It appears that there will be no kids born at our small farm this year. The girls, being mature, are showing all the signs of cysts in their privates. Oh I gave it a good try all right. I drug Lexi over to the honeymoon suite every 20 days or so only to have her come back in heat. Every time I saw her flagging I called the goatfarmer and begged for one more try. The goatfarmer was very accommodating and even offered some sort of injection to get her to ovulate but I didn't want to bother since I didn't really need kids. I was hoping for kids in July so that goldilocks and my son could come out and deliver goat babies with me. So every time I saw her flagging I got all excited to get her over to the buck...again. When I went to feed yesterday sure enough she was flagging and Semi-Sweet was doing her best impression of a buck. I felt the panic that sets in when you have to get them to the buck like now but luckily I came in the house and counted 150 days on the calendar only to find that she would kid on the same weekend as my niece's wedding. Not an option. So I took my self off to Costco to get my mind off of the goats in heat. It worked and the panic subsided....I'm sure to the goatfarmer's relief.
But I was able to get in on the miracle of birth on Monday. I had asked the goatfarmer if I could please come over and take pictures of her babies and she kindly agreed. I wanted to sit in the baby goat pen and take picture of frolicking babies.....but Mother Nature had other ideas. Bertie, a Lamancha doe was kidding. So after I bottle fed some babies that were born earlier I sat on an over-turned bucket and watched the goatfarmer deliver kids. Much to my surprise I was thrown a very slimy baby and instructed to clean it off and give it a bottle when it was ready. I rushed into the nursery with it and turned it over....a doe....yippee. Then I, along with a very attentive Boston Terrier, cleaned her off and fluffed her up. When she was ready I gave her a bottle of colostrum. About that time the goatfarmer rushed in with another doe for me, and the Boston Terrier, to clean and fluff.
I was in heaven.
So I may not be having any of my own this year but I do know where I can get my kid fix.
So I will leave you with some pictures I took while I was there. Don't be alarmed, the goatfarmer likes her goats with no ears......easier delivery that way.
I couldn't take my eyes off this beautiful girl...she just stood out. Maybe because she is the only one that isn't black or brown. I don't know but she is a show girl.
Oh what a face!
11 comments:
Beautiful kids...even without ears.
Sounds like a heavenly day.
OH! That last photo...so precious!
I like my goats without ears sometimes, too. The white kid looks so much like my Latte, except Latte has the prettiest blue eyes.
Sorry about the breeding disappointment. I join you on that front too. I had so wanted to breed my Latte for a late Spring freshening, but, of course, now I'm glad that didn't work out. :(
~Lisa
Oh, my. Well we'll just have to get that farmgirl over to baby Belle's house. That is all there is to it.
Sounds like an awesome experience :)
Love all the cute pictures!
Tracey
Im sorry your little gals didnt have any goat babies this time. What an amazing experience tho to be there when the others were born. You had to have been smiling from ear to ear!
I love that picture on your sidebar of the lamb(is that Lucy?) kicking up her heels! So cute.
Very precious!
I don't know much about goats so I don't know anything about this no ears business...is that common?
Michelle, They are a breed of goat called LaMancha....and they come without ears. Don't ask me why, they just do. I vaguely remember discussing this with the goatfarmer last year at the fair but can't remember if we came up with a reason or not. It does give them an incredibly sweet almost human like face though.
And talk about a conversation piece!
Oh..so sad. Will you try again next year or do the cysts make any future breeding impossible? Still, it looks like things turned out very happy in the end. You always amaze me...now you're birthin' babies on top of everything else you do! What great pictures. That lil guy with the tuft of white on top of his head is adorable!
farmgirl, I really don't know that much about it but I think they would need an injection to make them ovulate after they are bred. I don't think I will try next year with these girls because they will be about 9 and one hasn't kidded before. I will breed Cora Belle next year though.
I was just trying to get a doe kid from Lexi or Semi and my chicken sister some Nigerian babies this year but alas it wasn't meant to be.
Oh and the one with the little white tuft....is a girl.
Sorry to hear you had no kids born on your place this year, but I'm glad you have somewhere to go to get your kid fix! It took me awhile to get used to the earless variety of goats, but their sweet temperament and unique faces won me over. :) Love that last face!!
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