New to goats, want to make sure I'm prepared!

[looptloop]

I've been reading for the past several weeks in hopes of being prepared to get my goats. I'm getting 3 nine week old Nigerian Dwarf does. The man where I'm getting them has vaccinated for cd&t and will one more time prior to me picking them up at the end of next week.

He has weaned them and they are eating alfalfa hay.

I am planning on feeding alfalfa since that is what they are used to and then I plan on the following:

~Worming them as soon as they get here with Molly's Herbal Worm formulas. And then keeping the recommended schedule of herbal supplements.

~Feeding grains of 16% Goat Feed. Any suggestions of brand?

~I'm looking for Diamond Yeast culture (XP-DFM)

~I'm also looking for "Sweetlix 16:8 Meat Maker" or similar for their minerals. Free choice.

We do have some pasture for them to browse, but I honestly have no idea if what is out there will be appealing to them. Mostly weeds...... I plan on keeping them in an enclosed yard area for while they are so little. I want to keep my eye on them!

Besides free choice water and baking soda, am I forgetting anything?

I am planning on only vaccinating them for cd&t......

I'd like to make 1 trip to the feed store. I will also be getting them a hay feeding set up of some sort and something for their free choice items and water to go in. Any recommendations on those items?

Any other suggestions are *greatly* appreciated! I'd like to have all the above items on hand prior to getting the girls.

Thanks so much!!

 

[patandchickens]

~Feeding grains of 16% textured premix "Pro-Line Mare & Foal" unless someone can suggest something else to look for.

Is this safe for goats, in terms of copper content? I had always heard not to feed horse feeds to goats?

Not sure,

Pat

 

[looptloop]

Got the recommendation from Molly's website, I'm totally open to suggestions!!

 

[ksalvagno]

If you can find a 16% goat feed, that would be much better.

Are the goats disbudded? I don't know if you care or not if they are but if they are registered and you plan to show them, they must be disbudded to show.

You can find mineral feeders at TSC. They just go up on the wall. You want to give them the loose mineral free choice too.

Goats like weeds so your goats may be in heaven even though you may think it isn't good.

Sounds like you have done a lot of research and planning.

Good luck with your new goats!

 

[looptloop]

Thank you!

Yes, the does are disbudded.

I will look for 16% goat feed for their grains. Thanks for letting me know to let the minerals be free choice as well.

 

[freemotion]

Is anyone ever fully prepared for being owned by goats????

Yay for your goaties, they are super cute!

 

[looptloop]

ETA: I'll update my list so I can print it out for the feed store!

 

[looptloop]

LOL! It's kind of like being prepared for your first human kid.... LOL!!!

 

[glenolam]

If you have a Tractor Supply they sell a great dairy goat mix (brands usually vary by state). I use the non-sweet Dumor brand. TSC also carries a mineral block that is specifically for goats. My goats absolutely love it and can't get enough.

You mentioned hay bale feeders....I found one that I was able to make myself. This wonderful man on goatworld.com actually put up step by step instructions! I was able to do it without any help from the husband and the whole thing cost me about $15 - and that was just to purchase the wood! He does mention using nuts and washers, but, to be very honest with you, I didn't have the time nor the patience. Carpentry is not a strong point and the husband was working so I just decided to dive into the project. You're lucky I found a 12" ruler to measure out the 2x4s! I simply used a nail gun and made sure there were no points sticking out anywhere. It took me about 2 1/2 hrs to do.

Here's the link:

http://www.goatworld.com/articles/feeders/feeder.shtml

When we built the goat barn, I had my husband take his chain saw and cut the whole thing in 1/2 lengthwise and we then screwed it into the wall on either end of the goat barn so everyone had a chance to eat and it took up less room.

Here's a picture (with my doe in front right before she kidded) after we cut it in 1/2 and screwed it into the wall

I forgot to mention I made an attachment in the front of the feeder to hold grain buckets. All I did was cut 2 2x4's the same lenght (about a foot and half long) and cut another peice the length of the feeder - I attached the two smaller peices at either end of the long peice to make a l_____l shape (see my carpentry skills at work) and nailed it to one of the verticle peices at either end. You can buy fence grain buckets at TSC, too, which fit right over the attachment. You can sort of see the red grain bucket by my doe's neck. Sorry about my instructions - I hope you get the point!

If I could make this, so could you! (Or, maybe you have someone very handy...)

 

[freemotion]

Is that a rhinestone collar I see on that doe???? Goat bling! Awesome!!!!