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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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 Posted - Feb 28 2016 : 5:39:32 PM
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Last night I stayed up late watching Tulip, our Oberhasli doe who was overdue. She was having slight contractions but not a lot of discharge. I rested on the cot until those darn ducks just would not stop their late night chatter!
This morning I went down by 6 am to check on Tulip. More discharge but more angled from her pin bones and tail was higher. My good friend who loves goats even more than I headed over to see. At 8:30 am our BnB guest stopped by the barn to see if any babies were born yet. We told her that Tulip was indeed in labor and at that point, Tulip started pushing with hard contractions. Our guest wondered if it would be rude if she video-taped the birth! :) Within minutes the first doeling was born, proper presentation, no issues, sac was already broken. The guest was over the moon excited ... will be interested to see her review! (She's already made future reservations with us!) But she had to leave ...
The second kid was coming! This one was still in the sac which caused a huge bubble that was slowing the birth down. I made the decision to poke the sac and the amniotic fluid poured out and I could see the kid was presenting correctly again. I helped the feet to straighten and out SHE came! Two sweet doelings! My Tulip has always just had twins so I thought she was done, but bounced her and wasn't really sure what I was feeling. I turned to pick up some dirty towels when my friend yelled, "Charlene, there's another one coming!" Then, I quickly turned around and sure enough, we were having triplets! I've had an Oberhasli give birth to triplets twice before and not all the kids survived. I was expecting a dead kid, actually. Only one hoof was showing, sac had already broken. I reached in and only felt another elbow but no head. Yikes. This baby was breech. I decided that I needed to pull her out as quickly as was safely possible because if the umbilical cord had broken, this one was not going to be able to get oxygen. So with the next couple of contractions, I pulled the kid out backwards! My first breech delivery! This little one was breathing, too!!!!
I'm so excited! Tulip just gave me triplet DOELINGS!! In years previous, I was forced to sell Tulip's babies so this year I told my friend that if Tulip gave me twin girls, I wanted to keep them. Well, she gave me an extra one for good luck! I really am hoping to keep all three!
I'm exhausted but it has been a great day! At 1 pm we had 14 people over for dinner ... hubby is amazing and helped with it all. I've been feeding the triplets and little Adora their bottles throughout the day. Triplet doelings! How glorious! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 28 2016 : 5:50:00 PM
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| what a story charlene, you are very talented with your deliveries. i am impressed. get some sleep and get ready for the next round. |
_(199x300)_(66x100).jpg?v 93697001) Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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NellieBelle
11214 Posts
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Posted - Feb 28 2016 : 5:54:10 PM
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| Glad all went alright with your does and the kids. What a full day for you, family and guests. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 28 2016 : 6:06:27 PM
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The three are all settled in, got their colostrum and drinking their bottles well. Now to figure out names... the last one who was breech we are thinking of naming "Pipsissewa" calling her Pippa as a nickname. The Pipsissewa flower hangs upside down but is beautiful inside. Fits the little third doeling who was 7 lbs and backwards at birth.
Now, we need to keep figure out the first two beautiful doelings. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
Edited by - CloversMum on Feb 28 2016 7:20:27 PM |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 28 2016 : 7:40:19 PM
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| Wunnerful wunnerful (I watched Lawrence Welk last night) news Charlene, and yes! a Pippa. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 05:34:48 AM
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| Congrats on the goats, Charlene! How exciting for you and for your BNB guest. That's an experience she won't forget. Three healthy doelings is amazing! |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 07:32:50 AM
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| Charlene they're absolutely darling! And triplets from Tulip, I bet you were so excited! Great job on a successful breech delivery. Must have been nerve wracking but sounds like you handled it like a pro and all turned out wonderfully :) I love hearing about this process, as we'll be going through our first lambing season about a year from now. |
Hobby farming with my husband & two kids in beautiful Michigan ~ 1 Jersey; Miss Persimmon, 2 Olde English Southdown ewes; Lula & Clementine, and chickens to come Spring 2016. Loving the adventure! |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 09:38:39 AM
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Thanks everyone! We now have Tansy beginning her labor. Last year was her first year and she had one doeling. She wasn't able to deliver her on her own as the baby was positioned such that there just wasn't enough room. We had to take her over to WSU vet hospital where they helped pull the baby. So, I'm really hoping Tansy has more than one baby and can kid with minimal assistance from me with no WSU trip!
Now, I really need help naming the triplet girls. Flower names anyone? I'm thinking a second one could be named Amaryllis (call her Ryllis for short) but I'm not completely sure. With the last one having such an unusual name (Pipsissewa, Pippa for short). Suggestions anyone? I already have most of the more common flower names ... and my goats are registered so I cannot duplicate. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 09:40:10 AM
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| I can't stop thinking about Charlene's news--three healthy doelings!!!! That's amazing. Wouldn't it be something to get three heifers out of one pregnancy? I would think my ship had come in. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 10:00:28 AM
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I'm definitely feeling on cloud nine, MaryJane. I'm so amazed that she had triplets! and then that all babies were alive, and finally that they were all doelings! I so wanted to keep Tulip's kids if she had twin doelings and I feel like the third is a promise granting better times ahead. :) Isn't that silly?
Now flower name suggestions, MaryJane?! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 12:18:30 PM
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| Petunia, Tiger Lilly, Iris, Apple Blossom, Hyacinth (I think of the lady named Hyacinth on the BBC comedy "Keeping Up Appearances"...she's hilarious!) |
Hobby farming with my husband & two kids in beautiful Michigan ~ 1 Jersey; Miss Persimmon, 2 Olde English Southdown ewes; Lula & Clementine, and chickens to come Spring 2016. Loving the adventure! |
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Sydney2015
1156 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 1:56:23 PM
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| Charlene, it is so nice to hear! My sister, cousin, and I slept over at my other cousin's house two nights ago to watch one of her goats. We thought it would be within 24 hours, but no babies yet. :( Hopefully soon! |
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I live on a small farm of seventy acres called Green Forest Farm, with 10 horses, a donkey, 5 beef cows, 2 beef heifers, 3 Hereford heifers, around 60 chickens, 8 dogs, my amazing cow, AppleButter, and her little Jersey calf HoneyButter! |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 29 2016 : 7:25:55 PM
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Yes, Sydney, these goats can be so sneaky about their deliveries! Bummer about not seeing the goat deliver. It is such a miraculous event to watch a little one be born without breath, and then see a breath taken and the whole body become awakened and full of life. I really do find it fascinating! Each birth teaches me something new and I have another experience under my belt, so to speak.
Now, if Tansy would just cooperate and deliver. Marigold is due this coming weekend... but will probably be a few days late.
Just discovered that two of my triplets are polled! No disbudding for two! Hurray! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Sydney2015
1156 Posts
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Posted - Mar 01 2016 : 8:45:37 PM
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| Wow Charlene! Quite a story, my cousin had an unexpected kid last year. They bought this goat, mainly to show for 4-H, she had never been able to become pregnant but had been in with a buck. She was really fat(she loves food). In the middle on the night my aunt heard her making really weird noises, she woke up my cousin and they went to check on her, sure enough she was having a kid! She had one baby girl that was born the night of my aunts birthday. Now she is pregnant to have another kid(maybe more). |
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I live on a small farm of seventy acres called Green Forest Farm, with 10 horses, a donkey, 5 beef cows, 2 beef heifers, 3 Hereford heifers, around 60 chickens, 8 dogs, my amazing cow, AppleButter, and her little Jersey calf HoneyButter! |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Mar 02 2016 : 7:22:22 PM
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So, today our farm was blessed with two more DOELINGS! We now have a total of five goat kids and all of them are females.
Last night Marigold was in beginning stages of labor (2 days early) and Tansy was three days overdue, also having contractions off and on. This morning Marigold started hard labor at 9:30 am but nothing by 10:30. I gloved up and did an internal exam. The first kid had its head twisted just slightly which was keeping the contractions from being effective. I moved the head around and straightened out the front hooves and out she popped! The second one came quickly after. And, both are females!
The triplets born on Sunday finally have names: Chrysanthemum, Trillium, and Pipsissewa. :) Nicknames will be Chryssie, Tilly, and Pippa. But I like the name Chrysanthemum so much, I don't think I'll use her nickname. Have any of you read the children's book called, "Chrysanthemum"? It is such a cu-cute! story.
The twins born this morning are named CoralBelle and LilyBelle.
After lunch Tansy was continuing with on and off labor, so I called the WSU vet hospital. We took her in. An ultrasound shows healthy twins. They are keeping her for observation. Last year she had a difficult time delivering her single doeling so they are concerned that Tansy will have a difficult time delivering these kids. If she does then I will not breed her again. It was hard to leave her but it's nice to have others watching and caring for her!
Taking Tansy over to WSU Vet Hospital ... in the back of our suburban with my friend who very willing sat in the back comforting Tansy. What a friend!
Tansy in her nice stall at the vet ...
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Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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Sydney2015
1156 Posts
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Posted - Mar 03 2016 : 07:09:05 AM
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| Yay! My cousin had a goat named Pippa for a little while. That is a lot of baby girls to take care of, I hope Tansy does okay. I love the pictures! |
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I live on a small farm of seventy acres called Green Forest Farm, with 10 horses, a donkey, 5 beef cows, 2 beef heifers, 3 Hereford heifers, around 60 chickens, 8 dogs, my amazing cow, AppleButter, and her little Jersey calf HoneyButter! |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Mar 03 2016 : 5:18:32 PM
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| charlene, this is so wonderful. i'll really impressed with your goat birthing skills. congrats on all your doelings. |
Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Mar 04 2016 : 08:50:24 AM
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| Really enjoying your posts on this! You're great at what you do :) More sweet doelings, how exciting! I've been reading through my "managing your ewe and her newborn lambs" book and signed up to take a webinar on birth management for small ruminants next week. Much to learn. Thanks for posting your adventures! |
Hobby farming with my husband & two kids in beautiful Michigan ~ 1 Jersey; Miss Persimmon, 2 Olde English Southdown ewes; Lula & Clementine, and chickens to come Spring 2016. Loving the adventure! |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Mar 04 2016 : 11:01:11 AM
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A webinar on birth management for small ruminants would be so much fun! When I was delivering Marigold's twin doelings, Cecily was so brave and wanted to watch her very first birth. My friend, Alida, who is my goat midwife partner during kidding season told me later that we should have recorded it as I was giving a running commentary as to what was happening, what I was doing, and why. I didn't even realize it, but I guess I wanted to explain to Cecily what was going on so she wouldn't be scared! :)
Well, Cindy, my goat kidding skills just took a nose-dive ... after Tansy spent the night at WSU, the next morning I pulled out my old calendar to relook at the breeding dates. Lo and behold, Tansy had shown signs of heat on 9/30 and 10/6 ... obviously not true heat both times and she probably was bred on 10/6 which would make her due date today! She most definitely was not five days overdue! I felt a bit silly letting the WSU vet know this ... she was thrilled for Tansy as that means Tansy is doing fine so far. I was less thrilled to have to confess my poor bookkeeping skills. :)
So, we brought Tansy home ... they could have kept her until she delivered but I didn't want to spend money on that (very reasonable overnight rates there) as I'd rather use that money towards delivery costs if she has problems. Yes, I'm frugal. And, I think Tansy seems more relaxed and happy in her own barn with her own herd. So, Alida and went back over there yesterday and transported Tansy back home. I'm impressed with the vets as they texted me this morning just to check in ... they want to know when Tansy delivers and want pictures of the kids!
Tansy had a rough delivery last year, but I'm hoping I can help her this year. We know there are twins which hopefully make an easier time. I feel confident that I can help position the babies, but Tansy is smaller and finer-boned so I'm hoping she physically has enough room. Having already kidded once before is also in Tansy's favor.
So kidding season continues! I actually hope we have at least one boy as I already know of a home for him. They want a pack goat. But the rest can be girls ... hope, hope, hope. :-) |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Mar 04 2016 : 11:05:53 AM
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| I've been wondering about Tansy. Thanks for the update. Fingers crossed all goes well. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Mar 04 2016 : 11:13:50 AM
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I'm running laps back and forth to the barn these days! But what an incredible blessing this barn has been! Cecily was able to be with us in the barn, even with a space heater! That was a very significant moment for her to watch her first birth ... she's always been so afraid of loud noises and if the goats made loud noises then she would collapse, fall down, and start crying. (Slightly hard to help her up when I'm all gloved up with gloves to my shoulders!) But I guess noisy roosters and ducks help to distract and Marigold wasn't even loud. We told Cecily that if Marigold was loud, she was just telling us how hard she was working. Cecily was so proud of herself and told everyone she saw that she had just watched her very first goat birth! :)
She might be able to watch Tansy's birth now ... |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
Edited by - CloversMum on Mar 04 2016 1:35:50 PM |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Mar 04 2016 : 5:29:53 PM
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Marigold had her first injections today of Banamine and Naxcel, along with her second uterine flush. She's certainly better than last night! But not back to normal ... but eating, good rumen sounds, normal temperature, less birth discharge, and drinking her water. Such a relief! She's my herd queen and it would hurt to lose her. Today I soaked a bucket full of beet pulp (probably GMO but needed to get calories into my doe) and she ate some of that as well. I can dilute her milk down with my other goats' milk and still use it for my goat kids which is nice as I try to use as little powder replacement as possible.
I'll need to give her daily shots for the next couple of days with uterine flushes for the next three to four days. The only issue is that she is occupying the only kidding stall we currently have set up! :) So Tansy will need to pick a birthing "corner" versus a complete stall in which to have her kids. I do separate the other goats from her but it isn't exactly the way I had set it up for ... adaptability and flexibility is the name of the game! The end result? Healthy mama goats and healthy kid goats. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Mar 05 2016 : 08:35:38 AM
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Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Mar 05 2016 : 10:00:31 AM
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How adorable! Glad to hear that Marigold continues to improve. Do you by any chance know what the milk withdrawal period is for Banamine?
Also, Tansy is now due again, right:)? |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Mar 05 2016 : 10:11:37 AM
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| charlene the photos just make me smile. and i am so impressed with your medical abilities. does adora get to play with the new goats at all? just wondering... |
Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
Baby goats have arrived!
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
