That Darn Goat....

She did it to us AGAIN!

Late last August, one of our LaMancha/Boer cross does (LaBoer...) gave us a kid that we were not expecting. Every year she does this to us - sneaks one in when we least expect it. She is good at hiding her pregnancy, and doesn't show much of a "bag" until the day of the birth.

I had an "inkling" that she might be pregnant about a week ago. Something just "told" me that she was. I wasn't POSITIVE, but thought that it was possible. It was just something in the way she was acting.

I even ASKED her if she was, but she didn't feel like talking about it.....

Today, I collected all of the "stuff" to milk with, and headed out the door - intending to go straight to the barn and milk. I made it about 3 steps away from the porch when Yani saw me and barked.

I have learned that when she does this, something is going on. She barked a couple more times, then headed off in the direction of the creek, close to where it crosses our driveway. As soon as I could see past the trees, I saw Bunny standing there, and another white "blob" at her feet.

Yani barked again and then went to stand by Bunny.

Me, being the observant guy that I am (especially when it comes to Bunny and pregnancy...), figured out real quick what had happened. I dropped off the milk buckets at the barn, and headed for the pasture amid hollering and yowling from goats who wanted fed, goats who wanted milked, and cats who wanted breakfast.

I found Bunny standing on the creek bank with a new baby boy (naturally...). He was still a little wet, so he couldn't be very old. She had cleaned him up pretty good, and it was warm out, so he was doing ok.

I picked him up, grabbed mom by the horn (she was NOT amused...), and headed for the barn and a nice dry private stall.

Bunny, of course, fought me most of the way but, in the end, she relented - once she smelled food.

Here is a photo of the new boy in the stall, taking a nap:



He wasn't allowed to snooze TOO long, though. Mom rousted him after about 10 minutes:



Yesterday afternoon, Deb and I went out and picked up some loose hay that I'd cut a few days ago. It was only a few bales worth, but the goats sure went nuts when they smelled it come into the barn!



Sassy wanted some, and wanted it NOW! She stood up against the "banister" in the barn and sniffed the air like crazy.



I would have baled it but it wasn't enough to drag the baler out of the barn and up to the hay mow. It looks like it will be a week or two before it stops raining enough to cut hay. This worked out real well, though.

Today, we tried our butter churn out for the first time. We need to get the process down better, but it looks like we have a LITTLE bit of goat butter to try out!

My arm is killing me, though (Deb's are killing her, too!)......