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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 16, 2015 14:34:53 GMT
12 weeks and just coming off bottle, SPOILED goats  Something tells me that you will miss this just a little also! I warned them that this day was coming.....even went so far as to only feed them every other day; starting a week ago!!! (OH THE HORRORS!!!)
But they've adapted quite nicely for .....well for lack of a better word....GOATS.
They are a handsome pair. Wish I had pictures to show everyone. Perhaps I'll figure it soon.....how to post them.
And yes, they are pretty much spoiled.....follow me around the property and getting into mischief; intentional or not.
Give them lots of rubbing on their sides and cheeks and yes....I'll probably miss the feedings as well. There! I said it.
They're my BABIES...and boy do they know it!
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Post by shellymay on Oct 16, 2015 16:33:04 GMT
I knew it, I knew it.....No way could you feed them by hand that long and not be smitten....
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 17, 2015 21:59:02 GMT
Yup, knew you were gonna end up having to fess up, lol. Don't you feel better now, for having gotten that off your chest? Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!  |
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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 18, 2015 0:52:15 GMT
Yup, knew you were gonna end up having to fess up, lol. Don't you feel better now, for having gotten that off your chest? Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free! Not that free, I'm afraid,,,, The little tag-alongs followed me all over the property and even on an 1/8 of a mile walk over to my dad's place and back again. We had to cross the blacktop twice and of course that always makes me nervous, especially tonight because I had both hands occupied with large pieces of plate glass that go on an indoor plant gurney, but they were good little troopers and marched across quickly. Then once we arrived back home, and while my hands were busy trying to set the glass down to open the door, they both tried to sneak in right behind me !!! The Little Stinkers..... |
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Post by shellymay on Oct 18, 2015 3:55:11 GMT
Tooooooooooo cute!
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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 18, 2015 4:45:58 GMT
Yes.....they are....and do they ever know it!
They both tried to schmooze me for a good part of the afternoon....crying pitifully and then
coming over to rub up against my legs and look up with those sad brown eyes....begging....and
hoping against hope I'm sure, that daddy would reconsider his decison on NO MORE BOTTLES!!!
And believe me.....it was a tough decision....and a couple times I felt a bit of wavering wash over me,
but I stood fast and soon, my sanity & reasoning were once again restored. Gave each extra rubbings across
their sides and along both cheeks....along with the perfunctory "baby talk" which they dearly love receiving. (Yeah, I'm a sucker for big, brown goatie eyes.)
Still think that they'd make a great pair of cart hauling goats, yet haven't a clue on how to train them or even where to purchase such equipment. Any ideas?
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 18, 2015 5:33:10 GMT
We bought our goat harness from Hoegger Goat Supply. hoeggerfarmyard.com/Abby taught one of our milk goats to pull a cart years ago. I don't remember exactly how she got the point across for Blackberry to pull, rather than follow, though. I'll ask her and see if she has any tips for you.  |
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Post by shellymay on Oct 18, 2015 15:53:49 GMT
No more bottle, but a little grain fed by hand is special also |
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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 18, 2015 17:16:00 GMT
No more bottle, but a little grain fed by hand is special also Dora (the 'explorer") already 'knows' where the grain is stored and has had several attempts (some successful, I might add) in which she has managed to flip the cover off the plastic barrel and help herself......even going so far as to showing the older goats that when daddy's pre-occuppied and over on the other side of the property and has conveniently left the slider part way open on the barn.... that it's a good time to PARTY!!! |
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Post by shellymay on Oct 18, 2015 17:35:42 GMT
Dora , its because girls are smart  and oh they know how to use those brown eyes |
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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 18, 2015 18:09:07 GMT
Dora , its because girls are smart and oh they know how to use those brown eyes When she gets caught.... she knows how to use her fast feet and gives the dog a workout trying to keep up. Eventually someone gets their leg chomped on and held for too long and then it's screaming for daddy: "HELP ME! HELP ME!! Oh he's killing me
and I promise, I REALLY REALLY PROMISE, I'll NEVER DO WHATEVER IT WAS
THAT I DID AGAIN.....AND AGAIN ....and yes, AGAIN, that you needed to sic the dog on me!!!"
Of course, 10 minutes later, and if given the opportunity, she'll go right back to being a lying, thieving goat....with pretty brown eyes.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 19, 2015 1:31:21 GMT
She sounds absolutely aDorable. And a typical little stinker, too, lol. Just the way you write about them tells me how much you are enjoying these kids. Did you wether Smudge or keep him intact?
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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 19, 2015 2:00:07 GMT
She sounds absolutely a Dorable. And a typical little stinker, too, lol. Just the way you write about them tells me how much you are enjoying these kids. Did you wether Smudge or keep him intact? I couldn't do THAT to him....., although the thought did cross my mind for a moment or two. No, if his older brother, the 'Kid' (short for the CopperKid) doesn't pan out, he's going to be my fall back guy, to go to. Or, he just might be my exclusive service buck; he's now faded out to a dull blonde and white, since he was born as far as his coloration goes, and is much softer looking than his sis. Dora is red, but not as much in intensity as the Kid is. He literally glows RED, as in a brillant auburn red. Going to be some very pretty kids in the future if we ever get those two together. |
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 19, 2015 2:58:36 GMT
Lol, typical guy! THAT!!!!! Hits too close to home? Refresh my memory - what breed are they? |
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Post by copperkid3 on Oct 19, 2015 3:40:39 GMT
Mostly Boer, with a bit of Saanan in their background;
hence the reason I get an occasion 'airplane' ear or two.
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Post by shellymay on Oct 19, 2015 11:48:44 GMT
Dora , its because girls are smart and oh they know how to use those brown eyes When she gets caught.... she knows how to use her fast feet and gives the dog a workout trying to keep up. Eventually someone gets their leg chomped on and held for too long and then it's screaming for daddy: "HELP ME! HELP ME!! Oh he's killing me
and I promise, I REALLY REALLY PROMISE, I'll NEVER DO WHATEVER IT WAS
THAT I DID AGAIN.....AND AGAIN ....and yes, AGAIN, that you needed to sic the dog on me!!!"
Of course, 10 minutes later, and if given the opportunity, she'll go right back to being a lying, thieving goat....with pretty brown eyes.
Laughing so hard about this one that I can't even comment in her defence |
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Post by copperkid3 on Nov 2, 2015 19:34:08 GMT
Time for another update on the "TWINS"....
which will include a couple of questions
to the audience in relation to what I've been observing.
Would like to know if others have experienced similar phenomena.
I noticed that for quite some time now, that the twins do not always "hang out"
with the rest of the herd, but will go off by themselves to forage, explore, etc.
Since they are/were bottle babies, they were given much more latitude and leeway than
the others and because they are also smaller, have been able to take advantage of crawling
under the gate and go out into the "other side" and partake of the various delicacies thereabouts.
Several times, I'll be out and about my business on THIS SIDE of the fence and gate and suddenly
be startled when a couple of gentle bleets come from behind me or around the other side of the garage.
Then I quickly recover and start fussing by stating: WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING OUT HERE!!!
Of course they just either go back to the business of eating, or following me down to the mailbox,
or if the dog happens to venture too close, one or the other or even BOTH will run to the protection
of daddy's legs and stare either up into his blue eyes or glare defiantly at that DOG and literally seem to
dare him to do something about it NOW!!! My point being, is that they don't seem to be all that 'bonded' to the herd,
which is probably to be expected somewhat being they're bottle babies, but it could also have something to do with getting 'perks'
as it were that the rest can't have....which in the greater picture of things, gives them an 'edge'.... having to taste delicious green
leaves off of brush that no one else has touched OR having to eat old, dry hay or foraging for dead leaves, which gets old real quick.
But here's another thing that I've been seeing. Even though they know which door that 'daddy' goes in to go to bed,
and which is on the same side of the fence and gate that the "goodies" are on as well, it seems that they've discovered
that if they go over to the other side of the house (which is on the goat side of the fence), they can climb up under the
soon-to-be porch area and be literally feet away from where Daddy sleeps. Sometimes he's heard them walking about and climbing
over the lumber and has gone to open the french doors there to see what's going on and that's when one or the other *(usually Dora)
will suddenly jump up into the doorway and try to gain entry past his legs and into the house!!!
She seems very perturbed when I push her out and close and lock the door. It's becoming an almost nightly event, which while
flattering that they enjoy being near me, causes some concern that they aren't being accepted to sleeping with the rest of the herd.
I've got one other buck who is two years old that I raised as a bottle baby and he acclimated into the herd nicely.
When approaching the herd WITHOUT treats, he's the only one (most of the time) who will allow me to get close and
touch and pet him.....the others seem to want to shy away for the most part. So I'm a bit concerned on whether the twins
are going to stay with me all the time or whether they will be accepted with the rest of the herd. Of course they may not want to either.
Any thoughts, suggestions, common experiences?
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Something tells me that you will miss
