Moses the Cheerful has survived several feet of snow and an extreme cold snap. A friend who raises Nigerian Dwarf goats told me, “If you’re gonna lose an old goat, it will be during the winter when it gets so cold. They can get hypothermia quickly and not be able to maintain themselves—their system just tips over.”
Recipe for success:
Ziggy, the donkey was in the stall next to Moses. Ziggy’s body must have given off some warmth.
Shavings and straw layered several feet high were piled in the corner where Moses slept. Goats will pee when they sleep. And urine, plus straw, plus shavings creates heat.
Each morning I added a new layer of straw and shavings over the old layer.
A small bucket of very warm water in the morning, and just before bedtime–Moses would come running for this and suck up several cups.
Plenty of hay.
Stall doors shut at night.
Results:
Water in the buckets inside the stall never froze, even though outside temperatures were in the teens or single digits.
Moses the Cheerful was still in his bed each morning at 8 a.m. when I opened the stall door to feed and clean. He survived.
6 replies on “Moses Survives”
Hurray!! He was one “tough old goat”!
Sher, you did a great job.
The sun is shining and the sky is blue.
Spring must be just around the corner,
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Hi Rymmel–we are having quite a few jokes about the two old goats at this farm… hint– the other guy with a beard.
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I’m so glad to hear about the old goat!
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Thanks Karen! And, a heads up– Bruce is going to give you call about a book he is working on. 🙂
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Yes! You are doing a fabulous goat tending job!! Moses the Cheerful has a wonderful life. Even I would be happy living in the Mule Springs Farm barn!
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Thanks! But, if you are a human I am sure you would need the addition of a heat lamp. Stay tuned… Thanks for visiting.
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