The chilly, snowy weather is officially here (thanks, January) – and it’s quickly become obvious that the ratio of pregnant goats to barn stalls available is…uneven. In the past, a momma or two has shared the pen in the pole barn as new kids are welcomed to the farm. This time, though, we have one momma with two new babies, 4 mommas already in the pole barn pen and at least 2 more mommas almost ready to kid in the Goat Grove.
Like I said – too many goats.
As we prepare to head out of town for a quick family vacation, Aaron took on the challenge of adding another stall for the new momma and her babies in the big barn. Having a quiet, warm space to take care of her babes is nice for our peace of mind. It also makes it easy for our farm sitter to keep tabs on the newborns – making sure they’re feeding and behaving as needed for new kids on the block.
Bundled up in the cold, Aaron scavenged some leftover wood and materials from the freshly organized tools shed. Having everything he needed (lumber, hinges, latches, screws, tools, heat lamps and bulbs) – he framed a stall, added slats and built the goats a cozy spot with a large, warm doghouse that was left behind by the previous owners. We have no idea who Nick was – but that pup had some pretty sweet digs. These goats got one awesome hand-me-down.
With tons of help from the rest of us (read: no help at all and, actually, probably a lot of distraction) – a new home for the babies was constructed.
Just before we left town, I snapped a few photos of our first babies of 2022 enjoying their warm new spot. They were jumping and bouncing all about while momma – rightfully – looked hella exhausted.
Welcome to the farm, sweet babies. We hope this space is a lovely first stop for many new kids to come!