Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Rain in Our Hearts


It's raining this morning in Leavenworth County, and how we still need it. 
I did chores between onslaughts. 

I'm waiting now to go out and get the morning paper.  

Raining in our hearts, too, because we lost our little Kody Moses yesterday at the vet clinic. 

He had so many bladder stones he "lit up like a Christmas tree" as the vet said, when they xrayed him again. 

I have learned so much from this episode, but oh, how horrible a way to learn things. 

We will miss him so very much, as we miss his brother.  

Thank you , Alica, for sending me such encouragement and advice from your own episode.  I am so glad you were able to save your boy.  Not one of my goat friends here had ever had an episode of urinary calculi, let alone two in a month. 

Jocelyn... I saw your comment, and will you please write me at Ksredhead1950@gmail.com, so we can talk about it?  I would appreciate it. 

Donna, at Our Forest Haven... you made my Saturday a better one when we saw our boy suffering and were unable to reach a vet to help us... thank you for your always good advice when you are still recuperating from your major surgery. 

And thanks to everyone else for all of your wonderful comments and encouragement, Keith and I appreciate all of them. 

When we left on Sunday, Kelly was running up and down the pen, crying for his "brother".  He was hoarse when I got home that afternoon.  He spent yesterday eating hay and calling intermittently.  I knew we either had to make a decision to re-home him... and believe me, I was discouraged enough... or to get him a companion right away.  I called a friend from church whom I knew had goats. 
She agreed to sell me two girls that she had bottle-raised this spring. 

My dear friend Jill came over after work and we went to pick them up....

Kelly is not too sure about these girls, that are his age, but only half his size: 


Meet Winnie and Windy. 

Goat owners amongst you will notice the distended belllies.  They have not been wormed, have not had their CD and T shots, and their hooves need trimming badly.  I realize now that our boys exposure to not just their little boulder pile, but access all over the property is helping to keep their hooves down. 

Because they are bottle babies (though weaned) ... they are gentle and friendly as Kody and Kaycee were. 

Kelly let me pet him on Saturday. 

Yesterday evening, while I sat and talked to the two new babies and loved on them... he quietly came up to me and stood with his head down a little.  I reached over and began to scratch his back along the spine, and did this for 3 minutes, talking to all of them and scratching the girls with my left hand.  Then I gave them all a pat and stood up, and he stood there looking for more.  It has taken almost 2 1/2 months to get to this spot, so no... I don't want to rehome him or give up on him.  He is a nice little boy. 

Sunday, when I got home... I sat for an hour in the barn with him. 


We sat so long, talking (!) (okay, I was crying) that he began to doze off.   I realized that Kody was so like a big dog that Kelly was always in the background, and I did not pay attention to him.  He was not as spectacularly marked as Kody and Kaycee, but he is a lovely young goat, nevertheless.  We began to be quite good friends after this, and he followed me to the gate. 

I also noticed how well his mama taught him... he is a good hay-eater, and went to the minerals while I was in there. 

That's good, because the vet told me yesterday no more commercial feed for them. 

Tomorrow, I'll take Windy and Winnie separately to our vet here in Tongie for a well-baby check, for shots, and for worming advice.  I'll talk to him about the advice I got from K State and go from there. 

I did purchase prairie hay, four bales, and am mixing that with the brome I had left.  We intend that Kelly will not develop the urinary calculi that killed our other two babies. 

I just realized, looking at this picture, that Kelly appears to have a heart on his forehead! 


Whew, that was a jarring change of pictures, wasn't it? 

I show you this because I truly lost my temper at him. 

See where his tail hooks up to the left, and yes, it WAS a big thick one? 

I've never seen a snake swallow an egg so fast... he coiled up and got ready to srike when I took hold of that tail above just out of view the left of the picture, and gave it a shake. 


Guess what?  I went back out there about ten minutes later, and he was long gone. 

It is still raining steadily here, so I think I'll grab a hoodie and trek out to the gate to get the probably sodden paper. 

Our prayers are going out this morning to all those affected by yesterday's shooting... and to those who are stranded or have lost so much in the flooding to our west.  

We are so blessed here in our wet little world. 


24 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about your loss, but I'm glad you got your little fellow some company.

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  2. Oh no, you know how sorry I am. I hope that the 2 new little girls will start the healing process for all 3 of you. I'm glad Kelly is starting to realize that he needs to love you.


    Snake bite....a big no no....that would be a gone snake.

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  3. You are so brave to even take that picture of that snake let alone touch him..holey moley!!

    We love your new pictures of your little goat babies, and we are also sending you lots of hugs today!
    stella rose

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  4. Thinking of you and praying that Kelly and Winnie and Windy will thrive.

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  5. I think Kelly is beautiful! I hope he continues to let you get close to him and pet him...and that he stays healthy! The girls will help to keep him company, I'm sure. And now...I have to say it...EEEEEEEKKKKKKKkkkk! You know what that's for. :) :)

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  6. I'm so sorry Mary Ann and I am glad you were able to find a couple of nice girls to keep Kelly company.

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  7. Kelly was ready to start the heart-healing process for you; what a good baby! And with the two new girls you'll have a happy goat family. And yes, NO COMMERCIAL FEED for little boys – or big ones, either. Not that trouble can't still occur; the ram we lost got only hay. But it sure lessens your chances!

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  8. i am so sorry to hear this. i was praying the outcome would be different.

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  9. Aww, Mary Ann, I am so sorry about another loss for you. I never had that problem with any of our goats, so was surprised with you having it twice. Of course, I mainly had little girl goats. They were so much fun to raise. I wish you well with Kelly and your two new little girls, Windy and Winnie. I think Kellie will tame right down now and be the leader of the herd. He is bigger and been there longer. Good luck with your little family. I know your heart is hurting. You and Kellie help each other through this. ((((HUGS))))

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  10. So sorry to hear about Kody & am very happy Kelly is coming around. Those 2 little girls are just precious!

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  11. You may just have to eat that snake! He sure enjoys his egg store.

    Sorry for your loss. It's never easy.

    RAIN!!!!!!!!! We await that blessing still.

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  12. I think the snake would soon be a pair of boots or a purse.

    Helping himself to eggs, not a good thing at all.

    I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Changing the food may help with your other goats.

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  13. Learning how to care for goats (and other animals) is full of heartache. Your posts scared the bajeezus out of me. I did an internet search and realize now why our vet insisted that we never give our wethers grain; just hay and not too much of that (and their minerals, of course). Now I understand why. It gives me goosebumps because without that bit of advice, I could have experienced the same as you. I'm glad you got the girls; you are good to your animals and this could have happened to any of us. Learn; heal; keep going. Hugs.

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  14. Hugs from Kim in Australiax You were so clever getting new companions for your little goat straight away.Does are so affectionate ...who knows you might end up having babies if you know someone with a buck! Now that would be lovely.

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  15. Such a difficult lesson to learn. But at least you now know what the cause was so it won't happen again. Hopfully also, others will learn from you. Such a painful loss for all of you!! Your two new girls are pretty! Best of luck and God Bless.

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  16. As you know I've been sending all my love and I'm very sorry you went through this. I'm hoping the new girls settle quickly and they sure are sweet :) You have all my love and support as always!

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  17. I can only imagine the heartbreak of loosing yet another little guy to the very same thing. Glad you got the new girls to keep Kelly company. Hopefully now everyone will stay healthy for you.

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  18. My heart goes out to you and Keith.

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  19. I am so sorry for your loss. Goats truly are fragile creatures. I would recommend reading my three-part series on parasites. It's based on ten years of experience. I'm glad you haven't given up on goats and were able to find those adorable girls. Sometimes, bottle kids have pot-bellies even if they aren't wormy, but it's good to get them checked out.

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  20. Mary Ann, one of my followers says the problem can be avoided by putting a tablespoon of bleach in five gallons of water, if you don't use city water. I don't know your situation, so I thought I'd pass it along.

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  21. So very sorry to hear about the loss of your little one. He was such a character. We're glad that you haven't rehomed Kelly, he needs to be with you and will soon learn to love his lady friends!

    Sending you hugs and best wishes xxx

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  22. I'm so sorry for your loss of Kody Moses. Our beloved animals leave a hole in our hearts when they leave us. I'll keep you in my thoughts :) Your new girls are really cute. I hope Kelly warms up to them soon!

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  23. Oh no :-(. Just catching up with you. {{{hug}}}

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