First off, we got a new buckling, Sam, on March 7th. I have watched this breeder's website for a couple of years, and he seemed to be a good breeder. I also knew several people that had had business and personal dealings with him in the past, including our last buck, Andy's breeder, so I thought it'd be a good choice. All seemed to go well until I went to pick him up-he had scours. Well, okay, sometimes kids just have milk scours, I thought. However, it quickly became obvious that those weren't milk scours. Now all of our kids have had it(for about 2 weeks at a time), and it seemed to be gone for a week or so, but then Sam got it again, and then Minx, Lad, etc. After another two weeks course, it seemed to be gone for a week, but now Sam is scouring again today and so is Minx, and I expect to see more following suit again.
It ranges from a
pure water consistency to normal pebbles throughout the day, and even in the same "bathroom break." It also ranges from horribly foul smelling, to no smell at all. I've given Sulmet to Sam twice, but it didn't help, and nothing is showing up in a FEC. I will be sending a sample to the state lab this week, and starting Specto-Gaurd as well.
Okay, okay, kids get sick-the breeder can't help that. Maybe, but I've never sold a symptomatic goat, and never plan to-I always wait until they get well, or I KNOW that it's milk scours.
They also did a horrible job disbudding this buck, and I'm 99% sure that he is going to have huge scurs/horns now.
After pestering and pestering his breeder, I finally saw on the ADGA member services that he is registered, and in our name. However, his birthdate is shown to be March 8th, and the day I bought him to be March 11th. We are in the process of getting his breeder to fix that now. I'm kinda worried that we aren't even getting the genetics that I thought we were, though all the evidence I have refutes that... It just makes no sense why he wouldn't put the right dates on the registration papers.
Anyway, though I won't give out names or discourage other people from going to this breeder, all things considered, I don't think I'll have anything to do with this breeder again. I don't know that anything is really his fault, this just isn't the experience I wanted, and I don't want to go through this when I buy goats.
Below is Sam-the pictures were taken several weeks ago, and he is much bigger now.
He's a big, solid boy, and we look forward to using him in our breeding program.
Below is Black Sand, AKA Mr. Black, Black-Boy, or Blackie. He is extremely tall, long, level, and still as skinny as a rail. He's a gentle sweetie, but usually doesn't come seeking out attention.
He looks almost exactly like Flicka. He has a very similar white marking on his side and underbelly, though he also added a small stripe under his chin, and a spot on his poll. Flicka had about ten white hairs on her poll-not enough to call a spot.
Below is Flicka at almost the same exact age.
Below is Flicka's doe kid, Minx, AKA Minx-el, or Minxy. She's a good little girl, and already knows her name and "talks" to me like Flicka used to. I like to say that Black got the looks, but Minx got the brains.
She got pneumonia a couple of weeks ago, but seems fine now, after a round of antibiotics. I noticed she was acting off one day when, after I fed her her bottle, she lay down kinda hunched and fluffed like she was cold. It was a warmish day and none of the other kids were doing that, so I took her temperature-it was 105.
See below how a sick got looks.
This is Lad-he is Marion's son, and is for sale. (See Minx on the right, just not looking well.)
Because I have to buy so much milk, we caved and got a milking... Nubian. However, her milk production was low and stayed low even with all the grain we were giving her(plus she was getting beat up), so we sold her back to the original owners.
Everest, our adult buck, is for sale.
Emmy wasn't due until April 11th, but was looking like she'd kid before then. And yes, indeed, she ended up kidding on April 5th. After no progression for over an hour, Mom reached in and pulled a kid out. The first kid, a cute Cou Blanc doeling, was breach and born dead with pieces of placenta stuck to it. Because of the placenta and the fact that the kid was DOA, Mom went right back in and quickly pulled two more kids. The second kid was born alive and wiggling, while the third was another DOA, both bucks. Mom and I worked on the dead ones for a long time, but didn't get anything. The live one Mom brought into the house for observation and feeding. He began slowing down until he died about 4 hours after being born. It was no fun...
Below is the kid that lived for awhile.
I went out with the camera today and took lots of pictures-here are a few.
First is Minx. I'm loving how long and level she is already!
Next is Marigold. She looks like she has a dip in her back-that's not normally there. The problem with using a bottle to set the kids up for pictures is that they tend to try and crouch like they do when they normally eat-this makes the front end and back get all messed up. Anyway, Marigold is nicely put together too, but is a greedy feeder-hog that had to be put on strict rations because she ate herself sick more than once. She's also very, very vocal.
Jazzy-she's Mom's kid, but I really like her too! She's turning into a frosted Sundgau-the white around her ears is spreading down her neck. Today is copper day for her, as her coat is getting terrible.
Li-she is also very long and level. I don't like how straight her rear legs are though. She's been having a lot of trouble shaking off a load of coccidia, even after trying a couple different kinds of medication and herbs. I will give her copper today as well, and see what that does.
I'm always glad when a doe fills the bucket by herself! Good job, Marion!
Skitz is the next doe up to kid, due on May 6th. She's not very wide, but is very deep.
Feeding time at the zoo! This is all but three of our goats.
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