Well, Millie Joy did not disappoint us...she kidded right on her due date! Around 5pm Sunday, Emily announced that Millie was pushing. So we all geared up and headed out to the barn. We called some friends (the Hendricksons and the Zeglens) who wanted to come over and see the birth. Unfortunately, Millie labored rather quickly (at least quicker than the sheep do), and none of our friends made it in time to see the birth. But they were there just minutes after the twins were born...yes TWINS! Millie delivered a boy first (Emily was so upset), but then to our surprise she quickly delivered a girl right after the boy. One of the families that we had over has one-year-old twins and their names are Carl and Claire, so that's what the children decided to name the baby goats. To be more specific, Carl Roland and Claire Belle, are their full names.
It was a sweet time out in the barn with everyone. We milked Millie and the children took turns bottle feeding the baby goats. Then some of us went out and collected sap. After all that excitement the ladies went in to get a meal put together for nineteen people! Everyone brought food along and after feeding the children, the adults enjoyed lamb chops on the grill (Mike's specialty)! The excitement ended sometime between 10-10:30pm. In a month we will do it again (with sheep). We have some other friends that are longing to see a lamb be born. :)
Millie and the twins are doing very well today. The babies are enjoying all that rich colostrum, and the children are enjoying feeding it to them! In a week or so we will have goat milk to drink..... and some to sell. :)
3 comments:
CUTE KIDS! Glad you didn't name them Mike and Missy! HA! I am still hoping my 3 chicks and 1 goose will hatch, no bad smells yet, so maybe there is hope! It's been almost 2 weeks now, I will let you know and hopefully get some pics.
We seriously did think about naming them Mike and Missy!:)
lol ...next time, maybe!:) Ya... they're SO cute! I love bottle feeding!
Sounds exciting (or eggciting) about the baby chicks and goose...baby chicks take exactly (or eggsactly)21 days to hatch (3 weeks) while geese take...well, I'll have to check, but I know they take a bit longer than chickens. About the chicks, on the 21st day, they'll make a tiny hole or 'pip' in the shell using it's egg tooth, which will fall off after it hatches. After making the pip, the chick will rest for 3 to 8 hours. (So if you see a tiny hole, you'll know that it'll hatch in the next few hours.) Then after resting, and after about 40 minutes of hard work, the chick will break out. Hope that's helpful! It's lots of fun to watch! Problem is, over here there's always a momma hen sitting on top, blocking the view. :) So, good luck!
Hope all is well in your neck of the woods! :)
~Emily
Yes, I got all the details along with my incubator, geese are 30 days if my memory serves me right, if not I can always look back at the paper! I knew the chicks would hatch (or at least I hope) on the 30th. Love, Melissa
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