Devonviolet Acres

[Devonviolet]

I saw that @Baymule posted about my two girls, April and Rosemary being pregnant. I had been measuring their girth, and they did seem to be getting bigger, but then last year I thought rosemary was getting bigger, and she wasn’t even pregnant. So, the other day I went out, to move a rooster from one chicken run to another, and while I was out there, I noticed that April’s udder was much larger than last Fall. Rosemary kept turning so I couldn’t see her udder. Whenever I am out there, she is facing me, because she is ever hopeful, that I will have treats for her. And this time she was right. We were off-loading hay from the round bale into large garbage bags. So, I was giving out hands full of nice coastal hay. Eventually I just dropped a big chunk of hay on the ground and was able to get behind her. And YES!!! Her udder is about 3 times bigger than it was last Fall!!!

This is April and Danny Boy nibbling on the hay I just put down to help control the mud, from recent rains. I think that is Violet outside the kennel.

This is Rosemary, in the same kennel, nibbling hay. Last Fall, her udder was so small, it was pretty much non-existent.

Here are both girls with Violet, who kept getting in my way. I was finally able to duck around her and get the shot.

 

[Baymule]

It's about time you showed up on here! I've been pulling your slack!

 

[Devonviolet]

It's about time you showed up on here! I've been pulling your slack!

 

[Bruce]

I guess every once in awhile we need to send Bay and BJ to your place to give you a nudge to let us all know how things are going

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Looks like you've got some babies on the way! Can't wait to see pics of those babies when they get here!

 

[Devonviolet]

I guess every once in awhile we need to send Bay and BJ to your place to give you a nudge to let us all know how things are going

 

[Devonviolet]

Looks like you've got some babies on the way! Can't wait to see pics of those babies when they get here!

Yes, they should be nice big babies, considering how big both mama’s are. Rosemary‘s pre-pregnancy weight was right around 140 pounds and April’s pre-pregnancy weight was 162. Now I know April looks fat, but she actually had lost some weight before she got pregnant. She’s a big eater and won’t think twice to push anyone out of the way so she get’s the biggest portion of the feed. We actually started chaining everyone to a t-post, at meal time, so no one steals the other’s food.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

nice to see you and your beautiful goats back here

 

[Devonviolet]

nice to see you and your beautiful goats back here

Thanks B&B! I DO love my goats!!!

 

[Devonviolet]

Nothing really earthshaking going on around here. April, Rosemary and Danny Boy are just a joy! We have started giving the girls goat feed since they are due in a little over a month. To keep them (especially Piggy April) from fighting over feed, we are chaining them to a T-post at meal time. It's so cute, they each know which post is theirs and at mealtime they go stand by their post, to wait for their bowl of feed. Danny Boy doesn't need feed, but to be fair, he gets a small handful while the girls get a couple cups.

Oh yes, I do have one bit of good news. I think I have mentioned before, that while Violet is an excellent guardian dog, since she was a puppy, we couldn't break her from chasing chickens. So we always kept them separate. Deo is fine with chickens. He has never chased them or bothered them.

Recently chickens have been getting into the goat yard. one day I looked out in the yard and saw three chickens in the goat yard. So Craig and I went out and got them out of there. Interesting thing, Violet didn't seem to care that we were chasing chickens. The next day, there were chickens in there again thebuff orpington rooster, and two hens. Violet was totally ignoring them. The next day, I looked out there, and there stood Violet with a dead chicken in front of her!

I was in the middle of doing something. So I asked DH to go out and get the chicken and tell violet she was a bad girl. Well instead of yelling at her, he picked up the chicken and cuddled it and said in a very soft voice, "Violet, that wasn't nice, you hurt my feelings, this is my chicken you shouldn't hurt my chicken"! Violet coward away like he had yelled at her and threatened to hit her. LOL!

Since that day, Violet has not bothered one chicken! We found a hole in the fence where the chickens go back and forth. The hole is too small for the dogs and goats to get through. Violet could care less about them now! She lays on the ground and sleeps while they pick all around her! it just makes me so happy to see Violet and the chickens getting along! <3.