Yesterday was such a wonderful day! :) One of our does, Sunset Splash did something very unusual and uncommon, but it was very good!
To start at the beginning. . . . . Sadly, a couple weeks ago, Sunset kidded and lost her babies. We were not there to attend the birth and she was just unable to get the amniotic sacs off before they passed away. It was a freezing cold day too. So, she sadly lost her babies. :( It was very difficult for all of us, most especially Sunset. She is a wonderful mother and would gladly let her babies nurse forever. Cordelia nursed until she was nearly a year old (and I still think she may sneak a sip every once in a while). ;) So, needless to say, she was devastated. Since then, she has been crying and it had been very difficult to console her. Until. . . . yesterday, without any coaxing whatsoever, she allowed Cordelia's baby boy nurse from her udder!
I was thrilled to say the least! I was practically doing cartwheels to the house to tell my mom the great news. :)
So, now these little babies are two verrry spoiled kids! Not only do they get tons of loving from humans but also TWO mommas! When Cordelia "kicks" them off her udder, they just run to Grandma! I have to watch these two, little piglets. . . . that's what they are!
So, my mom made up a new saying (well, we think it's new) -- "When Momma says no, ask Grandma." :)
I just had to share this sweet story. Not too many times will you be able to find a doe that will do this, especially with absolutely no coaxing. Sunset has always been a treasured girl, but now she is even more so! She's staying with us forever!
I will try to take a sweet photo of this happy "family" soon.
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4 comments:
Hi! What beautiful goats you have. I'm just starting to learn about this breed, and I had a question. I know that they can give 2 quarts a day, but, what do yours give? I want to know what the average person's yields are like.
While it will most likely be quite a while before I can have my own goats again, I want to learn as much about them as I can in the mean time.
Thanks for the compliment! :)
Well, we haven't been really consistent with milking but this coming year is when we will be. The most I've milked from a doe was 1.5 quarts, and that was from a Pygmy doe (she's an awesome milker!)
A really good Nigerian Dwarf doe usually peaks around 2+ quarts a day and then tapers off to about 1.5 quarts. But I have heard of does producing 3+ quarts. It really depends on the bloodlines - we're striving to breed for does that produce 2+ quarts a day.
Hope that helps some! :)
These babies are adorable! They must be so tiny.
So sad to read about Sunset - that is exactly what happened with our Muffin the day we came home from our holidays in Canada. She'd been sold to us as being due November 27 and never kidded. We thought she wasn't pregnant. Turns out it was December 27. Heartbreaking - we were not there, she was out in the lean-to, and it was a very cold night. They were to have been our very first baby goats.
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