The first additions of 2017

The kids, the doe, the treats, the blessings.  Little doeling hanging on to life.  Livestock guardian dog is my hero.

The treats

The babies are here!  Is it just me or is she smiling?  This amazing doe decided to have her babies alone sometime in the night without a sound.  Thank goodness everything went ok!  Momma is recovering well and enjoying the bunches of parsley (clears congested udder), handfuls of goji berries (vitamin C and antioxidants. polysaccharides), fresh picked Calendula flowers (healing), dried raspberry leaves, and an occasional brazil nut (don’t overdo as toxicity is sometimes not reversible: selenium).

The kids

The two bucklings on the right look absolutely identical.  Robust and healthy little fellas.  They are nursing like champs.  It’s day 5 and there is plenty of bouncing. 🙂  The little girl on the other hand (left) wasn’t able to nurse on her own, and has become a house goat for now.  She looked like a sweet and fragile little stick bug the first couple days, and has needed much human intervention.  Thankfully she’s plumping up and almost able to get her tiny mouth on the bottle nipple all by herself now.  I couldn’t have done it without the help of an amazing member of our community who showed me how to give IV fluids via a syringe.  Have I mentioned how much I love my community?

Hidden blessings

The constant care and round-the-clock feedings and unplanned twice-a-day milkings, have actually been a miracle blessing for our family.  Our youngest daughter declared that her new little friend’s name is ginger.  Perfect name.  She carries her around everywhere and even sleeps on the couch to stay near her at night.  One day she said, “momma, I think Ginger and I are soul mates.  This little goat has sparked a new-found interest in helping out with farm chores.  BING!  Since this is our first experience with a livestock guardian dog, we’ve now learned just how amazing and useful Molly really is.  She has taken to do all the mothering duties that I’m not particularly fond of…and sits by the door waiting for Ginger to come out so she can clean her and help her potty.  It’s amazing to see this gigantic clumsy creature being so intensely careful and concerned.  Those instincts just clicked on and let me tell you that dog has been smiling ear to ear.  That little goat is feeling the love and tries to nurse on Molly.

Letting go?

One of the most bitter-sweet aspects of raising farm animals is not being able to keep them all.  We thoroughly enjoy the new life and excitement it brings and just try to keep ourselves mentally prepared to let go when it’s time.  I haven’t made any promises, but the way my husband knowingly looks at me when he sees our daughter holding Ginger… I have a feeling she may just end up staying.  Besides, she’s  Molly’s only “in” to becoming part of the goat herd someday.  Sigh…goat math.