I got the goats today and those photos are when they were much younger. the one on the top has the same coloring but he looks so small and graceful almost like a female. So none of those rough boy names will fit him. The other is much darker than the photo with dark body markings. His coloring is called chamois and he looks very much like the coloring on a Oberhasli if you know what they look like. I would take a photo but I took pictures with a regular camera, since my digital wants to act up on me. The darker one is a cry baby. He is fine when I am out there with him but when I leave him he cries like crazy. The guy said they were being weaned and I might want to give them a bottle once in a while. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ...well I wanted social goats so I guess I got them now. LOL so now I am back to the names. Because they are screamers I am now leaning towards rock stars. I am going to do a search for rock stars that use a lot of makeup for the second one. still stumped on the first. Only ones I can think of are Twisted Sister and kiss LOL and Beeliz yours may work too (Alex and Eddie) but not everyone will know who they are and might not get it. why oh why is it so hard to pick out a name??

What do the poor things do when it rains? I think the problem is that the birds do not see the pen as "home". The situation should improve when they have a proper chicken house... unless they get too used to roosting just anywhere. Even when they get the chicken house, they will need to learn that it is home. Closing them in at night could be a chore for a bit. I suggest you try an interim solution. Will the chicken house be going inside the dog kennel? If so, I think if you were to get an appliance carton and close it all but a "pop-hole" (chicken door) and a bunch of ventilation holes that they may use it, once they are in the pen. They should feel safer inside it than in the open. And rather than rounding them up AFTER they start camping out for the night, why not take some special treats down to them close to their bedtine, stand inside the pen and call "Heeere chick-chick-chick!" Once they get used to that routine, getting them settled should be a lot easier. As a general rule, it is far better to get the housing built BEFORE you get the critters. You'd save yourself a lot of headaches.

My son has chickens, 16 I believe, he has lost a few to predators, they are out of their pen during the day, but the other day he lost the pretty rooster, golden polish, he had won in a pet contest and blue ribbon at the fair. The neighbors dogs escaped their pen and they were awakened by the indoor dog barking his head off, this was 6 a.m. dog inside the pen, it was covered in that chicken mesh stuff, now covered in the heavier wire. He has cochins, a blue silkie (rooster), domineckers, white crested polish, two kinds that came from rural King that I don't know what they are, but they keep to themselves, I would get chickens too, but we have alot of dogs going through as well as all the other varmits..hope you enjoy yours as much as we have theirs.

Hi again Sorry it has taken me so long to give an update...Thanks for all your contributions.. I have always been one to look for opinions on both sides of the fence and I think this time I really hit the jackpot. About my goat (Lily) she made some initial improvement but then it got really cold so now she hardly puts weight on the that right leg at all. I have been giving her and Aspirin and Glucosamine every day for a little over a month now, and then last week I started giving her MSM every day. I have also been trying to put warm packs on it in the mornings and I try to rub it down and put some topical salve that is like bengay but also has glucosamine in it ( I got some for my Grandma and after talking to the gal at the store she was telling me that they tested in on goats so I thought I might as well try it). Anyway the left knee is really doing well but it's still just the right knee that keeps bugging her. With hoof trimming and such her hoof rot is gone--her hooves look great now and she gets around really well--she keeps the right knee bent and off the ground and walks or runs (at a pretty good clip too) on her other threee. She is eating and drinking better than she was at first, and she is really pretty playful and curious--which she really wasn't when I originally posted-- so I think maybe her pain is getting a little better. I am anxious to see if she will use it more in the spring once it warms up. Also I have an odd question about DMSO. Does anyone know if that is the same thing that gets instilled into people's bladders for various bladders diseases (like chronic cysts, stones in the bladder etc.)? Although I haven't done it recently, when I worked day shift (I work weekends now) at the hospital I work at now it seemed like we would instill that into people's bladders and leave it in for an hour and then drain it out. I am not exactly sure how it was supposed to help but I pretty sure its DMSO. If I were to use it on goats is it better to use a topical preparation or give it orally? As for my chickens they are great! Their is a light on for them all the time and I did start mixing 1 part chick starter, 1 part oats to 2 parts layer ration and egg productions was back up in just a few days. Thanks a bunch! Thanks again for all your comments and tips, and please feel free to contribute any new ideas! Have a great night--marie