# Bdding for baby goats



## princess1952 (Oct 15, 2010)

Hi,
I am new here and also to owning a baby goat.  I am getting 2- 2 month old Nigerian Drawf goats this weekend.  I will be keeping them in the house until they get older and I am also feeding them a bottle 5 times a day if not more and also feed and hay.  What can I put in their pen I have set up in my house for them to bed on?  I have pine shavings or would hay be better?
Thank you in advance.  I am so excited!!!


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## glenolam (Oct 15, 2010)

Straw makes good bedding.  It's usually cheaper than hay.

Some say the pine shavings aren't good because the little kids try to eat it and it blocks their guts....I haven't had an issue, but stopped using it during kidding just in case it's true.  When they're older pine shavings are fine.

A bottle 5 times/day? 

I don't bottle feed, but I think that's a lot more than I would do!  There's quite a few threads about bottle feeding here, so search around and have fun!  Is there a reason you're bottle feeding past 8 weeks?  8 wks is the "accepted" age to wean a kid off milk completely, but there's nothing wrong with extending it as long as you're doing it right.

RollFarms bottle feeds _many, many_ kids at once, so she's a great resource when it comes to bottle feeding.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Oct 15, 2010)

Welcome!!!

I agree... 5x a day is an awful lot....if they are in good health and eating grain and hay..I think you can do 2x am/pm and start to wean.  If they need the extra nutrition for health reasons...thats differant.  But its not necessary @ 5x at that age.

Im not sure what area of the country you live in but keeping them in your house may not be necessary either.   They will need to get use of the weather changes.  You may wanna re-think that.  If you keep them in a warm temp for a few weeks them put them out in 30 degree weather,  it wont be good.  They need time to adjust to the cooler temps.  And you will have them right back in your house for the winter...that may make a very long winter for you!!   

You can always put extra bedding outside and a heatlamp if needed...but I would keep them outside for certain!!   

As for bedding...we use wood shavings and staw if you put a good think layer down on the ground they will do fine.  Our goats live in an unheated barn all winter and they are absolutely great!  We live in NH and our winters are not fun some years!!  LOL  The biggest thing for goats and all farm animals really is "drafts" as long as they dont have a drafty area and things are sealed up tight...they are good.  I will go in the barn sometimes just to warm up in the winter..you'd be amazed how much heat those goaties can generate!!  Feed them well and they are like little furnaces!!!  

But have fun with your new babies...I love to spoil too..but dont spoil too much...you will have monsters on your hands!!!    

I read this the other day here!! "Be the goat boss"!!!  They will love you more for it!!!


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## freemotion (Oct 15, 2010)

I would not recommend bringing kids that old into the house.  Like said, they seriously need to acclimate to the colder nights and to grow a heavy coat for winter, which they won't do indoors.  It is healthier for them outdoors.  They will be far too active at this age to be loose in the house and need lots of exercise and free play...outside.

They will snuggle up together for warmth, and you can build a box for them if you want in their stall that they can get away from drafts in.  If you are concerned about chilly temps, bed them with a thick layer of shavings covered with a thick layer of straw.  They will be just fine!

And they should be on far fewer bottles by now, even if you want to take them to three months, they should be on fewer now.  They need to be eating more hay/graze/browse, which they won't do as much if they are getting so many feedings, and if they are indoors.

Have fun!  Goat kids are the BEST and a lot of fun!


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## chandasue (Oct 15, 2010)

I agree with getting them used to being outside unless you're planning on replacing your carpets like I did!   I found with wood shavings that they had respiratory irritation from the pine dust. Wasted hay or straw is much better.


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## princess1952 (Oct 17, 2010)

I was just goingto keep them in at night and outside during the day. I have a 4 by 4 pen I put up when I have visiting dogs to breed, and they will be on linoleum (?),
I can't keep them outside all day and all night for I do live in the city and my neighbor might disagree with me.   LOL  I do have a friend that they will be going to who has a barn about 4 weeks, so I was just keeping here for now.  I was told from where I am getting them that a cup of food is enough and 5 bottles a day.  So  how much feed should I feed them along with grazing and hay?
Thanks.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Oct 17, 2010)

I dont understand about keeping them outside?  Do you think they will cry and bother the neighborhood???  Cuz once the sun goes down and thier bedded down for the evening...they are quiet.  Mine are not loud.  They never get loud for me, even during the day...If thier content..thier quiet.      Like me!!!  

I would feed them grain (follow the brand directions on bag for the weight they are) and a little less if possible.  And free choice hay.  For thier age I would put a flake or two out at a time and that should last them a bit.  And browse if you have it! I would'nt give them more than 2x milk feedings a day...weaning is very stressful to them..So if you start at a high number of feedings (which is not nutritionally necessary if your giving them good feed and good hay) it will take a long time to wean them.  Weaning should be done gradually...so if they are moving locations again and then weaning them..they are gonna be stressed out!!  Believe me,  That alone can lower thier immunes and you could have issues...

Personally, I dont do hay for bedding for kids when they are first starting on hay..cuz I dont want them in the habbit of eating off the ground.  I put the hay in a hay manger and let them eat it standing.  If their bedding on hay and eating it...they are pooping and peeing on it too.     Never a good idea,  coccidia, worms etc can be around and about and you dont want them eating that contaminated hay!!!  That just me..everyone does it differantly.  I put Straw and Woodshavings..cuz mine wont go for that??  I put all their food on standing level feeders...

They really should'nt be eating hay off the ground...they are young and need to be taught how to get their food...and hay and browse is great to get thier young rumens up and running!!   Its important! 

I hope I dont sound like Im raining on your parade at all!!  I am just sharing my expirences I have with kids...and its what worked for me.  Good luck and enjoy them!!!  They are sooo fun!!  I love my goaties!!!


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## princess1952 (Oct 17, 2010)

They are so young I want them in the house at night also I have no way to make sure someone don't steal them.  During the day they can go in their pen I have made for them.  Also at night we can baby them. 2 are real tame, 2 are not so tame.  I was told to feed them the medicated goat feed and only 1 cup a day.   Also 1 flake per 2 goats. Does that sound right.  Then I heard to free feed them all the will eat that when they are full they will stop.
They will stay with me till they get a little older about 1 month, then go to their permanent home, where they have about 2 acres for now.  2 are Nigerian Dwarfs about 2 months old, the other 2 are Pygmy and 8 weeks old and 5 lbs each. They have never had hands on them before.  So bottles 2 x a day AM and bedtime.  What shavings should I use, inside?  Pine??  Shoould I feed them the hay at bedtime and feed daytime.  Or do i feed them at night and day??  The Pygmies have not had bottles just the dwarfs have.
HELP!!!  First time I have had goats.  Can they be potty tained also in the house??


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## freemotion (Oct 17, 2010)

I diapered a newborn that was in the house for a couple of days.  Two month old goats will DESTROY your house if left unattended....even if attended!....very quickly, potty trained or not!  They will race around, jump on furniture, knock stuff over, chew on everything, and poo and pee whenever the urge strikes.

Don't get me wrong, I love my goats and have had the babies in the house, but not for long!  And with that baby, we went through every spare towel we owned in the first four hours and I had to diaper her just to survive with my sanity intact.  That was in the first day of her life, two months later I'd need serious psychotherapy if I had to have four in my house for even an hour.

Seriously.  Not being mean.  Just real!


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## princess1952 (Oct 17, 2010)

I have a 4 foot by 4 foot pen they will stay in at night time.  Do I need to leave them food and hay at night also during the day time outside?
They weigh about 5-7 lbs. In fact my Miniature Poodles are bigger then they are in height.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 17, 2010)

I know they may seem young, but 8 week old goats are old enough to be weaned and living on their own.  They don't really need babying.  I'm really not trying to be rude, I just think you'll be in for quite a surprise thinking these are delicate little newborns.  They're not.  You'll soon find out 8 week old goats are very active and I'm guessing they'll be way too much for that 4X4 pen.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Oct 17, 2010)

princess1952 said:
			
		

> I have a 4 foot by 4 foot pen they will stay in at night time.  Do I need to leave them food and hay at night also during the day time outside?
> They weigh about 5-7 lbs. In fact my Miniature Poodles are bigger then they are in height.


You want to feed them grain in the am and eve...and if you bottle feeding..give them their bottle in the am and pm too...they will be full from the bottle then nibble on the grain too...you always wanna leave them with water and hay free choice...important to give clean water every day..goats dont like dirty water..so they wont drink it...its important for you to provide them with clean water daily.


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## Griffin's Ark (Oct 23, 2010)

Remember, these are all opinions and local experiences.  We bottle feed to 12 weeks.  Our kids get another growth spurt and do not lag behind the dam fed kids.  We also love to bring the kids in the house and let them hang out on the linoleum.  You know what is going in and what is going out and whether what is coming out is the proper consistency and color.  I think you have a good plan. 

 I stay away from pine shavings. Straw or poor hay is better for bedding in my opinion.  Unless you have an overabundance of nice bath towels that you can change and wash.  It sure makes clean up easier.  We have shifted to bath towels, urine soaked towels are much better that urine soaked hay or straw!  Plus you don't have to find something to put the nasty straw/hay in.  

Some people have had good results crate training goats.  As soon as the goat gets our of the crate it goes outside to do its bodily functions and then you bring them back in.  For us it worked with Nubians, but the Obers weren't to good at it.

Have fun!
Chris


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## princess1952 (Oct 23, 2010)

Thank you. I have a pen inside with newspaper on the bottom and hay on tp.  I was going to use straw but the man said now just a small amount of hay.  But my dogs just love the babies.  In fact I was holding one and one of th regnant female Poodles was sitting at the end of the chair and another wanted to come up and she growled at the other dog to get down, very protective!!!!  I am going to try this housebreakig thanks for any more info you can give me.


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## savingdogs (Nov 28, 2010)

I think goats would be very hard to housetrain. They don't seem to mind being near their own urine and act like they can barely tell they have been dropping nanny berries.

The nanny berries would not be so bad, but their urine smells strong so I would not want them in the house and I have a very high tolerance for animals. I do plan on bringing mine in for milking but that would be for a short stretch of time and in an area where if they urinated or dropped a few berries, the floor could be easily cleaned.


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## warthog (Nov 28, 2010)

I seriously think you are asking for heartbreak if you keep them in the house. 

My little one (born here and dam raised) was 4 weeks old on the 21st November, he is lovely, he is cute, he is wonderful.  Do I want him in the house NO, NO, NO,.  

Babies are so cute, I think we can easily forget that they are goats and should be outside, that is what they need.  

My 4 week old, was out with the herd browsing around 2 acres of brush at 1 week old.  He is now eating hay, leaves, and a little grain, whilst still nursing from his mum.  They need to learn what being a goat is all about and they can't do that indoors.  They are not cute little puppies to be pampered.  Yes give them all the attention and love you can, play with them enjoy them, but do it outdoors.

With regard to feeding, the bottle baby I had last year at 8 weeks old, got free choice hay, free choice water, free choice minerals a bottle in the am, a bottle in the pm and after each bottle was offered a small amount of grain.  He took less and less of his bottle each day, at 9 weeks I cut it down to one bottle in the morning, at 11 weeks, he went cold turkey, and he never cried once for a bottle, but you have to make sure they are eating properly on other things.

What milk are you feeding them BTW goats, cows or milk replacer.

None of that is meant in any rude way, it is just my experience and you should do, as we all do, what works best for you, and I wish you good luck.  Enjoy your goats.


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