Goats on the Move

With their ghetto fence being completed last week we decided to move the World's Cutest Fainting Goats today. Given our lack of success with moving Sparky we certainly were not brimming with confidence as we discussed our game plan for goat moving today. I kept reminding Jason that three of the the four goats are fainting goats so if we really had to do it we could make them faint and then put them in the trailer. Of course everyone knows that you do not, under any circumstances, intentionally faint Jason's fainting goats unless you want to deal with the wrath of Jason. I really didn't think we would have any trouble but you never know. 

I should back up a minute. I didn't think the fainting goats would give us any trouble but I did think Bubba might make things a little too interesting. For those who have not read our blog through the years (does such a person exist??) the original goats at the farm were not fainting goats. There were three goats living under the bridge just before my parents' driveway at their farm. To make a long story short these three goats became farm residents after we had what was fondly referred to as the "goat rodeo" to capture the stray goats. There was a nanny goat, a billy goat and a kid. My dad, known around the world for his ability to come up with the most unique animal names, named the nanny goat Nanny, the billy goat Billy, and the kid Bubba. Over the years Bubba's parents Billy and Nanny have passed but 16 years later Bubba is still with us, and he has never been the least bit appreciative of the dramatic step up he took in life when we claimed him and his parents.

Jason giving "the girls" some reassurance before hitting the road

Mina says "I would like to speak with someone about my sub-par travel accommodations. Mina does not travel in a stock trailer because Mina is not livestock."

The World's Cutest Fainting goats are used to going into a stall so we knew that getting them into a stall would be no problem. Bubba on the other hand has never been too keen on confined places where he might be trapped with one of us useless idiots that have given him a home for so many years. He will occasionally go into a stall for treats but it is a rare event. Thus I could hardly believe my eyes when Bubba happily trotted into the stall along with the fainting goats. Jason slammed the stall door shut before Bubba had a chance to realize what was happening. Phase one of goat moving was already complete! Woot!!

A very poor picture of Bubba looking extremely unhappy in the goat crate

Jason carried one fainting goat at a time to the trailer.  Mina is a hefty girl and I was pretty amazed that he was able to haul her from the stall to the trailer but they made it. Next up was getting Bubba to the trailer. Bubba is bigger than the fainting goats, stronger, and decidedly unfriendly as well. Our plan with Bubba was to herd him into the dog-turned-goat crate and then the two of us would carry the crate and its (not really) precious cargo to the trailer. (You will recall the dog-turned-goat crate from a previous post when Mina broke her leg and had to be transported in the crate.)

The goats making their grand entrance to their new home

If you can believe it this plan actually worked. I know, WE can hardly believe it worked. We only had to chase Bubba around the stall for a minute or two until he darted into the crate. We zipped the crate shut with lightening speed and that was that, Bubba the ungrateful stray goat was captured. Jason and I then hauled the goat crate over to the trailer. My back is going to hurt for at least a week after lifting and carrying Bubba around but the plan worked.  My aching back is worth it.

Mina did not look like she enjoyed her time in a livestock trailer at all, however Jo and Miss Lyle looked perky upon arrival

Jason tried to reassure the goats in the trailer for a few minutes and then it was time to hit the road. Mina was most unhappy about being transported in a stock trailer. Stock trailers are for livestock. I can assure you Mina does not place herself in the livestock category.  Once we arrived at our destination and were ready to unload I was little bit alarmed when I peered into the trailer to make sure everyone was ok. Jo and Miss Lyle were standing up looking around, Bubba was standing up in the crate, but Mina was laying down and looking stunned. I had a minute where I really wondered if she was ok. Thankfully she was just fine.  Mina is something of a drama queen.

Miss Lyle, Bubba and Jo hopped off the trailer right away

Mina wasn't so sure and she stood at the edge of the trailer considering things.

Lyle got back on the trailer with Mina and talked her into getting off

The goats wandered around their new paddock checking things out. They checked out their ghetto fence. Mina came to the horrifying realization that at the moment her only shelter is a couple of dogloos. There is no goat condo here. We explained that we intended to build them a new goat condo but we haven't had time yet. Mina was not pleased. The goats definitely attracted the attention of the horses that were in nearby pastures.

MyLight and Calimba noticing their new neighbors

They moved in for a closer look and Silky joined them

Largo, Toledo and Rocky just realized the empty paddock across from their pasture was no longer empty

I realize how utterly disappointing this post must be to our dear readers. Nothing went wrong. Everyone who was supposed to get on the trailer got on the trailer. We're fully aware this is not our usual outcome.  I'll be honest, it feels kind of weird, but I'll take it.

Mina seemed so put out by the dogloos being the only shelter that Jason left the stock trailer in their paddock for them for now. The things we do for our goats.

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