Carla D-Great new adventures and an Amazing Life

[Carla D]

I think I’ve made a small step in relieving some of my stress and concerns. I have an appointment date and time for my eight little guys to meet up with the vet to all be dehorned. That visit has already been paid for. That’s one less stress as well.

I now have the medications to treat them for their parasites too. Unfortunately my instructions “follow the instructions on the manufacturers label. There is no dosage instruction on them. They have “indicated for” but no other instructions. I do have a message out for the vet to tell me how much and how often if I need to repeat.

I'll put this out there....why not raise these boys until they hit 60-70 pounds and take them all to slaughter. Get them properly castrated or do it yourself, it is not that hard to do. Don't worry about disbudding or dehorning, as I understand it, you seem to have missed the "window" of opportunity and now it is a bit bigger problem. Love them, enjoy them, treat them well, this is a learning experience for you. If you can raise pigs, pet them, love them and still eat them, you can do this.

Start over in the spring with TWO disbudded goats, get them castrated and keep them for pets. Or you might decide that you like goat meat and buy another round of $5 goats to raise for stocking the freezer. In the meantime you get to hug, spoil and love them all you want.

You will figure this out and make the decision that is best for you.

I'll put this out there....why not raise these boys until they hit 60-70 pounds and take them all to slaughter. Get them properly castrated or do it yourself, it is not that hard to do. Don't worry about disbudding or dehorning, as I understand it, you seem to have missed the "window" of opportunity and now it is a bit bigger problem. Love them, enjoy them, treat them well, this is a learning experience for you. If you can raise pigs, pet them, love them and still eat them, you can do this.

Start over in the spring with TWO disbudded goats, get them castrated and keep them for pets. Or you might decide that you like goat meat and buy another round of $5 goats to raise for stocking the freezer. In the meantime you get to hug, spoil and love them all you want.

You will figure this out and make the decision that is best for you.

I really think that may be what happens. After thinking through you philosophy on male goat/wethers, that may very well be what we will do. Doing that does give me at least two sweet options and also prevent me from worrying about what kind of life he’s having or had. I can fill our freezer and try goat for the very first time. We can decide if we like goat enough to raise $5 goats and eventually eat them. Or we can decide if we’d rather raise mini goats as pets and have endless fun with them.

My husband had come up with a similar idea. Raise them. Love them. And when we have the urge to try goat, or become financially challenged we take one or two the slaughter house as needed or desired. Which also has two pretty nice benefits. Less goats=more lovey time, food in the freezer, and slightly reduced feed and hay costs.

Both yours and his seem doable, reasonable, and viable.

 

[Carla D]

Exactly.
And I do understand fully there are people that do not like cows and/or any of their products one bit and I'm fine with that and fine with them telling me.

Those crazy people are missing out on a really good thing.

 

[Carla D]

I did manage to get the information I needed to give my boys their medication. It wasn’t from the vet I have been using for all of my goat concerns, but the vet that I got contact information earlier this week.

With the help of my little girl we got the job done. She fed them their bottle and while they were busy enjoying their bottle I gave them their injections.

I wish I knew why they had gotten so infested. I have two suspicions.

 

[Baymule]

Exactly.
And I do understand fully there are people that do not like cows and/or any of their products one bit and I'm fine with that and fine with them telling me.

I like cows. I’ve had cows, but just not enough room. I am thinking of raising out a steer for slaughter maybe next year. I love beef.

 

[Southern by choice]

I wish I knew why they had gotten so infested. I have two suspicions.

Generally from overcrowding. The coccidia again is something all goats pretty much have but as the goat matures there is a level of immunity. This is why most use a prevention program.
For kids, when numbers get high it is from close quarters, eating off the ground in an already infected area.
The more puzzling part is the worms. They are awfully young to have a wormload.

 

[Carla D]

I

Generally from overcrowding. The coccidia again is something all goats pretty much have but as the goat matures there is a level of immunity. This is why most use a prevention program.
For kids, when numbers get high it is from close quarters, eating off the ground in an already infected area.
The more puzzling part is the worms. They are awfully young to have a wormload.

I have a theory about the worms. I’m wondering if pigs could possibly get the same parasites. Early this spring, back in April we had a couple of pigs farrowing in that very same area. That area has been cleaned out really well, vacated since then. But, I never got around to sanitizing the area. I’m pretty sure my husband didn’t do it, and I know for sure my FIL didn’t do it. That seems to be the only logical explanation I can come up with. I’m trying very hard to clean their area on a daily basis because it is a crowded area and boys pee me re than puppies. But it is on a gravel floor. I’m pretty certain I haven’t been able to get it as clean as they need it to be. With that being said, does anyone have any ideas about how I can make this tight area a little easier to get clean and keep clean? Their food, hay, minerals, etc are all off the floor. Always have been.

 

[Carla D]

This has been a very odd yet interesting week for me. It’s been jam packed with great joy, frustration, heartbreak, self evaluation, learning, busyness, thankfulness, love, sorrow, and reflection. Since a whole lot of these things have been goat related I’m going to ramble and reflect on it in here. Some is on the more personal side, but I’m not embarrassed to share it either.

Warning, this is a book.

I have met a whole lot of people with similar interest and of like mind. They have generously share their experiences, tips, suggestions, advice, and many things to think about. All of which I’m truly grateful to have been given. There was some things that I didn’t think pertained to me, that was interested in entertaining, relevant, or agree appreciate at the moment it was given. After a little time for me to ponder them I realized that there was a lot of sense, practical advice, alternatives to ponder, and so forth. Believe it or not, I think I’ve finally revisited, thought about, and should have appreciated more at the time it was given,

An unexpected reply to someone I had emailed to them. My email was basically a compliment on what they were trying to sell. She was trying to sell some of the most gorgeous animals I have ever seen and also happened to a very similar breed that I once had, fell in love with, and wanted more of. I didn’t offer to buy them as I didn’t have the $$$. But I like to give out complements, show appreciation, or acknowledge something that impressed me. It’s just something I’ve been trying to do as much of as I can. Especially during these last ten years. It’s also a nice thing to give others. I was completely surprised when she offered me one of her goats to me in hopes he would have a good life and lots of love. Later I was blindly ecstatic to find out there were actually two goats involved. I brought them home and fell in love with them. They really were the sweetest, gentlest, patient, attention seeking critters I’ve ever met. During their stay with us I experienced happiness, frustration, and ultimately sadness. But, when I do the right thing, even if it makes me sad, I can appreciate knowing I did the right thing.

I was completely over whelmed and upset with myself after getting back the results of a couple of fecal samples I took to the vet. Something I/we didn’t do or do properly had caused my 8 little goats to become loaded with three different parasites. That could have been completely prevented had proper sanitation practices had been used. Then in the same week I discover that quite a few of my boys likely have a fourth parasite. I think it’s lice, mites, but the fact that I have no clue about recognizing or being able to identify what exactly the crusty areas are with whitish and darker specks are has made me feel completely incompetent to be raising 8 little goats that need to be bottle fed. I have a feeling I’ll be lucky if something major happens to them or one or some of them die before spring much less to the end of the year.

I’ve had countless number of questions and concerns about things from feeding them properly, having adequate space for, good enough quality hay for feeding this winter, do we have decent field of hay that they can graze on. I don’t even know how to identify the different grasses in that field. I feel like I know barely enough to keep them alive much less than thrive.

I’ve been super stressed out because I missed the “window of opportunity to have my goats disbudded. All because I was to preoccupied and busy to have asked the vet, find someone who could them for us, and assumed that since he has charged us 2-3 times for vet visits or animal/pet care than other vets we’ve used that disbudding would be the same way. I was way, way off with that assumption. Now because of my ignorance they will need to be surgically removed. Which I’ve darn near missed that window as well. The vet feels pretty confidant it can still be done, buts it’s now a much bigger deal to have the job done.

***It would have $10 each to be disbudded. But even now them having them surgically removed by that vet is only $25 each. Quite reasonable for the anesthesia, time, surgical procedure, I think.

I had the frustration of not only having to wait to get my boys their medication because the vet didn’t bother to give me the directions like the ones I’m used to getting from doctor ordered prescriptions for humans and when I was nursing. I had to wait two additional days to start their treatment because my vet was off for the next day and had already left for the day. When I do go back to pick the meds up I’m given the worst possible instructions. “Follow the manufacturers label for dosage.” Ok, I go home and there is no dosing information at all. Just what the medication was indicated for. So four more calls and emails to my vet because it’s already Friday afternoon. Meaning the boys would have to wait until Monday to start their meds. I actually called another vet to see if they would be willing to give me some dosing instructions so I can finally get them given. Now I have to figure out how I’m going to give 8 wiggly, busy, strong little goats three different injections. The CoRid I could put in their bottle. But three shots? My husband and I got into a very heated disagreement because he won’t help me give them to the goats.

Now I have a problem. It was going to take some very thought provoking and creative solution to get four different medications into each of my 8 goats. After a little thinking I came up with a pretty creative plan. This plan would involve my 4 year old daughters help. Thankfully she loves to help. I set up a small work station so I could get one goat at a time all of their meds, their bottles, and a little special attention for taking four different medications. Because I don’t think a goat would be pleased getting a sticker or two like my daughter does when she goes to the doctor. The plan was to bring one goat out at a time, have my daughter give them their medicated bottle and while they were distracted with their bottles I’d give them their injections. IT WORKED !!!

Over the last couple of days I’ve questioned our ability to keep not only our baby goats but our pigs, cats, and rabbits fed and healthy this winter. I realized how much these 8 were consuming daily. Well crap! These boys are only going to get bigger and bigger. Which means so is their appetite, amount of feed and hay, and growing feed bill. I freaked out! A couple of generous people in this forum had given me a couple of suggestions of what to do with the goats. Frankly I wasn’t really open to their suggestions. Mostly because they involved eating the goats, my pets. But after my freak out about caring for all of our animals this winter, I began to think about the couple of options/suggestions that I had quickly dismissed when they were given. I took those suggestions and really thought about the logistics, feasibility, and practicality of these suggestions. By gosh, they really were good and genius solutions to almost all of my concerns about my knowledge, financial ability, and the level of unpreparedness we were in. In fact I got a really great sense of relief from these suggestions. While they were not at all what I planned to do with my goats I was reminded that plans change. Sometimes more than once. I finally got it. I do have a couple very good choices I can make if the situation arrives and we don’t know how we are going to keep everybody fed. Both four legged and two legged species. I can truly embrace these ideas. Thank you. I think you know who you are.

Because I’ve been all over the place with my plans, thoughts, and moods I did some self assessment. It wasn’t easy. But I tried to do it with an objective and open mind. My assessment wasn’t pretty at all. Basically I came up that I was incompetent, quick to judge, not giving things enough thought, and acting too quickly. Ouch! That is the exact person I try really hard to not be. I’m going to need to make some, actually a lot of changes if I’m going to be able to reduce my stress, unpredictability, etc.

I have had a conversation with a gal who has a very similar history as mine. She even loves cats. Wow! And her kitty looks almost identical as my late Hunter. She was the sunshine of my week. And she was there when it was least expected and at just the right time.

Another long winded and wordy post. Some days I wish I was a woman of few words. It would be a lot easier on my fingers and wrist if I were. But I can’t have everything. Oh well. If you made it this far, thank you for reading.

 

[Southern by choice]

Considering you have had an overwhelming amount of info thrown out there I think you are doing a great job of sorting through and working it out.
Every goat owner struggles with decisions of some type or another. LOL look at my own journal and you will see how many times I ramble on about how I need to place some does or bucks... but I just love this one or I just love that one. They are amazing creatures and sure do capture your heart.

 

[Southern by choice]

I must have missed what Bay mentioned but my farm partner mentioned you last night saying why dehorn and go through the expense for the goats she is rehoming.
I missed it completely. I tend to focus on health /problems etc and don't always connect in other areas.

You have learned a great deal, and one of my favorite scriptures is this one.

Experience brings hope, and Hope maketh you not ashamed.

We learn through experience!

 

[Carla D]

Hello Carla, i have still been following your journey , you have been receiving lots of advice and options. I have been trying not to add any more of my opinions to your decision process. ....But my thoughts are with the advice @Baymule gave you yesterday...why spend the $$ to de horn your goats and put that extra stress on them..Bay laid out a very workable solution to your dilemma. ... personally that is the road i would travel, ...... i still wish you well but i am going back to my quiet corner and just lurk ....

I do like her idea a whole lot more now than when a similar idea was mentioned a few days ago. Since we already have an appointment to get all of them dehorned and it’s been prepaid I’m going to go through with the dehorning. They are really becoming a safety issue for me and my daughter who do all of their goat cares. My daughter would be an explosive grenade every time we went to the farm and work with them if I don’t let her in to help. I have to let her help me otherwise she’s throwing a tantrum about not going in there, she’s cold, she’s hungry, she wants to go home, you name it. A four year old can throw a tantrum over anything and everything if they want. Then if I left her at home, if my husband isn’t working or sleeping I have him throwing a not so pretty adult size tantrum. We do plan on eating them ourselves. Probably won’t do them all at the same time. But one or two at a time. We won’t have “wonder how he’s doing” thoughts. We will have some home grown meat in our freezer. We can always buy more $5 goats to do the same thing with them or we can get a much smaller breed a couple of them and make them our pets. They won’t get huge, won’t eat as much feed or hay, won’t cost as much to care for, we will have a more adequate amount of pasture for them, and they will stay small,cute, and fun to be around. Not overwhelmingly big for my daughter to be around. But, dehorning is an absolute MUST DO if we are going to be keeping them any longer than a few days. Safety has to come first.

I do agree with both of you. Eating our boys/wethers is the best option for them and the easiest option for our minds and hearts.