New Arrivals

Spring is such a wondrous time of the year with the miracle of birth and new beginnings all around us. At the farm it is apparent spring has finally arrived with new life emerging continuously. Newborn animals are plentiful down here at the farm with eighteen new baby animals at our last count.

Visitors find delight in new-born donkey at Beacon Hill farm

Kim Westad, Times Colonist

Published: Saturday, May 12, 2007

     He's got hair as soft as a bunny, prances around like he's wearing high heels for the first time and is the latest addition to the Beacon Hill Children's Farm, just in time for Mother's Day.
     Jack, a Sicilian miniature donkey, was born Saturday morning and within hours was jumping around the corral, only a bit wobbly on his gangly legs. Mom Taffy was right behind him.The only time Taffy took her eyes off her newborn was when a zoo worker brought out a bucket of feed and a few carrots for her.
     "She's quite protective right now, which is what you want when the baby is first born. It shows a bond," said Lynda Koenders, senior manager at the popular petting farm. "Mom and baby are both doing very well."

Jack, a Sicilian miniature donkey, was born Saturday morning at Beacon Hill farm.

Jack, all ears and legs, appears to have much the same temperament. He nuzzled his mother, ran to a fence where people lined up to have a peek, kicked up his heels and was quite happy to be petted. And he didn't seem the least alarmed by the peacock screeches that pierce the air every minute or so at the farm.
     Taffy's belly dropped last week, a sign the baby was imminent, after a 13-month gestation. All last week, Koenders checked on Taffy several times through the night, but nothing. On Friday night, exhausted, Koenders didn't check. Sometime between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. Saturday, Taffy gave birth with no complications.
     "She did it all herself," Koenders said, sounding proud as a grandmother.
     The Koenders have run the popular farm since it began in the park in 1985.
     Though it's called a children's farm, Koenders is loose in her definition. "Children of all ages come in, from one to 101 years."
     Most weekend mornings, the farm is filled with families and the goat pen is busy with children brushing and petting the bleating babies. There are already 46 baby goats, and Koenders expects between 70 and 80 for the entire season.
     "There was a power outage. It's the same for billies as it is for humans," Koenders joked. Actually, the babies are so popular with the public that all the goats were bred this year.
     The farm usually closes at 5 p.m., but will stay open until 8 p.m. beginning June 16, so more people can visit the farm and enjoy the animals.
     Every day at feeding time, there's a "goat stampede," where people line the run to the barn, clap their hands and call out, "Come on babies." The goats run to the barn for their meal. With the extra goats, there will be additional stampedes.
     Not all the goats will be on duty for the public though, as Koenders said the extended hours would be too long a day for them. Instead, there will essentially be two shifts, with half the goats in the public area, and half in a more private area so they have their "down time."
     As of June 16, the stampedes will be held at 10:10 a.m., two at 4 p.m. and at 8:10 p.m.
     Babies of all sizes can be found now, with more on the way. Cow Nan gave birth to Cocoa last month, and Sweetie the pig is due in early July, while ewes Rosemary and Nutmeg are due in June.