Monday, August 22, 2011

Don't have to be rich, to be my girl

Pheobe the Nigerian Dwarf came to us just after the new year, when we picked her up from a man about an hour or  so away. Ever since Lissa's twin sister Amara died, we were worried that our queen would be lonely. Actually, she began to think she was human, but still, it couldn't be all that fun to be in a big pen and a big barn all alone.

So I did a random search on CraigsList on a whim, and saw a wethered Nigerian Dwarf for sale very cheap. It was perfect! He wouldn't eat much, but he'd keep Lissa company and only need a bit of care. I called to see if he was still available . . . but he'd been sold already.

But it occurred to me that a ND was the way to go. It'd be difficult for my mother to manage a new larger goat all on her own in the middle of winter, but a little goat would be hardly a problem. So I went around on CraigsList again, searching for just the right goat.

Four Nigerian Dwarves were available in a nearby town. Two does, a buck, and a wether. We decided very quickly to get one of the girls, and soon we were off to pick her up. When we got there, we were faced with the decision whether to pick the sunny gold doe, or the chocolate brown. I tried to eyeball them all over, and see which one had better show form. But it was hard to tell under their winter coats and skittish nature.

Finally, we decided on the sunny gold girl, because she was just so pretty

So we brought the girl home, and I already knew her name was going to be Pheobe. It took some arguing with my mother, but eventually she agreed that the name really fit the little goat.

"Fifi" as we nicknamed her, was very shy and skittish. We had to corner her to pet or hold her, and getting her to STAY in her stall proved a problem within the first few minutes. But she instantly stuck like glue to Lissa, who also seemed rather interested to see another goat around again. Though Lissa remained possessive of "her" home, lil' Pheobe didn't seem to care that she would always push her away. It was like she had adopted her as her surrogate mother. And she would stand her ground against Lissa, going up on her hind legs to better reach her penmate's head.

It was a surprise to discover that Pheobe had been kept in with the buck that the man had also owned. Which meant she was most probably pregnant. Which worked just fine with us, since Lissa was also pregnant. The two grew huge and fat together, Pheobe grew so wide she had trouble making it through into her stall at times.

Fifi popped first, giving us two lil' babies, a boy and a girl. We named them Thor, who would later leave the farm with Lissa's buckling Maximus, and Rosie, who we decided to keep from the moment we saw her.

But the reason I made this post was because I wanted to talk about the crazy amount of improvement Pheobe has done. Before being within five feet of her was a chance miracle, but now, she'll come right up to me and my mother. For me, she'll even stand to be loved on, and seems to really enjoy having her sides scratched. If new people come to the pen, she becomes her shy self again, but only until they leave the pen, then she'll be right up at the fence saying hello.

Today I found "Fifi Marie" (all of our does get the middle name Marie) to be the most sociable I've ever seen her. I stayed out in the pen with the three girls for a good hour or two, and Fifi was at my side almost all of the time. At one point she even laid down next to me. And she most especially loved to have her food swollen sides rubbed and scratched after a good long grazing session.

The change in her is so incredible, I just had to talk about it. Its a little sad to think that Pheobe and Rosie will be the only NDs we ever keep (though maybe we'll have a buck someday too), it also makes them all that more special.

Today I also brought Rosie Marie with me in my car to go get some hay for the girls. On the drive there (about 15 min) she lay down in the passenger seat, content but obviously on alert. When we got there, she panicked at first when I got out of the car, until she realized I was coming around to get her. She wasn't very happy to be left on her feet, and soon enough I had to pick her up and carry her with me inside. The people who worked there were excited to meet her, especially when she started bleating because I had to put her down to pay. On the ride home, I let her sit on my lap, and though it made driving difficult, she seemed to be a lot more reassured. Towards the end of the return trip she clambered off and over to the passenger seat where she laid down once again.

All and all, it was a day for the Nigerians, and I think they know it. Though I love all three of them dearly, each one is special and has their own lovable and sweet personality. Each day I can't wait to go out and spend more time with them.

Pheobe's Twins
Pheobe and Lissa, starting to get more noticeably pregnant
Such a personality :D :D

Thursday, August 18, 2011

A Goat, A Goat, My Kingdom for a Goat

Well, its coming up to the time of breeding for the girls. We like to breed the girls in December so that they kid in May when I come home for the summer. So its part of the fun to find the perfect Buck for our girls.

But fun has turned to a mild frustration this year. Its been hard to find Alpines in our area, especially with our limitations as to cost and ADGA registered. I'm considering turning criminal just to find a buck with ADGA papers who can get our girl Lissa to drop a doe or three. Oi. We have a few potentials for her, but I think we're going to go with the Reynolds buck, an Alpine they are leasing from Doe Haven. Lissa has some Doe Haven in her, but she's not related to the buck thats going down. But I haven't even seen him! On the goat forum I'm on, everyone is talking about bucks and does and kids and milk and its driving me insane! If I had the money and space (and wasn't away at college the majority of the year) I would buy any goat that needed a home. Its hard to resist the beautiful girls and boys that people have. And hard to wait to see what my not-even-bred-yet does kid in the spring.

Another toughy about bucks is my problem of Rosie and Pheobe, our dwarf goats. (btw, would you spell it dwarFS or dwarVES??) Rosie is registered with NMGA (at least will be when the papers finally come in officially in the mail) and has an "certificate of Identification" from ADGA (same story as above). So I want to breed her to a registered buck. Problem? I'm not planning on keeping any of her babies. So why so much effort? I guess so that I can sell her babies for more since they'll be registered. But who knows really?? As for Pheobe, her kids would be pure profit; no de-budding, no castration, no nothing unless it gets built into the cost. I think Pheobe throws cutie pie kids and is a good mother. Plus she's so young she'd be a waste just to have around (I also feel like she'd get excluded if everyone but her had kids). I want to breed her to a cheap buck (if I have to pay at all) maybe even a pygmy! But I can't seem to find one ANYWHERE!! >.< I have to tell myself repeatedly, we are Alpine breeders. Pheobe and Rosie are our ONLY exceptions, and are just here for love and company (best. investment. ever. :D)

I keep telling my parents that I want one buck of each. Yes they are smelly, but from what I am reading they are super sweet and lovey if you handle them right. I could even show them if I got ones with papers. And every few kiddings I could trade them out for fresh faces, AND NEVER AGAIN WOULD I HAVE TO SPEND MONTHS SEARCHING FOR JUST THE RIGHT BUCK!!!

Still, we are planning on expanding our herd, at least in female numbers. Lissa hasn't thrown us a single girl, and the only girl born on the farm other than Rosie was Vittoria from Amara's only kidding. But we sold her thinking we could just get another that could be registered purebred. NOPE. Nada. Ziltch. Nothing.

When we finally do get a doe out of Lissa (and I'm hoping she'll have twin or triplet does next!) I want to build another small barn and box in our milking station. I may separate by breed at night, so I could make a small shed like barn for Pheobe and Rosie. Wouldn't be too much effort but would free up a stall in the original barn. Then maybe we could expand that one if we wanted more Alpines . . . . So many plans, so little construction ability.

As for the boxing in our milking station, when we get more Alpines I want to become certified to sell the milk so that we can really start raking in the dough. Its hard to find time to make goat milk products, especially in-edible ones we can sell without a license. My mom doesn't have the time and I don't have the patience. So building a functional milking shed with separate sink, pots, and fridge, would be excellent. Though of course then we'd have to get some sort of milker, since my mom has arthritis and i have tendonitis.. . . .

Another issue that I sense looming is me. I'm growing up! Already I'm 20, and going to be a Junior in college! Both my older brothers have moved out, so I feel like I should be too. I think I'll move out my Senior year, which means is it even fair to begin expanding like this? Or should I bank on the hope that I can lease out a huge house with a bunch of friends that has property I can keep the goats on?

The future is so foggy. I can't wait to see where it'll go but at the same time I like how things are now. If things stay the same, I can do all these plans. .  . but if not. . . .  :/

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Not Even Gone Yet

Well, for my first post, I guess I'll talk about the most recent upcoming event. It has to do with a few little boogers born this past spring. One is almost three months. One is almost two.

Maximus is a purebred American Alpine wether. He's just like his daddy, Jasper, who we bred to his mother, Bedlam Manor's Mercedes (aka Lissa) in December of the previous winter. He was born on June 7th, just 3 days before my 20th birthday. Of all the kids I've gotten from Lissa, he just seemed like the most sweetest, even tempered little guy of the lot. He started out a bit shy, but his momma loves me, so it wasn't long before he discovered the pleasures of a good ear scratch. And even though he is the youngest of the three kids born this spring, he was already the biggest the day he was born. Despite this, I remember his lack of balance on his long gangly legs. He was so big, and grew so fast, "Maximus" seemed a fitting name for him. He's a lovey dovey little boy. He's got a horn growing back a bit, but it just makes him even more like his also super sweet dad.

The second booger is a purebred Nigerian Dwarf named Thor. A sweetheart and the first to break the human-goat barrier. When I make a fist he comes up and lightly butts it with his head. I like to think of it as his favorite form of greeting. He was also the first to figure out that when I sit down, he can jump up onto my lap. Even now, though Max jumps up to get height so that he can stand on my lap, Thor immediately lays down, as if to say "Nap time!". He's very flexible, and allows lots of manipulation so that you can cuddle him while he lays on his back with his belly up. He is really lovey too, a real sweetheart and cuddle-butt.

This Sunday they are going to their new home. And I've been missing them since last week. Even though they haven't left. Oh dear. This'll be a tough one.

On the bright side, we are keeping Thor's twin sister, Rosie. I like to call her my comatose goat, because once she lays down on my lap, she's out like a light. She's also a real momma's girl, so it's good that she'll get to stay here for as long as she lives. It'll be exciting to see a goat grow from birth to adulthood. Usually we get them toward the middle of the process or sell them when they are a few months old. I'm looking forward to that, but it'll only dull the pain of loosing my lovey dovey sweethearts just a bit.

Goats are very good at teaching life lessons. From pain of death to joy of life to regret of sold to excitement of purchase. Quite the roller coaster. But I wouldn't trade my girls for the world.

Click on the pictures to enlarge. Maxi is black and white, Thor brown and white. Rosie is the little brown one, Pheobe (the twins mom) is the gold dwarf, and Lissa is the big white girl.