I'm getting a pymy doeling

[lisa's garden]

A lady offered her for free on Freecycle and I was the only one interested. She is 2 months old and has been in the lady's house (eek!) and is bottle fed. Her mother abandoned her and this lady rescued her.

So I am planning to go and see her next weekend and possibly bring her home. Any advice on caring for a pygmy doeling? I found the milk replacer at Farm and Fleet and will need to find a bottle. Should she be bottle fed until 3 months?

I am expecting a very sad and frightened little kid when I bring her home and put her in the barn. I d

We do not have another goat right now and I was thinking that my retired rabbit (she was someone's pet and I promised not to eat her) might make friends with her. Any experience with rabbits and goats bonding?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Will send photos if I can.

[Laverne]

Finding a weaned wether or doeling near her age would be ideal. She needs a companion her own species. Also whole milk from the grocery store is the best to use since many have had poor results with milk replacer. Some will say they had success with it but I wouldn't risk it. 3 mos. minimum in my opinion on bottle feeding. I would bottle feed till 4-5 mos. old, but I'm super picky about my goats. Here's a pygmy female that looks good in Chadwick http://rockford.craigslist.org/grd/1913658686.html She'd probably tame down well, seeing the happy bottle doeling all tame.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Ditto what Laverne said:

1. Whole milk - not replacer
2. She MUST have a goat friend. She thinks the rescue lady is her mother, and she's going to be frantic if you put her in solitary confinement in a barn.

[Cheribelle]

She must be brought into the house, sleep with you, stay in a kennel with a Teddy bear when you are gone.....
Oh yes, warm milk and cookies every morning and night.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Diapering for buckling:

[Cheribelle]

Yeah! Alice seems to know about those house-goats I'm talkin about! heeheehee

[Backfourty,MI.]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Ditto what Laverne said:

1. Whole milk - not replacer
2. She MUST have a goat friend. She thinks the rescue lady is her mother, and she's going to be frantic if you put her in solitary confinement in a barn.

I agree, another goat is a must. I always say that a lonely or bored goat can be a real trouble maker. She may turn you off of goats for good if she gets into too much trouble.

I think 3 months is long enough to bottle feed too & Whole milk from the store!

[lisa's garden]

Thanks for all the info. I will get whole milk like everyone recommends. Will start looking for a friend for her too. Sorry Alice, if I bring her in the house, hubby will have me sleeping in the barn too!

[Minelson]

Make sure you have a camera and take lots of pictures and post them here! !

[lisa's garden]

Sad news for me, but good news for the little doeling...the lady who offered her found a goat farm where she will have other goats to play with. I was ready to buy a friend for her, but will concentrate on the chickens and rabbits for now.

Boo hoo :-(

[Minelson]

Awwww. That stinks. I think you are giving up too easy though. Maybe the other farm has a little wether for sale?

[lisa's garden]

I checked into the location and they are a fair piece down the road from us. Since we don't have a way of getting them home, and the sellers don't want to deliver, I let that one go too.

I'm trying to think of it not as giving up, but as postponing until next year. We moved to this house at the end of June and are remodeling our barn right now so that it will be ready for animals before the cold weather hits. I have the chickens in their 'summer cottage' right now and it will be too cold there soon. So the push is on to finish up the barn and make sure that the animals that we have are well cared for first!

I really appreciate all of the advice and I still hope to get a goat... in the spring, maybe? Just don't want to rush into something unprepared!

Thanks again!

[Minelson]

I understand the pressure of getting ready for winter. And I can relate to the "summer cottage" lol! AND I can relate to just moving in to a new place and all the work getting it set up with winter looming! So the time wasn't quite right. There will be lots of babies come spring Keep us posted!