Got Your Goat?

We did. We got three actually.

In the olden days of horse racing, owners often transported a goat along with their racehorse. Horses like companionship and a goat would keep them calm during travel. To rattle a rival's horse, an unscrupulous owner might just get their goat.

Well, today we got our goats....not through thievery or with ill-intentions. A patient of Lyle's is moving to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (not terrorists, as far as we know) and asked if we'd be interested in this threesome of Nigerian Dwarf Goats. Since we're in need of bramble eaters and manure producers, Lyle didn't hesitate.

We transported them this morning in the back of the truck, in an old dog kennel. I followed in the van and noticed many double-takes from passing cars. What the heck? seemed to be the general expression. At stop lights, even with all the windows up, I could hear them bleating. That's what goats do, isn't it? I'm still learning the lingo.

XiXi told us he took care of goats in the foster village in China, so he's now our resident expert. Here he is with Costello, one of the wethers (again, new lingo).

As the resident expert, XiXi showed us a few goat-keeping tricks.

Notably, he finds that peek-a-boo.....

........really helps goats to settle into a new home.

Lyle and his dad built this barn years ago when we had horses. The horses proved too much for us, so Lyle is revamping the back overhang to accommodate goats and eventually chickens.

It's still early in construction, but the right side houses the goats, the left side will house chickens and the middle will feature a dutch door for people (hopefully the kids) to use when caring for said animals. Lyle's mentioned something about roosting boxes and windows on the top for ventilation. I haven't fully caught his vision, but I've seen enough projects to know it will be one seriously decked-out chicken coop/goat house.

The goats seem to love their ramp entrance. Guinevere is posing.

She's our only female and is a favorite with our girls.

But I can tell I'm going to like Hermes. If a goat can be photogenic, I'd say that he is.

I think it's the beard.

We did have our first escape, but once the kids took chase, the goats made a quick U-turn and high-tailed it right back to their house.

Where they can live in peace, away from the little people.