Goat Babies Encore!

Rosie kidded last night and gave us another two female goats.  Unfortunately she was very early (145 days), we were unprepared and we didn't follow the advice and traditional wisdom of baby mammals. All the above resulted in a very long and stressful night and a goat mother that has rejected one kid. However, both kids know how to nurse and when Rosie is tethered she allows both to drink freely.

Goat Babies

Clover delivered her twin baby goats on Earth Day (April 22) after a gestation period of 149 days. She was left unattended for 1 hour 15 minutes and that's when she decided to go for it. My father walked out to the pen after having a sandwich in the house and realized that the ranch goat population had doubled.

Daisy and Basil are healthy and happy and just starting to frolic and play.  Welcome to the world you two!

The Countdown Begins...

April 18th is day 145 on the gestational calendar for Clover. Since goats usually give birth between 145-155 days after conception, we could have baby kids as early as tomorrow. Clover looks terribly uncomfortable and I'm hoping for an early birth. God knows I'm ready.

In the last three weeks we've:
Created a milk parlor,
Constructed a milking stand,
Built a kidding pen/nursery,
Picked up 4 bales of fresh hay,
Finished preparing a kidding kit, and
Had a pre-natal ranch visit from the vet.

Now we're just waiting for baby Nubians.

Pre-natal check-up

The vet visited the girls this week to draw blood for CAE and CL testing. She also showed me how to administer CD&T vaccinations.  The girls performed beautifully and were hardly bothered at all by the poking and prodding. Apparently, they can withstand anything if they're nibbling on dates.

Dr. P says that both girls look big enough to be carrying twins! (Unfortunately, my mother loved Dr. P until she said the dreaded T word. Mom is definitely looking forward to kid goats but was hoping to enjoy far less of them...say 1 per goat.)

Clover is due April 23--16 days to go.

Welcome Home

The girls are back home.  Although I anticipated a spectacle on par with Cirque de Soleil from Francis upon their arrival he was rather...disappointing to watch. He actually didn't do anything.  He looked at them drive up and calmly watched then walk into the pen. Of course I know he's happy they're back (he doesn't scream bloody murder when you leave him now) but he doesn't necessarily seem overjoyed.

The girls are as sweet as ever but have brought back with them the smell of a barn. Both are getting a bath this weekend.

Clover was bred on November 24th so if it didn't "take" I should know in the next few days. The breeder was a very nice woman but I truly hope they don't have to make the trip up there again this season.

Assuming both girls are pregnant we should be expecting our first kids on April 23, 2011 and May 5, 2011.