Da Boyz

Louie, Herve (Elvis), and George

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As I mentioned two days ago, our does are enjoying visits from their fellas this week. In the picture above, you see Louie (a wether, despite those impressive horns), and stinky Herve and George. George will be the father of my Nubian goat Faith's kid(s) this year, and he positively oozes male hormones. Despite his amorous nature and impressive strength, he has a tiny little bleat when he's left alone (which he absolutely hates). Imagine a big, stinky, horny goat, who spends all day chasing down and mounting does, sounding like a cartoon goat. That's George.

Louie and Trevor, my grandson.

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This is where the bucks usually live; the bachelor quarters. They get along fine. Louie has been moved to the sheep shed recently, to keep our little buckling company and to get some exercise. There's a picture of the two of them heading my blog. They look like father and son, but they aren't. Old Louie is getting fat. He sure is handsome, though! Kathy tells me she hitches him to a goat cart occasionally. I can't wait to see that. Don't you think Trev is brave, facing that huge goat?

Herve (center) and his harem. Note the 'do. That's why we call him Elvis.

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Bringing the herd in at night has new challenges with two Billy goats in the mix. My first order of operation tonight was removing the milky does from the field they were in (with George) because one of the kids had her head stuck in the fence in the next field over. I've seen kids' necks get twisted in a crush of goats this way, so I wanted them out before I extracted her. It required ratcheting bolt cutters, but I got her out. Next, I needed to get the does into the barn yard, then the holding stall. That's when the funniest thing happened.

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Herve was in the field with the growers (2 year old, hopefully pregnant does), which was right next to the run where we had deposited the milky does and George. The growers are not terribly interested in Herve, most likely because he did his duty a month or three ago. The milky does who are entertaining George this week must be in heat, because poor Herve went crazy. Here's how it went:

Herve: "Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze"...runs in a circle. "Meh! Meh"

George: "Sneeze, sneeze." Sticks out his tongue and curls his lip at Herve.

Herve: Pushes his head through the fence and sniffs a doe provocatively. "Sneeze!!!"

rolls his lip at her and sticks out his tongue. Barks again: "Meh! Meh!" " Sneeze" George, absent-mindedly: "Sneeze......"

Doe in question: "Sneeze"...winks at George.

Herve runs away.

Doe who was George's last conquest hides behind a section of fence.

George continues sneezing with his tongue hanging out.

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By the way...Billy goats STINK. Even if they are cute.