I feel like a failure

[ChksontheRun]

Our first kid was born on Thursday pm. Today, we decided it was time to introduce the little one to the herd for a couple of hours. We let them all out together, and things went wonderfully. The LGD's sniffed, but pretty much stayed away. The other goats sniffed, put their heads down, then ignored him. After about an hour and a half, I had to run inside for a little bit so closed all of the goats together in the barn, and left the dogs outside.

About 30 min later, my DH and I went back down to the barn to rearrange, feed and put everyone away.

To my horror, there was one of our 8 month old LGD's with our little 3 day old buckling in front of him. We thought sure he was dead. My DH ran out to him and found him alive. He was cold, and had almost been licked to death.

He was wet, and frightened, and weak. I was amazed at his change in condition in only 30 min.

We warmed him up, and closed him up with his mama in the isolation pen again. He could barely stand up when we first took him from the LGD, but after a little rest, he was standing again and looked much better. He doesn't seem to have nursed since his scarry adventure. We tried encouraging him but to no avail.

I feel so stupid. I should have known he would have looked for and found the only space in the gate he could slip through I figure he slipped through and couldn't find his way back to mama. Then the LGD who has been very very interested in this little boy thought she would help out by licking licking licking.

There were absolutely no punctures or other woulnds.

I know I am new to all of this, but I just feel like a goat failure, why did i not think of this. Sure hope he does ok tonight.

 

[AlpacaEmployee]

Never feel like a failure. Do learn, but you cannot fail.



I've had many situations where I have wish I'd done something different.

I might milk mom and try to get him to bottle feed if you're unsure about nursing. Hope he get's better


Jeremy.

 

[elevan]

Never a failure - always a student.

Unfortunately one of the ways that we learn is to make mistakes, some of them harder than others.

Try not to beat yourself up over this.

Hope your little guy is doing better in the morning.

eta:

 

[ksalvagno]

Things happen. Just learn from it and go on. We all have our stories to tell. Try not to fret too much.

 

[Roll farms]

Don't feel bad. You did good, you found him before it was too late.

 

[julieq]

Please don't feel like a failure. I've made plenty of mistakes over the years with our livestock and poultry. All we can do is learn from them and hopefully teach others. So glad everything turned out OK.

 

[freemotion]

We all have our lists....Things were going well, I'd have left for a bit, too.

 

[helmstead]

Oh, man...darn puppy! I sure hope he pulls through it for you, thank goodness you found him when you did.

 

[ChksontheRun]

Little "Lickin", named that because he took a lickin and kept on tickin, is doing great this morning. A night under the heat lamp with some yummy mammas milk and his energy is back and he is a happy boy.

Last night we were holding him under our coats to warm up and he just layed there without a peep and fell asleep on our arm. This am we tried to hold him for just a minute and the bleeting started. He is back to his usual self in spite of us.

I guess I am not feeling like such a failure this morning thanks to wonderful encouragement from ya'll, and thanks to a strong little kid. I was wondering how we were going to milk mamma Bridget with tiny little two finger teets . I think it is time to invest in a milker for just such occasions.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

It could have been much worse!!! Don't feel bad!