I've found over the years that goats can be comedians or evil conjurers or both, depending on their moods. Through most of the year they are cute, obnoxious, funny, perplexing, downright maddening, and occasionally helpful. But come breeding time (September through January) they are mischievous, conniving, sneaky and dangerous.
We currently have four goats, three Mini-Nubians and one Nigerian Dwarf. We have opted for the smaller breeds after years of trying to manage full-size breeds like Nubians, Boers, and Saanens. The mini breeds are about half the size and weight of the full-size, ergo they eat less. The milk production of the minis is also about half that of the full-size, but for a small family one milking goat is plenty to meet our milk needs for 6 – 8 months of the year.
Our small herd consists of one buck and three does, and we try to practice family planning so as not to have too big a gap in our milk production. Unfortunately the goats have a say in that, so our plans don't always pan out. The Mini-Nubian does are twin sisters, and we try to manage their breeding so as to stagger the births by at least a month or two. The Nigerian Dwarf is our aging herd queen, about 11 years old, so we're trying to keep her from breeding to avoid losing her in childbirth.
Since we keep the male and females in separate pens, it's a constant battle during breeding season to keep them where they belong. Yesterday I looked out, and one of the twins was in the buck pen, apparently quite pleased with herself. Not knowing how long she'd been there, I was in no big hurry to get her out, as the buck had seemingly lost interest in her briefly. I examined the fence between the pens and found no breaks in the fence. Hmmm… she must've climbed on top of the round hay bale and jumped over the fence. Oh, well. That's one bred. At least she's not the one I'm milking.
At feeding time, I needed to get her out of the buck pen so she could eat without the buck stealing her food. So I took a cup of feed and my vinegar/water squirt bottle (buck deterrent) out to the pen to try and get her out. The buck suddenly regained his interest in her, and he was not going to let her go.
Now normally (non-breeding season) Beau is mild-mannered, easy going and polite. But when a doe is in heat, he is 125 pounds of bad attitude with four-wheel drive. Luckily he has no horns, just one scur (horn re-growth) that he can use as a weapon. But he still uses his head as a battering ram and his front feet to kick and stomp.
I managed to keep him away from me with the squirt bottle (he hates vinegar water in his face), but he kept Fawn moving and away from the gate. I'd tried holding the gate open and calling Fawn, shaking the cup of feed, but she stayed on the other side of the pen. I advanced on Beau with the bottle, pushing him back from her, hoping to grab her collar and get her out of the pen. Unfortunately I had left the gate unlatched, and Dot decided to join the party, pushing her way through the unlatched gate. As she trotted past me, I grabbed her collar in a vain attempt to get her out of the pen before Beau got to her. Of course Beau spotted her and joined in the chase, leaving me being dragged by Dot and with my other arm draped over Beau, then face down in the dirt. Dot led him a merry chase around the pen, into the shed and out again, giving me a chance to regain my feet and catch Fawn. I took Fawn to the back porch and secured her there, then went back for Dot. Dot responded to my call at the open gate, and I held Beau at a distance with the squirt bottle while she escaped through the gate.
Anybody want some goats, cheap?
We currently have four goats, three Mini-Nubians and one Nigerian Dwarf. We have opted for the smaller breeds after years of trying to manage full-size breeds like Nubians, Boers, and Saanens. The mini breeds are about half the size and weight of the full-size, ergo they eat less. The milk production of the minis is also about half that of the full-size, but for a small family one milking goat is plenty to meet our milk needs for 6 – 8 months of the year.
Our small herd consists of one buck and three does, and we try to practice family planning so as not to have too big a gap in our milk production. Unfortunately the goats have a say in that, so our plans don't always pan out. The Mini-Nubian does are twin sisters, and we try to manage their breeding so as to stagger the births by at least a month or two. The Nigerian Dwarf is our aging herd queen, about 11 years old, so we're trying to keep her from breeding to avoid losing her in childbirth.
Since we keep the male and females in separate pens, it's a constant battle during breeding season to keep them where they belong. Yesterday I looked out, and one of the twins was in the buck pen, apparently quite pleased with herself. Not knowing how long she'd been there, I was in no big hurry to get her out, as the buck had seemingly lost interest in her briefly. I examined the fence between the pens and found no breaks in the fence. Hmmm… she must've climbed on top of the round hay bale and jumped over the fence. Oh, well. That's one bred. At least she's not the one I'm milking.
At feeding time, I needed to get her out of the buck pen so she could eat without the buck stealing her food. So I took a cup of feed and my vinegar/water squirt bottle (buck deterrent) out to the pen to try and get her out. The buck suddenly regained his interest in her, and he was not going to let her go.
Now normally (non-breeding season) Beau is mild-mannered, easy going and polite. But when a doe is in heat, he is 125 pounds of bad attitude with four-wheel drive. Luckily he has no horns, just one scur (horn re-growth) that he can use as a weapon. But he still uses his head as a battering ram and his front feet to kick and stomp.
I managed to keep him away from me with the squirt bottle (he hates vinegar water in his face), but he kept Fawn moving and away from the gate. I'd tried holding the gate open and calling Fawn, shaking the cup of feed, but she stayed on the other side of the pen. I advanced on Beau with the bottle, pushing him back from her, hoping to grab her collar and get her out of the pen. Unfortunately I had left the gate unlatched, and Dot decided to join the party, pushing her way through the unlatched gate. As she trotted past me, I grabbed her collar in a vain attempt to get her out of the pen before Beau got to her. Of course Beau spotted her and joined in the chase, leaving me being dragged by Dot and with my other arm draped over Beau, then face down in the dirt. Dot led him a merry chase around the pen, into the shed and out again, giving me a chance to regain my feet and catch Fawn. I took Fawn to the back porch and secured her there, then went back for Dot. Dot responded to my call at the open gate, and I held Beau at a distance with the squirt bottle while she escaped through the gate.
Anybody want some goats, cheap?
