He’s Back to Being Bad

Mr. Gander is feeling much better.  He’s so much better that he’s back to harassing attacking goats.

There’s also a new game in the barnyard.

Cinnamon and Ava made it safely through.

The geese stand in front of the milk room door.

Joy coming over the posts

They make the goats do a mad dash to make it in to get milked without getting attacked.  Remind me why I took those two ganders in.

In other milking news, I decided I wasn’t a fan of the game where I had to chase Aphrodite and drag her across the barnyard to milk her.

Aphrodite

We’ll deal with training her next summer.  Maybe.

New Milkers

After selling the four boys, I had Joy and Aphrodite that I thought about milking.  I tried them both.

Aphrodite’s perfect udder

Did you bring me a peanut or any food?

Joy was first.  A couple days before I sold the kids, she started coming to the milk room with her mom. I think the MGIT (Milk Goat In Training) program worked!

Joy

I let her in and trimmed hooves, and she was happy to come in after Seven was gone because she likes sweet feed.

Milking was a bit different though.  She squatted and crouched down, and I could hardly reach my hands under to her udder. She was determined she was going to eat, but she was not about to pick her back end up and stand.

already doing better the second day

Poor girl.  I laughed at her.  I couldn’t help it.  She did let me milk though.  She doesn’t have much milk (Seven was almost five months old), but this is about training for next year.  I’m guessing she’ll be fine once she gets used to it, and she will be the fourth generation of milking does in that line.

three generations coming to get milked: Zinnia, Joy, and retired Haley

Aphrodite was a different story.  I had to drag her to the milk room.

feet planted as we walked from pasture

She does not like to be led at all.  I tell you, I was huffing and puffing by the time we got to the milk room.

Dropping to the ground and refusing to stand up

Once we were in there, she danced for a minute and then she didn’t care too much.  That’s the way I like it.  She hadn’t even participated in the MGIT program.

I’m also thinking I might need to quit milking Cinnamon because I’m not getting hardly any milk from her.

Cinnamon is about done

But she does like coming in to eat.

Four Farewells

Today we said farewell to four more kids.  I had to get the last of the bucks off the farm because I don’t want any more oopsie kids.

Seven, Stitch, Octavius, and Archie

Of course, Popcorn had to follow us out and eat scrub mulberry supervise while we tagged and loaded the boys.

Popcorn

It was a dreary and drizzly ride to the sale barn, but they stood right behind the cab and didn’t get very wet.  I felt bad, but I really need to not have any more bucks running around.

Friday evening I also caught Pistol’s girls and shut them in to sell.  But they cried for their mom. Their mom cried for them.

Edith (front) and Kate

I felt really guilty, so they are still here.  But they will be leaving at some point.

with their mom, Antigone

The other moms didn’t seem to mind their kids leaving at all.  I’m trying to decide whether or not I want to attempt milking Aphrodite or Joy.

Joy

My little Purl, however, was quite frustrated looking for her brother.  Poor girl.

Purl

She’s lucky that she’s staying on the farm.

Purl and Hilda

I’m sure she and Hilda will be fine together.