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| Little goat bucks under the hay storage trailer (L to R: Walter, Graham, Will, Hugh, Harry) |
Chilly nights have the goats fluffy with newly-grown winter coats. We moved three similar-sized Nigerian Dwarf bucklings out of the stinky buck holding pen, placing them under the shelter of the hay storage trailer with Harry and Hugh, the little black-and-white fainter bucks. Although Harry occasionally claims first rights to the space, ramming the newcomers away from fresh hay or petting through the fence--putting his cute little horns to good use--the five usually get on well.
We moved Brad to a separate pen beneath that trailer, so he's beside the little guys but unable to throw his weight around against them. His enclosure is made of chain-link that stretches precariously when he rams against it trying to get to the smaller goats. The power behind his attacks is so much greater than what the little bucks can muster that we'll keep them separate for a time while the group assimilates its newest members.
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| 2010 buckling Will P. struts his stuff while 2009 buck Sting--stinky yellow with "cologne"--looks on. (October 2010) |
Walter, Will and Graham, winter and spring 2010 bucklings respectively, have come into their own personalities. All three are gentle and personable--gravitating to the fence for a little goat love (e.g., petting, individual attention) when the opportunity presents itself. Although Will and Walter demonstrate early rutting behaviors, they are generally vastly cleaner than the older Nigerian Dwarf bucks and Brad (who is half Nigerian Dwarf and carries BullyBob's dominant male genes prominently).
Placed with the similarly-gentle Hugh and Harry, this little buck group is good-natured and readily approachable. Now the not-so-newcomer Harry has a little gang of ruffians with whom to rock and roll; he has truly become one of the gang.
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