I am going to share what I have dealt with for the past week and also ask questions. I am really hoping anyone with any knowledge would please share with me your advice. I'd greatly appreciate it!



I have for a long time wanted to start with some goats and eventually, after learning about the animal go on to having a dairy goat. Not a huge production just a few for our own family needs.

So a few weeks ago we purchased two kids from the amish barn. I had been reading up on how to care for them but obviously not enough! I told the guy we know nothing and what do we need to know. He didn't really say much at all. I asked about what they eat, and he said they eat anything at all.

We take these two kids home, they told us they were 3months old. I give them some cracked corn as they want it(in a bucket with constant access) and they have access to pasture all the time expect over night when they are secured in their house.

13 days later I go out to let them out of their house for the day and one is dead.

I then frantically begin researching to find out what happened to him and how can I make sure the other one is okay. I have since learned so much. Apparently it could have been a number of different things.

Before burying him we did cut into him to see if we could see any indication of worms. We couldn't find anything but also may not have known exactly where to look. I did worm the other goat with equine invermectin(sp?). This was done on Fri 5/4. This is what was suggested to me by another goat owner. We did this just to make sure it was not worms. He acted like we would if we had WAY too much alcohol. This lasted for about 24 hours then he was fine. I guess I may have given him too much or he had a reaction to the wormer.

I also purchased the CDT vaccine but wanted to make sure he is healthy before giving it to him. So he was fine Sunday 5/6 and Mon. Then on Tues he has diahrea. I give him pepto bismal, another suggestion form this goat owner I know. His diarhea is gone on Wed. He is even acting better. Today he is fine.

I am worried he will get lonely. How could I tell? We do have chickens and four big dogs. I go get him anytime I am outside working and let him hang our near us. Is it possible he will do fine if he is around us alot? Or is it necesarry to have another goat for him?

I am thinking it should be safe now to give him the vaccine, CDT? Should I wait a little longer?

I have come to the conclusion that I was likely giving too much grain and the diarhea is what killed the first goat. He did have diarhea for about 2.5 days before death. I didn't really think anything of it at the time. I think this because when the second one got diarhea I took away the grain.

If he is not wethered will he be okay if he is the only goat we have? I have been told that as long as he is not near a female he will not go into rut. He is nubian and I would like to keep him intact for future breeding if we can keep him alive. However, I do not want him acting 'bucky' either.

My dh and I are thinking, if possible, we should just keep this one and when we are succesful with him for a matter of months we will then expand to getting more.



I guess this is all for now. Thanks for any input you may be able to share.