bringing home goats/goat diet

Hi! 
I brought my first three goats home today. They are so adorable!  My boys (aged 3 and 5) are totally in love!  They are three super friendly goats...they've been tailing us around the pasture--we've had a great first day!

I have two questions...

first: our wether, Lawrence, is overweight.  There's no nice way to say it...he's fat!!!  I think (and after a trip to blue seal, KNOW) the previous owners were feeding him the wrong grain.  What can I do to trim him down.  He's only a year and a half so he's pretty young and he's gorgeous...I'd love to see him in shape.  Do goats absolutely need the grain or are they okay with just some good hay?  We live on a hay farm so there's plenty of hay for him and also we have more grassy areas for them then their previous owners.  What feed should I be feeding him, if any?

the second question: the kid, Rosie, is 3 months old.  She's cute and spunky and full of herself.  I'm just curious though...every time we introduced her to a new area (inside or out) she SCREAMED.  Like a blood-curdaling goat scream!!!  Is she just nervous?  Should I be doing anything to alleviate her stress?  She seems to not want to get more than a few feet from her mother before she freaks out.  She settles down until we move to another location.  Will this curb as she gets used to us?

Thanks for all your help!  I'm so excited.

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Replies

  • Wethers don't need anything other than pasture or grass hay. Grain and alfalfa can cause urinary stones. As for Rosie, some goats are just nervous about new places. It doesn't matter if you move them across the country or across the road, they freak out. She should calm down in a few days. It's good that she came with her mother. She'd probably be worse without her.
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