Today was hoof trimming day for the baby goats. First on the milk stand was Faith, the white goat in the picture above. Since the baby goats are not tall enough yet to reach their heads into the feed dish, convincing them they really did want on the stand was difficult. It took both of us to get them strapped in. I held each baby while Jerry pulled their head through and fastened the bar in place.

Faith gave a bit of a struggle, kicking her feet, moving around and naying for her momma Darla. All in all, however, it was not as difficult to get her hooves trimmed as it has been at times with the larger goats.

When Faith’s hooves were trimmed and she was released, she ran back to the stall door. We promptly let her back in with the other goats and brought her sister Victoria out.

Victoria was a bit fussier than Faith. She kicked and hollared. She refused to take even a bite of grain, but we were able to get her hooves trimmed. She, too, ran for the stall door as soon as she was released.

Next on the stand on Rembrandt, our cashgora baby. Rembrandtis very shy. He runs from people, like his mother Tulip our cashmere goat. When you corner him, he will let you pick him up and does not struggle unlike the other baby goats.

I was able to get him on the stand and strapped in by myself. He hollared the loudest and Tulip stood on her hind feet looking out of the stall hollaring back. He did not like hoof trimming at all, however, I do believe once he is used to it he will be fine.

We let him eat a bite out of the feed dish on top of the milk stand after he was done. I never feed the boys grain unless is is shearing or hoof trimming time. The does on the other hand get grain twice a day. I have found with Leonardo, my buck, if he gets grain, he will stand pretty as you please.

From what I saw today, Rembrandt will need a good brushing this spring before he is sheared. It is odd that the other fiber goats and the sheep do not get a lot of vegetable matter on them. I am thinking he has so much, in part, because he is still a kid. Maybe as he gets older, he will learn to stay cleaner!