Antigone’s Early Birds

Yesterday morning Antigone was off by herself.  That is a bit unusual, so I kept an eye on her.  Her due date was June 22nd (or 21st; I can’t remember if I accounted for it being a leap year).  I was sure of her due date because she was only with the buck a few hours because Hilda was being mean to her.  Then she went back into the garage with her mom, Pistol.

Pistol and Antigone

Anyhow, I kept checking on her out in pasture, and when she didn’t come up for sweet feed I got really suspicious.  I couldn’t get her to come to the buck room at all.  Since it was getting fairly late in the evening, I began to figure out a pen and how I could get her up to the buck room.  It’s not easy to lead a polled goat–no horns to hang on to and collars slip off.

Antigone

Anyhow, I got a pen ready and found an old calf halter and went to bring her up.  I was too late.  She already had one baby, so I waited until number two arrived.

She was being a really good mom.

After a few minutes of bonding, I picked the two girls up, and she followed me up to the buck room.

This way she could have some quiet bonding time with her new babies.

As a first timer, she was a bit nervous and was struggling with letting her kids nurse, but she’s got the hang of it now.

Today they are fat and sassy little girls.

Doe #1

Doe #2

And she’s my last one for June babies!

Kicked Out

I finally got Maisie kicked out of the garage.

Maisie

It took some work and the weather to cooperate, but she and Uno are now outside in the buck room with Xerxes and Hilda.

Uno and Maisie

Hilda

Is it me, or does Uno look more like he belongs to Hilda than his mom?

Hilda and Uno

I went out Friday morning after their first night staying in the buck room and found Hilda huddled under the heat lamp (instead of Uno) with her head in the pet taxi.  I guess if she can’t see Maisie, that means Maisie won’t bully her.

Maisie “Who, me?”

I am putting hay outside now, so she can always find a place to eat.

Hilda and Xerxes

Yes, Maisie does rule any room that she occupies, including the great outdoors.

Uno is enjoying playing outside.

Although, he might have explored a little bit more than Maisie and I would have liked.

Uno coming out of the barn (Bambi behind; Gidget to the left)

Uno wandering through the barnyard (Annie and LilyAnn)

The llamas had already checked him out through the fence.

Maisie (with Uno behind her); Maybeline, Odie, and Aurora

So far, it’s going well (despite his excessive adventures in the barnyard).  My plan is not to put them back in the garage, but I’ll have to see if the weather cooperates.

Snug

I am glad I moved Tony into the buck room.  It is warmer there.

Although with Xerxes and his girls it makes for a full room.

Tony in back, Xerxes and Zinnia

He also Aurora in there with him.

Aurora

We’ll see how that turns out.

Aurora and Zinnia looking for snacks.

For now, it makes it easier for me to make sure they both get plenty to eat.  I’ll move Aurora with the other llamas when I remove everyone from the breeding groups.