Newbies to Goats
New to owning goats?
Here is some advice from a member of a goat FB group
Christie Noah McGinnis I wrote this for a first time goat owner that bought wethers from me.
Goats poop indiscriminately
so keep this in mind when hanging waterers and feeders.
Goats prefer to browse over grazing.
I mounted my hay feeders so they would be stretching their necks and looking up
while eating.
Since yours are still growing you can set a couple concrete blocks for them to stand on
until they grow into their surroundings.
For water I hang a bucket high enough that they have to stand with their front legs
on a block to drink,
this keeps them from pooping in it and fouling their water.
I do the same with the baking soda and minerals.
About every 4-6 months I give my adult animals
Fortified B Vit Complex 2 cc IM (the fortified B has thiamine)
Vitamin ADE & B12 Gel 5 ml orally
Selenium & Vitamin E Gel 5 ml orally
Pro-bitotic Paste 5 ml orally
A few other things to consider are:
*Hoof care (regular trimmings)
*Fecal tests to determine worm load and type of de-wormer to use
*Coccidiosis treatment and prevention
*Watch for signs of vitamin deficiencies - additional copper bolus is sometimes needed, if area is deficient in copper or other sources interfere with its use
*Familiarize yourself with which plants are toxic to goats
*Feed - overall calcium: phosphorus ratio should be somewhere between 2:1 and 4:1, so other feed needs to be balanced out with alfalfa hay or pellets, or beet pulp if the calcium content is low.
If you are active on Facebook, there are several really great goat groups.
Here are links to just a few:
Nigerian Dwarf Goat News, Info, Discussions
https://www.facebook.com/groups/290117201013167
Nigerian Dwarf Goat Health and Husbandry
https://www.facebook.com/groups/548766605257802/
Goats and Goat lovers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/goatsandgoatlovers/
Goats and Goat Lovers AL
https://www.facebook.com/groups/402645403219968
Advanced Goat Health and Care
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdvancedGoatHealthAndCare
I have put together a list of informative links on my resource page @
www.fussbudgetfarm.com/resources.html
Here is some advice from a member of a goat FB group
Christie Noah McGinnis I wrote this for a first time goat owner that bought wethers from me.
Goats poop indiscriminately
so keep this in mind when hanging waterers and feeders.
Goats prefer to browse over grazing.
I mounted my hay feeders so they would be stretching their necks and looking up
while eating.
Since yours are still growing you can set a couple concrete blocks for them to stand on
until they grow into their surroundings.
For water I hang a bucket high enough that they have to stand with their front legs
on a block to drink,
this keeps them from pooping in it and fouling their water.
I do the same with the baking soda and minerals.
About every 4-6 months I give my adult animals
Fortified B Vit Complex 2 cc IM (the fortified B has thiamine)
Vitamin ADE & B12 Gel 5 ml orally
Selenium & Vitamin E Gel 5 ml orally
Pro-bitotic Paste 5 ml orally
A few other things to consider are:
*Hoof care (regular trimmings)
*Fecal tests to determine worm load and type of de-wormer to use
*Coccidiosis treatment and prevention
*Watch for signs of vitamin deficiencies - additional copper bolus is sometimes needed, if area is deficient in copper or other sources interfere with its use
*Familiarize yourself with which plants are toxic to goats
*Feed - overall calcium: phosphorus ratio should be somewhere between 2:1 and 4:1, so other feed needs to be balanced out with alfalfa hay or pellets, or beet pulp if the calcium content is low.
If you are active on Facebook, there are several really great goat groups.
Here are links to just a few:
Nigerian Dwarf Goat News, Info, Discussions
https://www.facebook.com/groups/290117201013167
Nigerian Dwarf Goat Health and Husbandry
https://www.facebook.com/groups/548766605257802/
Goats and Goat lovers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/goatsandgoatlovers/
Goats and Goat Lovers AL
https://www.facebook.com/groups/402645403219968
Advanced Goat Health and Care
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdvancedGoatHealthAndCare
I have put together a list of informative links on my resource page @
www.fussbudgetfarm.com/resources.html