[CAjerseychick]

Hey all so will probably switch goatie minerals-- my options (other than the Purina which I already have) are Meat maker or the Sweetlix Dairy...

The doelings are 17 weeks old (just realized they are 8 days older than our Puppy haha)...and.....may be preggers....
they are minidairy goats....
I will get the vet out here next week to do a check (next paycheck plus I am going out of town monday)....

 

[CAjerseychick]

Oh and they are recovering from being caught repeatedly last week (we got them Tuesday)they are soo skittish-- so I am trying not to catch them-- but I cannot check their eyelids for worms yet although they let my scratch their horn bases when I feed them from a bucket....
Poos are nice little firm round balls though....

 

[enchantedgoats]

i would go sweetlix with replemin in fact i am switching to that it will help with coccidia prevention. i would check their eyellids for worms.

 

[CAjerseychick]

I will go look tomorrow I know they have Sweetlix but not sure if its medicated or not... I am trying not to stress them by catching them (I have been trying to pet them and hope to get a bottom eyelid down next time I feed the sweet chow)....

 

[happybleats]

The doelings are 17 weeks old (just realized they are 8 days older than our Puppy haha)...and.....may be preggers....

17 weeks and might be pregnant?? way too young...if they are bred, I would ask your vet about ending the pregnacy.

reasons:
high risk of complications during pregnacy and even more so during delivering!!!
may stunt growth on the girls
already in poor shape, they need time to recoup and get to know their new family

 

[ksalvagno]

I wouldn't go with the medicated. Unless you know you are having a problem, I wouldn't do any preventative meds. They have to eat enough of it to get the right dosage anyway. If they aren't eating enough of it, then all you are doing is building up an immunity.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Ok, I dont think the feedstore has the medicated stuff anyway (its closed sundays- they all are around here) this will make switching easier -- I will give the other stuff to a friend who is just feeding hers brush (they are some wethers she got last yr and doing pretty good outside in the brush unwormed or fed or medicated)...

I know its too young, someone said to wait 14 days, so i was going to time vets visit from 14 days they were last with their brother (and daddy buck was in the next pen from all the does he could def get his penis thru that fencing!!!! now that I have read up on this!!!!)
and have them checked, fecals done etc....

 

[CAjerseychick]

Good news I managed to check one of the doeling's eyelids-- nice and pinkish red (will work on the other one but shes alittle more skittish-- those dang eyelids are kinda hard to check they are tight!)...I will try more sweet feed later they LOVE it....

 

[happybleats]

Yes those lids canbe hard to pull down...if you lift the top up seems to make pulling the bottom one down easier

 

[TDG-Farms]

Totally agree with happy. Those are still babies and are way to young to be bred. A lute shoot would be best but if you intend to let em go through with the kidding, you need to pore the feed and supplements to them as they will now have to grow not only themselves but babies as well. What are you currently feeding and supplementing em?

 

[CAjerseychick]

Totally agree with happy. Those are still babies and are way to young to be bred. A lute shoot would be best but if you intend to let em go through with the kidding, you need to pore the feed and supplements to them as they will now have to grow not only themselves but babies as well. What are you currently feeding and supplementing em?

Currently on Purina goat chow, alfalfa cubes (they barely touch this), orchard grass hay (also barely touch this), Purina minerals (switching out with Sweetlix loose minerals tommorrow) and they have a bunch of berry bushes to eat (which they love) in the pen they are in...
The Purina goat chow is "sweet naturals" and they are getting about 2 cups a day of that everything else is free choice.
Goats cant be more than 30-40 lbs (I am comparing them to our great pyr/ anatolian pup-- puppy got weighed about 2 weeks ago he was 30 lbs then, and he is putting on 5 lbs a week)....

 

[TDG-Farms]

Id change the orchard grass hay to high quality alfalfa hay.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Ok that will be the next purchase after the sweetlix! (It seems a shame to use this nice bale for coop/ shed bedding)...

 

[happybleats]

you can mix it with the alfalfa...wont hurt a bit..alfalfa offers more then the orchard grass in terms of nutrition ....orchard grass is not void of nutrtion but kind of like pop corn..lol..not bad for you, filling, but doesnt offer a lot...

I like pop corn lol

 

[TDG-Farms]

absolutely mix it will be even be better to get them used to the alfalfa. A sudden switch may make em get the scoots. Heck if you wanna, buy one of each next time and keep slowly increasing the alfalfa.

 

[CAjerseychick]

thanx guys good ideas!

 

[goathiker]

orchard grass is not void of nutrtion but kind of like pop corn..lol..not bad for you, filling, but doesnt offer a lot...

This depends very much on area and growing conditions. The orchard grass that I buy runs about 20% protein and has better nutrition then most of the alfalfa bales I can get.
Since these goats are eating berry bushes which contain insane amounts of calcium, they may not eat much alfalfa until winter when the berry bushes are dormant.

 

[TDG-Farms]

Normally Id agree but being so young and with kid, Id move to alfalfa right away. They are going to need everything they can get to maintain size and grow a good kid.