When can I throw the kid out back?

[sunnychooks]

This brings back some memories! I had a kid that decided I was her momma! She would jump the fence from the paddock and cry at my backdoor. She would follow me around and everyone thought it was soooo cute. Well, it was for about 10 minutes.
I tried putting her in with the sheep... no good.
I finally ended up putting her in the chicken yard with the chickens because it had a cover on it and it was the only thing she couldn't jump out of. The poor thing grew up thinking she was a chicken.

She's fine now and she knows she's a goat (I think)!

qhluvr - Those pics are too precious for words!

 

[Blondie]

OK, I'm going to straight forward about this:

Goats are herd animals. They do not belong in a dog crate. They need other HERD animals. He needs to be outside grazing. And that doesn't mean tied up like a dog. Get him another goat for a companion. Are you worried about the temps? He is livestock and they are meant to be outside.

I don't think it's cute. It's tantamount to animal abuse.

That is why your goat is chewing everything up.

 

[MissPrissy]

Why is the goat inside?

Where is the herd it belongs to?

When does it have grazing time?

At 6 weeks it should be living with other goats.

 

[StacyV]

I am in the same boat. My goat is 6 weeks old. I have yet to find it a companion. He is still on the bottle 3 times a day. So I don't think I can send him outside yet. Is that correct?

 

[PotterWatch]

I am very new to goats, but I don't see why even a bottle baby couldn't be outside at 6 weeks. I am not in a very cold climate, but our babies have been outside since birth. I know that there someone recently posted directions on how to make a heated barrel for the kid to go into if they get cold, so unless you are having extremely cold weather, I would think you could have a 6wk old kid outside. My doe doesn't even snuggle up with her kids to give them warmth at night. They sleep either in the goat house together or even on the concrete floor outside the house where their mom sleeps.

 

[sara]

I came into this thread under a misconception. I thought we would be talking about if it was ok to throw my children out back.

I guess not. lol

 

[sara]

Quote:
Are goats a herd? I know sheep are a flock, but wasn't sure on goats...

 

[qhluvr34]

Quote:
Some of us breeders buy babies at 2 weeks old and do not have babies of our own to put them with and our "own" herd animals will not take them so we have to be "their herd" until they are big enough to take care of themselves when put out into the new herd. The crate is to keep her safe when I cannot keep an eye on her. She was perfectly happy and content, got a bottle 3 times a day and was even crate broke, went to potty with the dog. As soon as I got kids of my own in the herd, she was booted outside (she was 12 weeks old) and is now very healthy and happy with her herd friends as a yearling.

 

[qhluvr34]

Potterwatch,

To answer to your question, no moms don't always sleep with their kids, but the kids will cuddle together for warmth. Indiana Hens only has one kid and to put her outside by herself in the cold weather we have been having here in Indiana would be cruel. She is better off inside until it warms up some or they can get her a buddy that she can cuddle up with to keep warm. That is the point some of us are trying to make. We know goats are herd animals and they belong outside, but sometimes you have to raise them inside for a while. Just like chickens, they belong outside, but we raise them inside for a while, especially when it is cold.

 

[ametauss]

I'm sure I'll catch it for this but the only time our goat came inside and that was only the garage was during a hurricane....

Other than that outside.... I know a lot of folks will yell that goats are herd animals but my wether grew up just fine with our dog outside...

I believe he thought he WAS a dog since he would do dog tricks like shake hands and dance on his hind legs... we had him outside at 6 wks....

I would make a barrel heater for the little kid so it keeps warm and make sure that it's fed regularlly but let it enjoy nature as it was intended.... It will cry for a while due to separation... all animals will... my newish puppy did when I first got him, my DD did when she went to nursery the first time.... no different with goats....

even my chickens cried when I put them in the coop after a month of being inside.... they all get over it... just give it some treats, show it LOTS of LOVE and it will be fine.