Lets talk about goats!

[moomoodiddy]

What you are feeding her sounds just fine to me. Make sure she does not get too fat. That will hurt fertility. If she starts to look chunky cut back or even eliminate the grain.

Something else did occur to me though. While I raised full sized dairy goats for years, I am not all that familiar with minis. Dairy goats, particularly the Swiss breeds (the ones with the upright ears) are seasonal breeders. The usual breeding season is from about September through February. I have on occasion had does come into heat as early as August and some can be bred as late as March. I have no idea if this applies to Nigerians or not, but I thought it was something to be aware of. Check with an experienced Nigerian breeder. The worst that can happen is that your doeling gets bred next fall rather than next spring.

She gets a little chubby when I put fresh hay in but slims back down when he stomach is empty.

I am on a fb page for Nigerians and hear that they go in heat in the fall (around august and september )and then in the spring (around march or april). Her being so young and the fact that she is half pygmy I am pretty sure she went into heat for the first time a few weeks ago. She will be a year in April and the other week she was swollen and I think I saw some red discharge and was flagging her tail a little.

 

[codieshell]

​She gets a little chubby when I put fresh hay in but slims back down when he stomach is empty.

I am on a fb page for Nigerians and hear that they go in heat in the fall (around august and september )and then in the spring (around march or april). Her being so young and the fact that she is half pygmy I am pretty sure she went into heat for the first time a few weeks ago. She will be a year in April and the other week she was swollen and I think I saw some red discharge and was flagging her tail a little.

Pygmy and Nigerian dwarf are year round breeder they go into heat once a month I can't remember how many days

 

[ChickenTripp]

We're planning on adding 2 Nigerian dwarf doelings to our eight chicken flock this Spring. Really excited! Had to ask the town permission, because even though other livestock are mentioned in bylaws the goats weren't. Thankfully the dwarf goats are small enough to be considered acceptable on our less-than-an-acre lot!

 

[henny1129]

We're planning on adding 2 Nigerian dwarf doelings to our eight chicken flock this Spring. Really excited! Had to ask the town permission, because even though other livestock are mentioned in bylaws the goats weren't. Thankfully the dwarf goats are small enough to be considered acceptable on our less-than-an-acre lot!

Awesome! Glad you are able to keep goats in the city!

 

[ChickenTripp]

Thank you - me, too! By the way, how does your beagle get along with your animals? We have a hound, also, and she's good with the chickens now, but we'll see with the goats.

 

[henny1129]

Thank you - me, too! By the way, how does your beagle get along with your animals? We have a hound, also, and she's good with the chickens now, but we'll see with the goats.

You're welcome! Our Beagle does great with all the animals! She's honestly afraid of the chickens and all she wants to do with the goats is eat their poop. And we have another houndy mix type dog and he's great with the animals too! He chases away hawks and will patrol the yard for predators all day if he has too. Granite, we have big ol' Boer boys so I don't think our dogs would mess with them. But, I wouldn't be to worried about your dog if she's already good with the chickens!

 

[haileybass]

Just put an order on some silkie,polish,and duccle chicks
15 in total
CAN'T WAIT

 

[haileybass]

I also got my goat a sweater

 

[waddles99]

What for?

 

[res]

I also got my goat a sweater

My kids were sweaters when it is cold, as do my shaved market goats if it gets cold before they re-grow a suitable coat... My ancient horses were heavy turnouts (sometimes TWO at a a time!) pretty much 24/7 until spring, to help them conserve calories. Everything that is worn "outside" is 100% waterproof.

But be aware that having a non-waterproof coat on any livestock WILL make them chilled and possibly hypothermic if they wear it out in any precipitation and the coat gets soaked. If that is just a dog coat, it would be best to only have it on the goat when the goat is locked under cover, so it does not get wet.