# I'm afraid to go anywhere!



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Sorry I need to vent...
Yesterday I had to go out of town to photograph some horse races <nightracing>.
My son knows how much feed to give their goats.

So I wake up this morning to find out not only were they not fed right, they aren't where they should be either!
All because of my husband 

The kids 4-H wethers have a place and their 3 young does go in their stalls at night. Oldest doeling/youngest doeling go in a stall together so the youngest always has grain available through the night, and the other doeling gets her own stall and has grain too.

But no..... HE took over feeding them from my son last night and only gave 3 cups to 6 young goats!! that's not even 3 full pounds! <% Boer goats>. 
The two adult does that my kids show didn't even get 2 cups between them!
:wallbang::veryangry:

I am so mad!!! Work so hard trying to get some weight on these goats, and keep them in shape and then he goes and changes everything just because he thinks he's saving a little grain.

Now I am worried about this coming weekend. I'm supposed to take the kids and go see my family, and I'm afraid he won't feed them the way they are supposed to be fed.

So...I'm shortening my trip, so there is one day I can't do anything about, but at least can feed them in the morning we're leaving, and the evening we get home.

Anyone else have this problem? It's so frustrating. I could leave him a list and he'd still ignore it thinking he is feeding them right.


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

Those husbands.....I have the opposite problem. Mine thinks he can just feed them like he does the cow and dump an entire 50 lb sack for them!!


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

Sorry, hit post too quick....what I started doing is getting the biggest sized Tupperware type bowls, pre-measuring, and labeling who gets what and when. Sometimes I have 2 or three bowls per goat group but it works for me.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Look on the bright side. It's better than giving too much!  What if you were to tell him specifically rather than writing it down?


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I wish I could do that, but he still wouldn't feed them right  He works with horses, and 'thinks' he knows everything about feeding the goats  I told him he can't compare them to the horses - they have huge, lush pastures, and better grain/hay, and well horses are so much different than goats.
We have no real grazing, constantly battling worms, and not high quality show type feed/hay. What I feed is a minimum for them.

I'd gladly measure everything out if he'd actually go by that. He just thinks his way of feeding is better than mine


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

sounds like you can leave during critical times OR hire someone to come and feed the way you want. But even that is NOT a guarantee! Ive learned that no one will do it the way I do. No matter HOW MUCH I show them tell them or write it down.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

My dad is the same way. My mom and sister know exactly what to do, what to feed, etc, so that is wonderful we all have each other's back when one of us needs to leave. But my dad ... no one wants to have to ask him for help with the animals. :laugh: Good guy, but he always thinks he can "improve" upon our plan, and I'm afraid to leave them alone with him. :laugh:


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

(I should really proofread before I hit send. lol. By cow I meant cowsssss)

I have one of those husbands too. I have a neighbor that will come feed for me. I just play it off..."honey, I know you are really busy at work so the neighbor said she would come feed for me" He farms so he puts in really long hours. My critters get fed correctly and he feels like I am doing him a favor. Truly, I am helping him out so its a win win.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I had that happen to me once. I had to be gone for a day (2 milkings) I told my mom and two friends who were going to be milking and feeding what to feed how much and who gets milked. When I got back I find out they fed the milkers the kid feed (medicated goat grain) and the kids the milker feed (sweet goat feed). It just made me want to :hair: and :hammer:

Is there any way you could put out the night feeding for the goats in their stalls? Or do they have access to the stalls all the time?


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I feel your pain. He complains I'm married to the property yet won't help with the feeding. He'll throw hay but that's about it. I'm hand milking 2 goats a day so I have to be here. As it is he wants a 2-3 day vacation between mid aug and mid oct. I have NOONE to help milk in the area (paid or not) so I end up having to dry my does off early for a 2-3 trip.He tells my I'm crazy and the animal people I deal with are too, just because I don't take on an animal unless I can give it the best I can. He knew how many animals I had when he met me!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks, I wish I knew someone I could ask to feed them, but nobody nearby that I could rely on. I think our neighbor is out of town visiting family as well.

They don't have access to the stalls once they are put outside for the day, but can't put feed in the feeders because it draws in rodents. 

I haven't gone home to see my family in a very long time. So I won't cancel my trip, but I won't extend it either  
This is kind of our last big family gathering at my dads as tomorrow morning I believe his house/land will officially be sold and he is moving to Florida. His place has always been the gathering place especially during the summers. Going to miss it so much. But he'll also be further away so it'll be harder to go see him.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Everytime my hubby goes out he changes things!! I have to remind him that he cant just march in and change things up..he is not the daily care taker and does not know the animals the way I do...lol..something as simple as trying to move the sheep through the wrong gate can run havec!! they like routine!! lol
this would be alot of work but how about premearure feed out and label them by dates and AM/PM and for who...lots of baggies lol...make it out like you are saving him work..all he has to do is dump the feed in the right feeder..??
When I have to leave home I leave a prayer....


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Oh, ya'll make me laugh!:ROFL: At first I was getting frustrated for you all b/c I have the exact same problems!!!! Then by the end of reading it all, I just had to laugh!
It's always like that around here; for a long time me and my sister were the ONLY ones who knew anything about the animals feeding- we were the only ones who did the animal chores, too. Now our brother helps out more, but I sometimes think he thinks it's unmanly to remember details or something, I don't know, he's so bad at it!
He hauls the hay and grain bags, we take turns checking the goats midday when its hot, and he helps milk too.
But now that I've slowly evolved into "the goat person" around here, nobody else know how to feed them. 
I write it all down, and leave it in the cabinet where the pail is so they can't help but see it, run through it at least once with them both (my bro. and sis)- then I ask them every so often; do you remember how much we're feeding the goats now? and they're like yeah!!!, so I let it go for a week or two-don't want to nag- and then I start noticing that the goats are looking a little thin, or a little fat, so I ask again: Are you sure you're giving the right amount of this or that and they'll be like, remind me again what it was? So I tell them witha sinking feeling in my stomach, and they're like Since when did we change the feeding again? I've been giving them this or that much like we were always doing! :doh:
I don't think they read what I write down more than once.

The other day I asked my brother to take some extra alfalfa over to the bucks to have on hand (they're quite a ways from the doe pen where we keep most of the grain and such) So I said "Put it in their feed bucket"- we have an old 25 lb lard bucket that we store it in right now- it was about 3 pounds of alfalfa, and he fed all of it to the 2 bucks right then!!!!! One buck is a Nigerian, the other is 3 months old!
And I fed them again later, because I didn't know! I just though, huh, they're fat today; oh well, and fed them more alfalfa, and BOSS and grain to the young one. I was so mad when I realized the next day (because the alfalfa that I sent him over with was not there) He said "You told me to put it in their feed bucket!" He though I meant feed TROUGH. :GAAH:


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Cathy, I wish I could premeasure, but my husband is very stubborn and will just ignore and still do it 'his way.' We do not see eye to eye on the care of the animals. If it were him, they'd get almost nothing every day.



clearwtrbeach said:


> I feel your pain. He complains I'm married to the property yet won't help with the feeding. He'll throw hay but that's about it. I'm hand milking 2 goats a day so I have to be here. As it is he wants a 2-3 day vacation between mid aug and mid oct. I have NOONE to help milk in the area (paid or not) so I end up having to dry my does off early for a 2-3 trip.He tells my I'm crazy and the animal people I deal with are too, just because I don't take on an animal unless I can give it the best I can. He knew how many animals I had when he met me!


I'm sorry, I totally understand though. My husband is like a brick wall at times. We should be working together on taking care of the goats, but no, he thinks it has to be his way or my way. If it's my way then he refuses to help and doesn't want to do anything with them. The only thing he does is graze them up front once in a while.
When I ask him to help me with the kids/training their goats, typically he doesn't want to.
If the goats are sick and need meds, etc. <not very often at all thankfully!> I have to get the meds and I have to be the one to take care of them. He always says I am over reacting. It makes me so mad 
I have been buying most all of the grain for months, once in a while he has to buy some. 
So when I say something about grain, and he doesn't like it <like increasing a little on goats who are getting bigger!>, he comes off and says they don't need it and he won't help me get the grain anymore, etc. etc. He says if I want fat animals I should buy a pig! OMG! really? 
These are the kids 4-H animals, they are supposed to have good cover on them. They get minimum as it is, there are only 2 that have what I call 'good' weight, the others are so/so.

I have to do everything that my kids can't do - hoof trimming, worming, medicating/vaccinating. 
So maybe once in a 'blue moon' he'll come out and treat a goat if we suspect lice. He acts like he's doing so much more than I do when he does this.

When we sell a goat, he thinks the $$ has to automatically come to him. Now that's what makes me just as mad as the feeding issue. 
Last time we sold goats, I kept 1/2 to use on stuff we needed, the goats before that bought groceries, new clippers for the kids 4-H goats, feed, halters/etc. stuff they needed.

On top of that we have a doe I want to sell. But he wants to keep. He only wants her because she gave us triplets this year. I am looking at the pros/cons of having her. She's a hard keeper, I have to constantly keep an eye on her. The kids have 4 does they are breeding this summer, and 2 in the fall, that is plenty for our small place <2 acres>. We can always replace her next year if we have too.

So lots of little things that nag at me. But, the feeding thing frustrates me more than anything else. Not only are they not getting what they need and spend the night being hungry. He throws off their entire routine, especially by not putting the girls in their stalls. They are used to their routine, no reason for him to screw it up thinking his way is better


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

I am sorry he is like that. When I let my hubby measure out the feed it's never the same but at least its some what close. He knows what they get but he doesn't fill the scoops all the way to the top, he leaves a space. The way I explained it to him was that goats are as sensitive as horses to changes in their diet, if not even more. My hubby knows and understands how serious colic can be and the expenses involved whether or not the level of colic requires vet assistance. Maybe if you explain it that way to your hubby he could understand it a bit more?


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## OutdoorDreamer (Mar 29, 2012)

You're not alone. I hate leaving this responsibility up to my boyfriend when I'm not home. One time I came home and the goats were out loose in the backyard! They were supposed to be locked in their stalls but he forgot. How can you forget that? I check and then double check to make sure each latch is secured, always. I love him, but sometimes he is too forgetful.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

HoosierShadow said:


> I'm sorry, I totally understand though. My husband is like a brick wall at times. We should be working together on taking care of the goats, but no, he thinks it has to be his way or my way. If it's my way then he refuses to help and doesn't want to do anything with them. The only thing he does is graze them up front once in a while.
> When I ask him to help me with the kids/training their goats, typically he doesn't want to.
> If the goats are sick and need meds, etc. <not very often at all thankfully!> I have to get the meds and I have to be the one to take care of them. He always says I am over reacting. It makes me so mad
> I have been buying most all of the grain for months, once in a while he has to buy some.
> ...


OH MY GOSH! He sounds exactly like my ex husband! He had always wanted to keep the money from the kids fair animals, or he'd want to sell them all and he keep the money, or whenever I needed help buying the animal feed back then( I didn't have a lot of money, I worked for $5 and hour at a drug store) so when he had to buy it he thought he was the greatest person alive and like he was doing us such a favor.

He was really nice when we got together, he was going to vet school, loved the animals etc. But when we got married he turned into the polar opposite! He quit school, was such a jerk, hated the animals, etc.

But I could go on forever about all that, but I don't want to with all the children on here to see.

But I can't ever go on vacation because of all my animals, I have horses, ponies, cows, calves, pigs, dogs, puppies, chickens, peafowl, parrots, tortoises, so many fish tanks and koi ponds, just so many animals I can never leave. But I am ok with that because I don't like leaving my house, I hate being away from home, anywhere but home just doesnt feel right.


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

I understand Little Bits and Pieces; I don't like leaving most of the time either. We have goats, a dog, a cat, and a rabbit right now; we usually have ckickens, but we got rid of our old layers and used the old chicken house for a goat barn, so we can't get more till we build a chicken coop.
I don't like leaving our animals at home even for a whole day.
I hope you've got someone to help you with chores! you've got a lot of animals!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

My daughter is pretty good at doing a lot of the chores. She feeds and waters all the outside animals, cleans most the pens, takes care of the bottle babies, does some chores in the house. I take care of the parrots, tortoises, fish tanks, ponds, gardens, I take care taking of anything that gets sick, I do vacinations etc. And my husband makes sure all the vehicles are running properly, home improvements, building barns, fences, etc. And my other kids do all the other things here and there.
And I also do one of the most important things ever, that nobody else at my house can seem to do... cook dinner


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Sounds good, glad you've got help.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm at the point I am half tempted to just bring the bottle baby and a young doe friend with us lol If we weren't going to a park I would just load them up in the back of an SUV and they'd come! But I don't think that would go over well at the park, haha. But also think it would be too stressful even though they LOVE attention. Of course I can see lil Peanut now...stealing everyone's chairs haha. She does that at the kids goat shows...let her out of the pen and she goes from one of our chairs to the other. 


















Park will be busy since they are having a big fireworks display, and we're having a bunch of family there. It's so very tempting though! But also a 3 1/2 hour drive away...

Anyway...I told my husband I'll write down what he needs to feed them and put it in baggies if I have too, but of course he's like I'll feed them what I Think they need to be fed  I told him the bottle baby has to get a certain amount and at least 3 bottles a day. Again he's like I'll feed her the way I want to feed her...OMG! he's such a child.
He does this every time I try to go out of town to visit family & this is the reason I didn't go visit last summer.


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## keeponfarming (Jun 12, 2013)

i feel your pain!!!!!! i always do Everything with the animals when it comes to cleaning or feeding..he offers to help but he just gets to fussy about the animals...Not doing what he wants...lol...he yells at my chickens for digging in the yard...., ONCE have i ever had to leave the farm for 2 nights (my mom ended up in the E.R.) So i rushed out the door and wrote a list on how to feed....My hubby did TRY. but the goat are only used to me. so trying to get them into the barn or there stalls...Lol...well the goats didn't really want to listen to him...nor did any of the other animals....as for vacation...LOL...i tried to tell my hubby we really Cant go on vacation we have almost 100 chicken, 2 hogs, 20 geese, 20 ducks,rabbits,cats, and two dogs i don't know of anyone i would trust to Hire to work on the farm...or even have the funds to pay someone for all that work... After talking it over...he booked a vacation without me...LOL...True story. Now mid August am going to be doing all the farm work for a couple weeks.....Like i always do  .........oh well! i live on a farm and i love it so much i dont need a vacation!​


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## lileomom (Apr 11, 2013)

Wow! This thread is making me count my blessings. DH and I actually work pretty well together. He works nights and I work days. He can count on me to do the rabbits and chickens in the am so he can go to bed as soon as he gets home, and I know he can handle the goats if I get held over at work in the evening. Of course there is give and take. He insists on cleaning out the barn with a skid steer, even though it means disassembling everything, and refuses to spot clean in between with the shovel and wheelbarrow. And our kids would eat mac'n cheese three nights a week if I didn't have meals ready made.


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

Can you have a neighbor go and check after?


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Hoosiershadow, I'm sorry you're having these troubles. I think everyone here can relate to some extent. :hug:My family has been talking bout asking a vacation this summer and _hiring_ some local kid to take care of our goats while we're away. They think we could get that someone to come over for like a few days before we were to go, and teach them how to do it, but since I can't always be sure my _family_ members will do it right, I really wouldn't want someone else I don't even know to do it!
And I also have a Nigerian doe that's pregnant, and I don't know her exact due date- no way do I want to go somewhere and her have her kids while I'm gone! Especially with an inexperienced caretaker in charge.  
So it is a problem, but hopefully we all will be able to work it out somehow, and let go of our babies a little now and then. It sure is hard though!!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Wow...so sorry Hoosier~that must be so frustrating! I feel pretty fortunate.. my DH feeds EXACTLY how I say to, he made a mistake when we first got the goats that almost killed Heidi so he doesn't feed anything now without checking with me first. He knows how I feed the rabbits,chickens,ducks,geese,turkeys,dogs,cats, etc...lol...but he needs reminding all the time how much  He also, like your husband says I feed everyone too much  (I tell him, he's included in that statement  )

But if it weren't for me, I think all the animals here would starve to death since no one can remember that they need food and water every day! :/
But the kids do well once I get 'em going....and they will do any job that needs done...so will the hubby if I ask....but I guess you could say I'm the ringleader that directs everyone...

Maybe you could just bring the bottle baby?? I'd worry too  
:hug:


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

If I try to go someplace, the only 2 people I can get to do anything is my son and a friend. The son usually doesn't do anything, leaves the animals without food and water and steals stuff form the house. My friend will throw hay to the goats and horses, but doesn't put it in the different places/feeders so the lower ones can get their share.

I just don't go anyplace that keeps me form doing chores 3 times a day.


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## Huff_farm (Jun 9, 2013)

I have been on vaction for about one week at Disney, and I left my 5 girls at home whith my grandma and aunt! They have had so meny problems! First off, they were giving them 2 big scoops of sweet feed in their grain because the didnt think they had enough! They went through one bag in 3 days!( there is a donkey with them too) then, the completely forgot to spray the donkey legs and ears whith fly medicine! She was chewed up I get home either today or tomorrow, and I will see if they mest anything else up! What part uf Indiana are you from?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

take the bottle baby with you - its important she get her bottles each day as they should or you could come home to a sickly kid. Not worth all the time you have put into her to this point to have it ruined over a couple days of improper feeding!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

HoosierShadow said:


> I'm at the point I am half tempted to just bring the bottle baby and a young doe friend with us lol If we weren't going to a park I would just load them up in the back of an SUV and they'd come! But I don't think that would go over well at the park, haha. But also think it would be too stressful even though they LOVE attention. Of course I can see lil Peanut now...stealing everyone's chairs haha. She does that at the kids goat shows...let her out of the pen and she goes from one of our chairs to the other.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Candice , Im so sorry your husband is like that. But , not for nothing , he is just being a stubborn bubble head for lack of a better description and not getting myself banned here , lol :angel2:
You can just turn that around on Mr bag-O-bubbles, next time he plants himself down for dinner at the table , give him a heckuva pile of peas and a tiny slice of meat. When his eyes fall out and mouth drops open , tell him I will feed you the way I want to , nah nah na nah nah 
Seriously , he just doesn't take into consideration how much your goats mean to you and your kids ! The love , time , and money it takes to feed and care for them correctly ,and to bring out the very best in them for show. All this work , and he is so callous about feeding them to your specifications is just obnoxious.
He will have to explain why to the children when they get sick or get a not so great critique from the judge at the show you all were so excited about for weeks. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes if that happens. I couldnt bare to see the look on the kids faces when they worked so hard with their beloved goats.
Lay it on him Candice , make him feel and think what the consequences will be.
:hug:


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Can you post a picture of Snow White soon ? She is just so cute


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh , I just thought of another way of telling him how he is acting when saying he will feed the goats "his way"...
If he likes beer , be a good wife and bring him a nice cold one when he is sitting down to watch the TV.....but put a nipple on it :angel2:


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Trickyroo said:


> Oh , I just thought of another way of telling him how he is acting when saying he will feed the goats "his way"...
> If he likes beer , be a good wife and bring him a nice cold one when he is sitting down to watch the TV.....but put a nipple on it :angel2:


:ROFL:
Sounds like something I would do!
Ahh, just do what I do when I'm stressed, have some dessert! Lol, if you didn't know, stressed spelt backward is desserts! It's not like I could gain a pound with the million degrees out here, you sweat it all off, then get dehydrated and pass out with heat stroke!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Trickyroo said:


> Candice , Im so sorry your husband is like that. But , not for nothing , he is just being a stubborn bubble head for lack of a better description and not getting myself banned here , lol :angel2:
> You can just turn that around on Mr bag-O-bubbles, next time he plants himself down for dinner at the table , give him a heckuva pile of peas and a tiny slice of meat. When his eyes fall out and mouth drops open , tell him I will feed you the way I want to , nah nah na nah nah
> Seriously , he just doesn't take into consideration how much your goats mean to you and your kids ! The love , time , and money it takes to feed and care for them correctly ,and to bring out the very best in them for show. All this work , and he is so callous about feeding them to your specifications is just obnoxious.
> He will have to explain why to the children when they get sick or get a not so great critique from the judge at the show you all were so excited about for weeks. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes if that happens. I couldnt bare to see the look on the kids faces when they worked so hard with their beloved goats.
> ...


:clap::clap:

Reading all of this made me so thankful for my family. Okay, so my dad likes to 'improve" some things. He doesn't get the goats slip out, or can't be held that way, or shouldn't be taught to head-rub. BUT, he DOES understand their diet, and wants everyone to be happy and healthy, and when we need help paying for a vet bill, he helps us without a fuss. Very thankful.

I'm sorry for all the stress, Candice! That's such a hard thing.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Yes , I agree Danielle. Its such a tough situation 
You'll work it out Candice :hug:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I also have to agree with Stacey about bringing the bottle baby. They can get tummy upset so easily. Too much milk at a time especially could harm her, if he tried to get the feedings done all at once. Do you have a friend that would watch her for you ... even someone who doesn't know goats, but does know how to listen to important isntructions like that?


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much everyone. The baby is 2 months old, but she's still our baby, haha. She gets 4 bottles a day, 12-16oz, pretty much whenever she yells for one lol but she's very good about going 4-5 hours between bottles. We give her a bottle as soon as we get up, and she gets her last bottle late at night before I go to bed. 
If he'll at least give her 3 bottles a day she'll be okay, as long as he puts out enough grain/hay. The other 2 does she's with won't overeat, and they don't really eat that much at one time either.

Surely he could just stick with the program for 'one' weekend. I mean it's crazy that I can't go see my family  There is a HUGE get together Saturday, I haven't seen one of my brothers & his family in over a year! Our kids are so heartbroken because they love each other so much and it's been way too long since they've gotten to spend time together.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

sorry you have to deal with that... I know how you feel about some of those things. 
people can be very unwilling to understand and listen to the person who knows best (YOU!) 
I agree, I would take the bottle baby. I can trust my mum to feed properly but by the sound of it, I probably wouldn't trust your husband  No need for a sick baby


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

HoosierShadow said:


> I'm at the point I am half tempted to just bring the bottle baby and a young doe friend with us lol If we weren't going to a park I would just load them up in the back of an SUV and they'd come! But I don't think that would go over well at the park, haha. But also think it would be too stressful even though they LOVE attention. Of course I can see lil Peanut now...stealing everyone's chairs haha. She does that at the kids goat shows...let her out of the pen and she goes from one of our chairs to the other.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That last picture should be enough to make him understand how much the goats mean to you guys, but I understand and am sorry. I wished I lived closer to help but I have a feeling we are several mountains away  I haven't had a vacation since I think about 2004 which only lasted about 5 days. I had my father feeding but also had a friend going over to be sure the water buckets/troughs were clean. One time before that I was in Boston for 2 weeks (for work) and the water was a bit on the dirty side so I didn't want anyone colicing from not enough clean water.

I would consider still taking the bottle baby if you could. When I had my little boer on bottles she went everywhere with me. She rode in the truck seat, hung out at my parents while I was helping my father roofing and things. She was with me 24/7. I even took her to visit my Uncle which use to raise boers and swung on their porch swing together. I am sure your family would get a kick out of it too if it's possible.

Sorry though and I hope everyone is ok when you return.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Candice, your daughters are stunning! I hope they'll never cut their hair - it's gorgeous!


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## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

milkmaid said:


> Candice, your daughters are stunning! I hope they'll never cut their hair - it's gorgeous!


I second that^!

You all make me feel blessed!  
I have a neighbor girl who has goats; we goat-sit for each other...then I have several other friends in town whom I can call


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

She certainly has a nice looking herd


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

This thread reminds me of all the reasons why I should be grateful for my husband, lol. 

He doesn't know a Nubian from a Katahdin, and as long as they are cute he doesn't much care. He doesn't have a single opinion about their feeding as long as their milk is good and I share the cheese with him. If I set out feed and leave a note he does exactly what needs to be done and is kind of terrified that if he doesn't they will get sick. 

We both kind of wish we could get away now and then, so i am looking for a trustworthy farm sitter, but we are home bodies so it isn't a real big deal. 

My ex was his polar opposite, and a lot of this discussion has brought a lot of that back to me. I'm pretty glad i traded up for an animal love who lets me handle my livestock however I want.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks everyone  My youngest daughter's hair comes down just past her waist haha. Would have been longer if she hadn't gotten a hold of some scissors a few years ago lol

We're still debating on what to do about the bottle baby. I'm afraid to take her and her get too stressed out. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive there. There will be a lot of people which wouldn't bother her, but ATV's, etc. 
Biggest issue would be the park on Saturday especially when we all walk down to watch the fireworks, plus I don't know if they allow dogs at the park on that day? If they did, then surely they wouldn't care if a 2mo goat comes lol But then we honestly don't have room to bring one of her buddies along.

So we're still debating on what to do. I think I can cut her back to 3 bottles a day while we're gone, and just give her a little more each feeding to get her used to it. She's eating grain/hay so she's not going to starve.
I'll leave a list of how we feed her. As long as he gives her a bottle before work, when he gets home and just before bedtime, she should be okay.

He is good with the goats, just not when it comes to feeding them. He never wants to give them enough, and always goes against anything I say.
He's the one that helped get this baby to take a bottle. I have the toughest time sometimes getting babies to latch on to mama at birth, and he can walk in and they instantly start nursing lol So he is an animal person, but he sees them as business/food/etc, not like me and the kids - pets/pleasure haha. 


Laura - I'll try to get some pics of Snow White tomorrow, hopefully the weather will shape up. I don't have any errands to run, so I want to spend the day with the goats. I haven't been able to spend much time with them the last few days.


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## Pemi_Denn (Jul 2, 2013)

Unfortunately for me it took some issues for my husband to see how serious goatie feedings are. Our first bottle baby was bloating from formula and very ill, once we introduced him to outside he got into something in the yard and flipped his rumen- a week of vitamin b and penicillin later hubs realizes how important it is to stick to a routine. I can always count on him when I leave for trips now but the trust came from pulling through the food related illness together. Hopefully yours will come to his senses without having to experience that.


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

I have same issue with my husband he nvr does anything the way I ask him too he always thinks I am over feeding or over reacting when they aren't feeling well I had a doe loos a set of triplets because he thought he new better then me since then he has been a little better but I still don't let him take care of my animal if I don't have to and I nvr let him take care of them for more then 1 feeding either I almost lost a Nigerian dwarf buck because of bloat my buck was acting off in the morning so I asked him to check on him for me he told me he was fine when I got done with work and went to do chores my buck's stomach was 3 times his normal size and so hard I couldn't believe he was still standing it bothers me so much that the one person who u should be able to count on and ask for help we can't!


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## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

Good luck. I'm very grateful I have (1) a very responsible 16 year old and (2) a good neighbor who will manage animals while I'm out of town. We do as a 'trade' (the kids and I do their chores when they are out of town). Neither of our husbands 'get' the animal thing -- despite the fact that my husband is always the one who says yes to anything the kids want (the only species we have that weren't his idea first were my son's guinea pigs). 

Like yours, mine wants to cut corners (they don't 'really' need that much food). He doesn't seem to get that they need food and water EVERY day (he really seems to believe that it is OK to feed them twice as much tomorrow). He also expects they are going to magically make money with zero work and no expense. Which I suppose is because when he doesn't do it, I step up and do it so the animals aren't suffering. 

Every time I have to go out of town (and I travel for work) I worry about whether everyone (including kids - starting about age 5 he seemed to think they should be able to make their own food - which they can, but it tends to be junk food) is going to survive me being out of town. I'm finding myself weirdly grateful for the budget sequestration (I work on contract for a federal agency -- sequestration means that my travel has gone from a couple trips a month to 2 trips this year - both done already).


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

keeponfarming said:


> i feel your pain!!!!!! i always do Everything with the animals when it comes to cleaning or feeding..he offers to help but he just gets to fussy about the animals...Not doing what he wants...lol...he yells at my chickens for digging in the yard...., ONCE have i ever had to leave the farm for 2 nights (my mom ended up in the E.R.) So i rushed out the door and wrote a list on how to feed....My hubby did TRY. but the goat are only used to me. so trying to get them into the barn or there stalls...Lol...well the goats didn't really want to listen to him...nor did any of the other animals....as for vacation...LOL...i tried to tell my hubby we really Cant go on vacation we have almost 100 chicken, 2 hogs, 20 geese, 20 ducks,rabbits,cats, and two dogs i don't know of anyone i would trust to Hire to work on the farm...or even have the funds to pay someone for all that work... After talking it over...he booked a vacation without me...LOL...True story. Now mid August am going to be doing all the farm work for a couple weeks.....Like i always do  .........oh well! i live on a farm and i love it so much i dont need a vacation!​


Too funny mine said he'd go with out me too! Of course if it came to that he'd be irate and threaten to make me get rid of the animals.


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## julieq (Feb 25, 2013)

I'm really blessed as my husband is spot on with anything that has to do with our small herd. It's actually a team effort for us as a couple now that our youngest daughter has married and moved out of state. He really does enjoy it, I don't have to push him.


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## keeponfarming (Jun 12, 2013)

clearwtrbeach said:


> Too funny mine said he'd go with out me too! Of course if it came to that he'd be irate and threaten to make me get rid of the animals.



 mine tries with the animals but more times then not he gets upset because "whatever" animal isn't cooperating like...going into the barn...or out..you really need to be hands on and know what your doing..patience is key!..(you goat people know what i mean!!)...so trying to avoid having a issue i just do all the chores that involve the animals..(he is getting better with being around them...he built all the building,pens,barns i wanted)....as for the Vacation..it was to see his daughter in WA....we are in FL... for 2 weeks...i tried to come up with something but i simply cant just stop what am doing and leave the farm for 2 whole weeks...with no one i know that i would trust with all my animals...So...he ended up booking a trip without me ...Jokes on him..when he leaves....

A) getting a new goat B) ordered more chicks C) get more chicks and a goat!!


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## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

after reading all of this thread it came to mind that maybe there should be a listing of those of us that are willing to help out and do chores for others that might be close enough. There could be neighbors on here and we just don't know it- not everyone has their location listed


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

mlktrkdrvr said:


> after reading all of this thread it came to mind that maybe there should be a listing of those of us that are willing to help out and do chores for others that might be close enough. There could be neighbors on here and we just don't know it- not everyone has their location listed


I agree that would be a great idea!


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

julieq said:


> I'm really blessed as my husband is spot on with anything that has to do with our small herd. It's actually a team effort for us as a couple now that our youngest daughter has married and moved out of state. He really does enjoy it, I don't have to push him.


You are very lucky! Our little farm is team effort for the most part except when it comes to my goats I am very particular how they are cared for and want it done my way and my husband is a they are just animals kinda person when it comes to there feed and water he loves to play with them and watch them play but just he just does know how different they are from cattle and isn't interested in learning he thinks I am crazy most of the time


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Well, we left on Friday and came home late yesterday evening.

I won't even get started on the trip up there LOL
But after an eventful start to the trip, we had a great visit with family.

Everything seemed fine, except for the fact the bottle baby ran out of milk and he didn't go pick more up so she'd have a bottle this morning!
But, little did he know, that I still had milk in a bowl that I had taken out of the gallon so I could add evap milk/buttermilk. So I was able to mix some milk to get her by until I went to the store.

The others seemed fine.

But feeding time this evening was a NIGHTMARE. That for me is a definite clue that he did NOT feed them very well at all.
They were just absolutely crazy. They were all swarming us trying to get into the front of the barn area, it was so bad my son had to get a plastic rake and tap them/smack them on the butts to get them to back off. 
It was so bad, that I put hay in the hay feeder for the wethers and had my son let them in. They'll get their grain when he goes out to give the baby her last bottle for the night, so hopefully they are much calmer.

The only time they all act like that is if my husband takes care of them. Sometimes 2 of the kids yearlings get 'nutty' and drive me crazy <lol>, but they don't 'all' act like this.

Needless to say, the kids and I have them spoiled to their routines and amounts..


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

well sounds like all is well 

even if he had fed them 100% right goats know when its someone else feeding them and they create their own routine and once their tidy routine is changed they go crazy. Im sure they were very happy to have you home.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Stacy is right  I did one thing out of their schedule cause I thought they would like their door open since it was so hot at night.
I left it open , turned out all the lights and started walking down to the house and they all walked out of the barn and started to scream their little heads off at me ! My girls were like "what the heck was she thinking leaving the door open for, close the door" !
I gave them 10 minutes figuring they would calm down and just go to sleep , but noooooooooo , I had to walk back up and close the door !
I no sooner had the door closed that they all were laying down in their own spots passed out before I walked away , lolol
Creatures of habit , BIG TIME !


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Happy to hear you had a nice time 
Also glad to hear they are all OK otherwise , 
they survived "the husband"


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks! Yep, they survived the husband LOL

I agree Stacey, they had a really crazy weekend, I guess this was their way of getting the point across!
They've always had me or the kids here, this was the first time we've all been gone like this in over a year and a half. It was quite a shock I think for the young goats.

Laura - our goats line up at the gate at 6pm for 'dinner.' Tonight, dinner did come later than usual, but usually they aren't so crazy if we are late, they just usually yell at us to hurry up lol
They are definitely creatures of habit.
When we did get home and we went right to the barn, my husband did put the 3 young does together in a stall. We always put the oldest and youngest in a stall together and then put the other young doe in her own stall next to them. They just get along better this way, eat better, etc. 
So as soon as I opened the stall door the oldest & youngest ran out to see me then ran to their stall door lol


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

How is SnowWhite ? She is just adorable


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

She's doing great  Always such a sweetie. I have been meaning to get some pictures of her, haven't had a chance to take the camera out. We're getting ready to find her a boyfriend, haha.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Glad to hear everything worked out and everyone is healthy. 
A few days in your tender loving care and they should be back to normal. So sorry your husband is such a hard head. Maybe you could show him how much others are feeding and their costs and he will realize that you really are trying to minimize expenses.
For example, I have 3 fair goats. They eat a bag of $23.00 feed every 7-8 days. I just started them on calf manna which was $25.00. They also get hay and minerals.
My sheep are on a diet and are eating $50.00 bags of hold feed every 8-10 days plus $18.00 bags of show feed. Which will be even more after this week because they are still on half show feed and will switch over to all hold feed this weekend.

So, we have over $116.00 in just grain every 8-10 days. That doesn't include the billy and does and bucklings. Plus hay, which I buy from my mom at $3.00 per square bale. 2 per week for everyone, plus graze...


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