Bringing home that special new friend
Just a little about pens, feeding and becoming friends.
"Is it time to eat, yet?"
A constant question you will be asked.
Also, an opportunity to get their attention
if you need them to stand on their milk stand
or come follow you into another pasture
or just come run in from "out back"--
just have them hear that beautiful sound
of the feed can shake with feed in it.
So, key here is to "keep them a little hungry"
so they look for that feed can.
Always keep plenty of coastal hay available,
and fresh water.
pellets also work as a "treat".
Hay and feed need to be "up" off the ground
in feed pans
ideally where they don't walk and climb in it
and if they can climb in it, they will want to poo in it.
Loose minerals
in a hanging bucket
out of the rain.
Fresh graze is great.
Do you know some people like goats
since they will clear their land of briars, poison ivy and brush?
Amazing little guys, as well as being cute.
CAUTION:
A goat can "eat herself to death"
if she gets into her sack of feed, or corn.
She will get "bloat"
and will need emergency care
some of which you can do:
goat enema, walking, and even puncturing the rumen to release gas
in order to allow her to breath and save her life.
So keep the stored feed:
tightly sealed,
tip proof,
maybe bungied, and out of reach.
Also, an opportunity to get their attention
if you need them to stand on their milk stand
or come follow you into another pasture
or just come run in from "out back"--
just have them hear that beautiful sound
of the feed can shake with feed in it.
So, key here is to "keep them a little hungry"
so they look for that feed can.
Always keep plenty of coastal hay available,
and fresh water.
pellets also work as a "treat".
Hay and feed need to be "up" off the ground
in feed pans
ideally where they don't walk and climb in it
and if they can climb in it, they will want to poo in it.
Loose minerals
in a hanging bucket
out of the rain.
Fresh graze is great.
Do you know some people like goats
since they will clear their land of briars, poison ivy and brush?
Amazing little guys, as well as being cute.
CAUTION:
A goat can "eat herself to death"
if she gets into her sack of feed, or corn.
She will get "bloat"
and will need emergency care
some of which you can do:
goat enema, walking, and even puncturing the rumen to release gas
in order to allow her to breath and save her life.
So keep the stored feed:
tightly sealed,
tip proof,
maybe bungied, and out of reach.
"Rain, rain. Run away!"
Nigerian Dwarf goats HATE the rain
so even a large dog house works.
Fencing should be "goat proof"
especially if "the grass is greener on the other side".
They like to go near the ground and find a small "give" in the fence,
enough for them to push their little determined self thru
and then temp the rest of the herd to follow.
So a fence may be a "work in progress"
if they they keep trying it.
If they have what they love "on the inside"
like their friend, plenty of their favorite food, and fun structures to climb
then they should not be too tempted.
Goats are amazing climbing machines.
If you want a "hoot"
just put out "some stuff"
and watch.
Little kiddie playground equipment,
or tables and chairs
or 2 x 4s planked
can be endless silliness.
so even a large dog house works.
Fencing should be "goat proof"
especially if "the grass is greener on the other side".
They like to go near the ground and find a small "give" in the fence,
enough for them to push their little determined self thru
and then temp the rest of the herd to follow.
So a fence may be a "work in progress"
if they they keep trying it.
If they have what they love "on the inside"
like their friend, plenty of their favorite food, and fun structures to climb
then they should not be too tempted.
Goats are amazing climbing machines.
If you want a "hoot"
just put out "some stuff"
and watch.
Little kiddie playground equipment,
or tables and chairs
or 2 x 4s planked
can be endless silliness.
Let's be friends
Your new goat doesn't know you yet
and has just "lost" his/her family and home where she grew up,
so, she may be anxious.
Keeping her in a small pen, like a stall,
is a good way to get close
for a week or two.
She will learn who feeds
and become familiar with your voice and prescence.
Well, all that aside
that new one needs "hands on"-
plenty of petting, scratching, holding and talking too "eyeball to eyeball".
You may want a collar when you handle her
but it's not recommended to keep it on
since they can easily get hooked on something and hang.
and has just "lost" his/her family and home where she grew up,
so, she may be anxious.
Keeping her in a small pen, like a stall,
is a good way to get close
for a week or two.
She will learn who feeds
and become familiar with your voice and prescence.
Well, all that aside
that new one needs "hands on"-
plenty of petting, scratching, holding and talking too "eyeball to eyeball".
You may want a collar when you handle her
but it's not recommended to keep it on
since they can easily get hooked on something and hang.
The "goat routine"
A regular daily routine is what goats thrive one.
There is also the periodic routine care:
feet trimming
deworming
breeding (if a doe)
Some people trim feet every month,
others trim every 3 months.
It's not too hard-
you can even use rose shears
and watch a couple of youtube videos.
Deworming can be done in the fall and spring
or prior to the doe being bred.
Using Safe Guard Goat Dewormer
give 4 xs the dosage on the lable
according to Fiasco farm.
Then two weeks later, again,
and two weeks after that
so you have a total of 3 wormings in about 6 weeks
which is basically eradicating the worms at their larvea stages.
A monthly worming lable dosage is usually at too low of a dose
so that worms can actually mutate
with only the strong "superworm" who survive
and now live inside our precious little goat.
Fiasco Farm strongly suggests getting your own microscope
and looking at the fecal sample
so you know whether you need to worm
or if your wormings are effective.
Cool, huh?
I'm not there, YET.
There is also the periodic routine care:
feet trimming
deworming
breeding (if a doe)
Some people trim feet every month,
others trim every 3 months.
It's not too hard-
you can even use rose shears
and watch a couple of youtube videos.
Deworming can be done in the fall and spring
or prior to the doe being bred.
Using Safe Guard Goat Dewormer
give 4 xs the dosage on the lable
according to Fiasco farm.
Then two weeks later, again,
and two weeks after that
so you have a total of 3 wormings in about 6 weeks
which is basically eradicating the worms at their larvea stages.
A monthly worming lable dosage is usually at too low of a dose
so that worms can actually mutate
with only the strong "superworm" who survive
and now live inside our precious little goat.
Fiasco Farm strongly suggests getting your own microscope
and looking at the fecal sample
so you know whether you need to worm
or if your wormings are effective.
Cool, huh?
I'm not there, YET.