CrazyGoatLady Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Frosty: I know you love goats. Here's a big dose of cuteness. The newest editions to our family. They are a week old. They just got banded today, so they are a little uncomfortable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Ahhhhh, loves the kidsesss I do! What's the breed? I think you told me once but I don't recall and at that age most of the large breeds look alike to me. Deb wouldn't band and I only had to compare the results of a good banding to our castrated kids to join the no band camp. Seriously, our boys were spronking around the pasture within minutes of surgical castration. No, I didn't do THAT job but I did others. I used the electric disbudding iron, had a rep for good clean job and no spurs, ever. Kids were out spronking as soon as they had a little comfort snack from the doe. Looks and smells awful but is fast, clean and painless compared to surgical disbudding and band dehorning should be criminal. People kept giving us their elastrators and bags of bands when they stopped. I guess I should've taken it better they were just demonstrating Deb had won the argument. Not that we argued but . . . Sorry, don't mean to be preachy but . . . Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 20, 2019 Author Share Posted June 20, 2019 They are mutts basically, but have Boer and Spanish blood. We don't usually band or disbud either one. But these are going to be our first actual foray into meat goats. Up till now, I've just raised them and sold a goat or two here and there And I agree about band dehorning. It sounds awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 There's a small milk goat farm on a road to our house. Yesterday, as I drove by (I always check out the goats...like to watch them) there must have been a dozen newborns about like those pictured above just running and frolicking in the small pasture. I almost stopped to watch them they were so cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 I love watching them too. They jump and flip and play"King of The Mountain". Not too many cuter farm animals than new goat kids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 Spronking goat kids are the best show around. I liked going out and sitting a cable spool with them. We didn't allow butting games with people, too dangerous! I did enjoy laying face down and letting them walk around on my back, better than a chiropractor! Sometimes they'd play king of the spool or chase themselves around it occasionally a game of king of the lap would get going. The best though was when the tired kids would curl up in my lap for a nap. Arkie: You might stop by the dairy and ask to meet maybe play with the kids. Most dairy farmers want their goats well socialized, makes handling them easier and it's really hard to find better milk. I miss having livestock especially the goats. Sweet little love bugs. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 Goats love to be scratched and stroked once they learn how good it feels! Their natural fear of man makes them want to run from you, but once you start scratching them, you can see the light bulb go on and them thinking this petting thing is good stuff! I like to sit with them and they start trying to climb up ýou and bounce off. Then find their balance and stand on your shoulders. And I like it when they curl up in your lap too, Frosty. Mine are like dogs. They seek me out for lovins'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 11 hours ago, Frosty said: Arkie: You might stop by the dairy and ask to meet maybe play with the kids. Most dairy farmers want their goats well socialized, makes handling them easier and it's really hard to find better milk. That might be fun! LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 MIGHT be fun? You ain't lived till goat kids discover you're fun to be around. I couldn't find the pics of kids curled up sleeping on Buran but I have one of them using him for a trampoline. The game was to jump from his back onto the box on the left, then down around and back on his back. Great fun. He was their bed most of the time, especially if something scary happened. On cold nights in winter the entire herd would pile on him for warmth. Speaking of curling up for a nap. the next down on the left is one of the kids snuggling in for a nap with Bella, a rescue we rehomed to a sheep farm. The one to the right is Libby and a really new kid. Libby just stood there till the kid was sure it was okay and approached. The last pic is Libby and the bucks when she was a new rescue. The boys LOVED Libby and being a typical Pyr she loved them as soon as she saw them. The boys typically ran 10-15 lbs. more than the does. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 Those are great pictures and cute little critters! I have 3 dogs. No LGDs, but they get along with the goats well. Except one of the does and my Great Dane mix. They rub each other the wrong way and they'll butt heads so to speak. But no violence ever comes from it. She usually sends him yipping the other way when she puts those horns down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 22, 2019 Share Posted June 22, 2019 A rescue LGD, maybe Bella, I'm not sure, just knew dog should be in charge and tried to pushed the herd QUEEN around by shoving her away from the feeder. As soon as she was clear of the other does at the feeder The Queen dropped her head and literally picked the LGD up off the ground when she T boned her and carried her across the pen sideways at a full throttle Pygmy goat dead run and slammed her sideways into the barn wall. Backed up about 3 steps and stared the much larger LGD down. When the dog lowered it's eyes and took a submissive posture The Queen turned her back on the dog and went back to the feeder. It was as awesome a display of why you shouldn't mess with "people," you just NEVER know what you're dealing with as I've ever seen. From that moment on that dog was submissive to any goat there, the babies could make her back down. Then again, The Queen never took her eye off her so . . . I assume the dog picked the Herd Queen to take charge of the herd. The Queen a simple philosophy towards challengers. I thought I remembered the Queen's name but I don't and Deb doesn't either. Losing your memories sucks, then again I've never been good with names. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 22, 2019 Author Share Posted June 22, 2019 That must have been a sight to see! This doe is the Princess of the group. Her mother is the Queen. Jack, the dog, started out trying to play with her. That didn't fly and they've not liked each other since then. Sometimes she'll put him on the ground. But thankfully, she doesn't try to do any more damage to him. And don't feel bad about not rembering names. Especially when it's a bunch of the same kind of animal. I have 20 breeder rabbits and I get them mixed up all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 We had a farmer here who recently wanted to give up his Pygmy goats. The article read "free, if you can catch them." Youngs dairy is close by and along with cows they have a few goats. They are very people friendly and the grandkids love to go visit. They have machines like gum ball machines (now there is something else you see about as often as a rotary phone) that for a dime you get a handfull of feed to give the goats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 23, 2019 Author Share Posted June 23, 2019 I saw an ad for someone giving away goats because they were climbing on cars. It said " Come get the d#%@ things and you can have them!" We have goats, rabbits and chickens and we sell eggs and meat rabbits and have raised bed gardens. Most everyone likes to tour the farm when they come. Occasionally, I'll get someone with kids who'll stop by and ask if they can look at the" bunnies". I enjoy seeing the kids light up when they interact with the critters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olfart Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 A friend gave us a Nubian mother and kid many years ago. They used to delight in jumping on the car. I asked the friend how to stop that, and he replied, "Don't park in the goat pen, dummy!" So that's when I built a pen. We're starting on our third herd now after selling our second Nubian herd last September. This time around we're going with Nigerian Dwarf to save a little on the feed bills. This is BillyBob, the new buck (8 weeks old). And Boots and Brandy (3 and 2 years old) Finally, the twin does we picked up yesterday, Snow White and Cinderella (6 weeks old) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 23, 2019 Author Share Posted June 23, 2019 Olfart Those are good looking goats! Do you milk them? Mine are meat goats, so not so good for that. We looked into Nubians for milk, but decided we may go with Nigerians because they are supposed to have a higher butterfat content than nubians. And a lower feed bill is always a bonus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olfart Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 It'll be a while before our buckling and the two doelings are old enough to breed, but yes, we do plan to milk them. We enjoyed the milk from our Nubians, having plenty to drink and make soap and cheese as well. The older does have had kids, and one was supposed to be in milk when we bought them, but she had mastitis. I doubt her milk will be good for a while after the ToDay treatments. We're still milking her out daily to get the medicine and the rest of the infection out. When the oil disappears from the milk I'll give it a try and see if it's worthwhile. Otherwise it will be about 13 months minimum before we have any more milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 23, 2019 Author Share Posted June 23, 2019 The waiting game is a long one when it comes to livestock. Unless you have a huge established herd. Which I don't either. Not enough land to sustain the amount I'd like to have. My plan is for cheese and soap making also. I hope your doe recovers quickly from the mastitis. Thankfully, I've never had to deal with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 Heh, heh, heh. Catching goats is easy peasy. Go at feeding time and make friends or take lariat type noose for them to put their heads through to get to the grain. Another trick that's worked really well for me is carrots. first teach them carrots are sweet goodness by laying them out. It won't take but a time or two and when you show up with carrots they're swarm you. You can always set fencing into a squeeze and herd them into it. Goats herd amazingly easy. Lift both arms horizontal and they'll walk away, once they're moving and they'll turn for you easy, lift one arm horizontal they go the other way. Nice looking goats Olfart. Nigerians are good milkers one typically produces enough milk for a family of 4. Cheese, butter, soap, etc. are excellent but have you made ice cream yet? Won't be making soap after that. Give it some time after the mastitis clears up, don't rush it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 23, 2019 Author Share Posted June 23, 2019 Yep my goats know a red or black bucket means time to go back in the pen. Or if I hollar "Goats!" real loud, it's time to eat and they come running in all their awkward looking glory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 We yelled Girls! You couldn't sneak into the barn without the boys following your every move. Goats are so easy, be nice to them and carry treats and you'll have them eating right out of your hand. Well, OKAY and your pockets, any container you bring in, the car. . . Anything associated with you. About folks who can't keep their goats off their car. . . . ONE word solution. FENCES! Don't make house pets out of them either, goats are indiscriminate excreters. You don't want to come home and find Milly standing on the entertainment center, eyeballing the top book shelf and watering the electronics. Dusting goat berries off the mantel and dining table aren't a big deal from what I hear. The KEY word boys and girls is. . . "Livestock." Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted June 23, 2019 Author Share Posted June 23, 2019 I can attest to all the above. I raised a bottle baby in the house til he was about 3 months old. He was born in the dead middle of January and his dam didn't want him. He belonged to my father in law and he didn't have the time for a bottle baby, so he went home with me. Too cold for him outside without a mother. He became close with my smallest dog and she would clean him and play with him. But as he got older, the puddles and poop got bigger, so it was time to go outside into warmer weather. He had to learn to become a goat because he thought he was a dog. I wouldn't advise doing this if you can help it though. It's a LOT of work for one thing. And bucks tend to like attention a lot and when you have a bottle fed one, they don't have any fear of you at all. When they get mature, they can become a problem or even downright scary. I ended up having to sell him because he got out of control. He's the second bottle buck I've had that turned out like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olfart Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 We had a couple of kids in the house in a large wire crate, but that was only for a couple of weeks while we got them bottle trained and healthy after mama turned them away. No poop/pee on the floor that way, but it was a pain to change out the newspaper in the crate a couple of times a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 When we had to bring new kids in we set the kennel on a blue plastic tarp. It was super easy to lay the other tarp on the floor and move the kennel. It would've looked pretty weird running the urine and berries through a strainer in the shower then rinsing the tarp off. We'd drape it over the rail outside and let it freeze dry. I'm into fast and easy, I'm fat and lazy. Winter kids always took special care, it's why we kept the bucks and does separate unless we wanted to breed, then we stood there and made sure things went we. It happened however, usually a rescue doe. The does with strong motherly instincts would help keep them warm and there's no way on earth one of the Pyres would let one freeze a pyre can raise serious cain that's how Deb learned I was dying in the driveway when the tree hit me. If the mother died or drove them off we'd bring them in for a few days IF we couldn't get them to take a bottle in the barn. Our barn was set up to keep even little ones warm in sub zero temps. Pyres adore babies of any kind and I've seen does nursing a kid that was curled up in his "arms." Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 I have a vague memory from when I was a little kid of my step dad skinning a stillborn lamb and dressing an orphan goat or lamb in it's skin so the yew would adopt it. Does that sound right or am I confused? Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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