Hi all, I'm not sure if this is the proper place to post this but I'd like some opinions.
This year we had a bottle lamb, which I was half expecting. We had a long cold Spring and she was struggling so we brought her into the house( could add heat in the old barn, no electricity or running water). With my daughter being home all day with the lockdown and lonely after I got the lamb healthy and stable it became like a pet to my daughter. Had a small pen outside but she came in a lot as well(diapered).
For the first time raising goats for several years one of our does (3rd year kidding) had one stillborn and one little doe. She rejected the doe ,wouldn't feed it or snuggle with it. After watching the poor thing shivering all by herself I brought her in as well(she was about a month younger than the lamb). So they kind of kept together outside and in the house. I moved them into the sheep pasture for a few days since the lamb had crazy seperation anxiety from both her human and the kid. I was surprised how well the sheep took to the kid , the one ewe even plays along with the headbutting and let her eat alongside them.
I figured it was time to put her with the goats( which she was already spending a couple hours a day with). The lamb screamed pretty much the 2 days they were apart and the kids who I put the bottle kid with picked on her mercilessly. It didn't matter how many feed buckets or water buckets I put they just kept chasing her away.
Needless to say I felt terrible and put the kid back with her 'sister lamb's and the sheep.
I know they need to be with their own kind but if the sheep seem to get along with her and she's with her friend is it bad for her to stay with them till she's older(she was born April 30)? Maybe I'm thinking about it too much and should let her work it out with the goats? Anyone have anything similar happen? How did it work out?
Also I know the answer in my heart but maybe someone out here has had success.
I have become quite attached to my little doe, she does all my morning chores with me, she loves to 'help' comes when she's called. I am really missing bringing her in in the evenings (diapered) relaxing on the couch with her then she would sleep on at the foot of my bed all night. I don't bring her in anymore as I am tired of buying and changing diapers. Is there any success stories of housebreaking a goat? I'd love to have her back in at night. Anyone ever have any luck? If so how did you do it????
Thanks for reading my long post. Here is a pic of my little Jellybean and her 'sister' Ella
This year we had a bottle lamb, which I was half expecting. We had a long cold Spring and she was struggling so we brought her into the house( could add heat in the old barn, no electricity or running water). With my daughter being home all day with the lockdown and lonely after I got the lamb healthy and stable it became like a pet to my daughter. Had a small pen outside but she came in a lot as well(diapered).
For the first time raising goats for several years one of our does (3rd year kidding) had one stillborn and one little doe. She rejected the doe ,wouldn't feed it or snuggle with it. After watching the poor thing shivering all by herself I brought her in as well(she was about a month younger than the lamb). So they kind of kept together outside and in the house. I moved them into the sheep pasture for a few days since the lamb had crazy seperation anxiety from both her human and the kid. I was surprised how well the sheep took to the kid , the one ewe even plays along with the headbutting and let her eat alongside them.
I figured it was time to put her with the goats( which she was already spending a couple hours a day with). The lamb screamed pretty much the 2 days they were apart and the kids who I put the bottle kid with picked on her mercilessly. It didn't matter how many feed buckets or water buckets I put they just kept chasing her away.
Needless to say I felt terrible and put the kid back with her 'sister lamb's and the sheep.
I know they need to be with their own kind but if the sheep seem to get along with her and she's with her friend is it bad for her to stay with them till she's older(she was born April 30)? Maybe I'm thinking about it too much and should let her work it out with the goats? Anyone have anything similar happen? How did it work out?
Also I know the answer in my heart but maybe someone out here has had success.
I have become quite attached to my little doe, she does all my morning chores with me, she loves to 'help' comes when she's called. I am really missing bringing her in in the evenings (diapered) relaxing on the couch with her then she would sleep on at the foot of my bed all night. I don't bring her in anymore as I am tired of buying and changing diapers. Is there any success stories of housebreaking a goat? I'd love to have her back in at night. Anyone ever have any luck? If so how did you do it????
Thanks for reading my long post. Here is a pic of my little Jellybean and her 'sister' Ella
