If you haven’t heard, we’ve had our first goat birthing at Hust Roost Farm! We’ve been waiting for this day for what seems like forever! Last year, our breeding wasn’t successful (whether it was our technique or a “dud” buck) so we waited and waited and the babies never came. This year, we knew the goats were pregnant because (1) They got HUGE and (2) One of the goats, Pepper, miscarried in January (sadly) but at least we knew the breeding worked.
Goats carry their babies for 5 months. So we measured the due date to be exactly 5 months from the day we brought Chief (our buck) in to run with our ladies.
When the due date was getting closer, we had several meetings to make sure we were ready to deliver our babies. We put together a birthing kit of everything we might need. We cleaned the stalls. We set up a camera which gives us 24/7 surveillance on a TV in our bedroom. We watched birthing videos. And we waited.
We were pretty sure that Cammie was going to deliver her babies first. Her stomach was huge and her udder was “bagging up” with milk. So we kept a close eye on Cammie and locked her in a stall, while we let Rosie stay out in the common area. Little did we know that Rosie was going to be the first momma….
Saturday afternoon, Casey’s mom stopped by the farm with her niece. They asked if they could visit the goats even though there were no babies yet. So we went on up to the barn.
When we walked into the barn, what did we see but TWO BABY GOATS standing in the corner of the barn!!! After all the preparation for birthing, we had missed the whole thing!
Rosie had already licked and cleaned the babies, and she had just moved away from them to eat some straw (mama was hungry!) While Casey’s mom called Casey on his cell phone, Rachel closed Rosie in her stall with some food, then brought the babies to join her. Now that they were taken care of, we tried to get our bearings. “Isn’t there something we’re supposed to do!?” The only thing we had to do was clean and trim the umbilical cords, and make sure the babies were drinking their mother’s milk. All of it went off without a hitch! What a gift that the first delivery was so easy. 🙂
Now you probably want to meet the babies!
Here is baby “Bolt” named for his facial markings that remind us of lightening. He’s also very lively, so it fits!
And here is baby “Biscuit,” also a male goat. He is a little smaller than his twin and a little more cuddly, but just as playful!
Mother and babies are doing great and we are welcoming visitors any time! (Just send us a text so we can make sure that Cammie isn’t in labor) Come and visit soon! They’re at the perfect age for both cuddles and cuteness and they grow up fast. But it will be just as fun to watch them frolicking around the yard in just a few weeks! We’re going to enjoy this season. 🙂
For twins, they sure don’t look very alike! How long does it take for goats to become full-sized? Will Bolt and Biscuit still be kinda small when I come to visit the farm this summer? (Or will you have sold them by then?)