Our first goat has kidded and delivered 2 healthy bucks! She happened to do this in the middle of Jeremy’s 16th birthday party:) The city kids went from fascination to being grossed out and then back to delight as they got to hold brand new baby goats. Our 8 year old has decided that they are all goofy…why would a beautiful, easy birth bother anyone?
Her first buck was huge! Obviously he was hogging all the nutrition! Here he is shortly after Momma did her initial cleaning job.
Somewhere back in our buck’s line there must be some strong genes for cou blanc (white shoulders) coloring…we named our first buck born with this coloring Oreo. The boys haven’t named this little one yet. They are quite creative with their names…we have a year old doe named Elizabeth Milkshake!
It was only a matter of minutes before this little boy was on his feet and nursing! Within a few hours he was running and leaping…although a bit awkwardly 🙂
Nora, the perfect cow, was fascinated with this thing called birth! We have a pen in the barn reserved for does when they are kidding, for rehab after an injury or for other special needs.
This pen just happens to back up to Nora’s space in the barn. When she saw us all run to the barn after Elijah announced that Dixie was about to kid, her curiosity was aroused. She ambled in just in time to see the first baby born. She so badly wanted to get in the pen with Dixie and her baby!
I must say that Dixie was none to pleased. She is a protective doe with strong maternal instincts. Nora was not in her plans!
Dixie’s second kid was another buck (darn!) with the most beautiful coloring..it makes me think of moonlight on the hay fields. He is so beautiful I wish he was a doe 🙂 He is quite small compared to his brother.
Elijah is holding him and helping him get dried off while Dixie is cleaning up the pen (yuck!). He
appeared to be a little on the weak side – so we decided that he needed a little help to nurse and get the energy flowing! It doesn’t take much to perk them up.
Here Josiah is helping to steady the little one on his feet while he guides him to the right spot. It is amazing what a strong instinct they have to nurse right after being born….God was so creative and His reflection is seen down to the smallest detail in His creation. The kids know that there is delicious food someplace on Mama …sometimes they need a little guidance to get to the right place if you are in a hurry…eventually they always find it on their own. This little one latched on and perked up within minutes of filling his little tummy!
By this time, Dixie had been patient enough – she wanted Nora to BACK OFF! Here she is trying to nip at Nora through the fence. It was rather comical…Dixie would lick and nuzzle her babies while crooning softly and sweetly to them and then turn and savagely attack the fence while making noises that definitely weren’t friendly!
Poor Nora was bewildered… she just wanted to visit with the babies!
We have one more doe to kid this year – we reduced our herd greatly last year. I am so looking forward to the milk! I make Feta cheese and Chevre cheese from their milk. Chevre is very similar to cream cheese – I flavor it with garlic and herbs from the garden. My boys can consume 1/2 pound of Chevre in 10 minutes! We also drink the milk – delicious! And I am looking forward to adding my goat milk soap to my website as soon as it is made and cured!
Well, I am off to the garden and the greenhouse – I will try to get pictures of those up this next week!
Blessings
The Essential Herbalist 
Leave a comment