Itty Bitty Baby Goats Update

Fred and Ginger are home! Only for the week though. My friend who had purchased them has decided to move out of the country so the kids need a new place to crash. Another blog reader, Pam of Peaceful Valley Farm, has agreed to take Fred and Ginger. I will be delivering them to her this week, but I wanted to keep them around so that Fred could work his magic on Ethel.


Over the last month, I was beginning to have serious doubts about Ethel being preggers. She wasn't growing. She wasn't moody. She wasn't laying around more than usual. Yet she also wasn't showing any signs of estrus, until last week, that is, when after a walk I saw some goo coming out her backside. I was disappointed, to say the least. This meant no Easter baby goats, and more importantly, no milk coming in when Lucy is due to dry up somewhere around June. Boo hiss!

I knew for sure Ethel wasn't pregnant when Fred arrived and she started showing clear signs of heat: tail flagging, blubbering, mounting Fred, sticking out her tongue, and getting gooey "back there". I've set up a little love nest for Fred and Ethel in an unused portion of the neighbor's yard. They are having a swell time snorting all over each other, waggling their tongues, and taking turns jumping on top of each other. To tell you the truth, Ethel seems a little desperate for it. Hopefully this will be a prosperous match.

It was amazing how instantaneously Lucy and her babies recognized each other.

After a bit of sniffing and licking, you know what the first thing those kids wanted to do? That's right, get a little chichi from their mama. She rebuffed them at first, but then must have conceded at some point as I've only been getting 3/4 of a cup of milk in the morning (I usually get 3 cups). Those darn kids! I've missed them though. They are still so adorable and SMALL. Ginger is a tiny little thing and I'm pretty sure she is pregnant. Her udder has started to develop and she is pretty wide for her size.

I suppose this happens all the time in nature so I shouldn't worry too much about it. Though I've got my fingers crossed that everything will go without a hitch for Pam's sake.

And look how handsome Fred is with his long beard and white flip of hair on his forelock. Too bad he is probably going to be castrated as he could make some lovely offspring. Good luck to Ethel on making some attractive babies with him.