Maybe ill?

[SaraMerida]

I have a little 4-5 month old doe. She is normally very timid normally. I have been trying to bond a bit more with her but she still won't let me touch her. I have had her for about 3 weeks now. My goats were all free-eating chicken feed until last week when we lost a little doeling. We believe that she was bitten by something, but thanks to that, all you amazingly helpful people, instructed me to not allow them to eat chicken feed, so we have changed this, and started putting baking soda in their water. I have noticed that her abdomen, as well as one other doe's has definitely gone down. So that brings me to last night. She is small enough to fit through the corral fence, but that's not too much a problem since we have a fence outside of that and the chicken food is now kept indoors. So, last night I noticed she had left to corral and was sleeping on my pool wall. This freaks me out because it's what Estrella did a few days before she passed, separated herself from the heard. She is still eating feed and grass, drinking water, and running away from me. I don't want to do anything wrong, how do I tell if she is getting sick? What can I do? I do notice that my lactating doe has a small amount of nasal discharge, but no cough or other symptoms, no decrease in milk supply, nothing strange at all. The weather here has changed (from 100 degrees to 80 degrees now) so I assumed it was that.

TIA!!!!!

 

[Latestarter]

Hey Sara... OK, this is all through the threads and something to virtually ALWAYS do first if you have a concern... Take her temp! You need a regular old thermometer and you do it rectally. I strongly recommend that you keep that particular medical instrument separate from any that you or a family member might choose to use... A healthy goat should have a temp between 102-103. Typically a temp higher than normal indicates an infection of some sort.

"How to take the rectal temperature of a goat by Dr Sandra Baxendell, goatvetoz."

Now, like us, every goat has their own "range" that will be normal for them. My personal temp runs around 97.8 vs "normal" of 98.6... You could start a little notebook for each of your goats to record information you collect so in the future you can go back and reference it if you have a question. It's also a good way to keep track of stuff like parasite counts and general health issues over time, inoculations, hoof trimmings, etc.

As to goat behavior, well... I don't think the full understanding of that has been recorded anywhere. They'll do some of the dangdest things and sometimes there's not much you can do but scratch your head and wonder what the heck was it thinking?

 

[SaraMerida]

Haha, ok. I checked her temp and it was 102.2, so normal. We cleaned their enclosure again today and she slept in there tonight. Maybe we are going to clean the corral nightly? We were doing it twice a week... We shall see... I'm hoping the hypervigilance with their health calms down pronto!

 

[babsbag]

Glad she is sleeping in her pen tonight like a good girl. Goats will make you crazy, just be warned. I have one that has been standing off by herself for three days during feeding time. She is fine, but I'll be darned as to why she isn't at the feeders anymore.

 

[Latestarter]

I'm hoping the hypervigilance with their health calms down pronto!

You want to be careful about that... Having these animals is supposed to RELAX you and allow you to unwind, have fun, laugh at their antics and all that... You don't want to give yourself an aneurysm or stroke from stressing out!

 

[SaraMerida]

I have wanted goats since I was a teenager, and at first I was loving it. It did relax me and I enjoyed watching them. And then the baby died and now I am driving myself nuts. I am sure I will calm down, but until I do, I will be checking their temperatures all the time, lol. Thank you so much though!!!!

 

[Green Acres Farm]

Have you gotten a fecal on her? Most problems are parasites.

 

[Southern by choice]

Is the wall warm? If a goat is having some difficulty ruminating they may pic a warm spot to lay on to aid in this.

I would leave the baking soda out free choice and not put it in the water.

I remember you posting put I cannot remember what your feeding regimen is.
And have you had a fecal done on her?

100 degrees down to 80 is no big deal.

 

[SaraMerida]

The wall is definitely warm! Feeding: feed, corn kernels, sunflower seeds in the morning, husband goes to the fenced empty lot across the street and cuts down the tall grass there once a day. Alfalfa and one cup of oatmeal for the pregnant one and the lactating one but our little one doesn't get the oatmeal. Salt sprinkled on the food once a week or so since we haven't found minerals at all here. Baking soda will be put in a bowl instead of water from now on. The man we got them from just had them pasture feeding, no added feed-nothing. We have not done any fecals done. Their stool all appears normal, how do I know who's is who's to do the fecal or should I treat all of them even with one positive? Are there natural (proved by your experience) ways to de-worm? I don't have access to too much vet meds here.

 

[Southern by choice]

Coccidia is not a worm so dewormers will do nothing. Coccidia is the silent kid killer and you do not have to have any diarrhea, blood or loose stool to have it kill. Coccidia can sometimes even cause constipation. You do not know if they have cocci by looking at the goat or just visually looking at the pellets on the ground. It must be checked under a scope.
You stand around and gather their pellets in a baggie. I tend to catch mine in mid poop in a dixie cup but most stand around and grab the berries as soon as they poo. Keep cold til getting to vet.

Cut out the corn. Stick to a quality goat feed and be careful how much BOSS (sunflower seeds) you feed. Hay is good and the cutting s are good.
Why oatmeal?

For many goats pasture feeding is fine and some goats don't need anything else. It depends on the forage and pasture.

Can you order minerals in?