Chat
09-27-2016, 10:05 AM
Welcome Gary. There are several hunters on these forums who will probably be a lot more helpful answering your questions than I am. I wonder about going from low to high elevation as well. I'm sure goats need time to acclimate to the elevation just like people. However, having them in good, fit condition will no doubt help tremendously. Many people travel from low elevations to hike and hunt in Colorado and do just fine as long as they are fit to begin with, take a couple of days to acclimate, and drink plenty of water. I can't see why goats should be any different.
Wethers don't drink very much water. I'd forgotten how little they drink compared to my milking does until I took the two girls to a show one week and then took two wethers on a hiking trip the next. Two girls in milk will easily empty a 5-gallon bucket overnight. The two boys took two days to drink half a bucket (though I admit we weren't working them terribly hard and the weather was cool). I never carry water for my goats while hiking. It's uncommon to find areas in Colorado where you have to pack water in, especially if you're hunting. There has to be water in the area for the game. There's no reason the goats can't drink from the same source, but some goats do have to be trained to drink from a natural source. Some folks find it easier to bring a small bucket and dip water from the creek rather than expect the goats to approach the water. Mine are pretty good at drinking from puddles and streams along the way if they get thirsty. If your goats aren't drinking as much as you think they should, it can help to add a small amount of Tang or Gatorade powder. Most goats LOVE the sweet citrus taste and will drink more water than if it's unflavored.
Good luck, and I hope others can give input on your other questions.
Wethers don't drink very much water. I'd forgotten how little they drink compared to my milking does until I took the two girls to a show one week and then took two wethers on a hiking trip the next. Two girls in milk will easily empty a 5-gallon bucket overnight. The two boys took two days to drink half a bucket (though I admit we weren't working them terribly hard and the weather was cool). I never carry water for my goats while hiking. It's uncommon to find areas in Colorado where you have to pack water in, especially if you're hunting. There has to be water in the area for the game. There's no reason the goats can't drink from the same source, but some goats do have to be trained to drink from a natural source. Some folks find it easier to bring a small bucket and dip water from the creek rather than expect the goats to approach the water. Mine are pretty good at drinking from puddles and streams along the way if they get thirsty. If your goats aren't drinking as much as you think they should, it can help to add a small amount of Tang or Gatorade powder. Most goats LOVE the sweet citrus taste and will drink more water than if it's unflavored.
Good luck, and I hope others can give input on your other questions.