Day 144

And buns are STILL in the oven! Good thing.... as it was 24 fricken degree's last night out here. I finally found a baby monitor (sound only) that works somewhat through a metal building 200 feet away to the house. It has saved at least 300 miles on this neurotic woman's feet thus far. Symptoms continue to surface daily. Today the discharge was somewhat amber. Distinct line down her back (which she's always had but not very distinct). She didn't want me to touch her today, which is very unlike her. Looks to be bagging up and general swelling of her rear end parts. When laying down she does this soft moan as she chews her cud. Ravenous appetite and I have increased her grain. Still prefers the straw to the alfalfa hay. The ligaments that were once mushy, then disappeared, then came back, are mushy again. Tomorrow morning would work good for me. Wonder what SHE thinks?? ;-)

30000 Miles Between House & Barn

Hope: "Let's see if we can put 30000 miles on my human this week."

Human: "Good job Hope!"

As I have been unable to find a security camera within our budget that will work through a metal building, and this ornery goat wants to go down the line, symptom by symptom, of impending goat labor, I think we have reached her goal this week. Still two weeks out from her due date, right before I take a two day trip to Louisville to visit the grandson's, her ligament's not only feel soft, they all but disappear right before I leave. Poor Randy is put on mid-wife notice with only a brief anxiety ridden education at best.

Anxiously get back home to find the same scenario with the ligament's, with a little discharge thrown in that day. Next day as I sit in the pen with her, she paw's at the ground half a dozen times. Line by line by line. More discharge today and doesn't eat her grain as vigorously as usual. Udder is looking a little fuller today as well. To save 2 miles just now I looked out the window and I see her grazing with her buddies. Breath Debbie breath ;-)

Knowing this character goat the way I do.....she will purposely wait until I do the last check of the night, two weeks from now, to really get down to business. I think she's just toying with the rookie goat owner ;-)

A Whole Herd??

Hoping that I'm not jinxing things here! My research on whether or not you can tell your goat is pregnant keeps leading to: you can't tell without an ultra sound, they possibly don't show (IF at all) until the last three weeks, along with.... they normally look pregnant all the time. Okay....she's FIVE weeks out and she has a Goiter in her side then ;-)




The whelping pen was built this past weekend and feeders/waterer's installed. All the "just in case" kidding supplies have arrived (except for my Xanax). All family members have been told I will be unavailable from March 27th until "to be announced". I still haven't found a security camera or monitor (that I can afford anyway) that will work 200 feet away through a metal building. Guess I will either camp out in the barn or put 2000 miles on my boots or miss the event.


















Hope's first Mom said her first kidding produced twins, her second kidding produced triplets. Any guesses?? I'm thinking one HUGE buck and one doe.

Poor gurl looks like a walking bowling ball ;-)