Carla D-Great new adventures and an Amazing Life

[Carla D]

Well let's celebrate the positive here...you made a new friend down the street, found a cheaper vet and got a bucketload of advice, and opinions, made new friends and learned "that you CAN have too many goats", i think this part of your goat journey had a positive outcome......

I did. But, is there really ever too many goats?

 

[Baymule]

I did. But, is there really ever too many goats?

Durned if I know--I have sheep...….only 10...… AAARRGHHH!!!
I NEED MORE SHEEP!!!!!!

 

[Southern by choice]

Great outcome!
Yes there really is a thing as too many goats. Trust me on this one.

Mini Nubians are very different in size.
Glad you got the fecal results in.

Remember goats will have some parasites so the fact that the other goats had a low number is very good.
With your needing meds, I am guessing they were positive for a parasitic wormload & coccidia.
Coccidia and worms are completely different. Kids are prone to coccidia and thats why most are on prevention. However the age of your kids and them having worm load is concerning. I say that not to scare you but they should not have any worms at this age. So while you are treating you will need a plan. They are too many in a small area and this has contributed to it. They will continue to reinfect themselves until they have a larger area and basically dry lotting them would be advantageous.
What products were prescribed?

 

[Devonviolet]

Wow Carla! What a journey. I started 3-1/2 years ago with four wethered NDs. My plan was to get dairy goats, but I also planned to get two Maremma LGDs, to protect my animals from predators. Do you have any plans to get LGDs? Since we moved here and got our LGDs, we haven't lost one animal to predators. That includes chickens and ducks. I was glad I started slowly, and both the dogs and my DH and I were able to learn together, before I took the plunge and got the girls, which was a lot more complicated.

Given your physical issues, you might want to consider paring down your numbers, so you can better manage the work load, and cost of feed. You can take time to get the boys to weaning age, and then carefully choose good homes for them. Actually, bottle feeding them is really good, because it makes them super friendly, which will make them easy to go with a family, as a pet.

I know it was a hard choice to make, but I think you, ultimately, made a good decision to offer to give the two mini-nubians back to the lady, who gave them to you, and as others have said, you would do well, to take a deep breath and let them go. it is so good, that you and the owner had an amicable exchange of animals. It sounds like you read her well, in that she was more interested in her cows, than the goats. Hopefully, after the experience with the two boys, she will approach finding them a home, a bit differently.

Great advise @Southern by choice! As I read the journal, I was thinking some of the same things.

The one thing that I might add, Carla, is about a comment you made shortly after you got the two big boys.

I may also give them an antibiotic just to be on the safe side.

I would be careful about giving animals antibiotics, "just to be on the safe side".
** First, we have a huge problem, in this country, with antibiotic resistance, given for this very reason.
** Second, it's important to know if there is actually a need for antibiotics - did they have a temp, lethargy, decreased appetite? Each time you give antibiotics, it increases the likelihood of antibiotic resistance. If there isn't a medical need for it, your are needlessly increasing chances of resistance when you really DO need antibiotics. There may be bacteria present, at the time, which aren't strong enough to make the animal sick, but that may be affected by the antibiotic, enough to be affected next time they truly do need antibiotics.
** Third, it's important to know that the antibiotic you are using is appropriate for the infection. If you give the wrong antibiotic, for the bacteria causing the infection, it won't do any good, and you will only delay proper treatment.

I wish you the best, in your endeavor, with these sweet little boys. Please do remember to take care of yourself too. I know you used to work 100 hours a week, but you are dealing with constant pain. in addition to the importance of keeping busy, to distract from the pain, it's also important to get plenty of rest.

 

[greybeard]

I did find out why she was liquidating her goats and gave me the two free. She has decided that she would rather focus on her cows. I guess she likes them a bit better than her goats. I think most people have a favorite/preference. She actually had a new cow delivered the day I stopped in. .

maybe..maybe not. I sure wouldn't automatically think/assume "she likes (or dislikes) one over the other" to the point of giving some away. Some things just become necessary and 'like vs dislike' don't really play in to the paradigm at all.
You never know what precipitates a change or adjustment. Time, more than anything else is our most precious commodity. You can always make more $, buy/rent/borrow more property, build more fence, build more shelters, grow more grass, but there is a very very finite amount of time allotted to everything and every one.

 

[Carla D]

maybe..maybe not. I sure wouldn't automatically think/assume "she likes (or dislikes) one over the other" to the point of giving some away. Some things just become necessary and 'like vs dislike' don't really play in to the paradigm at all.
You never know what precipitates a change or adjustment. Time, more than anything else is our most precious commodity. You can always make more $, buy/rent/borrow more property, build more fence, build more shelters, grow more grass, but there is a very very finite amount of time allotted to everything and every one.

Ain’t that the truth. I may not truly know why she did what she did. But I choose to believe what people tell me. At least until I learn whether they are worthy of that or not. I know that’s stupid. But I was raised to tell the truth, and tell exactly how it is. I’m hoping others are the same way as wel. I do know many/most are not though. Everyone needs a break once in a while.

 

[Carla D]

Wow Carla! What a journey. I started 3-1/2 years ago with four wethered NDs. My plan was to get dairy goats, but I also planned to get two Maremma LGDs, to protect my animals from predators. Do you have any plans to get LGDs? Since we moved here and got our LGDs, we haven't lost one animal to predators. That includes chickens and ducks. I was glad I started slowly, and both the dogs and my DH and I were able to learn together, before I took the plunge and got the girls, which was a lot more complicated.

Given your physical issues, you might want to consider paring down your numbers, so you can better manage the work load, and cost of feed. You can take time to get the boys to weaning age, and then carefully choose good homes for them. Actually, bottle feeding them is really good, because it makes them super friendly, which will make them easy to go with a family, as a pet.

I know it was a hard choice to make, but I think you, ultimately, made a good decision to offer to give the two mini-nubians back to the lady, who gave them to you, and as others have said, you would do well, to take a deep breath and let them go. it is so good, that you and the owner had an amicable exchange of animals. It sounds like you read her well, in that she was more interested in her cows, than the goats. Hopefully, after the experience with the two boys, she will approach finding them a home, a bit differently.

Great advise @Southern by choice! As I read the journal, I was thinking some of the same things.

The one thing that I might add, Carla, is about a comment you made shortly after you got the two big boys.

I would be careful about giving animals antibiotics, "just to be on the safe side".
** First, we have a huge problem, in this country, with antibiotic resistance, given for this very reason.
** Second, it's important to know if there is actually a need for antibiotics - did they have a temp, lethargy, decreased appetite? Each time you give antibiotics, it increases the likelihood of antibiotic resistance. If there isn't a medical need for it, your are needlessly increasing chances of resistance when you really DO need antibiotics. There may be bacteria present, at the time, which aren't strong enough to make the animal sick, but that may be affected by the antibiotic, enough to be affected next time they truly do need antibiotics.
** Third, it's important to know that the antibiotic you are using is appropriate for the infection. If you give the wrong antibiotic, for the bacteria causing the infection, it won't do any good, and you will only delay proper treatment.

I wish you the best, in your endeavor, with these sweet little boys. Please do remember to take care of yourself too. I know you used to work 100 hours a week, but you are dealing with constant pain. in addition to the importance of keeping busy, to distract from the pain, it's also important to get plenty of rest.

It was a tough choice to make giving them back to her. But ultimately it was the only and best option I had.

As a former nurse I do know better about antibiotics. I’m not even sure what I was think when said I may possibly give them an antibiotic. I do know they should be used sparingly and under dr/vet supervision and advice. I’ve been saying and doing some really dumb things this last week or two. I do need to slow down a bit, maybe quite a bit for a while. I need to get my thought processes back on track, spend a bit more time thinking than I have been where saying and doing is involved.

I have been super stressed, caught off guard more than once these last six weeks. Slowing down has become a necessity. I’m frazzled, I can’t get more than 3-4 hours of sleep for several weeks now. The change in seasons this year has been very hard on me. I can’t focus, think, reason, do or say anything very well right now. I will be slowing down. I have to for my health and safety as well as others around me. Thank you for pointing that out to me.

 

[Carla D]

Great outcome!
Yes there really is a thing as too many goats. Trust me on this one.

Mini Nubians are very different in size.
Glad you got the fecal results in.

Remember goats will have some parasites so the fact that the other goats had a low number is very good.
With your needing meds, I am guessing they were positive for a parasitic wormload & coccidia.
Coccidia and worms are completely different. Kids are prone to coccidia and thats why most are on prevention. However the age of your kids and them having worm load is concerning. I say that not to scare you but they should not have any worms at this age. So while you are treating you will need a plan. They are too many in a small area and this has contributed to it. They will continue to reinfect themselves until they have a larger area and basically dry lotting them would be advantageous.
What products were prescribed?

I haven’t seen or been told of the actual medication I will be needing. I should find out when I pay that bill later today. Coccidia was definitely on the the list of issues. I received a phone call from the vet yesterday late in the day telling me results and the meds. But because I haven’t seen it in writing I’m struggling to remember exactly what I was told. That’s one reason I prefer text or email versus a phone call. My hearing isn’t the greatest, and I struggle with concentration and memory. I really should and need to slow things down quite a bit actually at this time. I feel I’m becoming reckless and a danger to myself, others, and my animals. Not a good feeling or realization.

 

[Carla D]

Have a plan, have the space, set up and have money set aside for goat addiction...hi my name is barbara and i am addicted to goats !.....believe me your plans can change, mine did. I went from large goats...sold them all , even my favorites. And got into nigerian dwarf goats, they are small dairy goats, can be bred year round, are known to have up to five kids (average is three) but have read of births of seven....which equals less space needed due to size, less feed due to size and larger birth numbers . And lets me chose the best to keep to breed, or sell to help feed bill. The ADGA resistered does are papered and will be the same plan....and all the while my herd grows and can supplant some of costs of my goat addiction, lol.....just chill for the winter, your plan will unfold for you !

“Just chill for the winter” has become very obvious to me the last two days or so. I got too excited, didn’t think long enough, acted too quickly. Not just goats either. My husband has been a bit angry with me lately. I haven’t figured out why yet. I’m assuming it’s because lack of thought, jumping before I look, and acting way too quickly. I had to of said or done something really dumb to irritate him to this level.

 

[Latestarter]

Being honest with yourself is not always the same as being hard on yourself. Recognizing that there is an "issue" is the first step to correcting it. Sorry that your significant other is upset right now. From the little you've shared, he's dealing with some personal issues as well and everything that's been happening might have overwhelmed him a bit too. Slowing things down a bit to think things through, and getting the present stuff all under control and back to a stable place should go a long way toward making everything else better.

I think it's safe to say that we're all glad to have you here with us and it's already been stated; we're here to help! Relax, slow down, reflect, think things through, write things down. Maybe start a personal journal (private as opposed to this public one) where you can write out thoughts so they don't get lost in traffic.Take the hubby and daughter and go sit with the goats I always find myself much calmer and more relaxed after a "goat sit down session". Might help him mellow and de-stress as well. Hard to stay angry when you have little animals demanding your attention. And they're fun, and interactive too!