# Introducing baby goat tragedy!!!



## christie (May 10, 2008)

So I have this 8ks old baby I have been introducing to my small heard., Earlier this week I was keeping her in a dog crate because I had an evil milking doe that wanted to smash her to smithereens. I was able to get her to nurse off the evil one while she was on the stand. Thursday evil goat left for a new home.
So my doe Julie who is a lg Nubian, which is the herd queen but rather gentil never seemed to mind the lil one. So I ve let the in the large pasture together with no problems.. minor pushing, but they were getting along great.. So I thought. I put them at night together in the same stall, This is Thursday night. I noticed Julie getting quite ruff with her. but I put lots of hay everywhere hoping to keep them occupied. Though I noticed baby goat kept trying to nurse off dry Julie. She would just butt her, but she kept trying to nurse and she would ram her into the wall! Eventually all was quiet. So Friday everything was great again in the pasture. My idea for last night was to put the top half of the dog crate in the stall so baby goat could go in there to get away from Julie if she got to fierce. I have done this with Julies babies last year, and they loved they're crate and ran in there to get away from the big ones.
Oh' and a side note I tried the bottle baby goat had no interest in it... dam raised.
So around 1 in the mourning I hear constant screaming from the barn. I decide to go out there and I see Julie ramming the baby really hard into the wall. I put the baby in under the crate and figured she would stay their to be safe. A lil later I hear more screaming so I go back out and put baby back under w/ some hay. I thought she would stay there and be safe!
So this mourning all was to quiet... BAby goat was down. She looks to have a broken front leg and an injured back. she tried to stand but falls over,. Her back legs are moving but she can't seem to get them under her to stand up. So Im figuring a back injury. She is laying there quietly. Shes very thirsty and have brought the water to her. she has a lil green froth at her mouth, not sure whats that about. I silently though maybe she ate something bad, but she didn't get loose... but who knows. I wanted hubby to put her down, but he wants to wait a few days to see if she comes around... I don't think we can wait that long. I am going to call the vet, but would hate to spend $$ for her to tell me to put her down. 
I am so mad I didn't separate them last night. But it was late, and the crate was apart, the other half in the pasture. And Julie would of woken the whole neighborhood up if I took her out of their. So Im done with goats,its just not meant to be right now. W/ 3 toddlers, no help from the hubby, being a birth doula. Plus I can't seem to find a companion for our Julie that works out. And Our property has to be reconfigured better for livestock so they're not so close to the neighbors. So Against my my sons wails Ive listed Julie for sale.

So hears the vote Put the babe down???
She is just laying they're and is not trying to get up at all.
Wait a while???
And do what for her.... I feel awefulI, I thought they would work it out they're differences, or she would know to hide.... :sob:


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## Lada (Jun 7, 2008)

I don't have any advice, though I'm sure some more knowledgeable folks will chime in.

But, I am sorry you're having such a hard time. Sometimes babies are just DUMB and sometimes herd queens can be really mean. It sounds like baby goat is really annoying with the trying to nurse stuff and Julie probably didn't mind when she was trying to nurse evil goat,but when she tried to nurse off her, it got more irritating. Stuff happens. Next time just keep a closer eye to make sure herd order is being established *safely* before you leave them alone. I don't know that I would give up. Get an older, stronger pal for Julie and after a few days, they will be on the same page and everything should run smoothly.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

I am so sorry. Probably the kid was too young to deal with everyone and trying to nurse and find a new Momma was just too much for the kid and the does. I probably would have kept the kid separate and tried to bottle feed and if not would have done well with grain, hay and water. Introduce to herd maybe a couple of new goats at a time. But...sounds as though the kid is really hurt badly...so please let us know what the vet says..So very sorry...


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

So I brought the baby goat to the vet and she has no broken bones at all!!!:bouncy: They said she may have polio, or over eatting disease, or have gotten into something poisonous. they were voting on the polio because she went off milk and eatting different foods and such gets the bacteria in her rumen all messed up. something like that. So they put her on Thiamine shots and I have to get some thiamine pills after that. They gave her her cdt shot and a shot of antibiotics too.
So we are happy that our Julie isn't the cause. and that she was probably butting her to get her up. The vet said she would be aggressive to her in the pasture too if that was truly the issue. Which it isn't so Im glad the vet was willing to meet me after hours on a saturday:goodjob: And that I didn't go with my gut and shoot her!:teehee:
Still after a night like that, I just can't do it anymore. so I m thinking of calling her previous owners to see if they'll buy her back??/ maybe!!


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## QoTL (Jun 5, 2008)

Christie-

So glad to hear the vet is helping!!


Just a word of warning from my own experiences though: behavior in the pasture and behavior in a stall will NOT necessarily be the same.

My story: I took pity on the 'low goat on the totem pole' and put her in a stall (8x8) with one of my 3 month old bottle babies (who doesn't try to nurse). I was in the barn at the time and glad I was. I heard the scuffle, and when I looked in, the grown goat had baby pinned down in a corner and was butting her hard. 

Outside, the grown goat will warn the little one to give her space if she gets right next to her, but certainly never corners or harasses her.

It just isn't the same, although maybe my own goat is an exception to some goaty rule... but maybe not.

Better to keep little one sorta separated and deal with a bit of yelling from your Julie. At least then you'll know everyone is safe.

Looking forward to a happy ending for your baby!!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Hope the little one pulls through for you Christie & things get alittle easier. Maybe if you just get 2 little mini milkers instead of full size goats, & nubians(right) are pretty noisy.

I agree with QoTl, in a small confined space together & out in the pasture together are 2 completely differnet things. Everyone always gets along much better the more space they have & can get away from each other if they need too.


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

so far she is looking better. More alert and is eatting hay and chewing cud.I left Julie out for the night and gave the whole stall to the babe maybe tomorrow I'll put her in the dog cage but for tonight its all hers. Yeah, they do need they're space, but for some reason I do feel better knowing she is ill and not injured. I will have to watch them real close when they are confined.


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## goatkid (Nov 20, 2005)

I'm glad she's doing better. Please do not confine her with Julie until she's grown up. Stress can cause baby goats to become ill. It's best to separate them with fencing where they can see each other but can't fight.


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

I dont have that option to keep separated. I only have one stall so one would have to be in the rain/ coyote food. Or sleep in a dog crate and pee on them selves everynight. Theses are also the reasons for getting out of goats!
I did find a lady to keep them for me till I want them back. Though hubby was hoping for the $$. Not sure what to do now.


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