Hi everyone, I've never posted here before but I've been lurking for quite a while. I have a herd of 9 boer does and a buck that we acquired in August of last year to help clear brush on our property. Several of the does were bred by our buck and right now we've got 6 kids on the ground.
The first of them, b/d twins were born on Feb. 3rd, then we had d/d twins on Feb. 16th and another set of d/d twins on the 17th. (Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures eventually) I'm wondering about cocci prevention for them. The breeder of our buck just used medicated feed. Is that enough or do they need something else until they are eating enough of the feed? I have read several threads on the topic, but it sounds like the medicines typically recommended aren't readily available. The only thing I've found locally is Corid, which I do have on hand from treating my chickens, but I see that is not recommended. We don't currently have a vet, though I know there is one in the area if we absolutely needed one. We typically give shots and everything ourselves to save on the expense.
Normally the goats would be on a 3 acre pasture with a good sized wooded area for browse, but everything is still pretty dead and dormant here so everyone is getting grass hay and the does who have kids are getting 3-4 cups of a non-medicated pelleted goat feed a day. They also all have free choice loose minerals. The main herd has access to the pasture but are mostly staying up near the shelters and smaller enclosure where the does with kids are because that is where their hay feeder is. So I worry about them all being too close together.
Also is there a recommendation on when to start boer kids on pellets? The older ones will nibble at their mom's feed but the younger one's moms are pretty crazy at feeding time so the kids tend to stay away. They are all nibbling at the hay and some grass that is starting to grow. I do have a place to setup a creep feeder, but I'm afraid my chickens will eat most of the feed if the kids leave it very long.
The first of them, b/d twins were born on Feb. 3rd, then we had d/d twins on Feb. 16th and another set of d/d twins on the 17th. (Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures eventually) I'm wondering about cocci prevention for them. The breeder of our buck just used medicated feed. Is that enough or do they need something else until they are eating enough of the feed? I have read several threads on the topic, but it sounds like the medicines typically recommended aren't readily available. The only thing I've found locally is Corid, which I do have on hand from treating my chickens, but I see that is not recommended. We don't currently have a vet, though I know there is one in the area if we absolutely needed one. We typically give shots and everything ourselves to save on the expense.
Normally the goats would be on a 3 acre pasture with a good sized wooded area for browse, but everything is still pretty dead and dormant here so everyone is getting grass hay and the does who have kids are getting 3-4 cups of a non-medicated pelleted goat feed a day. They also all have free choice loose minerals. The main herd has access to the pasture but are mostly staying up near the shelters and smaller enclosure where the does with kids are because that is where their hay feeder is. So I worry about them all being too close together.
Also is there a recommendation on when to start boer kids on pellets? The older ones will nibble at their mom's feed but the younger one's moms are pretty crazy at feeding time so the kids tend to stay away. They are all nibbling at the hay and some grass that is starting to grow. I do have a place to setup a creep feeder, but I'm afraid my chickens will eat most of the feed if the kids leave it very long.
