A Surprise! (and Preparations)

 It is almost time to bring home the goats...

...but this morning brought a startling discovery.  "Elly May," my sister's goat, is not an "Elly May" at all!  "Elly May" is a buck!  What a surprise!  The breeder has several more does that should kid in the next couple of weeks, so hopefully a true "Elly May" will join the herd soon.

Preparations to bring the new goats to the farm are underway:

Goat Records: This is a notebook to be used for random scribblings about the goats, bottle feeding tips, nutrition information, American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) information, and the daily "barn records."  I wrote in Proverbs 3:5-10 and Proverbs 27:23&27 at the beginning.  It is my prayer that these verses will guide this great goat adventure.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 

It will be health to your flesh, 

And strength to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Proverbs 3:5-10

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;

You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.

Proverbs 27:23&27 

 Sweaters: The weather can't seem to decide whether to be warm or cold, so I have several old sweaters for the goats.  I plan to cut off the sleeves to use as mini goat-coats.

Baby Bottles:  They only hold 8oz. and eventually the kids will need 16oz. per feeding, but they should work good for starters.

Nipples: I also have some Pritchard nipples and some lamb nipples that can be used on pop bottles.  If the baby bottles don't work out, I will use these as a back-up plan.

Probiotic Plus Paste (Goats Prefer brand): (not in photo below) Just in case the kids need a little boost due to stress or scours, I have these "goat vitamins" on hand.

Vet Thermometer

With the necessary supplies to get started, I am all ready to bring the goats home!

Meet Edna and Elly May!

I couldn't wait.  A rush of excitement swept over me as I prepared to visit the goats for the first time.  It was a thrilling experience to get to hold such fragile creatures in my arms.  Their tiny mouths tried to suck at my fingers as they searched for a milk source (which I didn't have!).  It was chilly today, so they are bundled up in sweaters in these pictures and their beautiful markings are hard to see!  My goat is Edna and my sister's goat is Elly May.  Both come from milking lines and should make good milking goats come time for them to become mamas themselves!

 

 Edna all bundled up!

Elly May and Edna

Notice the "E" names?  The year 2014 is the "E" year for the American Dairy Goat Association.  When the goats are tagged or tattooed, the first identification symbol with be the letter "E."  I chose to name them "E" names to go with this identification system!

Goat Cave

When the goats come "home," they will live in this goat house on the front porch for several weeks.  Here is the "Goat Cave" all ready for it's new occupants!

A Phone Call

I woke up this morning to a winter wonderland.  Dainty icicles were suspended from the wooden fence surrounding my home.  The barb wire was encased in frozen raindrops.  Everything was coated in a slippery layer of ice.  Truly a beautiful site to behold!

I was just finishing up my breakfast when the phone rang.  "Three kids, all does, born this morning!"  After a long wait, the goats are finally here!  In the wee hours of this beautiful, icy morning, my adventure became a reality.

THE GOATS ARE HERE!!!

An Adventure is Beginning...

A little over a year ago I would have never dreamed of owning dairy goats…

But a series of unexpected events, including a move to the country, changed all that.  With a surge of  inspiration to own a milk-producing animal, I began to investigate the marvelous world of dairy goats.  I decided to purchase several Alpine doe-kids this Spring, and I am now looking forward to the coming months and years that will be full of bottle-feeding, breeding, kidding, and milking!

Here I find myself on the brink of a great adventure.   I have a lot to learn. I have a lot to grow.  This blog seeks to share the musings of a little goat farmer.

So here we go.  An adventure is beginning.  THE adventure is beginning. The great goat adventure.