Blackberry rock Goats

 So I decided to do  photo ( Fall) shoot with Popcorn and Watermelon First off Popcorn, I don't think she was very excited he's such a ham    Of course someone else had to have her photo taken as well

 This is my first breeding season of having goats. I know a few other animals of gestation, breeding facts, but goats is all new to me .Like for example , I know that rabbits can be bred at 6 months for the buck ( male) and about 8 months for the doe( female) and the gestation is 30 days give or take a day or two. Goats to my understanding mostly breed in the fall of the year except for a few breeds, Nigerian dwarfs, pygmy's, fainting and some Nubians. In which these breeds can breed year around. The gestation for goats is 5 months ( 150 days) where as Nigerian dwarf's can be anywhere from 145 days to 150 days. They can have a single birth, twins, triples and even quads. Some breed by penning their bucks ( males) and does ( females) for a couple of months . While others do what is called drive-by breeding to my understanding I choose a buck and then have them breed at one time while doe is in heat. Does go into heat for 1-3 days and can come back in every 21-28 days if not bred...

 Did ya know that goats need copper?...yup , that's right I said copper... Do you notice the bald spot on Popcorn's nose?...I do believe that is from copper deficiency,....they will loose hair , they won't have a gloss to their coat of hair...sometime ya even have to give them a bolus of copper...Thankfully I didn't have to do this ( yet) So I started to add minerals to their feed in the morning and it cleared it up...I am keeping on top of it as of right now... I did go to my local feed store and got a bolus apparatus thing to ( don't know what actually it's called), just in case I have to administer a bolus down the line...I love my goats and don't want anything to happen to them... Copper is just one of the minerals that they need...and the mineral mix I use ( came with these two goaties has the other ones) Some breeders give their Copper boluses thru bananas , fig newtons, ..so I got some bananas to see if these two like bananas...umm nope.... But fig ne...

Did ya know they is two different type of goats, Meat or dairy ...What type of goats are mine?...I'm thinking that Popcorn                    Is both a meat and dairy...since she is half dwarf ( which is one of the dairy breeds of goats) and half fainter ( a meat type ).... where Watermelon is  just a dairy type....since he is a dwarf goat...             In which these small breed of goat seam to like to take a nap in their feed pans...at least Watermelon does...He is such a character... From what I have read that I remember is that the Nigerian Dwarf goat is a power house of a dairy goat...they can produce as much as 3/4 gallon in some lineages of this breed...in which are a small size goat breed ( one of the two that always gets mixed it seams)... In photo above they ( Popcorn and Watermelon ) are in the pen together...for breeding and companions...Chickens and ducks are housed in this area as well. I...

 So where do I begin....I guess last year, My daughter and her hubby got a little baby goat at the local farmer's market..I have always wanted a pygmy or a dwarf goat...I might add...So since they lived in town at the time....Popcorn ( that's what they named her) came to live with us ... until they ( hubby and daughter ) found them a place in the country...So I/we got attached to this sweet little girl... So then they found a house in the country and took their sweet baby to their new home in the country and I had to say Goodbye to her...that was last year...Wasn't she a cutie....Oh by the way she is part dwarf or maybe pygmy really dont know which one... and part faint breed of goat So they took care of her very well I did go and visit her as often as I could...( I had other animals here on the farm - chickens, mini horse, ducks, and I am disabled) and they spoil her rotten now its the new year...eventually during this new year of uncertainty ( 2020-virus hits)...they get...