Tis the season to be goaty. If you haven't heard and seen already, there are baby goats newly prancing and flipping in our barnyard. All over our valley and, most likely, all around the country new goats are being born along with all the other new baby animals--calves, foals, fawns, pups, kitttens. All signs that spring is here!
Of Buckhorn's three does aka "nannies", Midnight is the first this spring to have babies. Last Monday (3/11) on the new moon while checking the goats before the night, we were blessed to receive and spend the twilight hours with the new twins. All these pictures were taken that evening of the new moon. Both of these goat babies are doelings! Awesome, more to milk.....next year.
Reading a little on goat husbandry and asking other farmers with goats, you'll discover that it is common for goats to give birth to multiple offspring at once. It depends partly on the breed, but twins seem to the most common birth occurrence in many breeds.
After taking picture with the twins, Horton thoroughly checked them as they slowly began to dry off and try out their spindly, rickety legs. We gave the goats fresh water with some kelp and warm water with some molasses to the twins before heading back in for the night.
Vernal Equinox occurs this Wednesday (3/20), so we are anticipating that Zen and Rocky, our other two nannies, are very close to birthing their kids as well. We're guessing it will happen this week. Zen is pictured here with her billy-kid Porter, born March 8th of last year.
Champ (big grey bearded goat, Toggenburg breed) is pictured here beside Midnight (all black, Alpine breed), as well as a portion of the herd.
What a Champ!
Now that we have had a week of observing the twins they both appear to be healthy: herding and grazing in the field with the others and milking daily on Midnight.
Sorry, but you can't pet the pictures of baby goats...no matter how much you may want to.
Stop on by the farm soon and see all the new kids!! Oh, and don't forget to holler at your friendly, local farmers while you're at it.
Of Buckhorn's three does aka "nannies", Midnight is the first this spring to have babies. Last Monday (3/11) on the new moon while checking the goats before the night, we were blessed to receive and spend the twilight hours with the new twins. All these pictures were taken that evening of the new moon. Both of these goat babies are doelings! Awesome, more to milk.....next year.
After taking picture with the twins, Horton thoroughly checked them as they slowly began to dry off and try out their spindly, rickety legs. We gave the goats fresh water with some kelp and warm water with some molasses to the twins before heading back in for the night.
Vernal Equinox occurs this Wednesday (3/20), so we are anticipating that Zen and Rocky, our other two nannies, are very close to birthing their kids as well. We're guessing it will happen this week. Zen is pictured here with her billy-kid Porter, born March 8th of last year.
Last year, from the last week in October until the first week of December we were able to board and care for a herd of 14 goats while the herd owner, our friend Eddy, moved his family from Texas to the western slope. In exchange for caring for his goat herd for over a month, the billy-goat of the herd, Champ, would hopefully impregnate our two female goats. Looks like he performed his job quite well. Midnight was a gift from Eddy at the end of the exchange.
Champ (big grey bearded goat, Toggenburg breed) is pictured here beside Midnight (all black, Alpine breed), as well as a portion of the herd.
What a Champ!
Now that we have had a week of observing the twins they both appear to be healthy: herding and grazing in the field with the others and milking daily on Midnight.
Sorry, but you can't pet the pictures of baby goats...no matter how much you may want to.
Stop on by the farm soon and see all the new kids!! Oh, and don't forget to holler at your friendly, local farmers while you're at it.
~Jak
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