November 28, 2018

Random Goat Shots

Why not?









First chance of kids in February.

Random Goat Shots © November 2018 

16 comments:

Michelle said...

They all look pregnant AND well fed! You've built up such a nice flock now; you should feel a great sense of achievement.

Ed said...

Definitely well fed. Your forage situation must really please those goats!

Leigh said...

Michelle, I'm pretty sure the three in the second picture are pregnant. I don't test for pregnancy, so it's a matter of wait-and-see. :) While I don't consider myself a breeder per se, I like the breed and so I want to help work toward the breed standard. By keeping those that best conform to that standard, I've seen marked improvement in my herd! I'm happy with my goats!

Ed, one of the reasons I went with Kinders is because they have a good feed to muscle conversion. They are dual-purpose, so they don't have the "gaunt" dairy look that Nubians and other dairy breeds have. Kinders are meatier but good milk producers too.

Sam I Am...... said...

I wondered as some of them looked pretty 'rounded out'! So good looking...you can tell you take very good care of them!

Quinn said...

Round girls! I'm not breeding this winter, so I'll be vicariously enjoying yours, Leigh :)

Rain said...

Why not indeed? :))) Those are lovely shots! I always look forward to your kidding posts Leigh!

Powell River Books said...

You have a good size group. When I taught school we had a mini-farm on campus. The fifth grade teacher managed it. We taught in low income suburbs of Los Angeles so most kids didn't know anything about farms and farm animals. She raised a goat, calf, pig, turkeys, chickens, rabbits in addition to rescue birds. Not sure how we got around it with zoning but I think schools in California aren't zoned in the same way as residential properties. The goat used to come into my classroom and took a liking to the carpet the human kids sat on during story time. Unfortunately his interest was to go to the bathroom. He also made havoc of the lunch line by bumping the first graders. But it was hard to stay mad at him. - Margy

Chris said...

I love your goats, Leigh. I think the ones you kept as breeding stock, are not just pretty to look at, but appear to have good nature's as well. They look so happy on pasture. Here's to another successful kidding year in 2019! Which is seriously not that far away.

Leigh said...

Sam, it's always a good feeling to have animals in top condition. Of course, Kinders are something of a roundish looking breed, but being pregnant makes them look even rounder!

Quinn, I have to confess that I was only going to breed two, but somehow ended up with all but the two youngest having visits with the bucks. Somehow all the hollering gets to me. :)

Rain, thanks! Kidding posts are some of my favorites. Always cute and entertaining. :)

Margy, that's so funny! How amazing your school could do that. What a great thing for the kids.

Chris, I've been somewhat strict with my selection of keepers. I'm constantly analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and trying to decide which pairings would work best for my goals. Even so, I'm not overly serious about it. It's just fun.

Mama Pea said...

Yep, I'd say you definitely have some prospective mama goats there! They all look so very healthy and well cared for. I agree with the other comments that you have done a wonderful job of "growing" a desirable herd of happy goats!

Kelly said...

We raised goats at one point (my first blog was filled with photos of them!) so when I saw this title in Ed's sidebar, I had to come take a look. I always find them entertaining and yours look healthy and happy! Brings a smile to my face. :)

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi! Goats have interesting personalities and I am looking forward to new baby goats pictures! Nancy

wyomingheart said...

Hi Leigh! Your Kinder girls look happy, healthy and somewhat pregnant! It's fabulous that you still have green for them to eat. That certainly was well planned vegetation restoration! Would you share what you have planted that we see in the photos, and what plant zone you are in?

Leigh said...

Mama Pea, thanks! I'm feeling more confident now about some of their pregnancies. I wasn't sure at first, because a couple of them did not like their suitor! One of them kept a tree between her and him, the other jumped up on a tree stump where he couldn't reach her. :o . I've been wrong before though!

Kelly, welcome! So nice that you came to visit and I'm especially happy you took the time to comment. Interesting that you used to have goats. You're right, they are extremely entertaining! Never a dull moment with goats. :)

Nancy, me too!

Wyomingheart, pasture improvement was one of our goals this year, and I'm hoping I'm finally getting it figured out. We're in 7b, which means some winters are mild enough for cool weather forage. I started a series on that here. I planted everything I could get my hands on, both perennials and annuals: wheat, oats, winter peas, perennial rye, hairy vetch, chicory, radish (both garden and Daikon), turnip, timothy, orchardgrass, non-endophyte fescue, alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, rape, small burnet, sanfoin, kale, buckwheat, phacelia, sorghum-sudangrass, and a variety of clovers (red, crimson, sweet, and several kinds of white). Currently, I'm working on subdividing for better grazing rotation, and hoping for even more improvement next year.

Susan said...

What a lovely herd you have! I can't wait until kidding season, as I am partial to your kid photos!

The Wykeham Observer said...

Nice, happy, plump goats. A nice pastoral scene.