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 ;-)

January Chores

Susie is not real sure she appreciates the milking stand thus far. ppphhhh! It's good until the grain runs out and then Randy continues to trim my hooves. Not fun! I'm trying to get her used to being on the stand while she's still young.

The Three Amigo's continue to grow coat and stand like frozen statue's on a daily basis out in the snow for about an hour. Hope isn't showing any signs physically of being pregnant, that I can tell. But I have read that doesn't normally happen until 4 or 5 weeks before birthing.

Still need to get the birthing pen built and order all the "just in case" supplies for the big day. Yesterday I ordered 25 Frankenchicken's and 14 new Bantam's before I forgot. They are also due here on the farm in April. Next on the agenda is ordering seed for this season's garden, goat pen, and chicken yard. Gonna be a busy spring.

Genetically Engineered Alfafa...what next?

So much for my plans of organic goat milk if this goes thru. Couldn't get certified anyway, as I'm surrounded by g.m. kidney killer corn. http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/t/5946/content.jsp?content_KEY=6851

Snow Goats

Winter is upon us here in Illinois. The goatie gang doesn't seem too impressed with the snow we got over Christmas. Gizmo won't even step hoove in it. He peeks out the door and thats about it. Susie will come out IF she thinks there is something in it for her, and Hope will stand farm guard on occassion on one of the wooden spools. They are all getting fat and furry. Cutting back on grain this week. Have the heated water bucket going and they are consuming that well enough. New addition to the farm is in the form of a runny babbitt. I'm going to let him grow up a bit more before I put him in the stew pot.

Hope, Susie, and Gizmo wish you

a very Merry Christmas!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/AFHUBcIO1b2nzAKi

Wedding Bells

Houston....we have lift off!.....oh! the places we could go with today's events ;-)

Seems I was WAY off in my estimation of Hope's next season, from the way she acted last month. She no sooner arrived up North, fell in love with Huck, and wham, bam, thank you mam!

Way to go handsome Huck! I knew you could deal with HER ;-) And thank you Patty....especially going that extra mile with the camera ;-) I loved it!!

A little foreplay visual for those unfamiliar with a goat's mating rituals (including myself ;-)

There was plenty more action from where it went from here, but I don't have time right now to READ this blog's Terms of Service. "WHAT!!?? You mean goat porn isn't allowed?" ;-)

I've read and been told a good way to see if the wedding was legal, (minus ultrasound) is to take her back to him again around her next scheduled cycle (21 days). If he's not interested, then she can come back home with buns in the oven.

I'm excited! Estimated due date: April 2, 2010.

Next on the agenda, the building of a whelping pen before the snow flies!