When We Lost Goldie: A Goat Farm Story

When We Lost Goldie: A Story From Our Farm

Recently, Louie has been limping, and like any time something feels off with one of our goats, it takes me back to moments we’ve gone through before.

It reminded me of one of the hardest experiences we’ve had here on the farm—losing Goldie.

Our goat Fool’s Gold—Goldie—was one of the gentlest goats we’ve ever had. She had a calm, quiet presence about her, and she was simply easy to be around.

When We First Noticed Something Was Wrong

One day I walked into the barn and noticed she was limping. That’s usually not uncommon with goats, and most of the time they work through it in a few days.

But something about this felt different.

I called the vet, and when he came out, he believed she had injured her shoulder. She didn’t have a fever, and there were no obvious signs of infection. The recommendation was to watch her and give it time to see if it improved on its own.

After about a week, she wasn’t getting better—she was getting worse.

Her shoulder had shifted upward above her back, and it was clear something more serious was going on.

What We Were Told

The vet came back and confirmed what we were starting to fear. She had torn the nerves in her shoulder, and the muscle was deteriorating.

There wasn’t a way to repair it.

Goats can sometimes manage without a back leg, but not a front one—they carry most of their weight forward. And at the time, Goldie was about a month away from giving birth, which made things even harder on her body.

Trying to Help Her Stay Comfortable

We weren’t ready to give up without doing everything we could to make her comfortable.

We began looking into ways to get her off the ground and support her weight. Eventually, we created our own setup using a chain hoist attached to the barn rafters, along with a gambrel.

At first, we tried using a moving blanket with tow ropes, but her weight caused it to tear.

So we tried something different.

We bought a hammock—and it worked.

It supported her weight without putting too much pressure on her body, especially with her being pregnant. She seemed more comfortable and at ease once we got her settled into it.

What We Used Alongside That

Along with supporting her physically, I also focused on what we could do to help her body as best we could.

I rubbed comfrey salve into her muscles daily and made a tea of chamomile and red clover with honey for her. I also fed her blackberry leaves, which are traditionally used to support nerve health.

We did everything we could think of to support her.

Losing Goldie

In the end, we lost her.

She went into premature labor, and her cervix would not open. It was something we couldn’t change, no matter how much we tried.

She is still missed.

What We Learned

Goldie changed how we do things here on the farm.

After losing her, we created what we now call a therapy stall—something we can use if another goat ever becomes injured or unable to stand.

While we couldn’t save her, we learned from her, and that knowledge has stayed with us.

Moments like these are part of farm life—hard, but real. They change how closely you watch your animals and how quickly you respond when something feels off.

Even now, with Louie limping, it’s something I pay attention to right away. Experiences like this stay with you.

That same care carries into everything we do here at Chickenmash Farm, from how we raise our animals to the things we create and share.