I call the area outside of Pip and Caper’s stall the goat paddock. It’s where they spend most of their time. Yes, they have a pasture filled with grasses and briars and pine trees, which they do like to eat. But they also get a flake of hay a day, so hunger doesn’t drive them out in the morning. They leave the paddock when they get bored or when they have a twinge of stomach rumblings. They forage several hours a day. However, the goat boys prefer to stay close to home. They like to chat with the hens and Phoebe. Caper stands in the corner of the paddock and watches the house. If he glimpses me while I’m at the kitchen sink he bleats for me to come out. (Do you see the screen porch? He looks through that to a window. Really. Goats have very good eye sight.) So, despite the fact that they have plenty of space, the boys spend most of their time standing around in just a couple of spots close to the barn.
Although the goats mostly stay near the barn, you might not see the boys on the GoatCam because they sometimes stand on the big rock, gazing out, as if they have plans. Which they don’t.
Or, they might be scratching their bellies on the smaller rock.
But, usually, they are standing and staring at the house. Waiting for the Goat Maid. The ground where they stand is bare and packed down. Goats pee and poop a lot, so you can imagine how nasty it would get if I didn’t clean it up frequently. In order to minimize smells, flies and to prevent parasites from multiplying, I keep the area as tidy as possible. But, it’ll soon be muddy and partially frozen, which makes cleaning difficult. Goat manure comes out like ever so many bouncing beans. It can’t be shoveled or raked, it needs to be swept up which becomes impossible in the winter. The goat paddock needed improvement, and so I put the human teenage boy to work.
Last weekend he laid paving stones and more than doubled the area of the goat patios. See the “goat berries?” Now I’ll be able to easily sweep them up!
Where there had been mud mashed with manure, there’s now a tidy surface. The goats like it. They hate getting their feet wet. This winter I’ll be able to shovel that space, and they’ll be able to stand there to talk with their friends. (Do you see Phoebe in the pen?) Every evening she and the goats have a confab by the fence.
The teenager was paid for his efforts. He’s saving for some computer thingy that I don’t understand. But that’s okay, because I have some more improvement projects to send his way. Win-win all around.
The goat boys are seeing all kinds of improvements this year! Lucky goats!
Wow great photos. The goat maid is taking great care of her goats. They have it nice. I assume chickens have good eye sight during the day. I have 2 of my 9 girls that will start calling for me if I am in the kitchen. I think they can see me thru the kitchen window . They say hello hello come visit us lol
Very good eyesight during the day, but chickens have no vision in the dark.
I watched your teenager the day he laid the stones. He is a hard and precise worker! How blessed you are to have him.
Betsy hung right in there with him and he fed her some bugs or worms he dug up. That was so cute. He is a handsome young man! I wish him all the best in life.
He’s very good with all of the animals.
I also saw the teenager working so hard the other day. I thought perhaps he was filling in more tunnels that Phoebe had been digging! Looks like you are getting everything all set for winter Terry! We are supposed to have rain mixed with snow here tomorrow (Bountiful, Utah).
Snow? We’re having what’s called “Indian summer” with a few days of temps almost reaching 80.
Do you find that you need to trim their hooves less frequently because they have those rocks to play on?
I am debating between getting Nigerians or a Jersey cow for dairy. There is lots of consider on both sides.
Alas, they just stand there, so don’t wear down the hooves at all. Perhaps if I made them a rock climbing wall? :)
Such cuties. Such a cushy life. (Except, of course, for the goat maid and her family.)
I get to bask in their joy.
The Goatie Boys must be so happy to be so well taken care of and pampered!! You are such a good and loving person to them and all your other animals!!
Those goats always put a smile on my face. Wow, that’s quite a rock!
BTW, I just finished reading “Living the Good Life” by Helen and Scott Nearing. I almost laughed out loud when I came to the part about keeping animals- I immediately thought of the Goat Maid:
“The owners of horses, cattle, pigs and chickens wait on them regularly, as agrarian chamber maids, feeding, tending them and cleaning up after them.”
The Nearings didn’t keep pets, but it sounds like they enjoyed the company & labor of their neighbor’s animals.
Yes, that quote is exactly right.
Like the new bricks in goat pasture. You son did an excellent job. The boys seem to enjoy it also. They really are cuties. I finally got my 1st egg. Dottie, my leghorn, gave it to us. Her comb and waddles grew quickly and then came the egg. She has a comb she can be proud of. We were so happy. Hubby ate the egg and said it was delicious. He was very proud. God gave us this joy when we needed it most. Our dog, really family member, of 12 years died the same day. We are heart broken. She gave us all she had and we never had another dog quite like her. We will always have a warm spot of love for her in our hearts. Hope all have a great day at Little Pond.
Losing a “heart dog” is so very hard. Condolences.
Appreciated.
What a win-win for everyone! We think it looks like there are great expansion potentials there, too ;)