No-one Told Me –

– That goats bite. We all talked about how fun they were and that goats cheese was tasty but no-one told me that goats like to nibble on people and that it hurts when they do that!  AND no-one told me that they can take a running jump on to the TOP of you as you all walk about the fields. I have renamed Hazel  – Brenda. She is SUCH a Brenda. Freya bites – Brenda knocks you down. They should be sold on as security goats: no plant, dog or human would be safe if they were on patrol. And look at them. The picture of innocence. goats

Well- Tima and I know now that underneath all those sweet looks  dwell two killer Rottweiller-Goats. Highly trained elimination machines. Little Liars. They are unholy terrors.

Speaking of Tima. She has looked exactly the same for a month now. I am not convinced she is pregnant at all.  So on Monday we are going to walk her up the ramp and into the car for a trip to the vet. An ultra sound will tell us what’s what. (and YES Kim – you will be coming along for the ride – I need help with the ‘ramp’ and the walking up there-of). pregnant pig6

Poppy on the other hand, looks more and more pregnant as we go along. And SHE was the long shot.

hot-hot-hot-009

Though not as long as Sheila who is a Very Long pig indeed. Next time I have a person with a camera I will lay down beside her and someone can take that photo, then you can see how long she is.

cows drinking

Not only is the grass greener on the other side but the water is sweeter too.

I hope you have a lovely day,

Your friend on the farm

celi

52 Comments on “No-one Told Me –

  1. Goats will eat anything and everything. I’ve been chewed before and they do have very strong teeth!
    You made me laugh with the long pig comments 😉

  2. Ohh do be careful an animal of that size taking a running jump on to you is not fun! When my children were small we took them to a donkey sanctuary in South Devon and they had goats.
    Well my youngest thought how sweet and went to pet one and the next thing she was flying through the air after being butted in the stomach! Luckily she was ok. I don’t think she likes goats now though! 😀 x

  3. I’m not a fan of goats, except the one I saw in Barcelona recently. I don’t like their eyes, I don’t like their cheese and the wild version here at Casa Debbio eats the bark off my fruit trees. Cute, they my be, but I want them far from me.

  4. Won’t be lifting her like last year for the library visit. Have ramp, will load pig! Looking forward to it!

  5. The photo for height and the one for length side by side would reall give us the size of te tank you call Sheila. Do you have an idea of her weight? Just be careful that she does not roll on top of you. Thinking of Fede as he speaks English today for his oral exam!

  6. It seems you are going to have even greater ‘fun’ when Brenda and Freya begin their families: think when there will be more than two Rottweilers to do mischief! And it will be somewhat disappointing if Tima is carrying some unsightly belly fat and no appealing piglets for you to sell and us to ‘ooh’ over . . .

  7. Ouch! I was bitten by a goose at 2 or 3 and it’s the only thing I remember from that time. Animals bite! Had a healthy respect ever since. Good luck with the ultra sound. I’m looking forward to hearing the “verdict” . Someone didn’t want to share. What’s the world coming to? Have a wonderful bite free weekend.

  8. Warning: Property guarded by Attack Goats! Yes, goats will nibble anything. Dad had a goat when he was young, about 10. That would have bee 1942ish…. His dad had a 39 ford with soft top. The goat ate the soft top, the seats and was demolishing the steering wheel when they got up one morning. It was the first and only day my grandmother learned how to prepare goat meat….. (i kept this story to myself until you mentioned that your goats were being naughty)

    My co-worker said they do calm down when they get older. They go though a bad ‘teen’ period though. They run about 200 goats on a farm in east Texas with their in-laws. 4 out of 5 in their herd will have twins which makes the herd grow way too fast! But they have a processing house in Paris that sells their meat at a good profit, so it all works out.

  9. Mischief was the middle name of our 3 Toggenburgs. They climbed on the hoods & stood on the tops of our cars; they climbed a ladder left by the chimney & ate the ivy, they rocked in the rocking chairs on the front porch, opened the screen door & traipsed through the house. They ignored the poison ivy & munched the azaleas, iris & day lilies instead. Zero rushed me as I was getting out of the car & got his head under the shoulder strap of my purse. I never did find all of its contents.
    They never bit me but in the end they had to go. I still remember them & chuckle now at their outrageous antics. My fingers are crossed for Tima’s prospects.

  10. Hah! The goats do calm down later, very noticeable difference particularly after they kid. But when the kids are small, I have hoof-size bruises all over me very frequently! I bent over at the feeder the other day and Sassafras nipped my bottom. Keeps me on my toes.

  11. Our donkey had similar anti-social habits to goats. She particularly liked to eat rose bushes and behinds bent over tending her hooves!

    Good luck Fede, sock it to them.

    I love that photo of the two cows drinking.

    Have a good day,
    love,
    ViV

  12. Oops, sorry I didn’t mention that the La Manchas can be real rascals at times! They just get excited is all, and want you to join in on their fun! 🙂 As mentioned above, they will calm down, and when they kid, their mamas will keep them more under control. You are Brenda and Freya’s mom now, and they just want to make sure they get some of your undivided attention, that’s all! And who can blame them??? xo

    • I know – I just cannot bear it anymore – it will cost 65 dollars and to know one way or the other will make it worth it. Of course we have to get the fat thing into the car – but I will have help!

      • Maybe Murphy’s Law will kick in if you spend the $65 to find out what you think you know already…

      • It amazes me that being Tima she won’t just jump in and sit expectantly in the passenger seat (no pun intended) waiting to go for an outing, but then her legs are very short and she’s a weary girl these days. Say hi to Kim for me!

        • She will walk up a ramp, but then i have to transport the ramp as well for the unloading and reloading at the vet.. I wish i had a miniature trailer.. but then who would coo and tickle her as she travels so she does not get frightened. She will be fine in the back seat as soon as I can solve the ramp problem, my car is very small..

  13. My husband and I were alone on a golf course in Wisconsin when someone butted me from behind and moved me along a bit off my feet. A goat! . He came out of nowhere. I had never seen him before or since. But I guess he thought I was taking too much time with my shots. I learned later that he belonged to the groundskeeper.
    I hope you won’t mind that I secretly call Brenda Hazel. We had a Hazel in our family and your Hazel is a match.

  14. I know it’s no laughing matter, but your goat stories did make me laugh out loud! Good luck with Tima!

  15. Dear Celi, I am a city girl. I was raised in San Francisco. There was a time I lived right across the street from a fire station and the sirens never fazed my slumber.  That said, I must tell you that I am falling in love with farm animals. How nice it would be to have a cow (I think Naomi is aDORable!). So I am grateful to you for permitting me the osmosis connection with your critters. Love,Gayle in sunny Sacramento, California

    Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. ~~ Daniel Patrick Moynehan

  16. Brenda Hazel, love that! You need “Goats for Dummies”. Do all goats have just their bottom teeth? I remember ours goats just had bottom teeth, but still hurt when they bite.
    Funny post!
    Robin🐥

  17. My Nigerian dwarf wether, Otis, has always been a perfect gentleman, no nibbles, no jumping, no climbing and he never head butts people. Her majesty Fanny the mini fainter on the other hand…… She nibbles on everything and jumps up on you like a dog and is always pushing herself under your arm when you pay attention to somebody else. Goats only doo have bottom teeth like deer but they also have some razor sharp back teeth. (Don’t ask how I know this).
    Fingers crossed that Tima is in the family way. As for a pig’s weight, take the measurement from between the ears to the top of the tail times the girth measured just behind the front legs and divide by 11.

  18. I had no idea that goats may bite you. I did, one year, have two pigs try to ‘nibble’ me but that’s because I hadn’t spent a lot of time with them because my husband was sick. I bet, just like people, goats are all different. And I very much enjoyed reading how young goats can be ‘rowdy’ – just like human young!! (Can’t wait to see the photo of your pig in the back seat of your car!! LOL !!)

  19. I love how Ton is always somewhere in the background, photobombing in your pics.

  20. We had goats (milk, not meat) for many years, and yes they butt, jump and bite. I know of some people that put goats with the sheep as guards.

  21. Naughty guys that goats ….. and dangerous, too.
    They must be locked or bound, don’t they?
    Who has been hurt? You or the Cadet? Take care of you, Celi.

  22. Yes, goats love to nibble on you–my girl likes my clothes. When I’m not careful hand feeding their favorite treats, my fingers get bitten by both my goats and the sheep. My goats are pygmy’s, so fortunately they only get on my back if I’m silly enough to stoop down (which I now know NOT to do lol), but they will get on top of everything if given a chance.

  23. I always thought goats were cute, and wanted one–until I saw a photo of them standing on the hood of my niece’s car! I hope Freya and Brenda are just going through a “kid” phase and will mature and act more mannerly before someone gets hurt. Ton, he’s so faithful.

  24. Ha ha!!! Goats are a bit of trouble ,yes. My Dad acquired three for exactly one week. He got rid of them immediately after they escaped to the neighbors property across the road and promptly got on their car hood and made a lot of dents! They’re curious and fearless that lot! You made me laugh with your description of their antics… I swear I have GOT to visit some time just to laugh myself silly. There’s never a dull moment on your place!

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