Goats are here

Cheryl in SD · #1 05/18/05, 12:16 PM

Monday we got the two goats. It was eventful and I learned a lot, such as, be careful how you hold the collar. After I was drug down the road, and my hand was crunched in the collar. I was ok, but it scared Carmen.

Yesterday was our first day at home. Carmen got out and took off through the woods. Three neighbors showed up and helped me round them up. I was SO scared that they were gone forever into 1,000,000 acres of forest! Lesson learned, make SURE the pen is tight!

All of this means that Carmen isn't giving much for milk, at least I assume that is why. How much time should it take for her to settle down? We are trying to spend a little time every couple of hours (15-20 minutes at least) with them, just to get them used to us. Is this the right thing to do?

The doe isn't eating, we got the hay and grain from the farmer that had them so it would be the same this time around. We will gradually make changes there. But I am worried about her not eating and couldn't that affect her milk too?

Cheryl in SD

mpillow · #2 05/18/05, 12:45 PM

She is stressed out and she senses your insecurities as well. She needs some probios and a b-12 or b-cmplex shot to stimulate her appetite.

Not sure on the dosage....maybe someone else will chime in or you can search in the forum box upper right.

Cheryl in SD · #3 05/18/05, 11:54 PM

Carmen is not settling down, the kid we got at the same time isn't helping. After talking to the neighbor I discovered I have a meat breed of goat and what I wanted was a milking goat. She is nubian cross but takes after her daddy, a Boer. She has a very small bag and little teats Quoting my neighbor there. Even when she milks heavily all she gives is less than 2 quarts a day. My neighbor wants a boer cross to add to her herd as she likes the variety, so we are exchanging mine for one of her milking goats.

Carmen is not milking well, but is beginning to eat and settle down. Her new home will have a bigger herd and less children, which is more what she is used to. The neighbor is willing to do a straight trade. Her goat isn't as pretty as Carmen, but is much gentler and already used to milking (Carmen wasn't) being tethered (not that we plan to do that much, but having the option is nice), and children! Hopefully we will all be happier.

I just hate seeing Carmen so upset. She spent most of the day shaking and crying. I did get her to eat some tonight and drink a little and she doesn't run in terror of me. Down the road, she will have lots of love, and be able to just free range with their herd.

Cheryl

BlessedMom · #4 05/19/05, 01:30 AM

I know what you mean.
A month or so ago I brought in a reg. nubian doe and her buckling at 3 months old.
The mom's name is Luna...but we have all renamed her Lunatic. She screamed for about a week. She literally sounded like either a crazy loon or an elephant. Her bay would echo throughout the valley. I'm sure my neighbors loved me for that!
The first night we got home it was so dark that we quarantined them both together for the night. But I knew I had to seperate then as soon as possible.
So the next day we put the little buck in his pen at the other end of the property.
oh dear,..it was awful!
Luna screamed and screamed.
But what was even worse was the little bucks scream. He had a real high pitched one. It was just something I tell you! We had him in with our LGD. He took one look at that dog, screamed and headed for a little dog kennel we had set up.
Now they are best buds..but it did take a little bit.
We just brought home my son's 4H market project, a Boer wether.
Same reaction. One look at the dog, he moved my fence line two feet by trying to go through it! It is made up of cattle panels. I've never see a goat actually BOUNCE before!!!! LOL!

Lori