So my goats are boring...they just stand there..but there cute!!

11-18-18 So my goats are boring...they just stand there..but there cute!!

 

Bringing the goats home.  That's what I was waiting for for over a week.  I found the girls on social media, they were in my same town.  I ended up meeting their owners a year ago at a local animal swap and sale.

I did a lot of research on the smallest breeds of goats. I read about meat goats and dairy goats.  I cannot even eat my own chicken eggs so I knew I didn't need any meat goats, but milking?

Milking a goat, who drinks goat milk? Well, let me tell you what I learned!!  Did you know that lactose intolerant people and people with milk allergies can have goat milk?  Did you know it apparently makes the beat yogurt, butter and cheese?  Who knew?

So, you milk them and then what? How do you process the milk? You don't!! All you do is practice good hygiene on the teats, sterilize the stainless milking pail, filter the milk just in case any hair has fallen into the pail then store it in the fridge!!

Sounds simple!! Now how do you get them to produce milk? Well, just like this Mama, they have to have a baby to produce milk.  Once they do, you can continue the milk supply by milking them twice a day after weaning their kids.

OK, so I am a huge breast feeding advocate so I'm all in!! Wonder if I can use my Medela? Maybe not.

So I purchased these 2 Nigerian Dwarf does. They are right about 2 years old and never kidded.  Their owner was kind enough to put them in a separation pen with a buck of my choice before I picked them up.  They should stay in that breeding pen for 2 months together to make sure they do not have a 2nd heat cycle, but I couldn't wait!

After just 1 week, I had to bring these girls home.  They were seen being bred several times during that week so lets keep our fingers crossed for some babies in April!

Introducing Sorsha and Elora Dannon (her name says it all, red head and blue eyes alike). I brought them home in a large dog kennel in the back of the truck. It was only 3 miles away so I went slow.  When I got to the homestead my sweet nephew came to greet them!! He calls me and my house E.I.E.I.O.  He didn't know what to think about these non pig non chicken things I brought home.

I carried each one into their paddock and put them down.  They started calling for each other when they were apart. Once in the paddock they smelled around and started munching on some grass. That was easy!

They have goat feed, mineral bucket, water and a hay tower. I have protected their house with some banners and tarps to block almost all the wind.  I rake out their bed and give them new hay often. I try to join them in their pen for some bonding time about 3 times a day.

They still don't let me touch them unless I sneak a feel they just stand there and stare at me. If I move towards them they prance around to get away.  They don't play, don't jump, don't really climb, they don't chew on anything in the paddock.  My goats are boring!!

I'm going to have to plan on making a playground with stimulating toys for them, but will they use them?  We will see. Lets keep praying for a mild winter as it makes it so much easier for the animals.