Goat Birth Story: Atari The Surpriser

So, we went with pen breeding this past December for 9 of the does - all to Gil-Galad. The Great Pig Escape of 2008 wrecked our plans of two breeding groups, spread out by 4 to 6 weeks to make it easier to keep up with the births. The pigs thrashed that goat paddock and we couldn't keep the buck/doe group over there, no pasture!

So on December 5th, we rolled him into the "herd of 9" and waited for those does to come into heat. Those first few days were a bit crazy - several does acted like they were in heat a single day and we were trying hard to keep up with who Gillie was hanging close to.

Imagine our surprise when Atari ("Faline" is her herd nickname) went first - 5 days before we thought she should be due - and a full five days before anybody else! Even those we thought bred on the very first day.

How surprising was it? Carol was sure somebody was going to birth... Erica was first up and was acting all weird. Moody. Anxious. Checked on them at 9:10am... no active laboring... went inside to shower and dress the girls. Back out at 9:30am and there is Atari cleaning up a pretty little doeling!

The girls named her solo doeling "Caramel Cupcake." Don't ask :D