Hi I just got a 3 week old mini goat. I'm going to feed him.cows milk because that is what I've read is best. But how much and bow often do I feed him. I don't want to do anything wrong. Also should I get him debudded? If so when? He is going to be a pet , I have two daughters.
Good on the cows milk. Milk replacers often cause scouring, aka diarrhea.To know how much to feed him you must weigh him. That way,
you can use this table to calculate how much he should be eating. Obviously as he gains weight, the amount goes up.
If he hasn't been disbudded and you don't want horns, it needs to have been done yesterday basically. Little boys have horn buds that need done within days of birth. A vet might
possibly be able to do it still, though likely scurs will happen. Or not, if they are too big. Then you have to look into dehorning, which is a much more serious and invasive procedure.
If he is a pet, then he should be wethered. Most people wait until they are eight weeks old or so, give the urethra time to develop. Intact bucks are odoriferous, and have very bucky behaviors, like urinating on their legs and faces.
You will need a second goat. Goats are herd animals. For their health and well being, you cannot have just one. A single goat is a stressed goat. A stressed goat is more prone to diseases. There are people who will claim they have one goat and it does well. The fact is, most goats kept singly do very poorly. Being part of a herd is part of their physiology, like with horses, sheep, and cattle. Separate any from the herd, and they do not do well. Any breeder who lets a goat go to a single goat home is incredibly irresponsible.
