I wish they could just talk to me.

[Oakroot]

So both of my goats are being weird tonight. Acting spooky like I would expect if a predator had come around, only the dogs around us are small and we have never seen them any where near the property. Both are acting frantic for grain but just nibbling at hay. Both are very vocal and the buck keeps tugging at my clothes and pacing. The doe who is never much of a big eater was scarfing down dinner and asking for seconds when she normally will only finish about half. So is there a storm coming in? Is there an earthquake pending? Is there a dog that is bugging them? I wish they would just TELL ME. It can't be worse then what my imagination things is wrong with them.

Considering they are eating and drinking fine I am sure they are just being silly with the weather but still come on guys.

 

[Smiles]

When I was younger (a bazillion years ago) and any of our livestock would act like that, I would sit down in the barn and be still. Sometimes I would make a little bed of straw and lay down. Several times I would wake up in the middle of the night and wonder where I was. My sister and I would take turns. We always kept a thick wool blanket and a 410 shotgun in the barn for those long nights. There were times when I had to fight hard to stay awake in school after "camping out" in the barn.

Anxiety in the animals can really effect the milk flow and reproduction. And sometimes it becomes a habit in the evenings. Especially if there was some predator around to start the anxiety. I know this is going to sound terrible to some of you but something that worked very well for me at times like that was to relieve myself (number one only ) along the fencing near the barn. The odor of human urine is a great predator repellant.