Hello everyone. I am NEW to deer, have two does trying to prepare for my first fawns and need all advice you experienced folks have to offer. Have a LOT of questions, some of them probably rather dumb (sorry). So please bear with me.
Plan bottlefeeding doe fawns, leave bucks on mom. When should I vaccinate, weigh, tag etc.? Will mom accept her sons if I remove them for their initial doctoring??? What vacc.? Was thinking of CDT/T, BoSe, just now read a post about Vit. A&E. What else?
Found a bluetongue vacc. for sheep, anybody having thoughts on that?
Regarding Selenium: How much is too much? If milkreplacer and feed have it, could I overdose by giving Sel/Vit E goatgel? I think we don't necessarily have Sel. deficiency here in KY (my area).
Closest ADM dealer is like 2 hours away, so trace max pellets or Superior Milkreplacer are not readily around the corner. Record rack's 20% feed has about 1/3 minerals/vit. more than fawn pellets, would that possibly work as alternative or too much of everything (except fat)?
Also the does are being eaten up by deer flies. Has anybody tried a cattlerub? I could attach one across shed door. all their food is in a 10X8 storage shed, their "shelter' that they don't use except to eat. Tried spraying, the shy doe is already educated and doesn't come near me if she sees the bottle and I wouldn't want to get the spray in her eyes. The deerflies seem to be mostly on their faces between nose and eyes. The tamer girl lets me pet and rub her, so that's easier to get something on her. Would Ultrashield EX spray for horses be okay? We use it on our Weimaraner dog every so often in addition to frontline to REPEL all biting critters
Now some thoughts on the birth itself. Do deer have a certain time frame in which they would fawn? I mean night, before day break, at day break or whenever? What might be signs to look for that would indicate they'll fawn very soon? If at all possible I would want to be out there to watch and be there if something goes wrong. Would mom leave fawn somewhere in the pen by itself like in the wild?
Raised sheep for 9 yrs. and ewes would bag up, pass mucus, head for the barn, stay away from rest of flock when close to lambing and since sheep don't read books and lamb whenever around the clock, we spent many a frosty night out there to help dry little ones and make sure they're getting up and nursing. With the fawns I'm a little concerned in case there's a storm coming through right then because I doubt mom will suddenly utilize the shelter.
Sorry this is so long but being an excited first timer, I would really appreciate input. Thanks in advance and thanks a lot for all the past posts, I learned a lot already going through some of them.
UPDATE: A miracle happened today! Was home at lunchtime and my shy girl was laying INSIDE the shed, resting, looking out of the door. Guess there is hope one would get the idea to fawn in there in case we have a storm at fawning time? They went in only to eat, stayed out in ice rain, 1 1/2 ft of snow in one day, rain like poured out of buckets, but today's 83 degree airtemp. did the trick with one of them. To get airflow in there I removed one panel of the shed's backwall which is prevailing wind direction. So they can actually see out front and back of the shed and be out of the sun.
Thanks for the advice that was posted already. I'll keep on reading older posts. Have vet appointment tomorrow afternoon, got to get my med. list ready by then.
Plan bottlefeeding doe fawns, leave bucks on mom. When should I vaccinate, weigh, tag etc.? Will mom accept her sons if I remove them for their initial doctoring??? What vacc.? Was thinking of CDT/T, BoSe, just now read a post about Vit. A&E. What else?
Found a bluetongue vacc. for sheep, anybody having thoughts on that?
Regarding Selenium: How much is too much? If milkreplacer and feed have it, could I overdose by giving Sel/Vit E goatgel? I think we don't necessarily have Sel. deficiency here in KY (my area).
Closest ADM dealer is like 2 hours away, so trace max pellets or Superior Milkreplacer are not readily around the corner. Record rack's 20% feed has about 1/3 minerals/vit. more than fawn pellets, would that possibly work as alternative or too much of everything (except fat)?
Also the does are being eaten up by deer flies. Has anybody tried a cattlerub? I could attach one across shed door. all their food is in a 10X8 storage shed, their "shelter' that they don't use except to eat. Tried spraying, the shy doe is already educated and doesn't come near me if she sees the bottle and I wouldn't want to get the spray in her eyes. The deerflies seem to be mostly on their faces between nose and eyes. The tamer girl lets me pet and rub her, so that's easier to get something on her. Would Ultrashield EX spray for horses be okay? We use it on our Weimaraner dog every so often in addition to frontline to REPEL all biting critters
Now some thoughts on the birth itself. Do deer have a certain time frame in which they would fawn? I mean night, before day break, at day break or whenever? What might be signs to look for that would indicate they'll fawn very soon? If at all possible I would want to be out there to watch and be there if something goes wrong. Would mom leave fawn somewhere in the pen by itself like in the wild?
Raised sheep for 9 yrs. and ewes would bag up, pass mucus, head for the barn, stay away from rest of flock when close to lambing and since sheep don't read books and lamb whenever around the clock, we spent many a frosty night out there to help dry little ones and make sure they're getting up and nursing. With the fawns I'm a little concerned in case there's a storm coming through right then because I doubt mom will suddenly utilize the shelter.
Sorry this is so long but being an excited first timer, I would really appreciate input. Thanks in advance and thanks a lot for all the past posts, I learned a lot already going through some of them.
UPDATE: A miracle happened today! Was home at lunchtime and my shy girl was laying INSIDE the shed, resting, looking out of the door. Guess there is hope one would get the idea to fawn in there in case we have a storm at fawning time? They went in only to eat, stayed out in ice rain, 1 1/2 ft of snow in one day, rain like poured out of buckets, but today's 83 degree airtemp. did the trick with one of them. To get airflow in there I removed one panel of the shed's backwall which is prevailing wind direction. So they can actually see out front and back of the shed and be out of the sun.
Thanks for the advice that was posted already. I'll keep on reading older posts. Have vet appointment tomorrow afternoon, got to get my med. list ready by then.
