Residents | Happy
Tails > Snowflake & Gizmo
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Dorie’s
babies just born
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Snowflake & Gizmo
resting on Dorie
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Gizmo & Snowflake
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Snowflake & Gizmo: The General and Her Army
Snowflake was the general and “Gizzy” was her army.
Dorie’s babies were full of “piss and vinegar” right
from birth, but what goat kids aren’t. Snowflake would decide
what was to happen and Gizzy carried it out, the perfect team.
We were worried when we first learned that Dorie was
pregnant because her body did not have the same musculature,
due to the bottom half of her legs being amputated. We were not
sure if she would be able to push them out; or if we’d
need a baseball glove to catch them as they came flying out.
Much to Executive Director Laura Bradshaw's dismay, it was the latter. Laura was hoping
to wait for the goat midwife to get there but no such luck. Snowflake
came out first, of course, in about 5 pushes; and not a minute
or two later, Dorie got that look in her eye like she’s
going to push again. And WHAMMO! one push and Gizzy came flying
out. By the time our birth coach got here, both kids were already
dry and walking.
Dorie was a great mom and the only thing the girls had to adjust
to was nursing on their knees, as Dorie is rather low in the
back end.
We knew it was time for them to go out into the world and create
a new nation after about 7 months. All goats love to play King,
or in this case, Queen of the Mountain, scaling the tallest thing
in the area and then trying to knock each other off of it. Not
so fun for Sheba, she was the tallest “thing” in
their area and they were getting big. Dorie was also constantly
worried about them, as they would venture out in to the big yard,
where she could not protect them.
Friends of ours who own many goats and make goat cheese from
the milk just loved Snowflake and Gizzy and asked us if they
could be their new family. Laura warned them that Snowflake would
take over; they laughed and said that they were sure their alpha
female would have a few words to say to that.
It didn’t take Dorie long to calm down after the two girls
left. In fact, Laura thinks Dorie was quietly relieved that she
didn’t have to try and protect them anymore when she really
couldn’t. And Snowflake and Gizzy got to go out into the
big goat world and recruit more soldiers. Yes, there was a coup;
and as predicted, Snowflake won.
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