We've got GOATS!!!!

Pictures to come later - since that would require I remember to take the camera out when I go to stare at my critters.

Saturday, the neighbor (wonderful man who managed to find a small cattle trailer for me to use for the price of a 12-pack of beer and his truck!) and I headed north in search of the elusive Capra aegagrus hircus. 

Ok, nothing really elusive about a good ole domesticated dairy goat, except finding one in our price range and just doing it, rather than hearing, "But I've got to build fence."

We still have to build fence, we still need to clean out the old milkhouse, but we managed to borrow dog kennel panels from my brother and managed to set up a nice (for now) area for them outside with a tarp across the back and part of the top for some shelter.

Now, we HAVE to be motivated to build fence!

So, wehave  maybe a Saanen cross yearling doe and her doeling kid.  Snowbell (formerly Snowball is about 14 months old - she is now Snowbell because Bug said she could be Snowball if she was all white, but since she looks like she was dusted with gold she has to be Snowbell) is a friendly girl.  Unfortunately, her hooves are in pretty rough shape, so that will have to be a first order of business is getting them taken care of.

Her daughter, who came to us without a name, through Mommy-arbitration and with Mommy-veto power, is now Carmel, which is much better than the suggested Goat-Goat and Sheepie.  She's about 3 weeks old, a really cute light carmel color, and full of bounce - quite literally, since she has been running and bouncing off the walls.  She's too old to use the disbudding caustic paste (disbudding in goats - not dehorning, because you are trying to get rid of the horn buds), so now I have to find someone to help burn them off.  Craigslist, here I come.

And now, here I go, because I have a momma goat to go milk, that is if Carmel left me anything this morning.