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Barnyard Buddies:  Babies! Babies! Babies!!  |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 30 2009 : 10:28:01 AM
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OH MY!! I am SURROUNDED by bouncing, jumping, climbing baby Goats!!!
In August all THREE of my bucks got out. I had sooooo been hoping they had done little "damage," ( ) but, alas, they did more than I'd anticipated. So far, 4 of my does have delivered 13 babies ( ) in the past week and a half-- and THREE of those does delivered in just the past 3 DAYS! The worst part is not knowing who the daddy is to each does' kids! Though I have my suspicions!!! Each boy has very distinctive charictaristics and they tend to leave those "markers" on their kids. So I guess it's a GOOD thing they are all boys-- except ONE!
Unfortunately we lost 5 of the 13 kids. The weather has been VERY strange here-- in the 70's --clear down to the 50's-- during the day, 30's-40's at night-- and since I have NO CLUE when the girls were bred, I did not know when they would kid. After one doe lost all 4 of her kids (the first does babies were fine) one of my sons and I rounded up the other girls we THOUGHT were seriously pregnant and put them in a pen in the barn. (my goats are ALL fat-- so it's hard to tell!!) I really didn't want to stress them, but I couldn't bear the thought of losing any more of those precious babies. (though we did lose a very tiny triplet the next day) I am happy to report that the other kids are thriving and just the CUTEST things!
My two oldest kids are the SWEETEST, FRIENDLIEST kids I've ever had! The girl is just a doll and LOVES me silly! She gets VERY jealous  when I hold any of the boys (there are SEVEN!!) and will come and butt her head against my legs or try to climb up them until I pay attention to her. She is DEFINITELY staying here with me, but, the boys are going to have to go.
I did a head count and I now have 29 Nigerian Dwarf goats! I sure wish you ladies lived closer-- I'd be MORE than happy to share!! Well, I'm off to the barn to cuddle!  Hugs to you all ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2009 : 12:35:38 PM
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Congratulations, Tracy! That's a lot of kids for sure. And so many boys. I am so sorry you lost so many, though. Do you know why? It was not too cold. But 4 kids is alot for one mommy. Do you milk them? I am so ready to go look for a milk goat in milk. I miss it and won't have any more til May.
Sounds like ya got your hands ful. Can you post pics here? I'd love to see them all.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2009 : 12:47:04 PM
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Congrat's and Happy Dances
I hope you will post pictures - as you know I just love goat's and their sweet little one's...
I think you have made the right move to get them all where you can keep a close eye one them. The weather here has been anything but normal 62 one day then -26 the next. It is too hard to make sure everyone is o.k. minute by minute. I hope all the rest goes smoothly and I will keep you and yours in my goatie prayers.
I know you will have your hands full naming them all but if you have a chance I am running a contest on naming my two set of twins that where born in December. The contest ends Feb 1st so there is still time and you may have ran out of name but maybe we could share???
Hugs to all and give them a squeeze from me.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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farmmom22
True Blue Farmgirl
616 Posts
Tammy
Scottsville
KY
USA
616 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2009 : 7:34:39 PM
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Hey Tracy, congrats on your sweet babies! I have a question that I hope you or someone can answer. He have Boer/Nubian cross goats and I think two of the doe's are pregnant. We leave the buck with them all the time so we aren't sure if they're just getting fat or what. They are pooched out on the sides and their udders look like they're getting full. So my question is: Is there some kind of trick I can do to maybe tell? They stay out in the pasture most of the day and if they are pregnant, I don't want them dropping kids everywhere out there. And I don't really want to pay a vet bill and they end up just being fat! Hope someone can help. Tammy
Best farm wishes |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2009 : 09:43:41 AM
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Thanks for the Congrats Ladies!!! I'm having soooo much FUN with them! This is the best bunch of kids I've ever had! (and they were NOT PLANNED!)
Tammy-- sounds like your girls ARE pregnant. I don't know about the "heat" cycles of your cross bred goats-- but my guess is that they come into season only once or twice a year. (Nigerians can be bred ANYTIME of the year!!!!) The "Pooched" bellies and growing udders are a sure sign that they are expecting! For safety's sake, you might want to find a nice warm spot in the barn (or some other shelter), at least at night to "Lock 'em up" in. I never PURPOSELY breed any of my animals in late Summer or early fall simply because I don't want to lose babies to the cold (or the HEAT!) I prefer to breed LATE October through mid November for April or May babies. The weather is much more favorable then. But, the goats seemed to have their OWN agenda this year! sigh......
The 4 babies that I lost were born outside on a cement slab and it was VERY cold that night (around freezing). It was not the doe's first kidding, and she proved to be an EXCELLENT mother with her first two kids this past Spring. My goats are healthy (and too well fed!!!) and I was not even aware that the doe was pregnant again until about a week or so before she kidded. She had had kids in the Spring (that I WAS expecting!!), and I had not separated them from her so she still had a "Milking" udder (big kids still nursing!). It wasn't until she asumed the shape of a FOOTBALL-- quite recently-- that I became suspicious!! But since I had no clue as to when she was bred, I also had no clue as to when she would kid. Knowing that ONE little thing is more important than some people think!
One of my other does ALSO had 4 kids and is doing fine with hers. She feeds them in shifts. Though the smallest kid seems to have been "adopted" by my "first time mommy" who'd had 3 kids-- and lost one. But it seems she's not concerned with WHO'S nursing! Every time I see her she's got kids nursing off of her that definitely aren't HERS! What a WONDERFUL mom she is!
As for names-- well, if I can find new homes for them all (except my only girl--- and maybe her GORGEOUS brother!) I will give their new owners the pleasure. I think it's only fair.
And Grace-- I'm ALWAYS dreaming up names! I like "Old Fashioned" names and "Different" names. I've been toying with the name "Josephine" or "Abigail" for my girl. The Quads would all have "Bug names" (mom is "Honey Bea", big sis is "Lady Bug"). I get these themes going-- like in one line of my sheep- all the girls have FLOWER names (Ivy, Sweet Pea, Violet, Dandelion, etc.... with a few excetpions of course!) But, in the end it seems they end up with whatever name "Fits" them. But any names you ladies might suggest would also be very welcome. I will keep you all posted (and I will have to see about pictures-- I'm sooo computer STUPID!!!) -- and, from the looks of a few of the OTHER girls in my herd, you can expect to be reading about MORE "bouncing baby Blessings" in another month or two! YIIIIIIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kristin-- COME GET SOME--- PLEASE!!!!! Before my HUSBAND finds out and KILLS me!!! ~~~ Hugs ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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Beverley
True Blue Farmgirl
2707 Posts
Beverley
atlanta
Michigan
USA
2707 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2009 : 10:16:30 AM
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I don't have any does that are pregnant this year so I love hearing about all of yours because I miss the babies... You are always going to lose a few so don't be too sad cause it is just a fact of life. I always figured someone up in heaven needed them more than I do. they are well cared for I am sure...
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett Beverley with an extra E...
http://bevsdoggies.googlepages.com/ |
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farmmom22
True Blue Farmgirl
616 Posts
Tammy
Scottsville
KY
USA
616 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2009 : 11:32:07 AM
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Thanks Tracy for the help! I will probably go ahead and get them put up this week. I don't want to take any chances. Again congrats on your sweet babies! Tammy
Best farm wishes |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Feb 03 2009 : 08:45:15 AM
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Thanks Beverley. I know it's inevitable that babies are lost, but it's still sad no matter HOW many kiddings, lambings etc... a shepherd girl goes through! I've had my sheep over 10yrs now and the goats nearly 7yrs, but it still hurts my heart to say "good-bye," even if I never even got to know the precious little ones lost. But then, you all know how that feels too.....
Tammy-- Is this your girls' first kidding? How 'bout for YOU? First time kidding/lambing is always scary for a "newbie!" I know MY first time was. I had TWO ewes (mother and daughter in fact!) in labor at the SAME EXACT TIME and I was all by myself. (YIIIIKES!!!) One ewe gave up pushing so I had to pull her baby out-- thank the good Lord his nose and front feet were right there so I didn't have to go "fishing" (eewwwww!!!!! Not a fun task!!!) The other ewe was so exhausted after giving birth to her GIANT ewe lamb that she didn't have the energy to help her out of the 'sac' so I had to jump the fence from one ewe to the other and rip the baby out of the bag-- not as easy as you'd imagine! It was like trying to open a vaccum packed bag of lunch meat! I was one second from using my TEETH!!! Thankfully I finally got her out. And don't worry, we didn't EAT her! She's 7yrs old now and still happily grazing in my pasture, but every time I look at her I remember that night. But, another lesson learned!
We all learn as we go, and I learned that things are going to happen whether you are right there or not. (and READY or NOT!) But still, you always wonder when you miss a birth and the results are disasterous (or even partially so--) how much difference you could have made had you been there to help... Sometimes, even when I was there for the birth and I thought all had gone well, the babies just died later. sigh..... but, such is the cycle of life as Beverley said. Hope all goes well for you Tammy. Please let us know when the blessed event takes place! Hugs to you all ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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Barnyard Buddies: Babies! Babies! Babies!! |
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Babies! Babies! Babies!!
