I was pulling up the driveway this morning and saw a huge flock of buzzards in with the goats. Uh oh. Buzzards are never a good sign, especially when there are a bunch of them. My goats were all huddled up in the front corner and I quickly counted them. Yesterday there were 11. Today there were 10. Dang. I didn't walk to the back of the pasture to see. With the amount of buzzards there, I'm sure my little goat was gone. We've been hearing lots of coyotes and are fostering two donkeys in with our sheep to protect them. Since the sheep aren't technically ours yet, the Animal Rescue want to be sure they stay safe.
We do have three donkeys of our own but they trample our goats, so they are in separate pastures. You would think that since they are side-by-side and basically touch noses all day long, the donkeys and goats would be friends. But they're not. One of my little babies squirmed through the fence a few months back and Brownie trampled her in no time. Of course, in Brownie's defense, she had just had a baby but still....
My little girl goat was fine yesterday. I don't think she was sick. It was probably a predator, probably a coyote. I hate losing animals!
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Susanne, I would highly recommend you guys look at the Great Pyrenees as a guardian flock protector. We got one two years ago due to feral dogs and a fox--he has done a great job. Google them--you would really love this dog and it would be a great addition to your farm.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for the goat :(
Amy
I have looked into them and would love one! My husband is not on board. We already have two dogs and he doesn't think we need another one. I've tried to explain the difference but he's not buying! My border collie is a farm nightmare. Kills my chickens so now they can't free range. Barks at all the big animals. Kills the geese. I would love to get guineas to control the fire ants and stuff but he'd kill them too. I wish we could replace him! Where did you get yours? Was it already trained?
ReplyDeleteSusanne, Please let us know if it was a coyote. My friend has a dairy and beef cattle farm and he's worried that he's going to lose some calves to the coyotes. He hasn't lost any yet but a neighbor has lost a couple to either coyotes or bear. I've caught one coyote on my game cameras that weighs at least 60 lbs.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure it was a coyote. What else could it be? She's was a good-sized goat and perfectly fine the previous afternoon. We've been hearing lots and lots of coyotes over the past few weeks and close in. Several farms nearby have seen them as well. :(
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about the goat. We have a coyote problem in our area and that is really the reason I don't have any goats, as of yet. Too worried they would be killed. I have heard great things about the GP breed. Very protective.
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