The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Marketplace => Topic started by: shankendfarming on January 30, 2017, 10:47:09 am

Title: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid or lamb, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: shankendfarming on January 30, 2017, 10:47:09 am

Wanted.

A young orphan goat kid. Milk or meat breed or cross accepted. Looking for one to set on to my nanny who's kidded too early so the kid was unviable but she has alot of milk.

Preferably looking as near to the Scottish borders as possible.

Thanks :-)

Title: Re: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: Anke on January 30, 2017, 05:10:18 pm

Just milk her out, goats are incredibly difficult to accept another kid... If you don't want the milk (or don't want to milk her for any length of time) just don't feed concentrate and dry her off gradually.

I do have one due any moment now, but unless she has twin males I won't have anything available.

Title: Re: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: shankendfarming on January 30, 2017, 06:28:56 pm

Thanks for your reply. If you do happen to end up with a spare kid could you let me know please...

The nanny is shouting for a baby so I thought it was worth a go at trying to set one on if I can source one.

I'm milking her just now as my goats are milkers and I ultimately want the milk, just wasn't expecting to be milking so soon!

Thanks :-)

Title: Re: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: Dogwalker on January 31, 2017, 06:53:47 am

"goats are incredibly difficult to accept another kid"

Not always true.  One of mine just lives to mother kids, doesn't matter whose, related or not.
Proved very useful last year when her daughter kidded triplets then was ill with metritis.  They ended up sharing, 
One kid on her mum, one on grandma and one went between the two.

If your want to milk her anyway save yourself the hassle of weaning later, she'll soon settle.

Title: Re: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: landroverroy on January 31, 2017, 01:42:07 pm

You could try an orphan lamb - might be more available than a kid.
I've had a lot of success with a nanny when I had a ewe with quins. (Yes 5!)
Obviously the nanny is not too enthralled to start with and needs holding. But after a bit when both goat and lamb(s) get used to it then it works ok.

Title: Re: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: RichStaffs on January 31, 2017, 04:59:48 pm

I've successfully reared lambs on goats several times, could be worth a try.

Title: Re: Wanted urgently - orphan goat kid, (Scottish Borders)
Post by: shankendfarming on January 31, 2017, 07:50:41 pm

Thank you all for your comments...i will change the title to include orphan lambs too. If I get something and it doesn't work I can still rear an orphan on her milk, but she is very keen to get a baby...she is following a very small hebridean hogg possibly in the hope that the hogg will take her as a mum!!