URGENT: Need to put weight on a skinny goat

[aspin231]

So a lady was boarding her sickly goats with us, 2 angora bucks, and we didn't notice what horrible condition they were in until one died, because of their thick coats and spry attitude.
So as mentioned, one passed away. The one we have left (Gruff) is very underweight. I can feel each of his ribs and this backbone is prominent. He is in a separate pen within the goat pen, so he is able to socialize wth the other goats. Gruff's feeding schedule is as follows, and I need somebody knowledgeale about goats to revise it if possible, please.

Free fed hay (horse quality)
1/4 cup calf manna (AM and PM)
1/4 cup complete feed (AM and PM)

He has free access to fresh water, sheter and shade at all times.

What type of dewormer should I get him? Should I yet? He is very skinny.
He should weigh about 40 pounds when at proper weight I think. He is around 30? Right now. Those numbers are assumptions.

I know you don't normally free feed a goat, but he doesn't gourge himself and uses it to lay on as well. He is eating about 2-3 lbs of hay per day.

Is there anything I need to modify in this schedule? I've only been feeding him like this for about a week, do I need to just wait it out?

Thanks in advance. He is a very sweet goat.

[aspin231]

Sorry, forgot to mention that his owner told us to keep him. She didn't want him anymore so now lil Gruff is ours.

[Maci]

Go to the vet and get him tested for johnies. It is a disease that kills them slowly and painfully. It's a sad disease.

[aspin231]

Johnies? Thank you. I will get a test for that. I'm checking in to all possibilities at this point.

[Maci]

When taking your goats/goat in make sure they do the fecal sample instead of the blood the fecal sample is more accurate.

[ilovemyPhillip]

I have boers, So the sizes are totally off, but goats need 1.5 pounds of forage per 100ibs.. Example: 200ibs needs 3 pounds.. Don't only give him free hay. Bring in tree branches. Goats are browsers, not grazers. They'd prefer to pick & choose. I feed my buck (who's 170ibs, lol) about 4.5 pounds of grain. Perhaps give him sweet feed? Goats eat that stuff up. Shave him down, too. That'll help with weight determination.

[aspin231]

Thanks. I will give him branches and experiment with other grains too. The eason he is being free fed is because he eats just a bit, then uses the rest as bedding. Basically I'm just letting him eat as much as he wants, but he barely eats any hay, definitely less than 3 pounds.

[ilovemyPhillip]

My buck gets two flakes of Orchard grass. But he pulls it out. My guys LOVE Holly trees. Is he around any does?

[aspin231]

Yes, there are three does with him, in a seperate pen sharing a fenceline. Why? Should I separate him completely? He was just getting beat up so he got a temporary pen set up.

[Maci]

Yes pleas separate him. The johnies is spread through feces. If he isn't eating much try giving him sweet things. If he isn't drinking give him some koolaid in the water. If that doesn't work you will have to drench him(a drench tube ask your vet for.). If he doesn't have any energy you'll have give him electro-lights.