Kids Rounding up Kids

Nothing brings out the enthusiastic spirit in four teen/pre-teens like spending the last Saturday of summer vacation working goats! The “catching” portion of goat working is really for the young, so I like to make sure everyone will be home to share these few hours of family bonding. In order to guarantee everyone’s participation, I like to surprise them with the day’s activities. When I see a Saturday that looks good, I buy the supplies as I leave Valley Vet Supply late on Friday afternoon, and then smuggle them into the vet cooler in our garage. We then spend a peaceful Friday evening free of the moans and groans that come from children who are aware of what’s in store for them come morning.Tim and I get up early to gather everything in a portable tote tray that holds all of our necessities, including Dectomax wormer, needles and syringes, Copasure boluses, a small balling gun, a bowl of water for balling gun, hoof trimmers and marking crayons. Don’t forget a goat hook, which will help even the odds if you need to chase someone down....and you will.

Once our four teen/pre-teens have been woken with news of the day’s adventure, they slowly and methodically make their way to the barn, in various states of coherency. I find it best to get the project underway while everyone is still a little bit stunned and not fully awake. They seem to have fewer opinions in this state. You can practically see the spring in their steps as Cody and Emma round up kids for the catch pen.

Like most goat owners, we have navigated our way to a deworming program that works for us. Like most goat owners, the majority of our program involves the off-label use of products. More on that to come. Lori H

Lori H

Comments

[Deea]

Sounds like the same kinds of things that go around at our place, we have some pretty good jumpers so I leave the wilder ones for the kids. Don't quite know what I will do once they are gone though, since one is 14 and the other 16.