My new mini goat herd

Monek Marie
Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 2021 in Goats & Sheep

I needed new blood in my goat lines and I found a small mini herd, 5 goats at about 2 years old. The does are nigerian, the buck pygmy

They are healthy, up on their shots and I checked out their housing and they have lived in good conditions. Its so icy here I'll pick them up next week but the deposit in down.

I do have one question The one goat is close to kidding. Will the stress from moving her affect her birthing? She will have about a one hour trip here. They think she is due in 5 to 10 days. I think closer to 5 days

Comments

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant so what decision did you make? Move them this week or wait until she kids.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RustBeltCowgirl I think I should wait but I need to talk to the lady who has them. More work for her if she keeps them but I really think the stress might not be good for the goat or kidding.

    Any thoughts from goat owners here?

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2021

    @RustBeltCowgirl My one new does is ready to deliver any day. I have not moved them yet, due to weather but I was concerned about moving her when she is this close to delivery. They are not sure of the day but she look ready to go any time.

    I was concerned if a move that close to delivery would affect her. Long drive and a totally new place seems it would stress her out a bit. This is her first time having kids too. What do you think?

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    I really have no experience with goats but my guts says, if the lady is willing, to wait.

  • I would wait since she is a first time mother. There instincts don't always kick in at first and if she's trying to adjust to a new place and a big move she might not take her kid. Some are just really slow starters.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    My new herd arrives Sunday. It would have been sooner but this solid ice in all the wrong places has made it difficult. I am still going to have trouble unloading them and they may have to go into a smaller shed at first. The lower yard section is 6 inches of ice. Moving goats that are not used to me on that mess is not wise.

    The lady I am buying them from will wait until the new doe kids. Its just too much of a chance to take moving her and maybe having her deliver too soon or not accept the kid(s)

    I don't normally like a goat to kid at this time of year but I think the worst weather is behind us and I have a nice smaller pen set up for mom and kids. I am looking forward to seeing silliness and having milk and cheese in the future

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    Well, two of the goats made it home today. I will get the rest tomorrow, except for momma goat. I'll get her Wednesday

    I arrived to pick up goats at 3 pm and the doe was just going into labor. The lady was very surprised, her date was march 15th according to her husband.

    And the goat was somewhat small so the lady expected her to have one bigger one or hopefully two smaller ones since it was her first time kidding.

    She had three!!!!! Of course the first one needed turned but it was ok after that. I would never had thought from her size she would have three - and they are small but healthy.

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congratulations!

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @torey photos to follow in a few days

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Excited that the birthing went well. And 3, WOW! Isn't that unusual? I thought they have one or two normally.

    So happy for you @Denise Grant. And yes please, post some pics.😊

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @JennyT Its not unusual for nigerians to have 3 but it was the first time for this goat and she really did not look that big to be carrying 3. The goat kids are small - but active and healthy. I have to keep an eye on mom and make sure she has enough milk for all of them.

    Right now they have their own pen area. I have no idea when it would be good to try and introduce them back into a herd situation

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant Happy that they're all heathy and doing well.

    I'm sure someone on here should be able to help with when to reintroduce the new family back into the group.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    Well, two more goats made it here today. I have had to work around ice, weather and being able to get there (mom has needed more care this week)

    I brought home one more doe and the buck. The does was easy to unload, the buck - oh wow! I am glad all the ice is gone or my best bet with him would have been to sit down and let him pull me. I was told he was shy and he is, nIce but very shy and not used to a lead.

    I have already trained the first two does more and the one I brought home tonight was quite sweet. I like easy to handle goats and I usually train them to run an obstacle course. They like it, it is good exercise for them and it really entertains my nephew and nieces. (my chickens run a small obstacle course too - its a non stop laugh-a-thon watching them

    Tomorrow rains so Friday I bring home mama goat and the three kids. They are doing very well and very healthy. I held them for quite a while today

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant Glad to hear your progress and that all has been smooth sailing so far, for the most part. Can't wait to see those pictures of all your new additions.😊

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Pictures, can't wait to see them. Hoping some day to have some nubian and lamancha for their milk.

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant I am so excited for you! I hope to be getting goats in a year or so and this is so helpful to see you starting out! Keep us posted! Thank you!

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I named these kids after my newphew and nieces. Addsion, Marlo and Daphne

    My dad named pigs after us once. I wasn't sure how to take that.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So adorable!!!! @Denise Grant And snowy white, wow! You just want to pick it up and give it a cuddle.😁

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    @JennyT They are very friendly right now and that is the way I want it to stay. All three will have a bit of a fawn color and a little black. It helps me tell them apart.

    I brought one in for a few minutes for mom to see. She held it and it was so well behaved

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Our goats were always our pets and were very friendly. I'd rather have a small goat than a dog.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2021

    Well, when I got my goats they told me they had put them all in same pen in January and the three that were in the pen with the buck might be bred. Its official. Break out the cigars - they are. I would say two are due in about 2 weeks and the other one in three weeks from the looks of things,. Time to add more fencing.

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats. More milk = goat's milk fudge? 😜

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RustBeltCowgirl on the goats milk fudge

    And more lawn mowers, poison ivy control and brush control.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Monek Marie I can't wait to get goats for our new property. 🐐 It's in desperate need of brush, kudzu, and poison ivy control.😊

    Do you have any recommendations? I read in "The Woodland Homestead," by Brett McLeod about a few breeds and the, Spanish, Nigerian Dwarf and Kinder sound promising for our purposes. And in "Barnyard in Your Backyard," from Storey books, mention Spanish, San Clemente, and African Pygmy that would work possibly. I'm not looking for a bunch of work milking in the future so I'm sticking with meat breeds, preferably heritage breeds, that are not to terribly big.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2021

    @JennyT Upstate South Carolina Nigerian dwarf stay small and are good. My neighbor has kinder and loves them. (Kinder seem to always find a way out of fencing) Pygmy is small and more or a meat goat. I like a mix of pygmy and nigerian. They can be used for meat or milk and have a nice disposition.

    Boar are meat goats but in my opinion (being small in stature) too big.

    I love my goats

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Maybe you can see if you have a goat based land clearing service in your new area? Or a farmer who needs extra food options for his herd? Basically "Rent a goat". Up here, there are several golf courses that clear some of their overgrowth with goats.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We have rent a goats here. Many people use the service.

    I have thought of renting mine out. Now that I have a truck I could

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @JennyT Upstate South Carolina Check this out. An actual company that calls themselves Upstate Goatscape.

    They use Spanish goats.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Awesome! Thanks,@RustBeltCowgirl. I'll check it out.😊