Cash 2 18 13 - 3 13 13

~ Its not a happy day here... I'm heartbroken and hate that I have to get on here to share that Cash died early this morning, sometime in the past few hours, when I checked on him around 3ish am he was fine. Theres a lot of what if's I'm beating myself up over right now... When I took him to the vet, the vet checked him good and said the only thing Cash needed was groceries... I should have kept tube feeding him, I should have just kept him in the house with me from the day I took him to the vet, he would drink off momma when he had the chance, drink alittle from the bottle, nibbled on hay, grass, weeds and the grain, was drinkin water and yesterday I saw him poop the lil goat ball poop.... all those were good signs but he still needed more milk. I wish now I could have tube fed him last night instead of letting him drink alitte from the bottle. This is the hardest part of being the caretaker to all my farm animals... my heart is so big, I love them. I know this comes with having farm animals. From now on when Star has triplets I will be taking 1 off to keep as a bottle baby. 

When I think back to last years May 2012 kids, Star had 1 that was really small, June... I think this was goin on with her, I just didnt realize it and she must have been gettin just enough to grow... my friend Rachael bought June (and 2 others), we weaned them at 1 month old, maybe that saved Junes life... I dont know... 

My heart is sad, but it will heal, Cash will always have a place in it. I know I did my best and gave him a good home while he was here. I'm glad I got to enjoy and love on him... I also learned from him.

I sat down in the goat barn after chores and loved on Ruby and Willie 

Sweet Silly Willie

Willie is one of Stars 2 18 13 bucklings... 

Hes got great personality. Hes so friendly and loves to explore   He also loves to chew my hair and scarf.  I use to think he was the shy quiet one but not anymore. I hung out in the goat barn this morning after chores to play with the triplets... usually Lil Miss. Ruby steals the show but not this time... this time Willie stole the show.  

Now aint that cute...

Star and kids exploring the barnyard...

I took these cute pictures of Star and her triplets exploring the barnyard Feb. 28... 

I love sitting back, watching the baby goats learn new things from the rest of the herd.  They are so sweet.

 I love when I snap pictures like this... 

momma and babies off to explore

 Tulip is growing right along... 

she is due March 19-23

 She loves tasting grass.  

They are nibbling hay too, Ooo and they love to nibble on hair.  

The Triplets will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. 

Attack of The Baby Goats!

 This is what happens when you spend time makin friendly goat kids... 

I freakin love it!

They love to eat hair!

So now a days I walk around with smelly baby goat breath, crusty hair, lol

 You'd think my hair was their Maamaaas udder, lol

 I finally wore the lil sweeties out!

*** If ya can tell... I love this baby goat stuff ;)

Cocoa and Boots Are Scared of a...

Sweet, Tiny, Baby Goat! 

They really are so funny to watch around Stars 3 babies, Cocoa and Boots just dont know what to think about the new babies... they actually run from them.  

So Sweet

Weaning Kids by weight...

OOooo it was a wonderful morning here today... got alitte natural sprinkling goin on for the garden. All 6 kids were still in the kid pen when I went out to milk & feed... yay! I fixed their break out spot last night. They werent happy but hey atleast they couldnt break out and drink all the milk before I got out there, lol. I milked 2 quarts (4 lbs) from the girls.  I've been reading the Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats (a friend let me borrow it, I've got to get my own copy soon), very good book, I'm learning so much more about goat.  I want to be the best goat owner I can be... so I take advice here & there then do what works for me & my herd.  I've learned its good to wean your kids by weight instead of age, heres what the book says... "Wean by Weight Kids can be weaned by age or by weight. While it's possible to wean kids as young as 4 weeks old, 8 weeks is considered optimal.  Later weaning costs more in milk and labor, and it retards rumen development. But weaning by weight is better because it prevents unhealthy or undernourished kids from being weaned too early and can reduce weaning stress.  Studies suggest that weaning at a total body weight that is 2.5 times the birth weight produces good results.  This is usually about 19 to 22 pounds." So I weighed all the kids yesterday & they have all atleast doubled their birth weight.  They are all doin so great, that makes me happy and proud.  The 4 that are leaving Our Little Farm to go to their hopefully forever homes will be leaving us this week.  I will be checking on them since they are goin to friends farms, I love that too.  I can go visit them from time to time, this is exciting.  Boots & Cocoa are stayin here.

 Tulip & Star waiting for me to let their kids out for the day...

 "We Want Out, We Want Out"...

 Hurry up lady... we want some milk!

 & there off...... feedin frenzy. (Star with her kids Toby, June, Boots & Tulips kid tryin to steal some milk... Knuckles, lol)

 I love it... (Tulip, Knuckles & Cocoa)

 Good Mornin boys (Ringo, Peanut, Dolly, Star, Boots & June)

 Strong healthy kids... (Boots, Toby & June)

Milk face ;)

 (Rachel @ Wilmoth Farms heres your June this morning sipping some milk from momma)

Birth Weight (BW), Now Weight (NW)

Tulips kids... (the 8th they were 4 weeks old)

Dolly (leaving soon, doeling) BW 5lbs. NW 17.2 lbs

Cocoa (staying, doeling) BW 5.6, NW 15.8

Knuckles (leaving soon as a buckling) BW 7.4, NW 20.4

Stars Kids... (the 12th they will be 4 weeks old)

June (leaving soon, doeling) BW 5.2, NW 13.8

Boots (staying, wether) BW 6.7, NW 17.4

Toby (leaving, wether) BW 7, NW 17.6

* I love that these kids are so beautiful, strong and healthy.


** Linkin up to Homestead Revivial: Barn Hop # 65