http://www.capradiemndg.com/pi-kiki-kids.html shows the two new Capra Diem kids! These pictures were taken at 20 hours old. NO blue eyes - just light reflecting on the eye.
I want to know if either look a bit like they are polled to you. I haven't developed an eye for it yet. Father is polled, mother's sister is polled but she was not. I have hopes!!!!
Today - babies are 2.5 days old and I was feeling heads, looking for swirls and feeling for points - can't tell much yet. I found smooth little bumps but no one was still enough to be sure what I was feeling.
Judy
Replies
Doelings can definitely fool you sometime!
Julia @Woody Glen Farm said:
Just an FYI, my doeling I thought was polled has sprouted horns at 3 weeks old! Glad I shaved her head and kept an eye on the bumps. Tomorrow will be disbudding day for her :(
OK - after having my 2nd set of kids - I think it is really clear. My first two have absolutely no swirls, and the triplets all have the swirls about where I'd expect horns. Fascinating. So once I get a real experienced goat person to come visit - I'll know if I am seeing what I'm supposed to see - in which case - yay! The doeling I want to keep might be polled.
Judy
The bucklings almost always have horn buds (points) either when they are born or very shortly afterwards! So when my polled buckling had none, I knew pretty quickly. The doelings are harder because they don't come in as quickly. Your doeling looks polled from what I can tell in the pic but it's hard to tell. If you haven't already, read my recent post for tips and pics:
http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/forum/topics/polled-or-not-helpf...
Shaving her head before you disbud or if you suspect you're feeling horn buds helps. If there are no tips coming through the bumps, don't do it. Wait and watch the buds for signs of horn buds. As Deborah said, "polled bumps are rounded and horn buds are little points like pencil tips". One of my 3 was horned so I got to feel the difference.
To my knowledge, the dam's sister being polled will not influence your chances of getting polled kids, but the daddy being polled will! :)