We had another snow and this time the goats finally came out in it. After two days of staying in the barn and the snow not going anywhere I guess they figured they might as well journey out into it.
There was about six inches over two days and it hung around for almost a week. They had made many trails through the snow and stayed in those trails once they were made.
The new round hay bale has been delivered and the pygmy’s are in nibble heaven. This one bale should last until approximately February for the four of them. I did get an extra one though that they cannot get to.
It’s in place and they’ve started eating from it already but I still have to go up and put the border around it so they won’t be able to scatter it everywhere and waste it. Goats aren’t really grazers so once it hits the ground and/or they mess on it they won’t eat it. So in order to use it as feed and not bedding you have to place something around it.
It has to be placed on it’s end because if it’s laying on its side they’ll pull from the middle of the ends and it’ll collapse. I’ll be placing a fence around it with a gap in the front for them to eat from. Across the gap will be small logs that they can get their heads through to eat. There will also be a tin top over it to keep the weather off of it and to shelter them while eating.
The trees in the pictures below on each side of the bale will be used to help support the fencing. There’s just enough of a gap between them at the top to put the tin. They’re eating from the back in these which is where the fence will be. I may eventually block it all in except the front to protect it from the rain and snow.
We had the first snow of winter last week. It was beautiful. A whopping five inches to start the season off.
The goats didn’t leave the barn for two days. They’re not a big fan of snow. All of them were content inside munching on hay all day and taking naps between snacks. So far that’s the longest they’ve spent time inside not even poking their heads out.
The two elder dogs didn’t hardly want to go out the door. Once outside though they began to run and play even if only for a few minutes. You could see their inner pup trying to come out. On the other hand the three youngest ones couldn’t wait to get out the door and didn’t want to come back in.
As for me, I love snow. I find it absolutely beautiful. My getting old bones can’t take the cold as easy as they used to though. But on a farm there is still chores that need taken care of no matter the weather. There’s always something that you winterize that messes up or that you had just forgot to do while prepping for the upcoming weather.
On top of this mountain there is always a wind blowing of at least 10 to 15mph with gusts up to 50mph. It’s awesome in the summer but frigid in the winter. It might be 25° but with the wind chill it feels like the teens. You brave the outdoors dressed to the max, walking like a penguin. Bending over and not falling on your face is an achievement. You do what you have to do. The prize when you come back in is a hot cup of cocoa or coffee to warm yourself up.
The goat pen is setup and ready for winter. I’ll have to get another round bale of hay for them in about a month and that should take them through to spring. They love spring and all the green leaves that come with it.
They’re breeding right now so spring should also bring a couple of kids. I’m thinking about May or so. We have two females so we should get at least two but I’m hoping at least one of them has twins.
Spring will also bring some needed hoof maintenance as well. They circled their pen so much during summer that they kept them in pretty good shape themselves during that time.
In the pictures below the black and white one and the brown one are males. The two black ones are the females. Mooney, the black and white one, is the leader of the pack. Moe, the brown male, is the youngest of them all.
Breakfast time is when they get sweet pellets and whole kernel corn. The rest of the day they forage for greens, dried leaves, and also have hay to eat. They love to snack on and off all day. Once the snow starts they’ll eat their breakfast mix and hay.
Hello. My name is Barbara and I live in a small town in northern West Virginia on top of a mountain. I love it here. I’m only 30 minutes from Ohio and 45 minutes from Pennsylvania. One thing I love most is the Ohio River is at the bottom of my mountain.
We regularly fish as much as possible. I’d go more often if time would allow it. We’ve caught flathead catfish, blue cats, carp, turtles, gar, bluegill, channel cats, and walleye out of there.
At home we have 4 pygmy goats, 5 dogs, and 4 orange tabby cats. The dogs are one boxer, one red nose pit, two blue nose pits, and one mix breed boxer/ blue pit. I put food out to draw in the wildlife to eat in the yard as well.
We have two big gardens and grow everything we can to provide for the winter. Everything is either canned or froze and the extras go to anyone that needs or wants it. We also have two edible flower gardens and one herb/medicinal bed.
That’s a little about me and more will follow in the days to come.
Living and Loving Life 