Update from the Goat Pen!
It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted here about what is going on in the pen, and there have been some rather large developments, so here we go.
First of all, our little Gioia went to her new forever home back in November. We are not really a goat enterprise here (understatement), and although I’d love to keep anywhere from five to ten goats, we just don’t have the space. Hopefully someday that will change, but for now, we’re limited to keeping two, and so we had to choose between Gioia and Gemma. Even though Gemma is a *huge* crybaby, we went with her since she is naturally polled (hornless) as is her mother; thus we could keep our pen horn-free.
Besides, sweet little Gioia had a different destiny ahead: she was fated to be a milker among a small herd of goats in the next town over. It all happened so quickly, and it was raining on the day she left, so I didn’t even get to snap final photos of her here. But here is an older one from when she was a wee kid.
I do miss her, but as many of you know:
This is life with goats: some are in your life for only a short time, but every single one touches your heart.
The next set of news is that a buck has been in the pen with Pasqualina and Gemma since mid-November, just after Gioia left us. P decided to get the same buck as last time, who had become a total sweetheart by the end of his previous stay.
And I’m happy to report that he totally recognized me!
Last time, it took a good few weeks before he would let me get close to pet him, but this time, he came right to me, nearly demanding face scratchies. I don’t think he gets much of those where he lives, so this has truly been a vacation for him. And he hasn’t headbutted me even once. At least not yet.
Isn’t he handsome?
We’ll be giving him back to his caretaker shortly, and then we wait to see if the girls are “with kid.”
Fingers crossed!
Are you breeding your goats right now too?
What’s new in your goat neighborhood?
8 Responses to “Update from the Goat Pen!”
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GoatSpotting!
Goats that readers have spotted out and about. Send your photos to michelle(at)goatberries(dot)com!
He is a handsome fellow. I can’t wait to see the kids. We have our bucks and does together now, too, hoping for June babies.
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michelle Reply:
January 17th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
Yay for June babies! If our girls are preggers, we’re looking at April/May as due dates. Hope all goes well!
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Love goatie news!
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michelle Reply:
February 7th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Thanks Joanna!
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The buck seems to be getting the ‘royal’ treatment if he’s been there since November! The goats look beautiful in your pictures. In my neighborhood, the clown with abused goats and other animals only has a dog and some barn cats these days.
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michelle Reply:
February 7th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Hope his goaties found better homes!
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Gil Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Me too!
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It’s the holidays and both my girls are settled! I have two pure bread Oberhasli does and a weather Mini Nigerian/Oberhasli mix! I am blessed as this was a dream of mine for many years! I would go to the county fair every year and make a beeline for the livestock area! When they showed the goats and sheep I was there! My sister would always say that I could not have a sheep or goat because mom and dad would never let me have one. A few years later my sister died of Leukemia and after that my parents stopped taking me to the fair because it made them sad. 38 years later my dream came true! Last year my husband got me 3 goats! The reasons were not for what I would have liked. I am unable to show goats and I am not able to spend the whole day outside with them. That bums me out a little bit. See, I have Lupus, diabetic nerve pain from being diabetic 45 year of my 49 and my allergies do not afford me the ability to eat anything I like. Goat milk, Goat Cheese, Goat Ice cream and Goat yogurt have done wonders for me and my goats are like “kids” to me. LOL My 7 year old think they are “AWESOME” and he enjoyed our first kidding season this year! We had two bucks and it made no sense! We gave them away and had a great time playing with them while we had them! Next year I am hoping for does so cross your fingers for us!
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