Miscellaneous
Sadie with her sheet coat, windbreaker. I like Jeffers or Weatherbeeta brand dog coats. The one Sadie has on in this pic is Eous brand for mini horses. It doesn't fit right. We get the Columbia Gorge east winds and freezing fog.
I implement a cave system for their sleeping area. Four pet goats sleep in this 10'x10' stall and when they get up they usually leave before urinating. Mostly using the entry area where it is brighter if they do urinate, but the majority of elimination is in the covered loafing area outside the stall where their hay feeder is, which helps to attract them to leave their stall quicker. They are usually out there during the day unless the weather is nasty. I am going to make this stall darker so they are attracted to the light outside even more. I'll see how it goes.
Since Moonbeam is dried up from milking she is in with the pet goats. Ebony and Jasper are in another 10'x10' stall since they bullied Moonbeam too much. They got moved real quick. So Goats are in three separate areas and all is peaceful.
Since Moonbeam is dried up from milking she is in with the pet goats. Ebony and Jasper are in another 10'x10' stall since they bullied Moonbeam too much. They got moved real quick. So Goats are in three separate areas and all is peaceful.
Sadie's Rubbermaid slide lid shed. It faces a stall/loafing area with feeder, and makes a dark cave. When she gets up she is attracted to the light so leaves the cave before she urinates. This eliminates laying on urine/ammonia fume soaked bedding which is not good to breath. This smaller, darker sleeping shed really works well.
Moonbeam is cozy.
Above, Missy before copper. The white in her coat, on her side, is abnormal and she would nearly whiten out if copper wasn't supplemented. This picture was taken a few years ago. Since then I make sure copper levels stay up.
Below, Missy with regular copper. Missy has a natural 'moonspot'.
Below, Missy with regular copper. Missy has a natural 'moonspot'.
So far this winter 2016/2017 it's been down to 16F and some goats shiver so they get a coat.
Above- For a few days Moonbeam had to have two coats. But generally she gets one. Actually one day she had to have three coats, she wouldn't stop shivering with two.
Sadie is due to kid in April 2017.
Roger 17 yrs. old. I've had him for 16 yrs.
He is wearing a sheet coat. He was shivering so bad one day he could barely walk he was so stiff, so he now gets watched closely. The Columbia gorge winds can be really bad at times. He prefers to stand out in the wind despite two different shelters so I have to confine him when it's really bad out. |
Above- Ebony is Sadie's sister. She is 9 yrs. old now, 2017.
Moonbeam meets Felty Belle.
Felty Belle got rejected.
Sadie kidded April 15, 2017. A doe kid. Her name is Josie. She's 16 days old in this pic above.
Below July 15, 2017 Josie is 3 mos. old and I weighed her today and she is 45 lbs. She is growing up so fast.
Josie is sired by Bergie, of course, and is 4 mos. 1 week old, and 61 lbs. in this photo. She is the most active kid I've had. Very athletic and muscular. I gave her mom great prenatal care especially since she was going to kid as a 9 yr. old.
On Sept. 12, 2017- Moonbeam has some dental issues so I am floating her teeth. She can't do horizontal motion and has been on pellets to prevent weight loss. I got a miniature horse wedge gag to keep her mouth open and some teeth rasping tools for miniature horses. So far she is chewing much better after the first treatment but I will go in increments since it is hard on her jaw to stay open very long while she is crunching down hard on the plastic wedge gag. Two minutes at a time will be best. A goats teeth continue to erupt and can get too long. She doesn't fight me, just stands there.
On Sept. 20, 2017- I gave Moonbeam another floating. The outside uppers were really long, to begin with, and needed some more attention, especially the uppers on the left side. Another tooth way back on the bottom right was really long. Before she was only chewing up and down and wouldn't attempt leaves even, now she has good sideways motion and is eating leaves attached to tender branches and is doing great! I am really happy about this. All of the goats except Josie, of course, are aging so I now will have to watch their chewing.
It took about 3 weeks for Moonbeam to realize she could chew normally. She has an excellent fat layer for winter.