Picky goats...imagine that...

Duckfarmerpa1

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Hi everyone! A bit of background on my does first...I’m new to goats..we got them in August from a bad farmer who went to jail for neglect. As excited newbies we bought a buck right away in hopes of kids. Busty was in heat in mid Sept and I never saw her go into heat again. Stormy I never saw go into heat. I tested both. Busty tested positive. After everything, it was probably good, because it seems as though it mat be Busty’s second freshening, due to her teat size, etc. We are guessing on ages. She in a Nigerian Dwarf mix..maybe a “planer” I was told? Stormy is a Pygmy mix. She seems to be around 1. Both had never been handled and were extremely skittish.

So I did a ton of reading up on goat feed and wanted to try to mix my own...we tried it a few different ways. Believe it or not, the people in the local feed stores don’t even sell anything but sweet feed. TS is more than an hour away. My hubby’s sister has a store and she also sells feed. Just sweet. Anyways..I was doing a mix of Dumor goat, BOSS, oats, soybean meal, beet pulp..and a tiny bit of sweet feed because I had it left over. Then I found thegoatspot forum..they we’re giving me a lot of tips, etc.

Oh..big thing..alfalfa hay if very hard to come by if our area. Our farm pasture is Timothy hay. We buy mixed grasses...but have to drive 63 miles one way for alfalfa hay and it’s $9. Is that what pay? My girls don’t even love it. I don’t think they ever had it at the old farm. But I’m pushing it now dipped to being pregnant. Plus..as a Busty is growing...so is Stormy...hmmm. I ordered more pregnancy kits. I think it was too early for her. I think a Busty is due mid Feb.

Anyways..the picky part..so, the people at goatspot said ditch my feed mix Because it will make the kids too big. I switched to alfalfa pellets and oats two weeks ago. They hate it. I thought they didn’t like the change.. you know how they hate change...lol. As I’ve learned. But, they pick out the oats, and leave most of the pellets. Don’t get me wrong..they are sting pretty chunky monkeys...:). No..one the score there fine, I can feel their spine and ribs.

So, do I just wait it out...I feel like a bad mom!! I was always the mom that, kinda sorta...bended a bit...should I add a little pellets and less alfalfa?

They were always big eaters now they don’t finish their grain. :(. Busty is the brown one...Stormy is black..she has pink on due to hunting season..they have leads on since they are still skittish. Busty is standing on her brother Jumbo our pot belly pi to get hay...:lol:
PS...sold the buck..he was a good looker...Nigerian Dwarf..but a handful
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MiniSilkys

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I feed my goats bermuda. Mixed grasses from the fields and saved grass clippings. When they are pregnant I feed a mixture of goat pellets, alfalfa/oat pellets, sweet feed, and a little or either wheat, corn, or whole oats. But only 1 or 2 cups twice a day. This year I got 4 sets of twins and 1 set of triplets from 5 does. I have pygmy/Nigerian mixes. Don't forget some goat minerals.
 

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