Starburst – U-Say Ranch

2008 Kids

Starburst kidded on February 19th, 2008. She was due to kid on Friday the 22nd. My son went out to milk and there were two dried off newborn baby bucklings, walking around and nursing. Another uneventful birth!

Dani and Lightning were bred to the same buck, but did not settle.

We were expecting one of The Brooklings, Mocha, to kid on March 12th. She delivered on March 18th.

Lightning was rebred to our buck, end of December. If she settled this time, we expect kids from her end of May. She did not settle.

Goat Baby Sweaters

I have to admit the first time I saw a pattern for “goat baby sweaters” on one of my favorite goat sites, Fiasco Farm, I thought to myself, “What is WRONG with people? Making SWEATERS for goats?!” Being in Arizona, with it not getting THAT cold here, and since we make a point to plan for March or later babies, I just couldn’t see the point in wasting my time.

Well, since our herd queen produced one little baby girl, and she isn’t being overly motherly with the youngster, I thought it might be a good thing if I crocheted one up for her. I am really glad I did, because after a record breaking 144 days without rain, it is finally raining and it is VERY cold outside. It is currently 43°F with a windchill factor of 36°F.

I worked on the sweater yesterday, and got it finished by 10pm last night. My gauge was off (I eyeballed the gauge piece — it LOOKED right — I made the majority of it while Kevin was driving, and we were waiting for his turn to take his driver’s license test — I didn’t have a ruler with me), and now in retrospect I realize I put the sweater pieces together backwards. However, since my gauge was off to begin with, if I’d continued on with the pattern the sweater would have been hanging down another four inches off the back of the doeling, so I had to put it together backwards. And even with my mistakes, it looks fine. I ran out of pink and moved on to purple and it looks like I planned it, lol!

I took it out to put on her last night, and this morning when I checked her she was snuggly warm indeed.

I’m sold on baby goat sweaters, and hope to make a few more to have on hand.

Originally written March 11, 2006

Dallas 3rd Kidding – 2006

DOB: 3/10/02
Age: 4 y 1m
3rd Freshening: Gestation 148 days; 1 doeling
Due Date: March 11, 2006 Kidded on March 9, 2006
Previous Freshenings:
1st Gestation 150 days; 1 buckling, 1 doeling
2nd Gestation 150 days; 2 bucklings

Sire: N.AZ. Anatolians Keci’s Bambi is a registered American buck
SD: Az High Country Spotty is a registered American doe
SS: Ragels Ziegenhof Keci is a Purebred Nubian

Dam: The U-Say Ranch Dallas is a recorded grade doe
DD: AZ Apache Vales Thelma
DS: AZ Apache Valley Joseph

Let me just quote dh to our ds upon my arrival home (from work): “All went well, Mom wasn’t here.”

They like to tease me about my having had to “pull” kids in previous kiddings.

So no kidding story for Dallas this year. There is however, plenty to yammer on about. This young lady has an unusual looking bottom. I suspect hermaphroditism. You may not be interested in what this looks like, so I’ve placed the pictures on a different page. Click here if you are interested in seeing the images. I am not sure yet, so I am asking some of my goat mentors for their opinion and how to tell more if this is her condition. UPDATE: Several goat breeders responded to my question on one of the lists I’m on, and they assure me this little one is normal.

And here are some pictures of mama — the herd queen — and her newest baby princess. Mama has more spots and patches then she knows what to do with, and the sire is spotted, but together they seem to produce plain babies. This little girl does have a white spot on her head, and one white spot on her left side.

March 11, 2006. It’s finally raining after a record breaking 144 days. I crocheted a sweater for the little princess. Click here to read about it and see her modeling her baby goat sweater.