Answers To Your Questions

(Christmas Cocoa checking out the camera)

How many kids do we have now? We had a total of 14 goat babies this year. 3 are already at new homes being spoiled and the bucklings and a couple of doelings will be going to their new home when they are weaned.

Do they get stepped on or mixed up in with the other goats? The mom and her babies are kept by themselves for a few days. The mom goats and their babies are kept in a pen/pasture area by themselves. The other goats are in pens next to them and can see the babies but not get in with them. Each mom knows her own baby if one that isn't hers should try to nurse she just steps aside and nudges the baby away. Sonya's buckling looks almost identical to DiDi's so I sometimes have a hard time telling them apart. The moms can in an instant. All the moms are careful with all the babies. They don't step on them or try to hurt them. All the babies play together and even sleep together in a big pile. Tiny Tina, her mom Baby along with Mandy and Christmas Cocoa are in their own pen since they are so much smaller.

How are the kids doing? They are doing great! They are running, jumping, climbing, chasing each other. All are healthy, happy and spoiled!

Why did you name a chicken Cheese? I had a hen that hatched out a chick and a duckling. She raised the duckling like it was a chick. The duckling and chick thought they were sisters and went everywhere together. They were inseparable. They just seemed so normal together... kinda like cheese and crackers. So I named the duckling Quackers and the chick Cheese. Yeah, I am strange like that. LOL

Do you ever mix up which kid is which? Yes! Its easy to tell Diva's apart. Sunshine and Leo are huge now. Sammi only has 2 now since I sold one of her girls and its easy telling Frosty from Dawn. Sonya's girl Faith looks almost like one of Sammi's Dawn so I have to look close. And Sonya's Marvel looks exactly like DiDi's Salem so I really really have to look close. Bridie's Snowy Grace is easy to recognise as is Christmas Cocoa and Tiny Tina.

Do the moms discipline them? Yes, they actually do. If you remember the photos of Snowy Grace running from her mom. Bridie really did chase her down and nudge her into the stall to lay down. She didn't leave Snowy Grace alone until she was laying down. The moms will speak to the kids in a certain tone if they are doing something the mom doesn't like and the kid will stop and come stand by mom. The moms use their head to nudge the baby if its doing something its not suppose to and the kid will stop. The mom goats teach their kids really well.

Do you have a kid minding center to give the moms a break. With all the moms together in a area they get lots of breaks. All the kids will snuggle together for nap time and the moms will stand around the hay rack eating and talking.

Think that has all the questions answered. If I forgot any just ask me again. You know I am getting old and forgetful!

Answering Your Questions

After surviving a night temp of 18F the little newborn kid is actually doing very well. She spent the night with her mom Bridie and Bridie made sure her baby stayed next to her and was warm. I went out 3 times during the night and even covered baby with a blanket at one time knowing it wouldn't stay on. I did make sure their stall was draft free, snug and warm. Little one is nursing well, walking around, and acting just like the other kids at Hidden Haven. She is still getting antibiotics each day just to be safe. And little one has a name now. Since it was by the grace of God I found her in time on that snowy morning we decided to name her Snowy Grace. It has been such a busy day here I didn't get a photo of her today but will post one tomorrow to show how well she is doing. As for DiDi's twin boys, one went to a new home today. The other one we named Salem which means at peace. DiDi had a very peaceful labor and delivery this year. One of Sonya's triplets has a new home so she only has 2 now. Its much easier on her to nurse. We named the buckling Marvel and the doeling Faith. With the labor and delivery she had those are perfect names. Someone ask if the goats get mad when I sell their babies. They get upset for a few hours and keep looking for the kid. Sonya makes sure if someone new comes in to look at her kids she is right there so they don't take anymore. DiDi cried for about an hour and then went back to munching hay and is now curled up next to Sonya sleeping. Their kids are close and sleep and play together. Sammi and her triplets are doing well. I will be selling one of her doelings. It will leave her with Frosty and Jan which will make it easier on her to nurse. Diva's twins, Sunshine and Leo are running around playing and even nibbling on hay. And yes, we are through kidding until May unless there is another surprise I don't know about. We try very hard to plan our breeding dates so we know the kidding dates but things happen, goats get out, etc. You just do what you can do. Someone ask about the coffee. Its not given as a shot. I put it in a syringe and give it orally. Make it as warm as you can without getting it too hot for the kid to swallow. Put the syringe in the side of the mouth with the tip on the middle of the tongue. Let a little of the coffee out at a time so they don't choke. This gives them the warmth they need and it also gives them a caffeine boost to their system to jump start it. You can do this with any animal. Just make sure you don't choke them by giving it too fast or too hot. Make it strong and you can even add a little molasses. Now for the question about rumen. The goats stomach has 4 chambers and they are like fermenting vats. You will see goats belch alot.They belch and the food particles come up and they chew what is call cud and swallow it and it goes to the next chamber, then the next, etc. When they aren't burping or passing gas then their rumen isn't working. They get the heat for their body from working their rumen. (chewing their cud). This is dangerous for them if they aren't chewing their cud. They can get chilled, their food isn't digested and just comes out in big clumps of poop. So you need to do something to make them burp and get the rumen working again. Giving them baking soda helps balance the pH in the rumen and keeps the digestive system flowing. By giving them veggie oil or peanut oil (some type of oil with a taste so they know to swallow and not let it go into their lungs) you break the bubbles in their stomach chambers or fermenting vats so they will start burping and passing gas. Also give them some good hay to eat as this will give them much needed fiber. As for knowing when and what to do to help a goat kid. I always try to be with each one when they go into labor. You never know if they will need help or not. Most kids that are lost die at birth because the doe had problems. Either from kid being in wrong position, tangled with other kid inside doe, or lodge and can't pass thru cervix. If your goat is really pushing and no kid or bubble is appearing she is in distress. Glove up, use ob gel to lube the glove and very gently put your hand inside the goat. Make sure the kid is coming feet first. Either front feet and then the head or back feet and then the butt. If the kid is lodge against the cervix, gently push it back and straighten out the feet so it can pass through. If another kid is trying to push its way past the first one, gently push that kid back so first one can come out first. If the kids are tangled together say a prayer, take a deep breath and find one foot and gently trace that foot up to the body it belongs to. Gently find the rest of its legs, etc and untangle it and gently pull as the doe pushes until you have it out. I always clean the mouth, nose and airway of each kid born so it can start breathing right away. I then place in front of the mom so she can clean and bond with it. I will use towels and help clean the kid so mom doesn't use all her energy. I always give the mom warm molasses water and grain after kidding to restore her energy and heat her body has lost during kidding. ALWAYS make sure the newborn kid doesn't get a chill. Even in the summer they can get a chill which is very very hard on them. They may act fine for a day or so then you will find them dead and not know why. Its easy for them to get respiratory infections and very hard for them to fight off. Make sure they are good and dry before you leave them with their mom. Always make sure they have nursed before leaving them with their mom. If its cool or damp put a sweater on the kid to keep it warm. This is a simple way of saving a kid. Make sure if the mom doesn't bite the umbilical cord you cut it down to about an inch and dip it in 7%iodine. This will keep any bacteria from traveling up the cord and will help it dry faster. Goats aren't hard to take care of but do need to be checked on each day. I go out in their pens and just talk to them and see how they are eating, breathing, pooping and peeing. Just by observing you can catch and treat things quickly before they become too serious. For the one that ask if we have anyone helping now the answer is no, not yet. I am doing fairly well by myself. I just am not visiting all your blogs as much as I use to or posting as much as I want. I am enjoying knowing the animals are getting fed and taken care of the way I think is best. And I am really enjoying raking the pens and watching the kids learn how to run and play! I think I have answered all the questions, if not please ask again.

This and That

Fred is on the roof of the chicken house tonight. I still have a fire in the stove as its chilly to me. The boy goats did get out though they waited till daylight. Took me awhile to get them back up and poor William had to listen to me stress over the phone. Got all the pens raked today, even the dog lot. Did some grocery shopping, poured some soaps, sold some soaps, cleaned the kitchen and did a load of laundry. I am still very very far behind though I enjoyed the nice fall cool day.

I forgot to answer the question about Brevard, NC. Yes, I was born and raised there. I probably knew your grandmother as we went to the B and B alot! My dad worked for Gray's Barber Shop until he opened his own. He had the newstand, barbershop right across the street from the court house. My mother worked at Ben Franklin 5 and 10. I may have even seen you when you were visiting your grandmother!

I have been tagged by Dana The object is to go to the six page of your photo album and post the 6th photo, describe it and then go to the first page and post the first one and describe that one. I think I have it right. Then I am suppose to tag 3 people. If you want to play along consider yourself tagged! I had the photo album of Diva's kidding in 2007. It was my first time helping deliver goats. (Frosty Dan and Brown Robyn) The photo is my helping Diva deliver Brown Robyn. The next photo is the first photo where she is in labor. I can't believe so much time has passed and the boys are over a year old and have kids of their own! Sorry about the photo being so graphic but that was the 6th on page 6.

Melody went back to her regular doctor. He is working on getting her iron built up and setting up her hysterectomy. Still no word on the lump yet. She has to wait till Jan and go back to Hope Cancer Center. Thanks for the prayers. She really appreciates them.