# New goat... (updated pic post 23)



## Snowhunter (May 4, 2011)

She was sold to me as a Pygmy, but she lacks the stouter bone structure of one, to me anyways (but I'm still a newbie to this) supposedly 1 monthish bred and a few days past kid weaning (that was awesome, she's still bagged up so we tried to milk her some tonight to help relieve pressure and hopefully keep production going, my first time milking, yay!) Oh, and she's approx 2yo and has some little wattles as well

So, here she is...a bit thin and scruffy, but she'll be on mineral and baking soda free choice and grass hay, just like the 3 others we have, and will slowly be introduced to some grain.


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## ksalvagno (May 4, 2011)

Congratulations! She looks like she has some Nigerian in her. Not sure if she is pure but definitely not 100% Pygmy.


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## Snowhunter (May 4, 2011)

Thank You!!! I was kinda thinkin that might be a possibility...

I can say, the small teats are a PAIN to milk.. goodness!! But after a few minutes I kinda had the hang of it. She even stood while my DH held her and the kids had her munching on some privet hedge. Thinking maybe she'd been milked before? She is an absolute sweetie.. the kids can't wait till they can start helping to milk her! (I told em after she settled some more and got used to being milked) 

This was an unexpected purchase, so we dont have a stanchion/milking station done yet  Thats on the list for tomorrow.. Guess there's no more sleeping in for me! Oh well, as far as I'm concerned, bein as its to milk, not a problem


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## happydodgefarm6113 (May 4, 2011)

I am new to goats but she sure is pretty, good luck with the milking. It sounds like you got a nice calm doe for getting experience with milking.


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## Snowhunter (May 4, 2011)

happydodgefarm6113 said:
			
		

> I am new to goats but she sure is pretty, good luck with the milking. It sounds like you got a nice calm doe for getting experience with milking.


Thanks! Yup, I was prepared to get kicked and smushed and covered in milk... nope! Though I just milked her into the dirt, since our milking pail is taller then the bottom of her belly (Note to self-get smaller pail!) She just stood calm, for the most part. Not bad for only a couple hours after bringing her home  

I don't s'pect wen it comes time to milk my Nub/Lamancha doe next spring it'll be so easy :/


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## freemotion (May 4, 2011)

If you start training your Nub/munchie doe now she'll be fine by spring!  Just make being on the milking stand a rewarding place to be (food) and handle her udder.  Not too much, just enough to get her to crouch, and lots of praise.  Touch her all over, even her hoohoo area even though you might feel like a perv.   It comes in handy when you need to clean her up after kidding or give her a hygiene clip before, etc.

I know nothing about Nigerians, but those horns look a little small for a 2 year old.  My yearlings have bigger horns.  Do nigis have slower growing horns than standard goats?


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## elevan (May 4, 2011)

I've seen 50% Pygmy / 50% Nigerian Dwarf that will have that build...it's more of a ND build than a pygmy...

A lot of people will call any small goat a pygmy...you are correct in your assumption that she's not 100% pygmy...not cobbly or barreled at all.

Depending on where you are some of that scruffy coat could be winter coat shedding.

She's lovely.  Congratulations!


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## Snowhunter (May 4, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

> If you start training your Nub/munchie doe now she'll be fine by spring!  Just make being on the milking stand a rewarding place to be (food) and handle her udder.  Not too much, just enough to get her to crouch, and lots of praise.  Touch her all over, even her hoohoo area even though you might feel like a perv.   It comes in handy when you need to clean her up after kidding or give her a hygiene clip before, etc.
> 
> I know nothing about Nigerians, but those horns look a little small for a 2 year old.  My yearlings have bigger horns.  Do nigis have slower growing horns than standard goats?


Oh yes.. she LOVES to get scratched all over... udder, hoohoo and feet too! I do practice with her, but I imagine the first actual milking might be interesting (She just has that kinda personality  ) 

You do bring up a good point about the horns... the pygmies I had a few months ago had longer horns and were easily 2years oldish or so... thanks for that! 

Hmmm, so if she's more yearlingish, that would mean she got bred VERY young.. and with her supposedly bred back. would there be anything to watch out for, with her? (Could that explain her semi scragly condition, she was also covered in mites, poor girl)


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## Snowhunter (May 4, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> I've seen 50% Pygmy / 50% Nigerian Dwarf that will have that build...it's more of a ND build than a pygmy...
> 
> A lot of people will call any small goat a pygmy...you are correct in your assumption that she's not 100% pygmy...not cobbly or barreled at all.
> 
> ...


Thank You!  

I'm hopin she sheds out some, poor girl.

I'd like to get her a bath, but we're in a cold snap, and she's still somewhat traumatized after the move.


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## elevan (May 4, 2011)

Snowhunter said:
			
		

> freemotion said:
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You can "judge" her age by her teeth...I'll have to see if I can find the info on how that's done cause I don't remember off the top of my head...


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## elevan (May 4, 2011)

Here's a site that gives a good description and pictures of teeth for aging of goats.  Scroll down about halfway.


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## Snowhunter (May 4, 2011)

Sweet, thanks El!! I'll be sure and check her teeth to get a better idea of her age.


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## PattySh (May 5, 2011)

She's cute. She looks like more like a Nigerian than a pygmy. We used teeth to age several we bought and I remember them loosing the 2 yr old teeth pinning down the age correctly.


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## Snowhunter (May 5, 2011)

Well, it looks like she's got either 1 or 2yo teefers in there!!! So I guess we can call her 1 1/2ish 

She's got a name now.. Tweaker, cuz when she baaaahhhhs, it starts off as one octive and then suddenly goes 3 octives higher for the last note  Settling in better, and is more comfortable around us, though she's still not fond of my Lab, even though the lab stays outside the fence. But I can tell you chickens don't bother her!!!


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## helmstead (May 5, 2011)

I cant help but see a little Spanish influence there...she's going to look COMPLETELY different with some condition on her, though...

Very cute.


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## Snowhunter (May 6, 2011)

helmstead said:
			
		

> I cant help but see a little Spanish influence there...she's going to look COMPLETELY different with some condition on her, though...
> 
> Very cute.


Thanks hemlstead! 

What makes you think spanish influence? color? body type?


I'm thinking maybe clipping her once she settles in a bit more. Thought about doing my other three as well, since they're all super shaggy from this winter. Though hopefully they'll shed soon, they stopped sheding the last few days due to this dang cold snap at night. 

At least if I clipped her, it'd keep so much hair from gettin in the milk


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## helmstead (May 6, 2011)

There's just something about her frame...but like I said, get 10 lbs on her and she'll look entirely different.

Spanish blood is very evident in some of the "pygmies" you find in the southern states, especially - you can really see it in the bucks (especially the horned bucks) and the does tend to be more rangy in frame than a true Pygmy or Nigerian, even in good flesh.


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## Snowhunter (May 6, 2011)

helmstead said:
			
		

> There's just something about her frame...but like I said, get 10 lbs on her and she'll look entirely different.
> 
> Spanish blood is very evident in some of the "pygmies" you find in the southern states, especially - you can really see it in the bucks (especially the horned bucks) and the does tend to be more rangy in frame than a true Pygmy or Nigerian, even in good flesh.


Ahh ok! She is rather gangly/rangy lookin.

Yes, I'm hoping she'll condition well enough for her and the kid/s to be healthy, if she is infact bred, when she does kid (approx 4 months from now) I'll be sure n post some pics when she gets some better condition and fills out some. Planning to bolus all 4 goats and have some BoSe handy to get her dosed late term


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## Livinwright Farm (May 7, 2011)

I agree with 50/50 Nigerian/Pygmy - this is how most of those crosses look(not coloration, but bonestructure/framing), but occassionally you get ones like mine: larger boned & thicker muscle mass, and sometimes you get ones that have the Pygmy's shortness & thickness, but with the Nigerians larger udder, barrel, and  longer(less baby-ish) face.

Her horns look on spot for a 1.5-1.75 yr old Nigi/Pyg cross that was bred too young... most of the nutrients that would go to the horns in that first year get diverted to kid development, resulting in smaller/slower growing horns
My Girl Cali is 9 month old and has horns about half that size(considering thickness & length) and she is over due to pop(accidentally bred when  extremely young)


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## elevan (May 7, 2011)

The thing is when you don't know their geneology and they're mixed....that mix could be just about anything...we're really just throwing out best guesses    None of which really matter as long as your goat provides you with what you wanted her for...


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## Snowhunter (May 7, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> The thing is when you don't know their geneology and they're mixed....that mix could be just about anything...we're really just throwing out best guesses    None of which really matter as long as your goat provides you with what you wanted her for...


Yup, thats  GREAT point!!! It really doesn't matter, she's already proven to me she's a fantastic lil girl, with the way she's handled herself since we brought her home. 

I do appreciate the guesses! I'm learning so this all helps me, listening to what yall have to say. I do a LOT of lurking on here and truly enjoy this forum. 

I must say though... I'm interested to see what her kids look like in the future, when we eventually breed her back to our Grey Agouti Pygmy buck.


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## country freedom (May 8, 2011)

She's a pretty one.
I don't care what she is.


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## Snowhunter (Jun 7, 2011)

So here's an updated pic of Tweaker. We got her clipped last week (that was fun!  and itchy LOL!) She's fillin out nicely, since I dried her off. I've got a tough time seein if she's really preggo or not, since she's not that far along, but her hootyhoo seems to say she is. So here is an updated pic of her


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## helmstead (Jun 7, 2011)




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## elevan (Jun 7, 2011)

hootyhoo?


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## Snowhunter (Jun 7, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> hootyhoo?


One of the many things its called  Maybe a tweehoo? 

( I swear I've learned other things from BYH besides twee twee  )


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## DKRabbitry (Jun 7, 2011)

Just want to say VERY pretty goatie girl!


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## Livinwright Farm (Jun 7, 2011)

other terms for it: pooch, twee twee, hoo hoo, birthing area...  

Nice pic! Once of these days, I will have to get our girls, Maude & Momma, shaved down for better comparison pics to that of most people's NDs on here.


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## elevan (Jun 7, 2011)

Snowhunter said:
			
		

> elevan said:
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I have no room to talk, I call it a who-ha.  But it made me laugh and that's a good thing with the time I've been having lately


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## Snowhunter (Jun 7, 2011)

DK., thanks  She's looks SO much better now that we clipped her too.. though she was a bit mad for a few days 

Liv-   DH and I had good laughs at the names its called when I first found this place  I still got the two other new girls to shave.. but I think I need better blades.. mine dulled after 1 1/2 goats  so they'll hafta wait 

Em  glad ya gotta laff outta that


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