# Hi! Newbie here!



## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Good morning! 

I found this site a few days ago, and have a feeling I will be using this board as a great resource. I wanted to hop on an introduce myself. I have never owned goats before. I am supposed to be picking up two Nigerian dwarfs this morning some time. I have been trying to get goats since about January, and have run into one problem or another...mostly, the poor little things kept dying at the breeders  Not sure what was going on, I was on the property several times, very clean, happy goats, but huge weather changes...IDK, it was not fun. Maybe it was meant to be...it's much warmer now.

I found a new breeder, and there was one little hiccough with yet another kid dying, but now I think we are off and running. (Both breeders are reputable, I think it was just a fluke) But I am very NERVOUS. I have a book, have looked at as many resources online as I could find. I have my CDT, and plan on giving it before I even load them in my car (Yes, the back seat of a Saturn Ion lol). I am picking up fresh hay this morning. I have oats. I have a mineral salt lick, baking soda, water, of course, shelter.....still, I feel like there are a million things that can go wrong. Who would have thought the tin can eating goat could be so fickle? I am nervous about weeds...which is why I am getting them, to gobble up the yard. I have gotten rid of the jimson weed....I think the rest is okay, but I am worried they will find something that is bad for them.

I live in the Antelope Valley, CA. I have been warned by the breeder that there are no good goat vets in our area. She will be an invaluable resource I am sure, but if anyone knows of a great vet, even in the San Fernando Valley, please let me know. I am getting one doe and one wether, about 9-10 weeks old now.

Okay, that's it, just wanted to say hi! This is going to be nerve racking at first, but fun.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I respect any newbie.. that is just getting into goats.... to do research on them....way to go.... :hi5: :thumb: 

Oats are OK....but if you can get a grain.. that has good protein in it.. would be good... something made for cows or goats....

Mineral salt lick is no good ...get the loose salts and minerals made for cows or goats with copper.....

If any of your goats stop eating or act off...get a temp first and post it on here with all symptoms....we will try to help and tell you what is recommended at the time... Digital thermometers are best...

If you are worried about the goats getting into toxic plants.. have activated charcoal ready....you should be able to get it from your feed store....

And yes...LOL ......goats do not eat everything... :wink: 


Goats do need roughage and fed hay once in a while...especially if.. the browse is not very plentiful or it is winter....then the will need it more.... like once or twice a day depending on forage.... Alfalfa is best but... oats wheat or something with nutritional value is best...grass hay does not have much....
Watch the goat if it is losing weight it is either worms...cocci or not enough feed....for the demand of the goat...

You will most likely have to get wormers or cocci meds for them....

Don't worry... we are here for you in case you need us.... :grouphug: 

Welcome to TGS.... :wave: :thumb:


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

Welcome! Ditto toth on the activated charcoal.... It is a godsend when you are worried that they have eaten something bad.... I've used it twice... which is a lot more than I've used any other med.....

anyway she basically covered it all.... good luck! I'm really glad that you've put the time into the research... now all you need to do is post photos here!
M.


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Thanks! Activated charcoal.....will do. I do have a digital thermometer. Also, I am an RN....which won't help a ton, but I can do things like SQ fluids, etc. I bet I could get an IV going if I had to. Already nervous about giving them their first vaccine though. At least you can explain to humans what is going on! These are pets for me....not livestock. Don't have plans to show. MAYBE some day will breed. ANd who can say no to goat cheese? But, 1 step at a time.

Will weigh them when I get them home, and keep track. Just picked up a new bale of alfalfa. I know everyone has their theories, etc, on what to give as far as "chow". I was told by my breeder she doesn't recommend it, loose minerals, alfalfa, oats, yes. She says she has seen too many problems with the chow mixes for goats. What are the opinions on here? Also, if I do grains vs oats, is there a higher chance of bloat? So my HUGE mineral block is no good? Dang.

Will post pics as soon as I figure out how. Thanks again! Heading out to get them now....yay! How many people in this world get to drive home in their car with goats in the back seat? I love it. Urban farming


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Welcome! :wave: glad your here! 

I agree with Pam, she covered most of it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks Guys... :grouphug: :wink:

That is good... that you are a nurse....that means... when things need to be done.... you are not squeamish...  Don't be nervous... you will do good when giving shots....have faith in yourself... tie up the goat or have someone hold it... :wink:



> Will weigh them when I get them home, and keep track. Just picked up a new bale of alfalfa. I know everyone has their theories, etc, on what to give as far as "chow". I was told by my breeder she doesn't recommend it, loose minerals, alfalfa, oats, yes. She says she has seen too many problems with the chow mixes for goats. What are the opinions on here? Also, if I do grains vs oats, is there a higher chance of bloat? So my HUGE mineral block is no good? Dang.


 :thumbup:

I have been feeding Alfalfa for years... along with graining my kids with no issues...having free choice baking soda out ....along with.. introducing new feeds gradually.... and not over feeding it ...you should be good to go.... For the bucks... I give a loose mineral to them ....that has _Ammonium chloride_ in it.... to prevent urinary stones.... But you are correct in saying... that breeders have there own ways of doing things....what ever works best for your goats is what should be practiced.... Also... feeds with molasses in it.... may or may not cause bloat.... Yes.. the block is no good.... 



> Will post pics as soon as I figure out how.


 Here are a couple of links that may help with pics.... 

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=10124&p=128243&hilit=resizing+pictures#p128243

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=73


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Thanks everyone! CDT was interesting....they have like, no fat where you can tent the skin. It's not a tent, its a fold. I had to get help. Scratch my smarmy comment about starting an IV....I'll stick to humans. Infants have plenty of fat. Goats, not so much. Bellies, but nothing on the neck or down the back. 

The breeder told me I could definitely do loose minerals, but she has been doing the lick with selenium for years and years, it has worked for her. I will probably do both, and see if they even use the lick.

They came home to their pen, and my dogs, or one lab mix wants at them so bad. I don't think she wants to hurt them, but she wants to chase them and squeak them. Which would end up being bad no matter how it happens. They won't be hanging out together any time soon but of course, one ore thing to watch for, and keep me nervous. Goats settled in and started eating right away. In fact, they could care less about their new surroundings. They are loving the alfalfa...the breeder said to give ample alfalfa since they wont eat the straw parts as much as the leaf part, and there will be waste. I'm a little worried...I stuck a flake about 3 fingers thick in there, and they are going to town. I don't want them hungry, but knowing me I am more likely to over feed. She said about half a flake a day, at this size. All suggestions on feeding are welcome. Some days I can get out there and feed less, more often. But when I work, it will be a long day, so a larger amount, twice a day.

It's all a work in progress, thanks for the information, I am sure I will be asking for more  Yay! I have goats! Pics coming next post. Thanks again everyone


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Welcome to the forums!

Good thing you have done your prior research, I was one of those that believed goats were easy, ate everything (including tin cans), and would climb on top of your house if given a chance. Well yes I think I have a few who would try to get to the top of the house if I left a ladder out LOL!

I learned real quick that most of what I had been led to believe was not true, and I should of done my research before hand (and found this site before I purchased my first goats off craigslist). My first breeder told me to just feed them COB........ Yeah that worked real well, as they sat at the gate waiting for the sweet little mixture and wouldn't touch anything else. 

I can't being to tell you how valuable this site has been, read the newbie necessities section, and the goat management section which has some great stickies. 

Good luck with your new kids and can't wait to see pictures!


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

There's a newbie section? Awesome. Going there now. We took a tour of their part of the half acre, they nibbled at dead grasses and a few dead leaves, so they are earning their keep already. They do seem to eat a lot. They have been working on the alfalfa a lot today, and like the breeder told me, eating the clovery-leaf parts and leaving the straw parts. I have seen them drink, so that makes me happy  I think over the next few days I will be able to get a better idea of how much they need vs how much they want, combined with how much they get to forage. Thanks again!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome... :greengrin:

For the CD&T.. give US... I give it at the armpit area... pull out the skin and be sure.. not to inject all the way through the skin and squirt it to the ground...I do that occasionally... :laugh: :wink:



> Scratch my smarmy comment about starting an IV....I'll stick to humans. Infants have plenty of fat. Goats, not so much. Bellies, but nothing on the neck or down the back.


 It gets easier.... 

Glad you are going to have both loose salt minerals and block...

Be careful with the dogs.... sounds like ..you should keep them separate....

Glad it is going well with the goats... be careful... if they are not use to the Alfalfa ...start out with a little bit at a time for a while... then increasing it ..is best ....so they do not scour...... their bodies need to get use to it.... 1/2 a flake sounds fine for now and if they clean it up... then... with time... they can get a little more.... you do not want waste...

Can't wait to see pics... :thumb:


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Okay, going to attempt some pics, ty for the links on how. We will see...I am not resiszing, so IDK. They were both born around March 12, the broken buckskin is Buddha Bear, named after his dad, and the brownish red and black Chamoisse is Chupita Lupe, or Chupe for short. One of her siblings sucked on the tip of her ear, and now she has a chunk missing, so I named her my bad Spanish version of 'Lil Suck lol.




Hmmm....That seems like an AWFULLY large link...sorry. I will figure this out eventually, if that doesn't work.

Well Buddha had the runs, or scours if you will, for about 3 days. I determined that it was from new: environment/alfalfa/oats/everything. So I gave him some goat electrolytes, just to make sure he was staying hydrated. He LOVED it. He went into this bottle feeding zone, eyes half closed, foam everywhere. That was Weds or Thurs. Today, everyone is pooping normally...I think. Do goats get constipated? I expected little bunny looking goat poops, but they are clumped together, and look more like small dog poop.

Their hooves were a wreck...cracked, curled over the middle, really disappointed about that. I guess they hadn't been touched. So after a couple of hours of youtube videos, I clipped them back slowly over two days. Much better, but far from perfect. I have no idea how I will do that when they are full grown lol. It's easy when your husband can hold one. Went looking for a rasp I saw in a video that looked like a sanding block, all I can find are the long metal files. Seriously, I have 2 goats, not a herd. I think I am going to Sally beauty supply and picking me up a few block files 

Mostly just enjoying them, praying they stay healthy, monitoring their food, worrying about giving them too much or not enough, because they always want to EAT. Dang they are cute and funny. I wonder how long until their horn buds fall off? If they are disbudded, do they go completely away (if it's done right), or are there nubs under the hair? Also, they would butt each other at the breeders, now they just hang out, no play fighting. Chupa does put her head down and cocks it sideways a bit when the dog comes around, which cracks me up.

Thanks for all the advice, gonna go read other posts.


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Aww cute!

I've not feed a bottle baby yet, but changes in diet will make my gang start having clumpy poo. Now if he is liquid you can get some scour stop at the feed store or pepto bismo. Plus some probiotics to help get the rumen back inline. I don't remember dosage, but you can type diarrhea in the search above and it should pop up the dosage.

Hooves the more you touch the more they let you. My kids are pretty easy that I've been working on since they were little, it's the adults that were not used to it who give me havoc. Even my 2 shy ones who think of me as the monster who gives shots, bands, and does bad things to them just go limp and relax when they figure out it is just a trimming.

Welcome to your new obsession! I think I learned more about goat poo in the first few weeks, then any other feces in my life onder:


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

It's been 1 1/2 years since I brought my first 2 ND's home... and I can sure remember all that you are going through (even without the 'dead kid' issues you had) and guess what? THEY SURVIVED! I hope you have a blast with your new babies.. they are very cute! (I'm up to 5 now!.. so beware!) Welcome from Washington State... glad to have you here! 
BTW as long as your at Sally's .. I've heard that the 'Ped-Egg' works well on goats too! I use a micro-plane grater made for Parmesan!


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## MissMouthy (May 13, 2012)

So excited for you! I have two nigis as pets and I knew nothing of goats when I decided to start building my goatpen. I saw them at a farm and just fell in love. This website will guide you along the way  I have only had them for 3 months and its a joy. The added chores are overlooked by their constant love and playfulness. 

I have 2 shephard mix dogs. When I let them out and they realized two baby goats were in that pen, they went bananas. They wanted to play sniff n chase them I knew it wasn't an urge to hunt but I just ignored them. After about a week of sniffing and seeing them thru the fence, the goats were totally unafraid and the dogs were much less interested. Take super long baby steps with them. It took over a month but now I have 2 dogs and 2 goats all hanging out in their half acre like a family. Not all situations can be like that I'm sure but if you take your time and trust the dogs.. you could be the packleader for a pretty unique herd 

I also bought a mi.metal block first. So now they have both. Buddy will lick the block here n there but they chow down on the loose minerals so I'm glad this site taught me that.


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## MissMouthy (May 13, 2012)

Also, search this site for a list of things to keep on hand in case of emergencies. Its really pays to think ahead and I would have never knew what I needed before a problem if it wasn't for others sharing their problematic. 
And I sat in the back storage part of a ford escape with my babies between my legs lol such a site! Who says you have to be a farmer to love your lil livestock 


I've babbled enough lol good luck! Enjoy and congrats


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your goats are so cute....  

Yes... goats can get constipated...but.. if they are clumpy.. that is better the scours... If you don't see them poo at all ..you can give them an enema...

If you are to trim the goats...waiting 2 weeks before you trim again ..is better than every 2 days...it gives the quick time to pull back .....always remember... if you see pink stop.... 


Can't help with the dehorning as I do not do it.... :wink:


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## LS Acres (May 21, 2012)

Welcome from sunny Illinois. I started out with two also and now I just want to get more and more and more


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Thanks everyone! Pam, I went through uge amounts of drama getting these two goats, after 3 of them dying with another breeder, ad one with this one. FIckle babies. I had no intentions of getting disbudded goats, however, that was the one thing she was adamant about...she would not sell them with horns. I have to say, I have seen at least 3 incidences where I might have found them really stuck, if they had the horns. BUT, I am not a fan of it either  However, they are cute, and being that I have only found 3 breeders in my area, I went with what I got. I also found out that at least here in CA, they can't be shown with horns. They also, if resold, have a much higher chance of endng up as BBQ.

Today I wish they had their horns though...100 out at 6:20 BUT, only 11% humidity. Any other goat people on this forum that live in the desert? Any suggestions for cooling them off? They are panting, their whole body moves. But reading around the web, it seems like they all do that...and some people live in much more humid areas. I think I will spritz them, and see if it helps. I also think they need a shade structure next to their chain link kennel. I put this screening material n the back of the kennel to break the wind and the sun, but now there's not much of a breeze in there either. They just need a covered area with open sides.

Also, reading the free choice minerals...they get a small amount, I think half an ounce each. I offered it,t hey wouldn't take it. I am afraid to leave it out, because I think my girl will hog it all if she decides she wants it, and I don't want to OD her on minerals. Do they really just eat them? Will offer them again today. Love this forum guys,t hanks for all the great suggestions. I will give their hooves a couple of weeks before I have at them again


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

So the goats are in the backyard, in an area about 130'x35'. The other long half is fenced off with cattle fencing, to protect my garden and fruit trees. Originally, to protect them from the dogs, and now the goats. I didn't think they could fit through. Went to the backyard, and found this: 


They didn't even run over to see me. They looked at me, I swear they said "Hey", and went right back to eating my apple tree. Oh well, it wasn't giving me any apples anyway. Now, adding chicken wire. Thankfully, they stayed away from my tomatoes, and the jimson weed, which I am pulling NOW. I should have known better


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

No problem..... :thumb: 

I have a hotline ...so my goats don't get their heads caught....or put a dunce hat on them...LOL :laugh: 

Oh I know ...horns are a radiator.... just make sure... they have plenty of shade and fresh water..... 


keep out free choice ...loose salts and minerals with copper...out at all times... so they can go get it whenever they need it...
It is OK... if they eat a lot of the minerals... it means... their bodies need it...that is what it is meant for..put in more as needed... they cannot over dose on it.... :hug:


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## CottonwoodCroft (Jan 26, 2010)

I am in the desert also in SoCal. In fact I am In Inyokern which is not to far from AV. I have horned and disbudded nigerians. I keep all mine cool by tons of shade covers and I plant bunches of trees. Then LOTS of fresh clean water. I clean out the buckets ever morning and then give them a rinse and refill in the evening.


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Thanks guys/gals. I am going to check them now. They have a huge truck, a deuce and a half, that they can lay under, but they don't. I am going to build a shade structure next to their kennel. I give fresh water every day, and I am going to go soak the goats now, like it or not. That is the beauty of low humidity heat  Thanks Stef, good to know there are some other goaters close by in this weather.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Be careful not to chill them ...getting them wet and the hot humidity... may get them sick.... :hug:


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Thanks Pam. It's not humid here though...do you mean they get humid due to being wet? Yeah, I don't wan't to chill them. Today in beautiful downtown Quartz Hill, it's 91, 22% humidity (it has been around 11% lately), and 23-30 mph winds. Welcome to the high desert lol. Actually, similar to Corning today. The wind only stops when it's 100+ and you wish it was here. Today they are hanging out under the big truck out there. I wouldn't get them wet today, with the wind and all.

Clipping or shaving.....they have white skin, even under the black fur...I don't want them to burn. How short do I clip it? Will it grow in funny? I tried the Furminator yesterday lol....no luck. They aren't shedding.


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