We had to leave early today, so barn chores got done much earlier than usual.

Maggie got her 3rd dose of antiparasitic medication (smeared on carrot slices today), and she and I had a lovely chat whilst I fed them to her. She still had plenty of browse and clean water since we loaded her stall up well with both yesterday, so I just had to mix up her ration. She yells at me while I break apart her hay cubes. It’s funny. She got a good scratch down while she buried her face in her feed.

Next the chickens. Filthy creatures had flipped their water fountain again and filled the trough with gross. They do that a lot. I pulled that out, and their feed tray (because they broke the hanging feeder), and they all lined up at the fence and yelled at me while I scooped out their ration of fermented feed and then put the dry grain feed overtop. I apparently was not satisfactorily swift in delivering their breakfast. Chocobo bit me.

He’s been awful mean this spring. Once we get some viable eggs hatched out, he’ll make a lovely pot of stew.

Since Lucy died, I’ve had my eyes open for a new goat. Maggie can’t remain alone for too long. Lonely goats are stressed goats. Stressed goats get sick. Sick goats die. I really dont want that to happen. So we need another goat. Today, I spoke for a little miniMancha doeling. She’s only a week old, so she won’t be weaned and free to come home for another 5 weeks or so, but we should be able to keep Maggie company that long.

Being as she’s a La Mancha, and we are literature nerds, she will, of course, be called Dulcinea.

MiniManchas are calm, quiet, personable dairy goats. We’re looking forward to having her.