Really Ticked (Rant Warning)

blujenes · #1 07/11/13, 11:12 PM

(Rant warning)

I've told ya'll about the new goats we're getting, and I posted pictures. Didn't they look great? Well, buisness took us past the friend who is keeping them until she can bring them to us Saturday. So we stopped to see our new goats. First things first, Blackberry's way skinny. Probably a 2 on the body evaluation scale. Her sides are all hollowed in, her backbone sticks up, and you can feel her ribs much more than you should. (She does have a nice udder though) She's also not as big as we thought.

Then the red roan isn't as big either. She's well built, but small. And the lady said she was pregnant, and just starting to udder up. No udder. Only indication that she might be "pregnant" is that she doesn't look half starved like the others. (Our friend got a few from her too, since the goat lady's moving and can't take the goats)

And it turns out that the beautiful doeling, Oreo, is from another goat breeder we have a goat from. (Those goats look great, and they grow, but then they stop, and they're done) So we might have to get rid of her because she might not grow. We have to get rid of another goat from that other breeder for the same reason. She's TINY.

Not only this, but the lady told me that those kids were 45 or 50 pounds. Outright lie. The largest of the two, (Ugly), couldn't weigh more than 35. And she's bigger than Oreo. Way bigger.

Thank you for putting up with my rant. I got really really excited about these goats. I'm losing my respect for this lady really really fast.

Wonderland · #2 07/12/13, 12:33 AM

I'm so sorry. That sucks.

That's why I always want to see goats before I buy them, unless I know the breeder. Call me paranoid, but I do not trust people to be honest.

Pony · #3 07/12/13, 06:40 AM

Oh, dear! That stinks on ice.

So sorry.

**mygoat** · #4 07/12/13, 08:23 AM

Sounds like the breeder would benefit from cocci prevention and a change in feeding regimine.

When did the skinny doe kid? 2 on the BCS wouldn't be that bad for a recently freshened doe if she's producing well.

Have you BOUGHT those goats yet? I'd pass.

blujenes · #5 07/12/13, 08:55 AM

Yes. They're bought. We payed $500 for them, so we're going to give them a shot. I just found out that the lady that's holding them for us had not yet fed them that day, so maybe they're not quite as bad as they looked. They definitly need some copper though. The kids aren't that old yet, she said born March/April. I thought she might have been stretching the truth with saying 50 pounds, but it was still a shock to see 20/30 pound kids instead of 45/50. The lady holding them for us already has goats, and she had some extra wormer, and she wormed them for us, so there might be some improvement there, too. Hopefully we can manage to salvage these goats.

@ MyGoat, the milking doe freshened end of December.

Donna1982 · #6 07/12/13, 09:49 AM

What breed are these goats? She bred a goat weighing 35 lbs? I would be calling and getting my money back.

blujenes · #7 07/12/13, 10:47 AM

Two are nubian, and two are alpine. And no, the kids weren't bred. The one that's supposedly pregnant is a yearling. (So she got bred at 6 or 7 months, if she actually got bred)

motdaugrnds · #8 07/12/13, 11:29 AM

I'm so sorry you're having to go thru that. I know we all get education in hard ways sometimes; but that doesn't make it hurt less.

I think if I were you and had "already purchased" those goats, I would keep them separated from any other goats I may have while I tended to them. I would start them off with a large glob of Probios Paste, since they've been wormed. (Please find out what wormer they were given.) Then I would start them "slowly" on some quality shreaded beet pulp, alfalfa pellets & whole oats, as well as BOSS. I would probably give them some copper and some selenium too. Knowing me I'ld add some electrolytes with extra vitamines, especially B & C, in their watter for a few days. After a couple of weeks you just might be surprised.

I've had two "small" does throughout the years and both have been heavy milkers with quality milk...

blujenes · #9 07/12/13, 01:19 PM

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunatly, it's impossible to keep the new goats separated. (We have one main pen in the barn, with a couple small pens already being used.) When they get here, I'll try to get some realistic pictures that show what they actually look like.

Alice In TX/MO · #10 07/12/13, 01:29 PM

I just learned from experience the hard way (although it's going to turn out ok in the long run) to NEVER EVER buy anything (goat or car) unless you have put your hands on it, walked around it, examined it, etc etc etc.... FIRST.

Clovers_Clan · #11 07/14/13, 10:34 PM

Blujenes-

How are your girls doing? Hoping they're still hanging in there.

AuntKitty · #12 07/15/13, 03:05 PM

I know we frequently get into arguments on the forum about what we feed our goats, but bear with me because there is a reason I bring this up. I had trouble keeping any weight on my Nubians when I fed a prepared "goat feed". So I switched to feeding alfalfa pellets, hand full of whole oats per goat, a sprinkling of black oil sunflower seed and a "pat" of peanut hay per 2 goats per day, free choice minerals, baking soda. My goats are big, sleek and shiny as seals. My kids grow out huge. My buyers come back for more because they say my kids are the best looking around. After they buy from me however, they usually decide to feed a goat ration because it is easier and then they ask why they don't have the results I do. One buyer recently arrived to pick up a buckling and he had another buckling already in the trailer that was a month older than my boy and 1/2 the size. The difference is the feed. I don't know what part of the country you are in and what your feeding plan is, but I would try giving at least free choice alfalfa pellets and oats to see if you can boost their growth to full potential.

Just a thought, not trying to start anything, but this is what has worked for me.

Kitty

Pony · #13 07/15/13, 09:12 PM

AuntKitty, you needn't be apologetic. We're all here to share, and reading what works for you may help someone who's struggling with feed issues.

I agree with you that the way you feed works well, because it works for me, too. (Except I don't have access to peanut hay. We use alfalfa..)

Different strokes for different folks, and I appreciate you sharing your experience!

Alice In TX/MO · #14 07/15/13, 09:20 PM

I've never seen peanut hay. Interesting.

patty12 · #15 07/16/13, 08:29 AM

WHY, WHY would anyone buy goats or any other live stock with out seeing them?

Alice In TX/MO · #16 07/16/13, 08:36 AM

We are all on our personal positions on the learning curve.

Minelson · #17 07/16/13, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patty12

WHY, WHY would anyone buy goats or any other live stock with out seeing them?

Well I fell in love with a picture and had to have her! She was too far away for me to go look in person so I took a chance...And I'm so happy I did!

DamnearaFarm · #18 07/16/13, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

Well I fell in love with a picture and had to have her! She was too far away for me to go look in person so I took a chance...And I'm so happy I did!

Ditto. Although I didn't pay until I got there, he was MINE from the first pic I saw!

Pony · #19 07/16/13, 08:53 PM

I paid for Trub from Ozark Jewels based on pictures, and I'm glad I did. She's my favorite goat in the whole wide world.

I'm her favorite human, too, but that's only because I feed her and milk her. Otherwise, she'd just look right through me.

It's hard being the goats' maidservant...

DamnearaFarm · #20 07/17/13, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pony

I paid for Trub from Ozark Jewels based on pictures, and I'm glad I did. She's my favorite goat in the whole wide world.

I'm her favorite human, too, but that's only because I feed her and milk her. Otherwise, she'd just look right through me.

It's hard being the goats' maidservant...

Yup. I go in the goat's pasture and Si is right on my heels (he gets to ride in the truck with me a lot) going 'Hey! Hey, Mom! Why'm I in here? I'm not a goat, I'm a HUMAN. I ride in the truck. I go shopping with you. Goats don't ride in TRUCKS and they don't get to go shopping OR eat tortilla chips with your daughter when we travel. See? I'm a human, not a silly goat!"