The kids have arrived!

[lilsparrow]

Yes, I seperated Mom from the billy goat about 3 weeks prior to delivery. He was getting really weird with her it was pretty strange. He'd like chase her around the pen, and make this really weird noise and she'd either head butt him away or lay down with all her legs tucked under her. So I took her out. They cried and cried for each other, now I tether her out in the yard and she loves that. And he is happy as long as he can see her. I don't plan to put them back together now that she has the kids. Patch is a male, so I think I will wether him and let him move in with Hoss. We'll see if that works out. Actually, I am going to talk with the vet next time I'm up there about wethering Hoss too. I don't know if its advisable to do that when they are 2 years old though...If its possible, I will put them all back together when Hoss is fixed.

[tammylane17]

Thanks,DAP. We are seeing the same weirdness with our male too. He (Fred) has become very aggressive with her (Ginger). Up until very recently she was the boss of the pen but that has changed in about the last two weeks. He's not hurting her but really bossing her around and making this huffing/grunting sound while kind of charging her but not really hitting her. I've also noticed he has gotten nastier in the last week or two, I'm sure you know what I mean.

We will get this seperated this weekend. Thanks for the input.

Tammy

[crazy1]

OK pholks who breed pharm animals. Once the phemale is breed the male is to be seperated. They are dominant, they can hurt the young. plus their job is done ........now they want to play. Bucking and pushing IS play _{in their world.....}

[Adeltia]

Holy smokes y'all, my male goat is doing the same thing to my bossy female. Its like she gave him back the throne. its weird . He has two other female to play with but he rather bug her...Adelita

[tammylane17]

Thank you Crazy. I should have realized that I just didn't think of it in those terms. I tend to think more emotionally, you know,aw they love each other want to be together, etc. Stupid, I know and I've got to stop it because the plan is to eat some of the animals we are raising or go vegetarian (seriously). I feel that I need to be able to take responsibility for the food on our table for health and ethical reasons. Meaning, I've got to get over the emotions or get over eating meat. Thanks for your input.

Tammy

[crazy1]

Hey, no problem. There is a differance in raising pets and food. Thats all, my dad has a hard time sometimes as well. To me they're just hamburgers/steaks in leather jackets.

[lilsparrow]

I've never eaten goat before, but I am told by lots of pholks 'round here that it is very, very good. I might get there~I'm just not sure. I'm pretty emotional about my animals too.

[KellyGa]

Now thats what its all about! What a wonderful thing to come home to! Congratulations...thats just such a beautiful sight! babies are so sweet!

[lilsparrow]

I took the kids up to the vet to have them disbudded (de-horned) yesterday. Cuddles' horns are still to small so I have to take her back, but he did do Patch. Oh my, I never saw that before, I felt pretty bad, but he was fine again by the time we got home. My car kinda smells tho (like singed hair-yuck!)

[crazy1]

So they burnd them off hey? The smell is bad but it sure beats cutting them. Goats especially, their skulls are thin.

[lilsparrow]

Their skulls are THIN?? My Lord, the way he pushed down on that iron, I kept waiting for him to go right thru!!! It looked like he went awful deep! But, like I said, the little guy did just fine...

[nnbreeder]

You can also buy a caustic paste for disbudding but it won't take care of the scent glands at the base of the horn. As for the agression I was told that right before birth a doe gives off roughly the same scent as when in heat so the buck gets interested. Unless it was time to breed we always kept the bucks in a seperate pasture.

[crazy1]

We can't get that caustic paste here any more.

But I've got a burner for removeing the buttons from the calves.
I don't like cutting horns off. Gotta get that vein out and it sure does get messy. The burning cauterizes the wound and has a way less chance of infection.

[lilsparrow]

I was checking out the rod at TSC after the fact, and they are only $42 for the electric one and $15 for the other (but how do you heat it?!?!?!). I didn't get it though, 'cuz I'm afraid I'll hurt the little things more than necessary. The vet only charged $10 for the dibudding and the tetnus shot, so I don't mind giving him my money!

[crazy1]

The burner I have is heated with butane. Same aslghter fuel. Just press the button and it heats up.

As to you doing it, unless you have alot to do, I'd have the vet do it. You can burn too deep, or not burn out the "heart" of the horn. Then it grows a real screwy lookin thing out of its head.

$10 with the tetnis is a good price n my book.

[lilsparrow]

Yeah, I thought the price was right too. And I have read up on it, and thought the same as you. Why ask fer trouble? It finds me easy enuff that I don't need to go lookin'!