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Tough Couple of Weeks at the Flowering Goat Farm

jwstewar

Active member
It has been a rough couple of weeks here on the farm. We have goats, yes, they are livestock, but since they are shown, they are worked with a lot more and become more like pets. So that being said, it started on Nov. 16th. We had a Nubian doe that was hurt when we got her. She had a hurt leg. We had it x-rayed and ultrasounded. Nothing broke, but it was tendon damage. It would either heal on its own or it wouldn't. Kept waiting on it to heal and it didn't - and it kept getting worse....and putting her in pain. We made the decision to put her down - but since otherwise she was healthy, she was butchered. I actually sold her to a co-worker of mine. At least she isn't in pain any more and she paid for her food bill.

Then we have Skylar. Skylar was a little Pygmy that we got when she was about a week old. The folks lied to us on how old she was, she shouldn't have been sold at that age and expected to be on normal food. She got sick and lost weight. She went clear down to 3 pounds. Monica (my wife) ended up nursing her back to health and she ended being the farm pest. She may have only weighed 60 pounds or so, but she would give the rest of them a run for the money. This year our fair started allowing Pygmy goats at the fair. So we let another girl show her (Skylar never left our farm until the day of the fair). Skylar got stressed at the fair, we even put one of our other goats with her to keep her company. Monica kept working with Skylar since the fair, but just couldn't get her back right. Even working with a vet friend of ours, and things just kept getting progressively worse until finally on the 18th, she passed.

Then the real shocker. Saturday night Ally (my oldest daughter) and I fed the animals. Everyone was good. Yesterday morning we go out, I'm starting to feed the bucks and the chickens. I then hear a wicked scream...you know the scream that something isn't right. She yells "Juno is dead" I immediately drop the egg basket and start running. I yell at Keagan and I hurry up and call Monica. Juno was Keagan's baby. That was the first goat that he purchased with his own money, she was the one that got us started raising LaManchas. She was Keagan's buddy and his Showmanship goat. They made a great team together. From everything we can gather, she was fine eating last night, it looks like when she was eating her nightly hay, she got chocked on something, a stick or something in the hay and she chocked to death. Poor thing, she was so pretty and such a nice goat both physically and personality. We were so looking forward to this year as the folks that sold her to us said that line really blossomed at 3 years old. She would be 3 in March. She was due to kid February 25th with at least 2 kids, so we ended up losing 3 goats in one shot here. The only good thing is, she gave us two nice does this past spring, one that looks just like her, but we won't know if she has as nice of an udder until spring of 2017 as we didn't breed her this year, wanting to give her a bit more time to grow. Though we do plan her breeding the other one as soon as she goes into heat. This is even more important now that we lost Juno.
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
A very rough November. I feel for the kids who put so much time in them, it will really hit them hard. Sure it hits us adults but kids are innocent and the hurt seems deeper. I sure hope December all is better for all of your farm family.
 

jwstewar

Active member
Yep, I cried over Juno and was upset. But I cried more because my son was crying and hurting and there was anything I could do to help him. Last night as I was finishing up feeding the chickens, I looked over and there he stood by her grave, just quietly crying.
 

MrLiberty

Bronze Member
Site Supporter
Yep, I cried over Juno and was upset. But I cried more because my son was crying and hurting and there was anything I could do to help him. Last night as I was finishing up feeding the chickens, I looked over and there he stood by her grave, just quietly crying.


for you and your family......

rbowx.gif
Rainbow Bridge
rbowx.gif


[SIZE=+1]Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown... [/SIZE]
 
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