# stupid questions



## leslie0815 (Dec 4, 2007)

Hi ya'll, I love the pics of the babies and can't wait till mine are old enough to kid. I have so many questions, most of the people near me or some of the places where I rescued the goats say when it comes to kidding let nature take it's course and mama will know what to do. I just am curious about ya'll opinions.......lol. I will be so nervous when the time comes. Question 2 I was told it is best to only have 1 buck in your herd is that true ? if so is banding the best way ? I have a freind that bands his cows and he said once you get use to doing it , thats the way to go. How does banding affect the little boy ? I know it will hurt physcially but will it affect his personality? I feel stupid with some of these questions but I guess it is the only way for mr to learn. Please bear with me and thanks again so much for all the advice ya'll give.

Leslie


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

none of that is a stupid question.

First off when I breed my girls I take it very personal. I put them in the position and I will make every effor to be there for them (if they want me to) and to help them along the way. As to the actual day and time, some times they do it on their own sometimes I need to assist. each doe is different and usually by their second time they are pretty quick and secret about the whole birth. I do not lock them up only because i don't have the stalls to do it and they usually are upset to be pulled from the herd.

As to males. If you aren't going to have a large herd one male is usually all you need. Unless you have does related to that buck and you want to breed them - then at that point another unrelated buck would be good.

As for bucklings born, i personaly band and I find it a simple procedure. The kid will walk funny for a minute upto one day if that. It quickly numbs the area and it will dry up and fall off with in 6 weeks (sometimes much earlier). I tend to band at 6-7 weeks of age as this tends to be less bothersome to the kid and at that point I usually know if they are being sold as bucklings or wethers. Wethers make such great pets that finding them homes (at least my little guys) doesn't seem to be hard to do. 

I love my wether - his personality is great and I think that wethers are even friendlier then does. At the point of banding he may decide he doesnt like you for that day, but they quickly get over it once the area is numb and doesn't bother them.

For me banding is a simple way that I personally can keep breeding. I can't do the cutting or Burdizzo so this is the method I can do. I want to give every buckling born at my place a chance at a wonderful home and if being a buck doesn't give him that chance then being a wether does 9 times out of 10.

Boy that got long ---- I must be feeling extra emotional or something tonight. :/


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

I always try and be present at my kids birth. Just in case mom needs help. More then likely she will do things on her own but sometimes they need help getting kids in the right order and moving foreward. 
I normally have two bucks at a time but thats because i have enough does to need two bucks and i can have yearlings not bred to their sire the next year. If you only keep one buck someitimes its nice to havea whether around for company for him to play with. So your buck isn;t by himself. 
I band all my buck kids that arn;t staying a buck usually between one week and two months. The earlier you do it the less it hurts them. they all react differntly I have had kids scream and carry on for hours and other kids that just walk away rubbing their legs together a little. 
If you are not planning on bottle feeding always have a bottle ready in case mom decides to reject her kids or there is a weak kid that won;t nurse.
hope this helps
beth


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I have 6 does and 2 bucks for the same reasons as sparks879...I have only banded one kid and that was at week 10 of age. You do have to make sure they have their tetanus shot before banding. 

What kind of goats do you raise, I am sorry if you already said that but I have a horrible memory.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I always try to be present when the does are kidding. I know of people who 'let nature takes its course' and more often then not, if the births aren't attended, bad mothers will just flat out reject the kids if you aren't there. Not all goats are bad mothers. I like to be there in case they need assistance, or if the kids are weak, and I like to be there to make sure those kids know how to nurse off of their mama.

As far as castrating goes, if you castrate a buckling early enough, the only way it will affect his personality is that he won't get the tough guy personality that buck's do, and he won't stink like bucks do. Wethers make great pets and are just as nice as does.

We don't band castrate, we use what is called a Burdizzo, which 'clamps' off the spermatic cord rendering the buck sterile. It is a little more humane than banding, but the cost of the tool is more, and also requires 2 people to do it. If you have a small herd, banding is the way to go.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Leslie - 

You are not the only one with LOTS of questions - I am always posting questions, and that is what everyone is here for is to give answers, opinions, and personal experience. So, don't ever feel bad about asking any questions.

You may want to check out the posts that I have done regarding Daisy, my nigerian that has an unknown due date, or the posts about chacha pics. There is alot of information in there about pregnancy. 

I am going through my first two pregnancies with goats right now. One is due anytime, and the other is due in about 2 1/2 months. It has been interesting to say the least and I have learned so much from everyone on here.

As far as bucks, I have 2. I have my herd sire and I have an 8 month old buckling. That way if I want to breed the girls again, I have a choice, and when the new does are old enough (praying I get does) I have a different one to breed them to other then their father.... ewwww. I also have 4 wethers so that when I get my other barn built, I can put the bucks and wethers in the other pen and they will have their own small little herd over yonder! 

I have 11 goats totally as of today (don't know when babies will arrive) and one of those is sold already. So technically I have 10 of my own and housing 1.

I am choosing the banding option when I have boys born unless someone reserves him as a buck and he is worthy of being a buck. I think banding will work just fine for us.

I hope this helps, and ask as many questions as you would like!!!


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I was going to add that the only stupid questions are the ones that don't get asked...we all have to learn somehow and we all have to start somewhere.

I felt like all my questions were stupid when I first got into goats but then I realized that I will never learn if I don't ask questions....with that said, ask all the questions you need to ask


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I was gonna put in my 2 cents worth but I'd just be repeating what everyone else had said! LOL. 
I also band my lil' boys unless reserved as a buck, I have 2 bucks and 4 does and there is no such thing as a stupid question.
Ha ha, look at that! I did manage to be repetorial!!


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## Sara (Oct 5, 2007)

This is just my two cents but. If you were going to give birth, wouldn't you at least want a friend there to give moral support? Why should it be different for your goat? Also, sometimes momma doesn't know what to do, that's why we should be at births. They are our animals, and we are their care takers, and protectors. How can we take care of them if we aren't there?


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

We may not be able to get off work or they may not show any signs of labor and we go out to find she has already delivered. You should be present at your goats' births but sometimes you just can't.

I have missed one birth because I had no clue my doe was due or any of the signs that she was in labor. I did however finish drying her kids and dip their cords when I found them.


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## Sara (Oct 5, 2007)

Well yeah, the inevitable can get in the way sometime, but if you have a choice I think you should be present at births.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I always want to be there but they never invite me! 

My girls tend to be very private about kidding and just proudly show me their nicely dried off kid/s


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## leslie0815 (Dec 4, 2007)

*my babies*

Here are my heinz 57 variety of rescues. But I love them dearly.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Thats the best kind as they seem even more needy for lots of TLC...and all goaties appreciate someone to care for them! 2 of them look to have some Boer in them and the one looks to have Alpine, the tri- color is very pretty and the white one may even have some Saanen in her. Are they all does?


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

Lol they are all so cute, it looks like you have a couple of boer crosses, the white one and the doe with the red head in the foreground. the black and white is nubian crossed with something She is really cute. The red doe on the ground is a little hard to tell an alpine cross maybe. She is a really pretty color. Almost the color of a golden guernsey. The doe in the front that looks like she is smiling im trying to decide if she is a alpine nubian cross or maybe a kinder (pygmy nubian cross) im sort of leaning more towards the latter. The one in the very back well thats a goose but she seems to like the goats! LOL 
Anyways they are all really cute and look like they live the life of happiness now, with all those toys and big yard. They all look like they are asking for treats or soemthing!
beth


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## leslie0815 (Dec 4, 2007)

*re*

The white one is a buck, I got him at 2 days old...lol he rides on the golf cart with me, not to mention he minds better than my dogs.....lol thanks ya'll


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

are all your does bred to him?
beth


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## leslie0815 (Dec 4, 2007)

*re*

He isn't big enough yet, but he tries bless his heart.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Ha Ha, gotta tell ya here, he may seem like he isn't big enough yet but where theres a will theres a way!! My little 9 month old nigi buckling was "big enough" to reach 3 adult nigi does!! Your little guy may have already "done the deed"!LOL.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Leslie, How old is HE? Like others said, you would be surprised how YOUNG they are when they become daddies. 
I will just give you my 2 cents. I do believe in letting nature take its course as really everyone here does. What we mean by that is DO NOT interfere UNLESS you have to. Yes be there just in case, but mom knows what to do. I am there to HELP here ONLY if she needs it (if I can be there, I do have a baby monitor out there so I can hear if something is going on). 
I think Most everyone will agree that we are there to maybe wipe the nose, clear the mucus off , and that. I try to stay away, (as hard as it is) and just watch. Mom's seem to like you to be there (some do), where others will wait until you walk or drive away, then and only then they will decide OK it is time. 
I try to let mom take care and see that they are nursing and all before I even do the iodine in the umbilical cord. 
Kidding is a very exciting and stressful time of year. I do believe it is stressful only because *I* stress over it.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Oh I for got to tell you. I have a doe due anytime and the daddy was only 5-1/2 months old. 
I look at it, as hey they are Males and they will find a way. Mine was put together on purpose.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

Yes i agree with everyone else here. My buck Rio bred everyone when he was still nursing. Judging by the due dates that year he was only three months old when he started breeding everyone. Thankfully he had enough sense not to breed his mother. But he only weighed about thirty lbs and was the size of about a pygmy buck and he was breeding full sized alpines. I didn't think he was tall enough either. but they will find a way if the girls are in heat. You may be surprised to find out you have babies here soon. How long has he been in with them?
beth


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## leslie0815 (Dec 4, 2007)

*Re*

He has been with the red head since he has been here, she was about 3 months old when I got him, the little blk/wihte has been with them since november, the other 2 does I got at the end of November . My hubby asks me all the time if little Tippy the blk/wht is pregnant or just fat. I will try to get some more pics of her....how can I tell if she is pregnant? The only one I have seen him try to breed is the red head. So who knows...lol sure not me.
Leslie


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

Watch for your does to start making milk in their udders. If you feel around the tail head the space on either side of their back bone will get larger and softer as pelvic bones move to let kids pass through. They may or may not get fat. Bucks are sexually mature at three months old. so if you calculate the time from when he was about three months until now you may have kids born. Even though you have only seen him try with the one doe he may have tried with others. If they come into heat and there is a buck around they and he will be interested. It only takes a second to get bred, and they can do it at any time. They may pay more attention to you when you are around but when mom is away the goats will "play".
beth


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Leslie, If you can get some good clear pictures of the girls butts, Hopefully I will be able to tell you.


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## leslie0815 (Dec 4, 2007)

Will work on butt shots asap.......(Y)


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