they conveniently appeared together. Caroline and Lucky Star. Lucky Star striking a casual pose with an alfalfa straw i n her teeth.
I walked down to feed this morning and from the distance could see a dark form at Sunny Ray and Jack Flash's gate. Was very early, way earlier than usual. ??? The dark form at Sunny Ray's gate was Lucky Star. IN SIDE his gate, IN SIDE his Yard. And as i approached she was mumbling to herself, lying down, pressed against the gate. Sunny Ray was prancing around, snorting and vocalizing softly in his most loving way. Jack Flash was way clear over the Far Side, just watching, eyes wide. It took a minute for it all to sink in. To find the point of entry. Which was actually close to impossible. She had been hanging around him for a day, flagging. I CHOSE to let that go by. He was not seeming to be going crazy with all the Possibility, ie not getting his head stuck in the fencing, so i hoped it would just pass. They are in heat at most 3 days. If not bred, all becomes quiet till the following month. I finally saw that she had somehow, through great WILL and STRENGTH popped the cattle panel...steel fencing....off the gate post. It is attached with Unails, one per square, so there, 12 at least. These are hard to pry out with a strong screw driver or other tool. She pushed them. The steel cattle panel is STIFF. Somehow she squeezed her very PLUMP self through the small space and into his yard. I can't imagine. She's a BIG Goat. It was a small space. But there she was and she clearly had had enough, just wanting to be OUT and i opened the gate and out she came to Sunny Ray's dismay. But the deed is done.
She is one of the 3 we did NOT want bred. Mostly because she kids 4 and we have already seen what she gives. We also didn't want to breed with Sunny Ray. He has very strong genetics and throws white and gold kids consistently. Not our favorite. We had hoped to breed some of the younger ones, who are no longer young. But here we are. And here we go. 150 days. The good things are that she is a very loving Goat and the Goat that Emrie has bonded with in particular. Emrie will be able to see them born. Can imprint them from their first breaths. She also comes from great milking lines. I milked her before and she was easy.
And So. It's all on the calendar, official. Caroline. Lucky Star. 2 highly charged very short interludes will lead to most likely 6 Goat kids. So now to monitor the fences. It seems sometimes all we ever get to do.