Goodbye Goats - Hello Sun!

So, just a few days ago, Saturday January 15th, we sold two of our goats.

Our beloved and beautifully patterned Coral Belle, who gave me some amazing, rich, sweet milk and out of this world cheese as well as plenty of great personality and conversation. . .



And another beloved doeling, Marguerite, who was quite shy but very beautiful. We never had a chance to try any of her milk though.



Marguerite is on the far left, Coral Belle on the far right.




We sold them last weekend so that we have more room for the pasture to grow and not get over grazed. If it were really up to me, I would have kept Coral Belle, she was an absolute sweetheart and had amazing coloration, but at least we still have our colorful Nubian buck, George. He'll now be the sire to the remaining two doe's kids. Hopefully he'll throw a LOT of color and sweet temperament!





George, despite being a buck, is a very sweet, odorless, mellow, and quiet goat.


Well, beyond the sad news of loss, we must move on. . . And today was a perfect day to show for that. We had some rare sun show up!

First up is a Black Copper Marans hen who is really, really busty! This girl has a lot of size to her, bigger than my other lines of Black Coppers, and this photo perfectly shows how meaty she can be. I'm certainly going to use her next for our Shamo x Marans meat-bird projects.



After that, there's another kind of size. . . This here is a splash colored Jersey Giant basking right behind a rather small looking but normally sized Wheaten Ameraucana. The splash Jersey Giant still has a lot more growing to do, too!



And, her sister, another behemoth still with some time left to continue growing. Behind her is an Araucana hen.



And, on the smaller side, the Araucana. . .



Also wandering around is a rarely seen Silver Duckwing colored Araucana.



And, in relative subject, here's a gorgeous Blue Ameraucana.



Wandering more in the shady times of the day is another beauty, a Buff Ameraucana.




Well, that's it for now. This sun only lasts so long, and then it's just a bunch of long, large shadows cast by the trees. Winter is a dark time of the year, but when the sun does come out, it is a very nice advantage. Also, you might notice, but some of the birds are just finishing up on molting, so their feathers aren't looking in top condition.