Not Quite How I Planned

My plan to put the moms on the front pasture so their kids could get used to following them is not working out well.

Cupid with Pongo nursing

Mostly because the pasture is so thick the kids can’t even walk out there.

Sidney feeding her boys

Really.  When I was out checking on them, Frodo saw me and was going to bounce away.  He fell and pretty much did a face plant.  It’s just brutal trying to walk out there.

Rosie and Frodo (mid face plant)

I saw Pretzel and one of the red ones (maybe Lemuel) trying to find their moms.  I could see them bouncing through the tall grass and hear them calling.  Pretty soon they were at the fence and still calling to try and find their moms.  They did eventually find the herd.

Pretzel

This weekend I might try to put everyone on the Back Forty again.  The kids will most likely stay up here in the barnyard, but they will be fine. They’ll get to pig out (like Perdita) when their moms come up from pasture.

Thunder (front) and Lightning nursing

If they do go out to pasture, it will be a lot easier for them to get around, and they are getting old enough that they shouldn’t just fall asleep out there, and since I have them on just the front half after their escapades the other day, it will be easier to keep track of them.

The End of the Season

Right after everything settled down with Sidney, I went to check Cupid and Hilda, hoping like crazy that I was going to get to sleep all night.  Cupid was looking fine.  Hilda, however, left me wondering.  I waited and checked her again right before bed, and she had settled down, so I decided to risk it and sleep all night.

Hilda and Purl (Gidget to the right; Chiffon in front)

When I got up in the morning, it was obvious that she had dropped and popped.

I had to get her shut in.  I didn’t even get my coffee first.  I caught her no problem, but then I had to drag her across the barnyard.  We finally made it to the greenhouse.

I was still tying the gate shut when I saw the rest of the herd heading out to pasture.  Finally, I got lucky!

I shut her in and gave her a bit of hay to eat.

It was not long at all before she really got down to business.  You might recall that she was bred to Freddie to give me the other half of my perfect kid parents.  (Translation:  she needed to have a buck to breed to Pretzel to make the perfect kid.)

Then just before lunch, without drama, she had a beautiful little buck.

(It’s hard work; she took a break to yawn.)

She was being such a doting mom that she couldn’t remember to push when the second baby was right there.

That means I pulled her little girl for her.

But it was easy.  I am very pleased to introduce Hilda’s kids: Frodo and Rosie.

Frodo

Rosie

One more to go!  Or so I thought.  When I went out to check on Cupid when I was doing chores that afternoon, I was rather surprised to her in the back of the barn and not by herself.

He is one sturdy little buck.

I have no idea when she snuck up from pasture and had him, but they are both doing quite well.  The only hard part on this one was getting her across the barnyard and into a pen (because we have more rain coming).

Pongo and Cupid

We’re done!  Thank goatness!

Yearling Decisions

I still have quite a few of last year’s kids on the farm.

Tansy and Cupid (front); Flora and Trace (back)

I thought I knew who was staying and who was leaving, but now I’m second guessing myself.

2TC

Of course, Popcorn is staying.

Popcorn

There’s also no way I’m getting rid of my gurl Purl.  She is my sweetie.

Purl and Hilda

Onyx was chosen to help me make the perfect kid, and she’s going to kid soon, so she is staying.  That was easy.

Onyx

Her twin sister, Ruby, is always with Victoria.

Ruby with Victoria

I’ll feel bad selling her, but she was never going to be kept, and she’s not friendly at all.  I know she’s still leaving.

Ruby (with Venus behind)

Since Tansy ended up getting bred, she’ll stay.  She will also be a possible backup for making the perfect kid.  I just wish she would be nice.

Tansy

I couldn’t part with my sweet 2TC.  She is not as sweet as she used to be, but she does like rump scritches, and she will be staying.

2TC

Then there’s the last two…Trace and Flora.  I had planned on Trace staying, but she isn’t very friendly anymore.  I try.  Really, I do, but I also don’t want to keep more goats who are hard to work with.  But I adore her, and she’s Mary’s last kid.

Trace

Then there’s Flora.  I was planning on selling her.  She is a little bit nicer than Trace, and she’s Annie’s last kid.

Flora

But Popcorn is the bigger issue.

Popcorn

He has a hard time making friends, and every time he makes friends, it’s with someone who ends up getting sold.  So who did he make friends with this time?  Flora.  I’d feel really bad if I sold his only friend yet again.

Popcorn and Flora

I’ll have to decide before long.