What am I doing?

ChildsFarm · #1 05/19/14, 02:17 PM

So....I'm not sure why I got goats. I thought they were cute? I already have dogs, cats, horses, and chickens, so what's another species? So anyways, I bought 5 goats, learned that electric would NOT hold them in and 3 got away (found them 2 months later, but the people said they're keeping them). I bought them from a family member of someone who's in the horse saddleclub I'm in. So then a few months later when she wanted to get rid of the whole herd because of problems with their dogs, I bought them. I now have 11 goats. One is a Kiko, one is a "milk goat mix" one is a dwarf (Nigerian?). None are registered. They have horns! (Which I now know I don't like).

So, they're all in one big area together except the two boys, and they haven't been separated long (they were never separated before). I had two babies born in January in the snow, and we disbudded those two. So, those are my favorites. Old two of the adult does are friendly enough to be caught. The rest will come up if you have treats. I feed them in troughs all together. Lately they've been so pushy they've knocked me over twice. There's just so many one of the little ones will get between my legs and the big does are jamming their heads in the bucket and it's just a mess. Can I just not feed them since they aren't being milked? I really don't know if any are pregnant or not though. I took a water bottle in with me one day and squirted them back away from the gate and it sorta worked, but it's hard to juggle the feed bucket, the scoop, and the water bottle. They aren't like the horses that I can just shoo back, or push out of my space!

Also, I have no idea how to worm them. I don't think they've ever had any vaccines or ever been wormed. We did give them all a tetanus shot. It was not fun trying to wrangle goats that do not like human contact. For the wormer, since they all eat together, I don't have a way to make sure each one gets the right amount. I don't have a clue how much they weigh either to know how much to give.

I decided if I'm going to have goats, I'd like to get something from them, so I tried milking Sugar a little. She's one of the friendly ones and the one that had babies in Jan. If I haven't been milking her, is it too late to start now? I'm not really worried about how much I'd get, it's more I'd just like to practice. It's really hard for me to do it, and after looking at a goat on craigslist that has been a milk goat, I realize her teats are super tiny compared to the picture of the milk goat. She's supposedly a "milk goat mix" though.

Also, I've read about CAE, and Johne's, and a few other diseases. Do I need to test for those before I milk? Is there anything I could really do about those diseases now? Pretty sure they've never been tested for anything (along with the never been vaccinated). I'm not even really sure how long they've been together as one herd.

The past few days of being pushed around and knocked over worse than usual have me really wondering what the heck I am doing. Is there any way I could possibly make this work and get my goats under control, figure out what I'm doing, and milk them?

I got this great idea that I'd buy a Nubian buck at least and so I could have half Nubians from here on out. Then I read about registered goats and thought I'd get two registered ones so that then the babies could be registered and would maybe sell for more (my herd is big enough, and I don't need more babies). But then I read Nubians are noisy. The herd I have now starts making a racket as soon as they see me because they are wanting fed. It bothers me, but not as much as the dogs barking, which drives me nuts. Plus, Nubians are expensive! I can't really see spending $500+ on getting a couple when I have this huge herd that is making me doubt myself so much now.

If anyone read all that, I'll be surprised. That got kinda long. Sorry.

Amanda

Alice In TX/MO · #2 05/19/14, 02:27 PM

Oh, dear. You've done what many of us did and got into goats before you knew anything.

Honestly, I think you should take those to the sale barn, fix your fences and feeding system, and start over with two healthy (tested) bred does.

The effort to rehabilitate that herd would be almost overwhelming.

You could keep the two disbudded ones, have them tested, and if they are clean, start there. The others are more trouble than they are worth.

Dan B. · #3 05/19/14, 02:35 PM

I had this dicussion with myself about a month ago. Had five, three kids were then born, feeding was getting more than I had thought, knocked human kids over, pigs at the feeder, etc, etc. I ended up keeping a buck and a doe that we liked, sold the rest and am enjoying them. Still don't have a fence up, can basically free range them (free range goats???

). They stay close to the house but am working on a fence for them.

If they frustrate you, sell the ones you dislike and start over.....nothing wrong with that.

Rosepath · #4 05/20/14, 07:44 AM

Sale barn.

ChildsFarm · #5 05/20/14, 08:28 AM

Yeah, that would be easiest. But the girl I got them from wanted me to buy them because she knew I'd give them a good home, and she has stopped by a few times to see them. Plus I do kinda like them. There's two babyish ones (I have no idea how old they are, last years babies maybe, so a year?) that I could see selling, and the dwarf. Since they are so skiddish, I don't know what would end up being done with them....that part worries me.

I'm not sure how to set up a fences and feeding system. I'm about halfway through the Raising Goats for Dummies book but haven't really seen anything on that yet.

I can't just draw blood from a few of them and have them tested for stuff and then worm and them be good to go? Other than manners and stuff, that I still need to figure out.

Dan B. · #6 05/20/14, 10:30 AM

You bought them.....they are yours. There is no shame in being in over your head with something so if they need to go and you feel so inclined, offer them back to the original owner and if she can't take them.........bu-bye.

mammabooh · #7 05/20/14, 11:03 AM

I agree with Dan. There is no greater way to kill the joy of having livestock than to keep animals that aren't what you want just because you feel guilt and duty.

The previous owner can't sell her livestock and then decide what becomes of it. She gave up her rights when she sold them...would be the same if she had given them to you. There is no reason at all for you to feel guilty.

I would test them all. Then, if any of them come back positive for diseases, I would get rid of all of them. Depending on the diseases they had, I might not get goats for quite a while.

CAjerseychick · #8 05/20/14, 11:03 AM

Yes sale barn could maybe mean meat.
Its up to you if you want to manage them.
How much land do you have? The ones that are wild can stay wild and forage (good hay in winter for sure), what are you feeding?

You do need to get them all tested if you are keeping them though as CAE, CL, Johhnnes are contagious and the clean goats can get them from the infected ones....
Will your vet help you? Or do you have someone who can help hold them for you (if you are ok drawing yourself?)....
If you can do your own blooddraws, Kudos to you! More than I can do!

ChildsFarm · #9 05/20/14, 11:39 AM

Well, we butchered one of the boys already, so being meat isn't a problem. Getting tied out because that's the only way they can be caught or something like that is what I don't want for them.

Most of them are pretty cute, and having had them for 6 months, I do kinda feel attached to a few.

I tried calling the extension vet but haven't gotten ahold of her yet. I called to find out about sending in blood for testing and they referred me to her and said she might could tell me where there is a vet near me. I don't really know of any goat vets around. I can't even look at a needle without feeling queasy, but with everything we've been through with the horses, husband isn't bothered at all by anything anymore (thank goodness).

Any ideas on feeding? I refer to the Fias Co. Farms website a good bit and she individually ties hers up during feeding. Is that what most people do? I've practiced milking Sugar a few times, and if it works out I could feed her on the milkstand (I bought supplies to build one yesterday). That just leaves the other 10 to figure out.

Fingers crossed the tests come back good, so that I won't absolutely have to ditch the whole herd. What should I test for?

madness · #10 05/20/14, 01:16 PM

The majority of our herd are milking animals so we feed them on the stand. They each come into the milk room individually and each their ration. When they are not in milk, they either get called in and passed through just to keep them in practice or they get on the stand and still eat if they are in late pregnancy.

The goats that are not part of that line up are the kids and the males. Our kids are kept in a barn at night and it makes it so easy to feed in the morning. Pour the grain in the trough, open the barn door and back away quickly! The boys are actually pretty well behaved. I have a pan for them and fill it and carry it into their pasture. They don't jump or push but I'm not sure how I really taught them those manners...

I've seen the Fias Co set up and it sounds like a great idea if you have a bunch of goats to feed and don't want the "run you over" hassle. I imagine it's hard to set up from the scratch but once you have the system going, a new goat would more quickly adapt.

Good luck!

harvestmoonfarm · #11 05/20/14, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness

I've seen the Fias Co set up and it sounds like a great idea if you have a bunch of goats to feed and don't want the "run you over" hassle. I imagine it's hard to set up from the scratch but once you have the system going, a new goat would more quickly adapt.

Good luck!

Fias Co is where we got the idea on how best to feed ours. We use trailer ties and tie them each up individually for their evening feeding. That way we can manage what each one gets and, if one has special nutritional needs (for example: the Nubian seen here now gets senior equine feed with her nightly ration to help her gain weight), we can manage them much easier. My milking does get straight alfalfa pellets on the stand every morning, and then everyone (does, wether, kids) gets grain at night. The kids have learned to run to the kid pen as soon as their feed pan is put down and the gate is opened for them. Goats are extremely food motivated, so you need to use that to your advantage.

ChildsFarm · #12 05/20/14, 04:47 PM

So do you leave the collars on them all the time? I thought that was a no-no, but already having on collars would make that so much easier. Or maybe I could leave them on for the first bit just until I get them used to it?

harvestmoonfarm · #13 05/20/14, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChildsFarm

So do you leave the collars on them all the time? I thought that was a no-no, but already having on collars would make that so much easier. Or maybe I could leave them on for the first bit just until I get them used to it?

Mine wear collars all the time. Knock on wood, I've never had a problem.

GoatGirl123 · #14 05/20/14, 05:08 PM

We got one of our does from somebody that left collars on all of her goats, and we just kept the collar on the doe. No problems so far, knock on wood.

Dan B. · #15 05/20/14, 08:05 PM

Collars here also.......

Doug Hodges · #16 05/20/14, 10:15 PM

Wow!!! Sell the ones you don't like. At least thin the herd. Good luck and God Bless you.

Doug Hodges · #17 05/20/14, 10:16 PM

I have the breakaway collars on all my goats.

What am I doing?-imageuploadedbyhomesteading-today1400642204.144049.jpg

Clovers_Clan · #18 05/21/14, 08:00 AM

If its too much to tie everyone individually, it will help greatly to at least have the feeder set up along the fence line like shown in Harvest Moon's picture. Spread out and with enough feeder space they won't trample you and each other. You can dump the feed in the feeders from across the fence. It also helps if the feeders are secured at a height just above their heads and to place blocks or a rail they must stand on with front feet to reach. Because they must balance and reach they'll soon find out they can't push and shove and run back and forth if they expect to get a chance at eating.

Clovers_Clan · #19 05/21/14, 08:10 AM

Oh, and just my 2 cents... You didn't swear a blood oath to your grave to take on problem goats at all cost to ease the mind of the seller. She chose not to fence or re-home the dogs who were the original problem, she chose not to socialize and train the goats, she may have chose not to wether bucks, she chose not to plan breedings, she chose not to vaccinate, she chose not to deworm, she chose not to disease test... Did they really mean that much to her? Yes, you DID give them a good home. A better one than where they were! Do your best, for your own conscience to do whats most humane for each individual one(that may be meat market). But DO NOT FEEL GUILTY!!!

CraterCove · #20 05/21/14, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clovers_Clan

Oh, and just my 2 cents... You didn't swear a blood oath to your grave to take on problem goats at all cost to ease the mind of the seller. She chose not to fence or re-home the dogs who were the original problem, she chose not to socialize and train the goats, she may have chose not to wether bucks, she chose not to plan breedings, she chose not to vaccinate, she chose not to deworm, she chose not to disease test... Did they really mean that much to her? Yes, you DID give them a good home. A better one than where they were! Do your best, for your own conscience to do whats most humane for each individual one(that may be meat market). But DO NOT FEEL GUILTY!!!

^ This. Like is not strong enough. Exactly this.