# How big should they be and how fast should they grow?



## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

We have two new boer kids. First kidding from our boer doe. She is about 18 months old.

The kids (does) weighed 5 lbs at birth. That seems small to me, but I don't know much about it.

How fast should they grow? They seem to be nursing fine, but the doe doesn't seem to let them stay at it very long before she moves and detaches them. My wife is worried that they aren't getting enough, but they don't seem to be distressed or bawling for food. I assume they are getting what they need when we're not watching.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

Do you know how much they weigh now? I'm assuming this was the doe's first kidding? It all just depends on the goats. The babies may be small because this was the dam's first kidding. Also don't worry too much about her detaching herself, my doe does that too. They take care of their kids very well, and if you think about it, they are like human babies, they eat all the time. With goats we don't always see when they eat. Kids eat periodically throughout the day. 

They'll also hit a growth spurt. Remember it takes about 4-5lbs of feed to gain 1lb for goats.


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## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

Yes, first kidding.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

They'll grow more.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

A general projection (from Jack Maudlin website if I recall correctly) is that total kids weight should be right around the dams weight at weaning. 
Say doe is 150 & had twins.
Babies would be around 75lbs.

Your average daily weight gain should be close to a lb a day.


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## DRJ Ranch (Apr 3, 2010)

For my kids weather projects we are shooting for 1/2lb of weight gain per day and they usually eat 4% of there body weight in meat goat feed and free choice of hay all day.


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## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

These kids were born Sunday, so they are only getting mother's milk. They seem to have gained about a pound since Sunday.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yep, they nurse periodically all hours, doe walks away she knows how long to let them nurse.
You say they arent bawling that means they are getting plenty :thumb: so no worries!
I bet if you weighed them you'd find more than a one lb increase.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Growth will also always depend on the breed. Boers tend to be the fastest of growers males averaged 80 lbs. at 3 months of age; 160 Lbs. at 8 months; 222 Lbs. at 12 months; 257 Lbs. at 18 months; and 313 Lbs. at 25 months. Females averaged 63 Lbs. at 3 months; 139 Lbs. at 12 months; 165 Lbs. at 18 months; 220 Lbs. at 24 months.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

John where are you getting your figures? Reason for asking is that we need to worm our 13mo traditional buck & dont have a scale. 
Bought a dairy tape and checked a doe that we knew the weight of but the tape was way off. :GAAH:


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Oh, I have to check again but it came from an artical from one of the boer sites. At the in-laws, shoot me and email and I will send it to you when I get home. As for the tape. That does not work for meat goats. I learned that the hard way myself. You can get a sling scale like I finally did through Jeffers or a foot scale works fine. Wal-mart has those pretty cheap. However, the tape will not work for you at all with Boers, Myotonics, or anything with the mucsling they have.


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