Lucy had her babies yesterday. She wasn't due until the 24th so things did not go well. She had one big white male that she actually tried to clean up and take care of. The other two were difficult to identify. They were hairless, and underdeveloped. She was still in the pen with the buck so Steve and I tied up the buck and tried to lure Lucy into the neighboring pen. She refused to cooperate and we had to lasso her again. Then we moved her baby but she would not touch him again. As soon as we went inside, she managed to get back in with the buck and left the baby. So I brought the buckling inside and tried to feed him. He nursed a little at first but only got weaker and weaker. He had very little hair and no teeth. He finally breathed his last this afternoon.

It was a very difficult day for me. I really hate to see the moms struggle so to give birth only to lose the babies. Lucy did this last year too. She had 3 babies and they all were very cute and seemed to be healthy but she did not take care of them and I lost them too. I don't think Lucy should ever be bred again. I don't know if I will breed any of the does again next year. We would have had 10 new kids if all the babies had lived this year. 10 kids out of 4 does! Amazing! As it is, we have 6 beautiful kids, 4 bucks and 2 does. The pure angora kids are thriving and so are the pygoras who lived.

I have promised the wild does to a guy who wanted some goats. He has even paid for them but I don't feel right about this sale. I do not feel that I should perpetuate the problems I have had with these wild goats and pass them on to someone else. I will try to persuade this gentleman to take some of the tame goats instead. I'm thinking of selling the wild does for meat instead. I know this sounds cruel but I cannot keep them and I cannot, in good conscience, sell them to anyone else to breed again or cause someone else the problems and grief that I have experienced with them. It has caused me to re-evaluate myself as a farmer and breeder. What are my goals? Why do I want these beautiful animals? Can I take care of them in the way they need and deserve? I don't know the answers yet.