Sometimes life just sucks.

Friday afternoon I had my first goat kid. He was doing great - eating and getting really strong and frisky. I was so excited at this wonderful start into my 'goat farmer 'career.

This afternoon I put him and mom back out to the pasture with the other goats. I watched to see how the introductions went. Everyone had a good sniff of him and he was nursing from mom so I left.

Three hours later I go out to check and he's GONE. No trace of him anywhere. Mom appears slightly worried, but is still grazing away. I looked everywhere. I don't know how he'd get out - none of the other kids did. Anyhow, I didn't really think the babies would wander too far from mom even if they did get out.

So now what? will moms milk just dry up or do I need to do something about that?

To top things off, my duck who had been sitting on eggs got off today so I checked the eggs and they're rotten.

AND I stayed home from work because I was up all night and half of today feeling absolutely awful. Now I and sad and exhausted and a total failure at raising goats it seems.

I don't even know what to say. You must have been frantic! Never having had goats I can't think of how to advise you to search. Do you think he wandered off or a predator got him? This is awful and heartbreaking. I know that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. I am sorry this happened.

Is there anywhere he could have hidden? I know sheep generally dont go far from their babies, and maybe goats are like that too, but cows always hide their babies and so just a thought. If she wasnt overly concerned I wonder if she just stashed him somewhere?
Is there any way a predator could get into their fence? Or anywhere he could get stuck? But again mom should be where he is if he is in distress?

So sorry to hear of your troubles and heart aches. I do hope he turns up for you.

Could you let mom out of the pasture (if she wants to go in that direction or is hanging over the fence?) maybe he slipped out and she could go find him?
It is amazing how the moms can go get their babies so easily when you cant find them yourself....
Maybe something scared him and he got out?
Sorry to hear your troubles, they happen to everyone despite our best efforts with stock....

I lost two lambs like that. I'm still baffled. Eagle? Fox? Coyote? Ewes were beyond upset but two weeks later I still have no idea where they went. I wasn't far off when they disappeared too.

Lesson for me, don't let lambs out of the barn (small gauge panels) until they are almost weaned. Too big for fox or eagle, at least.

I feel for you!

Weellll, I went out a little bit ago because I refused truly believe he vanished like that. The first thing I see if him standing there!

I ran over and apologized to Ginger for telling her she was a terrible mother for losing her baby and all, then ran back to the house to tell my son I'd found the baby. I grabbed the grain to take out to the girls and when I got there - no baby.

So I began my search for him again with Ginger bawling behind me all the while thinking I must be losing my mind and wondering if it had anything to do with the Gravol I took earlier.

Then I found him snuggled up in a stand of dry grass that is the exact same color as him. Why he didn't come when mom called I'll never know.

I guess I just have a vanishing goat. . .

You ARE lucky! What a relief!

My cows do this sometimes. I've learned to ask the mother - is your baby missing or have you just hidden it? If the mother isn't upset, usually she's just hidden the baby.

Or she's a terrible mother.

Thank Goat!

Animals are the same as humans ..........a mother NEVER is calm if she thinks her baby is gone / lost ! If the mother is calm ,then baby is close by (normally )

Wow, I was just coming on to tell you how sorry I was DC but this has a happy ending a good lesson learned.

uno wrote:Thank Goat!

I have a motto.

Goats aren't easy.

Glad to hear everything turned out for the best.

A friend of mine had a new kid a few days ago. The next evening he let Momma and baby out and watched them awhile. Everything seemed fine. Then he went in the house for just a few minutes and came out and couldn't find the baby anywhere.The Momma goat was tied but acting calmly. The next morning he came to work here at my sister's farm and he was beside himself with worry over what had happened to the little kid. Remembering that we have had cattle in the past that would hide their calf in the woods and only go off to nurse it then return to pasture, I wondered if a goat would do the same thing. That afternoon I went by his place and stopped and looked and looked - no sign of baby. No sign of it when he went home that night either. Next morning, when he got up, there was baby, bright and happy as anything with Momma. Now he has them in a pen and has put a bale of hay in the pen. Now Momma hides her baby behind the bale of hay and he sleeps there up to 4 hrs at a time, while Momma pretending she doesn't know where he is. Now everyone is happy

Schipperkesue wrote:I have a motto.

Goats aren't easy.

I second that one Sue..........make sure you give the selenium vit A ,D & E and check the date on the bottle. Which I failed to do this year and now have 2 with white muscle diease. Just be happy when things are going good. Congratulations on the baby.

Goats are not that hard you just
have to think ahead of them.
I had a little buck last year that
would go hide and would not come out
or make a sound when mom was screaming
her head off. Sometimes he was just feet
away but no he would just look up and
watch his mother running around looking
for him. If I was out in the field I
would go get him and push him out of
his hiding just to shut mom up. This was
her first.
Anyway glad you found him safe.
And yes you would have had to milk her off
a bit to make sure she did not get mastitis.

Glad you found the little guy!

We just brought home our two pretty little nubian girls last weekend! They are wonderful Hopefully we will have some kids in August!!