Hello, Oopsie Baby!

After my largely sleepless night, it was a long day at work.  After the nearly 80 degree day on Tuesday, Wednesday seemed cold.  We were looking at a high of around 40–twenty degrees below our historical average for this time of year.

Spunky and Tramp playing out in the wind and cold

There was no text from mom  after her mid-day check saying that Aphrodite had her baby.  So I hurried home to check her.  Yep. She was still pregnant.

Aphrodite (due on Thursday)

Then I started my count of the spring break kids to make sure all 10 were accounted for.  I immediately got to eight.

Brigit and Ostara

Then I went through the barn to find the last two.  That’s when I saw Venus and her baby. That was a shock.

Baby Boy

He was dried off and nursing, but he was looking a little chilled.  I picked him up and grabbed Venus, and we went to the garage.

Venus and baby

So I had no idea that she was going to have a baby at this time.  I do remember that I never saw her come into heat when we were trying to make June babies.  I went back and checked my records to see the last time I saw her in heat–Nov. 15.  That would make her due on April 14th.

I am just so grateful Venus had him in the barn out of the wind.  She did a great job.

And I guess it’s a good thing I decided I didn’t want to scoop all the bedding out of the garage when it was windy last weekend.

I’d say he looks an awful lot like Benji.

Benji

He also has the same face shape as Brigit.

Brigit

I am going to go out on a limb and say that Benji managed to breed her through the fence. Just what I needed.  Another buck talented in that way.

Time to Prep

It’s not just that I am tired of goats in the garage.  I really do need to get them out of there.

Brigit, Ostara, and Bull

Believe it or not, it’s time to prep for my first oopsie baby(ies).  Aphrodite is due April 14th.

Aphrodite in the middle

That means, ready or not, I am moving goats around this weekend.  The kids really are old enough to go out on the front half of the back forty with their moms.  They just haven’t had a lot of practice with the cold, rainy, snowy weather we’ve had.

Claire, Tommy and Spunky stayed in the buck room while everyone else was in pasture.

Last weekend, when I was out there, Shellie got behind the herd, and she gave a big yell.

Shellie

Her mom answered, and they were right back together.  They will be fine, but I do wish the weather had been better before making the change.

Hilda and Shellie (Flower in front)

Anyhow, after I get the moms back with the main herd, I’m going to move the bucks. There is no way I could ever catch Lemuel in the front pasture, so I have to sell him Saturday morning before I start making my other changes.  It just has to happen.

Frodo and Lemuel with Benji standing

Then the other bucks will all go onto the front pasture.  If I can get help loading, I could sell Freddie this weekend too.  Less testosterone will be good.  But I will miss Freddie. I really will–dang sweet boys.

Freddie and Xerxes up north

I’d like to leave the north paddock empty to grow, but that just isn’t going to happen.  I’m going to have to put Flower up there.  I’ll leave Coral with her.

Flower chowing down on last year’s grass

If I have to, I can put more old ladies up there, but I’m hoping warm weather and green grass will help them.

Old ladies: Reva, Joani, and Bambi

And all that moving goats around means I can put Aphrodite in the Love Shack.  That way my mom can check her while I’m at work.

Aphrodite (I think one baby)

I’ve also told Aphrodite to clamp that tail down and hold off until Friday.  I have Good Friday off work, so that would be a perfect day to have an oopsie baby.

Leftover Pictures

I really do struggle with what to blog about this time of year.  The days are short. The goats are just eating.

And I still haven’t seen Aphrodite come into heat, so oopsie babies are looking like a certainty.

Bambi

I still can’t get over how amazingly well Haley is doing.  I am so grateful for all the vets who helped to save her.

Haley Blackboer

I kinda feel bad for the amount of time Sky sits around waiting for me.

Sky

Just before Tansy broke in with the bucks, I noticed how much better she was looking.  I’m glad she will come in for extra feed; I’ll keep doing that since I assume she’s also going to give me oopsie babies, too.

Tansy and Cupid

The peacock was exploring the recently cleaned out corner–lots of leaves to sort through.

Maybeline is such a pretty girl.

Maybeline

Goats will be goats–that means good natured head butting.

Cinnamon and Daisy

Antigone and Pretzel

The goose just chilling.

Finally, here’s Tiger.  I still can’t get over how big he is.  I also wish he wouldn’t wake me up in the middle of the night by putting his nose up mine to force me into giving him attention.  Really…

Tiger

I hope you don’t mind leftovers again.