Kidding Prep

I decided that this was the weekend I had to get everyone adjusted for kidding. I put my gate across the front of the barn with the whole herd on the back side so I could do my adjustments.

The herd stuck on the other side when they came back up from pasture.

Ava wondering why she can’t go where she wants.

I now have the two bucks up north.

Xerxes

They are getting along.  Xerxes is a pretty nice guy when he’s not in rut.  Frodo is still properly petrified respectful.

Frodo

I also put the fence through the middle of the barnyard.  I left Antigone on that side even though she isn’t due until April.  I didn’t want her to have to fight her way back into the herd when she’s that far along in her pregnancy.

Antigone is due next month.

I also added Penelope who had been up with Frodo.  She is due next week.

Penelope looking for leftovers.

Victoria came over by the cattle tank, so I opened that and let her in.  I’ll let both her and Dolly on this side so I can keep giving them extra feed.

Victoria

I let Caroline out.  She was not eating well in the garage, and I hoped that getting out would give her a mood boost.  She will stay on the side with the moms so I can still give her extra care.

Caroline will stay on this side so I can give her extra care.

Because I opened the door for Caroline to go out, it also means that Tux is out.

Tux came out; I put him in; we’ll keep bouncing back and forth for a while.

He might be underfoot outside.

That was a pretty good morning’s work, and all I had left to do was move the first of the spring break moms and Dolly over there.

The Buck Conundrum

I have a problem with bringing bucks to the farm.  They get sick. They die.

Sam

Seriously, I cannot seem to keep them healthy.

Grover Street (had pneumonia; I sold him and he apparently really bulked up)

For the first however many years, I know now it was copper.

Boeris Van de Yell

That’s why I didn’t get a new buck for several years as I tried to figure out the copper.  Then I finally brought Benji to the farm.

Benji

That didn’t work out well. So I don’t know what to do because I still need new blood.  I have two bucks, but they are both Osboer bucks.

Xerxes is a Fionn baby

One option would be to buy a buck and just sell it after the breeding season.  But I’m not sure I like bringing bucks here and selling them because every new goat I bring comes with the possibility of new health risks.

Frodo is a Fionn grandbaby

The other option is to see if I can keep a Benji buck if I have one that is nice looking because the boys who are born here seem to do just fine.  That’s not totally new blood, but the only Benji baby I’ve kept is Ostara, and Sidney or LilyAnn would be a good option for keeping a Benji buck.

Sidney is bred to Benji

I guess we’ll have to just wait and see what happens with the Benji kids before I have to worry about it.

A Maintenance Weekend

This weekend was time for a lot of maintenance.  I had to give everyone copper again.

Caroline waiting to get her copper.

I did let a lot of them into the milk room.  I’m tired of chasing them down.  It’s just easier when they are in there.

Victoria eating her corn after the copper; Tux came in to supervise for a bit.

Except when I find something like this…a chewed up and spit out copper capsule. 

I am pretty sure this was from Cutie, so I gave her another one.  Even if it wasn’t from her, it won’t hurt her to have a little extra.

Doesn’t she look sweet and innocent?

A few did take it in a peanut. Thank heavens Xerxes loves his peanuts!

Xerxes

Others I had to catch while I was feeding grain.

Zora the Bratopotamus

It’s so much easier when they just take it in a peanut.  Anyhow, since I let a bunch of them in the milk room, I also did some hooves while I was at it.

Pretzel got her copper and then I did her hooves.

We have a couple days of warmer weather, so it was a good time to do their hooves.  Some really needed it badly; others were barely in need of a trim.  But it’s that many done before the next round of cold hits.