I'm at a Loss

Each time I checked on the goat today she seemed worse. She's not feeding her kids and only lays on the ground moaning. She did at least move into the shed. I've done all I can do for her, but expect to find her dead in the morning.

So, what does one do with a dead goat? I guess if Tom was here he'd go dig a hole out in the pasture and bury her. But I can't dig a hole that big and even if I could, I couldn't move her to it.

And if I can't get the kids to eat, they'll probably die, too. They are eating some solid food. Baby goats start eating at a very young age, but at less than a month old, they still rely heavily on their mother's milk. I don't think they are drinking any water at all.

I think I'll take the kids tomorrow and see if Pansy will nurse them. I fully expect her to reject them, but I have to at least try it. If she won't take them, I'll put them in the barn and try to force feed them. I just don't know what else to do because it looks like even if the mother recovers, she won't have any milk.

It's times like these when I really don't like farming. I have a constant "dread" feeling in the pit of my stomach when one of the animals is sick.