Kids

It has been a busy couple of weeks, so this post is a summary of what you may have been watching on our facebook page. 

It all started on March 5 when Alita gave birth to twin bucklings.  These healthy little guys are growing like weeds, and had their horns disbudded a few days ago.   These guys will be wethers, and wonderful pets.  They may already have a home in waiting.

Two days later, 21 chicks hatched out of the eggs in the incubator.  They are now brooding in the garage in a 4X4 enclosure we built floor to ceiling (to protect them from the cats).  So far they're doing great and starting to get a few feathers. They are of mixed breeds of easter eggers (blue egg layers), an assortment of brown egg layers, and bred by potentially three different roosters who are welsummer, maran and a blue andalusian.  Needless to say, the hens will  lay interesting colors.

Next came Moonbeam, right on time with triplets.  two girls and one boy.  Friday evening, while we were preparing her stall in the maternity ward, she was busy getting ready.  I went to check on her in the other side of of the barn and the first baby already out.  I grabbed a towel and dried it off while she had the second.  Thinking we were done, I took mama and babies to their warm stall.   A few minutes later, she was pawing the floor, and out came a third.  Naturally, this was the first night of what seems to be the coldest week we've had all winter, so her babies spent the night in the house with cats on guard duty.  
Moon has been a great mama and for a shy girl, she has been very easy and cooperative to milk.  One of these girls will stay on the farm. 

Monday evening (3/13) I arrived home to find Starlight cleaning her twin girls, already standing up and starting to dry.  She was already in the maternity ward and on kid watch, but I missed the excitement.  I am very lucky that so far all of my girls have had easy deliveries and required no assistance.  
I'm teaching all of the kids to take a bottle in addition to being with their mama.  Bottle feeding, even if part time, will help with their transition to a new home, and keeps them friendly and sociable. 

When the time comes, Starr with be available for sale as a "doe in milk".  She's a good girl, but I have to be realistic about how many goats I can keep.  She is friendly and full of personality, and would make a great addition to a small farm.  Both of her daughters will also be for sale. 

Flower's babies came the next day, on the night of 16 degree temps.  Her babies were my most anticipated since she is a 6th generation mini nubian, and bred to Daryl who is also 6th generation.  These two little boys spent a couple of days in the laundry room being bottle fed due to the cold and needing a little extra TLC.  
They are purebred, 7th generation mini's and will make excellent herd sires to a lucky farm.  

Sasha will be last to kid, due any day now.