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Monday, April 5, 2010

Baby Goats!


It has been a very busy week around here and I haven't blogged in 8 days!  Gasp!  Sorry for the absence but it seems that life is getting in the way of blogging!  I think it might be that way for a little while with all the goings-on around here, but I'll try to keep up to date with big news.  So, speaking of big news...four baby goats have been born in the past 2 days on Whispering Acres!
Both Coffee and Lotus had their babies 2 days early, meaning that Coffee's were born on Sunday and Lotus had her babies today (Monday).  All of them were fathered by Valentino the angora buck, who you may remember from the "Green Goat" post last year.

Coffee had two adorable doelings both weighing just over 2 lbs each.  They are both bright white all over, despite Coffee's dark colouring.
Weighing them is fun - we have a hanging scale that goes to 200 lbs, so it's a little hard to be precise in the 2 lb range!
Coffee is a very attentive and caring mother and is very distressed whenever the cat comes nearby!  Of course, since her two babies aren't much bigger than my bantam white chickens, she probably has good reason to be protective!
I just can't get enough of giving these girls kisses and cuddles.  They are inside the barn to ensure they bond well with Coffee and also because we are expecting some really bad storms over the next few days.

Lotus also had two babies - a buckling and a doeling.  They both weighed just under 2 lbs each.  I'm not sure if that's standard for Nigerian dwarf-Angora cross babies or not.  Lotus was pretty huge herself.  She had some trouble with the delivery so I had to assist with the first baby, but after that she was fine with the second.  Here she is still laying down with her two little ones, immediately after their birth.  I had toweled them off a bit for her.
They, too, were quickly up and looking for milk.  I'm really pleased about both sets of goatlings - they seem very healthy and have good sets of lungs (judging by the sounds they make!)
Some quick internet research seems to indicate that white is dominant in angora genetics, so I am assuming that's why all the babies are white despite their multi-coloured mothers.  I hope their fleeces can be harvested and of course, white fleece is lovely for using with dyes, so here's hoping my F1 "pygora" generation grows up strong and healthy!  In the meantime, I just can't seem to wipe that smile off my face!

23 comments:

brokenteepee said...

Awww, they are so cute.
Congratulations!

Lola Nova said...

Yay baby goats! Ooh I wish I could come give them a cuddle. And by the way, when is not busy around your place? :)

Glad to hear all the kids are doing well and it's nice to see your smiling face!

Linda Foley said...

Baby goat are just so cute and so much fun. Congrats!

2 lbs are very normal for ND kids... not sure about crosses.

Kelly Cook said...

They are SO SO SO cute! Love the pictures, thanks for sharing with us! As much as I love the babies I should start breeding...lol!

Nancy K. said...

Oh my Gosh! They're so tiny! My lambs usually run between 6 and 8 pounds.

Congratulations on the adorable, healthy kids!

Mom L said...

You have every right to smile big! I'm so glad all 4 were healthy and active. Congrats to the mamas, and to you and Kelly!

We were supposed to get storms up here tonight, but so far nothing but breeze.

Nancy

Michelle said...

Congrats on healthy babies -- and 3/4ths GIRLS! Better luck than I had.... And what are you doing in a TANK TOP?!? It is wet, blustery and cold here. I'm wearing a sweater, polarfleece jacket and wool socks!

Unknown said...

I know that it is such a satisfying feeling to see your hard work and care pay off with new offspring and plans for future harvests (like fiber) from your farm. Great pictures, love how proud you are of them!

IsobelleGoLightly said...

Beautiful, beautiful babies! Valentino must be very pleased with his children!!!! I still want to know what a Boergora goat would look like!!! hee hee

Melodie said...

Congratulations! It is hard to find anything cuter than a baby goat!

Spinners End Farm said...

They are so cute Claire! I'm negotiating with my spouse to get a couple of F1 Pygora goats in May...they have such lovely fiber. You have such a fun household!

Sherry

ps. you have a great smile on your face...

Louise said...

Baby goats have to be some of the cutest creatures around, and yours are no exception. It will be so much fun watching them grow up!

sunset pines farm said...

I just knew there was kiddings happening since you were missing for so long!!!
They are too cute!
You will have to knit them collars in different colors so you can tell them apart!

Unknown said...

Congrats Claire & mama-goats! They are darling!

Mare said...

Oh Claire, they are just beautiful!

Cherie said...

Congratulations! I just discovered your blog and was pleased to see photos of your new babies today. We raise Boer goats and had a busy kidding season in February. We had unusually bad weather and bad luck so only had 8 surviving kids. We have one more doe due any day now.

There's nothing like a baby goat!

Cherie said...

Congratulations! I just discovered your blog and was pleased to see photos of your new babies today. We raise Boer goats and had a busy kidding season in February. We had unusually bad weather and bad luck so only had 8 surviving kids. We have one more doe due any day now.

There's nothing like a baby goat!

John Going Gently said...

thank you so much for your help!!!
lambs are a few weeks old...and will come hopefully on thurdsay

Anonymous said...

Oh how I love springtime and all the new farm babies. Glad they are healthy!

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Carol said...

Congrats! Oh so cute. One of my Angora goats is ready to kid any day now. Can't wait. Now I'm really excited after seeing your kids.

My Life Under the Bus said...

Oh baby goats are even cuter then baby sheep !!!....am I supposed to say that ??? They are freaking adorable !!!

My Life Under the Bus said...

Oh baby goats are even cuter then baby sheep !!!....am I supposed to say that ??? They are freaking adorable !!!

Christy said...

So beautiful! I have heard of pygoras with tan fleece.