It has been a challenging weekend - and not a fun one at all. I have had to make a very hard decision regarding my goats. For those of you who read this blog and my Pricilla's blog you know that I really enjoy my goats. I have my girls Pricilla, Abby, Jillian, Mallory and the boys Michael and Luke. Plus now we have the three kids hopping around - Emily, Jeffrey and Matthew. They entertain me, provide me with milk (well the girls do) and give me a reason to push through a lot of my pain.
Michael was my first baby - with his sister Sarah. We sold Sarah a couple of years ago and that was very hard. It is always hard for me to let my babies go. We really don't need two bucks but my husband has let me keep Michael because he knows how attached I am to him. Michael's temperment is not easy going to say the least. He has charged my husband and he has charged some neighbors. He usually is gentle with me but as he has aged he has gotten more aggressive. He has given me several nasty bruises and has knocked me down a couple of times. I have started to be afraid of going in the pen with him and this is not good.
On Saturday, for no discernable reason, as I opened the gate he just up and charged me. He hit me on my left leg, totally upended me so that I landed on my stomach flat on the ground and then he started stomping on me. The skin on my leg was cut open and I have about an inch long gash. There is a large knot and a nasty bruise. There is also a bruise above my knee on the same leg; I suspect from his other horn.
This was the last straw so now Michael's fate is sealed. My hubby has made an appointment with the butcher for next Thursday. We can't possibly give him away with these problems. I don't want to breed this into any more goats. I am so very upset but I also know it is for the best. I can't be afraid to handle my goats. And once he senses I am afraid it will only get worse. I am lucky he didn't break my leg. He almost broke my finger last week. So it has to end.
I know this is part of farm life and I accepted that when the hubby and I embarked on our lifestyle change to be more in control of the food we ate. This is just the first goat to go. And he is my baby.
I have so many health problems including poor balance. I simply cannot risk a further injury from him.
Luke on the other hand is the most docile buck I have ever encountered.
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17 comments:
I know it's hard but as you said, your safety has to come first. I'm so thankful that you were not injured more than you were.
Oh my. I hope you are really OK after all of that.
Sometimes stallions turn really rank as they get older and they must be castrated and it takes about a year for them to settle down and be civil. But I can see that a goat is not a horse...
I understand your decision and know how hard it must be for you. You have my best thoughts and wishes.
Thank you both. It helps to know that I can write it out and then have the support.
OH my goodness!I am glad you weren't hurt worse!For all the joy living the country life brings us,the sad times seem even sadder because we are so close to our animals.I can understand how hard this must be for you,my heart and prayers are with you.Take good care of your self,I hope your wounds heal quickly.
oh no! I'm hoping you recover quickly and am so sorry for your dillema over this. I'm certain it was a hard decision, but you have to be able to take care of them, so it's in their best interest. Feel better, inside and out!
I am so so so sorry. I hear bottle raised bucks are much nicer and easier to handle.
You seem to love your animals as much as I do. I can't imagine having to do that. But I would do the same thing.
You are brave.
I know this was a very difficult decision for you and the male person. But it's something that must be done. You safety and well being are more important than anything else.
Hugs to you.
Thanks all. Every time I think about it I cry. He is my baby but I really have no choice. He ran at me again this morning but I got out of the way in time.
I just wish I knew why.....*sigh*
I just stumbled upon your blog from your comment on my giveaway. I am so sorry to hear about your baby, but as you said you really have no choice.
Psst...I can make goats. ;)
Oh my Patty! I'm glad you weren't hurt worse. What a horrifying incident that had to be for you. For what it is worth, I support your decision regarding Michael. He sounds dangerous. Just a thought, but is it possible that he has a tumor that is pumping up the testosterone level? We had an Irish Setter that got aggressive and I took him to the vet and told him to give KC a check up and if he found nothing wrong with him we had to put the dog down because I couldn't have a dog that size acting aggressive to our small kids. The vet discovered a tumor the size of a grapefruit near the dog's testicles, which he said was causing massive amounts of testosterone to be produced. He neutered the dog and removed the tumor and KC returned to his happy go lucky easy going self right away. The kids could again crawl all over that dog without fear of being bitten. You're in my thoughts and prayers!
Oh dear..life is so full of decisions...some we so don't want to make but know we must. I'm sending healing thoughts for your injuries and for your heart.
Hugs, Regi
That had to be a very hard decision for you. I wish you the best in your healing.
Oh, Patty, my heart aches for you. I know this decision did not come easy, but something has to give. You cannot provide Michael with what he needs to live if you cannot approach him. What kind of life is that??
There may be something going on inside of him that is making him ornery, so it may be the best thing to put him down. And you cannot take care of the other animals if you are hurt by him. What if he got into the other pens and hurt the other goats?? You would never forgive yourself.
Hugs, pally. You are making the right decision for THE FARM. It is nature and farm life, but that sure doesn't make it any easier. I feel your anguish.
I'm sorry.
I am sorry for your loss,as a goat I can relate,just glad you were not hurt worse,really sorry about it.
Patty,
I am so sorry to hear about Michael. There must be a reason why his personality changed the way he did. May be he's sick and you don't know it. Putting him down might be a blessing in disguise.
Your and your family's safety comes first. Do not feel guilty. You have others to worry and care for. You did all you can.
I'm so glad you weren't hurt. You're doing the right thing, but I can just imagine how hard it is. I agree that there's probably something going on inside of him. Sometimes life is just plain hard...(and what a wonderful time for your husband to give you the new cat so that you have that distraction).
Oh... what a tough decision this must have been for you. I'm going to have to pay more attention to this other blog of yours. I rarely check it, so I just get the happy Pricilla version over on Maaaa. I'm missing a big part of what's going on!
You're making the right decision, even though it's hard. It's a farm and while I kind of think of them as your pets just reading about them, they're not really "pets" in just that sense. Glad you didn't get hurt worse... the kitten will help you get through all this! :)
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