Waiting for Babies

Poor Sally now is nearly as wide as she is tall.  We're expecting her kids any day now.

After all the goat kids sold last summer we were left with three goats; Daisy, Clover and Sally.  Each has her own personality.

Daisy

 

Daisy is the herd matriarch; the undisputed leader. She established her dominance the first time she met Sally by biting her on her side as we were loading them into the truck. I didn't even know goats bite!  

 

Daisy is clever and naughty.  She's figured out how to open most of the doors into the barn.  She either headbutts them or wedges her nose in and shoves them open.  She never forgets the source of illicitly-gained feed and will check back frequently to see if more is available.  Her favorite treat is an apple and she will watch it arc through the air and then chase it down like an outfielder if we throw one into the pasture for her.  

 

Sally

 

Sally was a rescue at an auction. Her dame gave birth to her on the truck and Sally was going to be destroyed - it was too much trouble to try to keep momma and baby together through the auction. A farmer friend of ours took and bottle fed her. She's turned into a sweet doe. 

 

She is quiet and reserved.  She would rather stand back and wait for an open spot along the trough than push in among the other goats to eat.  She loves to be scratched.  If she's eating and someone begins scratching her neck or back she'll stop chewing as if in concentration.  DH is her favorite person.  She likes to scrub her face on the top of his head every time she gets a chance.

 

Clover

 

Clover is Daisy's daughter.  She was born in 2011 as one of two matching doelings. 

 

 

Daisy has passed much of her personality along to Clover except that Clover will tattle on her mom when Daisy is getting into trouble. When Daisy pushes open the door to Lily's stall and gets into the barn, Clover will baa and baa. We know when Clover is crying that Daisy is in the barn and is probably eating either more than her fair share of hay, or Lily's alfala, or she's gotten into the grain bin. Thankfully Clover hasn't yet figured out how to open barn doors like Daisy has.

All three does are pregnant right now. Sally is due any day. Poor thing waddles when she walks. Clover should give birth late this month and Daisy sometime in April.

 This is Daisy at the front door of the house.  I think she'd prefer to be an indoor goat!

Daisy and Sally crashing our picnic.  I was laughing so hard I could scarcely push Daisy off the picnic table.  I was just trying to rescue the pickles before they knocked them down!

Sally in her small, temporary pen for the night. We separate the goats at evening chores so that if Sally gives birth overnight she'll have her own space.

 

Daisy at the gate of the barnyard.

 

Forget Me Not Farm just wouldn't be the same without goats and we're looking forward to meeting this year's crop of kids!