My 1st Goats!! Many Questions

[RoosterML]

I believe I will be getting 2 Nigerian goats. 2 1/2 years old twins. Wether and an unfixed doe. I finished converting an area in the barn into an 8x8 stall. I made a hay feeder. Now I am wondering what minerals I should get along with baking soda. I plan on giving Grain 1 or 2 times a day in addition to the hay. Hay will likely be 1st cut Timothy. They will have access to a fenced in yard.

 

[RoosterML]

They have arrived
Meet Raz:
Meet Daisy:

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I was thinking the feed would be good for them and that is why it contains the ammonium chloride for the wether.
Should I not give bagged feed at all
just give once a day?

The feed is fine, but watch the grain.....you just don’t want to over do. When I first got my goats I ran around everywhere asking..how much to feed each one...every one said it’s different for each goat...drove me nuts!! But, it k8nd of is. I typically give one Cupish twice a day....but then...down the road I started to mix my own stuff. That’s fun too. Stick to basic for now. A really good mineral sour is the wind storm and rain in the cattle section of TS...it has just about anything they need in it. I was told that blocks can be hard on a goats tongue and teeth...I also give a lot of Timothy hay since or farm is on its fields...but, they need mixed grasses too...just round it out a bit...I know it all costs a ton.....goats are best animals...besides a dog.....they are funny and communication is huge with them!! They are tricky though...I recommend getting a calendar in your barn, for hoove trimming, for shots, for all those things. I also tried to do it on a computer, but wasn’t keeping up with it. Now I use a binder. There are tons of sites that print free spreadsheets for goat info...http://migmogacres.rachelwhetzel.com/?page_id=28. this is one site I used for records...Pinterest has more. I’m reall6 glad you’re getting goats...they are the best...both my does due to kid..Jan 28 and Feb 1...I’m very excited..my first kidding!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Just too would be very careful feeding any grains to a wether. They don't need it anyways under most instances. Urinary stones can form quickly, and can be deadly.

I feed a loose goat mineral which contains copper. I personally haven't found a block that's made solely for goats. It's recommended not to use a block as goats will try to bite them and could damage their teeth.

I provide baking soda free choice. They eat more when on pasture, and they will consume more minerals on hay generally.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We use hay mostly for bedding. Straw works. Shavings work but expect to see some eating of them. We used mulch one year and than topped it off with hay

Goats are picky messy eaters, so half, or more the hay becomes waste which becomes bedding here. Goats generally don't eat stems and prefer the leaf on hay. They are so picky.

 

[RoosterML]

Some Photos. Barn not 100% complete but will do until nicer weather.

 

[RoosterML]

Ok so no grains it is.
@oldhenlikesdogs which loose mineral do you use?
I was looking at the Goat mineral by manna pro at TSC. They also have a product called goat balancer. What’s the difference if any?

 

[chickens really]

@Rachel Taylor
@MillersFarm
And of course oldhenlikesdogs is a go too person...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yep..Yep and oh yep! Definitely the left over stems get tossed to the horses..
Plus what falls to floor quickly becomes bedding because they won't eat that either.

Once something hit the ground most goats won't touch it. Goats think they are royalty.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I use the old bedding* for the ducks a lot of time...because the ducks pretty much wreck it daily. If I have straw, I usethat as a base coat...it lasts the longest and absorbs the best as it is hollow. Then I layer it with the hay they won’t eat, typically. A lot of people buy shavings but it gets pricey. We buy our hay in bulk now..and get a better rate. I honestly don’t know how people can buy it at TS all the time for large animals...

Oh, it’s not just hay that they wont eat once it hits the ground...bananas, alfalfa cubes, etc...so give the cubes in small bites...the bananas....try the same...it’s just going to be trial and err for awhile....don’t let stuff get stale...my cubes got stale in my baggy...lol..wouldn’t touch them...they are soooo funny!