I feel like this was my true initiation year in regards to goats, even though I’ve had them for five years. Up until now, we’ve only had one or two goats pregnant and kidding, which is a breeze to handle. Especially when they all present you with textbook perfect births with no issues. This year. Yeesh!
Five does pregnant and I thought I knew the due date of all of them. Apparently, two didn’t take the first time I saw them bred, but did when the buck got loose a week later. So, first it made me think they were holding out and keeping their kids hostage until I promised copious amounts of grain for life. Then I stopped worrying when I realized they just weren’t due yet. Then surprise, three days after her supposed first due date, one of them kidded, but they were early! The wee babies were adorable and seemed fine, although on the small side. She never really showed that much and I assumed she’d have a single. But Bonnie presented me with two little doelings who took an extra couple of days to get where they should be developmentally, but are now prancing around in that “I can’t stand myself,” way baby goats have. Mom had a congested udder on one side which bothered me, but I started our natural treatment for such things immediately; lobelia/mullien herbs on her grain, warm compresses on her udder several times a day and massaging with Fir Meadows Mammary Salve which has peppermint and other good things for the mammary system. Things were slowly getting better, then last night, one of my goat farming FB friends told me that parsley and celery were excellent for clearing up congestion. So Bonnie got them both last night and this morning when I put her on the stand to milk her out, she was completely cleared up. No hardness, no lumps, and a nice full udder!! Yay for natural!!
Thankfully, Fricka, the first to kid and on her due date to boot, presented me with two girls also, who came out swinging and are now, at just shy of a week old, running with everyone else! Three more due by Friday, but I’m feeling much better today than I was Monday when I had to ask myself exactly why I’m doing this. Why am I giving myself stress ulcers and abusing my poor arthritic hands by milking? Because I love it and I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. Second guessing our choices is human nature. But as long as I keep coming back around to this conclusion, I’m good with whatever gets thrown at me.
