Or the Purina?

I have been providing them goat minerals, orchard hay, and starter feed as well as a bucket of fresh water since they were 3 weeks old but they don’t ever touch any of it. Would be hesitant to give sugar in the water all the time. I see that the Purina Grower does (which I did not buy), but he Goat Feed does not. I didn’t think you advocated medicated food at all, but I did read in your response to Maranda, that medicated food or minerals may be beneficial for three weeks during the stressful time of moving and leaving their mama. The local county extension agent or water quality district should be able to test the water to determine mineral content. So, what about our Pygora fiber goats? Your goat will know that it's the same thing, and will hopefully start to drink the water!

Kristin. Pet wethers are very easy keepers because they’ve got a pretty stress free life and are not producing anything (sperm, milk, or babies).

Well water in many areas is high in sulfur, iron, or calcium, which inhibits the absorption of other minerals, such as copper, leading to deficiency. It sounds as though I should discontinue this aspect of their diet, and I am wondering if you have any advice that you could share for doing so? You had posted that I think it was Purina (?) We recently had to put a pet goat down because we could not keep her healthy. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Try putting your finger in the water, under the surface and let your boys suck your finger and see if that helps. Despite the small size of pygmies, they can be used as sufficient dairy animals. Zinc deficient goats lose hair in patches and foam at the mouth. How to encourage your goats to drink more water every day, Tip #2  Keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter, How Much Water Does My Animal Need? And they need something for water that they can't knock over, because they will find it oh-so-fun to do so. However, they do eat/lick the dirt a lot. I am a redneck frugal living goat owner and I am working everyday towards living a more simple life.

Five weeks is not that bad, if it was just done when you picked them up. If he’s not eating much minerals, it’s probably because he doesn’t need much. Maybe they’d be more likely to try it if it’s in your hand. Is it okay to give my goat tea everyday with sugar? They won't drink water unless it's very clean. Iodine listed iron in the ingredients but not ppm so I’m not sure how much of that is in it, but I’ve ask. Thank you. It is a lot of change for the little ones!

Then we rescued our fourth. By following these tips, you can be sure that you are doing what you can to ensure that your goats are getting the minerals they need.

I’m sure you’ll have even more questions when the kids arrive.

Since their head is at about the same level as their back end, some people will put a cinder block next to the mineral feeder so the goats can put their front hooves on it to reach the minerals. (Besides the fact that they are just so cute!). Listen, the last thing we want on a hot summer day is warm water. There seem to be a lot of options and I’m not sure what to select.

They are not producing sperm or babies or milk, so their nutritional needs are very minimal. If you want to provide additional supplements for your goats, they should be provided in separate containers as shown in the photo above. They’ve been eating hay and whatever else their mother was eating. You also have no copper antagonists, so they should not have secondary copper deficiency. You should NOT provide medicated minerals or medicated feed to milk goats. He eats fine, and he's doing well, but he doesn't drink water... what would be the best way to teach him to drink water? If goats become deficient in minerals, they will have a variety of issues. Because goats in the wild are not fenced in. Thank you!

If they’ve been with mom in a pasture, they’ve been doing that since they were a few days old and started imitating her. (Click here to see pictures of a buck who is copper deficient.) When you purchase a goat, it’s always a good idea to check for anemia using the FAMACHA scoring method.

Eventually, he will catch on but remember it may take a bit. Drink that over other options and you will be healthier and ward off illness. The number one most important thing you can do to make sure your goats or any animal for that matter is able to fend off illness is to always provide FRESH water. Thank you for all of the information that you provide!

You should NOT be adding minerals to the goat feed. You don’t put it in a bucket. You can expect them to get excited when they see you. It drives me nuts when I see people saying that you need so many supplements and so much stuff. I like to have one water source per 2 goats. We keep our three wethers with an old Arabian horse. Pygmy does that have babies they are nursing will need additional water to produce the large amounts of milk that they make. I have a 3.5 month old bottle fed baby goat. In the past, when I have noticed they are becoming copper deficient, I would give them a dose of Replamin Gel Plus and it would clear it up almost immediately. The other 3 goats are doelings. To prevent accidental breeding, separate bucks and does when they are 8 weeks old as there are a few documented cases of goats breeding that soon. Well, I believe as, with people, water is the magic ingredient to a healthy lifestyle. Typically, the more kids, the smaller they are in size. Sudden dietary changes can upset their rumen. I know that Sweetlix Meat Maker and Purina Goat both have more than enough copper in them.

HELP!!!! How do you know if your land is suitable for Goat Grazing? You don't have to teach it to drink water. that will help them drink the water. I had it happen in the past and the Replamin worked wonders and they had a beautiful black smooth coat in days. If you’re in Georgia, you have access to peanut hay, which is a legume like alfalfa, so is only for does in milk. Pygmy goats are a popular breed of goat to raise due to their social nature and small size. I have two bottle babies….they will be 4 weeks old this weekend (6/6/20). Depending on the soil in your area, there may be enough minerals to support your goats. They also said to ease into foraging outside (which makes sense)—all in the name of not taxing their rumen, or stressing them out. Only does in milk need grain. Pygmies reach sexual maturity at as early as 4-5 months of age. For a few decades now, the grassfed cattle people have been providing each of the minerals in a separate dish so that the cattle can pick and choose exactly what they want. Like I said goats are finicky and it might take them a time or two before they try it and see they love it. We are committed to their care, and I have the book you referenced on raising goats naturally, but asking someone in practice could be so helpful! At the risk of asking you to repeat information you’ve already written about, I’d like to describe our specific situation… Yesterday we brought home 3 ND kids—two doelings and a wether—siblings about 11 weeks old . As I understand: nursing and milk goats benefit from grain and alfalfa. From growing their own food, making their own cleaning supplies, cutting back, and paring down. What is a good one? We have changed the water a couple of times and put their noses by it to encourage them but they are having nothing of it!

Never mind, I reread and I’m clear on the sweet feed now just still trying to figure out the copper part.

Is there any way to entice them to start eating the minerals without restricting them to a certain area? The pasture that our goats are on also happens to be where our well head is at and we have high iron/sulfur water.