Hi everyone! I've got a 8 week old male that I'm about to wean. He has been on coastal hay since I got him, is this adequate once he is weaned or do I need to get different hay and if so, do I need to switch him gradually? He is also with a tiny female that is only 4 weeks old and is also being fed the coastal. Thank you!
Hay for young goats
- Thread starter Frankie25
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Hens and Roos
Herd Master
I'm not familiar with coastal hay, we fed our goats a mix of grass hay(get it from someone who has horses) and alfalfa hay as we have milkers. I'll tag some others who might have more insight for you.
@OneFineAcre @Southern by choice @Goat Whisperer
@OneFineAcre @Southern by choice @Goat Whisperer
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- #3
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Mine eat mostly coastal Bermuda
As long as its good quality coastal is good hay
I give my bucks free choice coastal and then some alfalfa pellets
My Nigerian does also eat primarily coastal
When in milk they get more feed, more alfalfa pellets and also a little alfalfa hay
I have 2 Toggenburg does
They get more alfalfa as well as some orchard grass but they eat some coastal too but they need more of the alfalfa to stay in good shape
As long as its good quality coastal is good hay
I give my bucks free choice coastal and then some alfalfa pellets
My Nigerian does also eat primarily coastal
When in milk they get more feed, more alfalfa pellets and also a little alfalfa hay
I have 2 Toggenburg does
They get more alfalfa as well as some orchard grass but they eat some coastal too but they need more of the alfalfa to stay in good shape
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- #5
Okay! Thank you! They're gonna be just pets and I need to get the male castrated but that's a work in progress
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Yep, most grass hays are just fine.
I am providing a link for understanding of Urinary Calculi.
I just want to add if he is intact he really should not live with the doe.
If Nigerian then you must remove her at 8 weeks because if she cycles he will breed her.
Standard breed goats get more time so to speak but you do not want a baby getting bred.
http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/SP/MG/Documents/SLIDES/Urinary calculi.pdf
We do feed all of our bucks feed. We do not overgrain and their feed does have AC in it.
We do this for added nutritional balance that hay and minerals alone may not be able to give.
I am providing a link for understanding of Urinary Calculi.
I just want to add if he is intact he really should not live with the doe.
If Nigerian then you must remove her at 8 weeks because if she cycles he will breed her.
Standard breed goats get more time so to speak but you do not want a baby getting bred.
http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/SP/MG/Documents/SLIDES/Urinary calculi.pdf
We do feed all of our bucks feed. We do not overgrain and their feed does have AC in it.
We do this for added nutritional balance that hay and minerals alone may not be able to give.
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- #7
Thank you so much! The little female dwarf is in a playpen in the barn so he cannot get to her but they can still keep each other company. The first time he met her he mounted her so we immediately seperated them. I want to get him castrated or banded asap but was worried about the potential for stones and doing that to him but he cannot be with the girl until he gets castrated or banded. Do you have a good age he should be done? He's right at 8 weeks. I'm not sure what breed he is, they said he was a nubian but he looks nothing like one. I was also told the female was a nubian/alpine cross buts she's 5 weeks old and weighs 5 pounds and looks like a Nigerian to me. I'm trying to do right by them but they were supposed to be similar in size and they for sure aren't.
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Can you post some pics? That may help and see if it is a good time to castrate.
Our are done (we cut- we do not band) anywhere from 8 weeks to 12 weeks. The Nigerians usually 10-12 weeks. Standards and Miniatures 8-9 weeks.
We kind of "eye" "things".
We also never give baking soda as it interferes with the Ammonium Chloride- renders it void.
As far as the doeling... even if she is a nigerian dwarf- if she is 5 weeks and only 5 lbs... something isn't right.
Is she on the bottle? How much is she eating?
Our are done (we cut- we do not band) anywhere from 8 weeks to 12 weeks. The Nigerians usually 10-12 weeks. Standards and Miniatures 8-9 weeks.
We kind of "eye" "things".
We also never give baking soda as it interferes with the Ammonium Chloride- renders it void.
As far as the doeling... even if she is a nigerian dwarf- if she is 5 weeks and only 5 lbs... something isn't right.
Is she on the bottle? How much is she eating?
- Thread starter
- #9
Yep! I'll post pics. And she is on a bottle. We are doing manna pro kid milk and 7 ounces three times a day. We had issues with diarrhea at first and a fecal was done at vet and was negative. Her stools have improved a lot and she's very active.
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- #10
The female is the one standing on the couch, she followed me inside. And the male is the blonde one, he's a little bigger then that now
