Kids are off and running!

Our 2013 kidding season went very well.  71 kids born, only 1 stillbirth, and 1 kid that was weak and died during his first week.  The rest of the kids are looking very strong and hearty.  The first group, born early-mid-March has been weaned (we wean bucklings at 90 days, and leave the doelings with the dams for closer to 120 days).  Most of the others will be weaning soon.  Some have already gone to new homes, and we've taken deposits on a number of others.  All our kids are evaluated at weaning, when we decide if they are headed to market later on, kept in our own herd, or offered for sale as breeding stock.  If the kid isn't one we'd consider keeping in our own herd, we won't sell it as a breeding animal.  Some of the bucklings are pictured below.  We'll be weaning the first group of doelings soon and hope to get some photos of some of them posted as well. 

Spring has arrived at Sunny Acres!

Spring!

It doesn't matter if it snows... if the wind is frigid and from the north.... if the grass still isn't really greening. Spring has come to Sunny Acres! Without further ado, I give you the proof of my statement:

Playing in the sunshine-- pretty doeling

Coffee break! Curious little kid discovered my mug.

Surviving twin of a complicated delivery. Colorful Kiko buck... future herd sire?

Flying lessons... reindeer games....

One of our oldest and favorite does serving her time as nursery nanny

Little tough guy testing his strength...

Push! (He eventually got pushed off the block...)

The Doe who had a difficult delivery- good to see her up and about

Content Mama

Almost kidding time!!

We're closing in on kidding season here at Sunny Acres....only about two weeks to go before the first of our does is due to kid.  We have 41 does that were exposed.  They were bred in three separate groups.....the largest group was with our purebred Kiko buck, PJM Survivor, five of our older does were with ECR Donkey Odie (the first Kiko buck we brought here a number of years ago), and the third group was a herd of ten doelings being bred for the first time, who ran with our newest Kiko buck brought in last summer from Tennessee.  We're anxious to see the results of these three groups, should prove interesting as we compare the kids' performance over the course of the next few months.

For now, the does have the luxury of lounging about and taking it easy while they wait.  They are all on a diet of high protein second-cutting hay, along with the occasional "Christmas" tree or cedar tree that we cut for them.  Believe it or not, these trees are very high in nutrition, and, as evidenced in the photos below, the goat love them!

Check back in a few weeks....as time permits we'll post updates on how the season is going.