Life Today At Our Urban Farm

We spent the day catching up on loose ends. But then again, what day doesn't seem to be spent tying knots on loose ends.

Our loose ends were spent primarily preparing the birthing pen for Storm and Marie.  That meant the buck pen needing to be finished first. Both of our little guys (bucklings) needed to be transitioned over to their more permanent big boy (buck) pen.

Michael finished a few things on that pen so they'd be safe (we hope from coyotes), have necessary shelter and be able to reach their food and water.  The shift went quite well with a stop off to the milking room for each boy to have his turn on the milk stand - for his pedicure. Michael did a great job trimming hooves. We were concerned about the smoothness of the acclimation - mainly that they'd whine for hours because it was a new place. Didn't happen. Yeah!

The doeling/buckling yard (where we kept the boys) needed to be cleaned up. The neighbors oleanders have presented a problem for us. Oleanders are poisonous to goats (and anyone/anything else for that matter). Many times during the day we'd both go into the yard and pick up the little flowerets and leaves that would fall.  Today, Michael trimmed them way back so that the goats can't reach them. Sure hope the neighbors like the trim.

This evening, we both completed final touches on the birthing pen. A newly sanitized water pail was hung along with the pail for their alfalfa pellets and alfalfa. Michael opened up a fresh bale of straw to layer the pen. I love that smell. Earthy.

Goats are funny sometimes. Very curious, indeed. We opened the gate to the doeling/buckling yard from  the big girl (doe) yard. Of course they came over to where we were working.

The purpose of our birthing pen is just that - a place for each pregnant doe to give birth. A place where we can keep watch on her and a place where we can provide her attention and help if needed.

Since goats are herd animals we put both Storm (due 5/18) and Marie (due 5/22) in the birthing pen for the night. Needless to say, no one's happy in Goat Land at The Simple Farm tonight. It's a shift for everyone. Oh well. I'm calling it a night!