Grumbling Goats

I went through the last of the good goat hay (g.g.h.) on Friday, so that means they've eaten through two round bales in five months.  The first bale lasted almost three months, this last one was gone in two.  But when the first bale was opened, I was able to tie the goats out for fresh greens and we didn't have Herman or Lily and Pickles was still a baby and mostly drinking milk.

There are four more bales of the g.g.h. still under cover, but I figured we may as well see how they'd take to the $39 bales Paul picked up last month.  I guessed they were going to pick through it as it was much more stemmy than the g.g.h. and not as green.

Well, when I put the new not so good hay (n.s.g.h.) out for them, they immediately started shoving, butting and pushing to get to it.  Nettie thrust her head in the middle of the pile, trying to find gawd knows what.....and pulled her head right back out.  Then she nosed around the hay on the outer sides. Then just stood there, staring at me.  Probably thinking, "Uhm, when do you intend on feeding us?"

The Boer goats, Herman, Lily and Pickles sniffed around a bit and then dug right in.  Annette and Chop Suey started munching, but gave me a disgruntled sideways glance.

I am not going to break open any of the other bales of g.g.h. until they have finished this bale.  The only thing that makes me worry is that Annette and Nettie are both pregnant and that they'll be needing extra protein.  Everybody still gets grain every day, although not nearly as much as when they're milking, so they are getting a good amount of protein that way.  I'll probably break down and buy a 50-pound bag of alfalfa pellets and feed the preggo goats separately.

I'm not too worried about Ms. Melman and Nugget eating the n.s.g.h.; it's plenty good for them.  I just so happen to have the frekking'ist pickiest goats this side of the Mississippi.

And they say goats will eat anything.  Ain't that right, Hoosier Girl??