Freak Accident - Unbelievable

I don't know where to start with this post.
I'm sick about this.

Over the week-end we got the kids to follow their mothers up the alley to the first gate. The first day we had one or two kids "lose" their mother when they were busy browsing, and the yelling went on until a rescue by a sibling or the whole herd occurred. They've been on the ball since.

Yesterday evening, we moved a second shed across the alley for the nannies and their kids, and the four 2011 yearling does. We've had spring weather, but precipitation is back in the forecast, and all those goats needed more shelter. The whole group went to the barn door to wait to get in, while we moved the shed and the mineral barrel up the hill. I heard some gate banging and saw the group in the corral at the gate, and knew someone was challenging another goat through the gate.  It happens a lot.

Our move was done, and we went to the barn to get the stalls ready and get everyone in. We opened the barn door, the rush of caprine beasts came through, and I got everyone in their assigned stalls. As I was closing stall doors, Dave yelled to "Get out here!". Layla was on the ground by the gate with her horns locked into the wire. We tried pulling her horns every which way to free her and both of us couldn't get it done.  One of her kids was suckling her while all this was going on, and the four goats on the other side of the gate were getting irritated as they were hungry for dinner.

We stopped to try and figure this out, and Dave finally said, "Is she alive?". I looked down and realized she hadn't helped or fought or done anything for this eternal minute.  Then I saw her tongue.

Yeah! I swore!

Once her head was stuck, and at a low angle, I believe she got head butted back and her neck was broken.  My only relief is thinking it was quick. Since one kid was still nursing away, we brought her other kid out on the chance they could get any let down milk one last time.

We had to take the gate off the hinges and work a while longer to finally free her from it. It was horrible.

I barely managed to keep it together, but we now had orphans to deal with.  The saving grace I hope, will be they are so big and healthy, and at three and a half weeks have been eating grain and hay quite well.  The bottle feeding is messy and a struggle, but already Julia, my 4-H-er, was over to help this morning (no school because of conferences).

I'm praying all the issues with the change in diet and the stress won't set her twins back for too long. They are staying with the herd and playing, when they don't stop to call for their mother, so I hope we can keep them healthy.

Unbelievable.

More Play, More Practice

Layla's twin does are becoming quite the acrobats.

And they are just so healthy and adorable too.

 These pictures a couple days old, as today we are back to "Mudville". You can see why the kids are looking so healthy.  They are all chowing down like champs.

Finally all the kids come out with their moms in the mad rush for breakfast.  One or two might still sneak back to play in the barn, but at least its only one or two to carry to the gate.  They are all getting quite heavy, so it can make for a lively work out.

The latest in the fence training is the kids are now exposed to horse tape.  They have seen all the types of fence that we have here in our fields, and this week-end, I hope to have this group join their one year old half sisters. That may require rearranging of stalls too, but it needs to be done.  It looks like we may have some new arrivals in a month or so, so we have to get ready.

Indoor Recess(Its Cold Out There)

Here's a VIDEO from yesterday morning.

Everybody Out!

Barn Time

This week's two sets of twins are still spending their day in the barn, especially since the weather has been all over the place. One moment the sun is out. The next, its raining sideways.  Tonight we went out to bring the goats in, and by the time we closed the doors and settled everyone down, the ground was coated with snow.

Layla with her twin does. A day and a half old.

Trinity with her bucklings, Pip and Squeak

After everyone goes out in the morning, the indoor kids get to roam around with their moms while I muck.

Here is a VIDEO from this morning.

This is how the five older kids came in last night.

Mud balls!

Below is what it looks like with four nannies and their nine kids at their feeding bowls, nursing and playing at dinner time.

Jocks flash light eyes just fascinate me!

After we are all done playing, the kids do what they do best...

 - snuggle.

Layla Did It!

And we're up two more girls this afternoon. 

Is that a smile on Layla's face? 

I don't blame her. We've both been hanging around the barn the past two days, waiting to see what that wide belly was going to produce.  I gave up and ran some errands this afternoon. When I came home, I wasn't sure what I was hearing on the monitor. The two day old little bucklings still have squeaky voices, so I though they were just up and about.  I went to the barn to get ready to bring everyone in and as I got in the barn, I heard the LOUD voices of our latest set of twins.  They were on their feet, and oh! - so dirty.

I scampered back to the house and made my "neighborly" phone calls. Then I ran a jug of hot water and found a tub to give these little ones a rinse off. With the extra hands of Karen and Allison, we quickly got them rinsed, dried, and their cords trimmed and dabbed with antiseptic.

These two should be easy to distinguish as their head colorings are quite different.

We got Layla's family in their private quarters and everyone came over to see and share.  In another day or two, things will get a bit more rough when food is getting stolen, but for now, all is well.

More Boys!

This was Trinity this morning, four days late, but with a full udder. I spied on her all day, sure that she would go, but all for naught.

This is her mother Layla, who if you remember, went to SCS Farm to be bred to Remington. I didn't have a due date for her, but it sure looks like she's been ready for a while.

So who had two more boys today?

 Here's Trinity at about 8:30PM cleaning her first buckling.

 Here he is two hours later and a bit fluffed up.

 And his younger brother by about fifteen minutes.

Here is the VIDEO of the second buckling being born.
WARNING! Its a bit bloody if that gets to you.

Initially, Trinity was very worried about every noise the boys made, and seemed too nervous to nurse, so I milked a syringe full off and got her to relax.  I gave the milk to the little guys and that was it.  They wanted more of that good stuff!

After getting both to nurse and letting me do a little clean up of the placenta, Trinity just dropped on her knees to rest.

She almost squashed one of the little guys, but he was able to get himself out of the way, and I assisted too.

Lots of fresh bedding and its time for bed.

Sleep tight!

Past Due

Trinity's due date was yesterday. Layla looks as wide as a - barn? The saddle bags on that girl. Woo!

I've had the baby monitor on for three nights now. I really love it when they surprise us early, but its not happening. I know its just a day late, but its the waiting, the freaky weather (freeze, mild, snow, ice), and I don't like my sleep interrupted by coughing goats and wailing cats.

We had company today for the football games and I predicted that someone would kid at an inconvenient time like when the game was tied with 2 minutes to go. That could have been both games, but it didn't happen.

Tomorrow my guests include two very young ladies, so maybe we can come up with some excitement for them to write home about!

Good night!

Working A Goat Back Into The Herd

There's nothing like some new pasture to make a goat smile. And to make transitioning a goat into the herd much more civilized. Layla (front with horns) has been separated for a week after being away for seven weeks, and the first thing she wants to do is work her way to the top of the pecking order. We've been only allowing a bit of contact as they come in at night, and the first couple of nights were battles. When we moved the fences two nights ago, we let Layla follow us up the alley, and at first she was challenging anyone who looked at her, but especially Zola. Then as more new pasture was becoming available and most of the goats were gobbling away, Layla finally realized she was missing a good meal. You can see where the old fence line was in the above photo. Since then we have moved the fence again to keep everyone busy.Its been two days of civilized behavior, but we have yet to put her in the stall with the others at night. In that confined area, its a bit too difficult for the girls to get out of her way.

As you may notice above, Twee is starting to look a bit round. Another reason to take our time with combining the goats. Several of them are likely pregnant, and we don't need to have them rammed by a strong goat.

Love Lorn Layla

Meet Remington. Don't you love those horns?! This has been Layla's "companion" for the past seven weeks at SCS Farm. He is the father of Layla's next kids, if all goes well.

Remington is said to weigh about 300 pounds, although I don't know the last time someone wrestled him onto a scale. Just look at the difference in size between him and Layla. It took two men to get a halter on him to tie him so that we could capture Layla. She'd gotten a bit attached to Remi and did not want to leave his side. Layla is in her own stall and her own field for now until we can ease her back into the herd. She's warming up slowly today, but is still a bit skittish. Pockets of corn have been working their charm though.It was tough dragging her out of her stall, and then once she realized we were going out side, she was dragging me. The other goats called to her and she has spent the day looking at them in the distance, and then circling her area.Nothing a little corn and time shouldn't cure.

Busy Day

I see you... I know you're in there... I can hear the coffee.

These animals can be so demanding.Brothers Pants (front) and Grant.

Aziza

Pants wants no tin cans. Just electronics please.

Cleopatra, our Queen!

Grant.

Trinity and Ziggy.

The moms and young kids free ranged most of the day.

Zaci Zebadiah Zsigmond - "Ziggy".
Zaci means "God of Fatherhood" in African. Seemed appropriate for a buck.

Layla and her girls, Zahra and Zuri.

Flox in the woods.