[Jen H]

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?

 

[Queen Bee]

When my DH was young (he's the yougest of 6 and there is 12yrs. between he and his brothers) he had an old buck that had horns and he played basketball with him! They have pictures of it and it is great.. According to DH, he would bounce the bb to the goat and the goat would bounce in back to him. DH taught him to 'pass' the ball to him when he was under the goal, dh would put in the goal. Then he would pass it to the goat and he would head bunt the bb up toward the goal... Everyone in his family -- dad, mom, B & S, aunts, uncles and cousins talk about this goat and how funny it was to see them play Basketball together..
He would also work all week to get enough money to buy a quart of Chocolate milk and a moon pie.. Then he and "Billy" would go around to the front porch swing and he would pour him some c. milk and tear the moon pie into little bits and share those. They were best buddies!!

Early in our marriage we had a doe and two bucklings. They always wanted to play King OF the Hill on my MIL's new car... Never had a problem with anyone else coming over but when she drove up it was 'on'!!! We finally had to lock them in the barn when she was coming over!!!

 

[Meg Z]

When I was about ten, one of the goats we had my mom had named 'Ginger". I will never forget that goat. Not that she was anything special, as brush goats go. No, it was the fact that the lady across the street was so enthralled with her. Or more specifically, her name. Sure enough, within a year after we got Ginger, the lady got pregnant, had a girl, and named her...yep, you guessed it...Ginger! :no: Now, every time I go home, and see this person. (Now a grown woman with her own family) I think of that goat. I am always tempted to ask her if she knows she was named after a gaot, but so far, I've kept a leash on my tongue!

Meg

 

[bethlaf]

okok

we had young Buck kid, beautifull little Saanen
and we let our goats roam in an area that had formerly been a fenced in front yard, the house being one wall of the yard, which was fine, i always thought it was wierd to look out the living room sliding doors and see the goats peeing in at me, wondering when i was gonna let them in the house ...
well for fun one day i did ...

 

[Meg Z]

okok

we had young Buck kid, beautifull little Saanen
and we let our goats roam in an area that had formerly been a fenced in front yard, the house being one wall of the yard, which was fine, i always thought it was wierd to look out the living room sliding doors and see the goats peeing in at me, wondering when i was gonna let them in the house ...
well for fun one day i did ...

ROTFLMAO..... :haha: :haha: :haha:

(And, I'm also going to assume that was supposed to be 'peeking in'... :haha: )

Meg

 

[sancraft]

I used to milk my goats in the laundry room area right off my kitchen. My barn didn't have a place to milk in it. One day, I finished milking and let the goats out and went to start cleaning my room. I got the feeling I was being watched, looked and low and behold, there was Libby, standing in the hall looking at me. I went to put her out and Cinnamon was in the family room lying on the sofa just as comfortable as you please. :no: Needless to say, I always double checked to make sure I had closed the back door well after that.

 

[Jen H]

Oh no! I can just imagine my 2 making themselves quite at home in the house. Luckily they haven't managed to make it inside - yet.

 

[AnnaS]

I couldn't figure out how my 2 mo. old doe kid, Trixie, was getting over the fence, but she would yell to be put back in at least once a day. Finally caught her in the act. She would run along the line and the sheep she was pastured with, being a sheep, would run after her. Then she'd slam on the brakes, and as the sheep stood in confusion, jump on his back and over the fence.
BTW, this sheep is also a basketball player! I thought he was unique but it looks like this is a popular sport for small ruminants.