Chat
01-13-2015, 11:58 AM
Haha! Pac-Man still "mates" all the girls. I thought I was going to have a couple of accidental breedings last fall when first Finn and then Snickers managed to get over the fence into the girls' pen. However, Pac-Man was in with the girls to keep them happy and detect heat cycles for me, and I'm guessing he's the reason no one else got to breed. He guards his girls very jealously, woos them tenderly, and breeds them throughout their heat cycle. He has no idea he's shooting blanks and if I don't sell him he'll probably claim all the babies next summer as his own. He loves babies and is very gentle and patient with them and is convinced that they're all his. Although Pac-Man doesn't have horns, I think he's the kind of goat that would be very gentle and careful with them if he did.
Cuzco was the one I most worried about at first because he has such a history of bad horn manners. He used his horns aggressively against my horses which almost got him killed a few times when they retaliated. Cuzco would stab upwards toward their abdomens like Legion does. He took hair off several horse's chests with downward slashes, but he thankfully never managed to actually puncture anyone with those wicked jabs. Because of all this I was very worried at first when we got other goats. But it turns out that as long as no one is directly challenging his authority, Cuzco is a pretty good herd boss. He rarely hits unless there's a reason to hit, and he usually only hits hard enough to get his point across.
Lilly, on the other hand... I'm glad that goat doesn't have horns! She's almost certainly the reason Nubbin lost her babies last year, and she goes out of her way to chase and terrorize the others even when they're quietly minding their own business. Then she turns around and lets them share her shed, so who knows what she's thinking. At least Cuzco is consistent--"Don't bother me, I won't bother you. And no one shares my shelter!"
Cuzco was the one I most worried about at first because he has such a history of bad horn manners. He used his horns aggressively against my horses which almost got him killed a few times when they retaliated. Cuzco would stab upwards toward their abdomens like Legion does. He took hair off several horse's chests with downward slashes, but he thankfully never managed to actually puncture anyone with those wicked jabs. Because of all this I was very worried at first when we got other goats. But it turns out that as long as no one is directly challenging his authority, Cuzco is a pretty good herd boss. He rarely hits unless there's a reason to hit, and he usually only hits hard enough to get his point across.
Lilly, on the other hand... I'm glad that goat doesn't have horns! She's almost certainly the reason Nubbin lost her babies last year, and she goes out of her way to chase and terrorize the others even when they're quietly minding their own business. Then she turns around and lets them share her shed, so who knows what she's thinking. At least Cuzco is consistent--"Don't bother me, I won't bother you. And no one shares my shelter!"