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Day Three and the four kids are doing great. The babies are about the size of my hand. Their heads are about the size of a tennis ball … with lips. 😉 I put my hand in some shots to give you some perspective. There are lots of goats on the Tryon farm. I enjoy their antics! Every day they are up to something else. Today some had scooted into the cattle yard to raid their hay feeder. Ha! The little one with the white belt, standing on his mom’s back, was a tiny kid in mid-February. They grow quickly. When the quadruplets are ready they have a teeming barnyard of friends to join.
Today I got to learn how to introduce them to a bottle. We’re thinking their mother will have a hard time keeping up enough milk production for all four to be adequately fed. The littlest buckling is full of piss and vinegar! Yeah! He was scooting to and fro and having a grand old time with his brother. SO much better than yesterday morning. The largest of the four is a doeling. She seems to be in charge … so far!
After a timid attempt with the bottle this morning I came home to check out the ‘University of YouTube’. Armed with more resolve and better technique I was much more successful with the afternoon feeding. In fact, you can see from one of the pictures above that they all headed for my hand when their mom decided she needed a rest.
These goats live on the farm of my friends Cari and Owen. They both need to work off the farm these days. So my retired status gives me the chance to help out and learn a LOT in the process. This weekend the lambs are due to start with their babies. So it is going to get a lot busier. I’ve signed on for the 5:30 am shift starting next week. What with four human kids, the regular chores and babies popping out everywhere Cari has her hands full. A great opportunity for me to chip in where experience is not a necessity! 😉 Stay tuned! As you know, where I travel my camera travels too!
The Meadow View 
What a great experience! So glad you have been able to get the bottle to some of these babies. It is quite some work, sometimes. I can’t think of a better way to spend some time! Good luck!
Thanks Nina! I think about your goat farm sometimes when I am helping over there. I love the sound of their bleating!! I am glad that I know Pepper so well from being there the last two years. She is pretty much unflappable. Today I spent a long time scratching her head between her horns. She laid her head back so far it was just her horns holding it up … and just purred. The poor thing deserves some good scratches and massages with the job she has on her ‘hooves’!! 😉
Hi Wendy,
I think you did a great job getting the little one to nurse. That was interesting. Enjoy the 5:30 morning shift next week. Happy lambing.
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Hi Elsie. Seems watching, watching, watching and then watching some more paid off!