New family members

As part of the done deal to use the front garden area for the eventual railway I agreed to relinquishing the 800 sq m paddock at the back which of course needed to be occupied.

So......after a lot of thought and preparation these 2 arrived this weekend.

6 month old miniature goats - chevres nains/boucs.
They are castrated male brothers and make very good pets, easy to look after and eat weeds.

Congratulations Carl! do you do a rent out service? (Only joking)

Lovely animals Carl. we had 10 of them til we lost them all to 'blue tongue'. Be aware that they were put on this earth to escape. we had tunnels dug, trees climbed, even fences climbed and many other attempts. our last goat was called 'steve' after mr Mcqueen! they will also eat everything and anything they can reach. they do get under your skin and i bet you will not stop at two!!

Mikey

They're a bit wild at the moment and have already tested the fencing!

They were only separated from their mother last week so they are still finding their independance but I can see they are going to be mischievious.

Living in the country it was only right to have some 'country' animals.

We're going to the market next week in Le Neubourg to buy some hens.

....and then perhaps I can get on with some trains...

They're cuter'n a speckled pup. But they do look mischevious. And if it doesn't work out, there's always sate kambing.

Carl Hibbs wrote:

800 sq m paddock

My heart bleeds. What I would give to have that space to play trains in!

It sounds good "800 square metres".....In fact we have 4,200 sq m altogether.

But trying to maintain it is another thing.

The equipment, cost of fencing etc., and time.
Oh and plus the rabbits, so cute.... They build extensive tunnel systems everwhere that make it almost impossible to walk with out serious injury and only a 4X4 (or goat...) can traverse the terrain.

I have no regrets about moving here from Parisien suburbs but I'm just glad we didn't buy that other house we saw with 12,000 sq m...

The 'G scale' railway here will be confined to the front garden patch which is just a modest 200 sq m
Plenty enough...

Here's a few more pics of the potential villains....They have that look about them!





They are just starting to approach and take things from your hands.

The last photo undicates the villains might also have a willing accomplice.

you've got the right idea of giving them things to occupy themselves Carl. Hoops, see-saws, raised walkways etc. the first thing to go will be the bark from that tree!

Mikey

After 4 weeks these two have become quite tame now. Not only taking food from your hand but climbing and jumping all over you!

The greyish head one is more approachable and dominant than the brown one but the pair are completely mad and provide great entertainment when they want to play.

As animals go they are easy to look after and apart from their horns I would say they make very good outdoor pets even for young children.

FOUR WEEKS! and you've still got them?

Everyone we know round here, who've kept goats, have had them escape before now!

I think watch towers on the perimeter, searchlights and interlocking fields of fire and you might get away with another four weeks!

Well done anyway!

We have pretty good fencing which I have reinforced plus the neighbours at the back have 2 labrador dogs that the goats are scared of......up to now......
That tends to keep them away from the fence line at the moment.

The big problem however is the rabbits. We are infested with them and they excavate tunnels every night, some nearly big enough for a small goat to pass through......