How young can a goat get pregnant?

[ProfessionalPoopScooper]

Please pardon my dumb newbie question. We have 3 goats born 3 months ago. 2 boys, 1 girl.

The 2 boys mount the girl. At what age do I separate them? This is their half-sister and I don't want them to mate.

TIA

 

[elevan]

Males are viable at 7 weeks old.

Females are viable at 8 weeks old.

Yours should definitely be separated.

Pregnancy at this age is rare but does occur often with tragic results for the doe.

 

[ProfessionalPoopScooper]

Ok I just called DH at home & asked him to go out right now & separate the female 3-month old & her mom. Sounds like he's about to put all the billies -even the 2 young ones- in their own paddock where the females can't get in.

But that brings up weaning? Because the two 3-month old Billy's are still nursing. They are eating grain and grazing just fine. They are very healthy.

I will research weaning .....but for now culling them out to protect their half-sister.

THANK YOU!

 

[Suburbanfarmer]

I wean my Nigerian Dwarf kids at 8 weeks. If yours are 3 months they can be weaned.
Good luck.

 

[doxiemoxie]

They are plenty old for weaning. Just be prepared for them to try very hard to convince you otherwise for the next several days.

 

[GLENMAR]

They are plenty old for weaning. Just be prepared for them to try very hard to convince you otherwise for the next several days.

 

[ProfessionalPoopScooper]

So true on the convincing tip. Mom and baby boys cried and cried. Such torture. They could nose kiss through the fence but it sounded like such agony.

Was interesting trying to feed them. We had to feed billy alone, the 2 boys alone and the 3 girls alone. Billy squeezed through a fence post to get with the boys. Little sneak never bothered to squeeze right there till he knew we didn't want him in that pen.

When billy is with the 2 3-month old boys he can be pretty mean, aggressive, horning them. Should we be concerned? They are his kids but maybe that doesn't matter to a billy. Should I post this question in a brand new thread?

Thanks again. We don't want to hurt our little girl. She's a doll. Such a sweet personality & loads of fun. Always into something. Really a miracle baby as she was born breach & we almost lost her and the mom during the birth. Don't want to lose her.

 

[ProfessionalPoopScooper]

Following up on this. I would like your input.

Today the vet came out and got the adult goats vax and all goats treated for parasites.

He said that he could not tell if the 3 month old girl goat was pregnant without doing an ultrasound. He said that if she is, it is not going to hurt her. It just doesn't make sense that it would not hurt her. She is however almost the size of her mom. I will post pictures but I don't have any recent ones.

He is coming back in a month for the vax for the 3 three-month old kids.

Any feedback...?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I would have to disagree with your vet. At three months, she is still putting a lot into her own development and diverting her energy into sustaining a pregnancy would not likely be good for her in the long run. Even if she is of decent size, she is too young and I would terminate a pregnancy. You can send in a blood test to see if she is pregnant and can get fast results. With ultrasound, you would need to let a pregnancy progress more before you could be sure.

 

[ProfessionalPoopScooper]

I would have to disagree with your vet. At three months, she is still putting a lot into her own development and diverting her energy into sustaining a pregnancy would not likely be good for her in the long run. Even if she is of decent size, she is too young and I would terminate a pregnancy. You can send in a blood test to see if she is pregnant and can get fast results. With ultrasound, you would need to let a pregnancy progress more before you could be sure.

Thank you! I don't want to lose her.

I would love to do the blood test. Is there a kit I can order & do myself or do I just need to call another vet and take her into their clinic and let them do it?