Michele my belle ...

FINALLY

11:24 there was a blood curdling scream... I have never seen 3 adults run to the pool where my 18yo and 5yo grandson were swimming...

All ready to dive in... to empty waters....

The kids were over by the labor & delivery screened-in room.. Stella had been making a funny noise and they went to check on her..

As soon as we could breath again.. there was a footie, nose, tongue and a second foot.. a really loud goat scream and a baby! walla... that easy.. Don't tell Stella I said that. We, as a family were ALL there to see Michele being born.. Amazing for us.. OUR first livestock addition... planned. bred and now.. birthed right here on Jolly Rancher and Franny Farkles Feather N Fiber Funny Farm.

Named Michele, #1, because today is my sons 30th birthday and he was here and Stella was the only one who was thoughtful enough to get him anything...and #2 so I can sing Me Shell My Belle .... da da da ... cuz I don't know the rest of the song..lalallla

Now for the worst part...

Stella wants nothing to do with her.. I have tried to leave them alone... Stell starts screaming and head butts Michele.

I have held her to nurse several times, it's getting harder and harder.. I know Michele will have to sleep inside tonight, which means I will probably lose the chance of a bond... I have tried everything all day..

Wonder if this is what happens when you have a spoiled brat goat...

I did milk Stella by hand a little while ago so I would have the good stuff through the night.. but Michele sure doesn't like the bottle.

Frans --I've had 'em bond later than that. Took about 4 days of milking, pinning Lollipop so the baby could nurse, etc. but it did happen. (It was a sight --wrapped Lolly around a support post, held her by horn and rear leg to give the kid good access. Or horn in crook of elbow, hock in one hand, kid and teat in the other. Many expletives in addition to the 'come on, baby' 'come on, Momma' shtick...)
Beautiful baby. ----Ohh. (Gross out alert!!!) Wiped afterbirth on baby and mom's nose so they'd smell the same....sorry guys and gals...

haha.. did that,, should have seen families faces (the human family)... worth a million...

weak tummies DO NOT READ NEXT QUESTION

grow, she still has some dripping, should I use that also???

This message was edited Jun 25, 2009 8:38 PM

What an adorable little baby. Love the name of your farm......Jolly Rancher and Franny Farkles Feather N Fiber Funny Farm. Too funny!

I would use it if it were me.. Don't get grossed out.. it's nature. :)

I have no clue if this would help at all.. but several times I had to deal with orphaned foals.. someone somewhere told me to use vanilla.. smear it all over and the mare would accept.. Only worked once, and I'm not sure if that is what encouraged her.. AND I'm not sure if it would work with goats.. but we have used goats as a foster mother to a foal more than once.
I'm not a goat person at all.. but I do want to help if it does..
Good luck!

WEAK TUMMIES!!! Yeah thats my ID. But I love them little goats, I'm such a sucker for babies of any kind. What kind of goat is she? You women who can do all those Yukie things with livestock amaze me!!! Just don't call me for help. On the ground passed out> Haystack.

Gorgeous baby! Congrats Frans!

I love sharing here, not because we anybody has the answer.. but collectively we come up with an answer.
I will continue to smear whatever comes out of Stellas butt on her nose and Michele.. and work on their bonding.. I will also continue to help her nurse on Stella.. along with bottles, if needed..

Now with that said..
I should have known.. Stella is a spoiled brat. She is a mammas girl. When we brought Zippy home at a week old, she about killed him.. to this day she wants nothing to do with him and will butt him out of her way... she is not much for the buck Adam either.. she is just a human kind of gal. Her Mom was a 4-H project and a little girl (10) was the person that delivered Stella.. so for her first 2 months of life.. well you can imagine.. she was carried everywhere.. she most certianly knows love... just not sure how to share it back.

Hay, the goats are Nubian, they are dairy goats. I couldn't be happier to have a baby girl either!

And for that someone special:

Michelle, my belle.
These are words that go together well,
my Michelle.

Michelle, my belle.
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble,
tres bien ensemble.

I love you, I love you, I love you.
That's all I want to say.
Until I find a way
I will say the only words I know that
you'll understand.

Michelle, my belle.
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble,
tres bien ensemble.

I need to, I need to, I need to
I need to make you see,
oh, what you mean to me.
Until I do I'm hoping you will
know what I mean.

I love you.

I want you, I want you, I want you.
I think you know by now
I'll get to you somehow.
Until I do I'm telling you so
you'll understand.

Michelle, my belle.
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble,
tres bien ensemble.

I will say the only words I know
that you'll understand, my Michelle.

Yea! You wrote the French part out. I've been singing it (silently--because I am considerate) all day, but I really didn't realize that the French part was just a translation of the English.

And she is a Belle. Good luck with the imprinting.

Now thats where the "yellow" comes out.... SING OUT LOUD...

My blue prevents me from intentionally inflicting pain on others.

LOL, Haystack wake up. You are so funny.

Jnette! Did you read what Fran just said!! "I will continue rubbing what comes out her butt on her, and Michele's nose." And I thought Fran was such a nice lady, I think I'm just gonna BUTT out of here before I faint again!!! (THUD) Yikes thank god I'm not frans goat.LOL Smelling Saltz anyone??? Haystack

It was my understanding that animals reject their babies mostly when there is too much human involvement in the birth. At least that's what my mother believed.

That is very possible.... there was human involvement...
I can only hope in the long run it works out for the best.. and human involvement doesn't upset the chi of my farm...
BUT.. this is the way we are... as a family we are very involved.. and along with Stella it was our first time too.. so of course we all wanted to be there... I am so grateful we were...

As with all things... we learn

Sorry I missed all this --I'd go for it Fran......as you seem to be already!!

Wonderful Fran! Keep working on the nursing and she might get there. We towel off the babies immediately and have not had trouble with being right there, but all goats are different. I was thinking it was one of the angoras who was ready. My surprise when I saw a Nubian!

Hey! I'm a Nubi...an when it comes to goats I'm gonna stay that way. In this case I'm also becoming a long distance LURKER. They are sooooo cute though when they are babies. Could you just stunt their age. Haystack

Hay, do you have long ears like the Nubians do?? That and their milkfat is what sold me.

I can see your thinking angora claire.. probably because I don't talk about poor Stella a lot.. but shes my spoiled baby girl... I bought her with cheese & milk in mind..

You should hear them right now... Stella screaming in fear because this monster is in her area.. and the baby responding.. so they are both pretty mouthy.. well they are mouthy anyway.. they are Nubians.. one of the downfalls of the nubian.. lol

Absolutely adorable. But now I have that song stuck in my head. Thank you so very much for that...

You have a good point Light_for_Jesus... It's so hard to stand back and just let nature take it's course when sometimes it looks so cruel.

Haystack.. Now it's you who is crackin me up! LOL You big wuss.. LOL

Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro
Can ya tie 'em in a knot, can ya tie 'em in a bow....

sont des mots qui vent tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble...

grow you are all messed up aren't you... lol

;p

Grow!!! I don't know what we would do without you. You truly are a nut! But I love Nuts.
Haystack

What a difference a week makes! I am a pro at milking now.. I have not been blessed with any fancy milking supplies so it's all by hand.

Stella is giveing 2 quarts a day.. Michelle is drinking about 3/4 of that.. so we get the leftovers..

I'm beginning to feel like a real farmer!

Oh.. Michele thinks she can fly... but do not touch her teddy... she carries him around..

Oh my goodness, a teddy bear. That is too cute for words.

So cute. Jeanette

Love that!!

Is that goat in a play pen??? Lord help us all!!! Come on Jenette I'll meet ya at the play pen. LOL

well of course she is.. LOL.. actually it is a pac n play.. and I got it for a dollar at an auction.. Mike couldn't figure out what in the world we would ever need a playpen for.. I told him.. one never knows... LOL.. sure comes in handy.. Michele knows when she goes in there it is lay down time.. shes such a good girl..

Outside the playpen.. she never stops moving.. she flips and twirls, squeels.. just on the go till you stop her.. and when she sleeps.. it takes a grenande to wake her.