Help and ideas

boymomx6 · #1 04/18/08, 09:24 AM

We just "became" goat owners because of deployment of an army wife. We now have three very pregnant goats and are reading all the time. All I have done is read, read, and read. We are prepared as far as the books tell us for the upcoming births. We are only lacking the shot stuff but I am going out to get that today. I could use any and all advice from you all. We have a mentor that I found yesterday. Sort of a friend of a friend of a friend..... I think I have made a wonderful step and look forward to all the experiences but at the same time, I'm scared out of my mind. I am looking forward to any and all help. Everything from feed to birthing. I love the books but I am the mother of 6 boys so I know for a fact that the books don't always get it right. There is no replacement for experience. Your experience! Thank you for all your help. Stacey

Alice In TX/MO · #2 04/18/08, 09:59 AM

Actually, your experience as a mom of six human males will help a lot.

You know about giving birth.

You know about children who do unexpected things.

Sounds like you've got it made!

Welcome to the world of goats. It's wonderful, and you'll learn so much.

deetu · #3 04/18/08, 11:21 AM

Best place to go is here

I suggest reading old posts, the stickys on the top of the forum and doing searches (although the search engine here drives me crazy by pulling up all the odd words) www.fiascofarm.com is also an excellent place to get information.

Now, when the time comes, take a deep breath.... in - out ... now you can go crazy constantly checking on that doe that you are sure is going to kid any minute

And don't forget pictures. We love pictures.

nubiansinny · #4 04/18/08, 11:25 AM

There are a number of "us" around NY who have goats. Tell us where you are and maybe someone is close.Most kiddings go fine but if you need help and are new it's great to have someone around to help.
the more you deal with goats you will find LOTS of stuff the books don't tell you:baby04: You might want to see if you can find a vet local who you can use if you have an emergency.
Good luck and ask lots of ???'s It's the only way to learn

Minelson · #5 04/18/08, 11:44 AM

I'm a newbie too. My first goat (Gretta) was pregnant when I got her back in October. I survived so you can too

It's very helpful if you have a due date, I didn't. If you don't, you can look forward to many signals that will make you think they are going into labor...and then they don't. Get ready for a heck of a roller coaster ride until they give birth. I followed the advice I got from this forum and from http://fiascofarm.com/
You can click on my name and look up old posts from Dec through Jan. Use this forum...even if you think it's a stupid little question...ask! We are here to help however we can and support and hold your hand if needed. Having a kidding kit ready was really helpful for me....
Important things to remember...Offer warm water with a little molasses to mama after delivery. Worm Mama when things settle down, no later than the next day. Make sure the babies get colostrum ASAP. Get water buckets off the ground so you don't have any accidental drownings. Have camera ready

If you can, get a picture of the mama's now..I would love to see them

boymomx6 · #6 04/18/08, 03:38 PM

If someone can tell me how to put pictures in here, I will. I have a port on my computer for the memory card and can download pictures to email them but have been looking all around this page and can't find a way to insert pictures. Thanks, Stacey

Alice In TX/MO · #7 04/18/08, 03:54 PM

Upload the pics to a photobucket.com account. Then you copy the IMG link into your message on this board.

boymomx6 · #8 04/19/08, 09:32 AM

[IMG]i288.ph[/IMG]

Backfourty,MI. · #9 04/19/08, 10:57 AM

Nope, no pictures & I have a terrible time too, but I am NOT good with the computor. The couple times I've got pictures on here I think is by luck. I just keep trying things.
Under the coputor section here on Homesteading there is a sticky also that tell's alot of how to post pictures.

boymomx6 · #10 04/19/08, 12:40 PM

I still can't figure out how to put the pictures in here. Any help would be nice. I opened an account on photobucket but when this place asks me to insert the url of my image I don't know exactly what goes in there. Sorry, hopefully this proves to you I am better at managing outside situations rather than my inside ones.

CountryHaven · #11 04/19/08, 05:18 PM

Welcome to the wonderful and sometimes frustrating world of goats. LOL.

As for the pictures, you have to put the entire url of the picture in the image tag, not just the identiy of the picture.

thaiblue12 · #12 04/19/08, 06:01 PM

I take the last link under my picture on photobucket " IMG Code" You click that and it copies it and then I paste it right into my message.

boymomx6 · #13 04/20/08, 09:04 AM

I woke up this morning and one of the goats is looking really different. She looks like she is arching her back all the time and her tail is now hanging down about a half a foot lower than yesterday. Is this the start of something? Just wondering. I'll try to put up pictures again today. I'm staying home from chruch just to be with these girls. I haven't missed a day of church in years, unless I was in the hospital with a baby. Hope the pic's work. Thanks, Stacey

[IMG]s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll199/boymomx6/?albumview=link&special_track=nav_album_album

Minelson · #14 04/20/08, 10:32 AM

If she is arching her back it could mean contractions....Is she doing any digging or pawing? Getting up & down a lot? Pressing her head against the wall?

Patty0315 · #15 04/20/08, 10:34 AM

I am assuming you are near Ft Drum. I live in Evans Mills email me and I will give you my phone # and I can help you out.

Patty

forbesfarm@msn.com

lettermom · #16 04/20/08, 01:39 PM

We are going to pick up our goats today

Any news on your mama goats/babies?? I can't wait to hear about them and see them!

boymomx6 · #17 04/21/08, 06:13 AM

The one still looks funny but nothing else has happened. I will keep everyone posted. Still haven't figured out the pictures. The one, which is a dwarf, had 5 babies last time so I am scared to death. One is already spoken for and that person wants to take it as soon as she can so she can bottle feed it herself. She says that way it will bond with her. When should I let one go to someone else (she has experience with all kinds of animals) if they are bottle feeding them.

crazygoatgal · #18 04/21/08, 03:37 PM

You can , but make sure that baby gets mamas colostrum!!! And if you have a baby monitor it saves soooo much running in and out of the barn. Good luck and welcome to the world of goat addiction where we all enable each other and love it.

Kittikity · #19 04/21/08, 04:01 PM

This link will take you to boymomx6's goat pictures..

http://s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll199/boymomx6/

crazygoatgal · #20 04/21/08, 05:33 PM

I just saw your pics, I guess they're pregnant! Don't worry too much about the Dwarf. I raise nd's and it is not rare for them to have lots of babies. One of my does is a quint and they have been known to have 6 at a time. In some ways it is better because the babies are smaller and easier for mama to deliver them. Just try to make sure you can be there to help clean them off because once they start coming, they come only a few minutes apart and mama doesn't always have time to completely clean one off before the other one pops out. A proven doe will know to first clean off the nose and mouth though, so don't get into a state of panic if you have to be away from the barn for a time. Nd's make great mamas, but try to get the person who wants to take a baby right off to wait a day or two because it will still bond to her even if was weeks old and it insures that you have given it the colostrum and milk it needs in the first 12-24 hours. As long as it is imprinted on humans, it will ABSOLUTELY bond with another human that is bottle feeding it. And make sure they are giving it goat milk--there are many good replacer products out there, but the best thing for them is what God intended. Enjoy!