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.
The Kitchen's Garden 
103 responses to “Chicks and Goats”
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?