The Neglected Ones

It’s true.  This time of year, if a goat didn’t just have kids or aren’t about to have kids, then they are being neglected.

Onyx and Victoria (I decided a while ago that Onyx didn’t settle, but don’t think I mentioned it.)

Most of my time is spent with the moms and tracking kids and cleaning butts and all that fun stuff.  Everyone else is pretty much feeding themselves on the Back Forty and being self-sufficient.

Casey

Of course, my old girls are still getting their meds.

Haley

I do count all the older kids.

Shellie

I make sure everyone makes it safely up from pasture and aren’t over-heating.

Aurora (they are supposed to be sheared before I go on vacation.)

They are getting plenty of fresh water, and I made sure to put a new salt/mineral block over there for them.

Maybeline getting a drink

Okay.  They really are not neglected.

Pretzel

They just think they are.

Kidding Arrangements

With the herd back out on the Back Forty, I had to come up with a different plan for June kidding.  I don’t have time to track sleeping kids down on twenty acres.

Jethro by Popcorn

So I put panels across the east side of the barnyard and my four June moms (Cutie, Chiffon, Penelope, and Astra) got to have the front pasture.

I also let Dolly in there so she can still get her sweet feed everyday.

Dolly Street (she’s officially 14 now).

I also brought Flora over because she’s due next, and she’s a first timer. (Oops, I told you I keep interrupting my scheduled posts.)

Flora

But I still don’t have enough shelter for the rest of the moms who still need to be brought over.

Daisy

Sidney

Luckily, my nephew finally brought the manure spreader (it’s been crazy busy and rainy-we’ve had full on mud making it hard to do anything)!

So, the plan was to quickly clean the building out and move the birds.

That would give the goats enough shelter.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it done before we had another night of rain on Thursday.

I had already put Flora in there for some quiet bonding time.

And food. She stayed under the picnic table all day, so she needed some extra care.

I ended up with all the moms and old ladies in the garage and buck room.

Dolly and Flora

Well, except Astra. She was still in the Love Shack.  Hey, it was one night, and I still hadn’t started cleaning the bedding out of the garage, so why not.

Meeting the Herd

I put Purl back with the rest of the herd.

Purl and Jethro walking by Purl’s mom and sisters

That means Jethro got to meet the other goats and explore the barnyard.

Running through the barnyard

Bridget checking Jethro out

Ostara was trying to butt him.

He did a good job of sticking with his mom when they went out to pasture.

Purl and Jethro

resting in the grass

It was a relief when I saw that he made it back up from pasture.

Purl and Jethro; Margarita

Hopefully he’ll be ready to go out on the Back Forty next week.  (Because I’m hoping my Ranger will be home soon.)