AWWWWWWW . . .

 

10+ points on the CUTE scale! Itty hopped in the house to show Aaron her pretty pink sweater and the next thing I knew, they were all snuggled down watching a movie! They have spent alot of time this way in the last week - she is just so tiny and cute and loves to snuggle - the others are all so wiggly and squirmy that she gets all the lovin' for her little self.

Introducing the Quads

 

They may be small but they sure are FAST! Finally came up with names for all of them but one. They cry alot and I think I finally decided that they have teeny tiny tummies and as active as they are, they burn off what they eat really fast and are always hungry!! Gives me an excuse to just sit and cuddle with them though.

Whew - talk about multi-tasking!!

Was a rather pleasant afternoon though a bit chilly. Disbudded the rest of the second batch of kids and got them moved out to the barn. Then I cleaned and rebedded a pen for Sera. Had no more started evening milking then Sera decided to get down to business! She had QUADS - 3 does and one buck. One of the does is pretty small, but she has eaten with vigor several times now and was bouncing around a bit ago. No photos yet - by the time I went back out and fed and got dinner on and took a shower, I was done for! Will get photos up tomorrow hopefully.

Just When You Think You Have Them Figured Out

 

These darned does have to prove you wrong - LOL. Maybe cause this was her first time? Or maybe she missed classes the day they discussed "signs of impending labor? Who knows! But we came home from Aaron's clogging class and picking up a friend to find Kissez just beginning to lick the first kid! I had let her and Sera out for some nice pre-spring weather - sun, chirping birds and so warm . . . I checked them both - some loosening of ligaments but not much, no change in udders, no discharge - they trotted right out and started eating the spilled hay. Who'd a thunk we'd come home to babies? So, babies 17 & 18 for the year are aptly named "Oopsie" and "Daisy' - both girls are doing great as is mamma and if the milk doesn't hurry and warm the new babies may go hoarse from screaming!!

Next Up and In the Barn . . .

. . . are Sera (expecting 2nd gen. Mini-Alpines) and Kissez (expecting 3rd gen. mini-Alpines)both of whom are bred to Cherry Butte Snickers. They are both quite large, and have good starts on their udders - tail ligaments, however are just beginning to loosen.

We have been having some very pleasant days so I have been out puttering around - cleaned the barn out pretty good on Monday and got things back where they belonged - amazing how you are so organized at the beginning of the season and then get lazy and don't get things back where they belong etc.

The first wave of babies are all doing very well - the 8 in the barn are getting hay and grain in addition to their milk now and the water bucket is a new novelty for them! The 8 still in the garage are now emptying their lamb bar each feeding and are being given hay though they are not really eating it - they just find it fun to stand and pee in at this point!

Trying to convince myself to sit still long enough to get MDGA and ADGA paperwork done and ready be sent in but it isn't working . . .

The pause that refreshes . . .

Have moved the first 8 kids out to the barn - they have settled in well and the milk machine doesn't even scare them! The second 8 are all out in the pen in the garage and I got them started on the lamb bar today. No does are due now until the 20th. So nice to sleep in a real bed and get a full nights sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. . .

The Girls are ahead . . .

 

. . . for the time being anyway! Hugz did just what she did last year - only one day earlier! Watching her at work - just laying there resting - yeah right! There's a baby! By the time I got home there were two and then one more made her appearance! What color do you register black Alpines with NO facial markings as?? Mom is chamoisae and dad is cou clair - too weird!

BOOMER is here!

 

Our grade Nubian doe just presented us with a single buck kid. Aaron quickly dubbed him as "Boomer". This is our last standard kid for the year - everything else will be mini - yeah!! Hugz is getting quite large and her udder is filling nicely but not a great deal of loosening in the tail ligaments so we may get a bit of a break.

An Even Dozen!

 

Whew - we had another busy week here at Cherry Butte! Though we got quite a bit more rain, it was a bit warmer - sure makes sitting out with laboring does much nicer! But it isn't much fun to bring the does in out of the slop and yuck to milk - ewwwww. Most come in with pretty clean udders, but there are a couple that I think DELIGHT in wallowing around to see just how gross they can get!

We had four more kids born this week - all does, so we are at an even dozen and are 50/50 bucks and does.

First was "Seeking Fame" - a gorgeous black purebred Nubian kid with white splases on her side. She had a bit of trouble with her neck the first day or so - she was a big, single kid and no doubt was curled up in a ball. She is all better now and just stunning - lots of width and height in the rear already - can't wait to see how she matures!

Fame was feeling pretty lonely by herself but she soon had her own pet goats! "Hannah" and "Miley" are Nigerian Dwarf kids - cutest little things you ever did see! But tiny! They easily walked under Fame for a couple of days. Fame wasn't at all sure that her gorgeous ears were meant to be their pacifiers but she grudgingly put up with it!

After being in labor all evening, the Lamancha finally presented us with a doe kid at eleven that night. It was not the easiest delivery as the kid seemed to be presenting sideways! The boys were in bed and hubby is away. Just me and an uncooperative doe! I did finally manage to get the kid turned enough that she started coming but then her big old head got stuck! I tell you, I am NOT as strong as I used to be and this pulling stubborn kids is taking a toll on my neck and shoulders. All is well though and "Honeysuckle" in her funky tan coat with her "elf" ears has joined the other girls in fun and games!

Took Hannah and Miley to Aaron's class for show and tell yesterday and the kids loved them! Then we stopped by the library to show them off to the gals I work with and everyone at the library had fun talking to them and playing with them. They sure slept good last night!

I can sit and watch goat kids play for hours! I swear their antics can make even the grumpiest person smile and giggle!