This is the first time I’ve ever had baby goats on my birthday! Skeeter was due March 22nd, but she has a history of giving birth bang on her due date, give or take one day, so I expected that Friday could be the day. Like Snowball, Skeeter had made an enormous udder, so once again I expected triplets, and Skeeter did not disappoint.

The day started off difficult though. I had to send Snowball’s firstborn off with my vet friend knowing that she probably wasn’t going to make it through the day. I was right about that. She died Friday afternoon. I named her “Daylily” and Phil and I buried her in our baby goat graveyard on Saturday.

But enough about that! Skeeter has a very consistent history of kidding not only right on time, but also at a very convenient 10:00 in the morning, and it was a beautiful morning! At 9:00 she started pawing and revving up. I had told some friends that she would probably kid that morning and they came over to attend the blessed event. So did my mom, who was planning to take me out for lunch on my birthday. I don’t know if all the excitement threw Skeeter off, but she still hadn’t kidded at noon so we headed indoors to have birthday cake, open presents, and give Skeeter some space. Sure enough, as soon as she was sure we weren’t watching her she got down to business. By around 1:00 we had 3 drop-dead gorgeous kids on the ground. Unlike Snowball’s, these were all big, strong kids that were up and trying to nurse before Skeeter was quite done delivering! The first was a big, handsome black fellow with a stunning pattern of gray-brown moonspots over his entire body. He weighed in at a respectable 7.75 lbs. and we named him Mosaic. The second was a 6.25 lb. doeling who is gray on the front half and black on the hindquarters with a beautiful arrangement of tiny white moonspots on top of the black. It looks like the night sky so I named her Galaxy (Lexi for short). The third was a 6.5 lb. doeling with similar coloring to Lexi except with a white face and no moonspots (or at least, her moonspots are quite different). We named her Constellation (Stella for short) because she has a small pattern of white stars on her left side. Stella looks remarkably like her grandmother, Petunia! She has the same bald face with a dark spot on the nose which runs in the family. Petunia had it, Sputnik had it, Skeeter has it, and now little Stella has it! Stella also has the white strike on the right side that Petunia had. It was a very quick and smooth kidding once Skeeter got going, but it wasn’t so smooth after that. Skeeter had built an enormous udder in anticipation of feeding three kids, but she overdid it and ended up with mastitis. I spent the next week combatting it and supplementing the kids with bottles from Snowball’s surplus. I was very grateful that Snowball had an abundance. Mosaic is one of the prettiest moonspotted goats I’ve ever seen. I’m not usually a big fan of moonspots, but I have to make an exception in this case. The size and distribution of spots is amazing!
Galaxy has a gorgeous pattern as well. The little white moonspots scattered over her black hindquarters look like the night sky. And I love that huge moonspot on her right hind leg! Poor Lexi has been partially rejected. I think Skeeter knew she didn’t have enough milk for three babies, so she made an executive decision and decided to cut this one out. As Skeeter’s milk has come back, she’s started to accept Lexi again, but she feeds her less than the others so I am continuing to supplement with bottles.
Constellation is named for this little pattern of stars on her left side. From the right she looks just like her grandma, Petunia, and her face looks like Petunia’s as well. This little gal is her mama’s favorite child. If Skeeter only has enough milk for one, this is who gets it. 
We kept all five babies in our basement for a while and we fashioned a makeshift “fort” for them to hide in. Babies love places to curl up in!

It’s been a very exciting time here at Goat-O-Rama. My horse, Dusty, had a foal on February 24th. It has been a joy and delight to watch little “Firefly” as she grows and learns to navigate her world.

Snowball was due on March 20th, but since Snowball always kids about 5 days past her due date, I wasn’t really watching her yet on March 19th. But lo and behold, I looked in the camera at around 11:00 p.m. and she was down to business! Wouldn’t you know it was 20 degrees outside and the shed wasn’t cleaned! I’d been planning to clean the sheds on Tuesday, but hurricane winds thwarted my plans. Wednesday was so cold and snowy I decided to put it off until Thursday, thinking I’d get away with it. But nope. Snowball had to go and kid a day EARLY, late at night in freezing weather in a wet, dirty shed! She had uddered up so much I had already predicted triplets and I was right. By the time Phil and I made it out to her she’d already birthed one and was working on the next.

That first little baby was freezing cold and only partly cleaned off. I feared at first she was dead, but as I began to rub her she started to twitch and shake her head. Still, something felt “off” about her. Her belly was distended as though she’d already had a full meal. But there was no time to worry about that. More kids were on the way, and they would have to be dried as quickly as possible. Luckily Snowball had the other two in short order. Phil and I whisked them all into the basement and quickly set up a makeshift pen near the wood stove.

The first little doeling was normal size but was a bit lethargic and took a while to warm up. She wasn’t hungry, but she seemed alert so I didn’t worry too much. The other two babies were teeny-tiny! The second one was only 4.25 lbs. and the third was a teensy 3.5 lbs. We’d never had such itty bitty babies at Goat-O-Rama. The littlest was having trouble holding her head up, but she had a tremendous appetite so we didn’t worry about her too much. The middle child was bright, active, and hungry, and she looked like Cuzco! We’ve never had a baby that looked like Cuzco, and Phil was calling her “Cuzquette”.

The first kid never did get off the ground. She was strong, but she was pot-bellied and lethargic with no appetite. She reminded me worryingly of poor Marmaduke, who we lost two years ago. She made it through Thursday but by Friday morning I knew we were losing her. My vet friend took her to the clinic to see if she could do anything for her, but they lost her in the afternoon. It turns out there was nothing we could have done. My vet friend’s daughter is a veterinary student and took the opportunity to perform her first baby goat necropsy. There was a short section of bowel that narrowed so that nothing could pass, which accounted for the full belly and no poops. An enema had relieved the meconium, but nothing more could come down the pipeline. It was sad to lose her on my birthday, but it was a relief to know that there was nothing I could have done to save her. And the other two were doing just grand! They were a little slow to start, but they had great appetites and looked like they’d catch up in no time! We named them Kodachrome and Prism.

Little Prism had a problem getting her legs under control and spent a lot of time laying like a frog. Sometimes, alarmingly, she would lay on her side because she had trouble holding her head up, but she was always fine once we propped her back up!

It’s a little female Cuzco!

Prism.

Kodachrome.

We laid our precious boy Finn to rest this afternoon. We don’t know what caused his decline, but he was losing weight throughout the spring and looked unthrifty. He went almost totally off feed about three weeks ago and just faded away. Three vets couldn’t find anything wrong with him and unfortunately we weren’t able to do a full necropsy. It’s possible he developed abomasal ulcers but we’ll never know. He lost his position in the herd last fall and it never set well with him. He became rather depressed and distant from the other goats and he became slowly less active and eventually less interested in food as time went on. Blood and urine analysis showed nothing remarkable, chest x-rays revealed no tumors, and there were no problems in the lower digestive tract. Unfortunately we were not able to get a necropsy of the stomachs, so if it was ulcers we’ll never know. We’re just devastated that he died this way. At 10 years old, he was simply too young. He was so strong just last fall, and he carried the lion’s share of our gear in Utah. He was such a splendidly beautiful goat, and so sweet and gentle with everybody. There are no words to describe how much we’re going to miss him. He spent a lot of the last few days with his head in me or Phil’s lap. He loved snuggling and I’m going to miss his bright, eager expression. He was always the first to come up for treats or loves, and he firmly believed that every visitor to our property came here just to see him personally. I never worried that he was going to smack a kid or poke somebody with his magnificent, branching horns. Finn was always a gentleman. I don’t believe there will ever be another to equal him. He was one-of-a-kind. A true G.O.A.T.   

It was a 4th of July for the record books. The day was clear and cool and Phil and I took Finn and Pongo to Cuchara for their lovely parade and small-town celebration. Finn has been doing very poorly these last couple of months. Vets can’t find anything wrong with him, but he’s gone off feed and has been dropping weight to the point where he looks like a shadow of his former self. We’re concerned that we may be losing him, but he still wants to go out and do things. We thought perhaps a ride in the truck and change of scenery would lift his spirits. And it certainly did!

We fitted Finn and Pongo out in empty pack saddles for the parade and sat on the sidelines so we could watch most it go by before we stepped in near the end. This way we got to see all the entries and collect a lot of candy, flags, beads, and other decorations for our goats before joining the parade ourselves. WIN! 
The goats were a huge hit, and people especially loved seeing us feed them the candy they tossed at us. Both goats love Tootsie Rolls. Finn also liked the Sour Patch Kids. 
The problem, of course, is that Phil also likes Sour Patch Kids. You know you love your goat when you agree to share your favorite candy with him! 
Look closely. I think Finn and Phil are making the exact same face in this photo!

Finn was very tired and spent a lot of time leaning his head against Phil.

After the parade we found a shady spot to park the goats while we ate some lunch. Loads of people stopped by to meet the boys. We enjoyed telling them that Pongo is Finn’s great-grandson.
Our friend Jordan joined us for lunch. Finn says, “Can I please have some potato chips?”
“Of course you can!” (It’s hard to refuse a polite request from such a beautiful goat)

“Can I have some Coke too, please?”

“Well, just a sip.” (I’m not sure he liked it very much, but for that matter, neither do I. I’m more of a Dr. Pepper gal.)

After lunch, Phil and I tethered the goats in a shady spot with lots of grass while we played mini golf. After that it was time for slushies. Goats LOVE slushies!

Pongo agrees: It was a banner day! One of the best 4th of July celebrations ever!

My mom was determined to see Ziggy’s babies as soon as possible after they were born, and to bring her grandkids (my nephews and niece) with her as well. Robert, Sam and Lily all fell in love with Ziggy when she was a youngster and they’re always very excited when Ziggy has babies of her own.

Sam couldn’t be happier than when he’s snuggling with McGonagall.

My mom cradles little Tonks in her arms.

Lily takes a turn with McGonagall.

And finally Robert cuddles Tonks, who appears very content in his arms.

Moony is always extremely curious about everyone and everything that goes on at Goat-O-Rama, and he’s determined to be involved. Ziggy was NOT pleased with this intruder coming over to meet her new babies, but eventually she went out to graze and Moony moved in to investigate.
I was impressed by how gentle he was when checking out the new arrivals. Many kids his age would be rough and try to knock the babies down, but Moony only wanted to sniff them curiously.

I love the bewildered look on his face after he checked out the new kids. “Why won’t they play with me, and why are they so tiny?”

Ziggy was the last doe to kid in 2024, and she produced two gorgeous little doelings. She kept us guessing as to who would be here to deliver them. Phil was on a business trip in California until a couple of days after Ziggy’s due date so we thought he would miss the blessed event. But she held out until he returned and instead decided to deliver when I was gone on an all-day trip to the Sand Dunes. It was Phil’s first time delivering kids without me around, and he did a great job! He was happy that it all went smoothly and Ziggy didn’t need any help except for a dose of calcium to encourage stronger contractions. When I got home these two were clean and dry and cozily bedded down for the night. 
The first to be born was “McGonagall”, named for the professor in the Harry Potter books. I’ve never seen a kid this color before. She’s a dusky rose hue which I suppose we’d call red roan with blue roan accents. She’s stunning!

The second one took a little longer to name, but we eventually settled on “Tonks”, also from the Harry Potter books. She’s a classic chamoisee color with no white markings, which is unusual in our herd, but this year we have two of them! Tonks could be Esmeralda’s identical twin!

McGonagall has my favorite type of ears: One up, one down. I suspect the “down” one will perk up and become erect like the other in a few days, but I always love the lopsided look for as long as it lasts. I’d be thrilled if we ever got one whose ears stayed like this.

“Congratulations, Phil, on delivering some very beautiful, healthy babies all by yourself!”

The kids this year are all healthy, beautiful and sweet. Every last one is a winning packgoat or dairy prospect and I suspect they’ll all make their future owners very, very happy. But for now I’ll just highlight a few of them.
Esmeralda is the oldest and she’s our “wild child.” She’s a complete party animals who hurls herself enthusiastically into every situation and into every person. She loves to jump into buckets, feeders, wheelbarrows, and onto anyone’s back if they sit down. She’s the first kid we’ve ever had that wants to ride in the wheelbarrow once I start moving it. Or she’ll ride in the feed tub after I pick it up. She loves movement and excitement and things happening. And if things aren’t happening, she’s the one who gets them going!
Moony is the sweetheart of our herd. He’s everyone’s favorite baby from the moment they meet him. To Moony, an open lap is an open invitation. He’s a sweet and undemanding little goat, but he’s always there like a shadow, and if anyone sits down he immediately climbs into their lap, curls up and falls asleep. I’ve never seen a baby so comfortable and happy around people. He’s gotten left behind by the herd on several occasions because he was too busy hanging out with people. He has his daddy’s wide, intelligent face and curious eyes, as well as his daddy’s love for all things human. 

Not only is Moony incredibly sweet, he’s also stunningly beautiful. He’s got lovely conformation with a strong, leggy build and a coat pattern to die for. He’s a full brother to Clyde, who is probably the nicest packgoat we’ve ever produced at Goat-O-Rama. 

Interestingly, Moony’s twin brother Padfoot is almost the total opposite of Moony. Padfoot is shy around people and would rather run to his mama than hang out in somebody’s lap. Padfoot is brawnier than Moony and is going to be a big bruiser of a goat, though less athletically built. Just lately he started coming out of his shell and hopefully by the time he’s weaned he’ll have figured out that people aren’t scary. Little Merlin in the background is a beautiful and sweet goat with an adventurous spirit and happy-go-lucky attitude. He won’t be as big or strong as Moony and Padfoot, but I think he’ll shape up nicely into a good and sensible packgoat when he’s grown. 

Things are beginning to turn green around here! Despite the lack of April snows, we’ve had a rather chilly spring with only one or two days warm enough to wear shorts and t-shirts. Thes are cool, delicious days with mountains shrouded in wispy clouds and goats frolicking and grazing in the meadows.   
With his colorful coat and his train of mesmerized babies, Finn looks like the Pied Piper!

Gandalf takes a flying leap off an overturned stump.

Skeeter takes on babysitting duties. I love watching kids play on our rock piles.

Dolly doesn’t get enough attention. She is one of the sweetest, prettiest little goats I’ve ever met. She lives in the shadow of her sister Molly, who is the clown of the herd and is bold, outgoing and adventuresome. Dolly is gentle and demure. Unlike Molly and the others who jostle forward to demand attention, Dolly stands patiently near the back of the crowd and waits for attention to come to her. It’s impossible not to give it. Dolly exudes “love me” vibes so powerful she doesn’t need to elbow for attention!

Well, we went and did it! We bought a new horse/goat trailer with a gooseneck hitch! The entire new rig is the exact same overall length as our old bumper-pull rig but it has a TON more space due to the gooseneck design. I can’t wait to use it for our next goat vacation!
This one has windows that close so the goats don’t have to get wet in a rainstorm. The bars pull down as well so we can reach in and pet them or feed them without opening the back doors.

Now we have two smaller doors instead of one huge one, so it will be much easier to load goats. These doors also fasten back so we don’t have to wrestle with them on a windy day.

The floor is rubberized, permeable, and permanent. Moisture wicks down through, goes through slits in the rhino-lined floorboards, and out onto the road instead of sitting underneath mats and rotting out the floor. I LOVE this feature! The center divider lifts off, and the walls are lined so the goats don’t end up with black aluminum stains on their coats like they did in my old trailer.

Here’s the gooseneck compartment. This will be very nice for the times when it’s raining or hailing or we pull into a camping area late at night. We can sleep up here instead of setting things up outside. There’s also a lot of storage in this area for sleeping bags, tents, and other camping equipment. It will be nice not to have to haul those things around in the back seat of the pickup!

And this is the best feature of all… the tack room! It is a HUGE, wide tack area with two rows of saddle racks, a center blanket bar, all the hooks I could want, a water tank in the left corner, and room to spare all over the place! I’ve already got twice as much stuff in here now as I had in my old trailer, and it’s still not full. The doors (not shown in the photo) have hooks and storage in them as well. It’s a fantastic tack room! And everything is only one layer deep so I don’t have to crawl past a bunch of stuff to go find something at the back. I can’t wait to try this out on a goat vacation!