The Poultry Keeper

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

ok another link for goat stuff ,i used to go there with my aunt http://home2.btconnect.com/gnltd/shop/index.htm

scottish vamps · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:12 am Post subject:

how are the goat this morning? milkmaid showed me the pics, very very nice.
lisa

nigel · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:37 am Post subject:

I'm glad other people think they're good goats, thanks Lisa

they are a little grumpy today because the weather hasn't been so good and that means they have to spend more time in the barn.

and I'm getting convinced that we have at least two pregnant Very Happy

I hope they know what to do, because I don't. I think we may even be looking about November time for Snövit [the white one] she is getting huge

scottish vamps · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:43 am Post subject:

well you know you have some help in others on here.
lisa

nigel · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:48 am Post subject:

A question for all you goats keepers

One of my neighbours caught me as I was going to collect the post yesterday, to tell me he liked the goats but not to forget to give them Bicarbonate of Soda. He had gone to the trouble of translating it and writing it down, so he obviously thought it was important. He speaks very little english so couldn't explain any more and just smiled and went back to standing in his garden.

Questions are :-

Do I need to feed it?

How do I feed it?

What does it do?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

ok somebody on here is using that at the moment ,will not explain why ,but i'm hoping everything turns out ok

do not feed it normally ,but have it in the medicial kit ,if a goat gets bloat then together with vegtable oil it will bring the gass up and down and relive the tenstion ,the vet here swears by it and so do most goat keepers Wink

,try not to feed it to regularly or you will upset the flora of the stomach,normally you would not need it ,but as with all these things it'll be midnight with a very sick goat when you do Rolling Eyes

that was really nice of him Cool

nigel · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:34 am Post subject:

Anxious Parent Type Question

Don't Panic - Don't Panic

So Snövit the heavily pregnant doe refused to go out to graze today and ran back and stood in the stall instead - do I take this as a hint - and more importantly WHAT DO I DO?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

no don't panic Wink

,they've been doing this for years ,
is it cold out is she going er no Wink

,there might just be something else putting her off a bit ,or she might just be checking there is no food left in there
hows her tail and back end looking ,is there a line or ridge forming at the top of her back at the join with her tail are the muscles starting to slacken
and i'm sorry for this Embarassed

is the area where they come out looking slacker or different ,be warned the goats aren't that keen on you looking normally Shocked

and has she started nesting ,they have a devil of a job with the corners on the quilt Wink

even looking for all that my aunt in 14 years was only there once and she had at least 3 goats normally she had the about the 5 mark
do you have your book yet ,
oh and feeding is different after kidding mainly just hay and a tiny bit of concrentrate otherwise you can run the risk of milkfever
welcome to the goat neither regions watching club Embarassed

it'll be fine Very Happy

nigel · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:42 am Post subject:

no it's not cold she just walked out to the field with the others, then pushed passed me as i was closing the gate and just went back to the stall. I've given her more hay and some lucerne [alfalfa] pellets. She is just kind of restless wandering about. I hadn't even had chance to clean the stall out - that's a friday morning job - typical to choose the day the stall is the dirtiest. Her tail end looks lower this morning, if that makes sense, and your right she doesn't like me looking to see how slack she is. I can see me wearing a path between house and barn today.

Should I separate her from the others?

stephen · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:52 am Post subject:

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

is she digging a hole in the straw sort of a bit like a dog getting comfortable ,yep i can see you wearing a hole to the barn as well ,and she'll wonder what the hell is up with you i'd get her seprated ,some goats will try to adopt other goats kids so you want them to bond with mum ,and she will need different feeding ,i'm not talking properly seperate ,just a pen on her own
right i ort to get out and milk mine Wink

and i'm sure your barn is clean enough ,just put a bit more straw on top

oh do you have some iodine not spray for the cords

you know what she'll do ,she'll breath in hevey a few times and you'll be thinking this is it and she'll bring up the cudd and sit looking at you chewing it wondering what an earth is up with you today Rolling Eyes

been there done it ,

CP · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:56 am Post subject:

debcat · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:12 am Post subject:

Good luck, she'll be fine,
not sure about your path though Laughing

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

problem is they think wow this is a really good wind up Laughing

,watch this
i reacon i can keep him running for at least a week Wink

it'll be fine ,goats are the easiest of animals ,in fact it's much better if you don't interfear ,all you have to is give them space to do it ,quietly on their own ,watch they drink within 6 hours ,and feed mum hay maybe an apple or a carrot and warm water afterwards ,no concentrate or high protein food,
my husband is now killing himself laughing and says who sat with may's and holi's head on her knee when they were having their kids Rolling Eyes

nigel · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:29 am Post subject: