How do you approach this?

[Amarisus]

Poor goats Keep us updated!

 

[chicken pickin]

I do hope you get a chance to introduce yourself and be able to offer your advice and opinions to them. And I really hope they are happy to gain knowledge from you and change the way they feed so they and their children can have happy and healthy goats. Keep us posted Id love to hear what they have to say.

 

[BrownSheep]

Just going to throw out that a lot of show feeds ( for lambs at least) have alfalfa in them.

If this was me I would just have your friend introduce you as an experienced goat owner. If they want help they'll ask. Just through out unwanted advice can lead to contention with some people ( especially with 4-H show moms)

 

[madcow]

Well, still no change from these goat owners. I've taken 2 handfuls of alfalfa hay over to these 2 goats on 2 occasions and both times they have gobbled it up, which is not surprising. I wrote a very nice, informative letter (3 pages!) to them today telling they may have been misinformed as how to feed their goats and left it for them. I even told them the best place to buy high quality hay and how much it would cost for a 100-pound bale. Yesterday I spent extra time out with our goats waiting on these people and didn't catch them come and feed their goats. Today, I saw their water had been refilled, but I'm not sure if Jackie, my neighbor, did that for them. In the letter I also told them they needed to have something raised for the goats to get up on when the ground is wet. I'm betting they don't know how much goats hate walking or lying in mud or getting wet, and I mentioned they could avoid some potential health problems by giving them a platform, bricks, or something off the ground to sleep on. We have black, clay-laden dirt here that holds water like a sponge and this year we've had a really wet fall here in central Texas. Those poor goats had to just stand in the mud all the time for days when it rained earlier this week with no dry place to lie down. I again invited them to come and visit me and also to come and see my goats. Their goat pen is only about 20 feet from ours. I also told them about this website as a good place for information on goats. I hate this......I will just have to keep waiting and see what happens.

 

[Southern by choice]

Been watching this thread.
I really commend you for taking the time to help the people.
Hopefully they will take heed to your advice.

I agree with Brownsheep-

If this was me I would just have your friend introduce you as an experienced goat owner. If they want help they'll ask. Just through out unwanted advice can lead to contention with some people ( especially with 4-H show moms)

Some people are just stubborn and hardheaded... I deal with it all the time in working with LGD breeders.
Maybe they will show up on CL and you can get them!

 

[meme]

So sad. Last year my lovely drug dealer neighbors were left with a horse and they stopped feeding it after it ran out of hay. They once tried to tie it out on a plastic tie out made for dogs, and I am the one who found the poor thing on its back with all of its feet tied and deep gashes on its legs from the wire. After that, I started bringing it a leaf of hay after dark each night. Then, one day he just disappeared.

 

[Southern by choice]

So sad. Last year my lovely drug dealer neighbors were left with a horse and they stopped feeding it after it ran out of hay. They once tried to tie it out on a plastic tie out made for dogs, and I am the one who found the poor thing on its back with all of its feet tied and deep gashes on its legs from the wire. After that, I started bringing it a leaf of hay after dark each night. Then, one day he just disappeared.

That just made me sick. I can imagine how you felt when you saw him "just gone".
There is no cure for stupid.
Hoping the OP has better success.

 

[NaturesPace]

i was just reading about Chaffhaye and saw this FAQ. you could tell them about chaffhaye and see if that is a better option for them.
Will Chaffhaye reduce hay-belly?
Yes. Animals have less intestinal fill because less Chaffhaye is required to achieve nutritional needs. Within ten days of feeding, the stomach will begin to tuck in. This makes Chaffhaye the ideal feed for saddled and show animals.

 

[goatboy1973]

Stealing cud, now that sounds like fun......

Recycling rumen's beneficial bacteria at its best!

 

[Missy]

Any new updates? I have been following, curious of the outcome of your labors.