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Author Topic: Goat Daily Routine  (Read 5999 times)

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Goat Daily Routine
« on: July 24, 2010, 09:08:31 pm »
Hi

I am new here, so firsty a big HELLO!  :)

I have recently become the owner (or do they own me? LOL!) 2 female Kids. They are getting nice and freindly, and I was wondering what sort of daily routines do others follow, and how do I get them to settle in the paddock during the day? thanks  :)

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2010, 09:33:27 pm »
Hi and welcome, goat (kids) are addictive!!!! What breed are they?

Daily routine really depends on if you are around during the day or out mostly. I work on the holding, so am able to let the goats out at around 10am (after they had a good feed of hay), and if it rains put them back into their shed. If you are out, it would be advisable to have some shelter for them during the day if it rains.

But for kids it is quite easy, some concentrate in the morning, hay freely available all day, mine at the moment still get some at lunchtime too, and some dinner. However over the autumn you can reduce the concentrate, introduce some sugar beet shreds (soaked) and also other fruit/veg cut up into thin sticks for example. Othe rthan that good hay, and if they are inside all day some exercise at some point during the day would be good, mine are taken out for walks on the lead, especially if they don't get out earlier during the day because of the weather.

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2010, 11:00:51 pm »
Hello Mays and welcome!

Glad to hear you have got your kids- they are lovely when they are young. Everyone's daily routine will be different, and will depend on your circumstances, how much land you have, and what other animals you have. We have 3 male kids, and they get milk heated up for them first thing, they get their milk and go out into our tiny paddock. The goatlings get thrown into the real field, with no concentrates (but hay available). Then our adults get milked, the female kids get fresh milk straight from them, and then the kids go out into the field, while the milkers eat some breakfast. If the rain is really bad they all stay in, but it has to be really wet for us to not put out the boy kids. Then the milkers go out by about 9am as well. All the females are out in the field all day together, so the kids learn quite young to go off and graze. We bring them all in around 6:30 pm, and move the male kids into the bigger field, where they stay until 10/11/12pm.
Adults are milked again at about 8pm, and the kids once again get warm fresh milk. Then everyone gets concentrates, and hay topped up.

My mum is at home during the day, so if there is a torrential downpour she can get them in, but they do have a wooden shed in both the bigger field, and the tiny paddock.

Beth

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2010, 12:01:13 pm »
o really interesting thank you!

I am home all the time, I have horses & plenty of land. I have two paddocks fenced for them, but have (probably wrongly) got them into a bit of a habit of having a play free on the yard (they can not escape as it is gated) while I muck out my stables, which is fun for them, but I really need them to go in the paddock so they are uber safe for the day.

I have also built an enclosure for them which is directly adjacent to the yard, however I can not use that until the grass is established - another month or two off yet.

I have had them on collars and lead them a little too, I plan to show them over the next few weeks :dunce:

I give them milk replacer morn & eve, and feed them also twice a day, tehy have adlib hay, and everone that visits me is introduced to them as standard  ;D

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2010, 04:19:22 pm »
They sound like they are living the life of Riley!

Whereabouts are you? Which shows are planning on going too?

Which reminds me- I need to ask Anke if she is going to Kelso next week....


Beth

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2010, 10:09:11 pm »
Hi Beth, yes planning to come, with the two BT kids and my GG goatling. Only bringing the goats on Sat morning, but will come round on Fri pm to check out the pens and maybe watch the eve milking but have to go back and milk mine at home).

Hoping for nice weather!

Anke

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2010, 11:36:20 pm »
I hope we get good weather for Kelso too, though to keep you optimistic, we are often fortunate with the weather there. Last year we had an almighty thunderstorm on the Friday evening, which was entertaining. Are you bringing the children with you on saturday? I will have one of my 7 year old neices with me from Friday, and the other 3 neices are coming on Saturday as well.


Beth

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2010, 12:34:52 pm »
hi I am taking them to Turriff and Black isle  ;D

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2010, 05:31:15 pm »
Oh- I will be at the Black Isle too, so should see you there! Are you doing the double show, or just the Thursday?


Beth

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2010, 09:07:03 pm »
Hi, yes the girls will be with me on Saturday, probably Gerald (and maybe even the dog too!). But we leave the pigs and sheep at home....
Just in the middle of an almighty tayberry jam making job....

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2010, 09:28:59 am »
Oh- I will be at the Black Isle too, so should see you there! Are you doing the double show, or just the Thursday?


Beth

i have entered both, but I want to get my horse into his class on the weds afternoon, and unfortuntely I dont think I will have an assistant to help me achieve this, so I may leave the goats at home on the Weds, and bring them up for Black Isle on Thurs  :horse: :goat:

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2010, 10:28:17 pm »
What time is the Horse's class on? Both judges (I can't remember which one is judging which day) are pretty quick, and should be finished by 2 pm at the latest, possibly even by 12noon if there isn't many there.


Beth

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Goat Daily Routine
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2010, 09:36:16 pm »
What time is the Horse's class on? Both judges (I can't remember which one is judging which day) are pretty quick, and should be finished by 2 pm at the latest, possibly even by 12noon if there isn't many there.


Beth

will be a long day for the horse as he will have to stand on the wagon all day, so decided to do Weds with horse and then Thurs with the goats... that way - no stressing !

 

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