Ok, smart goat stories.
In our critter barn, we have one side walled off for feed storage. Built into this wall is a feeding station.The feeder consists of a picket fence-looking section about 4 1/2 feet high with a step about 1 foot high so the critters (goats and sheep) can step up and get their heads through the pickets into the feed trough. The feed trough is 1 1/2 feet wide with a lid over the top. There is a solid wall over the picket section leaving 1 foot of clear space so the goats (who have horns) won't get their heads stuck. There is a 4" space between the back of the picket section and the front of the lid.
This feeding station has worked fine for 4 years. For 4 years the goats have not gotten through into the feed room (although they have tried).
Yesterday morning I opened up the critter barn to find 1 goat and 2 sheep greeting me. I looked around and saw a black and white spotted nose poking out of the grate in the feed room door and a welcoming bleat. That stupid little bugger managed to worm his way through the feed station and made himself a comfy little nest in the alfalfa. He couldn't bed down in the cheap grass hay, it had to be the alfalfa - we have standards, after all. He was fat and happy as he could possible be, and very pleased with himself. He had a great time worming his way back and forth through the feeder - what a cool new game!
Sigh. I finally block off the whole blessed thing, turn around feeling very cross, and find the bugger butting an old basketball toward me so we can play "soccer". I kick the ball gently toward him and he butts it back. He knows he's not gonna end up on the barbeque because he's too darned cute!
So what are some of your stories?
In our critter barn, we have one side walled off for feed storage. Built into this wall is a feeding station.The feeder consists of a picket fence-looking section about 4 1/2 feet high with a step about 1 foot high so the critters (goats and sheep) can step up and get their heads through the pickets into the feed trough. The feed trough is 1 1/2 feet wide with a lid over the top. There is a solid wall over the picket section leaving 1 foot of clear space so the goats (who have horns) won't get their heads stuck. There is a 4" space between the back of the picket section and the front of the lid.
This feeding station has worked fine for 4 years. For 4 years the goats have not gotten through into the feed room (although they have tried).
Yesterday morning I opened up the critter barn to find 1 goat and 2 sheep greeting me. I looked around and saw a black and white spotted nose poking out of the grate in the feed room door and a welcoming bleat. That stupid little bugger managed to worm his way through the feed station and made himself a comfy little nest in the alfalfa. He couldn't bed down in the cheap grass hay, it had to be the alfalfa - we have standards, after all. He was fat and happy as he could possible be, and very pleased with himself. He had a great time worming his way back and forth through the feeder - what a cool new game!
Sigh. I finally block off the whole blessed thing, turn around feeling very cross, and find the bugger butting an old basketball toward me so we can play "soccer". I kick the ball gently toward him and he butts it back. He knows he's not gonna end up on the barbeque because he's too darned cute!
So what are some of your stories?