The last ewe still hasn't lambed, but one of the goats stepped up to fill the birthing gap -
The above photo is seconds after I discovered them inside the goat house, so you're seeing exactly what I saw (minus my jaw hanging open, obviously). I had zero idea that she was pregnant. We don't keep any bucks, nor do our nearest neighbours. There was a ram in with her but shoats (sheep/goat hybrids) are too rare to be a possibility. If I do the maths, she was covered in late November last year, just before I took her son away. The kids, both does, have Boer goat markings like him.
So far the kids seem healthy, despite having a brother for a father. I think the saying goes "If it works, it's line breeding and if it doesn't, it's inbreeding". Then you eat your mistakes and try again.
Mom Goat clearly regrets nothing.
ReplyDeleteWell that was a pretty awesome surprise! Congratulations, especially in view of them both being does!
ReplyDeleteThere's a town near us with a reputation for family trees like that...
ReplyDeleteWell done Mum (which one's that?) for just getting on with it :)
Oedipus rocks!
ReplyDeleteI love how you get to eat your mistakes!
ReplyDeleteDelish.
barb