It's hard staying away from the barn!

We bought our first baby goat, Petal, because we fell in love with a friend's goatmilk soap and then we fell in love with Petal! Now Petal is a mother, though she is still a little princess and we have fallen in love all over again. Don't get me wrong all babies are cute, we ooh and aah over our lambs each year, seeing a new born colt early in the morning is very special but baby goats.... they have a way of stealing your heart. Maybe it is the sound they make, stirring some primal instinct because they sound so much like human babies, whatever the reason they are a source of endless entertainment.
The oldest, Bill and Ben are a month old now and very playful. In fact all 6 run around the barn, jumping on the upturned water tank we set for them, knocking over buckets, making their mothers grunt in frustration and rubbing their heads. They are getting horns! We left Petal with her horns so now every goat that stays keeps their horns or they would be at a disadvantage. I am in danger of overusing the word 'cute' but it does describe how they look with the little buds starting:

I think they must itch because they keep rubbing them on the branches we have dragged down to the barn:

Petal is still very much the matriarch, keeping kids and adult goats exactly where she wants them. We even see her teaching goat manners to the 2 little orphans. They may be hand fed but in her eyes that is no excuse for not knowing your place!

Daisy tries to keep her two kids by her side but they have reached an age where playing with the others is much more fun than hanging with Mama! The only time she sees them is when they are passing through or when they are hungry, just like human kids.

Any other time she can watch them jump and run

If you are still wondering why it might be hard to leave the barn....... just take a look at the greeting I get as I walk into the barn, it's hard to ignore:

Oh, and remember those lambs? They really are getting big now, almost time for taking them to market!

The barn is full of life; goats on one side, sheep on the other but we also have our broiler chicks also about a month old and some baby layer chicks. No wonder barn chores are such fun and take so much time!

Each trip to the barn means passing the chicken house, so we check for eggs. As you know, everyone works at our house and while the barn may be Jake's territory, the chicken house is Titan's. We taught him to stop stealing eggs by giving him the responsibility of carrying the eggs back to the house!



Catch y'all later, I am back off to the barn!
Edith