I found a miniature Storm in the middle of my barn aisle. When I went out to the barn around the lunch hour, I found Holly's baby, who we have named Storm, had somehow escaped their pen and was exploring the barn and meeting all the other animals.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Storm
Look what blew in.
I found a miniature Storm in the middle of my barn aisle. When I went out to the barn around the lunch hour, I found Holly's baby, who we have named Storm, had somehow escaped their pen and was exploring the barn and meeting all the other animals.
I found a miniature Storm in the middle of my barn aisle. When I went out to the barn around the lunch hour, I found Holly's baby, who we have named Storm, had somehow escaped their pen and was exploring the barn and meeting all the other animals.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Safe Delivery
I am going to admit something I hesitated on admitting before, we were all very worried about Holly delivering her baby. Holly is our pygmy goat and she was bred to our boar/nubian cross buck, Caesar. Not on purpose. They have been together since 2012 and have never taken, but for that matter Caesar had also failed to impregnate any of our does. We almost sold him along with the herd when I got fed up trying to breed goats and sold them all but for some reason decided to hold on to him, And Holly.
When we came across an add for dairy goats who were still in milk back in the fall, I decided to give goats one more shot. After all I still had Caesar and I knew the new goats were experienced nannies. Being experienced mothers also makes them experienced when it comes to mating and breeding They will often teach a young inexperienced male how to get the job done. And that was exactly what happened. All 3 of the new goats got pregnant.
I foolishly believed that Holly was infertile or too small for Caesar and hence the reason why she had not bred in the past. I allowed her to innocently live with the new herd not thinking there was any risk of her getting bred. However, Holly struggled to fit in being so small and quickly became the top submissive goat in the pen. This led to her attachment to Caesar as she used him as her guardian. I started looking around for a companion for Holly, keeping my fingers crossed a new buck more her size would do the trick.
But not soon after we brought Thunder home that we realized Holly was already pregnant. With Caesar's baby. I knew that combo couldn't be good. If it were the other way around with the nanny being the boar and the buck being the pygmy it would have been fine, however a small miniature goat carrying a larger breed offspring could be very dangerous if not deadly. So we waited being as optimistic as possible. Hopefully she would deliver twins, twins would ensure two small babies rather than one large baby.
Our wait ended yesterday when I noticed her udder had "ballooned".
I immediately began to worry and didn't think I would know what to do but instinct kicked in and I instructed Farm Girl to jump in and begin to massage Holly's vulva hoping to relax her already tense muscles I'm certain she had and stretch the vulva open. I want to point out that I would have gladly jumped in to aid however Farm Girl loves being hands on and getting as much experience as possible.
Once Farm Girl was able, she grasped the two tiny hooves and began pulling every time Holly pushed.
Until at last the head is delivered.
I think we all gave a huge sigh of relief. One more push and the shoulders passed and then Farm Girl pulled out the remainder.
We waited over an hour for a twin to follow but Holly never went into contractions again. It was late and we were getting very tired so went off to bed before seeing the afterbirth expelled. Truthfully, I felt very uncomfortable doing this as she was still very large and it looked like she still had two more babies in there but since we didn't see any more contractions, we knew she was done. Of course, I woke early at 5:30 this morning and ran out to the barn just to ensure she didn't have another or worse passed away trying to deliver another huge baby on her own, however only Holly and her baby were sitting quietly in the pen and no sight of the afterbirth. Both mom and babe were all cleaned up and looking very relaxed. Babe is the spitting image of her mother but with daddy's ears.
We are super relieved and grateful that Holly's delivery went so smoothly. And that she delivered during normal waking hours. I don't even know what would have happened if she had delivered during the night with us being unaware. We have our fingers crossed there is no after effects or damage internally for Holly and that she is able to breed again, this time however to a buck more her size.
When we came across an add for dairy goats who were still in milk back in the fall, I decided to give goats one more shot. After all I still had Caesar and I knew the new goats were experienced nannies. Being experienced mothers also makes them experienced when it comes to mating and breeding They will often teach a young inexperienced male how to get the job done. And that was exactly what happened. All 3 of the new goats got pregnant.
I foolishly believed that Holly was infertile or too small for Caesar and hence the reason why she had not bred in the past. I allowed her to innocently live with the new herd not thinking there was any risk of her getting bred. However, Holly struggled to fit in being so small and quickly became the top submissive goat in the pen. This led to her attachment to Caesar as she used him as her guardian. I started looking around for a companion for Holly, keeping my fingers crossed a new buck more her size would do the trick.
But not soon after we brought Thunder home that we realized Holly was already pregnant. With Caesar's baby. I knew that combo couldn't be good. If it were the other way around with the nanny being the boar and the buck being the pygmy it would have been fine, however a small miniature goat carrying a larger breed offspring could be very dangerous if not deadly. So we waited being as optimistic as possible. Hopefully she would deliver twins, twins would ensure two small babies rather than one large baby.
Our wait ended yesterday when I noticed her udder had "ballooned".
By the supper hour she lost her mucus plug. About that time, we finished evening chores so brought in some stools and waited. We didn't have a long wait, almost immediately she lied down on her side and began pushing.
This was followed by her water breaking and then the discharge of all that yellow goo from her placenta.
A brief peak at a tiny white hoof appeared before being suck back up into the vulva. Everything was going smoothly and by the book. To that point. It was after that little hoof disappeared to retrieve it's mate for the final push out of the birth canal that our fears might have been realized. Once both hooves are in place and ready to be delivered, the head is shortly behind it. The head is the worse part of delivery for mom. And for Holly, even worse. After several attempts at pushing, the baby was making no progress. We could tell just how large the baby was by the extension of Holly's vulva where the baby's head was pressed trying to get out.
Her efforts worked, we could see both hooves and the nose and tongue of the baby goat. (We are beginning to think that the tongue sticking out at us is normal in delivery.)
Until at last the head is delivered.
I think we all gave a huge sigh of relief. One more push and the shoulders passed and then Farm Girl pulled out the remainder.
It was a big beautiful and healthy baby girl.
We are super relieved and grateful that Holly's delivery went so smoothly. And that she delivered during normal waking hours. I don't even know what would have happened if she had delivered during the night with us being unaware. We have our fingers crossed there is no after effects or damage internally for Holly and that she is able to breed again, this time however to a buck more her size.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Quick and Easy Hay Feeder
The lambs in the fall lamb pen have gotten so big resulting in a very crowded hay feeder. It's a single wall mounted feeder tucked into the corner of the pen. Makes for a group of very hungry and pushy lambs. So I put my head to work and looked around for what materials I had on the farm to build them a bigger one. This is what I came up with.
Made out of two sides of a dog crate, a 2x4, two eye bolts and chain to hang from the wall. It was simple and quick. And best of all, all the lambs fit around it.
Made out of two sides of a dog crate, a 2x4, two eye bolts and chain to hang from the wall. It was simple and quick. And best of all, all the lambs fit around it.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Oh My, Another Double Blog Entry
Yep that's right, I'm pulling a blog taboo and posting two entries in one day. Again. There is so much going on and I want to talk about all of it. Today's exciting news is the arrival of twin goat kids.
White and beige or cream coloured.
Names have not been chosen yet, but rumour is they will be named after Disney characters.
Boy and girl.
White and beige or cream coloured.
I'm so in love with the floppy ears.
Names have not been chosen yet, but rumour is they will be named after Disney characters.
Steps Leading Up to a Goat Kidding
By no means am I an experienced goat farmer. As a matter of fact I owned goats for 3 years with the goal of breeding and milking but my attempts at breeding failed. Believing it was the goats, I sold them all. Then last fall I decided to try again. Lured by the fact that my new 3 dairy goats were already in milk. However, for whatever reason, their milk went sour then dried up. I was frustrated. But since I had sold all my goats but the billy, I decided to give breeding one more shot. And it worked! All four of my goats got pregnant. Yes four. I had also kept my little pygmy goat simply because I liked her. My billy had also successfully bred her even though he failed to in years past. Exactly to the day five months after I filmed Caesar mating with Esther, I had my first goat born on the farm yesterday afternoon. And then my first set of twins born this morning to Beatrice.
I have already had numerous lambs born here so was beginning to recognize the signs of impending labour and in addition to having done my research on the internet and in books, I knew what to look for. To help others looking on the internet for the stages and signs of a goat going into labour, I thought I would provide the steps leading up to birth. Keep in mind however, all goats are different and may or may not experience some of these signs.
1. Ballooning
I really don't know how to explain this and it is something I learned to recognize after many lambings but just before (usually within 12 hours) the ewe/doe's udder balloons. It takes about a month for it to fully develop but a day for it to balloon. It goes from big to full.
And again, goats differ as do their udders. The udder above is of Esther, the one below is Beatrice's. Both have ballooned.
2. The Vulva
The vulva is a stage that I think in my own experience isn't always accurate. I've had ewes that swelled up right before giving birth and others who haven't. As in the case of Esther and Beatrice. Esther's vulva never swelled or stretched at all. If I were to base my guesses on how the vulva looks, I would have said Esther has a long wait.
Unlike Beatrice who's vulva puckered up like a set of lips.
3. Mucus Plug
One thing both of the above photos do have in common is the discharge of the mucus plug. Some will discharge it slowly over a couple weeks, while others may pass it the same day as delivery.
4. Bleating
Unlike sheep, or at least mine, goats are very vocal when they go into labour. They start early at the beginning stages of labour. At first it simply sounds as if they are calling out for grain or hay but it is continual.and grows more intense as labour progresses.
5. Pawing/Standing in Corner/Restlessness/Off Feed
I grouped these four together as they aren't always obvious. Does going into labour will exhibit nesting behavior and start pawing at the ground. They may also stand silently in a corner and may or may not press their heads against the wall. They may also become very restless and may attempt to lie down but will get back up again. Many folks report their doe will go off feed but I've only ever noticed this when she is in actual labour, otherwise her appetite has remained the same.
6. Water Breaks/Contractions & Pushing
Closer to the point of delivery, the does water will break. A small gush of clear fluids will pass out of her vulva. You can pretty much guarantee delivery within half an hour after the water breaks. The doe will start to have contractions if she hasn't already and will begin to push.
7. Tail Position
The does tail will stand up and away from her back end.
8. Uterine Fluid & Bubble
First stages of actual birth is the discharge of the uterine fluid and the "bubble". I have no idea what the purpose of the bubble is, but there it is.
9. A FOOT!
First sign of the kid is his foot. It should be facing up ensuring a head first delivery. And with the hooves in the correct position with the sole of the foot underneath will mean the kid is coming out in the correct "diving" position. Sole up means he's coming out upside down.
Something that occurred which surprised me was that Esther had pushed the foot out and then would suck it back in. The only reason I could figure out why was to get him in the correct position where the second hoof generally will follow the first either next to it, behind it or above. Our little kid came out with one foot on top of the other.
10. The Head
Shortly behind the front hooves, the kids nose will push through followed by the rest of his head. The most difficult part for the mother. In the photo below, you can see the nose of the kid with his tongue stuck out to the side pushing his way out of the vulva.
Admittedly, the tongue to the side scared us, we thought he was dead but when we touched it, he sucked it back in and wiggled it at us. If mom is really struggling here, then go ahead and give her a hand. Remember to only pull when she pushes.
11. The Shoulders and Rest of Body
The next big push is the shoulders and once they pass through the birth canal, the rest is smooth sailing. If mom is too exhausted to push anymore and you can see the kid's chest fully, you can go ahead and finish the job and pull him out. No need to do anything with the umbilical cord as it will snap off on it's own. You can dip it in iodine to sterilize and if it's super cold in your barn, towel the baby's dry to warm them up as soon as possible. However, mom is quite capable of doing this herself and enjoys it as well.
12. Kid Goat
At long last after months of waiting, your kid goat is born. Congratulations!
13. Afterbirth
That's right, we're not quite done yet. Momma will expel the afterbirth indicating the last kid was born. It may take a while for it to fully come out but be patient, it will on it's own, you won't need to help.
And don't be alarmed if she begins to eat it.
Perfectly normal. And healthy. There's a lot of nutrients in that placenta.
So there you have it. The stages of goat birth. Now go and enjoy your little bundle of joy.
I have already had numerous lambs born here so was beginning to recognize the signs of impending labour and in addition to having done my research on the internet and in books, I knew what to look for. To help others looking on the internet for the stages and signs of a goat going into labour, I thought I would provide the steps leading up to birth. Keep in mind however, all goats are different and may or may not experience some of these signs.
1. Ballooning
I really don't know how to explain this and it is something I learned to recognize after many lambings but just before (usually within 12 hours) the ewe/doe's udder balloons. It takes about a month for it to fully develop but a day for it to balloon. It goes from big to full.
And again, goats differ as do their udders. The udder above is of Esther, the one below is Beatrice's. Both have ballooned.
2. The Vulva
The vulva is a stage that I think in my own experience isn't always accurate. I've had ewes that swelled up right before giving birth and others who haven't. As in the case of Esther and Beatrice. Esther's vulva never swelled or stretched at all. If I were to base my guesses on how the vulva looks, I would have said Esther has a long wait.
Unlike Beatrice who's vulva puckered up like a set of lips.
3. Mucus Plug
One thing both of the above photos do have in common is the discharge of the mucus plug. Some will discharge it slowly over a couple weeks, while others may pass it the same day as delivery.
4. Bleating
Unlike sheep, or at least mine, goats are very vocal when they go into labour. They start early at the beginning stages of labour. At first it simply sounds as if they are calling out for grain or hay but it is continual.and grows more intense as labour progresses.
5. Pawing/Standing in Corner/Restlessness/Off Feed
I grouped these four together as they aren't always obvious. Does going into labour will exhibit nesting behavior and start pawing at the ground. They may also stand silently in a corner and may or may not press their heads against the wall. They may also become very restless and may attempt to lie down but will get back up again. Many folks report their doe will go off feed but I've only ever noticed this when she is in actual labour, otherwise her appetite has remained the same.
6. Water Breaks/Contractions & Pushing
Closer to the point of delivery, the does water will break. A small gush of clear fluids will pass out of her vulva. You can pretty much guarantee delivery within half an hour after the water breaks. The doe will start to have contractions if she hasn't already and will begin to push.
7. Tail Position
The does tail will stand up and away from her back end.
8. Uterine Fluid & Bubble
First stages of actual birth is the discharge of the uterine fluid and the "bubble". I have no idea what the purpose of the bubble is, but there it is.
9. A FOOT!
First sign of the kid is his foot. It should be facing up ensuring a head first delivery. And with the hooves in the correct position with the sole of the foot underneath will mean the kid is coming out in the correct "diving" position. Sole up means he's coming out upside down.
Something that occurred which surprised me was that Esther had pushed the foot out and then would suck it back in. The only reason I could figure out why was to get him in the correct position where the second hoof generally will follow the first either next to it, behind it or above. Our little kid came out with one foot on top of the other.
10. The Head
Shortly behind the front hooves, the kids nose will push through followed by the rest of his head. The most difficult part for the mother. In the photo below, you can see the nose of the kid with his tongue stuck out to the side pushing his way out of the vulva.
Admittedly, the tongue to the side scared us, we thought he was dead but when we touched it, he sucked it back in and wiggled it at us. If mom is really struggling here, then go ahead and give her a hand. Remember to only pull when she pushes.
11. The Shoulders and Rest of Body
The next big push is the shoulders and once they pass through the birth canal, the rest is smooth sailing. If mom is too exhausted to push anymore and you can see the kid's chest fully, you can go ahead and finish the job and pull him out. No need to do anything with the umbilical cord as it will snap off on it's own. You can dip it in iodine to sterilize and if it's super cold in your barn, towel the baby's dry to warm them up as soon as possible. However, mom is quite capable of doing this herself and enjoys it as well.
12. Kid Goat
At long last after months of waiting, your kid goat is born. Congratulations!
13. Afterbirth
That's right, we're not quite done yet. Momma will expel the afterbirth indicating the last kid was born. It may take a while for it to fully come out but be patient, it will on it's own, you won't need to help.
And don't be alarmed if she begins to eat it.
Perfectly normal. And healthy. There's a lot of nutrients in that placenta.
So there you have it. The stages of goat birth. Now go and enjoy your little bundle of joy.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Done
Finished the last sheep pen.
But instead of thinking, "great, now my sheep have more leg room" I'm thinking, "great, now there is room for more sheep!".
My First Kid
My first goat kid that is.
He belongs to Esther and Caesar and was born today around 1:00pm. Esther went into labour shortly after morning chores allowing us to witness the whole thing. And even assisted when her little buckling was just a bit too large to get out herself.
He belongs to Esther and Caesar and was born today around 1:00pm. Esther went into labour shortly after morning chores allowing us to witness the whole thing. And even assisted when her little buckling was just a bit too large to get out herself.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Getting There
I decided I needed more room in the barn for the sheep so decided to use the only last space available---second last actually as there is still the corner where we store the hay. The space I'm referring to is the clutter corner. The corner where we put everything, and I mean everything.
We removed all the clutter first.
And then found new homes for the deep freezers and cabinets until at last it was empty.
All that needs to be done now is install the boards and lay some straw. I'm not sure what to think about the electrical outlets. Are sheep inclined to chew on the plastic covering them? Or worse, lick the outlet boxes?! If it were the goats I know that wouldn't be safe, but I've never had my sheep get into anything. But I'd hate for this to be the first so am thinking of getting an electrician out to move the outlet boxes.
We removed all the clutter first.
And then found new homes for the deep freezers and cabinets until at last it was empty.
All that needs to be done now is install the boards and lay some straw. I'm not sure what to think about the electrical outlets. Are sheep inclined to chew on the plastic covering them? Or worse, lick the outlet boxes?! If it were the goats I know that wouldn't be safe, but I've never had my sheep get into anything. But I'd hate for this to be the first so am thinking of getting an electrician out to move the outlet boxes.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Visitor
We found a visitor in the greenhouse this morning.
See him?
And we have the first sign of spring on the first day of spring. Granted, it was found indoors but it gives me hope.
See him?
And we have the first sign of spring on the first day of spring. Granted, it was found indoors but it gives me hope.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Feeders
Guess what I did today?
Made new arrangements in the barn again of course.
It seems I'm always unsatisfied with the setup in the barn. The problem I was presently having was that I was wasting a whole lot of expensive hay. Without a hay feeder in the pen, the ewes trampled a good portion of hay and made it into bedding. So I had to fix that.
I searched the internet and Pinterest for a setup that would work for me and the small space I had to work with. The sheep pens in my barn are not very wide. They are only 10 feet deep so no room for a feeder in the middle I knew I had to work with the space outside of the pens.
We installed bottom boards along the base and left about 11" for sheep to slip their heads out comfortably for feeding. There are individual slots that we separated by 12" but are adjusting that to about 8" as it is really too wide and not only can two ewes slip their heads into one slot but a ewe has already got a leg and head stuck in one. Besides by making the slots smaller will provide more individual feeding slots to accommodate all the sheep.
Next project, smaller and lighter grain feeders.
Made new arrangements in the barn again of course.
It seems I'm always unsatisfied with the setup in the barn. The problem I was presently having was that I was wasting a whole lot of expensive hay. Without a hay feeder in the pen, the ewes trampled a good portion of hay and made it into bedding. So I had to fix that.
I searched the internet and Pinterest for a setup that would work for me and the small space I had to work with. The sheep pens in my barn are not very wide. They are only 10 feet deep so no room for a feeder in the middle I knew I had to work with the space outside of the pens.
We installed bottom boards along the base and left about 11" for sheep to slip their heads out comfortably for feeding. There are individual slots that we separated by 12" but are adjusting that to about 8" as it is really too wide and not only can two ewes slip their heads into one slot but a ewe has already got a leg and head stuck in one. Besides by making the slots smaller will provide more individual feeding slots to accommodate all the sheep.
Next project, smaller and lighter grain feeders.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Rain Rot
I have learned that owning horses is not as easy as one may think. It seems every year I learn something new. Horses are far more sensitive then other livestock including miniature horses. They pick up diseases easier, have more sound issues and weight problems. This winter we discovered a new disease in horses. It is called rain rot. Sierra has gotten badly infected.
But as nasty as it looks, this is not a life-threatening disease and is a common issue with horses so I've been told. Even my Farm Girl's coach has it on some of his horses. It's mostly caused by the warm humid climate when the hair particles are killed and then you have an onslaught of cold weather and the thick winter coat grows in on top of those dead cells. We didn't notice it until late fall when we discovered a bunch of bumps under Sierra's coat and a baseball size patch of hair came off in my hand. Initially we thought she had mites and treated her for that however it never went away and the bumps continued while hair particles fell off. A call to the vet diagnosed rain rot over the phone which her coach confirmed when he came to take a look at her. When the vet came out to take a look at Blossom, he noticed Sierra and thought she might have mites or lice so did a thorough search through her coat and found as we already new that she did not have any. He prescribed an antibiotic for her and advised us to give her a bath with an iodine based shampoo. Meanwhile, we are to remove all the dead hair and expose the skin in order for it to heal.
But as nasty as it looks, this is not a life-threatening disease and is a common issue with horses so I've been told. Even my Farm Girl's coach has it on some of his horses. It's mostly caused by the warm humid climate when the hair particles are killed and then you have an onslaught of cold weather and the thick winter coat grows in on top of those dead cells. We didn't notice it until late fall when we discovered a bunch of bumps under Sierra's coat and a baseball size patch of hair came off in my hand. Initially we thought she had mites and treated her for that however it never went away and the bumps continued while hair particles fell off. A call to the vet diagnosed rain rot over the phone which her coach confirmed when he came to take a look at her. When the vet came out to take a look at Blossom, he noticed Sierra and thought she might have mites or lice so did a thorough search through her coat and found as we already new that she did not have any. He prescribed an antibiotic for her and advised us to give her a bath with an iodine based shampoo. Meanwhile, we are to remove all the dead hair and expose the skin in order for it to heal.
She is on antibiotics for a couple more days but then she will be sent outside to let the sun heal the rest. The sun is the best medicine in this case and the rain is the worse. We cannot allow rain or snow to touch the rain rot or it we will be back where we started from and Sierra will never heal.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
No Kidding!
My little pygmy goat, Holly is expecting! No kidding!
After 3 years of waiting, it has finally happened. Daddy is not Thunder as I would have liked.
After 3 years of waiting, it has finally happened. Daddy is not Thunder as I would have liked.
But after all Caesar's. The sneaky little bugger.
After months of ignoring the girls, or at least we thought he was, Caesar is proving his stud worth.
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