Goat Good-Byes and Goat Hellos

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Rivus was a real sweetheart with a gentle personality. He’s gone to become herd sire for a new Kinder herd.

With the doelings, I have more time to let them grow and decide which to keep and which to sell. Our pasture is good, and I’ll let their mothers wean them in their own time. I have two sets of twin girls. The oldest are four months old, and the youngest are two months old.

Echo, Ursa, and Luna are all curious about my camera.

So, I thought that was it for awhile. Then I got an email from someone I sold Kinders to several years ago. She is selling off her herd and asked if I would like any. Dan and I took a brief road trip and brought back Sky, a doe that was born here. You can see her baby pictures here.

This is Sky in the newcomers’ pen, getting to know the other girls.

Sky on the left and Miracle on the right.

Miracle has made it her business to continually chase Sky away from the other goats, the hayfeeder, and the barn. That’s because Miracle is a bully. As the newcomer, Sky is her new target. Before that it was Caroline, and before that it was Ellie. Before Miracle, Daisy was the bully. Whatever side of the hay feeder Daisy went to, all the others would rapidly flee to the other side. 

Unfortunately, this is not uncommon with goats. Also unfortunate, it isn’t something that can be trained out of them. I know because I’ve tried. They may “behave” themselves in your presence, but turn your back and they press on with their goat agenda. 

The solution for now, is that Miracle spends the night in the pen! She doesn’t realize it, but later this summer she will be the one to go. Every couple of years, I sell an adult doe or two, to keep herd size in balance with our land. Miracle’s twins are promising, and will probably be weaned in about two months. Until then, I get Miracle’s morning milk for making our annual supply of cheese. After that, I’ll start looking for a new home for her.