Goat Thread!

[Aunt Angus]

So many babies, y'all! Keep those pics coming as they make their appearances! I'm seriously envious rn. I want some kids, but I'm not even remotely prepared for more goaties. Gotta live vicariously through you!!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

So many babies, y'all! Keep those pics coming as they make their appearances! I'm seriously envious rn. I want some kids, but I'm not even remotely prepared for more goaties. Gotta live vicariously through you!!!

Same! I’d love goats but can’t have them here (well, we could but dad wouldn’t want them lol plus no spare money) so I have to wait

 

[1cock2hens]

Here is my pygmy "Martha". She's between 4 and 5 years old and about to have her first kid.

 

[MyParadiseFalls]

Exciting! Lol I will get pics of her when I'm home in a bit. She's not my friendliest goat but she's a cutie. She was a rescue who was kept in a field without much interaction for a couple years, she has definitely warmed up

Your doe sounds just like mine, not very friendly. She was bought and sold and bought and sold and bought and sold (thrown into a field with two bucks and two bossy does at her last home and left there with no interaction at all) so many times she has lost trust in people. She’s real skittish, hasn’t warmed up to me yet though.

 

[1cock2hens]

Your doe sounds just like mine, not very friendly. She was bought and sold and bought and sold and bought and sold (thrown into a field with two bucks and two bossy does at her last home and left there with no interaction at all) so many times she has lost trust in people. She’s real skittish, hasn’t warmed up to me yet though.

Martha was in a big herd and when her former owner died the entire herd was sold off except her and a very large wether. They were left in that field for 2 years before they made it to me. It's been roughly 6 months and she will now come up to me for treats and when I'm in the barn she stays put instead of going crazy like she used to. I think her pregnancy has helped chill her out.

 

[lomine]

Here is my pygmy "Martha". She's between 4 and 5 years old and about to have her first kid.View attachment 3417141View attachment 3417142

Don't know how experienced you are so please take this with my good intentions... Does having their first kids at an older age can have complications at birth. Unlike young does, their muscles and bones won't expand and stretch as easily when it comes time to give birth. I would advise you to be very careful when her time gets closer and be ready to call your vet as soon as you see any signs of her being in distress.

My vet told me of a time when she had to help a 7 year old doe kidding for the first time. Unfortunately, the doe didn't make it. Very sad situation.

 

[1cock2hens]

Don't know how experienced you are so please take this with my good intentions... Does having their first kids at an older age can have complications at birth. Unlike young does, their muscles and bones won't expand and stretch as easily when it comes time to give birth. I would advise you to be very careful when her time gets closer and be ready to call your vet as soon as you see any signs of her being in distress.

My vet told me of a time when she had to help a 7 year old doe kidding for the first time. Unfortunately, the doe didn't make it. Very sad situation.

That's interesting, so just what your vet said no other sources of this info? A few months ago my vet told me she would be fine when I asked about her age.

 

[MyParadiseFalls]

Here is my doe Notre Lee, 2 yrs old, first freshener (and Enzo the buck behind her)

 

[lomine]

That's interesting, so just what your vet said no other sources of this info? A few months ago my vet told me she would be fine when I asked about her age.

No, I remember reading it in other places as well, though I can't recall where it was. I do remember reading about it several times though, and I want to say the danger increased after year 3, but don't quote me on that. The story from my vet was just a real-world example. My vet deals almost exclusively with goats and is very well known so I trust what she tells me. Though she did say that the kid in that case was a singleton buckling so it's size may have been a contributing factor.

This past weekend a neighbor unexpectedly called me about one of her goats she bought 3 months ago. The buyer told her it wasn't pregnant, but the neighbor came out to two dead kids on Friday and an unhappy doe. She texted me Saturday afternoon to ask my advice cause the doe was still pushing. I told her to call a vet asap, I guess some other people (don't know who) had told her that if nothing was happening after 24 hours the does would be fine. What???? Anyway, I went over after I got home and checked the doe. I could feel the kid inside her. It was big and coming out butt first. Luckly after a couple hours of trying neighbor got a hold of an emergency vet that was able to come out and pull the kid about 20 minutes after I had gotten there. (I wasn't comfortable trying on someone else's goat though I may have tried if no vets would come.) The kid was big and it was a struggle for the vet to get it out. The doe got pain meds and antibiotics. She's doing better.

Anyway, that's my very long-winded way of saying that it's better to be prepared and to have a vet ready to call. It might also be why I'm a bit more sensitive about the topic today after seeing that poor doe suffering. I don't know the neighbor well, we meet when I sold her a wether last year, and she's only had goats for about a year. I'm angry at the buyer that was dishonest so my neighbor wasn't prepared at all for kidding and to whoever gave her the terrible advice about not worrying about the doe because it had been over a day so she must be fine.

 

[1cock2hens]

Im not interested in hearsay but am always open to reading or discussing published data or information from a well known and trusted source. My vet who is a country vet who specializes in ruminates of all types led me to believe I have very little if anything to worry about, just the normal birthing concerns.

No, I remember reading it in other places as well, though I can't recall where it was. I do remember reading about it several times though, and I want to say the danger increased after year 3, but don't quote me on that. The story from my vet was just a real-world example. My vet deals almost exclusively with goats and is very well known so I trust what she tells me. Though she did say that the kid in that case was a singleton buckling so it's size may have been a contributing factor.

This past weekend a neighbor unexpectedly called me about one of her goats she bought 3 months ago. The buyer told her it wasn't pregnant, but the neighbor came out to two dead kids on Friday and an unhappy doe. She texted me Saturday afternoon to ask my advice cause the doe was still pushing. I told her to call a vet asap, I guess some other people (don't know who) had told her that if nothing was happening after 24 hours the does would be fine. What???? Anyway, I went over after I got home and checked the doe. I could feel the kid inside her. It was big and coming out butt first. Luckly after a couple hours of trying neighbor got a hold of an emergency vet that was able to come out and pull the kid about 20 minutes after I had gotten there. (I wasn't comfortable trying on someone else's goat though I may have tried if no vets would come.) The kid was big and it was a struggle for the vet to get it out. The doe got pain meds and antibiotics. She's doing better.

Anyway, that's my very long-winded way of saying that it's better to be prepared and to have a vet ready to call. It might also be why I'm a bit more sensitive about the topic today after seeing that poor doe suffering. I don't know the neighbor well, we meet when I sold her a wether last year, and she's only had goats for about a year. I'm angry at the buyer that was dishonest so my neighbor wasn't prepared at all for kidding and to whoever gave her the terrible advice about not worrying about the doe because it had been over a day so she must be fine.