Whether Stabbed Nanny

[rodriguezpoultry]

Well, I believe I saw the reason my LaMancha doe was injured. A few days ago, I saw a "hole" in her side and assumed bot fly. I squeezed and very little pus came out but the area was severely swollen. I opted to take to the vet. The vet thought maybe a snake bite. Yeah....

After watching her behavior the last 2 days, it looks like one of the wethers may have hooked her with his horn. She used to be the top notch on the rung and today, I saw her run when one of the wethers lowered his head at the food dish.

The injury happened when there was no food other than browse so this shouldn't have been an aggression injury.

My questions are:
1. Is there anything I can do to prevent her from being injured other than separating her from the wethers?
2. Can I have the horns removed on year old wethers? I'm betting not.
3. If nothing can be done, is it too early/ late in the season to have the wethers processed/ slaughtered or should I wait until the fall?

Thank you!

 

[greybeard]

https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/how-old-is-too-old-to-remove-horns.142036/

Your results may vary...

 

[Goat Whisperer]

We dehorned an adult doe.
One of the best decisions we ever made.

At this time of year you need to be careful though, you don't want your goat to get fly strike.

Here is the thread. Some of the pics are graphic but you can see the if this is something you'd be willing to do.
https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/de-horned-2yr-old-doe-week-3-update.28257/

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

If you can find a processor open? Around here they tend to shut down until fall due to grass being abundant and folks let animals grow. I would not want to do any myself in heat of summer due to having to do it outdoors in heat/flies. But a processor has indoor set up, etc.

You could try duct tape on horn ends so they are not so sharp. Don't have to be about feeding when they spar over pecking order.

 

[goats&moregoats]

They will look funny, but I put pieces of pool noodles over one of my nanny's while she was penned with other nursing mom's. I just cut the noodle down so it just came over the end of her horns. Use duck type to secure.
I only had to do this temporarily until the babies figured out how fast to move. Once babies were older she was less aggressive with them as well.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Hubby suggested Expanding foam instead of the pool noodle. Thoughts on this?

Would it be possible to separate her from the 2 wethers. Keeping them in separate pens but allowing them to see and hear each other through the chain link fencing? Or will that be too stressful?

I can't see doing the horn removal in the summer in Oklahoma. No way on that for the 1 wether. Even then, if my favorite guy is doing the damage to her, he'll have to go. When she does have another kid, I don't want the baby to be hurt because he's being aggressive.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Is there a reason to having the wether?

If he were here, he’d be eaten. Goat meat is delicious

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Is there a reason to having the wether?

If he were here, he’d be eaten. Goat meat is delicious

One wether, McDerp, will be eaten. I hate that goat and I'm really hoping he's the cause of the problems. The other wether, Espresso, is super sweet, loves to be pet and cuddled.

The whole purpose for the two wethers was as weed control. The doe though, she is for milk and weed control. I can't have her getting hurt as I rely on her. She's also the escape artist of the 3 so have to keep them all confined or move the wethers to another area.

If it winds up I have to eat both wethers, I can but I will say I'll enjoy one MUCH more than the other.

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

One goat alone is a very nervous, unhappy goat.

 

[Latestarter]

Sorry she got gored... Glad it wasn't you or a family member. Only way to know if processing is available is to call around. Processors here work year round and are hard to get into during hunting season. So fall is a particularly bad time to try and get stuff scheduled.