If my suspicions are correct, Nutmeg will be our next doe to kid. And, while I try not to play favorites, this is the kidding that I've been looking forward to the VERY MOST!
There are two main reasons that I'm so excited about this:
1. We've never gotten to see her as a mother, but we know she's super maternal. Nutmeg was John's anniversary gift to me last March, after she'd already kidded. So, we got to enjoy her amazing milk all season, but we haven't gotten to see her with any kids. We do know, though, that she has strong maternal instincts.
http://www.broodfarm.com/broodingon/2014/7/22/sweet-auntie-nutmeg This post from last summer tells the story. She basically mothered poor Chip while his own mother ignored him completely. If you don't remember this story, you should check the link -- Nutmeg is such a sweet Auntie.
Oh, and here's the link to our first introduction of Nutmeg -- pretty much exactly a year ago. http://www.broodfarm.com/broodingon/2014/3/11/meet-nutmeg
Nutmeg tolerates the rest of the goats, but I am her herd. If I'm working in the house, she spends most of her day grazing in the corner of the field closest to me. When I head down to the barn, she heads that way, too.
2. Nutmeg is MY girl! She is completely devoted to me to the point of being pretty bull-headed at times. She is a great milker and is very well-behaved on the milkstand . . . if rambunctiousness in the barn is kept to a minimum and, most importantly, if I'm the one milking her. When John or someone else has to fill in in my absence, she would just rather not be milked. And, because she is so large, when she decides she's done, well, there's really not much to be done about it. She, literally, puts her foot down . . . in the milk pail, most likely.
Nutmeg and I at Halloween. What do you think? Do we favor?
Some might consider this stubbornness a flaw, but because her devotion is to ME, I find it endearing. :)
She's not protruding as much from the sides as Razz and Izzy, her maternity ward companions. Still, she is definitely larger than usual, and could easily be hiding twins with that large frame of hers. As she is definitely our best milk producer, we're keeping our fingers crossed for GIRLS!