June 13, 2017

Goat News!

Twins for Anna!


They were born last Tuesday around 10:30 that night.

Firstborn - a buckling

She wasn't due until Saturday, but Tuesday morning I noticed her standing in the stall, shifting her weight back and forth, not paying attention to anything going on around her.


There was no discharge (a very tell-tale sign), but I've seen this behavior in does before, usually half-a-day or so before they start pushing.

Second-born - a doeling.

I checked on her frequently but there was still nothing happening at dusk so I put her in the kidding stall for the night.


Right before I went to bed I made another check. The two babies had already arrived!


The little buckling was already on his feet and Anna was giving him a good cleaning. The little doeling must have just arrived because she was very wet and covered in the birth membranes.


So I had gotten there just in time to get her cleaned up and put her next to her brother so Anna could give her a good licking too. I think that's an important part of the bonding process and imprints each kid's smell on their mother.


Anna is a first time mom so she wasn't too sure about them at first. It took a little encouragement for her to realize that nursing them wasn't a bad experience after all.


Later the next day I let her out because she was hollering for the other goats. She ran off after them, and then remembered that her babies were still in the barn. Back she ran.


That first day out my two February born doelings (Ellie and Sky) took to butting the little ones so that I had to put them back up. Anna just looked confused.


The following day when I let them out, the first thing Anna did was flatten Ellie and Sky! Everybody keeps a respectful distance from her babies now.


So kidding is officially over for 2017. Five doelings and four bucklings made for a good year.

Goat News! © June 2017 by Leigh 

29 comments:

Michelle said...

Congrats! Good for Anna for stepping up to the parenting plate. :-)

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

The white one had taken to the camera. They're beautiful.

Leigh said...

I know! It was such a relief. She accepted them just fine but that first day when she let the others butt them around I was concerned. I've had goats that never stepped in to stop their kids from being bullied, and others which were extremely proactive to make sure every other goat kept their distance before anything could happen. Anna has turned out to be a very good mom.

Leigh said...

Thank you! Goats can be so hard to photograph sometimes that it's always nice to get good poses. Of course, taking a couple hundred shots or so improves chances as well. :)

Rain said...

Congratulations Leigh! They are so beautiful, what a lovely life you live. :)

Leigh said...

Thanks Rain! At times like this I am very grateful four our lifestyle. :)

Leigh said...

"for our lifestlye" ;)

Theresa said...

OMG they are too cute. Congrats on a successful kidding season. Which ones are you keeping?

Renee Nefe said...

another season of cuteness! Can't wait for the goat games to begin with the new ones...hope the older kids let them play.

Ed said...

It took a little encouragement for her to realize that nursing them wasn't a bad experience after all.

That is a really great way of looking at it that I hadn't thought about before. I don't have goat experience but pigs were sometimes the very same way.

Frugal in Derbyshire said...

Ooooh I do wish I still had goats. I used to love kidding time!
Nice looking kids Leigh.
Gill

Mrs Shoes said...

The marking on her little lower leg......OMG cuteness.

Leigh said...

Good question! I don't need a father and son so the little boy will be sold. I still have tthe two Feb. doelings but may keep Anna's little girl instead of one of them. I love them all so it's hard to decide!

Leigh said...

I think the older kids are too "grown up" for that! The nice thing about twins though is that they have a sibling for a nap buddy and play mate. Very convenient. :)

Leigh said...

I never had trouble with our sow accepting her piglets but I'm not sure I would have known what to do if she hadn't! First fresheners are often skittish when their newborns try to nurse but them I can hold in place until they realize it's really okay. can't imagine trying to do that with a pig, LOL.

Leigh said...

Thank Gill! Kidding is the best time of year and I'm really happy with these two.

Leigh said...

You know, I didn't even notice that until I saw it in one of my photos. Unique!

Nancy In Boise said...

Way off the cuteness chart! Adorable :)

Leigh said...

:)

Donna OShaughnessy said...

Yes, I miss our goats. When our kids would get on their hands and knees out on the fields and the goat kids would jump off them...those were great times. The GK's keep asking us to get more but I never really liked the meat or the milk and we can't justify them as a pet. Or can we?

Leigh said...

Ha ha it's hard to turn down those grandkids! Of course goats still have to eat and you'd need at least two 'cuz they also like companionship. I suppose it would depend on the cost to pleasure ratio. :)

Sandy Livesay said...

Leigh,

They're adorable!!! All these little babes running around. Makes you want to scoop one up and cuddle them. Congrats!

Leigh said...

So true! Although they aren't too interested in being cuddled. :) I'm just happy when kids are tame enough to want to be petted. Some of them are pretty wild.

Anonymous said...

Oh how cute, may I have one? *smile* Did you dip their umbilical cords in iodine so they don't get pneumonia? I was told that was how two of Cocoa's kids died, something with the umbilical cords and pneumonia. I love goats and animals altogether really. *smile* Though we are not in a season of farming and self sufficiency right now, we love the work and reward of farming. *big smile* Keep these amazing pictures of your day to day life coming and some day we may be able to get back into it. *smile* They bring joy to my heart. *smile* Sincerely, Mommy of two growing blessings & so much more!

kymber said...

what awesome news! and those babies are so adorable!i love goats but especially love goat babies! congrats leigh!

sending love. your friend,
kymber

Harry Flashman said...

I sure do like your posts, especially the one's with little animals. I like animals way more than I like most people.

Leigh said...

I used to dip their umbilical cords in betadine to prevent infection, but it seemed like very time their moms would then want to chew the end of the cord off, so I stopped. I make sure they are cut close and clean.

I think the kids are one of the highlights of having goats! Always so cute and entertaining.

Leigh said...

Goat babies are the best! (Except maybe for kittens and puppies, LOL)

Leigh said...

Harry, that makes two of us! Or at least I'm more comfortable with animals than people. :)