New to goats!

[kikicounihan]

I have two 11 week old Fainting Goats. They are both males and wethered. They are our first goats so we are figuring everything out! They are twins, and acting great. Eating well, playing, curious, etc. One of them, the past couple of days, seems to cough a little occasionally while eating. This morning I heard what sounded a little like "purring" or rumbling in his throat as he was sniffing and eating his grain. Does anyone know what this could be and if I need to do anything?



Thanks!
Carrie

 

[ksalvagno]

Is he eating his food too fast?

 

[20kidsonhill]

take his temp. and monitor it daily to make sure he doesn't start to become sicker. If he starts looking sluggish or eating less he will need antibiotics. But just like us, they can get a cold and get better with out treating them, but also just like us it can get worse.

 

[kikicounihan]

I was wondering if he is eating too fast...would that lead to the coughing and other noise? I will take his temp and monitor...thanks! No runny nose or anything, so that's good. It is scary when they are your first ones!

 

[SheepGirl]

Be careful if they eat too fast...they will end up choking and if not fixed they will bloat. My ewe lambs have choked on their feed before so what I do is I put out only a couple handfuls of feed at a time. It takes me longer to feed but they don't end up choking which is always nice lol

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Absolutely do as the others advised to rule out bigger issues but it also could be him burping up gas or a little cud. Does he chew at all afterwards? I just remember one of my first goats "coughing" and had no fever or anything else going on and my vet informed me after observing it, that it was just that (I was a little embarrassed but when you are knew, you don't know what is normal and what isn't sometimes).

 

[kikicounihan]

Thanks everyone! I am still getting used to what is normal. It only happens when he eats, so I will start to do it by handfuls to slow them down. I am wondering if it is burping a little. That took me a while to get used to! Now I have to learn hoof trimming and vaccinating next!

 

[ksalvagno]

What you can do is put large rocks in his feed bowl and put the feed around the rocks. The rocks slow him down. Make sure they are large enough that he can't swallow them.

 

[kikicounihan]

Great idea! Does everyone put baking soda out freely as well? I am doing a lot of reading and seem to see both sides of whether it should be out all of the time...

 

[20kidsonhill]

Great idea! Does everyone put baking soda out freely as well? I am doing a lot of reading and seem to see both sides of whether it should be out all of the time...

No, we don't.