The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: toaster on April 27, 2012, 11:19:44 pm
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I have two pygmy goats. They are friendly but dont like being handled much (our fault for not handling them more as kids)
Up till now we have trimmed their feet with one of us holding them in our arms and the other clipping
But they are now getting too big for that to be practical
Can I ask if people normally clip their goat's feet with then standing (like a horse) or with them tipped (like a sheep) is there an accepted way to do it or is it down to whats easiest for the handler and the goat?
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My first goat always stood to have her hooves trimmed. Her daughter prefers to lie down. We just lift one hoof and lean on her a bit and down she goes. She lies on her side with her legs sticking out and I just grab whichever one I want. My youngest has only had hers done once so far and my OH lifted her up but she's getting heavier now.
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Mine stand (reluctantly) while OH holds them. I stand astride the back legs and use my knees to keep the leg steady, so they can't kick about too much.
I've read that it hurts them to tip them on their rumps like sheep.
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i trim mine while there standing,don't like the thought of tipping them up.
all ours have collars on so just time them up.
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We do them tied up on the milking stand , one person holding them still while the other fights the kicks.
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Yes, I do them on the milking stand too, lift the feet like a horse.
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I use a headstand with OH standing to side to stop them dancing about.
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I do the 2 milkers on the milking stand while they eat, Reggie the big wether stands whilst anchored to the fence and the kid is being handled regularly and I check his feet every few days just to get him used to them being looked at/touched.
When I got my first 4 they hated being handled which was not ideal as I'd never trimmed feet before so I did it by bribery (rich tea) a little bit after each foot and I trimmed their feet a little bit but more frequently than usual - now they don't mind at all and just stand there!
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Goats have quite bony rumps so I imagine it would be uncomfortable but Pom is happy lying on her side with someone holding her there.
We were doing it in our tiny conservatory/milking parlour one time and my OH and a friend were doing the holding. OH had the head end and the friend was lying down with her head and shoulders on Pom's rump. Suddenly Pom did a very smelly poo, friend's face went PURPLE. she couldn't even move as Pom would have got up. I laughed so much I couldn't carry on trimming so friend had to stay there even longer.
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Thank you all, I am gald that people havee varying ways of dealing with this and I wasnt missing something obvious!
I think we will try the lying down method and see how we go, my hubby isnt massively practical but I am sure he can hold down a goat ;D