Help! 4 baby goats missing

[Gracy]

We went to feed this morning and noticed we only had 5 babies eating. We could not find the other 4. Nothing! no hair, no carcasses , no blood. etc. My hubby walked the outside perimeter of the fence and found nothing. The babies sleep with their mothers in the goat house and there are a total of 16 adult goats in the house. Also, two LDG's. the fence is electic. We are just baffled. I know there are coyotes around here but the hunters say they have made a big dent in the number of coyotes. But to lose 4 in one night is just baffling us. I can see one or two but 4??????????, We have seen a mountaint lion in this area too. Lasst summer it sat on the hill and watched our goats But would it take 4 in a night .....any ideas?

[mamajohnson]

I cannot imagine a mountain lion taking 4 at once. How big are they? little babies, or bigger babies? did the mom's stash them? One of my girls does that, took me awhile to find them the first time she did it. I also cannot imagine babies going off from the mom's. My babies all stick with their mothers, or stand and yell.
Sure hope you find them soon! That would make me crazy!

[Minelson]

They must be hiding somewhere...look in every nook & cranny. I hope they are ok...Please keep us posted now I'm worried

[jode]

Hawks?

[jBlaze]

I have heard of people stealing goats...
I hope they just found a little hidey hole you haven't discovered yet and you find them right soon. (did you look in and under the feeder?)

[fishhead]

I'll bet they found a tiny little hiding spot but just to be sure I'd walk the property.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I'm hoping there snugged down somewhere, but other than that, I'm thinking we are coming up on a barbecue weekend.

[Gracy]

We have looked every where. They have not come out and Mom's have been calling them. I thought of People taking them but the size of our Gp and Antolian mixed dogs would scare the average person off. Most people won't even go near the fence. These babies were not small ,the youngest was two weeks old and weight around 8-9 pounds as they are Boers. The set of twins that is missing are (were) about 6 weeks old.

[Karenrbw]

We had a boer doeling that was so good at hide-n-seek. She started from the time she was a week old. We scoured the pasture for her one time and finally found her in a small culvert. She was found under a small piece of wood leaned up against the barn, under the feed bunk, and crawled through the panels and got into the side of the barn with the equipment and hunkered down for a nap in a corn header. It didn't matter if Mama was calling her or not, she would come out when she was good and ready.
I hope this is the case with your missing babies and you will find them soon. They sure can squeeze into the tiniest places!

[Beaners]

How large a piece of land are they on? Is there anywhere they could have gotten stuck down a hole? I would think a predator would leave at least some blood or skin/fur or something unless the dogs could have cleaned it up.

Kayleigh

[fishhead]

I would be looking anywhere a cat or small dog could hide. It seems strange that something would take 4 in one night.

I once lost a baby coon in the garage. I found it by being quiet and following it's faint cries.

[Gracy]

I agree that four missing in one night is strange. Hubby is out scouring the country side now. The pasture is about 5 acres most of it is cleared. Will let you know if he finds anything. Says he is going to sleep with the goats tonight in case "IT" comes back.

[naturewoman]

I hope they show up, but I have to admit my first thought was people. I wasn't even thinking about barbeque weekend...just maybe someone wanting baby goats instead of easter chicks or bunnies.

Will your dogs bite a human, or do they respect humans enough to let them in near the stock? They aren't trained to guard against humans, but I can't imagine them not barking. Unless someone tossed them some meat (maybe even sedated) to keep them busy and quiet. Can you hear them when they bark at night, or do they do it so often you tune it out?

[Minelson]

This is so strange...you must be going crazy! I am really hoping and praying for a good outcome on this. Dang it...where the heck are they!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tam319]

Friends of ours raised a huge (100+) herd of Boers and lost kids to a variety of different predators. The only one who could make a kid disappear w/o a trace was humans They live next to a busy road and kids mysteriously "disappeared" several times.

[Minelson]

Gracy, have you called the neighbors??? Find out if there is anything else strange going on the area....

[FrodoLass]

Any updates?

[trappmountain]

How awful! no trace and 4 at once soed sorta scream human or hiding. I sure hope you find them safe and sound

[moonspinner]

Are these dam raised or bottle kids? Aren't the mothers calling/searching for them? I mean kids tend to follow and stay close to their moms. Do they have indoor/outdoor access at night? I can't figure how predators would get past the dogs to get 4 kids. Nor people. You must be going nuts.
I'm praying you will find them. I wish I could help you look!

[Gracy]

Our dogs don't bite but the matriarch will let you know she does not want you in the field. We only let someone in the field if we are with them. There has been no trace of the babies yet. The mothers are calling them and it is so sad to listen to them cry for their babies. If they were hiding then they could have possibly gotten swept away in all of this flooding we have had since last night. But last evening they were all with their mothers in the goat house. We have no close neighbors and we are the only ones with goats. I just don't know what to think of this. I am staying up late and listening for the dogs to bark. It is still raining here and will through the night but then it was doing that last night when the came up missing.