Relaxed Farming - our farm in your classroom

Amidst all the excitement (!!!) of wet paddocks and poultry confined to their 'quarters', it's about time we mentioned the goats. As previously posted, we have six pregnant nannies: three dairy and three pygmy (should be four but Parsley is not quite there yet). Strictly speaking, two of the three dairy goats are NOT nannies as this is the first time they have been pregnant and they are not actually called 'nannies' until they have given birth. Instead they are referred to as 'goatlings'!! All six goats are only a few weeks into their pregnancies or 'gestation' periods and so none are 'showing' at the moment.
These two: Onion on the left and Thyme on the right are both pygmy goats. Their natural shape is very 'round' and often people think they are pregnant even when they are not. We have just trimmed their feet - hence the purple mark on Thyme - we spray their hooves with a mild antiseptic once we have cut them and Thyme must have had a good scratch immediately after we did this. It 'will' wear off. Both these two and indeed all six of our pregnant girls are in great condition: they are eating, drinking and moving around fine. At this stage of their five-month pregnancies, our care for them does not require much over and above what we usually do. Most of the growth of the kids inside them takes place in the last few weeks and that is the time when they will need a bit more food and attention. They will definitely be looking very big by then and won't be able to move around quite as well. Very like human mums-to-be they will be feeling tired and heavy and achy.
Last year Sage, one of the pygmies, who had always been a little more nervous than the others, suddenly became our best friend because towards the end of her pregnancy, we gave her a few back massages which she absolutely loved. She would stand rock still and we would feel her start to relax as we ran our hands up and down her back. Wonderful!! We will definitely be doing it again this year.