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     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 1545 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.215.105  Rating: N/A |
Electric hog mats (do a search for Stanfield hog mats) are great for warmth, its how I keep newborns warm in January in a barn with no doors.... NO HEAT LAMPS!!! Too dangerous. Finish closing in the porch. Then you can lock the two bullies into the barn and leave the closed in porch for Fred. Or divide the barn into 2 or 3 closable stalls (Cattle Panel works great but put indoor/outdoor carpeting up on the panels between the stalls as a sight barrier), the 2 bullies locked into bigger one and Fred in the other, or separate stall for all three.... Hang a hay bag (not a net but a canvas BAG that has a single hole in the side) and a small water bucket for midnight snacking. Bed the stalls well. Even shy goats learn very guickly that the meanies have been locked up for the night and come snuggle down in their own personal space. Stalls open during the day. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Lee Ann Corbett New member Username: laturcotte Post Number: 13 Registered: 09-2006 Posted From: 24.60.122.17 Rating: N/A |
Thank you. I sat in the barn for 2 hours last night to watch their interactions, froze my toes off. Fred always hides behind me when I'm with them. My husband says the other two probably think of him as a sissy boy!! hahah Last night was the worse Caboose (the alpa) has been he tried to push through me to get to him. The minute I would step aside he would come after him. I finally had to go in the house so I just shut the light off and left, not sure where he slept. Looks like he might have found a corner in the porch away from any wind. I thought about putting doors on the lean-to and letting Fred sleep there, closing him in at night. Then I can close the other two in the barn at night. During the day just let them hang together. If they don't have each other for heat how the heck do they survive a freezing night or worse consecutive freezing nights?? | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 1544 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.215.105 Rating: N/A |
Someone on one of the email lists I'm on suggested a zip up winter coat. You can get them cheaper at Goodwill. Close off the rest of the porch provide a deep bed of straw for insulation from the ground. One or both of the other goats may be keeping him out of the barn. Hopefully they will eventually work it out. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Lee Ann Corbett New member Username: laturcotte Post Number: 12 Registered: 09-2006 Posted From: 24.60.122.17 Rating: N/A |
They finally started going all the way into the barn. I also started to shut the light off. Here is another problem. We were able to close off some of the porch but one of the goats (Fred)either will not or the alpha won't let him sleep in the barn, he sleeps by the opening of the porch. However, this morning i got up to a temp of about 17 degrees. My husband fed them grain and he got up to eat but when I went out for my morning check and to give them their morning hay he was laying inside the closed porch shivering. He was shivering so bad I put my coat over him and started to rub him to warm him up. If he gets cold enough will he go into the barn for warmth. The other two sleep together touching for heat but Fred has no one. He has a very heavy thick coat but I don't think its enough. Is he to big (140lbs) for a goat coat or shouldn't I bother? When I go out to the barn, the alpha doesn't pick on him. I make sure they have hot water every morning, and before bed. I feel so bad and it's not even winter yet. | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 1539 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.215.105 Rating: N/A |
Goats are afraid of change and being trapped but they will come in when they need to and will adjust to the changes you are making. Turn the light off too, I know mine like it dark they sleep better and everyone quiets down. Look at the membranes of the eye that is weeping. If it is red and irritated treat for pinkeye. I use triple antibiotic eye ointment 2 to 3 times a day (if the goat will let me without too much struggle) and give LA 200 at 1 cc per 30 pounds by SQ injection once a day until the eye is better. Sometimes they just get something in the eye, like a bit of chaff from the hay. I would at least put some eye ointment in the weepy eye. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Lee Ann Corbett New member Username: laturcotte Post Number: 11 Registered: 09-2006 Posted From: 24.60.122.17 Rating: N/A |
I apolize this could be long. We have a 10x10 barn housing 3 wethered nubians with horns. We attached a 10x10 porch for shade in the summer onto the front where the dutch door is. At night I only close the top of the dutch door. We planned that in the winter we would close the porch in, 2 sides and 1/2 of the front which would make the barn a 20x10. I never close them in completely because the 160lb guy is very bossy and I don't want anyone trapped in one space. The problem, each time we put up a wall the goats won't sleep in the barn. They will eat during the day but at night they won;t go in unless I am there with them. I have a 60 watt light in the barn at night. The night we put one whole wall up we had heavy rain with high winds and they slept in the summer lean-to and got soaked. We ended up rebuilding the lean-to so it is now competely dry and took the wall down at the porch, and that night they slept in the barn. Soon the snow and winds will be here (I live on the side of a mountain) and I really need to put the walls up but I think they are afraid of being closed in, the front will still have a wide door to run in and out of. Like I said I never close the dutch door the bottom is always open. We were finally able to close one side in. What makes them panic? I realize they have heavy winter coats, well two do the third isn't as heavy but will they be warm enough? Will they eventually stay in the barn when all the walls are up or should I just forget about closing it in? I THINK I RESCUED SCAREDY CATS. One has a runny eye,is this the beginning of pink eye do you think? If so what do I treat this with? Just a quiet moment: Every night about 7 pm I make a tea and go and sit with the boys in the barn. Of course I have to put my tea in a covered cup. That is when they relax and eat. They make these little grunting noises as they eat. My youngest will put his foot in my lap and I scratch his leg, even between his toes. Then he puts the other up to do the same. they are very sweet and I won't trade them for anything, of course my husband has other ideas. He puts walls up and then takes walls down, puts fences up, they take them down! |