Congratulations to Seren, she had one doeling and two bucklings on April 3, 2023! They all came quick, within one hour, and all were uncomplicated and unassisted births. However, after taking turns consuming that vital colostrum and having a short nap, all 3 kids awoke with some level of difficulty standing and walking. Experience told us this is probably White Muscle Disease. After a quick BoSe injection, all three wee ones were doing great! And Seren, a second time freshener, was doing an excellent job mothering to include her remarkable ability to ensure all three were getting all that they needed from just two teats for the next 11 weeks. I found myself in awe watching her balance this not so easy routine and doing so with 3 scrappy and ever hungry kids pulling, climbing, jumping on her.

Seren and her kids.

The wee ones.

Seren’s doeling and one of the bucklings found wonderful homes and the other buckling is now a wether and living a full life here with our herd at Timeless Acres. He is sweet, he is silly, he is Rudy.

Timeless Acres Rudy-Toots.

I had started the weaning process several weeks prior so by time the kids were 10 weeks old, they were only nursing once a day. Once the other two kids left for their new homes, Seren simply stopped allowing Rudy nurse, that’s it, kid.

This is where this blog entry update would typically end, if it weren’t for Stella our Herd Queen.

Quick Backstory: Stella kidded two times so far and was an amazing mom both times; attentive, patient and firm when needed…unless it came to nursing. She would let those darn babies nurse all day long. In fact, both of her kids, Ruth and Nora, developed a milk goiter just below their jaw from consuming too much milk.

We retained both kids so there was no real need to wean them and for the first 8 months we did not see any signs nor any interest in weaning from the kids or Stella. Then, finally, around 9 months old, nursing slowed and eventually stopped. Until Seren had her kids that is.

Several weeks ago I am out doing morning barn clean and what do I spy with my little eye…Ruth and Nora nursing AGAIN! What the....

No way! Yes way! Both of them are looking at me with full-on milk moustaches . And within a few days, Stella's udder gets bigger as she is producing more milk.

And here we are today, Ruth and Nora at 1 year and 3 months of age have re-started nursing and Stella is letting them.

I continue to be amazed, and amused, by these lovely creatures around us and still learning so much.

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