We have added two new faces to our little goat family.
This is Granny or I call her Gran-Goat.
She has the name Granny because she is so old. How old we don't know but she is very sweet and the way to her heart is to scratch her between her horns, on her nose, and ears.
She has a very thick coat of fur because she is 75% Angora and 25% Boer goat. The poor thing is hot right now but during the winter she will be nice and warm. We will shear her in September right before fall and again in March right before spring to keep her coat manageable. We won't be selling her coat because she isn't 100% Angora and no one is going to want to buy such a small quantity of fur.
Next we have Snowflake but I just call her Snow. We would have changed their names to match our ongoing Greek theme but like dogs they learn their names, and come when called or in Snow's case run when called, and we didn't want to confuse them by calling them something different.
Right now Snow is a toot and I haven't found a way to her heart yet, but sweet feed seems to be winning her over little by little. Snow and Gran-Goat are used to roaming free on thirteen acres of pasture free as birds but then they came to our farm and things changed. We stake our goats during the day so we can control where they mow better and then we put them up at night in their little hut. The first day we tried to stake Gran and Snow wasn't pretty and they fought us all the way but by the third day Gran was in the swing of things and Snow still hasn't come over to our ways. She is about six and apparently very stubborn and set in her ways. I don't see why if Gran can change at her age why Snow can't change. Maybe she will eventually, I mean we have only had them for about a week now.
Snow is the opposite of Granny. She is about 25% Angora and 75% Boer. I was told by her previous owner that she only gets a light coat during the winter months so we shouldn't have to shear her at all.
Snow is stuck to Granny's hip at all times and they are pretty much inseparable. When we stake them out in the morning usually Gran-Goat is the first one at the gate ready to get out so we let her out and get her set up. While we stake Meg and Phil, Snow is in the pen having a conniption. The whole time Snow and Gran are talking or BAAAAAAing to each other until we get Snow out. In my mind and in my own little world I'm hoping Gran is telling her to calm down, everything is going to be ok, they aren't going to hurt you, be nice. Somehow I don't think that is what happens or Snow doesn't listen because when we go to get her out she runs. She is always waiting at the gate and wants out but when she sees you coming with the little red cord she bolts under the hut and then plays hide and go seek with you until you are plum tired and frustrated. Your only option now is to wait for the perfect moment to jump out and tackle her. Once you have her tackled and the red cord clipped to her collar she bolts again but this time she goes out of the pen towards Gran. If you aren't ready for this you will get extreme rope or cord burn on your fingers because she is a goat on a mission and she is going to get there fast. Finally once she reaches Gran she calms down enough for us to tie her to her stake or tree.
Right now we are happy with our four little goats and shouldn't be adding anymore to the herd until next year when we have babies on the ground. I can't wait to see the babies.
-Cowpie-
