please give me some feedback

[murphyjamie]

I have two twelve week old pygmy bucks. They are being fed a show grain with some nutriboost and top dressed with ammonium chloride. I also provide free choice minerals(sweetlix loose mineral) and fresh hay. One of my bucks had to have surgery last night to relieve urinary calculi. It was VERY expensive but these animals deserve all we can do for them. The vet has recommended that I take them off of grain and only feed the hay and minerals. He said there are some vegetables like carrots and fruits that I can feed also. He also recommended that I force feed one teaspoon of Ammonium Chloride into my healthy buck for a while just in case he has formed any stones. This did not go well last night. Does anybody have any ideas on how to help me through this transition. Is hay really all the goats need to eat?

[ihedrick]

I'm fairly new to goats, but mine have a pasture to nibble stuff, hay, and minerals. For the ones I am milking, I give them (while milking) sweet goat feed mixed with alfalfa pellets. But that is because their bodies need the extra nutrition to produce the milk.

[Goat Freak]

Seeing as how they are bucks, and therefore cannot be lactating or nursing babies, they don't need anything but the hay and the minerals, only does need grain, and only if nursing or at some stages when they are pregnant. Just cut them off the grain cold turkey, they'll get over it, and some healthy treats will make the transition easier. Good Luck. BYe.