Maybe I'm getting too lax about raising goats. I used to be so careful in my planning of breeding and kept notes about who was bred when, to whom, when they had what shots, what day they kidded on the year before, etc. This year all planning went out the window. I think things changed when I moved the goats from the yard over to the field. Or maybe when I began adding other livestock to the mix.
I had very few due dates for my goats this year and the ones I did have weren't always correct. I've missed every birth so far. Lily had hers yesterday morning shortly before I went down to milk. For some reason she has not accepted Mona. She's always been a good mom in the past so I don't know what the deal is. She has made very clear that she only loves Sully, therefore I'm bottle feeding Mona and 2 more kids who arrived yesterday afternoon right in the middle of the field.
Dahlia is a first time mom and had no idea what happened. She was standing in the field staring down and these two tiny, screaming, sopping wet creatures looking very confused. I picked them up and carried them to a shelter, calling Dahlia to follow me. It was windy and chilly. Instead, when she finally decided to move, it wasn't to the barn but out to graze with the others. I had to drag her across the field to her kids and block her in there. She seems interested in them and cries to them but won't let them nurse. Maybe she'll come around. They're happy to take a bottle for now.
Fortunately, Dahlia and Lily were more than happy to come in to be milked this morning, so that was a nice surprise. Most new moms kick a little (sometimes a lot) the first day, especially a first time mom. I was lucky with Dahlia. I haven't named her two boys yet. Rex is being a better father to all the kids than their moms are. He adores them. It doesn't hurt that they taste like milk. He keeps their behinds clean too :) All 4 kids born yesterday sleep in a pile together. It's very cute.
I had very few due dates for my goats this year and the ones I did have weren't always correct. I've missed every birth so far. Lily had hers yesterday morning shortly before I went down to milk. For some reason she has not accepted Mona. She's always been a good mom in the past so I don't know what the deal is. She has made very clear that she only loves Sully, therefore I'm bottle feeding Mona and 2 more kids who arrived yesterday afternoon right in the middle of the field.
Dahlia is a first time mom and had no idea what happened. She was standing in the field staring down and these two tiny, screaming, sopping wet creatures looking very confused. I picked them up and carried them to a shelter, calling Dahlia to follow me. It was windy and chilly. Instead, when she finally decided to move, it wasn't to the barn but out to graze with the others. I had to drag her across the field to her kids and block her in there. She seems interested in them and cries to them but won't let them nurse. Maybe she'll come around. They're happy to take a bottle for now.
Fortunately, Dahlia and Lily were more than happy to come in to be milked this morning, so that was a nice surprise. Most new moms kick a little (sometimes a lot) the first day, especially a first time mom. I was lucky with Dahlia. I haven't named her two boys yet. Rex is being a better father to all the kids than their moms are. He adores them. It doesn't hurt that they taste like milk. He keeps their behinds clean too :) All 4 kids born yesterday sleep in a pile together. It's very cute.
Strange. You'd thinking nursing would come naturally to the mothers (as in, "ah, what a relief to lower the pressure in the udder!"). They certainly don't lack cuteness!
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