Our First Kidding - Need Some Guidance PLEASE [THEY'RE HERE!!]

[MissDanni]

I must say that Trouble looks quite a bit like my Angela, who is a Pygora, and presented me with twin doelings three weeks ago. Totally unexpected, she was pregnant when I brought her home and newbie that I am, I had no idea. Being such a newbie, I have no answers to your questions re milking but I can say that the girls are beginning to be interested in what their mother is eating and will nibble on hay, leaves etc They are starting to put their little noses into the feed bucket that has beet pulp and goat rations mixed in. Still nursing of course as well. I decided very quickly that I was keeping these babies, but I know that I will have to part with any future ones as I just do not have room. Where in Canada are you btw? You have a lovely website.

Thank you for the advice and compliments
I live in Prince Edward Island. It's lovely here 3 seasons out of 4, I really do NOT like winter, but I guess you can't have it all.

 

[MissDanni]

Have some pictures now for everyone to see!

Here is one of Emily with our new girl Shirley, jump over to our website to see all the pictures!

 

[cindyg]

Isn't it wonderful? I wanted goats for a long time before I worked up the courage to actually get some and now, I can't believe I waited so long. Now I'm planning to move away from my extended family on the eastern shore and go inland just so I can have more room for more goats. (don't tell my husband) about the more goats part I mean, he's ok with the moving part, as long as he just has to get up from here some morning and go to bed that evening in the new place. MissDanni, maybe in the future we might talk about "dates" for our girls. I'm getting an ND buckling soon to bring in some new blood for my herd. Enjoy the babies!!

 

[MissDanni]

Isn't it wonderful? I wanted goats for a long time before I worked up the courage to actually get some and now, I can't believe I waited so long. Now I'm planning to move away from my extended family on the eastern shore and go inland just so I can have more room for more goats. (don't tell my husband) about the more goats part I mean, he's ok with the moving part, as long as he just has to get up from here some morning and go to bed that evening in the new place. MissDanni, maybe in the future we might talk about "dates" for our girls. I'm getting an ND buckling soon to bring in some new blood for my herd. Enjoy the babies!!

For sure, where are you located?

I have 2 bucks, they are twins too, Corey & Trevor

 

[Cara Peachick]

I'll try to answer some of your questions. Althoug I just had my first baby myself, so I defer to anyone more expereinced who disagrees.

1. The "pasty butt" is normal. When they are passing the meconium (first stools), it is pretty tarry (a lot like human babies) and then their poops look kind of mustardy yellowish when they are drinking milk only (again, like human babies!). Once they start eating solid food, their poops will become like normal goat poops. The moma cleans their butts usually, but you may need to help, as you did.

2. The Fias Co Farm webiste advocates milking a little from the big side of the udder. We're doing this and it seems to be helpful to both doe and baby, as that side is then easier to nurse. Once when I milked her, one side was pretty clogged, so I had to really press, but once the milk started coming, it was much better and baby could get some from that side too.

3. I doubled my does' ration once she kidded since it takes a lot out of a doe to nurse and be milked, more even than pregnancy, really. If you are milking her, more milk is a bonus, not a negative! Milk is produced according to demand (as genetics, nutirtion, etc. allows). More food doesn't necessarily mean more milk. If it was that easy, all the dairies would be feeding their does tons!

4. It is fine to feed her with her babies. They will learn from her and may begin "sampling" within a few days after birth. More likely, they'll play in the food for a while.

5. I think 8 weeks is standard minimum weaning (and moving to new home) time. Of course, you could always wait longer. If you're banding him, I'd think you'd want to wait until he is all healed up.

6. I don't have any expereince with banding, so will leave this to someone else.

7. The kids can eat hay and grain when they are ready. They won't eat much for a while.

8. In general, does shouldn't have more than 1 baby a year. I wouldn't let her date - then - for at least 6-7 months, maybe longer. A lot would depend on her condition. (She shouldn't "date" until she is in excellent condition and carrying good weight.) It will also depend on what you want from her. Do you want as many babies as possible? (Then, she should kid once a year as her condition allows). If you want her in milk, you may be able to milk her through the winter, without breeding her again.

Hope that helps and I look forward to seeing if anyone has other answers!

 

[cindyg]

Such a lot of knowledge and experience on this website. It's wonderful. Miss Danni, I am on the beautiful Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, about 40 minutes outside of Dartmouth. But... I really am going to move so I can have more room so next year, hopefully, I'll be in the "interior" of the province with lots of acreage and lots of beautiful goaties.

 

[MissDanni]

@Cara Peachick - Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, I know there are a lot of them! Just want to make sure I'm doing my very best for these guys.

@cindyg - I visited NS for the first time last Autumn and it was beautiful; lots of nature, which I love!

@All - Our friends have decide that they are just not ready this year for a goat but they do want one in the future, so looks like this little man is looking for a new home. I don't think it's going to be a problem as he has a great personality; very sweet and playful already.

 

[arabianequine]

Congratulation! They are sure cute!

Are you doing and vaccinations? Do you know about them? Baby and mom usually need some things prior to birth or at birth.

 

[elevan]

1) The boy had an issue yesterday afternoon with (we call it pasty butt, our baby chicks sometimes get it) poop stuck to his bottom, it was pretty awful, almost like someone had stuck a caramel or toffee candy to him. Ok gross I know but that's the best way I can explain it. I had to place his bottom in a dish of warm water to try and soften it up and loosen it off. Once I got him cleaned up I put Vaseline on his bottom end and up his tail a bit so that he wouldn't get it stuck to him again. Now is that normal for the first few bowel movements to be sticky like that? hmm The little girl isn't having this problem.
This is normal...mom is probably cleaning up the doeling's rear and not doing the same for the buckling. You did right for him, the poo will get less sticky over time and eventually will form berries

2) Now although Trouble is milking from both nipples, one side of her udder is much larger than the other. Also she looks like she has a LOT of milk and to me it looks like she may be pretty tender in the udder area, especially the larger side. Should I perhaps milk off a few ounces to relieve some of the pressure or just leave her be?
Yep, milk out the uneven side.

3) So Trouble eats hay, whatever she wants, whenever she wants and she gets goat ration in the morning and the evening, about 1 quart each time. She also goes on walkabout and eats a little of this and a little of that. Someone mentioned that I should cut her ration in half because she will get too much milk and the babies might not be able to get any out if she gets too full? Is there any truth to this?
I don't cut their ration. IMO they need it to be at their full potential.

4) Feeding Trouble - Is it alright for me to feed her the ration in with her babies? They wont try to eat the food and choke or something would they?
It's fine. They learn from mama and will begin tasting (or mouthing) the feed and the hay and the water fairly early.

5) When will the little boy be able to go to his new home? Is it like 6 weeks or how does this work with kids?
If you're dam raising them you need to wait until they are weaned. Don't wean prior to 8 weeks. If they are being bottle raised they can go anytime as long as the new owner knows that they are on the bottle and how to bottle feed.

6) Banding - My breeder said she would band him for me at 3 weeks. Then I think its 10 days before you snip off the crusty parts and remove the band? Someone correct me on this if need be. The girl who is getting him wants it done because she's worried he will be all stinky and messy. Neither of my two boys are stinky or messy, but I guess some could be.
Don't do it that early!!! Wait to band until 8 weeks. He needs time for his urethra to mature to be able to prevent UC problems in the future. Bucks don't make good pets but castrating them to be a wether too soon can increase the chance for heartache in the future. And you don't need to cut off the testicles after banding...they will fall off on their own in 2-4 weeks and you'll probably never even see them.

7) When should the kids start eating food and is it ok for them to eat what I feed the others? Hay and rations.
Individuals tend to start really eating at different times, but if they are tasting with mom they tend to start earlier. What you're feeding mom is fine.

8) How long do I wait before I allow Trouble to start "Dating" again.
This is open for debate depending on the breeder. I like to wait 6-8 months post kidding. It really depends on the doe's condition. Some people will rebreed as early as 60 days...I think that's excessive but that's my opinion only. You'll have to make that decision based on your doe's condition and what you want to do.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Congratulations!

And great questions-I can share with you what I've learned on some of them

1) The boy had an issue yesterday afternoon with (we call it pasty butt, our baby chicks sometimes get it) poop stuck to his bottom, it was pretty awful, almost like someone had stuck a caramel or toffee candy to him. Ok gross I know but that's the best way I can explain it. I had to place his bottom in a dish of warm water to try and soften it up and loosen it off. Once I got him cleaned up I put Vaseline on his bottom end and up his tail a bit so that he wouldn't get it stuck to him again. Now is that normal for the first few bowel movements to be sticky like that? :/ The little girl isn't having this problem.

A kids first stools (meconium) are usually dark and tarry and then turn to a more yellow color (which can be pelleted a bit or more pastey). I have heard of kids getting plugged up so the tooshie bath is probably a good idea. If his stools get really watery though, you might need to take action. Are they being bottle fed?


3) So Trouble eats hay, whatever she wants, whenever she wants and she gets goat ration in the morning and the evening, about 1 quart each time. She also goes on walkabout and eats a little of this and a little of that. Someone mentioned that I should cut her ration in half because she will get too much milk and the babies might not be able to get any out if she gets too full? Is there any truth to this?
I have been giving mine hay, alfalfa, and a daily portion of grains while I milk and they seem to be just fine. A very full udder can make it more challenging for babies to latch on but it is unlikely that they couldn't nurse at all-plus a couple of gulps will soften the udder.

4) Feeding Trouble - Is it alright for me to feed her the ration in with her babies? They wont try to eat the food and choke or something would they?
They will probably learn to eat solids more quickly if they see her doing it. Not sure about choking but so far, ours haven't had that problem.

7) When should the kids start eating food and is it ok for them to eat what I feed the others? Hay and rations.
They'll probably start nibbling hay and if grain is available, they might try that too if they see mom doing it. I know some use a creep feeder. Not sure about rations so might need some other opinions on that one.

8) How long do I wait before I allow Trouble to start "Dating" again.
I believe I read six months or three times in a two year period with at least six months between.