Nigerian Dwarf Goats (Tank and Fancy)

I LOVE goats with a capital L! My dad had goats on his farm for as long as I can remember. I delivered my first baby goat when I was probably 6 years old. We built play pens for them, we milked them, we bottle fed them, and we loved them. We had Nubian goats for a long time and later added Boer goats for a more hearty goat that is a little better at giving birth. I still have a fondness for the floppy, long eared Nubians with the woddles (the little noodles that hang from their necks) but they don't fare as well in labor and delivery. They are however, very good for producing milk.

As you've read from our first posts, my husband and I are working on building our own farm. Since I've left home, I've been introduced to the mini farm craze and I have to say that I'm hooked. I LOVE mini ANYTHING (probably because of my own small stature and my dread for having to lift things that are heavier than me) and I'm totally on board with any mini animal. They're easier for me to handle, they eat less, and they produce more than enough for our family of 2. I'd love to have mini cows someday but since they are kind of "in" right now, they are way too expensive for our budget.

For my birthday this year, my best friend got meee...........a mini goat (Nigerian Dwarf Goat)!!!!!! I can't even express how much I enjoy this gift. Animals are my weakness; add in a mini animal and it's over for me. When she took me to meet Tank, I fell in love. He has the sweetest little spirit and was friendly right away. Okay, maybe when we first brought him home IN A PET TAXI (that's how small he was) he might have been a little angry but when we let him out into his cage and I set a chair up so he could get used to my voice, he immediately jumped into my lap and curled up for a nap. He had me at hello. I was putty in his hand...or hoof.

We decided not to neuter Tank (I named him Tank so Sergeant can have his own tank) because he's just too cute not to breed. My friend who got me Tank decided he needed a girlfriend and she bought Sparkle who for some reason we nicknamed Fancy Pants. She's a beautiful red and white mini goat with sass and spunk. She's especially taken to Jarrod and knows exactly how to put Tank in his place. We love them both so much and can't wait for them to start a family.

We may have over-adored them and gave into their precious pleas of hunger and overfed them but we're working on a strict exercise regiment and dieting a little bit to get them back in shape...or out of the round shape. Haha! Stay tuned for more on these over loved animals and how we hope to build their family.