Confessions of a Goodwife........The Triple Teat Tale......

So if you've read my blog for long, you know I'm a compulsive confessor.  I just feel as if I don't give ALL the information that I'm somehow being less than honest and I can't stand that feeling.  So in light of that.....it's time for another episode of.....

Confessions of a Goodwife...duhn duhn dunnnnnn!!

Remember when I wanted a fool proof way to tell if Tulip was pregnant?

And so I bought this handsome little fella?

Well what I didn't tell you was.....Ollie has an extra teat!

Whew!  It feels good to get that off my chest, for real!

The first thing I did when I went to look at him, was stand him up and check his teats.  This isn't an uncommon problem in goats, but is quite undesirable in dairy goats. Several years ago, I went to buy a registered Kinder doeling from a really prominent Kinder breeder in IL.  The doeling that I fell in love with, when we checked her over, had an extra teat, so I didn't buy her.   I hesitated for just a bit about buying him, but I really wanted to know if Tulip was bred, and he was so cute that I went ahead.

I needed a buck to "test" Tulip and wasn't planning to keep the kids anyway, so wasn't too worried about it at the time.  Ollie was a healthy buck and sweet and friendly which was my main concern so home with us he came!

Then once I was 95% sure Tulip was bred, the doubts began to creep in.  I began to worry myself silly over that extra teat.  Worry about passing it on, even though i wasn't planing to keep any kids out of him.  Worry over telling people about the extra teat, and worry about Jennifer getting a doeling from Star, out of a buck with extra teats!  So...much....worry!

I mentioned selling him to The Man and The Youngun on several occasions, but they were always thinking, but he's so sweet, and we know he's healthy and he's so CUTE!  All the while in the back of my head, I knew selling him was the right thing for me to do, with full disclosure of course.  If I wasn't afraid he was too old to wether, I'd do that as well and then sell him!

Then, God took the decision out of my hands as He so often does when I dither....

Star got sick, and I felt she wasn't going to be in any shape to be bred this fall.  Tulip is retired, and I don't breed young does until they are around 18 months old.  That means I will be feeding Ollie for 2 years and not using him for ANYTHING.  That just doesn't make good homestead sense.

So Ollie went to his new home Thursday night.  A lovely couple who has around 30 does and 2 bucks was looking for another blue eyed buck to add to their herd.  They don't milk and don't even have purebred goats, they just love goats and breed them for pets and brush eating.  I'm very happy he went to a good home and also very thankful for the time he was here.

I've got until late fall/early winter of 2016 before I have to start thinking about finding a buck for Merida, Erika, and Star.  It's a relief to not have to worry about Ollie getting out and breeding Tulip, and I'm thankful Star will have this time to recover from her illness.  I want her in the best shape possible before she is bred again!

Until next time............

God Bless,