Bruce
Herd Master
I won't argue with you on that!
B&B Happy Goats....journal
- Thread starter B&B Happy goats
- Start date
StarSpangledNubians
Loving the herd life
Been busy and just read through. Congrats on baby and momma both coming out healthy!! Hope is beautiful!
Mini Horses
Herd Master
My kids will go off and play (you have only one, so a little different) and they look for mom to nurse & mom looks for kid when she needs it to nurse. I suspect it will all work out, just watch. If one of the kids begins to scream -- mom generally runs to it, when it's young.
I find mine tend to maintain family groups. If piles of hay out, when in to sleep, etc., you can see the does group by "family" -- current kids, yearlings, etc. While I have dairy, I let kids be mom raised and I "share" the milking. Then wean and keep milking the doe. Not a commercial dairy, so I can share and have less output.
One year I actually had a doe that I separated her kids and bottle fed only...she was stalled next to them & had never dam raised her kids in past. There was always a motherly connection and at about 2 weeks I housed them together but the kids never tried to nurse her! NOPE, I was their feed source for milk and while she watched out for them, took care of them to graze & protect, she was always milked and they bottled. I thought it was odd but worked well.
ETA -- goats are like deer, in that they will graze and let kids pile up to sleep, play without her, until nurse time.
I find mine tend to maintain family groups. If piles of hay out, when in to sleep, etc., you can see the does group by "family" -- current kids, yearlings, etc. While I have dairy, I let kids be mom raised and I "share" the milking. Then wean and keep milking the doe. Not a commercial dairy, so I can share and have less output.
One year I actually had a doe that I separated her kids and bottle fed only...she was stalled next to them & had never dam raised her kids in past. There was always a motherly connection and at about 2 weeks I housed them together but the kids never tried to nurse her! NOPE, I was their feed source for milk and while she watched out for them, took care of them to graze & protect, she was always milked and they bottled. I thought it was odd but worked well.
ETA -- goats are like deer, in that they will graze and let kids pile up to sleep, play without her, until nurse time.
greybeard
Herd Master
Most livestock, once the youngun has nursed, the momma will pretty much ignore it unless she actually sees it threatened.
Animal mommas tend not to be nearly as paranoid as humans.
Animal mommas tend not to be nearly as paranoid as humans.
Bruce
Herd Master
Wow, that doe is a real biotch!
Don't tell her you got hurt putting her in her place, it will only embolden her
Don't tell her you got hurt putting her in her place, it will only embolden her
Rammy
Herd Master
I would of done alot worse to her than take her down but thats just me. Since she wants to be a bully let the boys handle her. Maybe if she gets a taste of her own medicine she might be nicer. If not, trailer trip to someone elses house is in order.
Gotta love it when everything falls into place for a happy ending! Great for all involved! 
greybeard
Herd Master
Indeed. The last one certainly was.
Mike CHS
Herd Master
There was record early voting in Tennessee (like most places that have it) and the poll workers said there had been a steady turn out since they opened at 7:00 and we got there at 8:30.
