The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Lesley Silvester on December 11, 2017, 12:18:27 am
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What do your goats think of the snow if you have any? Mine have huddled in their shed all day. One looked out around tea time but that's all I've seen of them.
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Whoever said goats are clever animals and don't like to get wet hasn't met young angora bucks.
One came home from visiting some does last Tuesday so I took the chance to take the big buck from his girls and put all the boys back together. A day out in the field bashing each other to sort out whose boss and all ok till Thursday when one of the dairy goats came in season.
To prevent my shed being demolished and any further fighting I put three out in a substantial field shelter. 9.30pm by torch light I had to take two hurdles up to shut them in, during the night they jumped out and stood in the freezing wind getting snowed on.
Friday they stayed in the shelter all day till after supper time then stood getting snowed on again. I gave up and brought them back to the yard and put them in the other end of the shed with two old ewes between them and the big buck.
All calm yesterday. Who knows what'll happen next time a doe comes in season!!!
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wish I'd videoed mine when they first came out ... it was like a Disney scene ... one toe at a time then lift that one up quick before testing with next one ..... then a nose to the ground to investigate what this strange white stuff is .... then 'Oh look there's lunch ... and danced out!
They did spend most of day indoors tho.
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I have shut mine in, but did let the kids out a wee while. The snow and frosty weather makes them go mad. Running about like mad things. I went out yesterday morning it was around - 7 , and in the shed had a couple of milkers and goatlings airborne! jumping about all over the place. butting each other. I let the kids out for a while, made it easier for me filling racks etc. they were running about like mad sniffing and trying to eat the snow.
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I let all mine out for about an hour on Sunday, mainly so we could get big bale in without any panics.
After a short period of bouncing about and bumping heads they were at the gate to come back in.
Cold wind though :(
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Mine hate it. They go out, can't find much to browse, then run back in to peek out of the shed doors to see when I am coming with hay. They were so hungry that one thrust her head so quickly into her morning bucket she caught and ripped her nostril. It was like a murder scene with blood walls, straw and snow. After it had been packed (at one point with tampons) it eventually stopped bleeding and she seems fine now :fc:. I usually prefer winter as the work is better but yesterday and today I am not so sure.