And then this morning, at 6:15, I went out to open up the coop like I usually do. All the dogs were at the house when I came out, but Champ followed me to the coop like he always does. I didn’t even notice the small body of the little kid on the mulch pile in front of the coop until Champ laid down next to it. The body was still limp, and was not messed up at all, but the poor little kid’s head was missing! I kicked Champ away from it, even though he was not doing anything but laying there.
If I knew for sure that Champ killed it, I would take him to the pound today! I don’t know what happened? Were the dogs playing with him, and inadvertedly killed him? I can imagine the horrid sight of them playing tug-of-war with the little guy. For some reason, one of the dogs must have brought the body down to the coop. It is a good tenth of a mile up to the barn area, and the goats have never come down to the coop before.
Well, even though I was just in my sandels and sweats, I marched on up to the barn to make sure the others were ok. I imagined all of the goats being masacred by some mysterious predator. Thankfully all was peaceful and all the goats were accounted for. The three remaining kids were running around and playing and the grownup goats came over to me to see if I had a treat for them.
Just yesterday, I thought about putting LuLu and her kids back in a stall. When I first went up to feed them, her two kids were not around, but they showed up about a half hour later. I figured they were just asleep somewhere. But they were only 8 days old, and we would not have let them out of the stall yet if LuLu had not just kept getting out on her own! Now I am blaming myself a bit for not going ahead and putting them back up last night. Was God trying to tell me to put them up, and I just did not listen clearly enough? They were just having such a good time when I was ready to leave yesterday that I did not have the heart to pen them up. But, obviously, had I done so, this poor little kid would still be playing today.
Sigh…
Does anyone out there want a nice Chocolate Lab?
But then again, it is hard to say for sure that Champ is to blame. He usually sleeps at the house all night. Luna and Mamoo are the ones who usually roam the hills at night.
I am just rambling, I guess. I will continue to think and pray about this.
What lesson do you want me to learn through this, God?
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2 comments
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Mama on June 2, 2009 at 7:37 am
Hi ,
Don't blame yourself (easier siad than done I know) and don't jump to conclusions about your dog. Since you don't know if that dog ahs never hurt kids before he most likely didn't. I would be on the look out for how the dogs act around the kids. Like you said learn from this and be careful about kids running around! I have a yearling doe who is having some leg trouble and I think it is becasue I haven't gotten the winter hay layer out of there. And it is a very big job so I don't know how fast it will happen. Oh the many things our goaties teach us and suffer for it too.
I lost my first born kid here this winter because I got too cold at 2 am and too tired, who was a first time freshner and a bottle baby herself. I shoudn't have left her. She suffered ( longing for her baby) and I did because I left.
Blessings,
Mama
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Sandra on June 2, 2009 at 11:03 am
Don't beat yourself up about this – things just sometimes happen. I don't know a lot about goats but I do about labs – and they are usually a gentle breed I don't think Champ is responsible – more so I thing his sense of smell made him notice it and he laid down to call your attention to it.
Also, don't dogs usually bring their master's their kills? I know cats do – growing up my cat would leave mice and moles on our front porch. If it had been one of the dogs I think they would have brought it up to the house. Maybe there is something else in your area?
Sandra
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