Baby goats are here!!!!

My babies are here..... Or well, my mommy protector Jazz (great dane) has claimed them as his babies!

This is him licking this baby clean.

My Jazz normaly listens very well, but when I told him it was time to come in the house, he looked at me and said there was not way he was leaving these babies. I had to DEMAND that he come with me at least 4 times before he very slowly walked twards me with his big head almost draging on the ground.

Sir Bently found them very interesting, not only did they touch noses a few times as well as taking turns fallowing eachother. But Bently took to garding the babies while they slept in their new lil house. He sat on the corner of their porch for a while, just sitting and sitting.

I don't quite understand..... Are they dogs? They don't smell like dogs....

These goats are called Oberhaslis, they are rare in the United States. Originating in Switzerland, they are a winsome and affectionate breed- even the boys are docile and easy to manage.
So I bought the two boys that I helped with the birth, and had planned to also buy a baby doe. But with everything figured out it came up in my thoughts that it would be at least a year before we got milk from her. This is due to that fact that she would not be old enough to be bred untill August of this year, 6 months from now, then it is about 130 days of pregnancy. Lastly it would be another 2 months untill the babies would be weaned unless they were sold before that. Comes to about a year.

I talked to the breeder and she will have a few females in March or April that will be in milk and that she will be willing to sell. So I decided that even though it will be a bit more costly than was initally planning at least we will get milk alot sooner! There for instead of $100 for a bottle baby doeling and buy one get one free for the males at $25. I had to pay full price $25 each on the boys right now and then when one is ready $300 for the female.

At least this will give me time to collect the things I need for the milking prosses and storage!

I am so excited for all these new happinings at my house.

Chickens are an Obsession now!

I never knew what kind of love and interest I would have for these lil feathered puffs of personality.

Rain or shine, after I am done feeding everyone that needs to be fed and running through my morning routine, I sit and watch my chickens. Any were from 15min. to an hour if I have the time. I love to watch them scratch, forage and roll in the dry dusty dirt for a bath. I think it is so adorable when they shake and get all puffy for a minute until their feathers lay down again.

Then there are Roosters...... Them bad boys are so elegant and beautiful. Most of the ones I have seen just have such a presents about them, I can't wait to talk my husband into me having a Roo. But for now the only Rooster that I will have (when he comes in the mail) is a cute "Littlest Pet Shop" Rooster.

On another chicken note, my Americana girls still have not continued their laying. The two of them gave my a slow total of seven eggs over a two - three week span, then I changed the coop a bit and they stopped laying also I threw in the four new working girls, I know that sounds like a different profession but I thought it was funny and in my head that is all that matters ;0) but they still have not resumed production. It is a but upseting only cause I was really enjoying finding blue eggs in the boxes. But happy to say that I three possibly four hens laying now. Also Elmo (RIR that was called captin) has ended her molt and her beautiful feathers are all coming back with luster and shine. Can't wait untill she and the Judds (two Buff O's) begin to lay.

I am hoping that this dose not make my girls stop laying but I am once again going to have to make some changes to the coop. All my laying girls are laying in the same box. I have noticed that this is probably because this box is the darkest of the four. So not only am I going to make it so they are all darker but would like to add another four boxes under the existing four, just for more options and for future flock additions. The Chief thought it was funny and just like a woman to need 15 hours of light (hence the light in the coop) but want the nest boxes dark!

Speaking of the Chief, he built me a new lil house for my baby goats. It is a very simple yet great design. Sadly all I can do is think about how to alter it to work for more chickens ha ha ha. I am really excited to get our babies, who wouldn't be, but I can't help but think maybe I should hold off for a month and then see if our breeder has or will have an adult that is already bred that she will sell me. My reason for thinking this is simple, I will have to bottle feed these babies for at least 2 months, not really a prob other than just another expense. But on top of that the doe will not be ready to be bred until August and then we wont have milk until she has her kids about 120-130 days after she is bred. Even then we will still have to wait until the babies are either sold or weened. That is right around a year or more from now!

I am thinking about only buying the boys that I helped kid (just cause that really bonded me to them) witch is only going to be $50 so that I have the babies and then waiting untill next month and buying an adult....... That might just be the way to go.

Anyone elts have a chicken obsession?

It was a bloody mess, and then amazing lil baby goats in my hands!

So this is how my adventure into goats is starting....

Friday while the kids were in school I drove about 20 min away to a place called St. Johns Creamery, to buy some fresh goat milk for myself and my family to try. While I was there Marcia (owner) was showing me around. Telling me as much information as she possibly could with each breath, I love people like that. To me it truly shows their passion for what they have.

This tasted so good!


 She showed me the beautiful baby Oberhaslis that were for sale (which I am contemplating) and then brought me with her to check on one of her kidding pens. There was one perty girl pacing back and fourth breathing very heavily and giving a very understanding and yet distinctive yell every few minutes. Marcia explained that she was due to kid. I thought that meant at some point that day.... Nope, she meant any minute. This turned my quick stop for milk into an hour and a half long, goose bump filled tear jerk er!

Originally when I realized Garnet was in labor I figured Marcia would kindly ask me to leave so she could take care of her girl, it was just the opposite. I ended up watching and comforting this doe while Marcia ran around and grabbed what she needed. And through all the progress and each step Marcia explained to me exactly what was happening.  As things got closer and the bubble came I sat with more and more anticipation. Out pop these lil white hoofs and a lil face with the tongue sticking out. Marcia grabbed onto those feet and pulled this beautiful baby boy out, plop right out onto the ground. I was in a state of absolute happiness. There was a second lil boy that popped out about 15 minutes later.

 So needless to say, I not only want to buy a doe for our milking girl but I want one of those baby boys. I do not know if I should buy one or two girls.......