Creatures,  Ramblings

It Ain’t Been so Easy but I Guess I Shouldn’t Complain

This is Oliver. He joined the herd March 28th. He came from the same breeder as Silas, Tesco, and Barnaby but was in a far less acceptable condition when they brought him to us. His horns are flaking, the tip of his ear had been bitten off, the hair on his ears is thin, he’s missing top coat hair on his sides (that pale area is just the undercoat showing), his hooves were fully grown over, and he was tragically thin. I don’t want to speak poorly about this breeder publicly, however public something no one sees can be, but if you live in Montana, are thinking about getting goats, and want to know who not to buy them from, I will tell you.

It hurts that someone so young and sweet was not cared for, but I can’t change the past.

However, he seems to be doing better. His hooves were trimmed. You can tell he’s put on a little weight because his hip bones are no longer as sharp and aggressive. There’s nothing we can do for his hair except wait, and his horns should grow out of the flaking.

The only remaining issue is acceptance into the group. So far the other goats have been jackasses. Tesco bites everything, and that includes the hair of other goats. Silas is a bully to goats. I don’t know if he’s top of their group, but that’s the truth he’s living. Barnaby is decent enough with Oliver, which is greatly appreciated since Barnaby’s horns are not a joke, but he isn’t trying to be buddies. Honestly, the three we’ve had pick on each other like brothers. It’s silly to expect them to do anything differently with Oliver. Unfortunately he’s just too small right now to defend himself. Luckily they’re only their worst selves when we’re around. They play and hang out just fine when they aren’t vying for attention. Mostly.

Title From:
I’ve Always Been Crazy
by Waylon Jennings