We had a good and productive weekend. Got several more fence posts up and a good portion of the fence up. We should have the large pen finished soon. About five more posts to cement in and hanging over 200′ of fabric and then the dreaded twisty ties. Finally, alterations to the gates will have to be done. We experimented with one of the gates this weekend and both girls slipped through it like water.
We also have spent most of the day, Saturday with the goats roaming free in the yard without any leashes. We kept grain on hand to entice them back to us, if they wandered too far. By the way, goats are the worst helpers, when it comes to building fences. They repeatedly moved the string that we were using to line up the poles. Stepping on it. Ducking under it. Leaning on it. Additionally, Ginny stepped in the cement; Hermione stepped in a hole. Neville was the only one who didn’t try to sabotage our work.
All and all, it was a wonderful day with a lot of bonding time.
Tonight when I went into the pen, even Neville came up for love. Hermione’s has gotten some bad habits. She likes to nip at my fingers and all of our clothes; if we stop paying attention to her. Ginny and Hermione keep jumping up on me; and I shove them down, but it isn’t helping. I read that pinching their ears, like their mothers do works, but I really don’t want to have to do that.
Neville has a little limp today, and it looks like that last bit of rain, may have given him hoof rot. We began treatment. He did really a good job with the treatment.
This was the best bonding time we have ever had with the kids. They are really into hugging now, and the girls like kisses on their faces. Neville is coming up for petting now. They really seem to finally love us. At the beginning of this journey; I didn’t think we would come this far. The weeks I spent chasing them in the pen just to touch them.
Earlier this week I actually got all three of them on the leash by myself. First time, Neville ever came up to me and let me leash him. It felt like a giant victory. I even did a Happy Dance.
Where have I been? Well, my computer died and had to have the motherboard replaced; so sorry for the long pause in between updates. It is very unpleasant blogging on my iPhone.
Now update on my kids….
Ginny: The attention-whore
Hermione: The daring climber
Neville: The chill as long as you don’t try and look at him or get too close
Neville got his hooves trimmed without any injuries; though he is still a baby about being caught and handled. It really is silly to watch. He wants to be out eating with the girls, but he really doesn’t want to be collared. Even when you catch him and collar him, you have to essentially “chase” him out of the pen to get him out to the food; by chase, I mean walk slowly behind him, which freaks him out. He is a goat that loves to be herded.
Today, I had all three out and I just took all of the leashes and attached them to each other. They never caught on they weren’t latched to anything. I just walked around with them, and made sure they didn’t go anywhere they shouldn’t; and occasionally de-tangled them. By the way, goats make the worst dogs!!! I try to walk all three and all four of us end up a tangled mess and hardly make any progress. It is really pathetic and funny.
Hermione has taken upon herself to become the nibbler of the group. She loves to nibble on my fingers or hand whenever I pet her. Sometimes it hurts a little, but usually it comes across very lovingly.
Neville will even nuzzle me, but only through the fence. There is no non-fence nuzzling allowed with Mr. Neville. He has to keep up appearances and all that.
Matt started another wall on their barn. Soon we will have the option of locking them in, if there is a predator near-by. Which will be a great relief, to us. Also, if we get another sub-zero winter, spending nights in the barn with a heat source, would be a great option.
We are going to wean them off of most of the grain. Concerned about goat bloat – so reducing the grain will help. Next Friday we will buy more Timothy hay and go down to one feeding of grain a day.
Today, I got a lot of snuggle time in. It was wonderful being loved on by them throughout the day. They have brought so much joy to our lives. I am just crazy about our goats.
We had a wonderful visit from my parents. The morning that they left my Mom snuck out some raisins to say goodbye to the girls. As usual, Ginny got the lion share. Brian was trying to get pictures but missed out, before Mom was done. So, Mom started looking on the ground for some dropped raisins, for the memory, photo-op. She found a goat berry instead. As for a goat berry experience, at least it was old and disintegrated in her hand fairly quickly. It was really rather funny.
We are pretty bonded with the girls. Neville, is still is own man. Not really interested in us too much, but he has gotten out of the the screams like a girl phase, every time we catch him; so there is that.
Matt put up the hay feeder and Hermione instantly got her head caught in it, pretty much right away…. repeatedly. She would stick her head in all the way to her neck. Then her ears weren’t so interested in cooperating on the way back out. Matt then moved it about 18″ higher and she still tries but so far she has managed to keep her ears out of it. Though she is officially the resident climber. She climbs everything. She loves stepping in their mineral feeder. I think she does it just to annoy everyone else.
Ginny is still the love bug of the group. Today Ginny and Hermione got the hooves trimmed. Hermione was laying across Matt’s lap while he trimmed her back hooves, while I pet her face and Ginny was getting so jealous. Ginny jumped up on my back, pulled my hair out of my bun and started to eat one of my ringlets…and no I am not kidding. Seriously, trying to chow down. She continued to rub up against Matt’s back, very sad that she wasn’t the center of attention. It was really kind of funny.
Tomorrow, cry-baby, Neville gets his hooves done. I cringe at how hard he is going to be. Maybe he will surprise us, in a pleasant way, but I doubt it. I am nervous.
On Saturday, we once again got all three kids out eating. We put them up against the house to eat away the blackberry bushes near the stairs. It was cold and windy, so I decided to sit in the truck to stay warm. We had the Twins on heavy-duty leashes and Ginny on a leash meant for a 10lb dog; since she is so easy to catch and comes when we call. Matt came around from the other side of the house and somehow, spooked all three of them so badly they all jumped. Ginny jumped so bad she snapped her leash in half. Then she just stood there and waited for us to collect her.
On Sunday, we bought a new leash for Ginny. They ate a long time on the bushes on the property line. They are doing a great job getting a lot of brush cleared out.
On Monday my parents got here. Mom got to feed Ginny and Hermione raisins. Neville still won’t try any hand-fed treats. Mom and Brian got to spend a lot of time with the goats. They got to show off time on their leashes and head-butted and reared a bunch. Everyone was quite impressed.
Today, it rained a lot. They spent most of the day in their barn. Mom and Brian are going home tomorrow. The kids are going to miss being fussed over by them. My sister, Ashley called on FaceTime, so I took her out to the pen to show her the goats. The girls came up to the fence to greet her.
Hermione, Neville & Ginny collared and eating away the brush. YAY GOATS!
Neville wanting to join his sisters, but not wanting a collar.
10 Jun, 2016 – Day Forty-Nine
The rain came back today. They were very vocal with their disappointment, but they all laid in the wonderful barn Matt had built for them. When they rains passed, they all headed down and laid beside the field gate.
This time I was smart. I collared Hermione and Ginny and hooked them to the fence prior to opening the gate. I would have like to do the same with Neville, but the little bugger just won’t let me near him. He stayed in the pen while his sisters ate all the good stuff and whined and whimpered from the other side. I tried to catch him, all sorts of ways, but it just wasn’t going to happen. When Matt got home, we both cornered him and got him collared and out with his sisters.
Finally, out where the food is. Out with the girls, he was happy. Then when the girls decided that they had enough, and came back in the pen, he followed. I unhooked the girls, but couldn’t catch him, even on a collar. He stretched to its limits and then kept side-stepping to keep away from me. Once he choked himself, I lunged and forced him back. I wasn’t going to let him hurt himself. One I held him, he calmed down. I took off the collar and held him for a couple of minutes. Just making sure he was OK, and trying to convince him that we aren’t trying to hurt him. I am not sure how to get through to him.
Hermione, is coming around, so I hope he does too.
We have a busy weekend, getting ready for a visit with my parents. I am excited for them to meet the goats. I hope the goats behave themselves. They are getting a little pushy and rambunctious. However, we did find a snack that they LOVE…raisins.
This weekend we are going to trim all three of their hooves. Ginny’s are the only ones we have done so far. Still a nerve-wracking prospect. Wish us good luck.
Oh, what a day. It was just a few days ago that I was bragging about how well behaved my goats were. Never trying to get out of their pens. Well, that ended today.
I was home alone and I collared Ginny and was letting her out the field fence, and then was going to see if Hermione or Neville was interested. As I was shutting the gate, Hermione charged the gate and butted it open so fast, I didn’t have time to react. Next thing I know, one of the two goats that I can’t catch is roaming free on the wrong side of the fence.
Not only is this on the property line, but our neighbors have a rhododendron bush about thirty feet from where we were. On a leash there is no chance of them getting anywhere near the darn thing, but now the goat is free. I completely panicked. I started praying. Part of me wanted to go up to the shop and get some feed to lure her back, but another part was terrified to take my eyes off of her.
For about fifteen or so minutes I slowly kept herding her back to the fence line and away from the neighbor’s field. Finally, she got really interested in eating a blackberry bush up against a tree. I grabbed on to her tail as fast as I could, and then a back leg. From there I got her middle and finally got her collard and chained. She didn’t scream or make too much of a fuss.
After that, I didn’t have much fight in me to try and convince Neville. The girls did enjoy the feast, but less than a half an hour later I saw two dogs running around in the field and heading towards us. I, unceremoniously, picked up the girls and carried them back into the pen. They weren’t too happy about it, but I wasn’t going to take any chances.
By the end of this, I was exhausted. I crossed the pen and went to leave out of the main gate. As I stepped through, Ginny tried to force her way out. Seriously?!? I was so shocked. She whined about not getting out for the next 15 minutes. She was very unpleased with me.
This evening, Matt and I got all three of them out, we had to corner and catch Neville, and let them graze for about 30 minutes before dinner. They loved it. Shaking their feed brings them running back in the pen without any problems, but we have to be a lot more careful now.
They have also started bucking up on the fences, when they feel they are being ignored. UGH
Today we had some progress. I got Ginny and Hermione to eat raisins out of my hand. When Matt got home they ate from him too. In fact they got so excited about the raisins, our shy little, “NO DON’T TOUCH ME” goats were jumping up on me. Nibbling at our cloths; certain we were hiding more raisins. It was so cute and fun.
Well fun now, while they are around 50lbs, but when they are full grown; that is going to be another story all together. Ginny tried to head-butt me in my legs. Matt had read that you shouldn’t push back so I just parted my legs and she slipped right through. She didn’t seem to appreciate that.
After the fun of the raisins. Ginny ran to the field gate when I called her and went right to work on the greenery.
Neville and Hermione let us chase them and try to trick them. Try to bribe them. Try to force them. Finally, with feed Matt got a collar on Hermione and I latched her to the fence and then she figured it out and went out to join Ginny.
Poor little Neville, was in danger of again being left all alone in the pen. Matt caught him and I collared him and we took him over to his sisters. Then he figured it out. They had a lot of fun gobbling up all the bushes; most of which are taller than they are. We kept an eye on the leashes and kept them untangled. To get them back in the pen, Matt shook their red feed container and like magic they were all back in the pen.
I hope if we keep doing this the Twins will be as comfortable at this as Ginny is. It does seem, at this point as she is the herd’s Queen. She does everything first. First to eat, first to be pet, first to get the treats and leave the pen. She is the bravest and easiest to get along with.
Today more head-butting ensued. However, it was Ginny and Neville. It seemed more like play and less like establishing dominance, but what do I know. Ginny would hop and spin and butt heads again. Hop, spin and butt heads again. It looked like fun.
They didn’t get any time out of the pen today. I was busy on the porch, most of the day. They talked to me a lot. By a lot, I mean A LOT. My goats are vocal. Crazy vocal, when they want to be.
If we are outside and not paying exclusive attention to them, then they feel the need to voice the displeasure. Or let us know they are there, waiting for us to come and provide them with some sort of treat from the outside.
We have been limiting the outside treats, in hopes of getting them leash trained, as most of our and mother-in-law’s property won’t ever be fenced in and we need them to be comfortable on a leash with us, and not fighting us.
Today, we got most of our veggies planted. We are only having a small garden this year. Next year, we should have a more extensive garden, and orchard. However, this year we have been too busy with the goats.
I am crazy exhausted. Hope you all have a good night.
I found some wonderful sand pails for sale for 50% off at Michaels Arts & Crafts, making them only 99 cents each. I thought how wonderful they would look as pots for flowers on my porch, so I bought a dozen and got to work.
I picked a mix of colors to keep things bright and cheerful
We also bought some flat bottomed marbles and some colorful toddler plates for the water to catch in.
Then we had fun buying an assortment of all kinds of plants for the sand pail pots.
First I drilled holes in the bottom of each sand pail.
Then plant the plants…
Under each sand pail pot, I placed 5 flat marbles, to keep them slightly up over the plate, so the drainage is easier.
Finally, I wrote the name of each plant on the pail’s handle with a fine tip Sharpie.
Now, they are ready to be put out for display! Where my goats won’t eat them!… I hope.
So, after we decided to get goats, but before we got them we did a lot of research. Anyone who knows me, knows how thoroughly I read up on things. Books, websites, talked with people who raise them, watched videos; you name it I did it.
Myth 1: Goats will eat anything – Not even remotely true. People joke that they will eat cans and garbage left around. They will eat anything in sight, given free reign.
Not OUR goats!
Our goats are picky eaters. They won’t eat their worming pellets, unless you mix it with their feed. They turn their nose up to all sorts of weeds in their pens and beg for the same exact weed on the other side of the fence. And Heaven forbid their water have a something land in it, because now it is tainted and clearly some sort of poison and cannot be drunk.
Matt found Poison Oak growing in their pen today. Poison Oak! Seriously! That is their whole job!
Myth 2: Goats Play/Boer Goats Don’t Play – Everything I studied said how playful goats are. Videos abound on the internet of cute playful goats. Jumping, bounding, bouncing, climbing, and frolicking around. We were told by the farmer that we bought our Boer’s from that “Boer Goats Don’t Play”.
We believed him… at first. They actually love to play. Not at the heightened, hyperactivity level of, say a pygmy goat, but they definitely like to have fun. Ask any cat who has wandered into the pen only to be chased around like tonight’s dinner.
I still want to get them some toys. Sure the ball I got them was a bust. It just terrifies them, to be honest. I roll it and they run away like it is going to explode on contact. However, I do want to build or find things for them to play on. Our goats seriously, like to have fun.
Remember, Boer doesn’t mean boring.
Myth 3: Goats are Escape Artists – Our goats have 5′ and 6′ chain link fences. We carefully made it as escape proof as we could. I even had Matt build it around the trees after I saw a disturbing video of goats climbing trees. I mean, high up in trees. Seriously, he had to stagger the fence around the pines, because I was positive they would climb a tree and escape.
Well, fast forward 45 days, our goats don’t like leaving the pen. Albeit, we don’t let them out of the pen without a collar and leash, but they don’t even try. Tonight I stood next to an open gate for over a half of an hour; next to luscious blackberry bushes and couldn’t entice Hermione or Neville to come anywhere near it.
Finally, Matt brought in some feed and tricked Hermione into a collar. Even then she didn’t want to step beyond the gate. I had to push on her rump. Once on the other side though, it was smorgasbord time.
Remaining there with feed and the gate open still wasn’t going to do it for Neville. Neville is a practical goat. He likes his pen. It’s safe in his pen. Pen is home. He has no desire to leave it for any reason whatsoever; even if all the luscious food is on the other side of the fence. He is a home-body. Just like me. I can respect that.
Myth 4: Goats like treats – Shockingly totally false, at least with DeaverHill goats. We have tried handfuls of black sunflower seeds and raisins, but nothing will get them eating out of our hands. Seriously! Strange goats at petting farms do better than our lot! We discussed, once, getting little ice cream cones to put their feed in. Just to have that moment of fun, but let’s be honest. I would want to put ice cream in it, and that would mess up my diet.
So, even though they won’t eat out of our hands; if we are on the other side of the fence and stick our hands through both girls will nuzzle our hands. Step in the right direction. Neville, not so much.
Myth 5: Siblings, one big happy family, right? – I thought, getting three goats all about the same age, and related (the twins, and half sister), that there would be a lot of harmony and less drama (like there is with my cats). Still you definitely see a bond between the Twins that Ginny isn’t part of, but they all cuddle together. Sleep, eat and play.
However, lately there as been a lot of head-butting going on. Twins against Ginny. Ginny is slightly older. She seems to win, but I still get sad seeing her ganged up on. Matt, wisely, told me to stay out of it. They need to establish their hierarchy and this is how it is done.
After they are done, they are all cuddled up together again and no one seems to have hurt feelings or anything.
Maybe I am not supposed to root for one of the girls, but I hope Ginny wins. She is the bravest, easy going, and curious. She tries everything first. I think she would make a great herd queen, but I doubt it is up to me. /sigh
BTW – Goats are more vocal than dogs. They love to talk and comment and I think complain…. A LOT. Especially, if I feed the cat first. That really gets their goat….sorry ya, pathetic I know….but now I think I understand where that saying came from, and now you do too.
DeaverHill 