A Watched Goat NEVER Kids - No Kidding!

I am learning the pitfalls of pen-breeding - by losing sleep! Since I drug my feet and didn't get blood pulled for CAE testing last fall, I am DETERMINED to pull babies as soon as they are born and get them going on heat treated colostrum! We have two does who were penned for a due date two days ago. Candy, the mini-Alpine, is HUGE! Watching her on the camera is rather entertaining and I can deffinately identify with her! She finally gets her big old belly down where she is comfortable and then her udder is in the way!! Her barnmate Cupid, a standard Alpine, never shows her pregnancies as she is tall and big-bodied, but you can see the babies kicking her when she is laying down. Checking cams every hour now . . . zzzzszzzzz.

The Doe's Secret Code of Honor

The doe's secret code of honor is as old as goats themselves and is the species best kept secret. No doe shall ever kid before its time. (Its time being determined by the following factors):

1- No kid shall be born until total chaos has been reached by all involved. Your owner's house must be a wreck, their family hungry and desperate for clean clothes, and their social life nonexistent.

2- "Midwives" must reach the babbling fool status before you kid out. Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair and the inability to form a sentence mean the time is getting close.

3- For every bell, beeper, camera or whistle they attach to you, kidding must be delayed by at least one day for each item. If they use an audio monitor, one good yell per hour will keep things interesting.

4- If you hear the words, "She's nowhere near ready. She'll be fine while we're away for the weekend," Wait until they load the car, then begin pushing!

5- Owner stress must be at an all time high! If you are in the care of someone else, ten to fifteen phone calls a day is a sign you're getting close.

6- When you hear the words "I can't take it anymore!" wait at least three more days.

7 -You must keep this waiting game interesting. False alarms are mandatory! Little teasers such as looking at your stomach, pushing your food around in the bucket and then walking away from it, and nesting, are always good for a rise. Be creative and find new things to do to keep the adrenaline pumping in those who wait.

8- The honor of all goats is now in your hands. Use this time to avenge all of your barn mates. Think about your friend who had to wear that silly costume in front of those people. Hang onto that baby for another day. OH, they made him do tricks too! Three more days seems fair. Late feedings, the dreaded diet, bad haircuts, those awful wormings can also be avenged at this time.

9- If you have fulfilled all of the above and are still not sure when to have the kids, listen to the weather forecast on the radio that has been so generously provided by those who wait. Severe storm warning is what you're waiting for. In the heart of the storm jump into action! The power could go out and you could have the last laugh. You have a good chance of those who wait missing the whole thing while searching for a flashlight that works!

10- Make the most of your interrupted nights. Beg for food each time someone comes into the barn to check you. Your barn mates will love you as the extra goodies fall their way too.

Baby Goats in January???

The other night at a 4-H meeting, we were discussing when we would start kidding at the different farms around the area. I think Aaron wins this award this year! We are expecting our first two does to kid in about 10 days!!! Yes, it is cold, and yes we might be crazy! Aaron has only owned his own bucks for a year now and we are still getting the gals heat cycles down - or rather how to determine that they are in fact in heat, so we started early "in case" - oopsie.

We will watch our goat cams and are set up so I can check them from work - I only work five minutes from home, so can be home in time to catch them, dry them off and since we do not dam raise, we will bring them into our insulated garage under heat lamps. We also have a good supply of kid coats for them if needed.

Tail ligaments are really loosening up and we are getting anxious . . . right now we are keeping these two does in the barn at night and during inclement weather and putting them out to exercise during the day. Starting Saturday, they will stay in 24/7 until after they kid.

A Visit With Our Goats

It was a fairly nice day Saturday and some of our boys and girls were nice enough to pose for a photo shoot - thanks gang!

Winter@Cherry Butte

We've Been Busssssy!!