New Haircuts

Both Angora goats have been hand-sheared. It took 3 hours for each goat! It wasn't hard, I just had to be very careful, and they wouldn't stand still. Next time I'll be sure to find someone to help with holding them.

The first photo is of Emma with her back end done then pulled back over her. Her hair is amazingly soft underneath! She is much a lighter color now and it will be interesting to see what she looks like as her hair grows out.

Hand-Shearing

Today I hand-sheared Violet, the white Angora goat. It was the first time I did this and it took 3 hours! I was so afraid that I would cut her skin, and she didn't want to stand still for long. It was a great lesson in having patience, and the only blood was from cutting my own finger.

I was hoping to shear both Angoras today, but I guess I'll be out there tomorrow with Emma, the black Angora. It feels a little chilly to be doing this, but I'm supposed to shear them again in August, and I'd like some length to the hair so that I can learn to spin it. I just checked on them and they are both sunning themselves and they have a deep bedding of straw to stay warm tonight.

Maybe by August I'll have Angora clippers....or call in a professional shearer! (Maybe not. I like having this time with the goats, and I think they like it too.)

Cashmere Goats

We have been given these two beautiful Cashmere goats to add to our small fiber herd. I bought a slicker brush and am ready to groom.....just waiting for them to settle in a bit more and get used to me being around so that I don't stress them out too much too soon. That hair is amazingly soft!

I don't like to re-name animals, but to keep things from getting complicated here I had to do it. The male's name was Phoenix, and since we already have Phoenix the cat, we renamed the goat Echo.

The female's name was Tic Tac Toe, and since I call out their names when feeding, and I talk to them often, it was a little long to add to the list of names. So I re-named her Bella. She's the one with the white on her belly, which makes it easier for others to remember.

Now we have Violet, Emma, Echo, and Bella goats!

It Works!

WooHoo! We were a bit afraid that they would back up and break the boards right off the front. Tim kept suggesting another board across the front for more support.....but I'm a minimalist (believe it or not! I just don't know where all this stuff around here came from).

Violet and Emma were nervous at first, but calmed down quickly as I started trimming hooves. I need to get a feed bucket that hangs on the bar so that I don't need to prop it up. Then I can walk around the front of the goats and not have to climb over the back of the table. Or I can get rid of the rest of the crap in the middle of the garage so I have more room.....OR cut the table in half. Hmmm. I guess that will be a future post.

Grooming Stand

Yesterday we made a grooming stand for the goats. It will make it much easier to trim their hooves and sheer them. I've been putting off buying one because they are very expensive, and thought we'd figure out how to make one with some of the stuff we have laying around here.

Tim had this old table that he made for his reptile business and it wasn't being used, just sort of getting in my way and annoying me (haha). Well it's the perfect height for the stand, but a little long. I thought maybe I would put a tub on the end of it to collect the mohair during sheering, but might end up cutting it in half. I'm so thankful I didn't ask Tim to burn the table before I found this use for it!

We fastened one board on the front and the other is able to swing down to allow the goat's head and horns to get to the feed bucket. Then it swings back and ties around the stationary one, keeping the goat from backing out. I added a hook for my hoof trimmers so that I always know where they are, and so they don't get used for cutting baling twine or wire (which I'm guilty of too....grabbing the closest sharp cutting tool around).

Angora Goats!

Here are the newest members of the farm, Violet and Emma. I love the ringlets that Emma has. She is about 6 months old, and Violet is about a year older, and is possibly pregnant. Their eyes are brown, but I couldn't edit these photos.

This was taken on Thanksgiving, but I forgot to post it and it is such a nice pic of the goats. So here it is:

Furry Caprine Herd

I couldn't get a good photo of Trillium due to his desire to head-butt the camera. So here is Flicka, Jasmine, and Lil' Bit. I'll work on a Trilly pic to show you how much he has grown. He has the long hair on the front half of his body and is a very handsome goat!

Officially a wether.

Trilly: Huh? Where'd they go?

Found in the hay:

The goats are growing.

Hey, wanna come IN and play?

Shenanigans!

Today, well yesterday (Thursday) to be exact , I was cleaning in Ruby's stall when Trilly (goat) ran through the paddock and out to the other side of the new fencing I just put up (to keep them away from the Weeping Pine). The other goats ran to the opposite side of the fence and were calling out to Trilly. Since they were right outside the stall gate, I went out and moved the fence to let him back over, turned around, and there was Ruby, outside and ready to take off! Luckily I was able to turn her around (no halter on) and head her back in before she took flight. 

I think it was a conspiracy to set her free. Maybe Acrid Hermit put them up to it so that he could have another horse-tracking adventure!

Goat update:

They are growing as fast as the weeds they eat! (hmmmm. Maybe there is something to that....like a growth nutrient?) 

I let them roam the property freely, but they stick close to the garage, where their night time pen is. They like to frolic on the hay bales, but I have been noticing wet spots in it (they must think it's bedding), so I should start covering it up with a tarp. Maybe then it would be a slide for them.

They also took a liking to the taste of my favorite tree, a Weeping White Pine. It now looks sad, and very much like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree! I put some temporary fencing up today to deter them from going near it.

I will post updated pics of them soon. They are still adorable!

Goats: Tag You're It!

Goats: Sibling Rivalry

AND SO IT BEGINS....

Flicka pic:

I LOVE this pic of Flick!

A boy and a goat:

Macrae see, Macrae do!

Play time.

Meet the goats.

The first members of the dairy herd here at Misty Forest Farm:

Flicka and her triplets: Trillium (black buckling), Jasper (black and tan doeling), and Pimpernel AKA: Lil Bit (black and white doeling). 

Flicka is a Pygmy goat and her kids are Pygmy/Nigerian Dwarf goats.

Is it.....could it be......??