One thing about raising goats is that you can watch their individual personalities take shape and it’s very entertaining (given that we rarely watch TV nor do we have cable)
Just when you think you have their quirks and habits down they surprise you with another one of their crazy antics.
Blackberry, being the smallest, is a sweetie and doesn’t get into too much trouble. Fairlight on the other hand is dominant diva – always testing herself on us. She tries her best but doesn’t succeed in her power struggle. But sometimes she does just cross the line and like Jordanne most emphatically commented the other day “I let you get away with murder!”
They are both obedient to an extent but each have quite a different air or personality about them. They love routine and treats.
Fairlight is a foodie. She loves sampling a lot more food stuff then Blackberry. Blackberry is content with simple foods while Fairlight likes to experiment and is sort of a food snob. She likes fresh food and it can’t be spoiled or touch the floor. And you dare not share a fruit that you’ve taken a bite from – even if it’s her ultimate favorite. She ‘ll sniff and then turn her nose up at – wanting no part of your germies! Fairlights a pick eater. Picky in a way that when Jordanne tries to give her slightly damaged greens she turns her nose up with disgust “you expect me to eat that?” However, she’ll demolish Segio’s bruised cabbage leaves without hesitation. When Jordanne told me about her likin for Farmer S’s outer bruised cabbage leaves I exclaimed, “told you she had a crush on him!” You see, Blackberry already has a boyfriend (Cory) so Fairlight figured is was high time to wrangle one for herself. Silly girl.
And now another thing with Fairlight. After our Saturday stroll on the way home Fairlight has taken to jumping on the seat with Jordanne. She figures she’s just as human as we are and deserves to be treated as one.
Next thing you’ll know she’ll be wanting to eat at the table with us. She already owns the kitchen.
I do wonder at times what goes on in that pretty stubborn head of hers sometimes… oh, if goats could talk!
Walking under the Colorado Street Bridge
“Hey are you coming?”
Nibbling on dried grass.
“What’s that sound?”
“Can I have your walking stick?”
Goats love to nibble on wood. Blackberry checks out my walking stick too.
While Jordanne collects oak leaves
Fairlight decides to make herself comfortable
and help herself to an evening snack
Spoiled girl. Yeah, she knows it too because she won’t show her face!
Entertaining story. Your goats seem to be kind of like family pets! Didn’t know goats had such personalities. (Wonder if the city of Denver (my locale) allows goats in backyards? They’re only now getting ’round to making it easier to raise chickens.)
[Reply]
Man your goats have the life – naughty Fairlight doesn’t know how lucky she is! We had African pygmy goats when I was little, and the dominant male made a career out of power struggles with us. One of my scariest childhood memories is when he found me all by myself painting the barn, and he came up threatening me, and proceeded to ’sharpen his horns’ on my paint roller! Those horns were red for years.
One day my Dad figured out how to stop the dominance battles – he threw the goat in the pond! Boy was he embarrassed after that, not worth risking what these humans might do in front of his women goats.
[Reply]
So sweet and funny! I love your goat tales. That photo in the truck is the funniest. Very spoiled indeed!
[Reply]
@Djuna Throw him into the pond! That’s been my mother’s answer to unruly household pets for years. The cats get particularly annoyed, but when they’ve decided to bite her for no reason, well—my mother can get pretty ornery herself.
[Reply]
You have beautiful healthy goats there. I don’t suppose you have ANY spare time but IF you ever get the chance we would love you to join our community over at
http://www.goatbeat.net
It’s a great resource for anyone to share information ,problems, photos…..just about anything goat-related and we would really value your company.
[Reply]