Jade Update

Jade has been a special case since the day we brought her home, it seems.  She just really isn't growing or putting on weight like everyone else.  I thought at first maybe she just had a higher than normal worm load, then thought maybe it was because she was the smallest and was being bullied.  Regardless we pulled her out of the pen at the beginning of October when we put Crockett with the other girls because she is way too small to breed.

 She was pretty thin.  We kept her on a strict deworming and feeding schedule and now she is plump (and furry, holy cow she put on a winter coat fast!), but still so small.  My paranoid brain is wondering if she has some sort of dwarfism gene or something.  The only other thing I could think of that would retard her growth is worms or malnutrition.  She is definitely not malnourished and we have dewormed her, so for now it is a wait and see game.  I won't be breeding her if she stays small and unthrifty.  I don't want that in my blood lines.  She will still be a good pet though.

 Definitely plumped up!

 So adorable!  That does not look like the face of a seven month old doeling though... she looks like a weanling!  If anyone knows of other reasons for stunted growth I'd love to know.  I'm still researching it.

Sadly a week after putting her back out with the other girls I noticed she had her tail down and seemed like she didn't feel too well so we separated her again.  I'm wondering if she overindulged in acorns when her gut wasn't used to it.  Sigh.  She is definitely our special needs case.  Most people would have culled her by now, but I can't do that.  She can be a brush goat and pet if nothing else.  :)  I'll keep you all updated.