Asking for Answers

Last year Kizzy had triplets, Peter, Paul and Mary.  It was really hard on her carrying that much baby, and she struggled to keep up with them on our poor quality drought affected pasture.  Besides, she always gets run down raising kids because she give them everything she’s got.

Kizzy with Paul, Mary, and Peter

I decided to give her the year (or forever) off.  She’s gained weight over the winter since I let her and Mary in to eat without the other goats.

Bonnie, Kizzy, Mary

Then I noticed something.

Yep.  It looks to me like she’s making an udder.  Look at that belly!

Here she is with her girl Bonnie.  Bonnie is due May 31st.  I always track all of my goats’ heat cycles, and the last date I have written for Kizzy is January 11, which would make her due June 10th.

Bonnie and Kizzy

It looks to me like there was some unauthorized rhumba dancing going on.  I want to know how this happened.  I never put her with a buck.  The boys never got out.  I don’t have young bucks that could have bred her.  Pretty sure we didn’t miss anything wethering Marley, Myson, Casey and Bud.

Myson and Casey

I have only a few ideas.

1.  Immaculate conception.

Haley

2.  She’s our second false pregnancy.

Annie

3.  She isn’t really pregnant, but is in the habit of making an udder, so she thought she’d be like Minnie and make milk without having kids.

Minnie Pearl

4.  It’s our first through the fence breeding.

Fionn, Marley and Boeris

Well, I have to think the fourth is the most likely answer.  Now I have to ask, who’s the daddy?  I guess for now the answer, my friend, is blowing  in the wind.

Linking to Alphabe-Thursday.  This is the start of round seven for Jenny, and it is my sixth time!  I’m also sharing with Rurality Blog Hop and Thursday Favorite Things.

Xena and Ximon

It’s hard to believe the spring break babies are already over a month old.  I had the hardest time naming kids in March for some reason.  There’s only one name that came easy, Xena.  I knew I had the perfect opportunity to cheat plan ahead for the letter X.  You might remember Bambi had twins, one really big boy and a little girl.

They were strong and healthy, and Bambi is an excellent mother.  Even though they are adorable, they are hard to photograph because they are active little kids.  Her daughter immediately became my Xena!

Xena

She was very feisty and independent and immediately took over the whole barnyard, much to her maa’s annoyance.

Her brother took a bit longer to get his name.  He is quite a mamaa’s boy, but he’s big and strong.  I finally decided to name him Ximon.

Ximon

They are both really good looking kids and they are thrilled to be out in the pasture playing.

It won’t be long before they get weaned and leave the farm.  For now, I’m going to enjoy watching them run around!

Linking to Alphabe-Thursday where the letter of the week is X.  I’m also sharing with Thursday’s Inspiration where the topic is spring.  Nothing says spring like kids running and playing!  I’m also linking to Rurality Blog Hop, and Thursday Favorite Things.

The Trouble With Triplets

I hate triplets.  Really I do.  Not each individual baby.

Litha’s kids #1, #2 & #3

I still adore them.

Blaze’s kid #1

I hate triplets though.  It’s so hard on the moms to carry and deliver them.  The more kids, the harder it is to get them all into position to be born.  Pam’s first baby presented tail first.  Now breech babies are no big deal, but they generally don’t come tail first.  You end up pushing them back in, and it makes it much harder on the mom and kid.  That’s how I lost Pam’s kid #1.

Pam’s kids #2 & #3

You also get wonky ears.  Okay, this can happen even without triplets.  Those long Boer ears get folded and end up fusing together.

Pam’s kid #2

You get wonky legs.  This is Huey, one of Blaze’s babies.  He could barely walk.  Sugar also had one with wonky legs, but some Nutri-Drench usually fixes this up.

Blaze’s kid #3
Huey

Feeding is the worst though.  It’s just hard to feed three kids.

Blaze and kids

Goats are not cows.  They only have two teats.

Sugar and kids #1 & #2

Nobody wants to be the kid left without a teat.

Sugar’s kid #1

It’s hard to pump enough food into the moms for them to keep from getting run down.  Partly because they always have kids trying to eat.

Blaze and triplets

Then I have to either supplement or take kids and make them bottle babies.

Blaze’s kid #2

That really stresses out moms and kids.  Poor Blaze has been yelling for her babies #1 and #2 since I took them.  It breaks my heart to hear her.  Bottle kids are lots of fun, but I don’t have time for them when I am working.  My mother is wonderful to help me out, but she doesn’t need to drive to my farm twice each day to feed them.

Pam’s kids #2 & #3

Luckily, I found a great home for the four triplets (Pam’s #2 & #3 and Blaze’s #1 & #2) that were getting bottles, and they went to their new forever farm last night.  Now, I just have to hope that Sugar and Litha can keep up with their triplets.

Litha’s kids #1, #2, & #3

So far they are both doing a great job with those troublesome triplets.

Linking to Alphabe-Thursday and Rurality Blog Hop.