Assimilating Goats to New Home

[Amaggio]

How do you get your goats to assimilate to their new home? I know they can go through stress during a move which can be dangerous for their health. I know I need to just sit with them when I do finally bring them to my property and slowly build a relationship with them. I was planning on buying kids after they wean as the breeder I wanted to work with doesn't bottle feed. Does anyone know if you need to slowly introduce goats to new feed if they differ from the breeder's? Is their anything special or advice anyone could give when bringing first time additions home? I was planning on getting at least two if not three for my first round, all girls. I might buy two from this breeder and one from another if I can. Advice is much appreciated!

 

[CntryBoy777]

If they will be the only ones ya have I would keep them in a secured area for a couple of wks while ya interact with them and they get to know ya and the routine....I would ask the breeder for some of the feed they are getting, even buying some from them....this would allow them to maintain their diet and you can switch to a new feed after they settle in....ya will need to take at minimum a wk to change them over, so ya don't cause them issues for ya to deal with. The best is if they are from the same herd, because ya don't know of any issues being dealt with from one herd to the other and mixing them can create problems and spread diseases from one to the other....once ya establish your herd, if others are brought in then a quarentine period is highly suggested. Another issue that ya may face is the 2 familiar goats could team up against the lone goat, but being doelings they usually will play together....cause, kids will be kids.........hope things go well for ya, but try to keep their diet steady during the settling period.....

 

[B&B Happy goats]

my concern is if you get two from one breeder and another from another breeder that last doe will be on the bottom of the pecking order....can you get them all from the same breeder ? Or two from one and two from another ? .....@CntryBoy777 covered the rest

 

[Mini Horses]

I agree with both above. IF they are same age at weaning, then the younger ones often mellow together. Older -- it is harder, takes longer. Adults...don't bring them in alone. Bring/buy a buddy or their kids. Then you fencline them for a while, eventually time together. Yes, quarantine new stock. In your case they are new but...future buys.

Feed, get some from seller...use for a couple weeks, then mix with whatever new brand for about 10 days, increasing new & decreasing old ratio until all the new type. If hay used, buy a bale from her...they will be used to that hay & less upset to rumen for them. This is a time when young ones are building their rumen activity...less disruption the better. Phase new hay to them, like the other feed.

Also, restrict their area at first, gradually increasing the size and time. So small paddock, to larger, to small field, etc. Goats like and need a routine. Try to let them in/out, feed, etc. at about the same time. It trains them, also. Not that a day of different timing will hurt them but, you will learn they are ROUTINE oriented -- all animals are, often we humans don't realize it.

One more thing. You say you will buy when weaned. These little ones will be separated a few days before you get them from mom...I hope. It is stressful for them to wean abruptly, then move to a new environment. Can work both ways...good or bad. Watch them carefully for first few days. Have seller deworm them a couple days prior to pick up, also. Be sure moms had a CDT within short time before kidding. Otherwise, get a tetanus for them.

What age are they?

We've given a lot of do/don't but, really it's just keep stabile and routine. Hey, maybe they've been handled a lot and are very tame. I love to play with the kids when little....because they are so darned cute!!!!

 

[Amaggio]

What age are they?
We've given a lot of do/don't but, really it's just keep stable and routine. Hey, maybe they've been handled a lot and are very tame. I love to play with the kids when little....because they are so darned cute!!!!

My understanding is that I would not be taking them home until 8 weeks old because the breeder does not bottle feed, they believe the baby should stay with mama. I agreed with that so I have no issue waiting. They wont be born until next year.

How do you play with your goats? I've seen a lot of different play areas and am trying to decide what to build for them.

 

[Mini Horses]

I also agee, it's nice to let them stay with mama! Sometimes a farm chooses to bottle them -- that's ok, too. If milking, showing, etc. sometimes it is a better option for their handling.

Play -- I mean that I like to pick them up, hug, handle, love on them. If you imprint them from birth, they are just so much easier to handle as they grow. I always imprinted the mini horse foals -- what a difference!! -- later halter breaking, ground manners, all much, much easier on me and them. Now, goats are same. They just don't have the "fear/flight" factor to a human if you do this. If they struggle at first, talk low and soft, hold them securely and they will chill...then, you have lap babes.

If you ever snuggle one, I won't be the last!!