Folks, there are new kids on the block.
With some extra hands and an empty livestock pen, we did a mini barn-raising recently with some help from family and friends (as usual, it takes a village!).
The mini barn is perfect for our new herd of miniature goats!
The goats came to us as a surprise - we had actually been pretty anti-goat for a long time (they can get sick easily, they can ruin gardens...). However, when two Pygmy goats were in need of a home, with the hogs out, we said why not give it a try (it helped that they are really, really cute)? We'll have to ensure a sturdy pen to keep them from munching on all our freshly planted bulbs and summer produce in the garden, but I think we can manage it.
The hog pen will have to be mucked out some more and the fencing is going to be rearranged. We'll have to wait for a bit more ground thaw before we can move ahead however. Until then, the goats will have a smaller pen and supervised, time in the yard. The Spring plan, is to create a goat playground in the pen area.
Meet the Pygmy Goats:
Sam Elliot
Sam is the quieter, more shy one, of the two. He will usually hide behind Max at first, but he LOVED getting brushed!
Mad Max
This goat is very social - a couple treats and he'll be your BFF.
The two male goats (Sam & Max) are "wethered" - this means that they are fixed, or neutered (like a dog). Doing so is a safety measure and to keep them from having too much of a wild streak.
The males, since they are wethers, are really for companionship and landscaping. They will clear brush, eat up Christmas trees, and provide a lot of entertainment. We are open to lending them out for landscaping as well if anyone has an interest! We are confident that this is a helpful step in our homesteading journey, as we learn about various livestock species, and work toward our goals!
(Sam got some paint on his nose while he helped me paint the barn today).
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