Kid goats won't eat hay

[cassie]

Baby goats will eat hay when they are ready to eat hay. However, it is important that the hay offered be of good quality. Which means fine stemmed, fragrant, and not moldy or dusty.

 

[Harrison farm]

Thank you so much for the suggestions. Is there any way to introduce them back to the mom and have her accept them. Someone was telling me that when she was young her uncle raised sheep and he would paint them so they all smelled the same and the mom would accept them and nurse them again. Does something like this work for goats and if so what do you use to put on them to make the smell the same? We are really wanting our house free of goat and wanting them back in the barn and right now our temps are above zero so it would be a good time for them to go out but every time we try the mom refuses to accept them and the other doe( who just kidded herself) does not want them around

Any suggestions would be great and thanks for the suggestions on the hay

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would show them to her, some does will take them back, others won't recognize them, I would try and see.

 

[Harrison farm]

We tried and she is bucking them out of the barn

I know there is now going to be a pecking order and they will be low on the totem pole. I am hoping The other doling and them can befriend each other. I've read that you can put them back out in the barn with the herd at two weeks of age what are everybody's suggestions? And they are going on three weeks Now and really do need to be moved to the barn. What to do what to do...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have always raised mine in the barn, they will need to be separated for a bit, you can slowly start putting them in with the others with supervision, but put them back in a separate pen at night until you feel they can handle themselves.

I have gone through similar situations as you did when I used to breed, they always picked the coldest days to kid and I had to pull some for a few days but then they went back out to the barn, some moms took them, others didn't. Currently I don't breed as I couldn't handle the baby drama, though I miss watching them hop.

 

[Harrison farm]

Thank you for the advice

 

[Harrison farm]

So the kids destroyed the couch so we put them out in the barn and I think it was harder on my husband and I then them. They got pushed around but faired well so we left them over night and today they are fairing well and getting to know the five day old doe. It is nice seeing them all together. The others still won't let them snuggle with them but they have each other. It got down to -15 last night and all through the day today but they are doing good.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nice to hear, they will be fine, my goats only snuggle with siblings or mother and kids, but maybe they can get close enough to steal some heat.

 

[Harrison farm]

We just wanted to make sure we were able to get them outside before the temps drop to -30 or colder to get them acclimated to the weather. It is also saving our house as well as we had to get rid of the carpet and the couch. Goats do not make good inside pets

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can imagine the mess they made, stinky little buggers.