So the cold weather always hits our more vulnerable animals hard- the old and thin ones. Today the high temperature is 24 degrees, and the forecast is for 2-6 inches of snow and 50 mile per hour gusts (and the electricity is out and I am writing this on my iPhone). And our Angora doe Angie is about to die. I should not have sheared her. She is 9 years old but has always been on the thin side, but this year the winter is too much for her. She had slowed on her eating and gotten thinner and weaker. Last night we tried to make her more comfortable by bringing her into the feed shed, getting her warm water, alfalfa pellets, blankets and heating pad, but today she is not eating or drinking at all and moaning. So Tom is out there now putting her down while I cry in the house. Angie has never been a friendly goat but she has made nice mohair and kids for us. I hope she had a good life here.
So Sorry Donna. It’s never easy, especially when it’s so cold and they are in pain. Enjoy the beautiful white winter wonderland and take it easy:)
Oh dear, Donna, that is so sad for you all, even if it is merciful for Angie. I am keeping a close eye on old Inky, because I know she, too, is vulnerable. This is the part of having animals we love or at least appreciate that is so very hard….
Thanks so much Krista and Michelle. This is definitely the hard part of keeping animals, and I still suck at it.
I’m so sorry, both for your loss of another farm friend, and for the power outage which was likely my fault. I crashed into a power pole near parsoncreek around noon today .
Thanks Colette. The power is back on. Are you OK? How’s your car? I know it is really slick out. Our 4WD truck slipped a little on the corner down the road- the other end of Prairie from the one you crashed on.
I’m ok, just a bit sore and shaken. Not sure yet about the truck. It is supposed to get towed to our house but has not arrived yet.
Those photos are so scary. I cannot imagine being stuck in your crashed truck for one hour with live transmission wires. I am so glad you are OK, and it does put my day into perspective. I just had an aged goat Tom helped relieve her suffering and a brief power outtage. You had a scary accident and a mushed truck on an icy cold day.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Thanks- it has been a rough, cold day.
Wow. Tough day. So sorry about Angie.
Thanks Denise. Angie’s not suffering anymore, and I am doing better. Colette’s day (above) put mine into perspective. I hope you and yours are staying warm.
I’m sorry about Angie. Saying good bye to a long time friend ~ be it human or not ~ is never easy. Even if it does get put into perspective by a more traumatic event.
I’ve got a young chicken, dying in my garage and I just don’t have the courage to end her suffering. I held her and petted her for a long time, this afternoon and that really seemed to comfort her. But, I can’t hold her forever.
This is one of the few times that I wish I had a man around here…
Thanks Nancy. I feel bad making Tom do it, but glad he did. He said it went quick, so glad about that. I need to have him show me how to do it in case something comes up when he isn’t here.
So sorry to hear about Angie. And winter begins. 🙁 I have two on the ‘watch’ list here in the sheep flock that are 10 & 11 and several others close on their heels. I have never mastered the task of putting down the ill ones either, and will have to rely on having an (expensive) visit from the vet when it is necessary.
Take care of yourself.
Tammy
I hope your “watch list” critters do well but also don’t suffer. You understand the effects of winter on a flock. We usually have the vet come out, but with the snowstorm I did not want to endanger him either. Especially for something we can handle ourselves, even if unpleasant.
I am very sorry Donna. I lost two of my precious sheep last August and it still hurts when I look at their pictures. It’s all part of loving animals isn’t it.
Thanks Jody. It is but still hurts. Particularly when I feel I contributed to her death (by shearing her).
By the way, Tom is trying again with your package, through the ice and snow. Hopefully we have a successful launch today!
I had to put down 2 ducks that had been attacked by something this summer. I have never killed anything in my life, but the idea of leaving them to suffer was beyond anything I could comprehend. I was crying so hard I had a hard time seeing them to pull the trigger. Ladies..the key is to remember that at that point in time their need is greater than your emotional pain. Those of us who love animals must accept the whole responsibility for them…especially those of us who are single women
You are right Alta. We really do need to learn how (single or not). And I need to learn to use a gun also to scare away predators (coyotes, cougars, neighbor dogs,….).
I am so sorry to hear about Angie. I had to go through (and am still dealing with) the guilt of contributing to one of my animals death by choosing to breed her one last time. I can know logically that I am not able to see in the future and I would never had done it if I had known the outcome, but it still doesn’t help. Blessings to you, and I hope your winter calms down a bit.
Thanks Teresa. These decisions we make are tough. Farm animals are supposed to produce for us in exchange for our caring for them, but it is hard to know when retirement is.
I am so sorry.
I don’t know if shearing contributed to this, since I am ignorant about goats. But I know whenever I have had a pet pass away, I drive myself nuts blaming myself thinking I could have done something different. I think that is a natural response and doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with what actually happened.
Perhaps Angie’s heart just slowly gave out. At least she had a good life with you.
Thanks. Naturally I do blame myself when one of our animals dies. I hope she had a good life and that we were able to help her in the end of it.