Despite the continuing heat, it is obvious that fall is almost here. The sheep and goats are seasonal breeders and they are getting antsy. While feeding last night, I saw 4 kid bucks chasing a 2 year old doe. She did not want to have anything to do with them. She was in heat, but they did not meet her standards! By November she would have been desperate and any buck would do, but not yet. I decided last night that I would put all the bucks in a pen this weekend with Marc's help. When I found the same 4 bucks cornering the doe again this morning, I decided that I would not wait. Some of the older does could turn on the bucks and I did not want any of them hurt. I caught the first two bucks by surprise and then decided to see how many I could catch. Turns out that they are all so comfortable around me, that I was able to put all 19 in the pen. I did not have to chase down a single one!
Later this afternoon, I went out to check on them and was not one bit surprised to find several of the bucks with their heads stuck in the fence. Hopefully they will learn quickly. Each time I checked there were at least two with their heads stuck and they were not the same two. There is the real danger that a doe in heat could bash the buck's head and possibly break his neck, so the checks are a necessity for a few days.
The pens are in a constant state of repair. We were supposed to have a welder come out tomorrow to redo this pen, but he had to reschedule, so it will look like this for a few weeks. Unfortunately, animals have to go in pens during the breeding season to protect them from each other and to ensure that I know who is bred to whom. I try not to breed back to parents which is why I bought two bucks in Oregon this summer. Tor is in Oregon right now and will be bringing them back next weekend. The older does will be happy!
Despite the continuing heat, it is obvious that fall is almost here. The sheep and goats are seasonal breeders and they are getting antsy. While feeding last night, I saw 4 kid bucks chasing a 2 year old doe. She did not want to have anything to do with them. She was in heat, but they did not meet her standards! By November she would have been desperate and any buck would do, but not yet. I decided last night that I would put all the bucks in a pen this weekend with Marc's help. When I found the same 4 bucks cornering the doe again this morning, I decided that I would not wait. Some of the older does could turn on the bucks and I did not want any of them hurt. I caught the first two bucks by surprise and then decided to see how many I could catch. Turns out that they are all so comfortable around me, that I was able to put all 19 in the pen. I did not have to chase down a single one!
Later this afternoon, I went out to check on them and was not one bit surprised to find several of the bucks with their heads stuck in the fence. Hopefully they will learn quickly. Each time I checked there were at least two with their heads stuck and they were not the same two. There is the real danger that a doe in heat could bash the buck's head and possibly break his neck, so the checks are a necessity for a few days.
The pens are in a constant state of repair. We were supposed to have a welder come out tomorrow to redo this pen, but he had to reschedule, so it will look like this for a few weeks. Unfortunately, animals have to go in pens during the breeding season to protect them from each other and to ensure that I know who is bred to whom. I try not to breed back to parents which is why I bought two bucks in Oregon this summer. Tor is in Oregon right now and will be bringing them back next weekend. The older does will be happy!
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