Help and advice needed. Brand spanking new to goats.,

[Wyndraga]

I was told from the guy who sold him to me she was a pregnant nubian. I came home and looked up the breed and um... she is far from nubian. I think from the pics online she is saanen? I am obviously second guessing everything he said, including that he said she was bred back.. I will admit that I was wooed by her and probably should have done a ton more research before buying her at the flea market... I am super happy to have a goat and I have read a lot about them in the past but now I am getting a crash course. He said she was pregnant... but it seems like all goats look fat. Oy. Help a newbie out. What do I look for? Also I am not loving the way her hips are poking out. I got her goat food at tractor supply and she is out munching on the pasture. Should I try to fatten her up, and how?

 

[H Diamond]

I was told from the guy who sold him to me she was a pregnant nubian. I came home and looked up the breed and um... she is far from nubian. I think from the pics online she is saanen? I am obviously second guessing everything he said, including that he said she was bred back.. I will admit that I was wooed by her and probably should have done a ton more research before buying her at the flea market... I am super happy to have a goat and I have read a lot about them in the past but now I am getting a crash course. He said she was pregnant... but it seems like all goats look fat. Oy. Help a newbie out. What do I look for? Also I am not loving the way her hips are poking out. I got her goat food at tractor supply and she is out munching on the pasture. Should I try to fatten her up, and how?

Oooookay..... Lol. Let's start at the beginning.. definitely not a Nubian. How old did the seller say she is?
How tall is she? In the last picture she looks cream colored. While Saanens can definitely get some light cream, most do not and most are all white. She almost looks like a Nigerian, but until I know how tall she is and possible age, can't guess to that very well.
I hope for you sake she is NOT bred. That doe is Extremely thin, and in no condition to try to be growing babies. She looks young... young enough she still needs to be growing herself, but again I'll know more if you can give me an age.
You said you are "happy to have A" goat, and from that I am inferring that you only have one? If that is the case, please find her a doe or wether friend. Goats are herd animals, and they do not enjoy being alone and can cause them much stress. They need one of their kind to hang out with all day long. (A horse, pony, llama, donkey, sheep, pig, etc are not great options... she needs another goat friend)
Which "goat food" did you get from tractor supply? How much are you planning to feed her? I would start with a low amount... 1/2 a cup is plenty and gradually work her up to whatever amount you plan to feed. Pasture is great, but she also needs good quality hay out free choice for her. Judging by her condition she wasn't on great groceries, so don't be surprised if she gets some loose stool or scours. Also, if she were mine, I would limit the grazing time to start with. Too much rich green food right away can cause bloat. You might leave out a little baking soda for her until she adjusts.
She also need LOOSE mineral left out fer her free choice, a good shelter and free choice clean water.
Being as thin as she is, I would also take a fecal sample into the vet and have her checked for worms. If the vet isn't an option, you can get one done here: http://www.midamericaagresearch.net/ for $5 a sample. There are directions for getting a good sample and how to get it mailed to them. Please get a fecal done before worming her with anything. While your testing, I would also suggest testing for CAE, CL, and Johnes disease since I'm assuming you didn't buy her from a reputable breeder based on the mis-information.
She looks so sweet and very pretty. I hope you do well together, and let us know if you have more questions!

 

[Wyndraga]

Thank you so much for your reply, I truly appreciate it. To answer your questions...
He told me she is just at two years... she is a little more than 2 feet tall at her back. I got her purina noble goat food http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/purinareg;-noble-goatreg;-grower-16%-medicated-goat-feed-50-lb
I got it because it said it was excellent for supporting reproduction. I also hope she is not bred... I will be looking into getting a blood test.
I will be getting her a friend this weekend, and now I know a bit more about what I should look for in getting a healthy goat
I appreciate the information about worming as the goat peddling #@&! told me to just go buy some pellet wormer. He said he had just bought her and didn't know much about her... I feel duped.

I am sorry if my questions seem daft but I truly appreciate your willingness to help. I want to get her healthy as soon as possible.
While limiting her pasture how long should I leave her out for each day? What makes hay "quality"? Is there a particular kind to look for? I thought just a regular bale of hay at the feed store would be ok, but I am willing to give her whatever will support her the best. I got her a mineral block, is that no good? I was also thinking about giving her a bath, but I don't want to freak her out too bad. It can certainly wait. I also noticed that the mosquitos seem to love her, is there any way to help with that?
When you say leave some baking soda out for her what do you mean exactly?

She is exceedingly sweet and gentle natured but obviously scared half to death. She does seem to trust me more than anyone though. I have been going out and checking on her several times during the day. She has been drinking a lot of water. Her stools are still looking firm. Thank you. I realize that I was kind of foolish but I hope I can do right by her and get her healthy and happy. I appreciate your support.

 

[PioneerPrincess]

Building up your doe's flesh will take time, minimum three months. Get a fecal done on her to see if she needs to be dewormed. Gradually build up her grain ration- like H Diamond suggested, I'd start with 1/2c and increase by 1/2 cup amounts once every 5-7 days. Also, definitely limit browse because you don't want to end up dealing with bloat; (perhaps keep her in from pasture all morning, letting her munch on hay and then let her have 1/2 an hour on pasture before bringing her back in) I give my goats free choice coastal hay. A good coastal hay is yellow-green, smells fresh, and is dry. Do not feed moldy, yellow/brown hay just because it is cheaper than the better hay.

I personally wouldn't be feeding my goats a medicated feed. Instead, I would suggest picking up Dumor goat pellet, alfalfa pellets, and sweet feed. Mix equally together and give her a 1/2 cup of that. TSC sells all of these as well as an excellent loose mineral made by Manna Pro (it's in an orange bag- I think it's 8lbs). Let her have the minerals free choice; she'll know when to stop.

To check her age, take a look at her teeth. If she really is two years, she should be / or already has lost her two front teeth or is growing them in. Here's a chart to help. http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-000...l=CL1.2&d=HASH9d609cb57ff8d37fafd42b.6.3&gt=1

Once she's got good weight on her (in a few months) and is healthy, then I'd get her blood drawn and sent in for CAE, CL, and Johnnes testing. The reason for this is if a goat is struggling to support itself or has been sick the results can come back with a false positive.

Definitely get her a goat buddy! When looking for a friend for her, ask if the owner's have tested their goats for CAE, CL, and Johnnes. Ask to see the results so you know for sure. Look over the goat, making sure its hooves are healthy, eyes and nose are clean and clear with no evidence of goop or raspyness, and that the bottom is clean, having no scours.

Having goats is quite a learning experience, but once you get the hang of it, they're lots of fun to have!