Chicks and Goats
So this is what I think happened. The night before last a chick began to peep in the incubator. Just after three in the morning. The dogs rose up from their beds and Boo opened the incorrectly latched door (all our doors are old) they went to investigate, Boo put his nose up there to look, caught the cord and pulled the lot down. The incubator fell apart and most of the eggs fell onto the floor. And the dogs scarpered.
The shell shattered off almost all of the eggs. The bad ones broke apart and water poured out of the incubator. It was a terrible mess. Ton rushed back into the bedroom to raise the alarm and Boo proceeded to lick the hatched chick. A number of the eggs were broken and the chicks inside died straight away, a number only had the shell fall off. The chick was terribly cold and sopping wet from the licking and I thought it was dead but popped it back into the incubator anyway.
I was very pleased that Boo did not eat anything. You never know with Boo Bum. He is not always so good with birds. But he did us proud and only licked it clean. It took a long long time for the poor fella (or felless) to dry too.
Thank goodness the incubator still worked. I laid all the eggs that looked alive and the chick in the incubator to warm up .
The little chick awoke miraculously and began to launch himself about the incubator like a drunken sailor loudly cheeping and one of the eggs almost immediately began to break open as another chick struggled out. Then Ron (one of the Fellowship) told me it might be best to break the membranes of the damaged eggs that were peeping and let them out.
I did this and released three more alive chicks. (one died) the rest of the damaged eggs were dead. The first little black chick who we will call Lick could not believe his luck when he saw the other chicks being laid back into the incubator. Friends to cuddle up with. The sun came up, the Coop warmed up and the wee premmies slept and gained strength.
So late yesterday morning, once all five of the chicks had been blow dried by the hot fan and thoroughly warmed up in the incubator, (see top picture) I popped them into their extra warm brooder, right under their heating table, water and feed at their sides, and my goat partner and I climbed into her jeep and went here.
We had come to look at their La Mancha milking goats. We were greeted with smiles and shown around the goat nursery. Prairie Fruits and Creamery is a wonderfully welcoming farm. They love to have volunteers come and you can actually work with the little goats. I spent so much time in the nursery with the babies that time ran out and I think I may return as a volunteer another day so I can see their milking operation. Evidently they make great cheese too!
I have put a deposit on two La Mancha does and my Goat Partner has done the same for two unrelated bucks. They will all come to the farmy in early April and I will raise them for a few months, then the bucks will go up to live on the ridge and I will take the does up to visit when they are older. My friend is also an excellent cook and when the time comes I hope she will make the cheeses. But let’s not put the horse before the cart.
First let me show you the baby pictures. The American La Mancha have tiny, tiny ears harking back to one of their Spanish Forefathers who, rumour has it, came into California with Spanish missionaries in the 1800’s. They have been crossed and rebred by American herdsmen and women resulting in this statuesque animal. The La Manchas are very adaptable to heat and cold and are known for their consistent milk production. About a gallon a day I discovered yesterday. They also have sweet friendly natures. I know many people prefer a goat with big ears but I think that they smile and you know how I love animals that smile. Here. Have a look!
Actually I think that is more of a smirk!
They come in a variety of colours -I even saw two who looked like mini Dutch Belteds. Such serious quiet wee goats. And such happy wee chicks, under their Brinsea heating table.
When I got home I checked the chicks immediately and they were warm and happy, even eating. All five look good for prem babies and are still alive this morning.
Good morning. One more chick hatched in the night. nd is still drying in the incubator. Another little black one, the other egg is still thinking. So now there are Six chicks. 
I hope you have a lovely day. And I hope I have a lovely day too.
Love your friend on the farmy
celi
PS You know that gate I had chipped out the day before yesterday? Frozen solid again yesterday afternoon. A little thaw then a lot of freezing. Sigh. Snowed again last night.
103 Comments on “Chicks and Goats”
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thekitchensgarden 
Chicks and goats make me smile this morning. It was my birthday yesterday along with the chicks. I have 51 on them, though. The six are survivors, like me. 😊
Happy Birthday for yesterday. Hope you had an excellent day. c
Now who was it who said that she was only going to look???? Still doing research, not quite ready to buy! I knew that as soon as you said that and when you went to look at goats , you would end up buying them….well done C..I am proud of you
So happy that at least you got 6 new chicks, shame about the accident…next time get doors that shut properly
So now we know Celie’s code: I am just looking means she’s ready and willing to buy 🙂
My Dad used to say How come the thing you are looking for is always in the last place you look! c
And very often it was right next door all along!
true THAT!!
We do indeed..and yes she is..but who could resist
and I love their smiley faces and such cute ears.
Isn’t nature wonderful, who would think such tiny creatures could be so tough! I love the look of the goats and can see some fun and games when they arrive, especially in relation to Tima and tame, can’t wait!
Yes Tima and Tane will hopefully love having goats, though these are not as playful as the Nigerians, they are pretty calm babies.. c
Yay for the chicks!
How tall will those goats grow? Knee-high? Cute as a button, they are. Good morning, c!
Just below my hip ro there-abouts – they are tall – they need to be to give that much milk.. c
Very cute little guys. 🙂
So glad you have come upon Lamanchas, Celi! They have been a great fit for our little farm, and we do get at least a gallon a day, and the milk is very creamy and sweet. They are beautiful! And good luck with the chicks!
Do you have any other pointers about this breed? They are just so Fine looking.. c
I am glad to know those chicks are alive. If I may say, the goats are “handsome and “beautiful”. I had a good smile at your updates 🙂
Yes, that is the word – handsome.. c
Yes! i am so glad you are getting goats!! It has always been a dream of mine, but I really have no where to put them, and my garden would not survive them. So now i can be a ‘watcher’ as you raise them!! Oh and the chicks are so cute too!! Boo washing the first little guy may have revived him.
Or drowned him.. poor thing.. . and you will remember that those ducks suffered Death by Licking so these chicks are way hardy!
I used to drink about a gallon of cow’s milk a week and then all of a sudden it started making me sick. I had not had milk in years and then I met A lady that has milk goats and she gave me a gallon to try and said it was easier to digest. It was so good and didn’t upset my stomach and I was thrilled again to drink milk and have a local person to get it from. Love my goats milk!
ps-so glad some of your chicks made it. I looked at incubators at the co-op yesterday 🙂
Brenda
Ultra Pasteurised milk is so hard to digest and goats milk is the easiest milk to digest. Raw anything is even better. Wonderful to have someone local to buy from too.. that is the best way…Have a gorgeous day Brenda. c
How exciting miss C. Goats are so lively and have such intriguing personalities. I love having my goats. Warning when thye get bored they can make quite a bit of mischief!
Like pigs you mean? Yes.. I will give them toys!.Like that 44 gallon drum. c
I love smiling animals, too, and am looking forward to goat antics! I wonder if the fact that the chicks were in the house made them “more babies to care for” in Boo’s mind. Lovely to see the wee ones.
Good thought Susan and more than likely. Boo has to investigate every noise. He went on high alert when they heard the peeping of the emerging chick (through two shut doors I might add!). c
Oh hooray! That’s wonderful news about the chicks. Yesterday it seemed like there may only be one and that one might be dodgy at that. Boo the Bad can be Boo the Oops-I-Made-A-Mistake-And-Now-Will-Fix-It-Using-My-Superior-Dog-Brain! Good boy. The goats are fantastic. I love their smiling faces too, and their tiny ears. I thought I wanted some fainting goats, but these are so sweet looking that I might have changed my mind. You know, for the next life on that organic farm. 😀
Your next life is going to be incredibly busy!.. c
Oh dear, poor Nanny Boo and chicks. I like those cute little goats – I wonder if you could rent them out to eat your neighbours’ weeds… or swap for something 😉
That is another fantastic thing about goats! They will clear a pasture, woods, brambles, briars, just about everything! In fact, in these parts, the Ozarks, you can rent teams of goats to clear your land for you! They’re great!
I know – they are doing a fantastic job of clearing kudzo in the southern states.
I know quite a few back yards that could do with a good clean up – what a thought!. c
I can see you as Heidi, but I have a suspicion that the goats will think they are dogs or pigs 😉
PIgs! Oh no i can just see it! What will Sheila think?
Ha ha – I’m sure she will be amused 🙂
WE ARE NOT AMUSED she will say with her best Victorian accent.
Ha ha – I bet there will be a grunt or bark following that 🙂
Then the aggrieved settling of the jaw into The Chin!
That’ll be enough to keep the goats at bay!
So glad some of the chicks made it! I have some that are due to hatch in a couple of days. We had a power outage for a couple of hours last week. Your story gives me hope that maybe mine will survive it.
Oh you must have felt awful and nothing you can do! But yes, i think they arepretty hardy, Plus I have seen chickens get off thei eggs and wander about for a while then return to the eggs.. Good luck. Let me know how they go! Are they chicken eggs?
Here’s to six chicks who seem to have come through…will you let these grow up a bit first or do you plan to jump in soon and start the process all over again? Plus GOATS!!!!! Miss C you are my hero this morning. I know that you are still working on the Godot in flight tail full throttle picture (and have been close) but when those goats arrive can you think about capturing some smiling-hopping-jumping-funny goat action to add to our galleries. I am officially putting my voice in for goats on next years calendar, preferably with smiles all around.
…oh, little goat videos would be lovely…although I don’t know if you have that ability with cameras, and time constraints and such.
I have been thinking about video, but there is always a financial constraint actually as I don’t own one. Though I have a feeling my D90 has a video choice. I will have a look today!.. I love the idea, vids are fun on Face Book.. c
Your D 90 has a video mode i have the manual in pdf form if you need it i can email
I have a distant memory of that too. In fact i think I have my book manual somewhere in the piles in my office, If i can’t find it i will get back to you! Thank you skip. Is it easy? have you used it?
I have used the video features on both the d 7000 and d 610 they function quite the same. you use live mode and the video button instead of the cameras shutter release too records the video.
6 chicks, maybe 7 that is fantastic 🙂 I too hope you have a good day today. Laura
We will see what this last lonely egg does, give him a few days just in case. But all six were up eating this morning, they are so comfy in there.. c
Good news, Miss C. Lively, living chicks, and more smiling creatures for the happy Farmy. I do like goats, they’re so adaptable and interested in everything. Of course, that does mean they’re into everything and out of everywhere. World’s greatest escape artists, bar none.
I have a number of areas that need cleaning up – so they will have jobs to do, in the big fields we will be ok, but temporary fencing to clean up areas may be a worry.. we will see.. c
I’m glad you included a shot with human legs – gives perspective on how little these goats are (for now!) That Boo – what a special guy! Really can’t blame him for being so curious. I will never know how you find the time for keeping us updated on all the activity there, but THANK YOU! Good day!
Morning Elizabeth, you are very right about perspective. i need to think about that more often.. c
Oh goodie! Goat milk and cheese and soap in the future 🙂
Yes I am looking forward to that soap.. c
SIX chicks! Hooray!!! So happy to hear this! And good for Boo, too. Well done.
The little goats are adorable. You’re so lucky to have them to look forward to. Can’t wait to see more pix.
I know! I am looking forward to it. c
So excited you have decided on Lamanchas Celi!!! I had a feeling you would not be able to resist them!!! 🙂 Talk about sweet and loving animals!!! Get ready for even more big fun on the farmy with them!!! They will be in the midst of everything that happens, that’s for sure! They will also be on the porch peering into the windows with Tina in Tane if they possibly can! 🙂
You were very good not to twist my arm, but they have such fine lines.. When it comes to milking time, I will be asking questions, I cannot wait for the goats milk soap actually! c
Ah, the resiliency of chicks. They’re a tough little bunch. Some of ours have survived conditions that simply astounded me. Those goats are lovely… I fell in love of course. Now I must go back to an email a friend sent me about the menagerie of animals and birds she has and look up the reasons why one doesn’t need goats – sort of a pro and con comparison of the many critters she has (and she has had just about everything you can imagine!). And of course I have to consider Daisy deer. Everything we have here has to be deer compatible you know! 🙂
Just think of the SOAP! c
I will send you some and then you don’t need goats. I love Daisy deer and all her wild friends.. c
You took the camera! YAY! Thank you for the goat pictures. They are precious. So much to look forward to this summer. Great news about the chicks. Best hopes for a lovely day at the farmy. 🙂
I am thinking I might time a batch of chicks to hatch when you are here for your farm stay! Would that be fun?
That would be great. A good learning experience for me.
“The Goats from La Mancha ” maybe you call one of them Don Quixote. Cute little goats, I can see them jump up and down. Hoorah for the little baby chicks.
Ah yes! We might need a spanish theme for the naming. Well done. Not for a month or so yet though, hopefully not ’til after The Conference. c
GOATS!!!! Absolutely, the most difficult part of putting our homesteading plans on hold is having to wait for goats. They were going to be our primary source of dairy and entertainment, with a side benefit of meat from time-to-time. Now we’ll have to make a trip out to see them.
Happy to hear you have a few chicks that survived.
As soon as spring is sprung and warmed up a bit you simply must bring the girls down. I expect the kids (of the goat kind) in April. I am miserable that you have had to put your plans on hold.. I hope it is not for too long, there is a barn out there waiting for you!
Sitting here going awwwwww! and ohhhhh! and awe! at those wonderful La Mancha babies. You’ve clearly found your breed! I’ll be watching your goat adventures with interest. We are contemplating raising a few pigs for the freezer and some meat hens this summer. no goats in our immediate future. But those faces! I can totally see how they won you over, along with the promise of all that lovely milk. I love the short ears. And quiet and calm, hmmm, we’ll see! Mischievous too, I’ll bet! How the heck do you milk a goat?
I feel so sorry for Boo, just trying to do his job. Will you set another batch in the incubator immediately?
Same way you milk a cow, just two cups instead of four.. c
Never a dull moment! But lots of interest happening. How exciting! Lots of fodder for Camera House!
Brent would really love to have a goat. I see fencing and goat get-away problems. Though, Lucy’s favorite cheese is Chevre, so I may soften. Love to know how you plan on fencing those escape artists?
very carefully, though John has already fenced the exterior of the fields in deer fence – not expecting goats but because daisy jumped all the other fences.. c
Oh C. I’m so excited that you will be getting goats! You’ll notice some have a bit more ear flap than others..we call them, gopher ears! So adorable! Are the two that you bought in any of the photos? I also think their smiles look a little like a monkey’s smile too, don’t you? And if you cross a LaMancha doe with a Nigerian buck, you will have a Mini Mancha! 🙂 The goat’s milk soap is the best in the world…so rich and creamy, although I would love to try yours. Are you selling it yet?
Go little peeps, it wasn’t a total loss after all! I love little Lick, she is one tough Chick! 🙂
We have managed to get to March…surely winter is going to leave soon!
Linda ♪♫❤
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
amen to that!
So very pleased about the salvaged chicks. And I have always secretly wished that you had goats on the farmy. I love goats and made friends with many over the years. They seem to have some kind of snarky, humorous wisdom. Now all you need are a pair of alpacas to complete the menagerie.
So happy you were able to save those darling chicks. They look so cozy and bright-eyed. Getting teary here–tiny stings in the old eyes (and ears,if you can believe.)
There’s something ethereal about goats. I think it might be the way their noses sit a bit receded above their lips. And their eyes! gold bricks. I visited Hawaii once, ten years ago. My husband had a kind of heart attack there and so we didn’t really see much. After he was released from the hospital we opted to stay another week. One thing I was determined to visit was THE SURFING GOATS on Maui. I got to hold a newbor, and actually hand-milk a goat. I was so happy.
I hope you have a lovely day, too, Miss C. The goats are just so adorable. So sweet. Your farm is just so amazing, and what is so very exciting for us followers is that we have been with you on the ground floor of putting together, of creating, an entire farm from scratch! It has been and continues to be such an incredible adventure for an armchair farmer like me.
I’m so glad there are survivors. I am sure Boo-nanny is very, very sorry he pulled the incubator off. I’ve spent the last couple of months photographing tortoise eggs in various stages of development. I can’t wait to share. It’s a much, much slower process. One species I am working with takes around 145 days, give or take, depending on so many variables. We don’t write dates on the calendar like you do with chickens. We just wait and see. I did watch one small embryo moving in the egg this morning. So exciting!
Good news all the way today. Six little balls of fluff annd the news of two new does to arrive shortly. Now I am dancing my way to the kitchen singing! “Doe, a deer, a female deer….!
I love that you are getting goats! I actually feel excitement. And I’m always so intrigued at how this blogging world elicits emotion. With the love and enthusiasm you have for your current four-leggers expect that and more to come. Their individual personalities are fascinating- but that is not news to you I’m sure. I have 2 nubians and a Lagerian- She is a cross between a La Mancha and a Nigerian Dwarf- they are a little bigger, a little more milk production and the higher butterfat. I’m crossing my fingers that we have babies coming around April 20. Our first:)
And I’ve got to add- I’m so sorry for the egg crash- must have been miserable but I think you are good at recovery. Hope you are having a good Sunday.
I think 6 live birdies is a pretty miraculous number after the events of last night. I feel rather sorry for Boo. He so loves babies. Accidentally getting tangled in a cord and pulling babies to there death is definitely not something he would intend to do. Poor Nanny Boo. I LOVE THE GOATS!!! Oh my goodness. They smile almost as beautifully as baby Marcel. You are right…you and smiling animals! If you had a coat of arms, it would have smiling animals on it. xx
Lovely .. 6 yay!
babies *sigh*
Thank goodness most of the chick survived! What cute looking goats. One of the very few things I simply cannot eat is goats’ cheese.
As many as 7 chicks have a chance? That’s really good news, Celi. Your first reports sounded no where near as positive. I’m not at all familiar with the various goat types but this breed sure looks “handsome” as was mentioned earlier. They’ll make fine additions to the farmy.
Good luck with the cheepers – they must know that they’re coming to chick heaven. I knew Boo would come up trumps. Looking forward to llots of goaty pictures and caprine namesl
Enjoy your day, love, ViVx
O Celi: you really should be writing thrillers . . . you made the ‘chicken episode’ totally captivating. And then added these absolutely beautiful baby goats. Hmm! It seems that instead of working a whole lot of little boys and girls I know are going to be ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ in a few minutes when I send your post over 🙂 !! Well, my very favourite 2 1/2 year-old boy has just not only crossed the Gulf of Finland from Tallinn to see a pop-art show in Helsinki but absolutely love it: methinks when mother reads your post he will love that too 🙂 !
Such a wonderful international world we live in and all on touch instantly! Have a lovely day Eha. c
I’ve been on the edge of my seat, breath held as I whizzed through the posts I missed while away on the weekend… whew… everyone meant well… and there are a good number of chicky survivors. None of the doors in our old house latch properly either. Now I can enjoy the goats. They are cuties.
We will have to watch our hearts when the goatlings arrive.. there is something so ethereal about them.. c
You will love your goats, John & I milked the neighbors nubians for a week and a half while they were travelling. One was close to drying up and one had a kid nursing but we still got almost a gallon and a half a day from the three of them. Their pasture has a steep hill and the goats have done a marvelous job clearing out the underbrush. There are 3 things guaranteed to make you laugh; a donkey’s bray with the hmmmph, grmmmph snort at the end, a chicken running hell bent for election and a goat kid sproinging.
Hello Celi there is always so much action on the farm. Sorry to hear about the little chicks but glad you were able to rescue a few. Have a super week!
Leave it to Boo to lick the chicken. He was probably ready to adopt it as his own. I’ve never seen goats with tiny ears like that.
Great news about the chicks, now you’ll have to try and sex them. It’s meant to be quite tricky, but I’ve usually had quite good results doing it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_sexing
Big Man tells me that goats in Spain that have little ears are nicknamed Cabras Monas, which translates as Female Monkey Goats!!
Thank goodness you rescued some of the eggs and chicks. We had a duck who hatched off a brood but abandoned the last egg. After a couple of days I took it away as she’d settled with the ducklings somewhere else and thought I’d have a look to see how far the duckling had developed. For some reason I used a brick to smash the egg and was amazed that the egg stared to cheep. I reformed the shell as best I could and put it under a desk light for a couple of days and miraculously Derek (though he turned out to be a she) hatched and lived for several years until he died when a pallet fell on top of him. Not a good start or end to his life but he looked pretty happy between times.
That crazy little dude could be in a science fiction movie…fabulous
Always an adventure on the farm! I could almost see the front of the duck pen when we got another 4-5 inches yesterday. *sigh* But your goats and chicks…just adorbs!!!
A drunken sailor, that really did make me laugh out loud! What a sweet think Boo is. Goats are adorable! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do. I’ve made goat cheese on more than one occasion. It is super easy and very delicious. So much better than store bought.
I do look forward to the cheese. c
Your posts are always such a treat to read – and, wow, there was a lot of excitement going on at your farm!! We had goats and I really loved them but these little ones have to be the cutest little goats EVER !! I WANT ONE….. OR TWO !!!!