Help - baby kid too young to bring home? We are so worried...

[lunaflora]

I think the sad fact is that a lot of people who may actually take really good care of their own does (ie the pictures on the website, the bred doe in good condition) don't take the best care of their boy babies. To me, if you bring a life into the world you are responsible for caring for it, but I think for a lot of people the boy babies are just expendable. And sometimes all the babies they don't plan to keep are expendable (this was definitely the case at one of the dairies I worked at).

It sounds like you are taking the baby back, but for future reference, I personally have never been able to find Dimethox at a feed store -- I've always had to order it online. I order the powder and mix it up at home (much cheaper shipping than buying the liquid). It probably depends on how many people have goats in your area as to what coccidiostats the local stores stock, though, so maybe you'll be luckier than me, but I generally just try to order it before kidding season to have on hand. Also, you can treat lice topically with Diatomaceous Earth (from a garden store -- rub it into his fur, don't feed it to him), or kitten flea powder. Both are very gentle (DE is totally non-toxic, used in organic agriculture) and will get rid of the lice (at least the ones on him) without bothering him much.

Poor little guy! Sorry you are having such a tough experience with him. Good luck with the others, and I hope this breeder takes good care of him until you see him again.

Shosha
Chapel Hill, NC

 

[gigiintheforest]

Well, the baby is back with his mama. I completely agree with you regarding the breeder. I do have to say that she was very agreeable and was going to take him to her vet so I hope it all works out. Yes, unfortunately many more people want doelings rather bucks or wethers. But there is a responsibility that everyone should recognize when they breed. And we will be more savvy the next time. Hopefully we will have these animals for many years to come.

I'm ordering the Dimethox so that I will have it on hand. Our feed store and Atwoods did not carry it. I do have DE so thanks for the tip on that. I use it in my chicken coop with great results but hadn't thought to use it for lice on the goats.

Everyone else seems very healthy but I'm keeping a close eye on them. Thank you, Sosha, and thanks to everyone on here who helped - you can't imagine how much I am grateful for your ideas - when you sitting up with a baby at 3:30 in the morning things can get a bit bleak. I'm hoping baby guy comes back healthy and really weaned this time. (-;

I think the sad fact is that a lot of people who may actually take really good care of their own does (ie the pictures on the website, the bred doe in good condition) don't take the best care of their boy babies. To me, if you bring a life into the world you are responsible for caring for it, but I think for a lot of people the boy babies are just expendable. And sometimes all the babies they don't plan to keep are expendable (this was definitely the case at one of the dairies I worked at).

It sounds like you are taking the baby back, but for future reference, I personally have never been able to find Dimethox at a feed store -- I've always had to order it online. I order the powder and mix it up at home (much cheaper shipping than buying the liquid). It probably depends on how many people have goats in your area as to what coccidiostats the local stores stock, though, so maybe you'll be luckier than me, but I generally just try to order it before kidding season to have on hand. Also, you can treat lice topically with Diatomaceous Earth (from a garden store -- rub it into his fur, don't feed it to him), or kitten flea powder. Both are very gentle (DE is totally non-toxic, used in organic agriculture) and will get rid of the lice (at least the ones on him) without bothering him much.

Poor little guy! Sorry you are having such a tough experience with him. Good luck with the others, and I hope this breeder takes good care of him until you see him again.

Shosha
Chapel Hill, NC

 

[lunaflora]

You're totally welcome! I cannot even tell you how many people have helped me out on forums like this. I had a goat get very very deathly sick when I was very new to keeping them, and without a doubt it was an assortment of random friendly strangers on the internet that saved her life.

Best of luck to you.

 

[elevan]

 

[gigiintheforest]

We just talked to the breeder and the baby is doing very well. We will pick him up in about three weeks when he is really weaned - Yay! Here's a picture of his month older brother adjusting to our pasture.