The Eviction Plan

Sunday was decent weather.  It was still pretty cold in the morning, and the winds were strong with a bite in the afternoon, but I had to start making adjustments to get the goats out of the garage.

Goats and pens everywhere

I started with letting the girls in the buck room out onto the little pen south of the garage.  That’s all any of the moms are getting for this week.  I took the panels down.

Hilda and Onyx were penned on half of the buck room each

Then I opened the door and let the next group out.

Aphrodite (checking out Hilda’s boys)

Then I started clearing more panels.

The rest of them didn’t think it was fair.

As the mom’s went outside, the kids got to meet each other, and they were really having fun!

I was going to leave Purl since her baby is so young and small, but Purl put her head through the panel and knocked my concrete filled buckets down trapping herself, so I had to let her out too.

Purl and her girl

Everyone was out!

Of course, Penelope escaped, so I had to find that hole and fix the fence, but I think we’re good now.

Penelope waiting to be let back in

Then I moved my three non-moms to the front pasture.

Victoria (Ostara and Pretzel in front)

Antigone (she was back to fighting with Perdita before I put her in the Love Shack)

Because with no pens, it’s a free-for-all when I shut them back in for the night.  But soon, I’ll have them completely out–hopefully this weekend.

Goat Herder’s Log: Thursday 3/16/23

I apologize in advance for nothing but horrible cell phone pictures, but the weather was not going to let me use my big girl camera.  I also apologize for the long post, but it was a long day.

0600:  Temperatures around 47°F. Checked goats and felt Aphrodite was in labor even though she hadn’t moved all night.  She was talking, and I just knew.

0730:  Went out to check Aphrodite.  Situation the same.  LilyAnn is doing a lot of talking, but the outside goats are headed out to pasture.

0800: Went to check Aphrodite.  She had a doe kid with her, already mostly cleaned off.  I think Athena might be in labor.  Maybe Cutie. We’ll see.

Aphrodite and her girl

0820:  Went back out and the second kid, another doe, had just been born.

Aphrodite and her second girl

0906: Temperatures around 46°F. It started raining. Onyx, Victoria, and Melba were snuggled together in the buck room.

Melba, Victoria, and Onyx

I went out to make sure LilyAnn wasn’t going to stay in pasture to give birth (like last year).  Discovered Zora stuck in the fence. What a bratopotamus!  Freed her.  The goats all came up from pasture.

Daisy and Zora leading the herd back to the barnyard.

Penelope leading the moms’ group back up.

1000: Temperature is at 45°F. Another light round of rain is moving through.  Athena is still in labor, but no hard contractions.  As all the other girls came up from pasture, LilyAnn was already in the greenhouse by herself.  Another sign she is going to kid today.

1050: Temperature is 44° F, and the rain is falling more steadily.  Athena is still standing and talking.  LilyAnn’s contractions are stronger and more frequent.  Time to take towels to the greenhouse and keep a closer watch.

1107: Made it back to the greenhouse with towels, and she was pushing hard. Pulled LilyAnn’s girl because there was a foot folded back.  Big girl.  Pulled her boy.  All are doing well.

LilyAnn and babies

1140:  Temperature is holding at 44°F.  It’s still a steady rain.  Athena is getting louder and I think I saw her have a contraction.

Athena

Penelope is in the Love Shack.  She might be in labor. We’ll see.

Penelope

1230: Temperature holding; a pause in the rain–just sprinkles.  LilyAnn’s babies are up and doing well.  Came out of the greenhouse to the sounds of a goat screaming–rushed over and helped Penelope with her big Frodo girl.  Athena is still loudly complaining.

Another girl! My first Frodo baby.

1400: Temperatures down to 38°F and intermittent rain.  I’ve lost all control. Aphrodite is trying to kill everyone.  Hilda decided to try to kill Purl.  The temperatures are quickly dropping and a wind advisory starts at 1600 hours.  Athena is still in labor.

1530:  Aphrodite is penned.  Penelope has been moved.  Hilda and Purl’s pen has been divided in half.  The vet was here for Caroline.

Aphrodite and babies

Divided Hilda and Purl’s pen

Athena and Cutie on half the garage

1600:  LilyAnn has been moved.  I noticed a seriously entropion eye.

The other half of the garage

LilyAnn’s girl–bottom lid is seriously curled under.

1620:  Mom arrived to take LilyAnn’s doe to the vet.  Athena’s labor is increasing.

1700:  I pull Athena’s babies.  She is a lunatic pawing the ground; pawing the babies; trying to kill me as I try to keep her babies safe.  She is crazy.  The winds have picked up and it’s now snowing.

Athena and her kids

Looking out the garage window

1720:  Mom is back with the baby.  Bling in place.

She really is better; my picture is just horrible.

1800:  Temperature is 31°F; snow is falling; wind advisory. Wind chill is about 18°F. Things are finally starting to calm down.  Just a few goats left to check overnight.

Making Adjustments

I think I left my post yesterday with Onyx and Melba (yeah, she’s that toast color) in the soap room.  It wasn’t long before Melba got warmed up and could nurse, so I put them back in the garage.

Melba and Onyx

With temperatures on Monday night supposed to be down to single digits, I knew I had to make more adjustments to my kidding plans.  The strong west wind didn’t help either because that’s why the buck room was so cold, causing Melba to get chilled.  I put a tarp over the sliding door. That helped.

Poor Victoria had to stay in the buck room by herself because she couldn’t get along with anyone else.  I swear, if they could just get along my life would be so much easier.

Victoria (under a red heat lamp)

I took the Ranger into town (yes, an open cab in the cold and wind) and left it at my son’s shop.  That made more room.

Athena, Caroline, and Antigone

That’s good because Athena was doing a lot of looking like she might be in early stages of labor.

Athena

Aphrodite had dropped and was also looking like she could go into labor soon, so I brought her in.

Aphrodite

Cutie also dropped, but she’s not due until Friday.  But it’s cold, and I can’t take a chance.

Cutie while she was still in the greenhouse

So far, Hilda is just pretty chill, but she’s due on Tuesday, so I’m pretty sure I don’t want to leave her out when it’s that cold.

Hilda

Somewhere between the Ranger out and goats in and tarping the door, I decided it was no longer safe for Tux to stay in the garage. A couple of goats might have wanted to kill him.  It’s a mom thing. So I moved him into the soap room.

Tux

He’s not happy with that, but it’s much safer in there and he hasn’t been out in the cold in so long, I can’t just let him out right now.

Tux was happier once I brought his blanket in for him.

And I still can’t decide whether or not Purl and Perdita are going to kid this week or wait until April because their udders are small enough that it makes me think it will be April.

Purl

Perdita

And I still haven’t caught LilyAnn to put her on the kidding side of the barnyard.  It might be a long spring break.