Breakfast with goats did not go as planned yesterday. After Beauty finished her morning ration, she made a beeline up the driveway at a shockingly fast rate for a pregnant goat. Goats are herd animals by nature, and thus I rarely see them go anywhere by themselves. I figured she was heading for the field across the street, as it has early green grass- one of the goats’ very favorite treats in spring.
I got the rest of the goats settled back in the barn before chasing Beauty down. I couldn’t find her anywhere- not in the usual spot across the street, not in the grassy island by the farm stand, nor rummaging through feed bins in the barn.
I finally made my way to the beehives to look for her in the higher pastures, and sure enough she was already half way up the hill at that point. This is when I knew we had an impending labor on our hands. I called out to her, and she gave me a weak “maaa” in return before continuing on her way.
It was the most beautiful March day one could hope for in New England. Blue skies, bright sun, and temps in the 50’s. So I let her go on her way, knowing that she knew exactly what she needed in that moment.
I followed her to a pine tree where she scratched at the earth (nesting) to make a suitable spot to welcome babies to this world. I went home to eat lunch and gather supplies and returned 45 minutes later to 2 new tiny goats! She had a girl and a boy, both of whom were born healthy, active, and ready to suckle minutes after coming from the womb. Because Beauty’s kids are all named after Disney Princesses, these two will are named Ariel and Charming. Ariel is the darker colored one, and Charming is mostly white with streaks of black.
The moments of that day were magical, aw-inspiring, and so humbling. If you ever feel the need to experience the bare essential beauty of the world, watch an animal give birth. They stay calm, listen to their bodies, and get the job done with little fanfare.
I imagine that a gallery of cute baby goat pictures is exactly what we all need in our lives right now, so enjoy these snapshots of the very first hours of baby goat life.
