Goat Out and Stay Out!

Last night I awoke to the sound of banging and clattering on our front porch. Still sleepy I got up to investigate and when I opened the front door, who should be there nibbling all the flower heads off my plants and flowers - Buttercup our pet nanny goat!

I was not at all impressed. Neither was my husband who I had to wake to take her back to her run down in the paddock in the dark. I had trouble sleeping for the rest of the night. I'd wake up to every little sound thinking Buttercup was back at the house.

She is a notorious escape artist and when she does escape, she's like a kid in sweet shop she goes for all the yummiest treats, the bean vine, succulent plants and most flowering shrubs.

Needless to say we need to improve security on her run. She is a lovely pet and as a herd animal she seeks out company of other creatures and fresh pastures. I can't blame her for wanting to escape - but I can't have it.

We do plan to do some more fencing in the paddock and introduce a couple of sheep, which will be company while they are being reared for slaughter. But that won't be for a few months until we can afford to tackle this project.

Till then we are working on a plan to strengthen her run, replacing the wire that she is tethered to with chain and modifying a couple of warratah metal posts to secure the chain to the ground.  It would be nice not to have to tether her, but we have no other option for now.