I bought older pygmy goats about two years ago, a male and a female, the male is a wether. Therefore, the male is not able to sire offspring, and we have never owned kids before.
Recently, we bought two pygmy goat kids (On Sunday, and it is now Friday). One is older and has already been disbudded. The other is younger and still needs to have this procedure done. I will be contacting our vet tomorrow.
The seller stated that both of these goats were weaned. I personally think he doesn't know what he is talking about. The older goat is definitely weaned, but I worry about the younger one.
The morning after we brought the goats home, I called the seller to ask and make sure the youngest kid had been weaned. He stated that it SHOULD eat food for us. Blah, blah, blah, in other words: this little goat was NOT already weaned. It was abundantly clear that it wasn't weaned. I was not happy. The seller did not want me to return the goat to give it more time with its mother. He said it would be fine. Maybe he is right? That is what I am trying to find out.
I think this little goat is too young to be away from its mother. I hope someone here will help me to determine if it is or not. I read that a kid should be three months old when it is weaned, and I *HIGHLY* doubt this little goat is anywhere near that age. I wish I had realized this when we were out at the farm. Since we have never owned Pygmy Goat kids before, I took the farmers word for it.
I have read that goats "eat" food, but their bodies do not really process it until their stomachs have had time to develop properly, and that is why they need their mothers milk.
I could not get the seller, who was friendly when we were at his farm, to state on the phone how old the little kid is.
Her horns have not even completely broke her skin on her head yet.
***How old are pygmy goat kids when their horns come in?***
After getting off of the phone with the seller Monday morning, I went to TSC and bought a pack of 3 nipples that fit on pop bottles. They are see through, but at the same time, they are kind of white in color. I cut open two of them very poorly on accident and they drain too fast. Fearful, I was hesitant with a needle on the 3rd, and last one. This one drains to slowly in my opinion, but I am afraid to make it bigger and waste it as well.
The goat is still very hesitant to drink in this manner: once her mouth is pried open with my fingers though, she does drink what she can get from the nipple, but she goes at it from the side of her mouth. I can see milk in her mouth, but it still doesn't seem like enough is coming out, even if I squeeze the bottle.
We do see her eating fresh greens (grass/weeds) in the pasture, and rarely taking a drink of water. My concern is: are her stomachs developed enough that she is getting enough nutrition this way?
So far she will not eat GRASS hay. She will not eat the mini alphalpha cubes I bought her (I soak them in water).
So, my last question is:
Is she old enough to not need bottle feeding at this point? I was thinking of buying a different style of nipple that already has the cuts in the top, but don't want to buy one if she doesn't need it.
Here is a picture of the TOP of her head. I will try to post more photos of her full body tomorrow. This is the only picture I have at this point:
We brought her in the house to sleep for the night because it is VERY cold and rainy out. The other goats did not go into their house as normal, for some odd "GOAT REASON" they decided to stand out in the rain even after dark. This little goat was standing somewhat close to them, under a bench we sit on in their pasture. She wasn't wet, but was shivering. Typically, our old female goat LOVES this little baby and stays right near her (sad she never had any of her own? ) She laid down on my blanket and we covered her up and she fell right asleep.
Recently, we bought two pygmy goat kids (On Sunday, and it is now Friday). One is older and has already been disbudded. The other is younger and still needs to have this procedure done. I will be contacting our vet tomorrow.
The seller stated that both of these goats were weaned. I personally think he doesn't know what he is talking about. The older goat is definitely weaned, but I worry about the younger one.
The morning after we brought the goats home, I called the seller to ask and make sure the youngest kid had been weaned. He stated that it SHOULD eat food for us. Blah, blah, blah, in other words: this little goat was NOT already weaned. It was abundantly clear that it wasn't weaned. I was not happy. The seller did not want me to return the goat to give it more time with its mother. He said it would be fine. Maybe he is right? That is what I am trying to find out.
I think this little goat is too young to be away from its mother. I hope someone here will help me to determine if it is or not. I read that a kid should be three months old when it is weaned, and I *HIGHLY* doubt this little goat is anywhere near that age. I wish I had realized this when we were out at the farm. Since we have never owned Pygmy Goat kids before, I took the farmers word for it.
I have read that goats "eat" food, but their bodies do not really process it until their stomachs have had time to develop properly, and that is why they need their mothers milk.
I could not get the seller, who was friendly when we were at his farm, to state on the phone how old the little kid is.
Her horns have not even completely broke her skin on her head yet.
***How old are pygmy goat kids when their horns come in?***
After getting off of the phone with the seller Monday morning, I went to TSC and bought a pack of 3 nipples that fit on pop bottles. They are see through, but at the same time, they are kind of white in color. I cut open two of them very poorly on accident and they drain too fast. Fearful, I was hesitant with a needle on the 3rd, and last one. This one drains to slowly in my opinion, but I am afraid to make it bigger and waste it as well.
The goat is still very hesitant to drink in this manner: once her mouth is pried open with my fingers though, she does drink what she can get from the nipple, but she goes at it from the side of her mouth. I can see milk in her mouth, but it still doesn't seem like enough is coming out, even if I squeeze the bottle.
We do see her eating fresh greens (grass/weeds) in the pasture, and rarely taking a drink of water. My concern is: are her stomachs developed enough that she is getting enough nutrition this way?
So far she will not eat GRASS hay. She will not eat the mini alphalpha cubes I bought her (I soak them in water).
So, my last question is:
Is she old enough to not need bottle feeding at this point? I was thinking of buying a different style of nipple that already has the cuts in the top, but don't want to buy one if she doesn't need it.
Here is a picture of the TOP of her head. I will try to post more photos of her full body tomorrow. This is the only picture I have at this point:
We brought her in the house to sleep for the night because it is VERY cold and rainy out. The other goats did not go into their house as normal, for some odd "GOAT REASON" they decided to stand out in the rain even after dark. This little goat was standing somewhat close to them, under a bench we sit on in their pasture. She wasn't wet, but was shivering. Typically, our old female goat LOVES this little baby and stays right near her (sad she never had any of her own? ) She laid down on my blanket and we covered her up and she fell right asleep.