Laura Goat is fine. She had her kid yesterday. It was unbelievably big, especially given her own stunted size. The kid appears to be brain damaged. He is not going to make it, although we're doing everything possible for him. He does not appear to be in pain, or for that matter, to be aware of anything. His heart beats, he breathes, and that's it. We're keeping him warm and trying to drip milk into him every half hour. There is no response. This is not something to be sad over. He's getting better care than many babies around the world, and if he can't live, at least he doesn't seem to feel pain.

If we can't get Laura Goat spayed, we'll get rid of the buck entirely and not let any of the girls breed any more. In the meantime, we're deeply relieved she's doing this well. I was pretty sure she would have to go to the vet when the time came, and yet she birthed him quickly without trouble.

-- helen (tag@hangers.r.us), February 19, 2002

Answers

He went quietly this afternoon.

-- helen (burial@detail.again), February 19, 2002.

Happens.....

Is the mother okay?

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), February 19, 2002.

(((Helen)))

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 19, 2002.

Laura Goat looks good. She's in a private area of the barn being cuddled by a whole flock of young chickens. If I'm ever sick, I think I want to be left in the barn to be cuddled by chickens. It looks really comfortable and warm.

-- helen (love@the.farm.hate.farming), February 19, 2002.

(((((Helen))))) You handle things much better than I would!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), February 20, 2002.

Another boy baby was born today. Totally healthy, totally dry all over, had obviously been up for a while. But he can't move his back legs at all. When we moved him into the house for inspection, we felt a bad rattle/crackle noise in the area of his left ribs -- I think they're broken.

Something is killing baby goats out there, and I don't think it's a mule. The buck is violent, and I think it's him. I've seen Mike Mule trip over his own feet trying to avoid stepping on the little ones, and any killing he might want to do would have been accomplished with much bloodshed. He's not the one.

Now Grace Goat, due any minute, and the new momma goat, and Laura Goat are on the private side of the barn. I took Baby Goat out to nurse somebody, and Laura wants to adopt him. His own momma is interfering with that.

His momma has never been friendly to people. She was born here and has never raised a baby or been milked. But there I was, crawling around in the dark, knees in fresh goat poop and chicken poop, holding this baby goat up so he could nurse his momma.

I have never before successfully milked a goat, although I did once straddle a hissing Edna Goat and try real hard.

His momma stood still for it. Maybe it was so dark she didn't realize my role in the proceedings, but I got a little milk to flow. The baby found it and nursed just a little bit. His possibly-busted ribs interfere with his breathing, and he gave up too soon.

I don't think this little one will make it, but at least he's awake and trying to interact. Grace Goat, her lovely daughter Laura Goat, and his momma are all talking to him. Maybe he's not moving his legs out of pain. Maybe he'll mend if he gets enough to eat.

Meanwhile, I've got an appointment with a buck goat.

-- helen (green@acres.left.this.part.out), February 21, 2002.

Oh Helen, wish I could be there to help you friend. You sure have had a tough time of it this week, as have the kids. Sorry I haven't been around lately to support you. Glad you can come here and share, because you know we care. Hugs to you friend, and e if you need anything...

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.

I think buck goat needs to have his attitude adjusted with about 150 gr. of not-so-precious metal moving at a high rate of speed.

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), February 23, 2002.

Baby Boy goat was still living when I checked yesterday morning. He had moved around a bit in the night. He was dragging himself a bit on his elbows and knees. His momma made a point of lowering her body so he could nurse from the ground, so I left well enough alone.

Checked later in the afternoon, and Baby Boy goat was clearly among the living. He was able to make some mewing kitten noise.

Grace Goat had given birth, but there was no other baby in sight. I said, "Grace, where's your baby?" She walked over to a wheelbarrow and stuck her nose behind it, then looked back at me.

Behind the wheelbarrow was a perfectly healthy, spunky little girl goat. The little thing had gotten into a place where Grace Goat couldn't get her out. As soon as she got back with her momma, she nursed very well.

Today I had to work all day. When I got home, baby boy goat was able to stand with help getting into position. He's shaky, but he nurses and poops. He just might make it.

So maybe we need two new names after all, folks. Ideas?

-- helen (green@acres.a.zany.way.of.life), February 23, 2002.

How about Will for the baby boy goat? He sure seems to have the will to survive. Or if you want to get sophisticated, ;-) Marcellus means young fighter. (Maybe Marc for short?)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), February 23, 2002.

If Grace goat has a baby, surely it's gotta be Goodness or Mercy :-)

.

At the risk of being a totally insensitive nag... Where's my story!?!?!?!

.

Helens days are full

Goats being born, needing help

Our story languishes.

.

I'd write one myself if I only had some time....

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 24, 2002.

Does that make him Willy the Goat....

Or Wiley The Goat? Then he has a ready-made cartoon hero!

The girl, I agree, must be Grace the Goat, for a mystory must always have a gracegoat.

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), February 24, 2002.

Hmmmmmmn.

Will E. Goat?

Or Will de Goat?

(Like "Will de goat butt me?"

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), February 24, 2002.

I kinda like "Will de Beast"... :)

There's gonna be a riot around here if I don't let the kids name the new girl. They're so unfair to me.

"WdB" stands like a buffalo calf -- shoulders very high, hips very low. If I knew our words for "Stands Like a Buffalo Calf", that would be his name. But can you imagine trying to call him for supper in English?

-- helen (poop@on.shoes.sunshine.insole), February 25, 2002.

Kritter Goat :)

-- she who still pops in... (k@a.n), February 25, 2002.

Suggested to kinder that "kritter" would be good name for baby girl goat. Kids jumped on idea and now claim that's what they intended to name her all along. They just don't treat me right, they just don't...

Goats well. Story half-written. Lotsa stupid stuff preventing me from getting online, but soon ... that's what I always say, but really, this time I mean it, soooooon....

-- helen (story@on.way), February 28, 2002.

Sure, Helen. There's a story on the way. Christmas is on the way, too. I think it might be a near race which one shows up first! (I'm taking a page from Lon Frankenstein's book, in case you hadn't noticed :-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), March 02, 2002.

We are snowed in tight. Spent a good hour slogging around (no snowshoes here), looking for babies holed up all over the place. The flowers are buried. The wild birds came back to the feeders to find them empty, so I floundered out there with their food too. They let me walk right up to them.

The only unaccounted for baby is the crippled chicken. I made sure he ate well yesterday, so if he's holed up somewhere, he'll be ok for at least another day. This is the price the free-range chickens pay for their freedom. Mind you, he had two barns and three doghouses at his disposal, but I can't find him anywhere. He was free to get lost. Now I understand the verse about leaving the 99 to look for the one. Until I had animals, I didn't "get it".

-- helen (writing@quickly.hurrying.fast.really.this.time), March 02, 2002.

Tricia, I want to hear more about your trip! :-)

Anybody know what has happened to our fearless leader? Rob? Rob???? ROB!!!!!!!!!!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), March 02, 2002.

This is a test. This is only a test of the story broadcasting system.

-- helen (testing@theory.here), March 02, 2002.

If this had been a real story, you be notified by the sound of gasps and "Gollies" from across the fruited plain.

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), March 02, 2002.

Crippled chicken is dead. He died in the warm part of the barn after having had plenty to eat. Many human beings die under worse circumstances, so it seems wrong to be sad about it. His death raises questions about the appropriateness of letting him live in the first place, of feeding him when every grain he ate was "wasted" when it could have been put to better use. When I think of him, I think of working on his tiny, crooked feet. I couldn't wring his little neck, or deny him food, or throw him to predators. I'm not a farmer. I wonder if what I do here is wrong.

-- helen (one@found.but.lost.for.good), March 02, 2002.

(((Helen))) I'm sorry to hear your chick died. Death in all it's forms is very difficult to deal with. You certainly seem to have more than your share of animals with congenital problems, but you take good care of them. I don't think it's because you're doing something wrong that they don't thrive.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), March 03, 2002.

Helen, love and compassion are NEVER wrong! The Bible says that God sees every sparrow that falls to the ground. They're important to HIM, too.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), March 03, 2002.

Will De Beast is able to walk on three legs. His left rear leg hangs in a limp fashion as though it were dislocated at the hip. The leg itself has not grown since birth, even though the rest of him is bigger. Until today we avoided handling him very much in case he had pain from his injuries. We talked about seeing if a vet could do something, but to be honest, the x-rays alone would wipe us out. With my track record, I might need x-rays myself.

Today WdB was lying on his right side in the dirt, screaming his head off when I got home from work. I thought someone had stepped on him again. When I picked him up, I noticed an odd stiffness about his body. It was something like picking up a dead animal, although he was quite alive. Once he was set back on his three good legs, he hobbled over to nurse his momma.

I'm really busy. Teacher conferences started today, so I left again. Before I left, I put WdB and his momma and Grace Goat and Kritter Goat in a separate pen just in case somebody was roughing the little ones up.

When I got home, the buck was in the pen with the ladies. WdB was lying on his right side screaming. When I picked him up, the stiffness was still there. With more time to examine him, I fooled with his feet and legs and neck. Things just don't have the normal laxity they should. I put him back to his momma, and the buck knocked him down right away.

So I roped the buck -- now I'm really and truly a goatroper -- to a fence post and put WdB back to his momma to nurse. When I went back out to check on him, he was in the pen with the big brother goats. How he got in there, I don't know. He was lying on his right side, screaming his head off. The other goats were ignoring him.

When I picked him up, I tried to cuddle him like I do all the babies. He felt like a dead animal. He was stiff. I put him down to nurse and stood directly over him and noticed that he's really, really crooked all over. His ribcage sticks out to his left, his right hip sticks way out to his right, and his shoulders are asymmetrical.

What I think we have here is a baby goat with cerebral palsy. He appears to be paralyzed to a large degree on his left side, and unusually stiff on his right side. Maybe he wasn't injured after birth, but before. Maybe the buck has genetic defects. Maybe I'd better get the well tested.

But what do we do with WdB?

-- helen (nanny@to.many), March 14, 2002.

Hmmmn. Damage from getting hit in the side by the other goat?

Doesn't sound good.

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), March 15, 2002.

We had to put WdB down this morning. Stupid, stupid, stupid ... it was only this morning that I realized what he had. The last time I saw this was thirty years ago. He had tetanus. By the time I remembered what it looked like, he was too paralyzed to save. Tetanus is very painful, the vet's office was closed, and so we took care of it quickly ourselves. Next week I need to get the vet out here to give vaccinations to all the animals.

-- helen (looking@for.an.apartment.in.the.city), March 16, 2002.

I didn't realize that animals could get tetanus. Still, Wild De Beast's maimed fourth leg wouldn't have been from that. And where did he catch it from?? Is it the same type of tetanus that people get? Helen, are you and your family in any danger of getting it too?

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), March 16, 2002.

Tricia, tetanus is carried in the soil, particularly where horses (and I guess half-horse mules) live. The only other case I've seen was in a horse that got it from unsterile castration equipment. The humans here are up to date on their vaccinations, so I'm not worried about us. The animals can be vaccinated too, so we'll do that as soon as possible. The dislocated hip didn't have anything to do directly with tetanus, but that's why WdB spent a great deal of time lying around in dirt before his umbilical cord fell off. The incubation period is about right for infection through the umbilical cord. His mother was born here, so I know she wasn't vaccinated and couldn't have passed on immunity to it through her milk.

We're getting rid of the boys to avoid any more goat babies until such time as I have a separate and relatively sterile kidding barn. Kritter Goat is doing well. Right now that's all I care, she's ok.

-- helen (not@gonna.breed.goats.no.more), March 16, 2002.

Poor Helen! You have been through SO much. After hearing about all of your problems, I hope I NEVER have to live on a farm!

-- Gayla (the@city.looks better all the time!), March 17, 2002.

Gayla, during the raging y2k polly/doomer debates, I kept a virtual journal of failure online to remind people that we do NOT want to return to "the old ways". I can't imagine trying to handle this place when we're really old. I have pneumonia right now, and my arthritis has flared up, not to mention I'm just plain too tired to keep it up. We'll have to hope one of the kids will decide to have too many children to support in town, so we can let them have the house in exchange for taking care of us in our RV. ;)

-- helen (green@acres.was.funny.but.this.is.not), March 17, 2002.

Yucch.......

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), March 19, 2002.

((((Helen)))) Pneumonia and arthritis? I agree with Robert.. Yech!

Hopefully your pneumonia has responded well to antibiotics and is gone by now. I've found taking Omega 3 supplement (Salmon oil/ flax oil) has worked better on my arthritis than anything, even NSAIDs (which I don't like to take because of side effects).

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), March 23, 2002.

Funny you should ask...

The pneumonia isn't all clear yet. It went into a secondary ear infection. Then things got worse. I couldn't get out of bed this morning. Saturday, the day you shouldn't HAVE to get out of bed. JW's showed up out here in the middle of nowhere. When I went to run them off, I got dizzy and fell on the concrete floor by the back. Right on my hip. I fully understand how old people manage to break theirs. Threw my back out so bad I can't cough any more.

Then the kids say my memory isn't working, and I can't argue because I don't know what I'm not remembering. Lost my dayplanner and cannot function. Have to patch things together enough to go to work tomorrow, Sunday, the day GOD rested and we shouldn't have to work either.

The upside to all this is that I'll forget it ever happened. As soon as I can walk without pain.

-- helen (worse@and.worse), March 23, 2002.

Helen, bless your heart! It sounds like things have gone from bad to worse. You really shouldn't be driving with an inner ear infection. Call your work, tell them you're sick and not coming in. Can your doctor call in a different prescription for you today?

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), March 24, 2002.