<![CDATA[DeaverHill - Goat Blog]]>Tue, 14 May 2024 00:06:27 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Day Seven]]>Fri, 29 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-sevenWe stood on the outside of the fence and fed them blackberry stems through the fence and they took them from us. It was quite exciting. (I also picked some poison oak and chucked it over the fence at them; without gloves on. I did make sure to wash the hand cutting tool afterwards for Matt, though.)

Also, when Matt fed them their night time grain he actually took the brush and brushed Ginny a couple of times before she had enough.
Baby steps. But, good ones.

]]><![CDATA[Day Six]]>Thu, 28 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-sixWe were gone all day, with Mom today.

We left them alone today, except to feed and water them. I brought home a big ball for them to play with. I think it just scared them, actually. Though Hermione, finally plucked up the courage to go sniff it finally and then back away.

When I was putting their grain out, I stayed put and patted them. I got away with about two pats each and they would back away and come back for food, if they thought I wouldn’t try again.
I did.
Just once more.
I then left quietly.
Ginny settled down in Neville’s spot. He hurried over and head-butted the Queen out of his spot and took it back. It was quite shocking to witness.
We will be hanging out with them tomorrow. I hope they continue to let us get closer.

]]><![CDATA[Day Five]]>Wed, 27 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-fiveStarted out with a fright. I looked out the window and saw the big gate to the uncompleted section open, and I only saw two goats. I didn’t see Hermione. I panicked. I called out to Matt and grabbed shoes and ran outside.

ONLY then did I realize that I saw the wrong set of gates from that window. Everyone was fine. I had no idea how we would have gotten her back when we still can’t even touch her.
Today was the first day we didn’t spend any time working in the enclosure, since they have been home with us. We had loads of errands to run, and were gone most of the day.
We got home just a little while ago, and I don’t know if they just wanted grain pellets or they were happy to see us, but they started bleating when we got out of the car. It was music to my ears.
They didn’t move far away when we cleaned their stall out and put out fresh food and water. They stayed only a few feet away. Watched us and seemed to be engaged in what we were doing.
I think it is progress. I hope it is progress.

]]><![CDATA[Day Four]]>Tue, 26 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-fourPicture
Today they ran from us less, but they still didn’t let us touch them. They did get interested while we were putting up the back wall. Hermione tried to eat the tarp. So far she isn’t the sharpest of the three.
Earlier in the day she had heard some children playing in the field next to our house and she got all excited. She started bleating like mad. As soon as the kids ran up to our fence they all ran away from the fence.
Matt thinks that they people we bought them from had a grandchild that lives with them; and they might be missing them. It made me sad for them.
It started to rain this evening, and they are all in their house. They are loving the shavings. I think I need a giant kitty litter scoop to clean it out though.
I still have high hopes that they will learn to love us…soon.
Picture
]]><![CDATA[Day Three]]>Mon, 25 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-three

Today started with better weather.
Matt quickly got to work on the roof, and they ignored us. Ginny seems to be slightly favoring her front right leg but just barely.
I tried to untie them with long stems of blackberries but the wouldn’t touch them as long as I was.
We stayed in their enclosure most of the day. I decided, late in the day, to start the floor. Bad idea.
We shoveled and hundreds and hundreds of pounds of gravel. Then half a ton of pavers. Neither of us had done this before. Had loads of fun leveling and leveling and leveling the pavers and finally remembering they are goats and won’t care.
We got it done before sundown. Got their pine chips down and they didn’t seem interested in coming in to check it out. As we put stuff up in the shop though they surprised us and did come for a look.
They started leaping up and down on the pine chips like little kids on a bed. All three of them. It was so much fun to watch, and completely worth all the back breaking work.
Unfortunately, too dark to get it on video. It was awesome though.
Also, Frettchie almost made friends with Hermione and Neville. He’d chicken out when they got too close, but it was nice to see them try.
I feel like we got somewhere today. Neither one of us may be able to move tomorrow.
But it was so worth it.
Watching them bounce around.
]]><![CDATA[Day Three continued...]]>Mon, 25 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-three-continuedHorror story of the day-
Hermione got her head wedged between the fence post and the gate. Of course when we tried to help she screamed like a banshee.
Matt tried to direct her neck back down so she could get back out, but she just wanted to scream.
Reminiscent of Bookin at the jail, I digress.
Eventually, she allowed Matt to guide her out of the trap. And gave us a look that it was all our fault to begin with.
]]><![CDATA[Day Two]]>Sun, 24 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-twoThey were shivering when we woke up. Having spent the entire night under the bows of the tree rather than in the goat house, where it is dry.
Ginny is vocal and a little curious about us, though she won’t let us too close.
It won’t stop raining and hailing. We weren’t able to get any more construction done, but we did paint some boards that we can up later. Spent time talking to them. Put more pellets and hay in their house and I think they understand that it is drier and warmer in there now.
Still hurt that they don’t seem to like us yet.
Neville doesn’t seem to be hurting from his bad hoof trimming, which I am so grateful for.
Hermione is very protective of Neville and Ginny is definitely in charge of the whole group.
Their favorite treat seems to be pine needles, though if I hold out a branch to them; you’d think I had lit it on fire by how they react to it.
They walked near us as we worked in the enclosure today. Matt even patted Ginny a couple of times but she’d scurry a few feet away as soon as he’d touch her.
I hope this is progress.
Tonight they slept in their house.]]><![CDATA[Day One]]>Sat, 23 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://deaverhill.com/goat-blog/day-oneGoat PictureDay One - First Day Home
Picking them up…
This day was filled with dreams, high hopes and a little bit of anxiety. It didn’t go at all as planned.
First of all, we didn’t get their house completed, but thought we would have time after we got them. When we got there; we got instructions on how to trim their hooves.
Ginny went first. They haven’t been handled a whole lot, so the screaming commenced. Boy can they scream, and that is before the cutting began.
When it was Neville’s turn his hooves got cut too low and blood sprayed everywhere. I almost lost it. I was five feet away and wound up with some on my arm. I had to walk away. I almost decided I couldn’t be a goat owner if this was part of it. I couldn’t do THAT.
Hermione’s, seemed to have gone better, but she had a sore on her belly where it looked like someone tried to nurse on her. They handed her to me and told me to hold on while they got the balm.
They mayhem ensued. She screamed, bucked and pulled. I tried to calm her. I tried to hold her. I tried reassure her. She wasn’t going to have any of that. She decided I was the enemy and she hated me. She screamed like a little child screaming “Stranger Danger”, and she wouldn’t stop. I almost started crying.
By the time I got into the truck to leave, I was trembling. Certain we had made a terrible mistake.
On the trip home we saw Hermione poke her head up a couple of times, and had no trouble getting them into the their new enclosure. However, they wouldn’t come near us. Where ever we were, they were at the other end. My heart broke.
We worked on their roof, but then realized we had the wrong screws. We decided to put up some tarps for the night and go shopping and continue in the morning. So at least they could be out of the rain.
Out of stubbornness or stupidity they didn’t go in their house that night but hid behind it instead.
One shining glimmer of hope. I did go out and check on them. I called out and Ginny bleated at me. So there is that…

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