Sunday, October 18, 2009

Here comes the sun and I say, "IT'S ALRIGHT!"

Hey, Natasha, do you think Mom knows we're out?


Our weather was unseasonably frigid last week. My goats were not happy to see the wet snow, chilly winds, and cramped accomodations in the barns. This week, a complete temperature turn around. Although we are veterans in drastic weather changes in Wyoming, no one had warned my goat "newbies" about Wyoming weather. Out of my eight goats, six have not had the pleasure of experiencing a Wyoming winter up to this point in their short little lives. Regardless, I spent last week with snotty goat noses and they were just like little kids when I tried to wipe their noses. They tried to throw their heads back and forth, back up, lower their heads and avoid the paper towel at all costs! Mom finally prevailed but they sure spent last week giving me a wide path. Needless to say, no one was more thankful for sunshine than stir-crazy goats. I had decided on the first day of snow when the baby of the herd, Sweet Pea was forced out into the cold by Lyrical that Robert was going to have to separate the big goat pen into two pens. The two big girls Natasha and Lyrical had to be penned up in the milking barn until the separation could be done this week. I don't believe they thought Dad was quick enough. Thankfully, Robert got the pen separated so the kids have the barn without Natasha and Lyrical bossing them around. The big girls seem happy not to be bother with silly kid games. Now Javar and Prince are so thankful to be out of their barn and spent the day sunbathing! I spent my time cleaning the hay and goat pebbles out of the barn. Amazing how quickly it piles up when the goats don't go outside for a few days. Regardless, everyone seemed so happy to be free. Forecast shows rain for Tuesday but I will keep my fingers crossed. I was not ready for winter to begin so soon and, obviously, neither were the kids. I hope they get ready quickly because it is inevitable that the snow will fly and stick for a few months. I did notice this week that the kids were getting fluffy so maybe Mother Nature just needed to nudge them a little last week. I truly hope they don't experience snotty noses every time it is cold and wet but all the noses are clear of mucous right now. I guess it was quickly remedied without intervention from me. Robert questioned me on whether I thought we had everyone taken care of for a little while. He is always building pens, repairing barns, building barns, reinforcing fences and separating areas for me. I told him I thought we were fine.....well, until kidding season! :)





3 comments:

  1. Uuugghhhh I don't want snow either. It was really cold here for a few days and then incredibly hot the past couple days.

    I went and bought a new Nubian buck tonight. I will pick him up Sunday. I am so excited! He is beautiful and out of really good bloodlines. He is a 2009 model and I was worried he wasn't ready for breeding yet but while we were there he was chasing the does with all the signs of knowing what he was doing!!!

    Your goats are beautiful! Looks like some really good blood there too!!!

    Have a great weekend,
    Becky

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  2. Remind me, I have a good vitamin for the runny noses. Ellie Mae, the pig, did the same thing when the weather turned cold a couple weeks ago but one good dose of the multi-vitamin and her nose quit running. The vitamin is handy because it is granular and mixes well in the grain. My animals like to eat it out of my hand. Holler and I'll give you some to try. I'd tell you the name of it but I'll have to dig it out and look at the label.

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  3. Our goats had an icky cold after fair this year because it was so COLD and drafty there.

    Do you have all Nubians?

    Thanks for following my blog!!
    ~Jenna

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