Even though Maple isn’t thrilled when I scoop up her babies for a quick cuddle, handling and socializing the kids early is super important if we want them to be friendly and comfortable around humans as they grow up. Friendly goats are much easier to milk, manage, and sell later on. Plus, who doesn’t love a goat that actually wants to hang out with you?
We carefully time our kidding season for spring so that the milking season lines up with the warmer months. I’m not exactly thrilled about milking with freezing hands in the dead of winter, so we try to avoid winter births if we can! That said, life on the farm doesn’t always go according to plan. One of our does had an early birth this year thanks to a jailbreak from one of our enthusiastic bucks. It was a little earlier than I prefer because the cold temperatures posed a real risk to the newborns. Plus, those multiple nighttime checks on expectant does are a lot less pleasant when it’s freezing outside!
We timed Silver Maple’s delivery perfectly, though, and her kids arrived just as the weather started to warm.
The weaning process for the kids is another careful balancing act. We aim for around 12 weeks, which gives the babies enough time to grow strong and healthy without the stress of being separated too soon. However, bucklings (young male goats) often become fertile even before they’re fully weaned, which can complicate things! Our solution is to separate the boys from their mothers, except during supervised feeding times, to prevent any “accidental” breedings.
Once the babies are fully weaned, it’s time for us to start milking for our own use — including making our goat milk soap!
Raising dairy goats is a rewarding journey, and baby season brings all the joy (and a little chaos!) that reminds us why we do it. If you’re ever nearby during the spring, come by and meet our newest additions — just be ready for Maple to give you the once-over first!