Lost the first one

I am sorry to say that we lost the first kid born on our farm.  She was only 8 days old.  Monday morning she was doing perfectly, running around with the other goats - the picture of a healthy week old kid.  By 6 p.m. the doeling could barely stand up.  She could not walk at all.  Some storms had come through an hour or so before and the temperature went from being in the 90s to the mid 70s very quickly.  She was wet and a little cold when we found her.  The goats all usually make it back to the shelter when it rains, but they did not this time.  I think it was because the baby goat may have already had something wrong with her that kept her from being able to walk.  We called people who were way more experienced in goats than we were.  We were advised to get her in the house and get her warm.  To keep her off milk for a little while as well.  We took her temperature with an old rectal baby thermometer.  I am not sure it was the correct one to use, but it said she her temp was 102.4, which I was told was within normal range.  She had been nursing great since the day she was born and looked well fed.  I could not see any external injuries on her body.  She had no control over her muscles and could not even hold her head up.  Her breathing also seemed a little labored to me, not a relaxed breathing.  We looked online for her symptoms.  We found information about Floppy Kid Syndrome (FKS) and the symptoms sounded a lot like what she had.  It recommended giving her some diluted Sodium Bicarbinate (Baking Soda) in water.  We did that since we didn't think it would hurt.  She had been crying out from the moment we took her away from her mother and kept crying out...probably for her mother or because she was scared to be in a strange place or from pain, I didn't know which.  We waited an hour or so to see if the Baking Soda helped.  She did seem to do a little better, her eyes seemed to focus a little more, but just barely.  She kept trying to move around the box we had her in and at around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m., she even tried to stand up.  I took that as a good sign.  I was very hopeful that she would be doing much better by morning.  We gave her some electrolytes (about 2 ounces) to keep her from becoming dehydrated and let her rest.  She would cry out loudly through out the night and she kept breathing, but she never stood up.  By about 4 or 5 a.m., she stopped breathing.

There could have been many things that were the cause of her death.  She could have gotten trampled and had internal injuries that we could not see.  She could have had FKS, however, sites online seemed to say this syndrome is easily treatable and therefore no research was ever going to be done on it to find out the actual cause of the illness.  I have the fear that we did not do all that we could, due to ignorance.  It could also have been that there was just nothing that could have been done to save her.  I know this is just part of raising animals.  It is still alarming none the less that the first goat born on our farm was also the first goat to die...and we may never know the cause.

The Wandering Guardian

Our guardian dog seems like a really great dog.  The goats like her and she likes the goats.  She is friendly towards us, which is great for taking care of her.  She's big, which is intimidating for would be predators.   Her only downfall is that she gets out of the goat pasture.  I'm a logical person, and I just can't figure out how in the world she could be guarding our goats when she is a good quarter mile away on the neighbors property walking around...at night...when predators are at their worst.  It's very frustrating to say the least.  To her credit, she was allowed to do just this thing with her previous owner.  She's three years old and it will be difficult at best to "break" her of this horrible habit, but I sure am going to try.  I need to be implementing "Plan B" though.  Plan B is bringing in a puppy guardian and getting it to bond with the goats.  There are farmers who have no problems with a roaming guardian dog, but it is just not a possibility where I live.  If Gypsy doesn't work out, hopefully I can find her a farm where she will be allowed to roam until her heart's content.

Gypsy - the Great Pyrenees

The grass (or weeds) are always greener...

...on the other side of the cattle fence.  This morning, I went out to check on the goats and everyone was nice and quiet.  However, two of them had their heads stuck in the fence and looked like they had been there for a few hours.  "Luckily", they had got their heads stuck low enough that they could lay down.   One was a friendlier goat, so she was calm as I "rescued" her.  The other was more skiddish, but I managed to get her out fairly easy.  We have another goat, Stripes, that has gotten her head stuck 3 times so far.  She is a prime candidate for the "Crown of Shame".  I have plenty of PVC pipes and duct tape...and I'm not afraid to use them!

Stripes - she may be the first to wear the Crown of Shame.

I also checked on Freckles and Finnley...they were both doing great.  Finnley is now two days old.  We are going to try and make sure she is a friendly goat and not scared of us so we can take care of her better and with less stress to her.  My children love the fact that they get to hold her and love on her in order to make her friendly!

King of the Guardian

Finnley is doing so well!  Today she followed Freckles all over the front field...taking frequent naps in the shade trees to beat the heat.  Unbelievably humid today.  The flies looked to be having a blast though, bugging the goats and any other living creature caught outside.  We went out after supper to feed Gypsy, the herd guardian.  The temperature was still 94 degrees.  The goats followed us over to the goat shelter since we've been training them to follow us with a little corn in the evenings.  We are still trying to tame some of the does.  There are about 5 of them that still will not willingly let us touch them.  I fed Freckles extra feed since she is taking care of a little one.  When everyone was treated and fed, we just sat back and watched Finnley for a little.  Gypsy laid down and Finnley promptly began to play "King of the Guardian".  Gypsy seemed to enjoy the game as much as Finnley!

Finnley playing King of the Guardian

Freckles, Finnley and Gypsy

Gypsy seems to have really bonded with Finnley.  We've only had our guardian for about three weeks and were (still are a little) worried that she will try to get out of the pasture again.  So far, since Finnley has been born, Gypsy has not dug out of the pasture.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that she continues to stay with the herd.  She is such a great dog, very great disposition.

The FIRST baby born on the farm!

Freckles had Finnley yesterday afternoon!  Momma and Baby are both doing awesome!  Finnley has been nursing well and following mommy around all day today.  Our guardian dog, Gypsy, has been keeping a close eye on mother and baby.  This is all very exciting and new to us since we have never had goats before a month ago.   I was expecting to have to do so much, but we haven't had to do anything!  So far, the Kiko breed is amazing!  Finnley has very beautiful colors!

Herd Queen - Freckles

Freckles is the biggest of our ten goats and she is definitely the herd queen.  She is also pregnant.  She's getting big...but I don't know exactly when she was bred, so I don't know when she is going to kid.  It looks like it could be any day now.  We are watching anxiously...

Freckles

DIY Goat Mineral Feeder finished

This was so easy to make!  Glued two pieces together and then hung it out of the weather.  It will hold a 25 pound bag of goat minerals.  Did pay about $41 all together, but it is so very durable...and I think it will last a very long time.

The First Goats!

Our first goats arrived on May 8, 2013!  Ten does...three yearlings and the rest kids.  They have adjusted to living on our farm beautifully!  They love their 8 acre grazing land!  Lots of yummy things for them to eat in the woods and in the pasture.  They have already annihilated 2 of the 4 brush piles in their field.