I (FINALLY!) got my yoke and team pole built with doubletree installed. The polyurethane coating wasn’t quite dry, but what the heck–I couldn’t wait to try it out! So as darkness fell, Phil and I hitched up our team and went down the driveway and back. The wagon was empty about half the time while the boys got used to the rattle and the noise and having to walk nicely side-by-side (Finn likes to whack Sputnik in the face, which doesn’t really upset Sputnik, but it does make him stop moving). Phil and I each took a short turn sitting in the driver’s seat with the reins while the other helped manage them from the front.

This was a good opportunity for me to assess the fit of my harness and see what parts need a few more holes punched. The breastcollar rides too low and the quarter straps are a smidge too long (although they probably won’t be too long once I raise the breastcollar). The boys did really well for a first time out, and it’s way easier to drive them when they are hitched to a vehicle! We’ve ground driven them 2-3 times before with pretty lousy results. Goats have such a short “wheelbase” that it’s way too easy for them to suddenly whip round and face you or run around each other and end up on opposite sides to the one you started with! Horses are MUCH easier to ground drive! I think with goats it’s wiser just to wait until you can put them to a vehicle, which really helps avoid a lot of nasty entanglements and lost tempers since the pole and yoke keep them pointed more or less in the right direction. Unlike horses, goats aren’t really that upset by the wagon bouncing along behind them, and even if they are upset (I’m looking at you, Sputnik!), there just isn’t the same danger of them running over top of you and getting away.

Along with punching a few more holes in the neck straps, I really need to get them fitted to some bridles with bits so we can get away from these halters. Sputnik’s noseband kept sliding down off his Roman nose, and Finn’s kept riding up even though both were as tight as I could reasonably get them. And if I use bits, I’ll be able to use the overchecks, which should help keep Finn from whipping his horns side-to-side in Sputnik’s face. I think Finn is trying to be dominant and keep Sputnik behind him, but of course that doesn’t make for a very good team!  

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?”

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.

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.

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. (Those new boots sure came in handy!)

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

Through the gate!

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!

“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?”

Finn and his half-sister Petunia share a shrub. 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!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted any shots of Cuzco. He lost all his hair in April and it had to grow back so he could be his usual glamorous self. And for all who are wondering, yes, his coat grew back in very nicely. It’s short, sleek, and flashy as it should be.

Kisses, Cuzco?

He’s a little stiffer when he shakes hands these days.

And when I ask him to “Jump!” this is about has high as he goes.

But he can still go down and “Repent!”

He’s getting up there in years, but he’s still my favorite big ol’ buddy.

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 fifteen goats came with us, of course! (Unfortunately we were unable to get all fifteen into a single shot. Goats do not always cooperate as well as one might hope!)

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!!!

Phil and I celebrated our 17th anniversary by taking our entire herd of goats for a stroll around our property where we took waaaaayyyy too many cute baby goat pictures. I was planning to share some of them last night but we got sidetracked by an unexpected visit from the stork.

Jezebel kidded this tiny little morsel last night around 8:30. He couldn’t have weighed more than 4-5 pounds soaking wet.

Jezebel had me worried because she had absolutely no udder whatsoever and only a few days till her due date. Then yesterday morning I noticed there was a little milk starting and her tailbone was sticking up. I spent the day cleaning sheds. The kidding shed was soaked so I stripped it in the morning and left it bare till late afternoon so the ground could air out. Jezebel looked very worried about it. She had been nesting in there that morning before it was cleaned and when I stripped it she kept going in and out and giving me pointed looks as if to say, “Check-in time is 12:00 and my room is not ready!”

Phil and I had an early dinner at a friend’s house and when we came home Cuzco had taken over the kidding shed and Jezebel was nowhere to be found. Phil went to look for her and discovered her hiding in a corner behind the house. I think she was horrified that we had left her in her time of need. As soon as we got all the goats put to bed in their proper pens and got everyone else out of her shed, Jezebel went straight down to business. She had waited till we got home and could attend her during the birth. And it was quite an easy birth. She barely pushed at all and then took a long break while the baby was in the birth canal. I got tired of waiting for those little hooves to make progress so I finally reached up and grabbed one. The second I gave a soft tug on that little toe she shoved him right out. She was just waiting for help. She was convinced she couldn’t push him out by herself and insisted that I do a little pulling. But with a baby this small there was really no need for assistance. I think she wanted moral support more than physical help. She was remembering Tigerlily who was five days late and twice this size. Tigerlily needed to be pulled. I think Jezebel kidded this one early on purpose so it wouldn’t be so big!

It amazes me that we ever get any work done around here!

The other day Petunia left her little pipsqueaks in the shade while she went off to graze. As soon as Pluto saw her leave he came straight over to lay near the babies and make sure they were safe. He wags his tail every time a baby goat bounces past him and he makes sure they are never left alone.

A few minutes later, Daisy came to help Pluto guard the babies. No one is messing with these kids!

You may be wondering about the orange X’s. Unfortunately Pluto has been roaming, and recently he turned to trouble. Apparently he was down at the next-door ranch late at night last week and he snarled and chased my neighbor from his truck to his house. I started locking him up at night, but according to the ranch hand he snuck back down there a few days later in the morning after I let him out and he tackled one of their big mama goats. She was not hurt thank goodness, but it has me worried. It does not sound at all like Pluto to chase people or goats, but dogs around farms are presumed guilty until proven innocent. I don’t want to blame Pluto if there is another similar dog doing bad things in the area, so to make certain of his identity Phil gave him some unmistakeable marks. After the incident with the neighbor’s goat we are not taking chances with him. He’s locked in the electric fence at night, and for daytime I rigged up a runner chain in the front yard for any time I don’t have him under my direct surveillance. Hopefully he is either vindicated or we can train him to stay home and mind his own business. He’s never showed one hint of making trouble with people or goats on our place, but animals can act different when they are not in their own territory.

The Nubian boys have discovered the joys of campfires. Luckily this on isn’t lit right now. Lilly always loved laying in this fire ring too.

With the addition of seven kids this year, our herd has almost doubled in size from eight to fifteen. Once Jezebel kids we’ll definitely be doubled! I love looking out at this variety of color. No such thing as a “matched pair” in our herd!

The babies have discovered the delights of the mineral feeder.

Boone found a mentor in Finn. Finn was quite patient with the little copycat. I’ve been impressed with how well all my goats get along with babies. I’ve been told by people who have no horns in their herd that mixing horned wethers with mamas, babies, and other hornless goats would be a bloodbath. So far I have not found this to be true. Quite the opposite in fact. My horned boys are often gentler than the dehorned does. Even Cuzco does not bother babies. If babies step in front of him, he steps around or over or occasionally will nudge one aside with his nose, but he never butts a baby. Finn and Sputnik were a little rough at first but within a week they figured out that babies need to be treated gently and are now nice to them.

Finn always loves to hang the last tippety-tip of his tongue out. He has done this since the first day he was born and it has never ceased to amuse me.