In less than 12 hours, kidding season started and was over. Last Tuesday, the 7th, about noon, Freya was in the back stall in their barn, laying down when I checked on them. She didn't show any signs of labor at all. In fact, I had written dates down, starting March 9th through the 24th, so I wasn't even thinking about kids then.
I was in my studio, which is right in front of the barn. I thought I heard a baby goat, but thought there's no way. But I heard it again. So I went out and sure enough, there were 3 little goat babies. 3 of them!! I knew Freya had more than just 2 kids in there, as huge as she was.
So got some towels and helped dry them off as much as I could. They are all girls!! All are doing great. I have tried to give them a bottle, but they will not take it. I have had to milk her some, because the kids will just nurse her right side. Her teats are SO big, they can't get their little tiny mouths on it. So when I get most of the milk out, it helps them. She's such a good momma.
It's been really cold here and they are small, so I decided to put little sweaters on these guys.
Then, about 11 that same night, I went to check on Olga. I had noticed earlier that she was laying down, getting up and pawing, then laying down again, quite often. So I was watching her.
When I went out at 11:30, she'd already had 1 kid, and the head and a leg of another were coming out. I couldn't find the other leg, so I gently pulled when she'd push. And out came another kid.
The darker one came first. It's a buck. I named him Thorin, after the dwarf king under the mountain, in the Hobbit. I was hoping I'd get at least 1 buck so I could use that name.
The lighter one is a doe. I named her Alva.
I am milking Olga because she's SO big and the kids cannot drink it all yet. Her milk is really good and we are drinking it already. I have missed goat milk so much and it's SO good! I wish Freya's kids could nurse on Olga. She has perfect little teats, just the right size for little mouths.
So I was way off on dates. That buck must of got them both as soon as he went through the gate here! Just bam, bam, done! And I kept him here 6 weeks.
These kids are SO cute and sweet! And I am SO allergic! I'm having to take Claritin just so I can breath. And hay too. But I have to love on these sweet babies!
I'm sorry I haven't been posting here. I take pictures with my phone so it takes forever to load them onto this blog.
I will try to post more often though.
Oh, if anyone has some really cute Irish, Celtic, fairy, elf, hobbit names for girls, please let me know. I need 3 for Freya's girls.
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