Percy the Goat

For The Love of an Old Goat

    It's been too long since a post was put on this blog. A lot has changed in the world and also on this little hobby farm I call home. For me and Crow's Croft Farm, 2020 brought a global pandemic and the end of my marriage. My now ex-husband relocated to Wyoming and me and the critters here on the farm set about adjusting to a new rhythm and balance of life. Compared to most, I cannot complain on either case. In relation to the pandemic, my day job is secure and, being a long seasoned telecommuter, my day to day life was not significantly changed. The decision to end my marriage was by no means easy, but as far as divorces go, it was amicable. Phil and I had come to the conclusion a life together was no longer possible with both of us being happy. Efforts were made, but those efforts only drew us closer to the decision that parting was better for both of us, and so, in July 2020, our marriage was officially over.

    I've spent the months since then reflecting and allowing myself the myriad of emotions that go along with ending an 11 year relationship and 4 year marriage. There was the hurt, the anger, the tears, and, as there usually is with me in tumultuous times, an ever present determination to wrestle the uncertainty into some form of manageable situation. A lot on the farm has remained unfinished or gone to the wayside over the past few years and I threw myself into addressing what I could immediately. The summer of 2020 was spent not only packing up the items that would accompany my ex-husband on his four different trips back to his new home, but also spreading gravel, fixing fences, splitting firewood, scraping paddocks, and making as many dump runs as I could manage to clear the house and farm of the debris that had collected over seven years. When Phil made his last trip back to Wyoming, I set to work going through what remained with the help of my loving family and friends. There is still much to do, but progress has been made and I am proud of what has been accomplished. I expected that the work and site of the progress would help with my healing. What I didn't count on was the other effects it would have on me. With each step forward came an awakening of my creativity and an urge to return to doing some things I had once loved, but had set aside years ago. Put plainly, my desire to write again and regularly has come back in full force and, with the encouragement of a new voice in my life and the insistence of one that has been around for awhile, I have started to let the words and ideas find their way out of my head and onto the page. The most logical place to start seems to be this blog and so I am starting it up again in the hopes that it may continue to entertain those who have followed it previously and those who may find it now. 

    The productivity on the farm this last year brought me some peace, but there was only one thing that provided me comfort then and now - the animals on the farm. While I have shared the stories of some of the furry and feathered friends that live on this little 8.5 acre paradise I continue to build, I have by no means told all their stories and so, I think it only right to start this blog back up with a story about one of the farm's biggest personalities. 

    Meet Percy the Goat.

     As you can see by his picture, he was quite the character and he was a farm favorite for all who visited thanks to his charm, love of affection, and flirty behavior towards any woman or girl who crossed his path. I speak of him in the past tense because he crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on August 2, 2020. A sad day to be sure, but I am positive he trotted over that bridge happy as can be excited to meet new friends and see those who preceded him. If there is anything I have learned from my animals, its to treasure the time they are with me and to not take it for granted. Those times only bring good memories and often great stories that get told over and over again by those who witnessed them. There are many stories in the life of Percy the Goat and sharing them will only make him live on in a way.

    Percy came to Crow's Croft farm in 2014 along with his goat brother Nutmeg and Tangi the llama. Phil and I had built a large pasture/paddock area attached to the old shop that stood here on the property originally. It provided some shelter for the animals and a place for us to store hay in the winter. We had already adopted two feral alpaca and had been asked by a dear friend of ours if we would be interested in taking on the goats and one of her llamas as she was preparing for retirement and trying to downsize her herd. These were the first animals we introduced to the farm and it was all new and exciting. 

    The goats, Percy and Nutmeg, had very distinctive personalities. Nutmeg was very reserved and gifted his affection and devotion to particular people. Percy loved everyone, especially women, and was more than happy to trot up and greet whoever might be visiting his paddock. Both goats had been hand raised by our friend Glenda and they were very bonded to her. When she brought them to the farm, it was a hard day for them and for her, but they soon settled into their new home. 

    Tangi the llama had come with them and the two alpaca we had recently adopted, Sherlock and Watson, also shared their paddock. It didn't take long for the small herd to sort out their pecking order. The goats, through this entire process of postering and dominance play, seemed completely removed. They were simply too busy playing, eating, or fawning over Tangi. Having been raised with the llama herd at Glenda's, Percy and Nutmeg had bonded with a female llama who doted on them and treated them like her young. Sadly, that female llama had passed away a couple years before and the two goats had been seeking the same level of attention from the other female llamas in Glenda's herd ever since. Tangi was the least likely to allow this given her diva personality, but in this new scenario, she soon softened to the two goats, especially Percy, who simply didn't take no for an answer when requesting her affection. Over the years, Tangi even stopped pretending she didn't like Percy's doting and we even caught it on camera a few times. 

    Tangi wasn't the only one Percy won over with his insistence for affection and attention. He won the hearts of everyone who came to the farm to visit, even those that didn't particularly want to be won over. A good friend of mine, Amy, had come to the farm one day to collect a few buckets of alpaca manure for her garden and she insisted on joining me in the paddock to fill the buckets she'd brought despite her unease with the goats in particular. Amy had had some not so great experiences in her childhood involving an old billy goat and had avoided contact with them since. Little did she know, she was just Percy's type. Pretty and clearly intent on avoiding him, she only uneasily patted him on the head when he came up and said hello upon us entering the paddock. Percy followed us to our destination, his eyes fixed on Amy. I could see my friend trying her best to avoid his gaze and behaving much like a woman uncomfortable by the attention of some creepy guy in a bar. As we started to shovel, Percy sauntered up to Amy and leaned his head into her side, gazing up at her with adoration. I tried to deter him and take his focus off her, but to no avail. Percy was determined. He would push his nose up under her elbow as she was shoveling and even once slid his head under arm, pushing his head into her stomach and gazing at her again with nothing but love. Amy started to give into the charm a little bit and finally sighed and scratched his ears, which only made him lean into her more thoroughly pleased with himself that he had made progress in winning her over. She even chuckled a little when he nudged her again when she stopped scratching. 

    "Ok, Percy, " Amy said, "It's nice to meet you too. I have to finish this now." She set back to her shoveling and quickly thwarted Percy's attempt to dip back under her elbow. Then, before either of us knew it was happening, Percy lightly nipped Amy squarely on the buttocks causing her to yelp and turn around quickly saying sternly, "Excuse me! That is a dinner date and three drink minimum, my friend!"

    She was met by my doe-eyed goat gazing up at her lovingly as he leaned his head into her stomach and demanded more scratches behind his ears. I laughed and told her to keep giving him attention or he'd probably goose her again and I collected the manure for her. By the time we hauled out the buckets, Amy was won over and Percy besotted and doting. 

    Percy had a love for the ladies to be sure, but he was quite the Mama's boy as well. I attributed his affection for women to his bonding with Glenda as she hand raised him from just a kid and I was delighted to see him form a strong bond with me as a result. Percy not only flirted and cuddled with you, he also loved to give kisses and was always up for a photo opportunity. He could lift your spirits by just a gentle nudge or by leaning into you. On many a bad day, Percy was the one thing that made it better, simply by being himself and greeting me at the gate, bellowing for his breakfast or dinner, and insisting that my woes could be wiped away with a goat kiss or by scratching his ears. 

    A couple years after the goats had joined the farm, Nutmeg fell ill. My livestock experience up until this point in my life had been centered around horses for the most part so when Nutmeg developed what appeared to be a case of bloat, I felt completely outside my element. Thinking it might be like colic for a horse, I kept Nutmeg up walking, insisting he stay on his feet late into the night as we waited for the vet to arrive. When the vet did arrive, he treated Nutmeg for bloat and what seemed to be a recently passed urinary tract stone, gave me some strict instructions for diet, taught me how to give him injections for pain meds.  I couldn't sleep that night, so I spent most of that night in the shelter with the goats. I remember Percy laying down next to me in the hay and putting his head in my lap when I would rest and walking alongside me and Nutmeg as we wandered the paddock, making sure his gut was working. 

    Goats have four stomachs and one, the rumen, is where a lot of their digestive flora exists. If something is off or not working in the rumen, their system can shut down. Nutmeg appeared to improve a little when the vet checked in, but not by much and the probiotics prescribed had little to no effect. If we couldn't get Nutmeg's rumen working again, he would die. To my surprise, rather than suggest another probiotic or method of medication, the vet suggested we make Percy the hero of the day and use some of his rumen fluid to "jump start" Nutmeg's. Percy was a good patient as he was sedated and a tube inserted through his mouth down into his rumen. Some of his rumen fluid was pumped out added to warm water and then pumped via a similar tube into Nutmeg. I was told we would see a difference in hours. I had already done my research since Nutmeg had fallen ill and knew what signs indicated working digestion. Goats actually belch quite regularly if all is working properly. Gut noises are a large indication as well and can easily be heard just by placing your ear against their belly. If a goat stops chewing their cud, that is a sign something is amiss. Nutmeg had stopped chewing his cud several days before and I had not seen regular defecation, urination, or heard a belch either, so you can imagine my relief when after a restless night following Percy's donation to his brother Nutmeg, I walked out to find Nutmeg not only eating, but exhibiting all the signs that indicated his rumen was working again. I never thought I would be so happy to see a goat poop! I followed the vet's instructions to the letter and spent my mornings wading through underbrush around the property clipping the greenest blackberry leaves I could find and gathering grass and other forage that would boost Nutmeg's digestion. Percy, being the hero, got his own fair share of goodies and treats. 

    Nutmeg enjoyed a lovely Spring that year, but the success was short-lived, and in June of 2016, Nutmeg went down and refused to get back up. Old age and infirmity had won this time and, with a broken heart, I had Nutmeg put peacefully to sleep. Herd animals usually need to see a member of their group has passed into order to not look for them or seek them out. I've seen this often with horses and it is truly heartbreaking to witness, but necessary. After Nutmeg was put to rest, Percy was let into the stall with us so he could see Nutmeg was gone. I will never forget watching sweet Percy sniff Nutmeg and then look up at me as I stood by crying and heartsick. Seeing my distress, he walked up to me and reached his head up towards my face, leaned into my chest, offered a goat kiss and refused to step away until I had stopped crying and accepted his comfort. This was not the last time Percy saw me through tears over the years. 

    Full size Nubian goats, like Percy, live on average a max of about 12 to 13 years if they are not processed for meat. When Percy reached 14 years old, I counted my blessings to have had him so long and began to dread the day he would go down and not stand back up. By this time, he was extremely arthritic and showing his age. Winters were hard for him and I had purchased a goat coat for him to help keep him warm which he accepted with equal gratitude and annoyance. Every morning as I left the house armed with apple slices or marshmallows and his arthritis medicine, I would hear him bellow as he spotted me and smile as he did his best to trot over to me, tail wagging all the way. When he turned 15, the livestock vet during a routine checkup shook her head and called him "an anomaly". She had been called out a few times for emergency visits for Percy, all that turned around quickly. The vet and her staff always came prepared on routine visits for the difficult process trimming his hooves had become, especially with his advanced arthritis. He struggled to stay standing on three legs for any period of time and required a lot of support. After a while, we got him to lay down and trimmed his hooves that way. Percy would allow it, as long as he had a pretty, female technician to flirt with.

    I usually wait for my animals to show me or tell me they are ready to leave, but Percy was not giving me any indications that showed me he was ready to cross over. Instead, every morning, he would greet me at the gate with a bellow, excited for his apple slices or marshmallows, and demand scratches. On the days that I cried over my failing marriage, often out on the farm so I could grieve without being noticed, Percy was always there leaning his head up onto my chest offering his goat kisses to make me feel better. His arthritis had progressed to the point he had significant difficulty getting up off the ground after sleeping in his bed of hay each night and cold mornings he struggled. Soon a cough developed too that shook his whole body in great heaves and he started to resist taking his medicine despite the treats that accompanied them. He was taken on walks for fresh forage as spring came and he enjoyed that, but didn't like being far from Tangi  and the uneven ground was hard for him to traverse with his painful hips and legs. I started giving his hips a good massage each time I was in the paddock and he would lean into the pressure, sticking his head out and flapping his lips in happiness by the relief it brought. Despite how much it broke my heart to think on it, I made a decision that I would not take him through another winter. If by Fall he was still with me, I would send him over the Rainbow Bridge happy and peaceful when the weather was still good and after he had enjoyed a beautiful summer. 

    Percy continued on and enjoyed that last summer to the fullest. He snuggled with Tangi, enjoyed his treats and fresh forage, and gave me many goat kisses. He lifted my heavy heart as I watched my soon-to-be ex-husband pack up his belongings and take several trips hauling it all to Wyoming. The night of his final departure, I watched the vehicle leave, closed the gate, and threw myself into the gravel work I had started earlier that weekend determined to stave off tears for as long as possible. The work kept me focused and numb and I didn't stop for several hours. Twilight came on and I was starting the evening chores when I saw a movement that caught my eye in the paddock. Percy was down and struggling to get back up. I raced over to assist him and saw that he was breathing heavily. I got him on his feet, but he took only two steps and collapsed. When I knelt down to try and help him back up, he leaned into me until I sat down next to him and he placed his head in my lap with a deep, ragged sigh. I called the vet. I then answered a text from my friends Shannon and Travis and told them what had happened. They said they were on their way right then so I wouldn't be alone when the vet arrived. Then I sat by Percy and let all my tears come to the surface. It all seemed so unfair, to lose Percy on this day of all days.  I admit I was enraged for a few moments at the injustice of it all, but it dissipated when, hearing me upset, Percy struggled to get up again and reached his head towards me in concern. Even then, my sweet boy was trying to comfort me.

    My friends arrived and helped me move Percy to a more comfortable location and position. We all talked soothingly to Percy and petted him. He was calm and peaceful when the vet arrived. Percy went to sleep with his head in my lap hearing me tell him how much I loved him. My friends held me when, unable to contain the grief of the day any longer, I cried. I was heartbroken over my divorce and over losing Percy. I was also grateful for the love and support of my friends and the years I had been fortunate enough to have with Percy.  I was also relieved and my heart lifted as my initial wave of emotions subsided knowing that this sweet goat of mine had passed on a beautiful summer night with his head in my lap, surrounded by love and at peace. Losing a loved one, human or animal, is never easy and it’s easy to want to close oneself off and prevent the pain of such a loss be it to death or otherwise. However, a heart that breaks is one that has known love and a broken heart can heal. Given the choice between a life without love and having a broken heart from time to time, I'll choose knowing love and carrying the memories of the blessings that come with it over the alternative any day. 

    Percy taught me many things while he was here on the farm. He gave a lot love, created a lot of laughter, and brought a smile to all who crossed his path. The farm is not quite the same without him, but his memory still makes me smile and the stories I get to tell about him lighten my heart, even in the hardest moments. 

    

    There are versions of the Rainbow Bridge story that say our furry and feathered friends wait for us to arrive and greet us when we cross over. I hope that its true. If it is, I'm sure Percy will be right at the front, trotting up with his toothy smile and wagging tail to give me one of his famous kisses and maybe even a quick "goose" on the rump when I greet the other critters I have waiting for me at the gate. Until then, I'll tell their stories and enjoy all the moments I get to share with them while they are here on this little farm I call home. 

    Rest in peace, my sweet Percy goat. I know you're making a lot of new friends on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, butting heads with Nutmeg, and flirting your way into everyone's hearts. I'll see you on the other side, my sweet boy. 

Special thanks to A. Baker, the new, encouraging voice that urged me to start this blog back up and to C. Gies, my dear friend, always there to cheer me on, push me forward, and challenge my stubbornness when necessary.