And just when I think I have it all together God laughs and throws me a curve ball.
This past year we kept a friends young male goat in with our herd. Their female goat had recently had babies and the male needed to be separated from them. We offered to keep him and if he breed our females great. If not - that's ok to.
We kept the little boy for about 7 months. During that time we never observed any funny business or even any interest on his part. But I kept a running timeline in my head of when babies would be due if something had happened.
Then we sold our farm and moved to our new/old farm. Our sweet girls were adjusting and doing good in their new home. They are always fat but I just knew they were pregnant. And those babies should be due in end of December to mid January.
So I kept watch. I checked them daily for the signs that the day was drawing near.
And nothing. Nothing to the point I convinced myself that maybe they aren't pregnant.
The month of January passed. Still nothing.
Then on March 1st I get an excited call from my Mom, "There is a baby goat down here." She has been at the barn feeding horses.
"No way," I respond.
"Yes, I think you do. I'm walking out to the pasture now."
At this point I am throwing on my boots, yelling at Maddie to get her boots on, and doing some math in my head..... for babies to be born today means that goat literally had to knock her up the week he left.
Go figure.
"Oh my gosh!" My mom exclaims, "There are two babies, no wait three...... four..... four babies....... wait I see another one. FIVE BABIES!!"
Our wonder goat Flower has had four kids on two occasions but never in my wildest dreams would I have believed she could deliver five kids.
But that was just what she had done. Four beautiful little girls and one precious little boy.
As if that wasn't enough excitement one of our other sweet girls had also delivered a little girl.
And of course they did so outside in the pasture on a dreary day.
Maddie and I quickly got the mommas and the new babies into the barn and settled in there stalls.
Our third girl was also brought in because if the other two had delivered I knew she couldn't be far behind. Checking her she was not dilated but I had been fooled before. Not happening again.
Oh sweet babies. I won't say we were ready for you. But oh what joy and life you have brought back into this old barn.
Bet my dad never thought there would be goats in his horse barn. But then again as a kid neither did I. Seeing those babies made me think of all the foals that were born in this barn during my childhood. And the many nights of excitement getting to go with my mom to check on the mares.
Even though things are a little different I'm glad Maddie gets to experience the excitement of spring babies.
***Note --- from what I have researched it is very rare for a Pygmy Goat to have four kids much less five. We have owned Flower for 7 years and this is her third set of babies with us. Her first two sets she had 4 each time. Not only did she deliver four - she raised four. Yes, you heard me right. She nursed and raised four kids. Each time we had milk replacer and bottle on hand and ready just in case. But each time it was not needed.
This time I was afraid five was to many. It was a tough decision to make. And one I went back and forth on if I was doing the right thing. But this time I took one of the babies from Flower and placed it with Heart (our other momma). This was Hearts second time having babies and this time she had a single kid. The last time she had twins so I knew she could handle two kids. With a heavy heart I placed one of Flower's kids with Heart. Maddie and I watched and waited.
Had I done the right thing?
Would Heart accept the baby?
Thankfully she did. She immediately let the baby nurse. For the first 24 hours Heart was very aware of which kid was hers and which was not. She was definitely more attentive to the baby that was hers making sure it nursed and if it cried out she was quick to check on it. This is not to say she shunned the other baby. She also encouraged it to nurse. But after making sure her baby had eaten.
I worried I may have messed up by moving the baby. But after that first 24 hours Heart stepped up and that baby was now her baby.
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