Help! Just found out DH is buying me two pygmy goats!

[cheeps]

Rest assured...there will be pics!

Question...when you say they can't have chicken feed, are you talking about laying mash/pellets, scratch or both?

The chick we're getting them from (distant cousin of DH) says she feeds her's hay and scratch. Even males and weathers. I guess that might be wrong, but I know she's been keeping goats for many years, so I thought I'd ask.

I think Noble Goat is what I got! So they can have small amounts of that?

And @lasergrl, do you soak alfalfa pellets? I think with horses you do but I can't remember.


Great info guys!!!

 

[cmjust0]

Hay + mineral is good. Alfalfa pellets - dry; you're thinking of wetting cubes.. - are fine. Black oil sunflower seeds? Not much...they're high in phosphorus and low in calcium, which is basically what causes urinary calculi. You can offer a little bit of goat feed according to body condition, but pretty much if they've got good hay and mineral and a place to graze/browse, they probably won't need it. Learn to judge body condition.

Definitely keep them out of chicken feed...scratch, mash, all of it. Chicken feeds sometimes contain banned protein sources, so not only is it improperly balanced for goats...could also be a violation of federal law.

Keep them UTD on their C/D-T vaccine...if you don't know their status, vaccinate them soon after arrival. You can buy a vial of vaccine at TSC for like $4. Investigate deworming protocols...it's an art and science unto itself. Track down some other goat people in your area and see what they're using.

As for keeping them with chickens...lots of folks do. I wouldn't do it for long, though.

Good luck!

 

[cheeps]

Tada!

We got them home and sort of left them alone to let them adjust, they were extremely skittish and scared from the days events (not only did they move today, they were also weaned and banded. I really feel for the little guys!) I went out before dark and they were snuggled under the ramp to the chicken house. I guess that will do for tonight.

I think we've devised a plan to keep them seperate from the chickens during the day, so they can have plenty of grass to munch. We'll see how they do tomorrow. This way hopefully they can just spend the night in the chicken run until we get the pasture going. Chickens and turkey were NOT HAPPY. At all.

Thanks everyone for the great advice, keep it coming. It feels weird to have a critter I know nothing about!

 

[Skyesrocket]

They are cute! Love the hair-do's!
The poor little guys have had a stressful day. They have each other and that is a good thing. It should keep the stress down and the noise. They might not act as needy because they were raised by mom. That's a good thing too.
Sorry, I love goats but don't care for the needyness of bottle babies. Give them a while to settle in. Once they are comfortable with you walking up to them and petting them they might be fine just free range grazing.
That will depend on if you are at home with them and if you don't have a veggie or flower garden they would want to get into. And if your far enough back from the road.
Good Luck with them!

 

[arabianequine]

cute you gonna dehorn them I would be very soon

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

OMG they are way too cute, I soo badly would love to have goats, but they arent allowed where we live! I have to get my goat fixes from you all!!

Have you thought of names yet?

 

[cheeps]

Thanks guys! They made it through their first night just fine. Seemed happy to see me this morning, not like yesterday when they were terrified of us! Aaah! I'm in love! My rottweiler, Mack, is obviously very jealous of the new addition and all the attention they're getting from us. He's never seen a goat before, so he's just flat out confused!

@arabianequine, I probably won't dehorn them. I would have prefered them to be disbudded but they weren't, and at 3 months old I can't bear to put them through that much pain!

 

[dot n'dave]

Quote:
I can't agree more, once they have their horns in forget it!

Also I personally don't think chickens and goats should be living each other because of exposure to Coccidia. Chickens obviously carry it too and I just don't like the idea of the goats exposed to the chickens manure. Just my opinion. I know a lot of people do put them together, but just a thought, my neighbor's vet mentioned this.

Good luck with the boys!

 

[cheeps]

dot n'dave :

Also I personally don't think chickens and goats should be living each other because of exposure to Coccidia. Chickens obviously carry it too and I just don't like the idea of the goats exposed to the chickens manure. Just my opinion. I know a lot of people do put them together, but just a thought, my neighbor's vet mentioned this.

I thought of that. You know, I know things change, but I just have these visions of my great-grandparent's barnyard where everyone lived together in harmony. But this is here and now, and my chickens are ticked. I love my birdies and I hate them being stressed out. We gotta figure something out, and quick! You guys should see my poor turkey, Gobbles. He's used to being king of the yard, and he's not pleased with the new addition. I've never seen so much expression on his face! If looks could kill!​

 

[dot n'dave]

Our poor great-grand parents didn't have BYC!!!

Your absolutely right though. The things I think about, is like for example dog food....I think my grandfather in Hungary still gives his dogs scraps and no kibble. They are doing just fine!
What did we do before kibble, pellet grain, and heated waterers??
How did animals survive!?

But seriously, we are very fortunate that there is so much research today on how to keep our animals as healthy as can be, and we use our best judgement. There are no "rules" in animal raising, only you know whats best for your critters!

Don't tick off your hens too much, they may stop laying in revenge!