I SWEAR it Was the Goats Fault!

It was, really! I was offline for a few days because Lily, our lady-in-waiting doe, decided to chew through our cable!
No internet, no t.v., no phone. (We have that magic jack phone)
Lily STILL hasn't kidded, but she has now been confined to one of the goat pens to await the event.
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The baby goats are all fine and frisky. I have already made a deal to sell Yin and Yang to a neighbor and I am pretty sure I have buyers for the rest of the males. That's a good thing!
The two girl kids we hope to add to our herd, Nikki and Ginny, are doing well, although Nikki seems a little thin. I have tried giving her supplemental bottles, but she turned up her cute little nose at them.
Since the does had all their kids within such a short time span, I plan on starting their milking on the same day....well, except for slowpoke Lily!
Lily was the last one to kid last time, so I guess she likes the special anxiety she causes me by being so far behind the others!
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I am looking forward to milking. Fresh goats milk, cheese, cajeta, butter, cream....wonderful!
I am currently scouring craigslist and ebay and everywhere else to find a manual cream separator at a reasonable price. I have ordered my cheese cultures.Gotten a new milk bucket.
I am so ready to be milking again!

Up to Eight Kids Now!

Gabby finally kidded the day before yesterday. One boy, one girl. We named them Gabe and Ginny.
Gabe looks EXACTLY like his mama, but Ginny looks like Nola's little ones.
Pictures of all the goatiness at Frippery Farm these days:

Gabby cleaning off her newborns

Lucky and Leo and Baby romping

Gabby ALWAYS cleans their ears

Wobbly first steps

Tabitha learning how to sit and stay DESPITE all the excitement!

Yin looking around

Yin taking it easy while Yang gets ready to plop down beside him

Nate says "Phooey! I'm still the cutest!"

Gabby is an excellent mama goat. Her wee ones were jumping and cavorting within 5 hours of birth! Gabby's kidding went extraordinarily well. Unlike Champagne, who yells her head off throughout, Gabby gave one loud bleat and by the time I got out there with my "kidding kit", she had already delivered both of them!
So...that leaves the lovely Lily....who has not yet kidded. She is being a wonderful Grandma Goat to Lucky and Leo, though. She cuddles them, herds them back to Mama Lilac when they wander off too far and guards them at night so Lilac can get some much needed rest. I just hope Lily isn't "burnt out" on caring for kids when her own get here!

Up To Six Babies Now!

Lilac FINALLY kidded the day before yesterday. Her kids were smallish, so I made them little sweaters to wear to keep their core warm. They look so adorable tottering around!

Both boys, identical twins! We named them Lucky and Leo.

So, I am left with Gabby and Lilly.
Hoping they will kid soon!

Just Some Pictures!

Nate in the sunshine

Nikki decided to wobble through

Nola checks out her babies

Another pic of Nate

Yin and Yang napping behind a pallet

Inky shows Tabby why you DON'T bark at chickens!

Goaterade Recipe

I mentioned in a previous post that I give my does "Goaterade" soon after kidding...
Here's the recipe:
1 gallon warmish (not hot) water
1/2 cup molasses (I use the brand Brer Rabbit Molasses)
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons baking soda
Mix everything well and then offer to doe after kidding (within 1 hour, sooner if you can)

I know other people have their own recipes and some people may say my Goaterade isn't "right", but I have used it for the whole time I have had goats. I got the recipe from an elderly lady that has raised goats for 30+ years. Never knew her to lose a doe after kidding, so I figured it was a good recipe!
Most of my girls will suck down the entire gallon when it is offered! Hey, kidding is hard work for them!
Also, when one of my does is having tummy troubles (usually brought about when they overeat grain...which can kill a goat) I  increase the baking soda to a full cup and offer it to the ailing doe. It really helps!

Also, my girls LOVE the taste of that molasses!

Remember Sweet Little Nola?

Our sweetie pie of a doeling...well, not much of a doeling now.
Here is how Nola used to be:

D'awwwwwwwww....how cute!

Nola is all grown up and today....

A boy and a girl! We named the boy Nate and the girl is Nikki.
Nola did well for her first kidding. I had to help Nate a bit, but Nikki slid out  with hardly a push from Mama Nola. Nate is a bit bigger.
The funny thing is, we were uber careful not to let Bruno, the Boer that Roy put in with our older does, get within 50 feet of our two younger does, Nola and Lilac...yet both got pregnant!
How did this happen?
Well, on the other side of the fence lived a small dwarf buck named Paul....the markings on Nola's kids look exactly like Paul. The only thing we can figure out is Paul managed to accomplish this feat through a chain link fence. (of course, Nola HAD to cooperate!)
Talk about determination!
I am thankful that the kids are smallish, as Nola is a small doe and we were worried about how she would handle kidding. She did just fine and seems to be delighted with her new babies.
Lilac looks like she will go into labor within 24 hours. As do Lily and Gabby....
Busy week!
(sorry about the crappy pics...The Boy took them with a camera he got for a present from the Darlin' Man for Christmas. It's one of those "Go Pro" cameras that do videos and stills. I do NOT recommend them)

Fast and Furious on the Farm!

Yes....things are arriving fast and furious here!
First, the Darlin' Man achieved one of his dreams....he was able to get a Belgian Malinois!
We named her Tabitha, Tabby for short:

 And then, today, another surprise arrived....actually, TWO surprises! We were not even sure Champagne was pregnant. But then, today.....

We named them Yin and Yang. Yin being the black one and Yang being the white one. Just seemed natural!
I made Champagne her *Goaterade* and she slurped it down eagerly. (Tepid/warmish water, molasses, a bit of baking soda and a bit of salt)
She and her little ones are resting comfortably...okay, the little ones are nursing on Champagne, but Champagne looks happy. though a little tired, lol!