raising goats

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Making May Memorable! (cute alert!)

This morning I was doing a goat check, since our newest arrival happened unawares, I thought it would be best to check several times a day now for our last pregnant doe to give birth.  I was glad I did.  I noticed right away this morning that she was getting ready, so I moved her from the stall that she was sharing into the newly cleaned and “re-hayed” stall for the event.  Then, I sat and watched and watched.  All morning I watched and waited for the kids to drop.  Thankfully, before lunch she had given birth to two baby bucks.  The first one with a dark brown head and the second all white and creamy colored.  I am actually a little surprised to see that she didn’t have more than two.  She is huge!!!  I must be feeding them way too much, cause they are all fat!!  hehehe  All the babies we  have are big and healthy, so I am happy!

We had our friend Jacqui’s daughter join us today to watch the happenings.  She was a pleasure to have around.  I always find it such a relief to have another female within my home.  I am seriously outnumbered here with three males around me all the time.

So altogether now, we have five kid goats this season.  Two are does and three are bucks.  All three mamas are very proud and protective of their little wards.  Now we tackle the hoof trimming of the mamas soon.  This should be interesting as they are all really well over due for it.  And to find out who is going to de-horn these little ones, as I have no equipment nor enough knowledge to do such a procedure but most certainly must have it done.

Enjoy the pictures!!

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Day 2: Goat Babies!!

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Today I am a Grandmother!

What?  How is this possible, you say?!  Her children are 10 and 13!  No.  It is not what you are thinking and I hope that may never be ther case.

Tonight,(as I was getting ready to leave the house for a chance away from the children) my goats began the kidding process.  The youngest goat was the first bred this winter and she gave birth to two kids tonight.  It was not the most graceful of birthing processes, I must say.  Kinda gross, as a matter of fact.  She wasn’t quite letting go of the placenta and I had to help with that, but later on she finally expelled the rest.

She had one buck(male) and one doe(female).  She had no idea what to do with them, other than clean them and call to them to imprint.  She took a really long time and so did the kids to figure out how to go about nursing.  She did finally figure it out, but it is clearly going to be touch and go with her.  I will have to watch carefully to make sure they are getting fed.  I stuck her and the newborns in a kidding pen in hopes of less moving about, so they have a better chance to suckle.

All in all, a successful first kidding.  I was surprised.  It totally figured she would have them at the very moment that I had an opportunity to finally get out of my house with out my children for a little while.  I will have to find another way for that to happen on another day.  Hopefully, these babes will thrive.  I am exhausted and stinky.  I must shower and hit the sack.

Enjoy the pictures.  There will be more in the morning, but these were the initial shots as we found them in the barn this evening.