Goat-O-Rama Kids of 2016

[Nanno]

As the only child of a hovering, overprotective mother, Napoleon doesn't get many opportunities to play with the other kids. He revels in those rare moments when Jezebel is on the stanchion and he can make friends. Jezebel's worries are completely unfounded. The other kids have been very gentle with the tiny baby. And like his eponym, his attitude is as big as his stature is small! 
   

Boone is particularly intrigued by the little guy. 
   
   

Napoleon is so small he looks like he could belong to the other kids! I stood him up next to Crockett for a size comparison. And in these photos he's more than twice the size he was at birth! He's small, but I have no doubt he's going to catch up very quickly. He's strong, healthy, and a magnificent eater. 
   

[Nanno]

Jezebel fusses and hovers over Napoleon constantly and keeps him far away from the other babies, which means he leads a somewhat lonely existence at the moment. (Just wait--it won't be long till he can outrun you, Jezebel!) In the meantime, he's discovered a refuge from his mother under the back porch stairs.  
   

"Come out of there, Napoleon! Come out!" 
   

We have on several occasions found Jezebel circling round the back stairs, calling out in distress because Napoleon has tucked himself as far into this recess as possible and she can't make him come out. 
   

"Is she gone?" 
   

[Nanno]

Well, we sold Crockett and Boone today. It's sad to see them go but it's for the best. They were starting to get much too fresh with the girls. Crockett was sold as a breeding buck and Boone will be his companion wether. The couple has never owned goats before but they just bought a small ranch about an hour south of us where the previous owner kept about 30 dairy goats. So the place is already set up for goats, plus the woman sold them a lot of her dairy equipment (including an expensive cream separator--I'm so jealous!). They both tried some of our goat milk and loved it. They didn't want an expensive fancy-pedigree show buck so the man got very excited when he saw my ad for Crockett and Boone. Even though he's never kept goats, he's done a lot of research and knows enough not to buy just one, so getting these brothers together was ideal since he has no other goats yet. Now he just needs some does and he'll be all set for babies and milk next spring! I hope they boys work out well for them. Boone is such a sweetheart. He's going to make a marvelous wether. I hope Crockett throws nice babies. He's toed out a bit in front but otherwise looks like a nice homestead-type buck with substantial bone and nice structure. I'm excited about this sale and I hope my boys do well in their new home because I'm going to miss their sweet, curious, mischievous faces and silly antics.

[hihobaron]

Nanno
Good Job
Great pictures
Good Luck to the boys.
You of course gave the new owners a PR blurb on Pack Goating too?  
??? Any word on were the Goat book went or $$ from Rendy?
=======================
It has been so nasty hot here and we had a big thunder storm come in hard this afternoon all the boys huddled up in their shed rather than be out in the brush.
Yes, when I turn them out into the brush I leave the gate open so if they want to they can come back in. With the heat and no breeze they have figured out that in the late afternoon the fan I have up in the shed is a good place to be.
The storm popped a couple of my GFI's and my APU for the computers cycled a couple times.
We got some rain but to hard and fast to do much good.
No critters hurt.
But the storm was right over us Flash/Crack no time delay. Lasted about a hour.

Happy Trails
hihobaron Blizzard,Fuzzy,Pete,Sam and the Troops in South Carolina

[Nanno]

I was not able to say much about packgoats because the weather really cramped our conversation. We had a big downpour blow in at us horizontally and drive us off the back patio where I was trying to show them the boys. We all went inside and our time was limited so we spent most of it discussing feeding and care since these folks have never owned goats before. I'm sure we'll stay in touch so there will be plenty of time to talk about packgoats in the future.

[Nanno]

Sounds like the Crockett and Boone are doing well and are very loved in their new home. I miss their funny faces but it's already easier to manage the herd without those two rapscallions jumping on the other babies, picking fights with the big boys, and generally getting in the way. I heard from the new owners yesterday and Crockett and Boone are already following them everywhere like best friends. I'm glad to hear they bonded quickly.

The boys' mother Delilah does not seem to be missing them much. Oakley was her favorite anyway and she still has her to nurse. I'm also putting Napoleon on Delilah morning and evening at the stanchion since she has too much milk for just one kid and I'm concerned that Jezebel isn't keeping up with Napoleon. I've never seen a doe with an udder constantly drained, but Jezebel hasn't had milk in that udder for over a month. The minute she produces a bit, Napoleon sucks it right down. She was never a huge producer to begin with. Napoleon never acts hungry and he's growing well and is full of energy (perhaps too full actually--he was practically born mounting everybody in sight and regularly picks fights with goats twice his size), but he had an awful lot of catching up to do because of his low birth weight.

I really want Napoleon to get some good growth because I'd like to sell him as a breeding buck. Not only is he an exceptionally healthy and energetic kid, but his conformation is outstanding. If I were breeding Alpines, this is one I could keep as a herd sire. It took long enough, but I only recently got the breeding memo from the lady whose bucks I used last winter and now I know why Napoleon is so nice. His daddy is Harmody and Redwood Hills breeding. I did not know the buck's lineage when I used him (he was not even yet registered at the time), but I knew I liked him a lot. Now I'm really wishing Napoleon were a doe so I could keep him!

As for Pedro and Pepi, I can't get enough of those two! Poor Pedro was banded yesterday and is sore and sorry for himself today, but hopefully he'll feel better by tomorrow. I'm not used to seeing this perky little ball of energy walking sedately and standing around with his tail down instead of causing mayhem. He's going to make a marvelous wether. His attitude (and Pepi's for that matter) remind me so much of Finn. They absolutely ADORE people and would far rather follow a person than another goat. I can't wait to start taking them out on the trails. I'm hoping that by banding Pedro at three months he'll keep that people-oriented personality that Finn somewhat lost when had his first rut. I especially want to find exceptional homes for these two because they are some of my favorites by far. I wish I could keep them, but I've got to keep my herd to a manageable size.

[Nanno]

Our babies are growing like crazy and fast turning into big goats. Rambo is looking particularly regal these days. And true to his name, he's one giant ball of muscle. I had to restrain him for a minute this morning and I couldn't believe how strong he was. He almost pulled me over and didn't act like it took any effort at all. 
   
   

Oakley had an oak leaf stuck in her collar. It seemed fitting somehow. She's a pampered little princess now that her brothers are gone. She gets all her mother's attention and milk to herself. 
   

Pepi is adorable. She has this silly habit of running up from behind, planting both front feet on my bottom,and then walking along like that. She wants to start a conga line! Six weeks ago she walked with her hind legs on my back for the entire length of a pasture! She hasn't done it in a while but recently she started again. I need to discourage her because she's getting too big for these shenanigans, but it's hard to say no when they're this cute and when they don't mean anything remotely aggressive by it.
   

She loves to waltz as well as conga! 
   

[Nanno]

Yesterday Phil and I took Pedro and Napoleon for their first hike together just the two of them. I believe they've found a new home beginning in October, so I'd like to spend as much time as I can with them for the few more weeks they're here. 

These two recently began to take notice of each other after Napoleon had a large and sudden growth spurt that put him within range of Pedro's size. There has been a good bit of head-knocking between them lately, which tells me they will most likely be fast friends before long. 
   

Napoleon is adorable but is starting to assert himself. I've had to correct him a few times recently for sneaking up from behind and savaging my pant legs with his horns. There's just something about that opening at the end of my shorts that is incredibly inviting for little horns! Pedro went through the same phase in July but learned very quickly that attacking people's clothing is off-limits.    
   

Pedro is as sleek as Napoleon is fuzzy. 
   

We had one incident in which the boys wanted to take a different trail, and it brings home to me how well goats memorize their surroundings. These boys have never been to this place before, but as we hiked back to the truck they knew the right trail to take. About half-way along the road there is a fork where you can take a scenic detour loop that winds through the oak near a ravine. This is the route we always take when we head back. The boys stopped at the fork and tried to convince us we were on the wrong road. 

"This is NOT the way we came, you guys! You're taking the wrong fork!" 
   

We kept walking and eventually they gave up and came flying down the "wrong" trail with us. I'm sure they were happier in the end--the scenic route has more stuff to eat!
   

My Men in Black. 
   

[Nanno]

With Cuzco gone from the campfire (see his latest Glamour Shot post to find out why!), the younger generation had a chance to come in close and socialize. 

Pedro wants a hot dog! 
   

I'm not sure what the big eyes are about, but get a load of that goat grin! 
   

For some reason Napoleon was fixated on Phil's right elbow and wouldn't stop licking it. Phil doesn't look too pleased. I'm sure he's thinking about where Napoleon's nose has recently been. This little guy is starting to feel manhood coming on and has been poking his nose into all kinds of things we're not sure we want touching us.   
   

[Nanno]

Look who's into campfires now! Rocky Balboa starting hanging around the campfire for the first time a few weeks ago and has spent more time at each subsequent one. We have to watch him because he tends to be a fire walker when he's not too busy inhaling the smoke. 
   

Ah... good ol' Rocky Mountain high! 
   

Rocky has to take particular care around the flames because of his extra low-hanging chins. I thought dewlaps like this only came on cows! I loosened his collar just a few days ago and it still feels quite roomy, but look at the rolls flopping over each side of it! "More chins than a Chinese phone book" is my favorite description of this fellow! 
   

Rambo hung around the fire a lot too. I love this guy's regal head and neck! 
   

And his soulful, stargazing eyes. He has a royal air about him in the way he moves proudly along with his head held high. 
   

Rocky howls at the moon while Rambo takes in the vapors.