New to Goats!! (And A few questions...)

[berryncherry]

I have been raising a flock chickens for a while now and have recently decided to take on goats. I found this site and decided that it might be helpful for goat problems in the future...

Here are a few questions I have concerning goats:
1) What are some tips for raising kids? What should I look out for that could be potentially dangerous?
2) Can two bucks live together peacefully?
3) Why do we have to separate bucks and does until breeding season?

 

[Mini Horses]

Well there are a LOT of different scenarios to explain. Since you ask about raising kids, expect that's what you plan to buy. Age makes a huge difference. What you feed, how, when, what to look for. They can get into and out of a lot. While each has their own personality, some breeds are more inclined than others for certain activities...jumping, climbing, production, etc.

Yes, bucks can live together. Any female being around changes things..hormones rage. Keeping buck and doe separate is normally to control pregnancy. If milking, you really don't want bucks with them.


Tell us what you have in mind to buy and purpose you may have for them. We can give better advice then. Tiny pet or family milker are vastly different animals and have different care needs.

 

[berryncherry]

We have one male goat so far and are planning to rescue a few more because goats are social animals. We would probably just keep them as pets, though, since they cannot produce milk.

What is your opinion on powdered milk for the baby goats? Does it still provide enough nutrients for them?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Welcome to BackYard Herds! There are alot of great goat people here that are bound to chime in, so perhaps tell us a bit about yourself and your goals here, then post over in the Goats section of forums! Thanks for joining this great community

 

[BarnOwl]

I have been raising a flock chickens for a while now and have recently decided to take on goats. I found this site and decided that it might be helpful for goat problems in the future...

Here are a few questions I have concerning goats:
1) What are some tips for raising kids? What should I look out for that could be potentially dangerous?
2) Can two bucks live together peacefully?
3) Why do we have to separate bucks and does until breeding season?

Hello! Did you get your goats yet? What kind are you planning to buy? I'm new to goats also. I just got my first doelings last Monday. I still have a lot to figure out, but I think I am hooked. I may be on my way to becoming a crazy goat lady.

1. I don't plan on bottle raising any kids unless it's mandatory or on an emergency basis, so I can't comment on that. One thing to look out for when bringing home a new baby is coccidiossis. The stress of changing enviornement and/or weaning can bring on a parasite bloom. Did a fecal on mine, and the vet recommended 5 days of Corid. Learning how to score FAMACHA and deworm only as needed to prevent parasite resistance seems to be important.

2. From what I have read it seems possible.

3. If I get buck(s), I would plan to keep them seperate from the does to control when pregnancies take place. I don't necesssarily want to be out in the barn at 3am in Janauary birthing babies. Also, in theory, I would like to breed with the goal of improving my herd and I'd want to be in control of which buck bred which doe. In reality though, if I only have one or at most two bucks, I'm not sure how much that would matter.