The new boys have arrived and life is starting to adjust for them and us. I was a little concerned about letting them out of the pasture to free range with the other goats because I did not know if they would come back. They did not care to bond with the others as they had each other. Little Levi was alone when he came and bonded quickly with the others and followed their lead. The boys on the other hand did not bond quickly. They seemed to do their own thing and stayed out of the others way.
When I arrived home the first day I put them into the pasture, we just put the kennel they were in into the pasture and opened the door. When it was time to go into the barns for the night I was at a loss as to how I could get this done. The barn they were going to sleep in was not connected to the pasture so how would I get them into that barn. They wanted nothing to do with me the stranger that just took them away from their mom and the only home they knew. My daughter helped me trick them into us capturing them and bodily carrying them across the yard to their barn. Wow! That was a pain and just about killed me.
Next morning I had to trap them and carry them back to pasture. Now I am not a dummy and neither are they. Getting close to them again will be totally impossible. That was truly a one time deal. I have to admit I did try but realized what a waste of time it was. So my thought was to leave them out over the night and try to come up with a new plan. I would leave Elliott out too so he could be the bigger animal presence in the pasture to keep the predator critters away.
I try to be the confident person of logic but am the worry wart that does not sleep knowing they are out. The predator critters that roam here are only kept away buy locked doors at night. So around 2 AM I'm out trying to see if they are Ok. I have no flash light just the moonlight, just stumbling around in the dark. I could not see them and Elliott was not visible either. I moved along the wall of the barn till I came to Elliotts doggy door and stuck my head in. All I could see was the big wet nose of Elliott. I went back out and roamed the pasture looking to see the boys. I realize that I needed a flashlight to find them. I was walking by Elliotts door and seen the boys heads sticking out of it and Elliott stand outside looking at me. They had gone into Elliotts stall with him. I felt better and headed back to bed. I had to leave the door open as they all came out to see what I was up to. About 5 or so I was up and worried about the new boys and Elliott. I grabbed a flashlight and went to the barn. This time I went straight to the Elliotts doggy door and shined the light in and all three were sleeping. Now the boys sleep with him with no problems.
The boys did not want anything to do with me so getting close was not happening. I tried all my tricks in my dog rescue knowledge book I had. It does not work so I have to start a new farm critter book of tricks. I just ignore them and put food out for them. Letting them out in the morning was easy just open Elliotts door. Then at night I had to tease with some sweet feed and put it in the barn as they watched on. After I left they headed into the barn to get the feed then I could shut and lock the door. A few weeks of this and they would come when the others where getting treats and after a while they would come when they heard me out in the pasture. I was aloud to touch them after a few weeks and felt like thing where progressing and wanted to see how they would do if I let them out.
I feel so bad they are cooped up in the pasture when all the others are out freerange foraging. I wanted them to be out there eating all the leaves and weeds they could gobble. I finally let them out and I stayed close to them. They headed right for the woods. My worry was if they get in there and get lost I can not go find them. I do not wonder into the deep woods, I did one time and had an anxiety attack and once is enough. If they get lost in them they are on their own. So as soon as they went in I was right after them to get them out. They left went around the side of the house and went back in. Hell I was now regretting my decision to let them out.
They will call each other when they are not insight of one another. It can get really noisy and it sounds like they are screaming MA. So I like to call them the same way. I stand at the back door and yell MA to see if they will come to the gate of the pasture. Most of the time they yell back at me MA. I am sure the neighbors can hear us on the Southern end of the island.
Now I am walking the the perimeter of my property and the woods yelling MA to no avail. I spent the next hour scared that I would not see my new boys again. I started to walk and call MA again when off in the distance I could faintly hear MA. I listened again and it was so faint I thought about how far away they must be that I could barely hear them. So thinking they could be lost I just kept yelling MA so they could follow my voice. They finally popped out of the woods and I was so relieved it took me another week before I let them out again.
As time has goes bye I started letting them go out with all the rest of the goats. Soon the herd comes back and they are not with them. I ask the others, where is Burt and Ernie none of them speak up so I am left yelling MA again. They show up after a while just like they know just where they are and how to get back home. They are bonding slowly to the others and me. I can even touch them and occasionally get to pet them.
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