These were my first two goats, Alemy and daughter, Mary who arrived in June of 2013.
Then one day, Greta showed up on my doorstep, looking for a home.
And finally, Bella needed a new home.
She was doing poorly when she came here and struggled through the winter, so she was not going to be a nanny. I decided, I wouldn't ever let her have kids because of her weak back legs. She improved drastically through the summer with fresh greens, colloidal silver treatments, (How to make colloidal silver here; http://brentwoodfarm.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-your-own-colloidal-silver )
and I put apple cider vinegar in her water.
I kept her separate from the others until she was stronger but she was very lonely. She's such a gentle goat. The most gentle of them all. I'm thankful too that she has the longest horns. With a fence that separated them all, she stayed as close to it as she could. When the others tried to bully her, she held her ground well. She doesn't go after anyone and likes to just be in their company.
As they all escaped the fence anyway, in the end, they all ended up grazing contentedly, together.
She was doing poorly when she came here and struggled through the winter, so she was not going to be a nanny. I decided, I wouldn't ever let her have kids because of her weak back legs. She improved drastically through the summer with fresh greens, colloidal silver treatments, (How to make colloidal silver here; http://brentwoodfarm.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-your-own-colloidal-silver )
and I put apple cider vinegar in her water.
I kept her separate from the others until she was stronger but she was very lonely. She's such a gentle goat. The most gentle of them all. I'm thankful too that she has the longest horns. With a fence that separated them all, she stayed as close to it as she could. When the others tried to bully her, she held her ground well. She doesn't go after anyone and likes to just be in their company.
As they all escaped the fence anyway, in the end, they all ended up grazing contentedly, together.
The three expecting mothers, early May. This old fence was useless.
By the end of May, Greta was laying down in the field to rest while she ate.
Greta was the first to have her kids, May 26th and the first kid born at Brentwood Farm was Samuel. I was in the barn, building their birthing pens, (from pallets of course) when she went into labor in the main area. I led her into her new pen and sat with her. I didn't know what to do. Sit with her or leave her alone. She definitely didn't want to be alone. She bawled every time I stepped out. So I stayed beside her to comfort and encourage her.
Welcome Princess Ella, Greta's second kid.
And then there were three.
I knew nothing about goats and what I learned from experience was, if they suckle from their mother, leave them with their mother but I left Greta with one and bottle fed Samuel and the smallest that I named, Emma; on the advise of online farmers that I later learned, knew about as much as I did.
I knew nothing about goats and what I learned from experience was, if they suckle from their mother, leave them with their mother but I left Greta with one and bottle fed Samuel and the smallest that I named, Emma; on the advise of online farmers that I later learned, knew about as much as I did.
Two days later, I came out to the barn to feed everyone and found Mary with her single kid in the back shed with all the junk that was yet to be cleaned out. She was named, Rose Bud.
Alemy, I was most worried for, even though she was experienced and the mother of Mary, who had Rose Bud.
Three weeks later, she finally had her two kids and again, the chosen spot was in the back shed where all the junk was.
These goats were all bred by a Lamancha buck, they being Saanan and up until now, the kids all had lamancha ears.
Alemy had a boy, Jacob and this little girl, Rachel, who ended up with Saanan ears and looked more like a donkey than a goat. Alemy was the only one who had kids with Lamancha colors and these were a chocolate brown, with white markings the rest were all white.
Three weeks later, she finally had her two kids and again, the chosen spot was in the back shed where all the junk was.
These goats were all bred by a Lamancha buck, they being Saanan and up until now, the kids all had lamancha ears.
Alemy had a boy, Jacob and this little girl, Rachel, who ended up with Saanan ears and looked more like a donkey than a goat. Alemy was the only one who had kids with Lamancha colors and these were a chocolate brown, with white markings the rest were all white.
These next few pictures are of Rachel getting used to her legs and finding her mother's teat, with a little coaxing from Mamma.
Ten days later.
One month later. Jacob and donkey girl, Rachel. And then there were ten goats on Brentwood Farm.
Bottle feeding Emma and Samuel's big sucky kiss.
Samuel, 2 days old. Aren't I handsome?
Greta, taking Princess Ella out to meet the sun. Alemy in the background hadn't had hers yet but she was very motherly towards Mary's baby, Rose Bud.
Social time. 2 weeks old.
Jacob and Rachel weren't born yet. I stuck a board there to seerrrrrrrrrggfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff if they would be curious enough to climb. Sammy was the first to go near it.
Jacob and Rachel weren't born yet. I stuck a board there to seerrrrrrrrrggfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff if they would be curious enough to climb. Sammy was the first to go near it.
Aha! I think I can climb this.
And run down sideways.
Princess, prancing
My bottle babies, Samuel and Emma can hear me calling them but haven't quite seen me yet.
Here they come! We see you Mama! Got some milk?
After Jacob and Rachel joined the rest of the herd, things were pretty smooth...until,
"Who the hell is that."
I hope you enjoyed the story.
"Who the hell is that."
I hope you enjoyed the story.