Gingham and Paisley

The last few days have been so up and down, with hardly any time at all for me to write anything. We brought home two more milking Nubians last week. You probably think we’re crazy. Well, we might be. But we want milk!

But my daughters have had time to write. Lucky you! And they did a great job sharing about how we got Gingham and Paisley, two very beautiful, healthy, lovable Nubian milking goats. Here is what Haniya wrote. Here is what Naomi wrote. (You’ll be going to their blogs, and both girls are sooo excited that I’ve consented to reveal their blogs.) And here is about walking with Gingham and Paisley.

Gingham and Paisley have adjusted to being here and we love them. Their milks are so creamy they clog the filter in the strainer ~ a good problem to have. But because the move stressed them, their milk production dropped quite a bit. They came without babies, so I’ve started milking them mid-day as well as morning and evening to see if I can get the amount back up to what it was before they moved here.

Our first Nubian, Silver Belle, is ill. She came home with us a little congested and we thought that’s just how she was. But her milk production has stayed low and she has other respiratory symptoms now, as well as two little babies who aren’t getting enough milk. We suspect summer pneumonia and picked up an antibiotic today (though it about kills me to consider doing it, we did it). We all cried after administering it to Belle via a needle and syringe. It burned so badly and she yelled. One of her babies, Daisy, is showing symptoms of the pneumonia too. We hope they’ll get back to 100% soon.

Honey and Bunny are doing well. We had to rig up chicken wire over the cattle panel that separates them during the night ~ they were nursing through it, the little stinkers.