# Every had a goat drown in water trough



## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I have not, and I want to keep it that way. 

I was just thinking about our water today and I thought about our water troughs. We have a couple of the big 2' deep galvanized water troughs and I was wondering if anyone had ever had a goat drown in one. It seems very possible. Kids jump on everything. I could see one walk up to a water trough and think he was jumping onto it and actually jump into the water. I bet it would be hard for a kid to get out of a full 2' deep tank. 

Should I put some cinder blocks in the water or do something so that if the kids get in there they have a way to get out. 

Maybe I am just over thinking it, but you never can be too safe.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

There actually was someone on here who did have a kid drown in one. I just have 5 gallon buckets but even change them to 2 gallon when kids are born.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

With small kids, it is very very possible. I was so worried about that happening. Most of our watering is done in the smaller horse hang buckets with a automatic water systems hooked up but there is one large, wide trough down the hill that we have always kept the babies away from until they got older. They will jump inside and drown or fall inside head first. Baby goats are clumbsey enough to not be able to get their heads back out. We ended up putting heavy boards over the larger trough and leaving only a sipping area for the goats to drink from.


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

I've never had a kid drown, but I've heard of it happening. I hang the water buckets in the kidding stalls, so the mother can reach it but not the newborn kids. Which has its own set of problems, but is nearly impossible for kids to get into and drown. Outside the kidding stalls, I either keep rocks or upside-down flower pots in the water where young kids are kept. It's always better to be safe than sorry.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I tend to also do smaller buckets - when the kids are small I only fill them up halfway. I've actually had kids jump into the buckets in front of me and they were able to scramble out, or knock the bucket over that way. Once the kids are big, I don't worry as much about it.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

We use 5 gallon buckets and almost lost a 2 day old doeling this season. (She was cold and lifeless when I found her but I did save her.) After that we only filled the buckets half full. We are working on something different for next year. I have been looking toward big dog/type waterers with the water upside down over the bowl set up on a platform or something. Hanging them sounds possible too.
But, YES! it can happen. I have also heard of does accidentally dropping a newborn into the water.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All good advice. Yes, sadly, it can happen.


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## 76sarahann (Apr 3, 2015)

I had a kid who jumped into there water trough and jumped out and lived. He gained the name swimmer!!!


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I guess I'm not over thinking it. 

I have goats of all ages as well as donkeys and an alpaca drinking from these large cattle troughs. What should I do? I really like having the large tanks because I have had my well break about every other year and it is nice when it isn't an emergency.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I have read things from several people who lost kids in water troughs. A Nigerian breeder uses those small untipable (Is that even a word) horse feeders (the kind that look like large dog bowls) when she has young kids. It hold 2 gallons or so, but is not deep enough for them to drown or even get stuck in.

I use a smallish rubbermade tub that the kids can get out of if they happen to jump/fall in.

For the big troughs, can you maybe put a stump or something in where the goat could climb on and jump out?


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I put this question on here because I bought some new cattle troughs for the goats. I only used them for the adults. I was cleaning out the one for the kids so I decided to give them some water in a cattle trough while I was cleaning out their tank. It wasn't even half way full when a kid jumped into it and couldn't get out. Luckily it was only half full and we were there. 

I need to sell all my cattle tanks and get goat tanks.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

We have small troughs inside our pens, and large ones outside the pens, and we use buckets to pour from the big ones into the small ones. So far, so good. The story about a doe dropping her newborn into a water pan has me worried now.

The only thing in our goat pens is goats and dogs, so we don't have that issue to deal with.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Not me but a lady I know had 3 die. I did find one in the trough, it wasn't deep ahe just couldn't get out and yesterday one decided she wanted a drink out of the big trough and one of the does decided she was in the way and butted her into it. I was right there and it was only half full so she was fine. I have a small trough and also a kiddie pool for the kids to get a drink but they still like to be big kids and try and drink out of the big troughs.......which is actually protein tubs so they could get their front legs up on the side and keep from drowning if need be. But when the kids are little there's only very shallow troughs, I could totally see them trying to jump up on a trough only to find out its full of water lol


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

we had two kids jump in one and almost drown...our Lab saved them both...they were jumping and popping around and ended up in the trough...we no longer use them..we use five gallon buckets and shorter dishes with auto water set up on them...goats prefer the bucket though...for new moms in the kidding pen we also use small dish to prevent kids from drowning


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

A doe I sold fell into a water trough in the middle of winter, she got hypothermia and died 3 days later. And she was pregnant at the time.


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## CecilandNellie (Aug 17, 2014)

I lost a kid in a water trough. Pure stupidity on my part. I use 6 to 8 inch deep troughs now with floats so there is always clean water. My dream is to switch to the small (2 or 3 gallon) hook over buckets that have the built in float or some device the does must nudge to get clean water.


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## greenfield (Apr 5, 2012)

I had a Nigerian doeling who got out of a five gallon bucket. Found her soaking wet and very cold, brought her in an warmed her up - she was okay. No more five gallon buckets around little ones.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I am obsessive about safe water dishes around kids. I use small 1 or 2 gallon buckets when they are newborn.


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## greenfield (Apr 5, 2012)

*Picture of wet doeling*

Here is a picture of recovering doeling that got out of a five gallon bucket.


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## greenfield (Apr 5, 2012)

Well I hope it is here


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## greenfield (Apr 5, 2012)

Third time. . ..


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