# So many questions needed to be answered :-)



## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

I live in southern New Mexico. I just acquired an approx 1 year old miniature Nigerian billy goat (I think). He is so sweet and gentle and loves to be around people. I know some about goats but nothing. I think most of what I have read pertain to normal sized goats.

1) Is it possible to collect weeds and fescue grass and weeds I see him eat now, in containers to feed in the winter?

2) I bought two bales of alfalfa and he does not seem interested in it at all. I bought some Noble goat for treats. He loves that. He won't eat corn or tumbleweeds or pears. He is not around other goats. He has a 3/4 acres to browse on. How do I get him to eat the alfalfa?

3) I don't know how much really to feed this guy. I give about 1c of cut up watermelon, cut up apple, corn husk in the am and pm and he browse feeds all day. He loves cherrios (that's grain right?)

4) Is there a way to file down his hoofs myself? 

5) is goat poop good fertilizer?

6) I have Oleander stems and leaves that I cut down a couple of years ago laying around, will that hurt him if he eats it?

7) he does pee on himself and such but he really doesn't smell that bad. If he isn't around any females, is it moot to get him fixed?

I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions, but if a seasoned miniature goat person could answer my questions, I'd be most grateful.

Thank you


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Welcome! I raise Nigerian Dwarves. I am also relitively new but due to this site and other breeders who have taken me under their wing, I'm learning fast (thanks, guys!) You're in the right place.

For bucks, you need grain with a calcium/phosphorus ratio of 2:1, as well as added ammonium chloride. This will help prevent urinary calculi.

Try buying him grass hay -- he really does need hay. Most of their diet should be based on it. He will need hay over the winter as well to keep him warm.

Their hooves should be trimmed every five weeks or he could get lame and infected. Just trim the excess wall (you will see that the wall is grown over).

If he is just a pet, get him fixed. He will smell worse later on. Also, because of going into rut every year, bucks live shorter and more stressful lives. He also needs a goat friend -- if you get a wether (already neutered) they should get along famously, and he will be MUCH happier and healthier with a friend since goats are herd animals and will get nervous and insecure without one.

I have more dietary and goat care info on my website: http://theartofgoatcare.blogspot.com/

This is also a FANTASTIC website: http://fiascofarm.com/

Enjoy your new best friend <3


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks..

how do you trim their hoofs?

you know he's not a dwarf, right? 

I read (googled) that said even tho you get him fixed, he still smells...?? I'm waiting for a call from a vet the comes down here to see about getting him neutered.

I've read a lot of info that says goats need alfalfa... but thanks...I really wanted my questioned answered 

Thanks..


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Ah, sorry. When you said Nigerian and that's he's not full-sized I assumed he was a NG. But anyway, the info will still be relatively the same. 

Nope! Wethers do not smell. I own a wether myself. No smell at all. The buck we used however ... PEE-YEW! 

The girls need alfalfa, but the boys don't always. Some breeders feed their bucks alfalfa, but I've heard it's better for the boys to get grass hay or a grass/alfalfa mix.

Any time!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

1) Is it possible to collect weeds and fescue grass and weeds I see him eat now, in containers to feed in the winter?
No...don't do that. There is very little nutrition in dried weeds and fescue isn't a very good type grass/hay for feeding through the winter time. You're going to want to get some good quality grass and/or alfalfa hay or a mix.

2) I bought two bales of alfalfa and he does not seem interested in it at all. I bought some Noble goat for treats. He loves that. He won't eat corn or tumbleweeds or pears. He is not around other goats. He has a 3/4 acres to browse on. How do I get him to eat the alfalfa?
He needs a buddy first of all. Goats don't do well alone...find another wether for him to have as a buddy. Leave the alfalfa out for him to eat...when he's hungry he'll eat on it. He really needs hay in his diet...you may want to try some good quality grass type hay if he won't eat the alfalfa.

3) I don't know how much really to feed this guy. I give about 1c of cut up watermelon, cut up apple, corn husk in the am and pm and he browse feeds all day. He loves cherrios (that's grain right?)
Goats eat hay...you don't need to be feeding him things such as apples, corn, and cherrios. That's fine as treats...but his main diet needs to consist of good browse and/or hay, and a goat type loose mineral which should be left out free choice. You can get from the feed/livestock supply store. I would be feeding him 2x daily and making sure he's staying at a healthy weight...you can tweak your feeding amounts until you get it just right...just moniter what you feed and how much he's eating. 

4) Is there a way to file down his hoofs myself? 
Goats need their hooves trimmed...not filed. You'll need to find someone to show you or look online for information on how to trim and what type of trimmers to use.

5) is goat poop good fertilizer?
It can be for certain things...

6) I have Oleander stems and leaves that I cut down a couple of years ago laying around, will that hurt him if he eats it?
Absolutely do not feed this to him...it can poison and kill him.

7) he does pee on himself and such but he really doesn't smell that bad. If he isn't around any females, is it moot to get him fixed?
If he's still young...the smell will come as he grows. Usually 1-2 years they'll get that buck stench...it is awful during rutt. You'll need to have him castrated if you are keeping him as a pet. It doesn't matter if there are does around or not. And please find him a buddy...he'll be a much happier, healthier goat. :thumb:


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you. I'm in the process of finding a buddy for him now...


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Awesome! :hi5:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

he probably doesnt need hay with all that browse available to him Will only make him fat. Same goes with grain. Pets in my opinion do not need grain. Does who are with kid or are producing milk are the only ones who get grain (or a young growing kid). After they are a year old and not pregnant they dont get grain. 

If my goats have access to browse or pasture they dont get hay. 

hay for the winter can be anything he really likes but the biggest thing is the calcium phosphorous being 2:1 so if you feed grain he NEEDS alfalfa (more calcium). If you feed grass hay DO NOT FEED GRAIN (to much phosphorous). thats kind of the rule of thumb I go by for bucks and wethers.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

stacy..

to make sure I understand, as long as their is browse, he doesn't need the alfalfa hay....when the browse starts dying and winter sets in, he will be okay with alfalfa and some noble goat?
just trying to make it simple...
_________________


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

as long as he is eating the browse correct he doesnt need hay.

Slowly start to leave the hay out for him as the fall progresses so he knows its there and his body can adjust to the new food. Try to find a goat feed that has ammonium chloride in it already. Noble Goat might but off top my head I cant totally remember. I know Dumor does. 

Simple is good


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

*Re: So many questions neded to be answered *

awesome!! You've been a fantastic help.

what is the difference between alfalfa hay and grass hay... I'm guessing it doesn't matter..

This goat is a great goat. He is very friendly and hangs out with my heeler during the day.... he acts like a dog the way he runs and follows the heeler and hangs out under the motor home used for storage with the heeler.. he seems to really like me....too much I think.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

*Re: So many questions neded to be answered *



ladyharley said:


> what is the difference between alfalfa hay and grass hay... I'm guessing it doesn't matter..
> 
> This goat is a great goat. He is very friendly and hangs out with my heeler during the day.... he acts like a dog the way he runs and follows the heeler and hangs out under the motor home used for storage with the heeler.. he seems to really like me....too much I think.


Alfalfa hay is very rich in calcium, so it does make a difference as you want a buck's diet to be balanced in calcium/phosphorus. :thumb: I'm still getting the hang of this too. All I know is that I read the back of mineral bags and if it says calcium/phosphorus 2:1 I'm good :laugh:

He sounds wonderful.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

mineral bags?


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Also, I don't understand if you don't free hay when just browsing, how do they get their calcium/phosphorus ratio?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Loose goat minerals...come in a bag...not a block. You pour them into a container or tub for them to eat on freely. They should be out constantly and the goats will eat on them now and then when they need them.

The calcium/phosphorus ratio is important when you're graining a buck or wether especially. 

I would kind of disagree with browse only...but it really depends on what type of browse is available. See...browse in my area would mean weedy, no nutrient type desert weeds/plants...little grass unless you have irrigation...which won't keep your livestock healthy and well fed. You might be in an area with lots of browse...grass, weeds, trees, etc. and he might do just fine on that alone. But browse can be different for each goat owner. So when you said something about tumbleweeds...i'm picturing my type of area...that is dry and desert like and there's very little nutritional browse available. :thumb:


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

yes, desert.... new mexico kinda like arizona. Mesquite trees, tumbleweed and I don't know what the different weed types area. There is the long tall grass type stuff and this green weed that is abundant looks like a little tree he seems to like a lot.

So I'm guessing it won't hurt to maybe have a handful of alfalfa in his stall, and 1/2c of noble goat once a day and the rest browse?


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

This what they say noble goat is:

Noble Goat™ Grower 16 is a pelleted complete feed formulated for the optimum ... calcium to phosphorus ratio helps to maintain the exacting needs of goats

so alfalfa (calcium) in the winter won't hurt?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

alfalfa isnt a grass but its harvested like grass is for making "hay" so its a type of hay but not grass.

Anyway yes you can provide it but if he doesnt eat it dont be alarmed. He will eat when hungry believe me goats can eat!


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

found this website very helpful:

http://www.texasgoat.com/Goat_Handbook/ ... ogram.html

Texas and NM have same type terrains


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

thanks for your help. I think I'm going to get rid of him. I can't find anyone to castrate him. The vets will charge $100 for a $20 goat...not smart.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

KW Farms said:


> Awesome! :hi5:


Got a beautiful girl for him named Mia

he was castrated yesterday :-(


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

That looks like a Pygmy/Nigerian mix!


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Don't know but she is larger than the male...they said she was blue Nigerian?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

ladyharley said:


> Don't know but she is larger than the male...they said she was blue Nigerian?


That's not a breed.  They can be blue roan, but that is a coloration. Sounds like they were sticking a fun label on her.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Here is BB the male


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

he is almost the size of my big lab


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I forget how old he is ... he looks young. A year or so?


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Yes, he is about a year, I don't know how old she is. He likes her but is still recovering from the castration...but doing well.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Mia looks to have the same coloring of my pygmy/nd cross wether Teddy


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

how come the horns are so different? Mia's has really short ones like BB, yours are really long?


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

do you have any ideas on how to build a really good goat enclosure to protect them the coming winter?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Teddy was not wethered until he was 2 years old so he had 2 years of buck hormones that grew those horns
Does horns grow differently than a bucks do, it takes testosterone to get the heavy horn base a buck has. I have 4 horned does in my herd, if you would go to my website, you'll see that the horn growth with the varied ages is also different...my 12 year old Bootsie has a feminine set of 15 inch long "spikes" and her almost 5 year old grandaughter Heidi has the same style, just not as long... Angel is 5 1/2 years old and hers curve back..as does 3 year old Penny's.
My late pygmy buck Hank had a very impressive set similar to Teddys and he was just under 8 years old when he passed.

He will be 5 years old mid February

If you have just the 2 goats, a good sized pen made with stock panels is cheap and easy to set up, adding a 3 sided "box" made of 4x8 plywood with another 4x8 across the front with a 2x4 door way will be enough shelter to keep them cozy. Add on a roof and a layer of rolled roofing to shed water so they stay dry will be sufficient.... but I can say that I like having a shed type structure because I can get in with plenty headspace and be able to feed indors if the weather is wet, snowy or windy.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks!!!


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