1st milking!

I milked Penelope this morning and got a full qt. It was so amazing, hearing that milk hit the bucket again. And see it fill up with good warm goat milk. Both dogs were right back in their spots, waiting for their squirts of milk, just like they'd never had a break of nearly 5 months. It was great! I sure did miss milking. And Penelope is a milkers dream. Just to be back in the milking routine again is just great. I'll milk her again tonight. She's so big and needs to be milked. I do not want her to get mastitis.

Isn't that just a beautiful sight? I'll be feeding this to the lambs. I never liked goat milk til after 2 weeks. It has to be just right for me. And I know the lambs will love it. Straight goat milk now for the little ladies!

Oh happy days again!

1st kids of 2014

I know this is gross, but if you enlarge this photo you can see the bucks rear end. It's nasty! And a pale yellow color and runny. He was a mess when I went to check on them this afternoon. The little doe is pooping the orange normal color and seems fine. He also had a runny eye. I got a bucket of warm soapy water and cleaned the poor boy up and he looks much better. I just wonder if he's getting too much milk or it's too rich? I keep checking them to see how he's looking. I don't know if I have ever seen this before and I've been doing this for 14 years now.

Here he is all cleaned up and frisky. He's so cute. I'm naming the goat kids this year after '60's and '70's folk singers.

                                                        His name is Woody Guthrie.

                                                  And this little lady is Emmy Lou Harris.

I need more suggestions for names. I have Joanie Mitchell, Peter, Paul and Mary, (I hope I don't have that many bucks though!) Bob Dylan. My brain is frozen right now and I can't think of any more. I'm going to Google it now.

1 down, 3 to go!

Yay! Penelope had twins just awhile ago!!!!

The one that looks like her and John Henry is the first born and a buck. The little black one is a doe! She's so small. They both have little tiny Gopher ears too. So cute.

So yay, we have goat milk again!!!! I am so happy! And all is well. They are in that back stall, all warm and away from the March wind that's blowing like crazy out there today.

And in a few days I can start milking her for the lambs too. She has so much milk.

Hopefully, the other 3 will follow and we will be done with babes.