Monday, December 5, 2011

Joon's Cowboy

This morning I went out to take a few pictures of Joon with her new man.  Over the weekend we brought home a Nigerian Dwarf Buck, his name is "Cowboy".  The owner is the same farm where I got Snowdrop from, and she agreed to let him come here for a month trial.  We're doing a trial mostly for my husband who hasn't wanted a buck on our farm, so we can see if he can endure the smell and their ways.  If Cowboy has good buck behavior he may just get to stay... cross my fingers.  I put Joon in with him yesterday and she didn't want to leave she was enjoying his attention and crooning in her ear.  That was after watching him wear himself out chasing her, and her running and head butting him.  I got to learn first-hand about courting goats. She should be in full heat today or tomorrow. 

I thought for sure Joon must have had enough after a half hour, but no, she wouldn't come out, I tried several times, and in the end let them stay until this morning, they were both having so much fun.  I put her back in with her buddies for several hours and will try again this afternoon.  What we're looking for here is a standing heat, then she'll stand still for him to breed her.  When new to this whole thing it's a bit of a mystery at first and running back and forth with a doe to a bucks farm is frustrating.  Joon is also the kind of doe who wants to know who the buck is first, and she wants him to court her properly.  Our last attempt at breeding, she couldn't get away from the buck fast enough.  With Cowboy she's in love!

Cowboy is about 7 months old, and is from Poppy Patch Farm, he has Rosharon, Algedi, Twin Creeks, and Ponders End in his blood lines.   Joon also has good bloodlines, her official name is Sugarcreek Joon, and she has Sugarcreek, Spring Run, Enchanted Hill and Velvet Acres.  One good thing if I keep Cowboy is that I could breed him to Snowdrop in the Spring when she's old enough.

The bright winter sun shines right on the goats, chickens and rabbits in the morning and early afternoon , we situated their housing to take advantage of the morning sun in the winter when we all need it the most.  I enjoy feeding and milking in sunshine when it's out. 
Everyone was happy to welcome Cowboy to Applegarth Farm.

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