There are 4 and possibly 5 goats ready to give birth so far. Some of the younger ones will likely not have caught until the next year, which is fine, because they are young. The older girls, though, are very ready. Lily, the Kiko has a very developed udder but it looks like it might be a week or even two yet for her. Both Nubians were bred to the Red Boer goat. Maddy, an old girl and her grand daughter Dori, two generations younger, were bred to the Red Boer, Richie Rich and both are looking quite ready. I don't think that billy goat wasted any time.
Daphne, my best goat, usually has quads. She is very thin now, despite all my efforts this winter to keep weight on her. She is a NIgerian Dwarf and has tons of milk for such a little girl. I have never milked my goats before, but I think this year, I will see if I can sell the Nubian/Boer kids and several of Daphne's kids, depending on the number she has, so the moms do not have to put out so much milk. The other option would be to separate the kids, milk the moms and bottle feed the babies. That is a lot of work! I do have a milking stand and am prepared to do that if I feel like taking the task on. I am debating.
So, Lily Kiko, Daphne Nigerian Dwarf, Maddy and Dori Nubians are ready to go. I check on them many times a day just in case problems arise, though they are all experienced mothers.
There are still a couple of other goats that are bred but are not looking as though they will deliver for a few more weeks.Bonnie Cashmere is lying down a lot, but there does not seem to be any reason for that. She is a first timer and may not understand what is happening to her. Sofi is Nygora, Angora and Nigerian Dwarf and 13 is a pure Angora. It is harder to tell with the Angoras unless they are shorn and she is not. The shearer was supposed to have come, but the weather did not cooperate and we had snow instead.
Usually the goat kids sell exceptionally well. I have only kept back the best of the best, so the kids are always beautiful. The buck this year is blue eyed too, for the Nigerian Dwarf and though he is little, I think he got the job done. The kids should be amazing. Stay tuned for baby pictures.
Daphne, my best goat, usually has quads. She is very thin now, despite all my efforts this winter to keep weight on her. She is a NIgerian Dwarf and has tons of milk for such a little girl. I have never milked my goats before, but I think this year, I will see if I can sell the Nubian/Boer kids and several of Daphne's kids, depending on the number she has, so the moms do not have to put out so much milk. The other option would be to separate the kids, milk the moms and bottle feed the babies. That is a lot of work! I do have a milking stand and am prepared to do that if I feel like taking the task on. I am debating.
So, Lily Kiko, Daphne Nigerian Dwarf, Maddy and Dori Nubians are ready to go. I check on them many times a day just in case problems arise, though they are all experienced mothers.
There are still a couple of other goats that are bred but are not looking as though they will deliver for a few more weeks.Bonnie Cashmere is lying down a lot, but there does not seem to be any reason for that. She is a first timer and may not understand what is happening to her. Sofi is Nygora, Angora and Nigerian Dwarf and 13 is a pure Angora. It is harder to tell with the Angoras unless they are shorn and she is not. The shearer was supposed to have come, but the weather did not cooperate and we had snow instead.
Usually the goat kids sell exceptionally well. I have only kept back the best of the best, so the kids are always beautiful. The buck this year is blue eyed too, for the Nigerian Dwarf and though he is little, I think he got the job done. The kids should be amazing. Stay tuned for baby pictures.
Dori from behind looking rather large
The sweetest goat, Daphne,always has quads
Maddy is looking rather large too
Lily is Kiko bred to a Kiko. She is rather stand offish, not having been handled or with much contact coming from a larger herd.
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