Bringing Home Your New Goat Kids
Congratulations! You are the proud “parent” of one of the best pets you will ever own!
Make sure your new goats have a comfortable and safe pen to spend their first weeks/months of life. Please keep in mind the following things:
Baby goats need temperatures of at least 55 degrees or warmer for their first month of life.
Goats do not like rain!
Newborn goats may be scared and timid – holding them a lot will help to create the bond with you.
Babies should not stay outside at night until at least 1 month old.
The Goat Pen (Indoors and Outdoors)
Make sure they feel safe and sheltered in their pen – whether indoors or outdoors.
Their pen does not have to be fancy, but they should have protection from rain, wind and cold.
Your pen should have a small enclosed area within it for them to sleep.
Igloo dog houses are great for this purpose as it has the entrance to provide extra shelter from wind.
Outdoors, a three-sided shelter is not enough for a goat kid. They need four walls and a roof.
Remember they will be very small, so any small gap of 3 ½ inches will be enough for them to squeeze through or get stuck! Keep them safe and contained.
Include a few things for them to climb and jump on and off or they will get bored and loud!
Make sure they have access to Costal Bermuda hay and water right away.
They have an intense feeding schedule at the beginning, so get ready!
You will need a bottle for each goat.
The nipples should be cut to 1/16-1/8 of an inch for the formula.
You can get goat kid bottles on Amazon or at Tractor Supply.
REMEMBER, they have not had anything but mom to feed them so the first 24-48 hours they will fight you on drinking from the bottle...but don't worry...We have not had a goat starve itself yet.
When they are hungry they will eat. Do not offer them the milk in-between the normal schedule, and do not try to force feed them (this is hard.) You want them to be hungry when you offer the bottle to them... Remember to open their mouth with your thumb then insert the bottle when they are being trained. Be sure to hold them against your body to make them feel safe and secure.
If they spit out or chew on the nipple, try again. You don’t have to force feed them – they will come around. I have had a stubborn kid take up to 5 days to take a bottle, don’t panic - they won’t starve.
Formula Varieties
Remember every goat is different. 95% of goats will be fine on any of the three options below. Sometimes a goat can’t do any replacer. See fine print below!
Option 1 – Whole Cow’s Milk
This is what most breeders prefer.
Option 2 - DIY Formula (if they won’t drink the cow milk)
1 gallon whole cow’s milk
1 12 oz can evaporated milk (DO NOT USE condensed milk)
1 cup of buttermilk.
Buttermilk has more fat content than straight cow’s milk.
Evaporated milk gives the formula a creamier flavor that simulates mama’s milk.
Option 3 - Store bought Milk Replacer
Make sure it is Goat Kid Replacer and not an all purpose formula
Advance is a good milk replacer, but it is pricey
Lowest price is Sav-a-Kid and not recommended.
Dumor is a step up from Sav-a-Kid, but not great.
Mix with water (mix according to package instructions)
Do not feed per package instructions which are for full size goats’ kids (Boer goats)
People have had kids die of bloat from using milk replacer because lactose does not break down during the drying process, this means that the lactose content is higher (in respect to the fats and enzymes that help to digest it) in reconstituted dry milk than it is in store bought cow's milk. High levels of lactose can cause bloat in lambs and kids, and therefore death. This doesn’t happen often, but if you chose milk replacer, you should watch for it.
Option 4 – Mixture of Milk Replacer and Whole Cow Milk
If your kids’ poops are runny from formula, then try mixing it with whole milk. Poops should be pellets and not soft.
Mix equal parts whole milk and milk replacer
Weaning
Weaning baby goats from bottle feeding is just a matter of gradually reducing the amount of milk and the number of bottles you are giving your babies each day. If you’re at two feedings a day, drop it to one. Then eventually drop that one feeding altogether.
You can also reduce the amount of milk at each feeding before you start reducing the number of feedings, giving them two bottles a day at first, but only filling those bottles with half as much milk. Then drop one feeding, and eventually drop the second feeding. What to feed baby goats when weaning: be sure that you have plenty of fresh water and hay available for them.
We don’t let our babies out to pasture prior to about three months because we have coyotes and bobcats in our area and, despite the protection they have, we like the kids to be a little bigger. By letting them start on pasture around the same time you wean them, the distraction of going out on an adventure with the herd, as well as the extra food they’re taking in from the grass and plants, helps to reduce the complaining on their part.
What Comes Next?
Once your babies are weaned, they will still stay under your feet sweet, but you do need to give them love and attention. They stay sweet with daily handling. We recommend keeping their environment stimulating, visiting them often, providing scratching surfaces and toys and plenty of love and attention. Please visit the FAQ page for some general tips on how to best care for your goats, troubleshoot their issues, and continue your journey!
Enjoy!
FAQs
DISCLAIMER: please read before using this information.
Any information listed below is for general educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice, medical opinion, diagnosis or treatment. Any information provided is not a substitute for actual medical attention. Always promptly consult your licensed veterinary health-care professional for your goat’s medical advice and treatment.
Can a goat be housebroken?
No. Goat’s bowel movements are small pellets. Goats are ruminants. Ruminants have a 15-second cycle where their stomachs roll and push the food from one stomach to the other and slowly out through the intestinal tract and out the back door and so for that reason, there’s no control. As the food gets processed through from one stomach to the other and out, it just moves out the other end. The goat doesn’t have any control over that movement.
How do goats do in Texas heat?
Since Nigerians are originally from Africa, they do very well in our heat. You must provide them with shade and water. The cold is harder on them than the heat and shelter is needed for temperatures at freezing level. A heat lamp is needed for the babies when it drops below 50 degrees or for a newborn, just below 60 degrees .
What shots do goats get?
The primary shot they need is a CDT shot. It is a clostridial vaccine that protects against Clostridium perfringens types C and D (overeating disease) and Clostridium tetani (tetanus). It's a crucial part of goat health management, as these clostridial diseases can be fatal and cause sudden death. Shots are given 4-6 weeks, a month later, and then yearly.
Do goats need vitamins?
Yes, Goats need copper in their system. A good salt brick and mineral block, or loose minerals will help them increase their thirst and make them drink more water which is really good for them.
Do I need to deworm my goat?
Yes, we give them a wormer and we try to watch their diet and make sure that their eyes are clear and their coat looks shiny. If their coat is fading, it’s breaking, if it’s dull, if you see them scrubbing against the fence all the time like they’re itchy, there’s probably something wrong. The larger the herd the more often you have to worm. Look for these symptoms and worm when necessary. I recommend at least once a year or more depending on the size of your herd. Tractor Supply has goat worm pellets that can be given as a meal.
What are signs my goat might be sick?
Nigerian Dwarf goats are very hardy. It helps to observe your goat's daily habits so that if your goat is acting strange you will notice it right away. There are certain things that you should be on the look out for:
Going "off his feed" (although during very hot weather this is not uncommon for a day or two)
No longer running and playing
Standing hunched up with his tail drooping
Diarrhea, loose and/or mucous
A high temperature-normal goat body temperature is about 102.5. It is a good idea to take your goat's normal body temperature as a baseline.
Any or all of these symptoms may indicate a serious health problem.
Is coughing and sneezing normal in goats?
Goats don’t get colds, so if they’re coughing and sneezing, there’s something wrong. They are susceptible to pneumonia, which can be treated early on by a dose of penicillin. Hay can get caught in their throat and causes them to cough. Some goats can have allergies, but if they are coughing more than a few days, take them to your vet.
What’s the best all around diet for my mature goats?
The healthiest diet for a goat is being out on open pasture and being allowed to eat green fresh grass and weeds and shrubs and bushes, this gives them exercise and good nutrition at the same time.
Full access to Coastal hay and minerals and measured grain twice a day, all fed off the ground, will keep them healthy.
Occasional treats are OK but a fat goat has problems giving birth and males run into urinary tract problems. Try to avoid processed “people” food - it is just unnecessary.
Nursing females need more food. Typically ½ cup of grain for mature goats but when nursing it could be increased to a full cup. Males breeding need more like 2 cups of grain.
How can I tell if my goat is too fat?
A healthy goat should have a smooth, even body shape, with the backbone and ribs still visible but not prominent. Overweight goats may have a rounded belly and less defined body structure. Feel the backbone, ribcage and area between ribs and hip bones. You should be able to feel the bones using gentle pressure.
Should I dehorn my goat?
This is a personal decision. We don’t disbud our non-registered goats - the horns help to give off heat, but registered goats can not be shown with horns. To ensure they are loved and cared for throughout their life, we do disbud all registered kids. If you want to disbud, it must be done between 4 and 12 days before the horns have attached to the skull. This is best done by your vet. I do not recommend doing this yourself unless you have been trained by someone experienced. When you have them disbudded, be prepared with a bottle and a lot of hugs. It is not uncommon for disbudding to not completely take and your goat can grow scurs. Keep an eye on them, but it should not cause any issues.
Do we have to trim the goat’s feet?
Yes, as they grow older the outer part of the hoof grows too long and needs to be clipped off. Standard clippers from Tractor Supply can help you do this. If you have the goats in a stone like environment much of their hooves will wear down naturally and this makes the trimming less often. You need to trim them every six to eight weeks.
Do goats have teeth and will they eat anything?
Goats have teeth primarily on the bottom. They have front teeth on the bottom only. They have back teeth both bottom and top in the back molar area later in life. They will put most things in their mouths to taste it, and spit them out if it is not what they can (or want to) eat.
How long will my goat live?
Nigerian Dwarf goats typically live between 10 and 15 years - some living up to 22 years.
Do goats need shelter?
Yes, it doesn’t have to be fancy but they should have protection from the rain, wind and cold. This is particularly important for newborns. A 3 sided shed is not adequate. They need four walls with a door and a roof. It can be an igloo dog house, these work well as it has the extended entrance to provide extra shelter from the wind.
Can I bottle feed a newborn?
Bottle feeding is the best way to get a goat to bond with you, but do not take them from their mother the first 24 hours as they need the colostrum from her first milk. Then bottle feed them with a kid replacement product before you switch to formula or cow milk. The best time to remove them from the mom is between 5-7 days. If mom rejects her babies it is critical you milk her to get the colostrums from her to feed her babies. She only makes this the first 24 hours after birthing the kids, so milk her immediately after birthing if she rejects her kid(s.)
When will the baby goat be weaned by its mother?
Normally within 2 to 3 months. If they don’t cut the baby off, you can separate them. Make sure the baby has lots of water, hay and some grain to keep it full.
Can I overfeed a newborn?
Yes, It is difficult not to put a bottle in its mouth every time a kid cries, but they will die if you over-feed them. If you encourage them and push them to eat more and they eat 8 ounces of milk when their digestive tract is only used to 5 or 6, they will get loose bowels which can develop into a disorder called scours - the poop turns to white water. In 24 hours your baby can die.
After the first week put a little bit of hay in with the baby, just some little leaves and a little shallow bowl of water that they can’t get in and drown, and let them be a tiny bit hungry in between meals. They get fed three times a day at this age. In our part of the country Coastal hay works best for the goats of all ages.
What is the rumen?
The rumen is their digestive system… they have four stomachs and no stomach acid as people do. They have stomach bacteria levels and different grades of contraction in different stomachs. So when they eat, the first…everything, they just pick it up, they just swallow it practically whole and it goes into the first stomach and it’s worked on by the bacteria and then eventually it’s regurgitated, which sounds horrible, but the goats seem to enjoy it. And they chew their cud, which is where their cud comes from. They swallow it, the second time they swallow it, it will go into the next stomach and so on and so forth and their bacteria levels in there are friendly bacteria. We have the bacteria floras along with the acids in our systems, but goats don’t have the acids, they only have the bacteria, so it’s important for them to have a good balance in there.
Ruminants include any of various hoofed, even-toed, usually horned mammals of the suborder Ruminantia, such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels, deer, and giraffes. In that company, it is easy to see why sheep and goats are often referred to as "small ruminants." They characteristically have a stomach divided into four compartments and chew a cud consisting of regurgitated, partially digested food.
How soon can I breed my does?
When they are at least 80% of their full growth. This will vary somewhat between animals but usually between nine months to one year old. Reduce the amount of grain the pregnant does get during pregnancy so they don’t get overweight which is dangerous for them. Make sure they get plenty of fresh minerals and clean water. A typical goat mature in age will drink a gallon of water a day. Goats will deliver between one to four goats. Do not breed them if they are related to one another or have genetic defects that you should not pass down.
Do Billy goats have a “rut” or season they go into and want to breed?
Nigerian Dwarf bucks typically go into rut, which is a hormone-induced state, in late summer and early fall, with the peak typically occurring from late August through early January. While they can cycle and be bred year-round, their breeding interest is most pronounced during this period.
How often do does come into season?
Once mature, and this varies starting from 5 months to a year. They will come into season every 21 days until they are pregnant.
How can I tell when my pregnant female is ready to deliver her babies?
Check out our full blog post on this here. Goats have a 5 month gestation period, so mark your calendar and keep watch!
Do goats like toys?
They love things to climb on, but not literal toys like what small children would like. If given dog houses to sleep in they will play on those and jump from one to another.
Do goats do well with other animals?
Yes! However, certain dogs are dangerous to put with goats as they might be more predatory. Think security dogs…
Horses generally enjoy the goats company but let them get to know each other across the fence for a few days before putting them together.
Can my goats share pasture with other animals?
Yes, Nigerian Dwarf goats can generally share a pasture with other animals, but chicken food is toxic to goats, goats and sheep can share some internal parasites, and so on - so consider the specific needs and temperaments of each animal, and ensure adequate space, shelter, food, water, and parasite control measures are in place.
Can my Nigerian get parasites?
Yes, Nigerian Dwarf goats are susceptible to parasites, both internal and external. They can be affected by worms, mites, lice, and other parasites. While they may be more resistant to some types of parasites compared to other goat breeds, they are still vulnerable.
Can I have just one goat?
No - goats are a social herd animal and will not do well alone. Responsible breeders will not sell you a single goat unless they have proof that you have more goats at home.