# Last minute questions before I bring this baby home



## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

My mom wanted to buy me this little dude for my birthday... He is 8 weeks old... Will I still need to bottle feed him? The lady said he's ready for his new home and eating on his own but still in a pen with mom with access. Should I buy milk replacer? If so what brand?













Also, he has horns and is too old for me to disbud. Should I be worried about bringing a goat with horns into my herd when my girls don't have horns? All help appreciated. Pictures are from when he was younger. Now eight weeks. Also, he is the flashy black and white one (not moon spotted).

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## goatfilledwithcum (Feb 26, 2014)

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## goatsoverhumans69 (Feb 26, 2014)

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## GoatsDongHuge69 (Feb 26, 2014)

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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Last, how will or should I introduce him to my does. 


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If the disbudder fits over the horns, you can still disbud.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Gosh...he's adorable!! 8 weeks is old enough to wean so you shouldn't need to keep bottling and getting him to actually take a bottle at this age would be a nightmare. How big are his nubs...you might still be able to dehorn him if they aren't too big. (we've had the vet remove them before at this age) 

Are you planning on using him for breeding or are you wethering him? If you are going to use him for breeding...don't put him with your girls at all. Keep him separate until you want to breed and then put him in for a limited time. In a few weeks he WILL be able to breed!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Be careful putting him in with older goats. They will pick on him and possible injure/ kill him. He will need to be introduced slowly and with supervision. I try to put smaller ones on the other side of a fence that allows the goats to see and sniff each other without injury. 

I like to wean at 12 weeks. 8 weeks is a bit young. Is he being dam raised or bottle fed now? If dam raised, can the owner keep him until he is 12 weeks? If you put a deposit down?


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

I was going to put him in my smaller chicken coop where I rehab my birds when they get nasty or need a break next to the two big ones so he doesn't feel lonely..? Bad idea? I'm in Arizona so it's hot anyways... Should he have a heat lamp? I want to breed him once and then whether him! Dying for the experience and my doe was supposed to be pregnant but had a false pregnancy! :/


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

No need for heat lamps if outside temp is over 10 degrees farenheit. I however use them till it is above freezing- I figure they grow better if they are not shivering- using less energy trying to stay warm...

Can he touch noses with the others from the coop?


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

As far as breeding - if you wait until he's old enough to breed he will be too mature for banding and have to be castrated. I would either band him now or plan on keeping him as a buck.


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Yes they can touch noses… I have no problems keeping him as a buck… I guess I was just hesitant to do that because of all the horror stories I have read especially if he has horns… Is castrating bad? What age will a buck usually be ready to breed?


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

IMO weaning should happen at 3 months of age. As for his horns, a vet may still be able to burn them with a calf iron. Lastly, you do not want a buck penned with does all the time. You are not going to have a chance to get does back in shape for breeding season if you do.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Castrating will be more expensive, and more stressful for him. It's not the end of the world but personally I would choose one or the other. 

I have goats with horns, and ones that are disbudded. My matriarch has horns and is pretty pushy but I expect she would be anyway. My buck and other horned doe aren't a problem. But if you still want to disbud you probably can.

I love my buck, he's a sweetheart even with horns.


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Part of me likes the idea of horns. I live in the dessert and coyotes are all over. They have never messed with my girls and I put them in the barn at night... I also have a donkey but I like that the horns are an extra bit of protection for him if need be. But again scares me from horror stories I hear of a buck... I don't mind spending the money on him getting castrated... But id love to see the surprise I get out of him... I don't want him to have a lonely life as a buck I guess which is the only reason I'd castrate him and let him live with the girls.  I'm enjoying all the feedback though!!! Thanks everyone. 


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

You just need to bring home another boy to keep him company


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Hahah.  but I wanna keep a baby!!!!! What kinda milk replacer should I buy and how often to I give it to the little one? Do I bottle feed? I want him now..!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Two months is old enough to wean. I like to keep mine on longer so they can grow as much as possible, but it shouldn't be a problem as far as health - it might just take him longer to mature if he's weaned now. You can also add some Calf Manna which is high protein.


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

What brand of calf manna should I get?


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

There's only one AFAIK.


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Thanks. 


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

12 weeks would be ideal...8 weeks is ok. He'll be fine. He should be ok being able to touch noses with the females. If you are keeping them side by side in pens, you should be ok with not wethering him. I have to agree with the castrating tho....by the time he's old enough to breed and does his job, it will be hard on him to castrate. Not impossible, just hard. A vet will have to do it (if money is an issue?) and you will be have to way more aware of any infection, etc. If you truly want to keep him as a buck, you really ought to get a 2nd one that will be a wether and a companion to him.


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Fabulous!!! I plan on keeping a baby... So maybe I'll keep his baby to put in with him? Or does he need one to grow up with? Thanks for everything!!!! Again...!!! 


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

would be better if you can get one for him now...otherwise you're looking at over a year before he has a pal.


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

That is true... Something to think about... But neither of my girls are bred so he has them for a while once they accept him no?


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

You would be better of keeping him separate and only putting him with them when they come into heat, or you won't know when they're due. Trust me, it's no fun!


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

Hahahahahaha!!! That just made me laugh out loud. After sleeping in the barn and thinking my girl was for sure having her baby, only to get a false pregnancy, I somehow see that being extremely true!!!!


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

3 more hours..!!! Can't wait to post all my pictures!!! Ideas on names? I'm thinking Stinky(by nature), Pepe la pue, flash... One of those... All open for ideas though!!!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Haha I like Pepe le Pew!


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## Luisa (Oct 19, 2013)

So obsessed!!!!






































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