What's Up With the Nigerian Goats


Mary isn’t back on the farm yet, I can’t wait to have her here so the four mama goats can get used to each other before we have baby goats to tend to. Whiskers on Kittens (Whisk) has become the herd leader and insists on ridiculous royal privileges. The social injustice is a little disconcerting to witness, but according to several goat books I’ve purchased,(Raising Goats for Idiots, etc.), evidently this always happens when there’s more than one goat. Goats are herd animals and don’t like to be solitary; some writers even consider keeping a single goat as abuse. Whisk has mellowed out a little as the others no longer question her position, but from my standpoint, her behavior can seem appalling. She gets the best place to sleep, the first munch of any treat, and the lead position on any walk. She’s also, (ugggg) decided all farm roads are hers and will not get up from a center-of-the driveway sun bask even for my big, red, farm truck. Honking is futile and completely ignored. I’m forced, a couple times daily, to park on the steep incline leading to my farm office, jam on the emergency parking brakes, get out, and shoo her out of the way, then race back to the wheel before she resolutely returns. My little dairy herd traipses after me wherever I go on the farm, with Whisk leading the way. They used to chase me down the driveway even when I was in my truck, but soon discovered that I couldn’t be caught and gave up. Now they just follow me when I’m on foot. The llamas were offended at first, but now llamas and goats are getting along, albeit suspiciously.

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