Baby Fever

Hot blooded, check it and seeee, got a fever of a hundred and threeee....

Okay, sorry. That song's been stuck in my head since the PG&E commercial came on the television yesterday. And now it's stuck in yours, happy birthday!

I DO have a fever, but it has nothing to do with temperature. This kind of disease is a distant cousin of Cabin Fever, but rather than needing space and exercise, I can only be cured with the immediate and thorough application of baby goats. It's the very earliest beginning edge of kidding season, and pictures of babies are starting to flood my Facebook page from all those people who breed their goats this early. Mostly Nubians and LaManchas, for some reason - they tend to be less seasonal breeders than the Swiss breeds do, which I suspect has something to do with it. Most of these pictures are coming from dry, temperate areas like Arizona and Texas, which I suspect has a whole lot more to do with it than any breed differences. At any rate, every time I see a new photograph of adorable little fuzzy faces, I get even more impatient for my goats to start kidding so that I will have my own baby goats to squeeze. I also know how much work it will entail, which is - at least partially - keeping it in check, but every time I go out to the barn I get excited all over again. The first kids aren't due for another month - Lyra, Lark and Bear are due end of February - but that doesn't stop me from daydreaming!

Fuzz Therapy

Anyone who doesn't believe that goats have personalities hasn't spent enough time with the right goats. I firmly believe that anyone who owns animals needs to spend time with them doing nothing every once in a while. Especially dairy goats, most of whom think you hung the moon. Some people call it "coffee time" - just sitting with a cup of coffee and watching the goats and noticing how their day is going. (I could never have actual coffee time - my goats would drink the coffee, steal the cup, and play keep-away with it as soon as the caffeine kicked in.)

While this is, objectively speaking, simply good herd management - taking the time to watch your animals and make sure everyone's happy and healthy - it's a mutually beneficial thing. Taking the time to notice the little details of their lives makes your own little details seem less pressing. It doesn't hurt that you are essentially (and in some cases literally) being fought over because they think you're the best thing since apple wafers. Some of it is plain old cupboard love, and goats like Fortune and Valencia will only stick around for treats and scratches - but others seem to be content just to lean their head on you and bask in your presence, like Talia and Solfege, and one of the most delightful feelings is taking the time to make friends with a skittish baby and seeing them realize that you're actually kinda fun to be around. You learn things about them, too - like how much Lily loves a good back rub, or how Stella doesn't like scratches but will almost fall over in bliss when you run just the tips of your fingers down her neck, or how sneaky Kel can be when she's trying to get a taste of your hair, or how Ramoth will stand disdainfully in the corner until the obnoxious ones leave before coming up to you and demanding her allocation of "kisses."

To be certain, there are plenty of goats who could care less if you ever looked at them again, and even more who think that people are evil goat-eating monsters. (Which, admittedly, is often true.) But with goats that have been hand-raised from birth, who know their names and will even leave a feeder of food to come say hello - they can't get enough attention. Fuzz therapy is free, the goats love it, and it keeps your inner egotistical maniac in check.