A few years ago my brother, Tommy, called and asked if we wanted to give 4 goats a home. His neighbor had to move back to the city and couldn’t take the goats with him. I talked with Billy about it and it didn’t take long to decide.
Tommy did let us know that the daddy goat was tied up at the moment, due to eating the other neighbors flowers. We weren’t sure what we were getting ourselves into but thought maybe they could clean up the woods at the farm. Besides, we had plenty of room for them to wander around and hopefully they wouldn’t get into any more trouble.
Since we were new to all this farming stuff, my brother said he would help us transport them to our land. Sure enough when we arrived to pick them up….poor Bubba was tied up and looked pitiful. But I have learned that they have a way of looking and sounding pitiful even when they are fine. Tommy and Billy loaded them all up. I was a little leery of those horns they were all sporting. I remember seeing on television how goats always ram you when you aren’t looking. I didn’t want that happening. I like all the animals to just be nice. I know you have to respect animals and their instincts…because they are just that….animals. But I don’t want to be afraid of any animal that we have on the farm.
We all arrived in one piece and turned them loose in our pasture.
They were so cute. They looked so happy, this is one of my favorite pictures of the whole family.
Starting from the left is….Bubba the daddy, Violet….the Mama, Jed…the son and Pearl…the daughter. We didn’t know the age of the animals…except my sister in law, Lisa, thought the kids were about 3 or 4 months old at this time.
They checked us out as much as we did them. I suppose they too wondered what we would be like. They quickly warmed up to us. The cows in the pasture seemed to be fine with the new additions as well.
Bubba did get aggressive as he aged, he seemed to be more so toward men. He took a co-worker to the ground, it took all he could do to get up and get away before the horns got him. I saw it and talked to Billy that night about it. We decided to watch him and see how he acted in the days to come. However, the very next day he did it to Billy. He brought him to the ground. Thankfully a neighbor and I both were in the fence and were able to help get the goat away long enough for Billy to get back on his feet. Needless to say….Bubba had to go. He was extremely strong and when he stood up on his back legs he was as tall as a man. I’m sure he was protecting his little woman…but we didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. So….the next morning Bubba left the farm. It was sad because we loved him….but it was what we had to do.
Violet was already expecting and before too long.. we had a baby….Jethro.
She was a great Mama….letting us hold him whenever we wanted.
This was just a little while after he was born.
He was our first baby goat….and we were both smitten.
Jethro grew…..and stayed close to Mama.
Big brother Jed, took time with him.
They stayed at the farm, but the pasture often gets too wet for their hooves. They prefer rocks and we needed to clean some other areas….so we fenced in a place near the house for them.
Once they arrived they checked it all out….Violet was leading the way.
Jethro wasted no time getting started…..
Jed seemed content…and there was certainly plenty of brush for all of them.
They fit right into their surroundings.
Once they walked around….they went back to the gate.
They were atuned to every new sight…..
and sound….
Whenever we would go for a walk….they would come to the gate….anxious to see us.
Violet was always making us smile with the silly faces …..
and expressions she would make…..
She continued to be a good mother and before long she was a grandmother. She was a protector of all of them….I suppose that is what most Moms and grandmothers do when they need to. One day we couldn’t find her with the herd. Billy walked through the whole fenced area and finally found her sitting down in the brush. She had been attacked by a predator, and her ears were shredded and bleeding. She was shivering. She apparently was worn out from the fight, she couldn’t even stand. Quickly, we gathered some things to doctor her with and made sure she had food and water. She was so weak it was pitiful to watch. Little by little we were able to get her to stand a few minutes at a time. She would move a short distance and then sit back down. A day or so later she was able to get up and walk a good distance…back toward the house. Her ears healed….but they were forever scarred. She indeed was a strong goat.
Here is a good picture of how pretty and long they were before the attack.
She didn’t have striking features like some goats….but she had a beautiful long neck, pretty eyes and was very gentle. Now if food was involved… then she wanted to be first and didn’t like to wait. But that is true with most any animal.
Last Spring we moved Jed back to the farm and bought May to be his new wife. We also purchased Freddy to be the new Male for this herd.
Recently Violet started bagging up and seemed to be doing well with this pregnancy.
We could tell that it was getting time for her to deliver. She was moving around like a Mama that was ready. Billy entered the fence to feed them Saturday morning, while I was watching from the window. I noticed that she fell on her way to the trough. It looked as if she just slipped on one of the flat rocks. She quickly got up and kept heading for the trough. Billy was ahead of them so he didn’t see her fall. She ate and seemed to be alright so we went on about the day. I happened to notice about an later that she was back at that same spot…laying on her side. Hoot-n-Nanny, her granddaughter, was softly nudging her face…like she was saying…get up…get up.
I ran out the door and through the gate. I was afraid she was dead. She was alert and I helped her sit up. I called Billy, when he got there we tried to get her to stand up. We couldn’t find anything hurt on her. But all she wanted to do was sit. I figured that labor was probably going to be happening soon, especially after this fall. Looking back, I’m not sure if she slipped on that rock or if she was weak or something.
We kept encouraging her to stand and lift her up several times…. but she wasn’t trying to help much. We continued to massage her legs and feel for any injuries, but couldn’t find anything, and she made no noise as if she was in pain.
Continually checking on her, we kept thinking… alright then…she is just ready to have those babies. She let me just sit with her some throughout the day…resting her little face on my leg, letting me pet her. She seemed fine…just tired. You could see all kinds of movement from the babies. They were kicking her pretty good….probably trying to get comfortable since she was sitting.
Evening rolled around and we assumed she would deliver sometime during the night. Early Sunday morning we headed out the door and sure enough we had a birthing bubble. That is the tale tell sign that delivery is soon. I wasn’t real sure the babies would even be alive, since she hadn’t moved around much. Finally I felt one move slightly. Billy and I gathered all the necessary towels and things….just in case she needed help. Before long there appeared two beautiful white feet. I took hold of them and when she pushed I tried to help….only when that baby moved her little legs out of my hand did I realize that it was indeed alive. That is an incredible experience. I moved and Billy worked with her on the delivery part. Violet tried but didn’t have much energy to push hard. Things did progress pretty quickly though. I cleared the airway for the baby and gave her to Violet to lick. The next baby came right away without too much trouble. Once again we gave the baby to Violet.
She tended to them…..like normal.
within about 10 minutes they were all cleaned up and fluffy.
Violet however, never even tried to get up. Which isn’t good…and isn’t normal.
They tried to nurse…but couldn’t. Often newborns have to have a little time to find things…but she was in a position that wasn’t helping.
Billy and I knew we had to get her up.
We put our heads together….to form a plan. He went to gather some supplies….meanwhile….she gave each baby some one on one time.
When I took this picture I kept thinking….she looks like she is smiling.
Same thing here….her head in both pictures is as if she is hugging them.
They all nodded off for a few minutes…
Billy rigged a device where we could lift her up and let her rest in a sling type device. This allowed her to still be able to reach the ground with her feet. I pointed the babies to the feed bags and tried to get them to nurse. It is vitally important for newborns to get their mother’s colostrum in their system quickly or they won’t make it.
Needless to say there are no pictures of her in the thing. We were too busy just trying to make it all happen. She wasn’t overly excited about it, but tolerated it for a few minutes. She was eager to get out of it as soon as possible. The babies didn’t move quick enough…so I milked her some and got what they needed in a bottle.
That night I gave them another bottle, when we checked on everyone just before bedtime. Violet still wouldn’t get up on her own, she had developed a bad cough. We gave her some medicine, but were very concerned.
Billy woke up during the night and checked on her…she was still sitting up. I got up a little later and checked on her….she was still sitting up. I hoped by morning she would surprise us and be standing. Unfortunately, when we got up for the day, she was laying on her side. Afraid I already knew what I was going to find…I went inside the gate. She looked as if she was just asleep…..very peaceful…but she had indeed passed away. I was afraid the babies might have died too….but they were fine, still cuddled up next to her.
It is just sickening when things like this happen.
We have replayed the day over and over. What if we had done this…or maybe we shouldn’t have done that…..it just make you sick.
Billy buried her on the land. I took the babies and fed them. They seem to be very healthy and are already eating almost as much as Lucy.
It had been beautiful weather all weekend…but Monday a cold front moved in. The babies are being kept comfortable near a wood heater…. in the sun room. Lots of milk is being warmed..along with Lucy’s bottle. We had just successfully moved Lucy inside the fence. I was secretly hoping that when the new ones arrived Violet would allow Lucy to join them in their family.
I suppose they will still all hang out together….just under different circumstances.
The rest of the herd seems lost without Violet, especially Jethro.
Since we have to feed the babies ,we have been able to experience their personalities. The white one looks like Violet and seems to be calm like her. We are going to call her Viola in honor of her Mother. The other one looks just like her father. She doesn’t want to be held as much…and Freddy, her father, stands off. She is much more feisty than Viola. We are going to call her Freida after her father.
It is all bittersweet. We are enjoying the babies…but we have a lot of sadness…for the loss of their Mama.
For now….We keep reflecting on the love and trust she showed us from day one…..
The kindness she showed
her sweet disposition….
and the love she so freely gave to us through the years.
We already miss her very much.
I've Gone Country 