Herd Dynamics

As you know, I'm a frustrated goat farmer.  Or maybe I should say, goat-milk farmer, since I have plenty of goat, but zero goat-milk.  

Look who met me as I parked my car at home the other day - the entire goat herd!  Somehow the gate wasn't latched, and the goats spent the day eating my fruit trees instead of staying in their pen.  I can't blame them, but I was a little worried they would get the bloat.  Thank goodness they didn't get into the feed bins.  

 

Don't worry, Peaches, I haven't given up on you yet.  As far as I know, Peaches is perfectly capable of producing baby goats and all the goat cheese I could want.  But, Little Buck is going to have to play his part before that can happen.  

Based on some of Little Buck's recent, quite shocking, behavior (should we rename him Louis C.K.?), I think he's getting the idea, but I don't think he has been able to do the job he's been assigned.   

I think these guys are partially to blame.  I've seen Peaches lift her tail and rub her body all over Dark River, who is ill equipped to do Little Buck's intended job.  She squats to pee, and the boy goats pick up a smell that makes their hair stand on end and then they rear up on their hind legs and slam each other.  They gang up on Little Buck too, and he can't even get close to Peaches.  She doesn't like him either, and he's not confident enough to press the point.  Sometimes I think I should lock the River brothers in a different place, so the Little Buck has a chance with Peaches, and they can't run block.   

If I'm patient enough, I think eventually Little Buck won't be so little, and he won't be intimidated by the River boys.  They don't look very intimidating, do they?