I know, I know...never say never! But if I have the least little say in the matter or there is a snowballs chance, we will NEVER again be SO far in the dark on a goats due date!! Especially with our doe Cinderella. For at least three weeks she exhibited EVERY sign of labor that I've ever read about or seen so far. One source even simplified it for me...If your doe exhibits anything out of the ordinary it could be a sign of labor. Well she doesn't ordinarily kiss and rub against our resident herd queen, or lay on her side in the middle of the outside pen appearing dead. She doesn't ordinarily raise her lips towards the wind for 10 minutes with her tail half mass. She followed every OTHER obvious written sign for weeks...the ligaments disappearing for two FULL weeks and then I SWEAR they re-appeared, and then disappeared again a couple days later, the udder blossomed up the size of Kansas for three weeks. And not to be too graphic...I thought for awhile she was going to present a prolapsed something or other, she had so much pressure and inflamation. And on and on she went...stranding me at home for weeks, wearing the tread off my boots, and putting a hole in my gut with worry. (literally I suspect ;-)
If my calculations were somewhat close she conceived the very first day she was put in the pen with Vinnie Barbarino. Must have been love at first site! After a quick we MUST get some errands run this weekend jaunt (of only an hour and a half) I came home to her crammed up in the shape of a bowling ball in the corner of the barn with her butt plastered against th
e wall, almost under the ramp to exit said barn. Okay Cindy, I believe you now...please get your butt un-plastered from the barn wall as gravity doesn't work real well that way, nor can I see a thing except jet black! After about 15 minutes she finally got to her feet and I gently guided her to the kidding pen. Within 45 minutes she had popped out Quads, with one being so small it almost took my breath away. Everyone seemed a little "sluggish" in comparison to Hope and Susies kiddings, but I'll be darn if "Lit'l Bit" wasn't the first one on his feet and the first one to the milk bar. I didn't think he would be able to handle her huge tits, but the little Stinker latched on right away. I'm still NOT breathing yet on him and he may end up in my living room before nights end.
e wall, almost under the ramp to exit said barn. Okay Cindy, I believe you now...please get your butt un-plastered from the barn wall as gravity doesn't work real well that way, nor can I see a thing except jet black! After about 15 minutes she finally got to her feet and I gently guided her to the kidding pen. Within 45 minutes she had popped out Quads, with one being so small it almost took my breath away. Everyone seemed a little "sluggish" in comparison to Hope and Susies kiddings, but I'll be darn if "Lit'l Bit" wasn't the first one on his feet and the first one to the milk bar. I didn't think he would be able to handle her huge tits, but the little Stinker latched on right away. I'm still NOT breathing yet on him and he may end up in my living room before nights end.Randy actually made it in time for THIS kidding (gawd knows HOW he could miss it according to ME, with her in LABOR for three w
eeks straight), in the event he ever has to step up his chores to include goatie mid-wife and he did real well. At one point as he stood outside the pen looking in, he politely asked if he could come in too....I said SURE and threw him a couple towels ;-) As Lit'l Bit flew out of the shoot (3rd) I casually and oh so confidently and proudly stated...Oh yeah, thats GOTTA be a doe as its SO small. After everyone was dried off and on their feet I decided to peek at sexes. Big big black=Buck, Smaller black=Buck, Bigger brown=Buck, and I almost fell over into the feed bucket as Lit'l Bit=BUCK as well. I checked all 4 THREE times and eventually had Randy run up to the house to get my glasses, just to be sure. Love those bucks... however I still haven't figured out a way to get milk outta them yet.
eeks straight), in the event he ever has to step up his chores to include goatie mid-wife and he did real well. At one point as he stood outside the pen looking in, he politely asked if he could come in too....I said SURE and threw him a couple towels ;-) As Lit'l Bit flew out of the shoot (3rd) I casually and oh so confidently and proudly stated...Oh yeah, thats GOTTA be a doe as its SO small. After everyone was dried off and on their feet I decided to peek at sexes. Big big black=Buck, Smaller black=Buck, Bigger brown=Buck, and I almost fell over into the feed bucket as Lit'l Bit=BUCK as well. I checked all 4 THREE times and eventually had Randy run up to the house to get my glasses, just to be sure. Love those bucks... however I still haven't figured out a way to get milk outta them yet. We MAY have one more kidding to go with Queen Hope, I'm not sure yet on that one either. (sigh again) But hopefully we will have the Barn Cam up and running when the time comes and comes and comes.....
Randy's homegrown "Chicks" are going through their gawky stage with new feathers. All eight are thriving and have been transferred out of the wading pool into the real world. (or the floor of the quarantine pen anyway). I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the two blue ones!
This guy...again one of last years FREE "exotics" I supposedly swore off from the Hatchery if you order 25 or more, while pleasing to look at, is going to end up in the STEW pot if he doesn't cool his jets here soon on my feather foots. He's been stalking me as well and the first time he LOOKS like he is gonna peck my eyeballs out..... (there is a REASON we have SMALL Bantams ;-)
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