Goat-O-Rama Kids of 2016

[Nanno]

I was going to post these yesterday but got distracted when Jezebel decided to kid a couple of days early. Phil and I were planning to take Finn and Sputnik for a hike on Sunday to celebrate our 17th anniversary, but rain kept us indoors most of the day. However, late in the afternoon the sun peeked out and sparkled on the damp grass, inviting us to play in the emerald green. All the goats came with us, of course! 
   

Delilah with her three desperadoes.  
   

We went on vacation for two weeks and Petunia's kids, Pepi (leaping) and Pedro grew enormously.
   

For all his grouchy demeanor, I think deep down Cuzco really loves the babies. 
   

This "baby bump" picture kind of lost its significance since Jezebel jumped the gun and kidded before I could post it. 
   

Phil loves his Finn, and I know the feeling is returned in kind. 
   

This was a very popular bush. 
   

Five baby goats on a rock! Wheeeee!!!
   

[Charlie Horse]

Wow your area is beautiful this time of year! Goats are having a great time here too.

Makes me want to set up my yurt and live out in the field.

[Taffy]

Awesome photos of your goats and your place! Is one of Delilah's kids polled? It doesn't look like it has horns. Cuzco looks good. Finn is definitely eye candy!

[Nanno]

Oakley is female and we get all the girls disbudded so they can show and fit into people's hornless dairy herds. We don't want any of our girls going for meat just because they have horns and we feel that disbudding gives them the best chance for finding good homes. Since packgoat people are half-and-half on the horns issue, we leave the boys' horns intact. Besides, boys can be hard to disbud without getting scurs, and I find that scurs are in many ways worse than horns.

[Nanno]

I really need to post the rest of those photos I took on me and Phil's anniversary before they get too moldy and outdated! 

Rocky and Rambo are almost too big to pick up now! Rocky has this adorable but hilarious bunch of flappy loose skin under his chin so I often tease him that he looks like Jabba the Hutt. "More chins than a Chinese phone book," as my brother Tim would say! He also lets us know (most emphatically) when dinner time is approaching. 
   

Rambo is long, sleek, and regal, and he has a sweet, laid-back personality. 
   

Nubbin loves "her" boys. She's adopted them wonderfully, and although she will only nurse them on the stanchion, she runs to it willingly morning and night and doesn't even wait for me to lock the headpiece or put feed in the pail before she lets them get started. She also sleeps with them at night, shares her food, and keeps an eye on them throughout the day so they don't get separated from the herd. I'm very proud of her for taking them under her wing (and for keeping me from having to prepare bottles twice a day for 3-4 months!). 
   
   

Pedro and Pepita are already much bigger than these photos I took two weeks ago, and boy are they a couple of little trouble-makers! They both adore people (especially Pedro) and are constantly into everything. Pepi's ears stick almost straight out!   
   
   

[Nanno]

"Look! Phil has an untied shoe! Quick, everyone attack at once!" 
   

"Shoo, goats!" 
   

Hopeless...
   

You can't tell in pictures yet, but the upper part of Crockett's neck now has dark skin underneath. It will turn light gray or tan by winter I'm sure. If he gets dark enough he's going to be a stunning tri-color pattern when he's finished! Lots and lots of chrome on this one! 
   

An added bonus is that he has one black horn and one white. I love this feature, and it makes me so glad we didn't disbud him! 
   

It's my friend Boone! I absolutely love the single lightening strike down one side of his face. It gives him a very unique appearance. 
   

"You want a kiss Boone?" 
   

[Nanno]

And here we have some odds and ends...

Finn and his half-sister Petunia. They're very different in many ways, and yet both share some striking traits from their mother Lilly. Both Finn and Petunia are leaders in the herd, but unlike the tyrant Lilly, they are both benevolent rulers. I miss Lilly but I'm glad that she passed her better traits on to her offspring who have also passed them on to other members of our herd. 
   

Skokiaan...
   

...and Jet.
   

After the walk there was a fight at the waterhole! 
   

[hihobaron]

Nanno
Good Pictures
My boy's put on a big Fuss after I turned them out of the shed this morning while I was sitting on the deck having my coffee.
Pete and Sam were "fussing" hair up. Blizzard and Fuzzy were locking horns, Max was under the Trailer hiding from Crazy goats.
So I figured they can all go on the tie line today as I had off farm stuff to do. (Not MAX he got to nap in the AC)
They had already been fed and there is some weed to eat and shade were the high line is, put a couple buckets of water for each pair out so no problems with the heat 90+ here and no wind today.
Let them stay tied all day. Brat's that they were this morning.
This evening they were happy to come up to the deck and settle in and not fuss.
After a while all were happy to get up and go with me to the Red Neck Goat Shed for hay and pellets.
I am hoping by the end of next week Blizzard and Fuzzy will be IT'S Planning on Banding them Tuesday.
Happy Trails
hihobaron Blizzard,Fuzzy,Pete and Sam

[Nanno]

Phil's parents visited us from Massachusetts last week. It is dangerous to visit this time of year. One is liable to be attacked by throngs of baby goats! 

Lois kept getting pounced on by Pedro and Pepi. If these two spy a lap, they jump on it! She aptly renamed them "Chaos" and "Havoc" the very first day. It so happened that we got a substantial downpour the night Jim and Lois arrived, so the next morning was very muddy. My in-laws' pants were not the same for the rest of their trip. 
   
   

Jezebel tried to herd little Napoleon away from everyone. She is an overly protective mama who doesn't want her precious snowflake sullied by plebeians and other riffraff. 
   
   

But she couldn't keep him from us for long. He's so tiny and cute! It's never long before some suspicious-looking character wants to hold him. Jezebel makes sure to hover around and supervise anyone who touches her baby. (Notice Jim's fancy, spanking-new cowboy boots! He bought them on this trip so he could better immerse himself in farm life.)  
   

Jezebel enjoyed Jim's straw hat even if she thought he was a dubious influence on her offspring.
   

[Nanno]

While Jim and Lois were here, our saddle club held it's first team sorting event of the season. Jim participated in team sorting during a visit four years ago and wanted to try again. He and Jet partnered up for the thrill. 
   

Cutting out a cow. (Jet is very good at this if you point him at the one you want.)
   

Through the gate!