Breeding Groups

The last few years, it seems like the goats have been on their best behavior for me getting them put into breeding groups.  Not this year.

Xerxes and Joani

On Wednesday, I managed to get all but Antigone where they belonged after a ridiculous amount of work and chasing goats and bribing with food and having some fat wethers and Pretzel constantly in my way. I might have broken numerous fingernails, broke a blood vessel on the palm of my hand and smacked myself in the forehead with a cattle panel. But I got everyone where I wanted them!

Antigone

Moose, Myson, Pretzel, and Casey

Well, I did also adjust where I put Hera because she jumped over the fence somewhere in the process, and I decided she’d be more likely to stay up north.

Hera running from Freddie

I will say Benji and his girls were the easiest.  Benji just followed Freddie into the buck room and stayed there while I led Freddie out and shut the gate.

Benji is so cute!

Then, I just had to drag the little girls across the barnyard, and they aren’t as hard to drag as a big girl.  And Chiffon came in the milk room without me even having to drag her!

Benji, Venus, 2TC, and Chiffon

Anyhow, Thursday I finished the process by getting Antigone where she belongs, so Xerxes has: Antigone, Zinnia, Joy, Hilda, Daisy, Athena, Penelope, Margarita, Ava, Astra, Cutie, and Joani.

Ava, Xerxes, Penelope, Margarita, and Hilda

I also put Caroline in with Xerxes, but she was on my “Do I? Don’t I?” list, so I didn’t give her a shot to bring  her into heat.  I guess I’ll just see if she comes into heat or not.

Caroline

Freddie has: Flora, Aphrodite, Purl, Cupid, Hera, and Bubbles.  I was actually going to put Hilda in with him again, but I was too tired to drag her that much farther across the barnyard.

Freddie, Aphrodite, Purl, and Bubbles

Benji has: Venus, Chiffon, Trace, and 2TC

Benji checking out Trace

And I’m going to go out on a limb and call Bubbles the first one due for spring break kids!  Freddie’s going to have a hard time getting to Purl if she stays up there.

Purl, Aphrodite, Hera, and Bubbles

Hopefully, most of them will come into heat.

Some of My Goatie Family

Just some of the critters today.

Popcorn

Daisy

Swen and Olaf (Joy’s boys)

LilyAnn with Jasmine and Aladdin

2TC

Aphrodite just hanging around

Litha

Trace

Beautiful Bambi

Penelope and Queenie

Thanks for stopping by to visit.

Updates

I thought I’d take a minute to update you on several of the things going on around here.  Purl is still wearing her horn apparatus, so she hasn’t been stuck in a fence again.  That’s a good thing.

Purl

Coral is doing much better.  Physically, she’s recovered from the pregnancy and aborting.  She cried and was clingy for a week or so, but she is pretty much back to her usual kissy self.

Coral

I have decided that Aphrodite didn’t settle.  She will just not have a kid this year.

horn appa Aphrodite

Blaze and her “three” girls are on the side of the barnyard with the moms.  Blaze is quite thin yet, but the three girls are really looking good. I am shocked Blaze even made it through our rough February.

Trace, Blaze, 2TC, and Flora

I got everyone moved to the proper side of the barnyard on the day I sorted the herd, except for Gidget. I managed to catch her and put her on the maternity ward side last Sunday.  Everyone is now where the belong!

Gidget and daughter, Hera

Perdita made her first trip out to pasture yesterday.

Perdita and Astra

I think I’m going to have to help her with keeping Astra’s udder milked out for a while.

Aurora is one of the most irritated with being shut out from the east side of the barnyard.

Aurora

She’s as bad as the goats about wanting to beg for extra feed.