Ladies in Waiting

Dairy does heavy with kids.

For well over a week now I've said each evening, "I think Leslie's going to kid tonight." Each morning I've looked out to see our big dairy does still carrying their kids. I've been basing my predictions on the fullness of the Nubian does' udders. Although does may come into milk a week or more in advance of kidding, I've seen some--mostly the little breeds, those we've now sold off from the farm--come into milk one day and kid the next.

Now Pamela is looking quite full and rounded. She bore twins last spring, as did our other dairy does, so I'm expecting twins from each of them again. Leslie's udder is fuller and see looks wider, but Pamela has that full bottom line going on--accentuated by her color patterning.

With Marcie I'm not sure when she's due. At first I expected all the dairy does to kid in April, but then a couple of months after the fall breeding Marcie again appeared open and Hank was on the job. Since we need to pull her kids off of her before she even licks them dry, this not knowing is a problem. That Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis can be passed to her kids through her milk and we want to pull her kids immediately to prevent passing along the disease.

For now, we are watching the Nubian does more closely. I'm expecting Leslie Lupine to kid any time now, and Pamela Chrysanthemum won't be far behind. This morning brought no new kids. We're waiting and watching, eager to see what their breeding with Midnight Hank will produce.

Patience.