# Kid weight?



## Perfect7

I have two kids that were triplets (3rd DOA at birth) that just turned 6 weeks old today. The doeling weighs 30 lbs and the buckling weighs 33 lbs. Does this seem about right? My kids are going to show the buckling (wether) in 4-H and I guess I'm wondering if this is in the ballpark of average. They are also showing our other wether who is 28 lbs at 5 weeks (triplet, two sisters still living). I haven't ever weighed kids before to see, though the kids seem to be growing off well. Their mom is limiting the amount of time they nurse and they are maintaining condition. Thanks!


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## RPC

I think that sounds about right our January wethers last year were 40 and 45 pounds at the May weigh in and were 73 and 75 pounds at our fair at the end of July.


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## Perfect7

Thank you, Roger. My kids don't look really thick because they're growing more up right now instead of out, but glad to know they are on track. :laugh:


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## Dani-1995

Sounds good to me! How do you weigh them? I have to measure mine at the heartgirth and body length so here is how I add it up (saw this on another forum and thought I'd try it... seems accurate)

heartgirth X heartgirth X length divided by 300 = approximate weight


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## Perfect7

I had the older kids hold them and then I stepped onto a digital scale to weigh myself. Stepped back off and held one kid, then stepped back on when it reset itself. Subtracted the difference. :greengrin: That will work until they are about 50 lbs and then I'm just going to eyeball them or use the tape. :laugh: Is the length from chest to rump? Thanks!


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## Dani-1995

I did that with ours when we first got them, now they are too big for me to hold still... they hate to be picked up LOL. 

I measure length from the front of the shoulder to the back of the leg. Both go forward/back as far as the goat is, while they are set up. It works really well for us.


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## HoosierShadow

My kids are almost 8 weeks old and weigh about what your kids weigh. So far the best way I've found to get an average weight on them is using a tape measure. Use inches, go around the girth, and then from the shoulder/chest to the back near the tailbone. then on a calculater:
heart girth x heart girth x body length / 300 + 10 = 

So if I had a doeling with a heart girth of 26, and a body length of 18 then I would do:
26 x 26 x 18 / 300 +10 = 50.56 lbs. 

I found this somewhere on the internet. I have a goat weight measuring tape, and I have used it, and it seems to be right about what I get with this...but I like this method better 

BTW, I just checked, my biggest buckling right now was born on 2/24 he is kiko/boer and was estimated to weigh 37lbs on 4/10...he's a BIG boy. But like yours my kids are growing 'up' more than 'out.' Our 4mo doeling isn't growing up as much now, she's just getting wide everywhere...she's a chunk LOL


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## sealawyer

OK, go to Walmart and go to the sporting goods section. Look in the fishing section and buy yourself a digital fish scale. The one we have is made by Berkley. They are made to be certified by the IGFA. These are very accurate up to 50 pounds. We use one of the nylon mesh shopping bags to put them in when they are small and have one of the slings that you put under their belly for the larger kids. We use a bath scale for kids bigger than 50 pounds.


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## ()relics

HoosierShadow said:


> My kids are almost 8 weeks old and weigh about what your kids weigh. So far the best way I've found to get an average weight on them is using a tape measure. Use inches, go around the girth, and then from the shoulder/chest to the back near the tailbone. then on a calculater:
> heart girth x heart girth x body length / 300 + 10 =
> 
> So if I had a doeling with a heart girth of 26, and a body length of 18 then I would do:
> 26 x 26 x 18 / 300 +10 = 50.56 lbs.
> 
> I found this somewhere on the internet. I have a goat weight measuring tape, and I have used it, and it seems to be right about what I get with this...but I like this method better


My son used an equasion to "weigh" some of his young goats as part of his Goat Project for 4H. I will just say that after he scratched and figured and measured; his weight was Not Even Close to the actual weight of the doeling, which we then weighed in a 5 gallon bucket hanging from a Digital Fish Scale, that I bought on the clearance aisle for $9...I didn't check his math or measurements and its possible that one or the other was off but I have tried myself and come up with more than one answer....
To me; kid weights are VERY important. Newborn, 14 days,45 days,100 days. This gives you a Real Time ADG. If at any time the animal seems "off" just weigh him and compare his actual weight with his Projected weight, from your adgs. No guessing involved. Much easier to get your show animal to a Target weight on a specific day...Simply project from your adg and then try to adjust accordingly.
Goat Gossip=Good Read


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## Perfect7

Thanks guys! Digital fish scale, check! We're keeping track of weights now because these does (and their doelings this year) will be kidding tomorrow's market wethers.  I will also note to check them at 14, 45, and 100 days. The bath scale is like the digital scale I used (human stand-on variety) or something different? Our first shows don't start until August and run through November and I think they may be over that by then.
I've missed the 14 day mark on them all but pretty close to the 45 day on the first set, and will get 45 days on the other two sets (both trips) and then 100 days. I appreciate the tips! :hi5:


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## HoosierShadow

I used a bath scale and my measurements weren't far off maybe by 1-2lb. Just thought I'd mention that 

I forgot to mention, I know it's important when doing wether's for show/4-H, but we're not doing wether's right now and just need an average weight on our kids. 

I'd love to find a way to convert a bathroom scale so my goats can stand on it and get an average weight. Especially the does.


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## goatbudi

What is a good weight for triplets of boar goat babies. My first time mother goat had 3 very small babies, all are nursing well, standing and nuzzling. Should I supplement with bottle milk?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

If you have one of those flat digital bathroom scales, you can place plywood over it and stand them on that, then subtract the weight of the wood.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

Oh wow, well, this is a very old thread! 

Goatbudi ~ triplets are pretty tricky to get an average weight on. My last set of Boer triplets ranged from 3lbs, to 8lbs. While the one before that, they were 9lbs to 11lbs.
But if they are nursing well, they will grow just fine, birth weight doesn't really matter in the end. Some of the tiniest does born here have grown to be my biggest ones.


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