Goat-O-Rama Kids of 2017

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Oh Nanno Im so sorry. Being the mama to all the babies here, it always kicks you right in the heart when one dies. Sounds like you and your vet did everything. The only thing I can suggest is to get a kid puller. Here is a link to one on Valley Vet. Though you can go to home depot and buy a 2 or 3 foot section of coated wire. Would be in their chains area. Its amazing how wonderful and fast those things work. You just guide the loop over the head and ears, tighten it up and pull.

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html...b0d0204ae5

Having birthed thousands of babies, we may have that little trick that might help. Id like for you to take my number for next year. Although nothing beats a good vet on hand, a little long distance support can go a lone ways.

[Nanno]

Hey Dave, sorry for the late reply. We were at the Rendy when you posted this and by the time we got back I'd forgotten that I hadn't replied. Thanks for the kind words. We'll be getting a kid puller for next time, although I'm not sure it would have helped much in this case. Our main difficulty was that we couldn't reach in far enough. Tigerlily was not dilated properly and the womb itself was extremely tight as well. The kid's head was so far back it was touching his tail and we couldn't get our fingers to reach past the head. It wasn't until right at the end that I was finally able to get my arm in past the elbow. I made a mistake in bringing the feet out when I found them because once they were out there simply wasn't enough room to reach in far enough for the head. Once the feet were out, we couldn't get them to go back against Tigerlily's contractions until she was finally too exhausted to push any more. At that point I put the feet back and was able to reach the head. It was an ordeal, but I think I learned a lot from it, and thankfully Tigerlily seems to have made a full recovery.

[Nanno]

It's been a while since I've posted any kid pictures, and already these are quite outdated, but they're the best I can do for now! 

Westin and Coral
   

I'm keeping this little gal. I think Coral may be the nicest kid we've had yet, and she certainly has the prettiest little face of any kid born here to date. In fact, in my totally unbiased opinion, she may have the prettiest face of any kid I've ever seen. 
   

Baby goat party under the stairs! They're now too big to sneak into this little hideout, but for a few weeks this was the favorite place for all the cool kids to hang. They loved looking down from their high perch and best of all, no grown-ups allowed! We're calling Nubbin's triplets the "Nubblets".  
   

Storm has the distinction of being the first kid sold this year. He'll go to his new home along with Sox in August. 
   

Pretty Miss Coral. Tell me that's not the cutest little face in the world! 
   

Westin had a milk goiter when we came back from the Rendy. It's hard to see  in this picture and unfortunately it went down before I could get any more photos, but the wattles made him look like he had an udder on his neck! 
   

[DownUnder Gal]

Lovely, cuddly, mischievious babies Glad to hear that Storm and Sox have found good homes!

[Nanno]

I think it's time for some individual profiles on these kiddos. First, let me introduce you to Sox. The third kid born at Goat-O-Rama this year, he is currently the largest and strongest of the bunch. Or maybe he's just the fattest. Either way, he's quite the little chunklet and at eight weeks is getting very difficult to pick up.    
   

He may be a big kid, but I'm not sure he's quite as large and strong as he thinks he is. He's been challenging the grown-ups lately. Tigerlily was not overly impressed I'm afraid.  
   

   

A friendly father and son fight. Rocky is a good dad and is clearly proud of his feisty little offspring. 
   

Sox got no end of amusement from the string on my stanchion. Spaghetti? 
   

Sox and Coral may have the prettiest faces of any goats in our herd right now. I love the cheetah-like "tear marks" down the sides of his face. 
   

[Nanno]

Up next is Sox's little sister Sanibel. Do not be fooled by her innocent appearance! 
   

This little scallawag is usually on some kind of mission to stir up mischief among the other kids. She's smaller than her brother but just as strong, and if a boy mounts her she'll turn around and mount him right back just to show him who's really on top!  
   

Except for the ears, Sanibel looks like her daddy. But she's all mama's girl and will probably be a hard one to wean. 
   

Sanibel isn't shy, but she's less personable than I like so Phil and I are working on that. I like all my babies to love people! 
   

[Nanno]

Coral and Westin were the first and second kids born this year at Goat-O-Rama, and boy are they ever a good-lookin' set! 
   

I couldn't seem to get a good photo of Westin. This guy is always on the move, so my few individual shots of him are awkward and unflattering. He is an athletic little dude and reminds me a lot of Finn--strong, adventuresome, energetic, and independent yet very personable. He has the nicest conformation of any of our boys this year.   
   

Westin enjoys a good scratch, and if I won't give it to him he'll use the patio gate.  
   

Westin also loves to put his nose in the camera. "Am I close enough?" 
   

I can't get enough of Coral's adorable little face. She's like a stuffed toy and is my favorite baby to cuddle.   
   

   

   

[MosesBrowning]

Coral & Westin are adorable. Love their colors.

[Nanno]

And now for the Nubblets! These three guys never stop entertaining us! They're as cuddly as they are cute and every one of them wants to be picked up and held, although they're quickly getting much too big. 
   

Tornado was my backwards boy who held up the whole delivery. He has the sweetest face and the most Nubbin-like features and personality.  
   

The little white tip on Tornado's tail was the first thing I saw when he came into this world. He's the quietest and most contemplative of the three and has had the fewest health problems. Both his brothers battled upset tummies during the first two weeks of life, but not this guy! 
   

Storm was the second kid born and was not only awkwardly positioned but also came out with very crooked front legs. One day of splinting straightened him out and he's been running and bouncing with the best of them ever since. You'd never know he had a problem and he's the biggest of the three kids. In fact, when all is said and done, this guy may end up being the biggest Goat-O-Rama kid of 2017. He's tall, he's rangy, he's big-boned, long-bodied, and long-legged. He's like the Gary Cooper of my herd.  
   

Last of all we have Lightning. Lighting jumped into this world like a bolt out of the blue and was up and nursing within minutes while his two older brothers were still figuring out how to crawl around in the straw. He's the smallest of the lot but the most active and also the one most likely to jump on people and beg for attention. 
   

Storm and Lightning love to tussle. 
   

Nubbin loves her three babies but she has her limits. Nursing is a frantic ordeal with three kids fighting and wrestling each other over two teats. I've taken to putting Nubbin on the stanchion each morning and allowing only one or two to nurse at a time. With the kids as big as they are, I recently started letting Storm nurse Tigerlily each morning so his smaller brothers can have all of Nubbin's supply. This should help keep Nubbin from being physically dragged down and help the boys grow better.  
   

Pell-mell down the hill! 
   

What does Lightning see? We may breed this guy to Tigerlily this winter since we plan to sell Nubbin and these three are the last of her bloodline in our herd. We'll see how he grows out. 
   

[Nanno]

Well, I've happily found a home for all five Goat-O-Rama 2017 boys! This morning a fellow came by and put his downpayment on the last three and he can't wait to get started. I'm so happy to have good homes secured for our boys already.

Sanibel still needs a home, and I also need to sell Nubbin this year. She will be hard to let go because she is from our first year breeding and is Nibbles' only descendant, but we don't need so many does and I know she will make a wonderful home milker for somebody. I'm also going to try to find a loving "pet" home for Delilah, who should not be bred again. I'd love to keep her around as a weed eater, but since we have bucks on the premises there is always the risk she could be bred. Plus, she would be constantly frustrated with bucks teasing her for half the year. Hopefully someone will want her for a pet because other than her chronically mastitic udder there's not a thing wrong with her.