When can I throw the kid out back?

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
I know that some places have had some really cold weather this year. That's why I had said: unless you are having extremely cold weather, I would think you could have a 6wk old kid outside. I was just saying other than it being too cold, I don't see why it couldn't be outside.

 

[()relics]

Orphaned or not a goat has to be outside with its own kind. The only way I bring a goat inside is in the extreme cold...just for a warm up.
Breeders, I guess I would consider myself one, would try to introduce the baby to another fresh goat in the herd...it may take a few days but its worth the trouble and be better in the end for the goat...Our neighbor lost one of his sheep during lambing this year, I now have a lamb on one of my does that only had 1 kid of her own. That is one reason for synchronizing your herd...If you have a problem with a doe there is always another that is fresh.
I, as you can read in another post, recently had my first goat in the house. It was 6 degrees outside and she wouldn't warm up...she spent the night in the house and was back outside in the morning. They will keep themselves warm if they are provided some sort of shelter, are getting enough milk, and aren't wet or sick.
Our kids really never sleep with the adults...they would rather curl up in a hole or mound of straw in the back of the barn.

 

[sara]

Quote:
I don't know if it's different for goats. But I use to have a flock of breeding sheep, and as a breeder I would not buy a two week old baby. As a breeder I realize the importance of a baby being cared for by its mom. I realize sometimes things happen, and you have a bottle baby. However I wouldn't go and seek one. I certainly wouldn't do it if the female rejected her baby, because I wouldn't want that in my breeders.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I currently have a baby pygmy goat in the house she is one week old today. She was a twin and her sister died the next day. Moma justleft them where they fell. We had to remove the membrane on the one we lost. It was 19 degrees here this morning. Our goat houses are not built for warmth, they are built to keep the weather off the goats as we usually do not have this kind of weather. I will keep her inside until I feel she is hardy enough to survive outside. As it is I have been taking her outside when the sun is out. today it actually hit 60 degrees so I took her outside to play in the sun. She still only weighs 1 pound 15 ounces and is way to small to handle being outside alone.

 

[Skyesrocket]

Since you do have a billy her age that should make the transistion easier on her.
What kind of a set up is the billy in? Does he have a heat light, is he with other goats?
I know it has been cold there. I'm in Ohio and we have been in single digets at night and the teens during the day. It looks like we are getting a break the next couple of days.
If you have a good dry shelter outside I would put her out in a pen with the little billy. She will throw a fit, but she will get used to it. Put a heat lamp on for her and the billy to cuddle under.
Do you have her mom there?

 

[qhluvr34]

Has anyone heard of CAE? Most big goat breeders will botlle raise their babies even if they are not orphaned to keep them from getting this. I bought my show kid and at that time didn't have any of my own kids to put her with, so she was in the house for awhile. Each person has their own reasons for bottle feeding or keeping in the house. Why should it be a big deal? All my goats have turned out to be healthy, mentally and physically. Some have even gone on to win Grand Champion Doe, Meat Wether, Dairy Wether, etc. They have even had kids of their own and made good mothers once I knew they were CAE free.

 

[Indiana hens]

OK, We tried to graft her to 2 different goats and that did not work. She got here, but her mother did not make it. One alive is better than 2 dead! She does not have the coat like the outdoor billy. I was more concerned to hardening her for colder weather? I think throwing her into the cold would be her death. She is the 1st bottle baby that we have had during the winter. I do have a couple dogloos with lights but I did not think that it would be enough heat for her. The other kids we always use pet carriers without heat. Thanks for all the encouragement.

 

[qhluvr34]

Your doing a great job Indiana Hen, just going to be stuck with her for awhile longer. Do not throw her to the cold. Just hang in there. Do you have a place like a basement or garage where you partition an area for her that is safe? We did that when we had several bottle babies. They had a dog house inside a small pen in the garage with a heat lamp in case they got cold. It would get her out of the house during the day and get her use to being away from you.

 

[()relics]

CAE - caprine arthritic encephalitis is a subject for an entire thread. A virus present in goats passed primarily from doe to kid through the colostrum. Bottom line....if your herd is tested and certified free don't add untested uncertified animals and you will never have a problem. If your herd is untested you could very well have this virus present and might have reason to worry. CAE is uncureable.
You may never have a problem with the virus even though it is present in your herd. It is brought on by undue or prolonged stress. No stress = No symptoms.
Some would say that separating a mother and a kid at birth would be considered stressful for both animals....Who is to say.....

 

[NutsBerryFarm]

After a couple of days the kid can regulate their temps pretty good, do putting them outside when it is sunny and reasonably warm should not hurt your kid. After a kid has been in the cool weather for awhile I usually feel their ears and stick my finger in their mouth to see if they are cold. You can tell if they are too cold. I am thinking you have created a rather unique house pet though. A nubian that I suppose is bottle fed and around humans most of the time? You really do have a new child!!