Kidding Season - Another Kid

I've got some good news and some bad news tonight.  Let's start with the bad.  On Sunday, Bunny gave birth to twins.  The largest one was born dead.  The youngest was very small and weak.  For the past four days we've worked hard to pick her up, put her on Bunny's teats, and encourage her to suckle.  I was going through this process five or six times a day.  She'd drink and show some strength.  She was never able to get up on her own, make her way to the dinner table and drink milk.  Last night I noticed she was getting weaker.  I worked with her and gave her encouragement, but my efforts proved to be ineffectual.  By late this afternoon she died, and I dug a hole with a shovel and buried her.  I've buried several goats this year.  Tonight when I got back from the Beekeeper's meeting, I could hear Bunny crying hauntingly as she looked for her baby.  C'est La Vie (and death).

Bunny's unnamed doeling - RIP

Let's switch to the good news.  Agnes is another momma goat.  She's the only goat on the farm with horns, and she uses that to her advantage, bullying all the other goats.  She's mean.  But she is a good momma, always delivering healthy babies, strong and vigorous.  Coming on the heels of Bunny's situation, we were hoping for a better outcome with Agnes.

It's Agnes' time to shine

Tuesday afternoon I went to the barn to gather eggs.  As I rounded the corner, I was greeted by a surprise.  Agnes had given birth to a big black baby goat.  She had cleaned her baby up, and it was up and walking.  Since Agnes had not had a gender reveal party, I checked the little goat's equipment and it's a little buckling.  We'll name him Kit!

Without any assistance from me, Kit immediately started nursing and got his dose of colostrum, giving him the best shot of health moving forward.  That little dude drained one teat in no time flat.

I always like to get proof the babies got the colostrum.  "The proof is in the pudding," they say.  That saying is literally true.  I checked Kit's "pudding," and it is bright orange.  Yep, he got the good stuff digested.

Kit is jet black and full of spunk and energy.  He'll be a welcome addition to Our Maker's Acres Family Farm.

We've always said that if you are discouraged or depressed, the best thing for you is to sit down and watch baby goats hop around playfully in the pasture.  It's sure to put a smile on your face!