Newbie getting Nigerians in a few weeks....

[cjulian214]

Any help/advice is appreciated! We have reserved two Nigerian dwarf kids who are due in a couple of weeks and we are trying to get everything ready for them....I have been addicted to this website for weeks since we made the decision to actually buy the goats and was hoping for a few answers to some of our questions.

We do not have the land that most people here do...we are working on sustainable living on a city lot and don't have a whole lot to work with, but I'm hoping its enough for two does to keep for milk. Please give me your opinions!

We are in the process of building a goat shed that is about 48 square feet and are fencing off about 250-275 square feet of our backyard. We have a little tikes climber cube for them to play on and were planning on getting a few tires like in the "playgrounds" we have looked at on here, and would like to leash train the goats. Maybe taking them for walks in the nearby foothills, etc could increase their browsing a little bit? Or is that a completely stupid idea? We (obviously) don't have a pasture to let them browse on, but are there any plants that we could plant in their pen and/or around the rest of our yard that would be good for them to munch on?

The breeder I'm getting them from says that when we bring them home (at about 4 weeks old) they will be debudded, have shots at 2 weeks, then again at 4 weeks, and then I will give them a shot at 8 weeks.She says they will be taking about 5-7 oz goat milk bottlefeeding 3x/day (we are purchasing goat milk for the kids from her) and that they will be eating a little bit of alfalfa by that point. She does not give grain to her goats...only horse sweet feed on the milking stand to her lactating does. She doesn't pre-treat for cocci and gives them a sheep/goat mineral block that they chew on....but I read somewhere on here that the sheep/goat blocks may not have the needed copper for the goats?

I would love to hear some people chime in on their opinions/ideas/thoughts/comments/complaints?

 

[that's*satyrical]

I take my female goat out to browse on a leash & she is really good. I just got her 3 days ago so I am a newbie myself. I was shocked however to find she is an extremely picky browser. She won't eat the beautiful pasture next door, just some low lying leaves & brush.... and by some I mean "some", picky picky!!! lol As for the buck, now that is another story....lol

 

[that's*satyrical]

Oh & I'll be using Manna Pro goat minerals. It is the highest in copper for this area. You want more copper than there is a mineral that is not breed specific

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

I would offer loose mineral rather than the block; and a good quality mineral (like *satyrical said) makes all the difference. We like Sweetlix as well as Manna Pro.

Also, reconsider the idea of not following a coccidiosis prevention program. Coccidiosis can be subclinical and still do a lot of damage- poor growth rates, scarring of the digestive system, immune suppression... all things that will affect your animals' ability to reach her full potential as an adult. Waiting until there's an issue with cocci you can see means you've waited too long to treat them.

 

[cjulian214]

How do you give the loose minerals to the goats? That may be a stupid question....but do you just put it out free choice in a little bucket in their pen or something?

And with treating coccidiosis....do you prefer feed that has treatment in it....even though my breeder doesn't give kids grain at all....? Or would that tend to increase resistance in the cocci? What do you all use? I'm so nervous about my kids getting it and dying within a day or two before I can stop it, especially since they will be in a smaller place, which can increase their chances of getting it, right?

*satyrical- what kind of collar/harness/leash system do you use?

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

Medicated feed alone is not enough. We use DiMethox 40% injectable (given orally) as prevention. We give it every 21 days starting at 3 weeks of age through the warm months and/or unti the kid hits 6 months of age.

Growing kids need grain, whether it's a pelleted goat ration or whole grains, medicated or non-medicated, etc- grain is an important source of calories for growing kids and helps develop the rumen. Particularly when kids are weaned. Just be sure to balance Ca ratios. If high production isn't an issue then you might get away with not graining them as adults, but growing kids need calories.

And yes, we have a mineral feeder we put fresh minerals in daily, or every other day depending on how fast they're going through them. Mine won't eat mineral that's not fresh.

 

[that's*satyrical]

well they actually sell goat collars & harnesses, but personally I just use a lead rope for a horse. The one I have is actually a set of rope type reins with a little clip on each end and I wrap it around her neck & click, then slide it down if I need to. Super easy. She is really wonderful on the leash though so I don't need much control just something to show her where to go when I need to. This works out best for me because I don't think it is wise to leave them out in the pen alone with a collar. It can be a strangulation hazard. So it saves the trouble of clicking a collar off & on a wiggly goat.

 

[manybirds]

Any help/advice is appreciated! We have reserved two Nigerian dwarf kids who are due in a couple of weeks and we are trying to get everything ready for them....I have been addicted to this website for weeks since we made the decision to actually buy the goats and was hoping for a few answers to some of our questions.

We do not have the land that most people here do...we are working on sustainable living on a city lot and don't have a whole lot to work with, but I'm hoping its enough for two does to keep for milk. Please give me your opinions!

We are in the process of building a goat shed that is about 48 square feet and are fencing off about 250-275 square feet of our backyard. We have a little tikes climber cube for them to play on and were planning on getting a few tires like in the "playgrounds" we have looked at on here, and would like to leash train the goats. Maybe taking them for walks in the nearby foothills, etc could increase their browsing a little bit? Or is that a completely stupid idea? We (obviously) don't have a pasture to let them browse on, but are there any plants that we could plant in their pen and/or around the rest of our yard that would be good for them to munch on?

The breeder I'm getting them from says that when we bring them home (at about 4 weeks old) they will be debudded, have shots at 2 weeks, then again at 4 weeks, and then I will give them a shot at 8 weeks.She says they will be taking about 5-7 oz goat milk bottlefeeding 3x/day (we are purchasing goat milk for the kids from her) and that they will be eating a little bit of alfalfa by that point. She does not give grain to her goats...only horse sweet feed on the milking stand to her lactating does. She doesn't pre-treat for cocci and gives them a sheep/goat mineral block that they chew on....but I read somewhere on here that the sheep/goat blocks may not have the needed copper for the goats?

I would love to hear some people chime in on their opinions/ideas/thoughts/comments/complaints?

Get a strictly goat mineral block with copper and selenium (sheep cant have copper so they are not in a goat/sheep block). Your pen sounds like a good one. When they are prego give them 1-2 cups of grain an day and when they are lactating I give mine as much as they want until i'm done milking. Goats walk on the leash well. I give mine free choice hay. if the milk taistes weird it's either: they are getting into a bad weed, there is still colostrum in there milk or they have worms. I worm 3 or 4 times a year. Copper and selenium are both extremely important. I know a lady who's goat died from lack of selenium. You can get shots of copper and shots of selenium i think at either jeffers or hoegers. always use a stainless steal milk pail (jeffers or hoegers). We got a brand new stanchion from a guy who makes them for $60. He's in WI i'm not sure where u live. good luck!

 

[cjulian214]

OK, let me see if I've got this right (bare with me).

Collars = strangulation hazards, so don't leave them on the goats.

I should put out goat specific minerals OR a mineral block, right? Just one or the other, not both? Manna Pro and Sweetlix are good brands....And if I give those, I shouldn't have to give copper or selenium shots? How do you know if my goats are deficient in those minerals? Do you have to have their blood tested?

With coccidiosis, do you just treat the goats for the 1st 6 months regularly because they are most susceptible as kids and then just keep an eye on it as adults and treat as needed?

I know there are a million threads out there on feeding, but with young goats is there a certain type of feed (like how chickens have different feeds based on what stage they are in in their life cycle?) Or just different amount of the same feed?

I live in the southwest so we have pretty mild winters, but since they will be so young and just the two of them should we put something smaller inside our bigger goat shed for them to huddle in together for warmth and to feel safe? I read that they like nice cozy little places as babies, like maybe a plastic feed bin turned upside down with a entrance cut into it or something? I don't want them to get too cold.

Really appreciate everyone's help and advice!

 

[Teeah3612]

Another newbie with a question...

Can I feed my new babies (8 week old Nigerian Dwarf/Fainter crosses) the same sweet feed that I give my horse? That would certain simplify matters. I am picking them up on October 2, so just trying to be prepared. If I can it would mean their feed would always be fresh since I go through 2 - 50 lbs bags a month.