The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Other => Topic started by: jameslindsay on July 02, 2009, 06:58:23 am
-
This morning I am heading down to Cumbria to collect my GGG's. I was only after 1 but have been persuaded (as though that was difficult) to take a kid and it's mother. I am looking forward to this new experience and hoping that both settle in with the others very quickly.
-
Golden guernseys are lovely! I have a billy and he's so placid.
Have a lovely trip!
-
Thanks. Rosie, my 12 year old is a GG cross and she is just adoreable. I am hoping that there isn't any fighting with an over protective mum being introduced to strangers.
-
Introducing Lottie and Lulu...
-
They are gorgeous :)
-
Very nice........
I have a Lottie dog and a Lulu sheep!
-
The Pygmy's have been out of their paddock all day enjoying the freedom with Rosie, Toggi, Freddy and Gizmo. So, when we got back here with Lottie and Luly we thought it better to put them in the smaller paddock to settle in. They were fine in here with the rabbit and chooks. When eventually we let the Pygmy's back in all was well and after the introductions thay all settled into their own thing.
I thought it safer to put mum and her baby in a seperate shed, this way she will get peace to feed and settle in. Lottie looks very tired, if that makes sense, after her stressful day and long joureny. Already I have had both them eating from my hand which I am pleased about.
-
Aww fabulous James! Glad you managed to get some- was that from Ann in Dumfries? They both look like nice goats- you could show them!
Remeber its been very hot today, and mum is likely to be feeling the effects of that as well as the stress of travelling, new home etc. Keep a close eye on her- if she is milking heavily her calcium levels could be low as well.
Beth
-
Hi Beth, they were from Anne and Alan Dickinson. Both have had a good night and mum seems much more relaxed today. They are eating well and enjoying meeting all the others. Good luck at your show.
-
What a smashing pair of goats they are.
-
They really have settled in well and I am amazed at how quickly Lottie has become tame. She is still a bit nervous but mostly walks up to us for cuddles and loves being brushed - as do most of the goats actually. Lulu, the baby is still more nervous but not as much as she was. They are beautiful and I look forward to the time when both them are tame and friendly.
-
James,
Did you have any bother with the blue tongue restrictions in place ? We'd love to get some over to Northern Ireland if and when blue tongue dies out.
Cheers
Gavin
-
Gavin - Bluetongue was never mentioned to be honest. Sorry I can't help you any more, we did have the movement papers.
-
There wouldn't be any problem with Blue Tongue restrictions. The Golden Guernseys came from Dumfries, and all of Scotland is deemed as the same Blue Tongue area. Vaccinating for Blue Tongue is not complusary for goats anyway (due to the fact that the vaccine hasn't been tested on goats). It might be an idea to check with Anne and see if she has vaccinated James- although you may not have vaccinated yours either!
The whole stop on exporting to Ireland is very annoying though- I have an adult Anglo Nubian male who a friend in Southern Ireland has first refusal on. But as it stands he would have no way of getting him!
-
Now that the girls have been here a week and are trusting me a bit more I lifted Lotties leg today to check her feet and I am disappointed that the breeder would not have clipped them before collection. To be honest her feet are a damned mess and this hasn't just happened in the last week so my job today is to get her feet sorted out. Lulu, the baby is now starting to loose her fear of us now too and gradually getting just that wee bit closer to us. Before if we touched her while she had her head in a bucket eating she would run off, then she stopped running and would just freeze and stop eating. Now she just cintinues eating and ignores the fact we are touching her and so therefore we are very close to her.
-
Spoke with Mrs Dickinson and both girls have been injected against Blue Tongue. The girl she had I told you about that could not walk on her front legs since giving birth was put to sleep the other day she told me.
-
It does depend on the goat James- some have feet that grow very fast. Some of my AN's have shocking feet if I even leave for only a month. However, that said- I would always cut feet before I sold an animal (unless they were only wee kids). When we had Sandra's goats staying to vist the billy I even made sure I cut her own goats feet immediately before they went back.
Beth
-
Well all the feet are now back to how they should be, Lottie stood quite the thing.
-
Look at the motherly love...
-
How sweet!
-
How are you getting on with your goats, you lucky thing. I want goats but can't at the moment. I have too busy a schedule and have to pay bills. Would love to know about your experience.
Roslyn :chook:
-
All my goats are doing very well thanks. I started with 2 Pygmy goats 3 years ago and from there it has just grown, I now have 13. I think these animals are the most amazing pets you can keep, all mine are pets. They share their space with geese, ducks, hens and miniature shetland ponies and there is never any problems. I think they are loving, nosey, cheeky, boysterous, greedy and incredibly friendly and social. I enjoy all time I spend with them and they are so desperate for your attention. I would happily have many more goats and don't understand these people that say they are more trouble than they are worth. :)
-
I too have 13 goats, and think they are lovely!! OK, they can escape, climb walls but they all are little characters, and I could spend hours just watching them!!
Its sad that all of my goats have come to me because their owner either did not want them any longer, or circumstances stopped them keeping goats.
-
James,
I've been meaning to say, I know someone in Perthshire who has borrowed a Golden Guernsey male for a few months to put her females into kid. Just thought you might be tempted to put in your milker. I can give you her number if you are interested.
Beth
-
Thanks Beth but my girl had a kid this year so have to give her time off and the kid is still too young. I bet had I wanted this to happen I would have strggled to find a male locally, cheers Beth. :)
-
I love Golden Guernsey goats and kept 2 billy's back when we lived in the UK, really friendly and amusing creatures.
Had awful trouble when I tried rehoming them and was told to put them to sleep (by the Golden Guernsey Society) as there are far too many billy's about and they weren't castrated.
I did keep them in the end until the end of their days as they were wonderful pets and great company for my horses.
-
My 2 GG's are beautiful and placid. They are mother and daughter, Lottie is over 2 and Lulu 6 months. They are very calm and gentle although the youngster gets in tow with my 2 Toggenburg kids I have (who must be about 8 months old now) and ends up getting herself in trouble from time to time.