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Author Topic: Introducing kids with other goats  (Read 3247 times)

maybelle

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • worcestershire
Introducing kids with other goats
« on: April 25, 2011, 09:28:53 pm »
My kids were born last Tuesday. They come in at night, they go in a fenced off area with their mom in the day. I was just wondering when to introduce them with the other goats (two nannies one 13 months old and one 6 years old) Thanks  :wave:

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2011, 09:52:44 pm »
I let mine mix (on a nice day - as everyone does their own thing on a good day) at about 3/4 days, - mine are pygmy's, but are pretty nippy and very quickly get to know who is who and who to avoid!!. We had good weather so have been very lucky with letting them mix but in bad weather I probably would have been driven crazy with trying to keep bullying/pecking order to a min. I hope you have good weather...
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2011, 10:59:41 pm »
If they are with their mum,  I do not worry too much .......they make sure no one touches their kids - woe betide anyone who wants to try!!!  If there is any trouble, the kids soon know to run out of the way!!  None of our kids have ever been injured by the other goats when they  were introduced, andf within a few days all is well!!!

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2011, 09:50:40 am »
ahh good question, but firther to this, when woudl be bbest to introduce my hand rearers to the grown up heard? i was thinking at about 3- 4 months, does that sound about right?

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2011, 11:31:56 am »
Again, on a nice day, you could try mixing them now for short periods of time. The trouble with your hand rearers is that they don't have a mum to protect them, and if your other goats are the goatlings, they will probably be desperate to beat up the kids (no matter how nice natured they are, it's intinctive to want to beat up the ones inferior to you). Having said that, the kids will be agile enough to keep out of the way.

I would probably leave it until the are 3-4 months as you say. We normally leave ours until the kids go down to only getting 2 feeds of milk a day. No sesne in making extra work by having to extract kids from a big field with adult goats getting in the way just for you to give them their lunch! It also helps it they know not to expect lunch, when they are out for the day grazing, as then they won't hang around the gate looking for you and for lunch. Teachs to go off and spend the day out in the field with their herd.

Beth

maybelle

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • worcestershire
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2011, 11:42:24 am »
Thanks all. Think I will give it a go, but will watch them to start with to make sure all is well. Its all new to me this being my first time.  :)

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2011, 08:56:42 pm »
My introductions will be interesting this year, as my two BT goatlings beat the hell out of the GG's if given then chance, their mum just goes off and does her own thing, she's decided they are not her responsibility anymore... So even at the moment the milkers go out from 11 until 4, then it's snack time, and then the BT milker and her two goatling daughters go out for another two hours (the goatlings are fairly rotund at the moment, so no problem in leaving them with only hay during most of the day).

Will probably have a few mixed sessions once the kids are on two bottles, and then see how thw goatlings behave.

maybelle

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • worcestershire
Re: Introducing kids with other goats
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2011, 11:56:44 am »
That doesn't sound good them beating up each other. That sounds odd mum just leaving them to go and do her own thing. I hope it goes well when I put them out with them. I will be going to check all the fencing as with them being small i bet they can escape easily !

 

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