Hi all,
I am just devastated. I am a first time goat owner and just purchased my little goat babies a month or so ago. See my post in the introduction page to see pictures.
So, yesterday I got up in the morning and bottle fed my two 1.5 month old bucks. Left them in good spirits, healthy, with solid poop, able to pee...everything was great! Went to work. Came home and went out to the stable around 5 and found one of my babies dead. He was stiff as a board, a little bloated, and what appeared to be stuck underneath the dividing wall between the pen and storage area in the stable (only about 5 inches or less of space under there). At first we thought he got stuck and suffocated, but after thinking about it there was NO sign of struggle. There was wood shavings and some loose hay on the ground and it was intact. So now I am thinking something happened to him and he was either pushed there by the other goats, or he went there to try and relieve his pain somehow.
I guess my question is - what can kill a perfectly healthy, happy and beautiful goat in a matter of hours? I am just sick thinking about what I did wrong or didn't do. He was so healthy. Eating grass/hay really well, still on milk (cows milk and a little half/half), but naturally drinking less because of the grass. He was eating some grain occasionally (which was medicated grain), some baking soda occasionally (not much!) to help with some bloat (he was not as bad as his brother with the bloat), loose minerals free choice, clean water. He was so happy. He was a snuggler. After feeding all he wanted to do was lay on my lap and nuzzle his head into my neck. Ugh...I am so upset by all of this.
Any ideas? I do not want the same thing happening to the other goats. Thanks for reading and any suggestions or ideas you may have.
I am just devastated. I am a first time goat owner and just purchased my little goat babies a month or so ago. See my post in the introduction page to see pictures.
So, yesterday I got up in the morning and bottle fed my two 1.5 month old bucks. Left them in good spirits, healthy, with solid poop, able to pee...everything was great! Went to work. Came home and went out to the stable around 5 and found one of my babies dead. He was stiff as a board, a little bloated, and what appeared to be stuck underneath the dividing wall between the pen and storage area in the stable (only about 5 inches or less of space under there). At first we thought he got stuck and suffocated, but after thinking about it there was NO sign of struggle. There was wood shavings and some loose hay on the ground and it was intact. So now I am thinking something happened to him and he was either pushed there by the other goats, or he went there to try and relieve his pain somehow.
I guess my question is - what can kill a perfectly healthy, happy and beautiful goat in a matter of hours? I am just sick thinking about what I did wrong or didn't do. He was so healthy. Eating grass/hay really well, still on milk (cows milk and a little half/half), but naturally drinking less because of the grass. He was eating some grain occasionally (which was medicated grain), some baking soda occasionally (not much!) to help with some bloat (he was not as bad as his brother with the bloat), loose minerals free choice, clean water. He was so happy. He was a snuggler. After feeding all he wanted to do was lay on my lap and nuzzle his head into my neck. Ugh...I am so upset by all of this.
Any ideas? I do not want the same thing happening to the other goats. Thanks for reading and any suggestions or ideas you may have.