Udder Update

I am pretty please with all three does' udders and milk production, and yesterday I took some pictures.  We milk twice a day and weigh each doe's milk individually, so we know what they are producing.  Once our machine milker gets here (I have really bad hands/wrists, and with soon to be 4 in milk, my hands are dying milking them all), I may pour off each doe separately to be weighed, or may do it all together, by my husband will continue hand milking at least a couple times a week, so we know who is doing what still.

Amber freshened first, and was doing at least 2lbs per day (there are about 8 lbs in a gallon, so about a quart/day) from the start.  Yesterday, she did 3lbs in a 24hr period (2 milkings)!

Here is her udder at 14 hours in milk, 2 weeks fresh yesterday morning:

And yesterday evening, about 10hours milk, 2 weeks fresh (so the next milking):

Peekaboo kidded two days after Amber, and her production this year is surpassing what she did last year (this is her 4th freshening).  She started out at just under 2lbs/day, and by 3 days fresh was over 2lbs/day.  Now she is at about 2.75lbs/day.  Her teats are good sized, have nice open orifices, and great udder texture making her quite nice to milk.

Here she is yesterday morning, 13 days fresh, 14hours milk:

Peekaboo last night (the next milking), 13 days fresh, 10 hours milk:

Lindy freshened on 3/10, with a single buckling for her first freshening.  I am very, very impressed with FF udder!  I had read/heard so much about tiny udders and very little milk from first fresheners, that I wasn't expecting much.  She sure has surprised me!  By 2 days fresh, she was giving over 2lbs/day, and is now giving about 2.5lbs/day.  She is by far my most easily milked doe, with great teat placement, large teats, wide open orifices and great texture!  I am so excited to see how the rest of her lactation goes, and to see what she does next year in her second freshening!

Lindy however, does not like to pose nicely for pictures, but this should give a good idea at least. Here she is at 11 days fresh, 14 hours milk (please ignore the bad trim job):

This is the next milking, 11 days fresh, 10 hours in milk.  The pictures are a bit blurry, but show the overall shape of her udder.

Alibi is not due until 4/8/2012, so we are expecting babies sometime after 4/4 (all the other delivered 3-4 days before their due date).  Her udder is coming along as well.

Triplets from Amber!

Amber's triplets were born last night between 6:30 and 7pm.  The births all went very smoothly, Amber is doing great and the babies are healthy and adorable!  She had 2 doelings and 1 buckling.  One doeling will be retained, and one will available for purchase (we will decide which we are retaining in the next few days), and the buckling will be available as well. See pictures and weights below.

Amber, 30 minutes prior to kidding:

1st born: DOELING 2lbs 9oz (Brown eyes)

 2nd born: DOELING, 3lbs 3oz (Blue Eyes)

3rd born: BUCKLING, 3lbs 9oz (Blue eyes)(available)

Group shots (the buckling is the lightest one; it's iodine from their navel dipping that you can see on the towels)

Girls Photo Update

I went out and took some pictures of the girls today, to show their progress.  They are doing well and getting big!

First up, Lindy!  Lindy is due either 2/29, or 3/4-3/16.  At this point...your guess is as good as mine.  Her udder is coming along nicely for a first freshener, but her ligaments are still really firm, so she may have a while yet.  i think she will have one, but could surprise us with two (she just isn't very wide).

Next up is Amber, who is due 3/4-3/16.  She is getting quite big; I am starting to wonder if she will give us triplets?  Her ligaments are softening and her udder is coming along really nicely.  It would not surprise me if she goes in the next couple days (a few days early is common with Nigerian Dwarfs).

Next is Peekaboo, also due between 3/4-3/16.  Her udder is looking good, ligs are a bit soft.  She looks about like she did last year with twins, so we are guessing two from her this time too. (Sorry for the one pooping pictures, however it shows her udder better than the others I took).

Finally, Ali.  Ali is due either 3-4-3/16, or 4/8.  We have felt kicking baby(ies) and she is getting a nice little udder.  She does still have a ways to go yet, so I am thinking either the end of the March window, or her April date.  No guess yet on how many.

And that's the RainySunday Ranch photo update for today!  Maybe babies soon!

Meet Amber

Amber is our sweetest doe, truly our "puppy dog" goat!  Her AGS registered name is Mustang Creek Amber.  She is due to kid March 4-16, 2012 (but could be as early as Feb. 29, if she doesn't go to 150 days).  She is almost six years old and is an old pro at kidding.  We brought her to our farm last year after she had kidded, so we are excited to see what she produces this year!  Amber's pedigree:

Pictures linked where available.  All picture links take you off-site to the site where I found the picture; I did not take any of the pedigree pictures.

Sire: Maple Breeze Kodiak
       Sire's Sire: OTR Magic's Harlequin
       Sire's Dam: Phantasma QRMS Bobbie Socks (3rd picture on this page)
Dam: D&D Tiny Toes MB Roberta
       Dam's Sire: D&D KB Moneybroker
       Dam's Dam: Orchard View Dreamsicle


If you go another two generations back in her lineage, your have several ARMCH and MCH, as well as Goodwood, Twin Creeks, and Gay-mor great (and great great) grandparents.

Amber is bred to our buck, Sunday, and may produce blue eyed kids (Sunday has blue eyes).