned in the eye two weeks ago...plus, I’ve got countless bruises on my legs right above my knees....so...I would recommend the disbudding even though it takes your breath away to watch.

as for doing the older ones...you said you’ve done it yourself with the bands? Scurs would be better than horns in my book. Maybe we’ll try it. Already got the bands!

Your goats do need to be mature for bands to work. Goats under 2 years will have rapid enough horn growth that the horns outgrow the bands. The key is to seat the band's down as far as possible, than wrap them with something to hold the bands. We used electric tape. A few had really sharp edges and the band's would get cut. We put 2 or 3 bands per horn in case they got cut. Some we had to repeat the process.


The goat may be uncomfortable during the process, so be prepared for that. One of ours had such a hard time that we left him one horn. He's behaved so we left him. Horns can be very dangerous on owner and other goats depending on the goat.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Your goats do need to be mature for bands to work. Goats under 2 years will have rapid enough horn growth that the horns outgrow the bands. The key is to seat the band's down as far as possible, than wrap them with something to hold the bands. We used electric tape. A few had really sharp edges and the band's would get cut. We put 2 or 3 bands per horn in case they got cut. Some we had to repeat the process.


The goat may be uncomfortable during the process, so be prepared for that. One of ours had such a hard time that we left him one horn. He's behaved so we left him. Horns can be very dangerous on owner and other goats depending on the goat.

Ok, the on goat in the picture with the pink tape has the biggest horns, do you think she’d do ok with the bands? The other goats have smaller, thinner horns..so I think the bands would work well!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok, the on goat in the picture with the pink tape has the biggest horns, do you think she’d do ok with the bands? The other goats have smaller, thinner horns..so I think the bands would work well!!

We've successfully done big dairy breeds. We only did a couple of the smaller ones. It worked the same. I recommend reading up on it. We are no experts on it, but we have done it successfully. If you go to a vet they will sedate and saw them off I believe.