Brimwood's First Goat Kid

There was rather a surprise on Monday when Pye gave birth!

With three pregnant nannies, kids have been on the cards for a while. I’m hugely looking forward to becoming self-sufficient in milk and beginning a cheese-making hobby. I’m breeding registered Anglo-Nubian’s here with the emphasis on producing some top notch breeding stock rather than sending goats off to market. Whilst we’re meat-eaters, I do not, in any way, want to become a meat conveyor belt so it’s important to ensure good homing potentials.

There was nothing out of the ordinary on Monday night other than Pye, who wouldn’t come to bed. Eventually I went over to her and shook a bucket; something she couldn’t resist. But as she stepped forwards there was a cry from the nettles. A baby!

A newborn hidden in the nettles

I still have no idea when or where he was born. I’m guessing she had him somewhere near home in The Lookout, but search as I might, I couldn’t find the actual spot. Because of that I also have to go on the assumption that this little chap was a single kid; actually a good start for a new mum. There’s also something rather beautiful about Pye being able to give birth in the undergrowth, clean up her baby and then bring him to meet me … it’s all rather natural and how it should be. He was already nice and clean. As for Pye, she was also extremely tidy considering she had given birth!

Pye and Gaspode settling in their bonding pen

So welcome little Gaspode. He’ll be registered as a breeding buck and will find a new home in the future. For now he’ll spend at least a week in the barn whilst he and mum bond. He also needs to grow large enough so that he doesn’t get lost in the huge field that these guys roam.

My first kid! Very exciting!