What did you do today?

[Nanno]

I cut and stacked a lot of firewood today and I'm bushed. Finn was determined to knock down my firewood stack and kept sneaking over there every time my back was turned. He got a few chunks of bark thrown at him. He was very indignant. My horse Skokie also got a chunk of wood in the face for messing with my chainsaw and gas. I didn't think I'd hit him but I got him right between the eyes and scared the pants off him. It was a pretty tiny stick so he never saw it coming, which was why it startled him so bad. Thankfully he learned his lesson and didn't come back because before I tossed the stick at him he had been harassing Phil on the tractor and was trying to cut himself on the scraper blade. Sometimes it's hard to get anything done when you've got animals helping!

I'm also back to taking care of my friends' goats. I don't mind doing it, but I'm ever more convinced that I never want bottle babies. They're cute and fun to feed, but they are a lot of work and they are annoying little brats! I prefer to let their mothers teach them table manners because unlike me, they don't hesitate to hit babies who are too pushy.

[hihobaron]

Hello Nanno and All
RE: "They're cute and fun to feed, but they are a lot of work and they are annoying little brats! I prefer to let their mothers teach them table manners because unlike me, they don't hesitate to hit babies who are too pushy."
================
I thought that bottle babies, were the best way to go for good Pack Goat prospects? Start young with imprint training?
Or is it one of those things things " Let somebody else do it" then I will use the advantage it gives me for training??
NOTE: The last comment was NOT directed at you, or anyone else here on PGC, just a "Observation"
I have had to deal with about the same thing in my equine experience.
Happy Trails
hihobaron Pete and Sam

[Nanno]

Everyone has their own opinion and experience on bottle vs. dam-raised. If you have a lot of kids and/or not a lot of time, you want to bottle raise them or they're going to be wild and it will take a lot longer to get them to trust you (if they ever do). You're also more likely to notice health problems early since you must interact with the kids several times every day. On the other hand, bottle kids are a lot more work and can take on some annoying habits like jumping on you and chewing your fingers, hair, clothing, and everything else. Not that dam-raised kids won't do this if you play with them, but bottle kids do it on a whole different level.

Dam-raised kids, on the other hand, can be perfectly delightful if you are able to spend quality time with them. Goats are curious and social creatures who love to play, and they quickly learn to adore the one who gives them attention as much as the one who gives them milk. In general, dam-raised kids are healthier and grow more quickly than bottle-raised kids. They are also a lot less work since they don't require one to milk, pasteurize, and feed throughout the day. One important aspect of dam-raising is to make sure that the mother is CAE-free since this disease is transferred to the kid through the milk. I get my herd tested every year before kidding season starts to make sure it is safe for the kids to drink straight from the udder.

Only one of my dam-raised kids so far has turned out skittish, but I'm pretty sure he would have been this way regardless. Everyone thinks all the other goats we've bred must have been bottle-raised, but they would be wrong. Our two most skittish goats were bottle-raised before we got them. One of them regularly causes trouble for anyone who comes to feed for me because she won't let strangers come near her. So as far as I can tell, quality time spent handling them is really more important than who feeds them.

[hihobaron]

Hello Nanno
RE: Bottle Raised Kids versus Nanny raised kids.
You have some good points there.
From my Equine experience I imprint on all the foals I have, and then "mess" with them often.
Yet in "Effect" they are Dam raised, and prove to be very good disposition horses.
I can see that were the same "practice" I use with horses to imprint foals should work well on goats.
Like you say bottle feeding can be a pain. I have done it with calves, it is a pain.
In my "Goat" situation here I can go visit the neighbors herd , see Jet the Goat Guard Horse and their "Flop down Scratch Me LGD's.
Watch my two favorite BIG nanny's that are "pest" personality's
Yes , I have some intresting options here.
Happy Trails
hihobaron Pete and Sam

[hihobaron]

Hello All

Recovering from Saint Patty's Day

Right now I have "Smoked Goats"

Last two nights running they and I have been hanging out around the neighbors fire pit.

Wood fire , beverages, goats, dogs , and last night Irish Mulligan Stew.

4 people. 2 goats , 4 dogs, so the animal world was well represented on ST. Patty's Day.

Some GOOD 6 sting Acoustic Gitare  music (Improve) a roundy round everybody make their own line up to a common tune. I made the dogs howl with my voice.

You do not want to hear me sing. !!!!!

Today I get to eat my own Corned Beef and grilled Cabbage with boiled taters,and carrots.

One of the guest at the fire is a composer, and talented instrumentalist.

The other guest is a Chef from Florida , he was "In Charge" of making the Mulligan Stew.

Goat Boy's just kind of laid around and chewed their cuds. What you want in Pack goats.

Dogs tried to suck up any treats they could or anything that hits the ground.

With dogs around there is no 5 second rule , when it hits the ground it is gone.

Happy Trails

hihobaron and All the Troops in South Carolina

[Nanno]

Sounds like great fun!

BUT, for future reference... http://paddynotpatty.com/

From the website:

Paddy is derived from the Irish, Pádraig: the source of those mysterious, emerald double-Ds.

Patty is the diminutive of Patricia, or a burger, and just not something you call a fella.

There isn’t a sinner in Ireland that would refer to a Patrick as “Patty”. It’s as simple as that.

Just have to tease you a little.

[hihobaron]

Hello All
We have another Eastern Pack Goat prospect.
Born yesterday.
Friends Saanen doe another FF.
That makes (2) Bucklings from a Alpine Buck on Saanen's.
I got their TXT
hihobaron

[hihobaron]

Hello All
NOTE to SELF:
Don’t leave “PINE STRAW” (Pine needles) out with no goat protection.
SS Bought a bale of them for planting Taters and Rudibages in to encourage nice light soil the Goat boy’s ate them and pawed them all over.
Any one for Pine Flavored Goat Steaks?
Happy Trails
hihobaron

[Nanno]

Haha! Goats do love pine needles! All my pine trees are stripped bare as far as a goat can reach on his hind legs.

[hihobaron]

Hello All
To: Dave Trinity Pack Goats
I hope your not going to be mad at me.
Have had 7 bucklings here on the east coast from neighbors Saanens, bred by a Alpine billy last year.
They are a milking farm.
They want doe's. For production.

  Arm fulls of Kids..JPG (Size: 57.89 KB / Downloads: 26)
Arms full of kids

I have been accused of putting a Hex on their Nanny's to make them throw bucklings.
All in good Humor
They had all doeling's last year.
I don't know if I like the all "White" thing you can not tell them apart.
All the kid's at this point to my eye have good conformation, No problem there.
People with the farm that know their doe's are having trouble keeping track of kid's and who mom is.
I helped them "Mark" as best they could the doe's and kid's with food coloring dye.
Still have dye on my hands.


  New pair of bucklings.JPG (Size: 57.07 KB / Downloads: 26)

You don't get to kid's any sooner than this.



  Goats in Strange Places.JPG (Size: 40.27 KB / Downloads: 25)
Goats under the pouch



  LGD and LGH Team.JPG (Size: 58.54 KB / Downloads: 24)

LGD and LGH  Guard Positions

Happy Trails All
hihobaron Pete , Sam and the Troops in South Carolina