So some folks are of the mind that in order to have friendly adult goats, you must raise them on the bottle when they are babies.
Some folks bottle feed for other reasons, such as CAE prevention, or because they want/need all the milk the doe can produce, or because they just really like bottle feeding and that's fine. No worries on my part for how they like to do things.
I just want to say that you don't have to bottle feed to wind up with friendly goats.....
I just want to say that you don't have to bottle feed to wind up with friendly goats.....
And I'd like to present the following pictures as evidence....
This is Jen's baby sucking/chewing on my coat while laying in my lap. I'm not holding here there, she's just chilling out enjoying spending some time with me.
I don't know what Jennifer will call her, but we call her Fancy Pants because she's got such a fancy face....
I know you can't tell by my face, but I just LOVE MY GOATS!!
The way to get friendly kids, is the same way you get healthy, well adjusted human kids........
Spend time with them!
As you can see in this picture, Merida is completely sacked out in my lap with Fancy laying on top of her resting as well. That's Tulip's little girl trying her hand at climbing on the feed pan...
The more time you spend sitting out there being a jungle gym for your babies, holding them while they sleep and just being with them, the friendlier they will be!
Here is a video of the babies and I playing....
Tulip is a helicopter parent and doesn't like to let her little girl join in the fun, but the older she gets the more she defies Mama. However, during this video, she was napping in the hay rack and because she spent most of the afternoon snoozing away, I don't have any good pictures of her.
Here is a picture of Fancy's fancy face....
And here is the buckling, who we've decided to call The Bear King, or Bear for short...
He's got the sweetest little gray moonspot on his butt cheek!
And my sweet Merida chewing on Mama Star's beard...
As you can see, everybody is doing just great, and growing to beat the band! They are all four headed to the vet this week to get disbudded.
If you remember, that is the one goat keeping chore I just cannot do!
Till next time....
God Bless,
Great looking kids, Goodwife! And it is great fun to spend time with the goats. I haven't become a kid jungle gym, though. I think we have more kids on the way today. A few days earlier than I expected, but that's okay. It's one of our first fresheners, so break time is almost over. Time to get back to the barn and check her out again. You know that look you have on your face when you talk about loving your goats? I know that look very well! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteFern
Thanks Fern! I so love spending time with them. It just brings me joy and peace! When I get home from work, I take my lunchbox inside, change my boots and out I go! Good luck with your next round of kidding!
DeleteOooo what a sweet post to see today, I love that I can come here and see my baby girls, makes me smile. Okay, since yall been calling her Fancy Face... I'll call her Fancy. Now my other doeling needs a name, lol. I love that your their jungle gym... and nope I cant tell by your face that you LOVE it one little bit, lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'll be able to see them once you take them home! Ok, we'll call her Fancy then! We've been calling Tulip's baby Erica in our heads, but trying not to call her that out loud, so she won't get too used to it! :) I can't wait to see Cocoa's babies!
DeleteYou look like you are in absolute heaven! :) Little Merida is a show-stopper! I know you are thrilled to have her.
ReplyDeleteDisbudding has always been one of my hesitations for having goats. I don't think I would mind shipping them off to the vet to do it for me. :/
Yup, it's my most favorite thing these goaties! I am so thrilled with little Miss Merida and can't wait to watch her grow. In a word, disbudding SUCKS, but it's better than horns, and for me, having the vet do it is money well spent! I sit in the lobby and then they bring them back to me done!
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