Friday, June 19, 2009

It's baby goat time again!

If you want to see what's in my pantry, you'll just have to wait, because I have much more exciting news to share.

Yesterday, a reporter from the local daily paper was here interviewing me because we'll be demonstrating spinning and soapmaking at a local festival at the end of the month. We were talking in the living room when Mike came through the door and said, "Jo is kidding. The first kid is halfway out." I grabbed a couple towels and ran to the barn.

The first kid was laying in the straw behind Jo, who was laying there like she was having a day on the beach. I picked him up and laid him on a towel in front of her, and she immediately started licking him while I cleaned mucous off his nose. Katherine arrived, then Mike and the reporter. As soon as he heard it was a little white buck with black spots, he went back to work in the other barn, thinking this would be the only kid. After all, Jo was not very big, and we were expecting a single kid.

Less than five minutes later, she pushed again. A big bubble appeared under her tail, and a moment later, a kid plopped out onto the straw. I started to dry it with the clean towel and placed it next to its brother. It was a doe!

We chatted with the reporter, thinking that Jo had given birth to buck-doe twins. The next thing we know, she made a little noise, and I saw another bubble appear under her tail. A third kid went plop on the straw, and I used the already-wet towel to dry off the nose as I looked under the kid's tail to determine its gender. Another doe!

Both of the girls are already sold. The one that's about half white will be going to a woman who only lives half an hour away, and she has already come to visit. The other one will be going to the East Coast this fall with six other kids. As for the little buck, I don't normally keep them as bucks when they come from first fresheners, but this little guy has some great genetics behind him, so it is very tempting. I will wait to see how Jo's udder develops and how she milks before deciding if he'll get to hang on to the family jewels.

8 comments:

Zarah said...

Oh goodness gracious me... They are too cute for words!! I sooo want goats. One day...!! :D

SkippyMom said...

We LOVE baby goat time! Too cute. Mama is a very pretty lady :) and three! wow! congrats.

Claire MW said...

So sweet - all 4 of them including Mom! The reporter must have been just stunned. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Love da babies!

Unknown said...

Congratulations! The babies have such beautiful colors, and Mama has gorgeous markings - I love her face. Was that the reporter's first goat birth?

Nancy in Atlanta

Deborah Niemann said...

I was telling someone that if I had called a reporter and said, "Hey come on over to see a goat birth," it probably would have taken months to catch one! And yep, this was her first goat birth.

Thanks for all the compliments. I think they're adorable, but I'm probably a little biased.

Nancy K. said...

The photo of Jo with her triplets is gorgeous!!! What a beautiful doe and adorable kids....

J. M. Strother said...

"I will wait to see how Jo's udder develops and how she milks before deciding if he'll get to hang on to the family jewels."

I am so glad I'm not a goat!
~jon

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