Accidental addition of a new goat- They really do just show up

[Anne's rabbit farm]

So, yesterday my boss let me off work early and I came home to a goat with her head stuck in the fence of my sheep paddock. Small, grey, and definitely not one of mine.

So I got her unstuck. It was a pain because of her horns. I have a pretty nice bruise on the inside of my wrist. I ended up putting her in my goat paddock (made with 2x4in wire instead of 6x4in wire so she can't get fit her head through) until I could figure out what to do with her. I put everyone but the herd queen away, since they were all scared of her and her horns. Herd queen Ari didn't seem to mind her at all, so I left them alone and went over to the neighbors to see if it was their goat. They weren't home, so I left a note with my phone number. Hours later, my neighbor finally called to say that it wasn't their goat, but to try the neighbor the next street over. By then, Ari had adopted the little grey goat and showed her where to hide from the rain, and they seemed like best friends.

We went over to the other neighbors house, and it turns out it was his goat. He had just bought her but was about to return her to her original owner because she was depressed and hadn't eaten or moved very much in the three days since he got her. So I ended up buying her from him, since she seemed pretty happy at my place. My husband wasn't too upset, since he didn't have to do anything or drive anywhere, and because she's cute.

Not much is known about her background except that at her original owner's place she was part of a small herd with two bucks mixed in, so she might be pregnant. I was going to do a blood pregnancy test on my sheep at the beginning of September, so I'll just wait an extra week and send a sample from her and get her pregnancy and disease tested. She's got an udder but her vulva looks normal, so if she's pregnant, kidding probably isn't going to be anytime soon.

So if you guys are still reading at this point, I have a couple of questions.

1. She's thin (I didn't realize how bad it was until I took the picture looking down on her, posted below), so what would be the best way to get her back up to a good weight? I'm especially concerned since she didn't eat for three days, and she's possibly pregnant.

2. What breed do you think she is? I don't really know anything about the miniature breeds. She's 20 inches at the shoulder.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Beet pulp is pretty dencent flr helping them gain weight. That and alfalfa. Not sure of breed but two common ones would be nigerain drawfs and pymgy goats. I would lean more towards a nigerain. Also if you have grain i would be giving some just to help her gain weight. Also might want to have a fecal run to see if she needs to be wormed.

 

[Baymule]

I’m sure she’s gonna be a lot happier with you!

 

[Alaskan]

Definitely check for worms.

Good quality hay will be good.

Other supplements add slowly/gradually so she can get used to them.

Alfalfa pellets, goat pellets, or some grain (grain in small doses) would all help.

Might just take some time though.

Slow and steady wins the race.

 

[Anne's rabbit farm]

Thanks.

Fecal came back with a good bit of worms, so the vet has her on a three day round of dewormer, along with my other goats (its been a very wet summer).

I've been slowly introducing alfalfa pellets. She just started coming up to eat pellets with everybody else yesterday. She's always at the hay feeder munching away.

She's improved some since the other day and her personality is starting to come out.

She's settling in with everyone. She's been keeping to herself a little bit when everybody separates out into their bonded pairs, but hangs out with everybody when they're all together in a group.

 

[Alaskan]

Great update!