Category: Hazel

Oh Hazel

Miss Hazel has done it again. She got her head stuck in a fence and tore up her ear. Not only once but twice. Dad called the vet and the vet had him run in and get some medicine for it but he didn’t think they needed to stitch it. They were afraid she would just do it again and tear the stitches out. So I got to help hold her while Dad gave her a couple of shots and then sprayed medicine on her ear. She didn’t like the shots and she doesn’t like the spray. The shots were a one time thing but the spray has to be done three times a day until the wound is healed. At least she chose a time when the flies are gone so we don’t have to worry about keeping them off of the open sore. And the spray must sting because she shakes and shakes her ear after we let her go. We give her some cheerios as a treat after every treatment so that makes her happy. She will now always have a funky looking ear but that’s okay. We love her just the same! Helping Dad like this brings back memories of growing up and helping around the acreage. There was always some animal to help out with be it hogs, sheep, rabbits, dogs, cats, a goat, horses. Sometimes I really  miss those days.  And I think Dad does too. He told me likes having livestock around again to mess with. Even it is only a couple of goats!

Oh Hazel

Hazel caused a little bit of trouble when she got home. Since we don’t actually have a place for Hazel at the moment, Dad volunteered to keep her over the winter until we can get a place fenced in for her. Dad is glad to have her to maybe get some weeds eaten down in his lot. Unfortunately, Hazel came home with us on a Monday and on Tuesday, she escaped. We spent Tuesday night looking for her to no avail. Dad felt awful. He called Uncle Jerry to see if he had sold the rest of his goats. Uncle Jerry proceeded to bring one of his old dairy goats along with another little goat to stay with Dad and Mom in hopes that they would help lure Hazel home.

She was spotted following the neighbor’s cows around. And she came out of hiding once when Mom went down and called like a goat but once she realized it was Mom and not a real goat, off she went. Then, thanks to a neighbor who had an “animal caller”, they took that down with them along with the old tame dairy goat, used the caller and lured Hazel back to the barn. She followed the dairy goat up no problem. I’m sure after spending three nights “in the wild” and all by herself she was ready for some company.

So we brought her home on Monday, she escaped on Tuesday, then she was home again on Friday evening. Saturday afternoon I took Drew over to spend time with her. She was a little skiddish, and why wouldn’t she be. The poor thing had had quite the week. Taken away from her herd, loose in the wild, back to a strange place. But Dad can catch her as she seems to have warmed up to him quickly, and we spent some time just talking to her and petting her and letting her get used to us. She’s a sweet little thing and has the most beautiful ears. It will take some time but I think she’s going to fit right in with us.

We went back over Sunday evening and took supper to Dad and Mom and spent some more time with Hazel. And Nanny and Rubio – as the other two goats have been named now also. Uncle Jerry will be taking them home at some point but how can you not name a goat? Nanny is a big pain in the behind. She is tame as can be and gets into everything and eats everything – including your clothes. Rubio on the other hand has never been handled and doesn’t want to be messed with. So for now Dad will have a good start on getting rid of those weeds with is new goat herd!

 

Meet Hazel

Remember Winston the goat? Well, Winston is to blame for Miss Hazel coming to live with us! Not really but he sure didn’t help! Drew has been begging for a goat, long before we camped with Winston, and Uncle Jerry just happens to have goats that he raises to sell. And he just happened to have this little brown one. And it just so happened that he was going to be selling the goats last Wednesday. And he really wanted Drew to have this goat. And then we camped with Winston and guess what? As of a week ago Monday we are now the proud owners of a goat!

Hazel is a Boer goat. There’s a good market for meat goats right now and that is why Uncle Jerry raises them. As you can see – if Drew wanted Hazel, he had to go out amongst the herd and catch her! He did a good job too but she did get away so Uncle Jerry helped out a little. It was good for Drew though to try.

My pictures aren’t the best as Hazel was in the back of the truck and she didn’t want to be be still. She was a little scared after being taken away from her herd and traveling in the back of the truck. Hazel is living at my dad and mom’s right now as we weren’t prepared for a goat. We will have to build her a pen. We know from experience that she likes to escape so we’ll have to be very diligent in our fence making endeavors. But that’s a whole other story to tell! Oh yeah- I’m in love with those ears!