Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Hot Milk on a Cold Morning

10 am this morning, went up to the goat cave to check on the young 'un. He was all cleaned up and catnapping. Mom was up and out of the cave. I pulled him out and put him under her to make sure he was nursing. He took several good swigs of mama's milk from both sides so I put him back and headed back down. She had eaten some of the hay bedding so I will take some more up this evening or bring them down to the quonset hoop house.

We've received a winter weather advisory for 4-8-10-12 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow with windchill temps at 10-15 below with up to 30mph winds. YIKES!!! More than usual here. She couldn't have kept him in for a couple of more days?

The cave may actually be warmer as it's small, the boulder retains heat, blocks north winds, and is just the right size. She lays in front of him and he's snugged up to her in the very back. They usually prefer to be up there on high instead of the hoop house down below so I'll probably leave them where she is most comfortable. I'll use the other two goats back there as a guage. If they head for the hoop house I'll get mama and baby down.

Our boys are both sick with something they caught at the mall after their 2nd birthday photos were taken...so we can't even go out and take advantage of the snow. First one slept all morning on the sofa (he always gets croupy and won't sleep well tonight with trying to breath, so I'm glad for him to sleep ahead of time) and now the other is sleeping in his room. That doesn't often happen so there has actually been far less crying, fighting and whining today and I've been able to pay attention to each of their needs individually.

Going to be an interesting night. May need to add some kahlua to the coffee this evening.

Monday, February 2, 2009

New Arrival

1 pm Molly just delivered as I watched with binoculars. 1:15 pm our boys went down for a nap. 1:30 pm it's a single white/tan buckling and is standing. He took 2 squirts of goat drench and then I showed him Molly's teats and took them both to the goat cave as it's been sprinkling on and off. Will take hay up for bedding when our guard bull decides to take a nap.

Babe Watch

Molly, the smaller of the white does who gave us two bucklings last year, developed a full udder about 5 days ago and had full teats for at least a week or so prior. Today Rocky Top was chasing Milly around before they all came down to steal yesterday's leftover cow hay. Then Molly didn't come down when fresh was put out...which they normally do. Rocky and Milly were calling her to no avail. Even Jeff called for her.

So I went out as they always think it's snack time and haul tail when I call. No show. So up the mountain I went (11:30 am). There she was up at the very top looking bewildered that it took me so long to get up there. She came over for a pet but wasn't interested in coming down and didn't follow.

Our boys had a big birthday weekend, turning 2 years old. When they go down for an afternoon nap around 2 I'll head up the mountain again and check Molly. No signs of Milly coming due anytime soon but with Rocky chasing her this morning I'm wondering if she's just late to come into heat.