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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Two heads are better than one.

Especially when one is a frizzy-frazzled head.  Last Saturday, on a day around 90+ degrees with about 99 percent humidity, I was doing some blitzkrieg weeding - five minutes of frantic weeding, followed by 20 minutes of cooling off inside - when I had the feeling I was being watched.  Closely watched.  I turned my head and there was...Chickie.  Apparently, since I was weeding the bean plants, he thought he should help.  Sage was a safe distance behind him.  She's still leery of me.  At least I've learned not to go into a total panic when they're loose.  I just slowly stood up and pulled the ever-present bag of goat treats out of my pocket.  Just that faint rustle of zip-locked plastic is enough to get their full attention.  We slowly walked back to their area and I put them back inside and re-bungeed the gate.  I went back to finish weeding the beans and....there's Chickie and his shy sidekick, right back by my side.  We went through the routine again and I checked the fence more closely.  Dagnabbit (not what I said, exactly...)!  Chickie had pushed, rubbed, pushed and rubbed some more until he had forced the fencing to release from its welds and had pushed a big hole through it!  May I state the obvious?  Goats are not easy.

Back they went, and this time I locked them in their barn.  And turned a deaf ear to the protests.  The barn is cooler than the outside, has plenty of ventilation, food and water.  They just take issue with not being in the center of the action (or BEING the center of the action).  I left them there for the night, as I was not up to fence repair in that oppressive atmosphere.

The next morning, bright and early and before the worst of the humidity, I dragged out every bit of my fencing supplies and created a major fence sandwich.  I wired chicken wire on the inside, then put heavy sheep/goat fencing on the outside and fastened the lot together.  But would it hold?  As I whined on the phone to my friend/neighbor, Kay, she said, "Why don't you just zip-tie some PVC pipe on the outside of the fence so they can't stretch it?"  Oh.  What a brilliant idea!  So that is what I did.  So far, it works beautifully and it has completely flummoxed the goats.  I may not be featured in Martha Stewart Living for my picture-perfect homestead, but the goats are enclosed!

13 comments:

Sue said...

Are we keeping count on how long until Houdini and co. figure this out?

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Our billy goat was too close to the fencing one time and used his horn to set the ladies free. We've moved him since then.

Mama Pea said...

Just plant a lovely climbing/flowering shrub at the base of your cobbled together re-fencing efforts and Martha's photography crew will be appearing soon.

Oh, no wait. The goat's would eat the lovely climbing/flowering shrub before Martha got the word.

Carolyn said...

Goats? Fence getter-outers?? You don't say :)

(Ducks to avoid being hit in the head by the flying bag of goat treats)

Kim said...

Zip-ties~I think a homesteader must have invented them! We buy them in bulk! ;)

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I think you may have missed your chance to teach Chickie how to do the weeding. Worth a try to keep out of this heat!

Susan said...

Sue - I refuse to tempt fate and start the betting.

Kristina - What a guy! It's very difficult to stay one step ahead of them.

Mama Pea - You've got that right! Should I try to use my "Let's feature how the other 80% live" approach?

CR - Yes, Miss Smartie Pants. Why am I surprised?

Kim - I LOVE zip-ties! I now have them in every color, length and size available. They're as valuable as duct tape and easier to use!

Jane - Unfortunately, Chickie does not have discriminating taste. Everything tastes good to him!

Unknown said...

I used to think I'd want goats... hmmm....

Candy C. said...

Ah, the trials and tribulations of a goat owner (she says, speaking from experience)! :)

Michelle said...

Don't you just love them.Just wanted to give everyone a heads up. I am doing another game and giveaway.

petey said...

They say if your fence won't hold water, it won't hold a goat. I am inclined to agree. I have been putting up more and more hotwire lately. Call me sadistic but I am beginning to enjoy that little yelp they give when they bite it! It means one less trip dragging 10 goats back.

Susan said...

Nancy - I love Petey's saying. It's so true. I do believe that a goat's purpose in life is to figure out how to get over/under/through fences.

Candy - I bet - and you've had them longer than I. Although, yours seem to be much better behaved...

Michelle - Thanks for the heads-up. I'm heading over.

Petey - That is the greatest saying! And so, unfortunately, true. I am thinking about running a hot line just about mid-section high. They're a stubborn lot!

Erin said...

See? You are AMAZING for even contemplating all that work in the heat and humidity, wow! And to build a fence that will contain goats, that's like 5 times the work of a "regular fence" LOL...