K-Day

Today is the day the goats are due to start kidding. Everyone is very excited. Jussi 'slept' in the stables last night - though not terribly well on account of Bonnie, who snores. But for the next couple of weeks Jussi will be encamped.

If all the goats kid on time - which of course they wont - there's a couple to kid in the first half of this week, then more then some. The stable extension isn't complete, but Jussi reckons she worked out how to do without. The next big decision is when to start bottle feeding.

Bottle feeding massively increases workload. Instead of just leaving nature to do its stuff, you have to separate mother and kid, milk the mother twice a day and bottle feed the kids at least 4 times a day. So instead of spending all day leaning on the fence going "Aw" there's 14 milkings and approximately 40 feedings to take care of.

Experienced goatherders are telling us to start bottle feeding asap, many even suggest starting immediately to ensure that you know all the kids get a good dose of colostrum. The advantage being that the kids will grow into much friendlier (and more manageable) goats. The disadvantages are, I trust, obvious!