Meet Our Pygmy Goats~~Loving And Sweet, Yet Naughty As Can Be!!

From time to time I mention our little pygmy goats, and it's about time I finally introduce you to each one. Our farm life would not be the same without our playful, mischievous, rambunctious little ones! Kids are cute as can be and the moment we set our eyes upon the first two girls, our hearts melted and we were hooked!!

We met them at four weeks of age, kicking up their little feet, prancing across the barnyard, not a care in the world! Sisters, petite agouti babies, with little bumpy heads, where their horns would eventually emerge. You could already see their sassy dispositions, as they were not still a moment, like popcorn exploding in an air popper!

Our plan was to purchase one kid, but that plan went by the wayside immediately; we could not separate these sweet little sisters...that would just be wrong!!! So we made the purchase and plans to pick them up in another four weeks, after their weaning from mama.

It was hard to leave them, even though we had just met a mere hour before! We kissed them goodbye and stroked their hard little heads, took pictures (of course, you know me) and anxiously awaited their homecoming!

We had four weeks to prepare for girls and first stop was the electric company to snag a few wood spools. The spools are free for the taking and come in several sizes, from small to 'omg, we'll never get that in the truck' size!! We drove home with three spools and I eagerly began painting, as I wanted our girls to have a colorful little nursery to come home to.

We visited the Amish Store and bought enough posts to build a suitable pen for endless kicking, climbing and exploration. Digging and pouring cement, connecting wire weld and even topping the posts with decorative little bird houses, we had a few more days now, til the joyous day!

They were finally weaned and ready to join us on the farm! The pen, spread with fresh straw and tasty mounds of alfalfa grass, was the perfect new playground for our gregarious goats who happily jumped from spool to spool, joyously playing together for hours!

Needless to say, our hearts grew more and more in love with Licorice and Tootsie, daily! During the four weeks of our preparation, I even ordered "dog tags" for them, with their names and home identification/information. I happened upon a website that makes tye dye tags, and promptly placed my order. For the first six weeks the girls kept their new tags and collars on, seemingly proud that they were the only goats in town with such beautiful "jewelry"!!!

Then one morning, I noticed Licorice tugging at Tootsie's collar and noticed too, that Licorice no longer had her collar around her neck!! It took several days for it to reappear in a bottom of a big pile of straw! We placed them back around their necks and to our dismay, after a few more days, they were gone AGAIN!!! The cute little tags now sit in a cabinet in the pen.....

Licorice is definitely the matriarch of our little goat family....bossy as can be and always an eye on everything going on inside and outside the pen! Tootsie, her little sis, is the curious one, always in to something, so we have learned to never, even for a moment, leave anything laying about within her reach. Tootsie, is also in love with Ranger, our lunkhead lab....but, that's another hub!!!

Several months later we lovingly welcomed Snickers, our first little boy, a wether (neutered male). With his long beard, he is a sweetheart, who touches everyone he comes into contact with. On the other hand, he is frisky and a tag-a-log to the girls!

And then there's, Kit Kat and Baby Ruth caramel colored brother and sister. Kit Kat is a lover, giving constant nudges, asking for hugs and kisses, always under foot! Baby Ruth our youngest is quiet, reserved and dainty... soon to be a mama herself!!

Licorice and Baby Ruth, enjoyed and were responsive to Curl, a feisty little buck we brought on to our property for several weeks... Both are now "with child" and be kidding late July or early August. We are eager and anxious, just as most "grandparents" would be!! This weekend, we are building them a "baby barn" in preparation of the big day!!

So this is our little goat family, soon to expand~~I will keep you posted on our new little ones when they arrive and will certainly take lots of photos....you know me!!!