Farm Fresh Blog

I now have a better appreciation for people who run Daycare Centers (and dairies.) Caring for baby goats at different stages and times of feeding, while still trying to hold down a full time job, has me running ragged. Last Sunday we brought home 5 babies that were either bottle babies or on a lambar/lamb bar (i.e. big bucket of milk with nipples).

The bottle babies are destined to be wethers that will be companions for our new buckling

 Jethro

They will move with him when he moves into a separate 'boys only' area. These are my NCIS boys. The breeder was already calling the buckling 'Jethro' and so I will give him some kind of NCIS-type registered name for the main character, 'Leroy Jethro Gibbs.' His sidekicks were named Tony and Tim.

They are tiny now and are being fed four times a day. Photographing them is like trying to catch birds in flight, or popcorn as it bounces around.

 Tim

The older kids are getting grain, hay, and beet pulp in addition to their milk. The oldest babies are getting grain, hay, and beet pulp and are completely confused by this whole lambar thing and why it's so popular with everyone else.

 Sparrow & Feather

The oldest girls are happy to have the company of other goats and everyone enjoys playing Romper Room. I was happy to see the tiny guys holding their own in the group so I didn't have to separate them long.

 Rosie & Elsa

 Tim, Tony, Elsa, Jethro, & Rosie

I also have a better appreciation for the amount of milk baby goats drink. Since I had always let my does raise their babies, I grossly underestimated how much milk these little guts can consume. Holy cow! I look forward to getting them weaned. I won't try this again until I'm retired and am able to devote more time feeding them and running back and forth to the store for more milk. I do have to say they are the most adorable little critters and a most welcome addition to our family.

 "More milk, please!"