[ballingall]

Hi,

I haven't been around much over the past week or so. My neices Becky (12) and Hannah (10 1/2) have been staying since last Wednesday so that they would be here when their goats kidded. Their goat Comet was due on Friday the 9th, and Buttercup was due on the Sunday 11th. And the days went on and on, and we got to Sunday, and no-one had kidded. We also had Lonicera my mum's goat who was due on the Friday too.

Finally on Sunday, Alex and I took the girls out to Livingston for lunch, we were sat down having just ordered, when the phone goes and my mum announces that Buttercup is kidding. So we gobble our food, and rush home, but we are just a tiny bit too late and she had had twin males. We have kept one of these, but we will look to sell him probably, and he is called Thistle.

And then in the evening, my sister (Becky and Hannah's mum) her husband and the twins came over to see the new kids, when we realised Lonicera was kidding. She didn't have an easy time, although a lot better than last year, but she had one boy and one girl. We have kept the girl and she is called Luma.

And finally on Tuesday, 4 days after she was due, on checking Comet at 6am, we found her starting, so everyone was hauled out of bed to see her give birth to a huge female kid. It is named Cupid, continuing their theme of naming their goats after Santa's reindeer!


So with having my neices over, by the time we finish up outside with the animals, and I get got the girls sorted out, let them watch tv for 1/2 an hour and finally packed off to bed, it would be time to feed the kids again, after which I was just falling into bed, instead of coming on here!


Beth

[ballingall]

A wee picture of my babies...






And my neices kid Cupid.

[jameslindsay]

Beth they are gorgeous and so contented looking. Looking at this makes all your hard work well worth it.

[plumseverywhere]

Beautiful!!

love the names!

[ukag0972]

I'm going to follow suit and try post pics of my new babies

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/leebastow/photo-12.jpg

[doganjo]

Beth, I'm puzzled!  When you say you are keeping one of Buttercups male kids, but may sell Thistle later - what happened to the other one?

We have kept one of these, but we will look to sell him probably, and he is called Thistle.

and about Lonicera's two

she had one boy and one girl. We have kept the girl and she is called Luma.

  Presumably from the photos you still actually have these, they haven't died?
Sorry if I'm being thick, I was up too early this morning.  Must get off to that dog show now- glad it's only 10 mins away!(Alva)

[little blue]

beth, they're lovely, especially Cupid!

[little blue]

And yours Lee,  does s/he have a name yet?!

[jameslindsay]

Lee your wee one is cute too 

[ballingall]

Beth, I'm puzzled!  When you say you are keeping one of Buttercups male kids, but may sell Thistle later - what happened to the other one?

We have kept one of these, but we will look to sell him probably, and he is called Thistle.

and about Lonicera's two

she had one boy and one girl. We have kept the girl and she is called Luma.

  Presumably from the photos you still actually have these, they haven't died?
Sorry if I'm being thick, I was up too early this morning.  Must get off to that dog show now- glad it's only 10 mins away!(Alva)

Annie, we don't always keep all the kids we have, especially if they are males. We always keep females, because they can be sold without too much difficulty, but there is not such a big market for male kids, unless they are really well bred. Which is why we have kept a couple to sell as they are well bred. It is not something we like doing, and in the past few years we have had people looking for castrated males as pets, so haven't had the problem of too many male kids.


Beth

[doganjo]

That's not what I asked really.  I was confused about the way you put it - I presume you still have them all at the moment.  What age do you sell them?

[Anke]

Beth, I have just pm-d you re orphan lambs. Will be online for a wee while longer. Anke

[ballingall]

That's not what I asked really.  I was confused about the way you put it - I presume you still have them all at the moment.  What age do you sell them?

Sorry Annie, I didn't realise I hadn't fully answered. No we don't still have them all, two of the males have been put to sleep. We have the female kid from Lonicera, called Luma, but not her male kid, and we only kept one of Buttercup's males. Lonicera's male wasn't worth keeping for breeding, and as Buttercup is not fully proven yet, being only a first kidder, we only kept one. We could raise them for meat, but to be frank a male kid needs a lot of milk, and we could raise 3 orphan lambs on the same amount of milk it would take to raise one male kid.

Beth

[Roxy]

What gorgeous goats - the white one appears to have really long ears!!  Is that everyone kidded now?!!!

[ballingall]

In theory, yes everyone has kidded. In practice, we still have Bronwyn. She was pregnant twice last year, due once in February, and then again in june, but she readsorbed the kids both times. She was mated in October, but eventually came back in season in February, so we put her just to the Anglo-Nubian in the hopes of getting her to kid. She is a British Toggenburg, so the kids will be crosses, but if she is due it will be in July!


But she is 3 now and has never kidded, not sure she ever will to be honest, which is a shame, because she is a lovely animal.

Beth