How Keeping Goats Changed How I See Myself
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No, Goats don't eat tin cans, at least none of the goats I've ever owned or met. They are really some of the pickiest creatures I've come across.
Goat Thoughts
Maybe back in the day they chewed on a can, but I suspect, especially if the goat was like Rosie, it was trying to get the dumb farmer's attention, because the 1/2 bail of hay that is the measly daily ration is not nearly enough for the herd. Half of that needs to be bedding of course, are we just supposed to lay on the bed of sawdust and older hay? There is no five second rule in the goat world, the second the hay hits the floor, that is now floor hay, and clearly not good to eat, and is that a piece of floor hay in the water, we demand fresh water.
Don't get me wrong, goats will chew on items out of curiosity, boots, coats, hair - they are all fair game. Maple especially is a very curious goat.
Goat Week!
This week is goat week here at the Hauser Homestead. I was very wrong about the date I thought the goats would start kidding, thinking it would be sometime in March, but, yesterday when I was on my way outside to do my chores and heard Rosie already crying (she usually doesn't make any noise in the mornings) I knew something was up.
This is not near the first time, or near the last time I will get something completely wrong when it comes to my goats. I've been pretty good at predicting when they will give birth, usually within a week - which is pretty good, considering our buck, Alfie, has access to the girls all the time.
Last year, Rosie had an incredible 4 babies! Not completely unheard of, but, unusual. The amazing part is that they all four survived, and Rosie accepted them all. There is a 2% chance of all of these things happening, and for the doe to be also healthy after these births. Rosie is a strong and AMAZING mama goat.
Yesterday, she had only one. I am more than ok with this. It will allow her to recover easier, without her resources being drained. We will breed Rosie one more time before retiring her from being the boss mom she is.
At 6 years old, she is just about at the age where we would be greatly reducing her lifespan if we bred her much more. It is incredibly draining on them, and as much as I love the Rosie babies, I'd rather have Rosie for as long as possible! Maple won't be long before she has her kidding, and I'm more prepared for that today, than I was yesterday.
I wanted goats for the specific purpose of milk. I wanted them as a pet/farm animal, and did extensive research on them. Breeds, housing, health, kidding, feeding. I knew (in theory) everything there was to know about milking, goat pregnancies, kids, ruts, heats. I knew what breeds I wanted, and how they would be used for our family and for my business. I had done similar research when we got chickens, and I found them pretty straight forward with few surprises of what I was getting into.
Well, it didn't all worked out as planned, of course. I was surprised by my husband with 2 goats, Rosie, and our former buck, Bucky. I wasn't sure if I wanted a buck, and here I was with one, I had wanted a good large milk breed, a Nubian or a Saanen, something easy to milk.
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Trial by Fire
Don't get me wrong, I love Rosie. If I had to pick one goat to only have tomorrow, I'd pick Rosie. (My husband and son would not be happy, as they are not as fond of her as I am) She and I have a special bond, where she can be aloof and demanding with other people, and bossy to the other goats, she will come find me for a cuddle, and show off her babies to me, and come cuddle right beside me.
It was a trial by fire. We had no barn, Rosie and Bucky lived in the garage attached to the house for a few months while my husband built a barn. Rosie was already in milk, and already once again pregnant when we got her. I had to learn that day how to milk her, and then do it twice a day for the next three and a half months.
She got sick within 2 weeks of us getting her. She had swallowed a screw or something, and needed a magnet in her stomach (this is now permanently there and I have no idea how many other screws she's ingested trying to break into pens and chicken fences, but the magnet catches them all.)
We had to learn, relearn, and learn again about fencing. We had to invent creative closures to stop them from escaping, or from breaking in to the chickens' feed areas. And we are still learning, several births, and goats later.
Having babies is a bonus of being able to get our own milk. We make cheese, make and sell Goats Milk Soap, and make frozen treats for our pups. When we sell our babies to loving families, we have the peace of mind they are being well taken care of, and we get money to help pay for our goat expenses (feed, fencing, health and vet, and shelter)
Goals are not always the goal
Having goats has taught me about how I needed to set less goals, and live more in my environment, and just sit and listen. Goals are fine. ALL the goals are detrimental to your mental health. I can't control everything, sometimes I just have to roll with it. The goats, for me, help me forgive myself when I feel like I'm not being up to the standard that I WRONGLY believe everyone holds me to. They only expect me to feed them, and put them to bed at a decent time. Nothing else.
They are stubborn, but they may have met their match with me.
I've learned, with Rosie especially, stubbornness can be a virtue as well as a weakness. They, like me, know what they want and need, and have no problem digging their heels in when the decision has been made. I used to bend to this, and I still do when appropriate, but, for the most part I hold my ground when I believe something is right for me.
Teaching about goats to people interested in owning them, or wanting to live more self-sustainably, and having people come see and cuddle with them in Goat Therapy, has shown me, that as odd as my ideas can be, they resonate with others, and that is validation that my path is right.
If you would like to learn more about keeping goats, or our goat therapy check out our current workshops at Hauser Homestead - Workshops
