04/15/2025
This is not the post I ever thought I’d be writing.
We’ve only had our goats for four days. We brought them home excited, hopeful, and ready to learn. We thought we had time—to get them settled, to bond with them, and to have them properly examined.
But today, I heard screaming from the yard. I dropped everything, didn’t even grab my phone. I just ran.
When I got to them, I found one of our goats—just 9 months old—in labor. She was miscarrying. We had no idea she was pregnant. We didn’t know what signs to look for. We didn’t know her full history. And by the time I got to her, there was nothing I could do but hold her.
There are so many possible reasons why she lost her baby:
• She was far too young
• She had just moved and was under stress
• She had already escaped three times this week
• And we were simply inexperienced
And while none of that changes what happened, it does change what we’ll do moving forward.
So here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:
• Don’t wait to get new animals checked. Even if it’s day one, even if you feel like you’re rushing them.
• Always ask for breeding history.
• Stress matters. Moving, escaping, being handled… it can take a toll on their tiny, fragile bodies.
• Trust your gut. When you hear something off, don’t hesitate.
Farm life is full of joy—but it’s also full of heartbreak. And that’s the part people don’t always post.
To our sweet little one: I’m sorry we didn’t know. I’m sorry we couldn’t protect you. Your short life is going to make a big impact, because we will never be the same farmers after this.
