[helskitchen]

Well, we plucked up the courage yesterday to catch the goats for the first time since they arrived and trimmed their feet!  It was a bit nerve-racking and we were so worried we were going to do something wrong, but it went well.  Peter was fairly calm although took the opportunity whenever he felt the grip was loosening slightly to struggle.  Jemima on the other hand was awful!!!  She screamed and fought and shook from head to toe.  We had been told that she was really calm when having her feet trimmed, so hoping that it was just because it was her first time with us.  She is desperate for a bit of a groom but she had had enough really.  She made me feel really guilty!  Have got back ache and a couple of bruises where I got caught with their horns but got it over and done with fairly quick for first-timers.  They seemed to forgive us afterwards when we gave them their treats though!

It can only get better from now on!!   

[little blue]

well done for persevering ... none of ours have ever been co-operative at choropody time!
you'd think they'd appreciate it, but oh no!

[NormandyMary]

How do you know when its time for a pedicure? I keep inspecting the boys but I dont think they need it yet. What precisely should I be looking for?

[little blue]

anything beyind the "boxy" look of a kid.
often, the front gets abit pointy, or the edges will look rough.

get your little lads used to having their feet handled, and the sight of the trimmers (secateurs are good!)
....else you'll have the devil's own job when they really need doing!

[goosepimple]

We cut ours at the end of every month - that way we don't forget and it seems to be regular enough for our goats.  Get all the mud out - you can see quite clearly the nail curling round - it's papery - cut this bit off a leave as flat as possible - we have a bucket of soapy water to give each foot a clean and a nail brush (human kind) to give them a bit of a scrub and an old tea towel to dry them off before spraying each one with an antiseptic spray (purple coloured - it dries like a film on the hoof, for horses too).  We spray them whatever, even if the foot looks good.  Each goat takes about 10 mins and my OH does the cutting while I hold the horns to stop them jumping around (useful to have the horns doing this!).  It's always under duress!  But we keep dried apricots which they devour as a treat afterwards so they think we're nice people again.  Do their feet regularly - it must be one of the most important procedures in goat husbandry, have a good routine and make sure you get in between their toes too, quite often problems start there.