Savingdogs-Saving the chickens

[glenolam]

I LOVE THE KITTY CAT STRUT SONG! We used to sing it all the time as kids!

Sounds like you are right along with me for kidding. Let's see who kids first!

I was hoping my pygmy doe was bred - I witnessed a mounting, but was too far away to witness the actual breeding. Judging by her lack of udder I'm thinking it might have not occurred. But the boys go home this weekend so she'll either kid by late June or not at all until next winter/spring.

Good luck with your endevours!

 

[Javamama]

kidding countdowns

Hey if you are interested it looks like there's going to be some kidding action on Marestare today - http://www.marestare.com/fcam.php?alias=phoenixrising She's putting down clean bedding and has closed the stall off to the other goats.

 

[glenolam]

I love marestare too. I saw Shadow Paints mini's last year and it was amazing. Sure wish I could do something like that! Not big enough of an operation to balance out the cost!

ETA - holey bajeesus! Them r some bigguns! They sure look ready to pop!

ETA AGAIN - Just noticed Phoenix Sun is in MA! Cool! And I check in on Shadow Paints and looks like she's got a goat getting ready to kid too!

 

[savingdogs]

speaking of closing a stall off...we built a kidding stall because we had only one big stall.

But I'm worried they won't want to be in there when the time comes. My goats are joined at the spine and I'm worried they will be upset without their friends. You should see how they react when there is any barrier between them. My wether will stand there and bawl until I put him back with his sisters. This upsets them as he is kind of the herd leader. Does anyone ever have other goats in the stall when they kid?

 

[Javamama]

ETA - holey bajeesus! Them r some bigguns! They sure look ready to pop

ETA - Oh yeah, Shadow Paints goat will go very soon by the looks of it! Cool! Thanks for the notice!


SD - mine are kidding together as we only have the one area and it's not big enough to wall off. The breeder I got them from kept them together for their last kidding and it went very well. They co-parented all the kids together. So maybe yours will do fine like that too. Since you plan on being there, you can keep the peace if one causes trouble. Maybe have a fence panel to put up quickly if you need to separate them.

 

[glenolam]

Oh yeah I do! Last year I didnt' have time to separate anyone so Eloise kidded two doelings with the barn wide open! It seemed my wether and other doe knew what was going on, so they just stood in the door way.

Once we figured out what was happening we did close the little "gate" I had rigged, but it was nicer weather so they were OK outside for the day.

Especially if they are as close as you say they are they'll be fine. If anything, keep them out just until the kids are cleaned off and be sure you give the kids a hiding place from the adults.

 

[savingdogs]

That is good to hear Java and glenolam. I do think mine might co-parent. They do everything together!

Did they nurse off of both too?

I was looking at those udders today and realizing I need to find my shaver NOW. I have one here somewhere.....but I'm not exactly Ms. Flylady and I haven't been able to remember where I put them. Guess reorganization is my project for the day again.

I also see a little reddish tinge to Molly's black hair and read OFG's blog about that. I don't think she had this color just a few days ago. I've been trying to get them to eat their minerals. They never have liked them. I've tried three brands now and just tried a salt lick block kind of thing. They only eat their minerals if I sneak it in their grain and if I sneak too much, they leave their grain. I wonder if her pregnancy is taking a toll on the trace elements and that is why she is turning reddish. It is kind of on her flanks.

My other doe Ginger and my wether are kind of a reddish color to start with. Ginger's hair looks moist around her hooey, like there was some sort of discharge that is gone now. We noticed this yesterday. Don't you love my technical term....hooey?

Should I pick up some Copper somewhere? Can I get that at a feed store? I have to be gone tomorrow during the day but other than that I plan on just staying close to the goat barn for the next couple weeks.

 

[Javamama]

I'd just try to get them to go for the loose minerals - you could mix some up in a bit of honey or peanut butter, or molasses or something sticky like that. Some BOSS would be good too. I noticed mine were looking a bit rough last week and started extra BOSS and minerals along with kelp... But I don't have trouble getting them to eat anything - they are vacuum cleaners.

Mine are sucking down water like crazy today - 2 buckets already!

They did nurse each other's kids last time.

 

[glenolam]

I ordered Copasure from Jeffer's Livestock. I used helmstead's method (from BYH) of pouring the rods into a 3ml syringe and capping the end with a probios/red cell paste. I figured out my goats loved it! It's rather expensive, like $35, but it will last forever.

It wouldn't hurt to bolus them - even the pregnant ones. I did everyone about 3 weeks ago and see a huge difference in my little nubian buckling.

I'm not sure what kind of minerals you have tried but I give mine the "goat mineral" bag that's at TSC for $9.99. I used to use the block, but have found that these bags last longer and once they got used to the idea they weren't getting the block anymore and realized they needed minerals they were all for the loose stuff. Maybe just give them some time with one specific brand and see what happens.

BTW - if you look at the Phoenix Rising mare stare cam you'll see they've got two goats together as well so you should be fine keeping everyone together.

 

[savingdogs]

I think I saw Copasure at our feed store, that looks really familiar. We have a "Wilco" and it has good prices and carries a good selection. I think I'm going to have my husband stop by there on the way home.

I found a local person who disbuds for 15 apiece! !!!!!!!!!!!!! He may even come here to our place even (checking on that part still). If I get more than three I may rethink this, but I think we would like to watch a local expert do this first with an eye to doing it ourselves next year. I was so happy to see that CL ad of his.....

Re: the minerals, I've tried each brand for many months, this has been an ongoing problem since we bought them. They have never liked any minerals. I keep offering it. We really never see any is gone. I figured perhaps the ones I tried did not have whatever minerals they must need and crave, but they didn't seem to. I thought they were craving selenium though because they strip all the trees of bark and I heard the bark has the selenium. Good thing we have too many trees! They are helping us select our firewood, isn't that nice of them?

I've been giving both girls BOSS daily, about a half a cup, and I've gone to feeding their grain twice a day now so its doubled this week. That is their most favorite thing in the world. Each of my goats is only about 50-75 pounds normally so that seems like kind of a lot. They are more like tall nigys rather than small nubians, but they are narrow like nubians. I'm also giving them alfalfa pellets, two cups each and purina goat chow, two cups each and high quality grass hay free choice. Well, pretty much free choice. They keep emptying the dang feeder! Their hay consumption seem to have more than doubled.

My teenager Trouble is the hay-feeder-filler and is annoyed with how hungry they are. I keep telling him he is putting hay out for our mini-herd, not just three goats.