Today was just one of those days.
Hubby is traveling for work, and I was a tad late getting outside this morning. Then, all of the new bags of feed were still in my SUV. I ended up opening them in the garage, and carrying the scoop of feed out for first the goats, and then the chickens. I did all of the watering myself, and took care of the pigs, goats, and chickens. I watered the garden, so when all was said and done, it was 9 am. Today was the first day of school, and all of the kids in the neighborhood were gone to school. Our neighbors on our right were all gone to work for the day. The other neighbors were all at work except for the one on my left, whose house sits to the front of mine, since I am on a cul de sac. My pasture is off to the left of our house on our property, so the barn sits on our property to the back of our neighbor's. There are no neighbors behind us, just our acreage, and that backs up to fields. So, around 11 am, I was in the house cleaning, and my phone rang. My neighbor was calling. He asked me if he could possibly buy some eggs from me, because he was baking brownies and would like some farm fresh eggs for them. I told him I would not sell them to him, but I would gladly give him some. We like sharing with our neighbors, and don't want to get involved in selling them. I told him I would go collect eggs, and see if there were enough for him, and I would walk them over. He went on and on about how good they are, and added that he has been throwing our chickens bread, and he hoped it was okay, because they love it. We have given him permission in the past to let his grandkids throw the goats apples, and I told him sure, a little bread was fine. So, I gathered a few eggs from the fridge, and then went to get the remainder from the coop. As I walked out, he entered his vehicle and quickly drove off. I was perplexed because I was bringing him eggs. So, I start walking out to the pasture, and was shocked. INSIDE of our fenced pasture is the coop and run on his side of our property. INSIDE of our covered run, was one of my GOATS!! All of the chickens were hiding out in the coop. He is my not so nice goat. I ran out, and realized that there were not any holes in the run, and it was all in good shape. The top latch was opened, but the middle and bottom latch were secure. Someone had allowed my goat into the run, and left without finishing closing it up, the latches are a pita to hook. Now, goats can be stubborn, and they do sometimes try to go into there when it is opened, and I know how to get them out. Even our pigs sometimes wander in there when I change the water, but they come out to me calling piggy piggy piggy. I opened the run, and he came running out, like I had saved him. I did think it was kind of funny because he has been beating up my other goats, so for a bit, he was in jail
.
I am so upset, and just don't even know what to say. Later in the day, when he got back, I did drop him some eggs, but I did not say much. Do I accuse him? I suspect he needed one or two eggs for his brownies, and was simply going to take them. Not knowing how to get to them, maybe he tried going in the run, instead of opening the nesting boxes. Or, maybe an egg was laid on the ground in the run by one of my young girls, and he thought he would just take that. I don't know. Either way, we now have a padlock on our pasture. I find it a pain in the neck, and have to remember to bring a key when I go out. I like just being able to wander in and check on everyone when I am out in the yard, or get home from the store, so this is really inconvenient. Here is another twist to it. We are moving soon, so I don't know if it is worth causing trouble. The biggest thing is, we are terribly perplexed and can not fathom why a grown grandfather aged man who is quite well off would attempt to steal his neighbor's eggs. He knows I am a stay at home mom, and that I was most likely home. It is a huge risk to go into my pasture like that, and he is slightly afraid of the goats. I suspect he called me when he panicked and the goat was stuck in the run, because he knew I would go right out and find him in there, and be able to take care of it. It was weird of him to even call me, and at first he asked for my husband, when he called my cell. Usually, he comes to the door if he needs to ask something.
What would you do? I HATE the lock. Sigh.
Hubby is traveling for work, and I was a tad late getting outside this morning. Then, all of the new bags of feed were still in my SUV. I ended up opening them in the garage, and carrying the scoop of feed out for first the goats, and then the chickens. I did all of the watering myself, and took care of the pigs, goats, and chickens. I watered the garden, so when all was said and done, it was 9 am. Today was the first day of school, and all of the kids in the neighborhood were gone to school. Our neighbors on our right were all gone to work for the day. The other neighbors were all at work except for the one on my left, whose house sits to the front of mine, since I am on a cul de sac. My pasture is off to the left of our house on our property, so the barn sits on our property to the back of our neighbor's. There are no neighbors behind us, just our acreage, and that backs up to fields. So, around 11 am, I was in the house cleaning, and my phone rang. My neighbor was calling. He asked me if he could possibly buy some eggs from me, because he was baking brownies and would like some farm fresh eggs for them. I told him I would not sell them to him, but I would gladly give him some. We like sharing with our neighbors, and don't want to get involved in selling them. I told him I would go collect eggs, and see if there were enough for him, and I would walk them over. He went on and on about how good they are, and added that he has been throwing our chickens bread, and he hoped it was okay, because they love it. We have given him permission in the past to let his grandkids throw the goats apples, and I told him sure, a little bread was fine. So, I gathered a few eggs from the fridge, and then went to get the remainder from the coop. As I walked out, he entered his vehicle and quickly drove off. I was perplexed because I was bringing him eggs. So, I start walking out to the pasture, and was shocked. INSIDE of our fenced pasture is the coop and run on his side of our property. INSIDE of our covered run, was one of my GOATS!! All of the chickens were hiding out in the coop. He is my not so nice goat. I ran out, and realized that there were not any holes in the run, and it was all in good shape. The top latch was opened, but the middle and bottom latch were secure. Someone had allowed my goat into the run, and left without finishing closing it up, the latches are a pita to hook. Now, goats can be stubborn, and they do sometimes try to go into there when it is opened, and I know how to get them out. Even our pigs sometimes wander in there when I change the water, but they come out to me calling piggy piggy piggy. I opened the run, and he came running out, like I had saved him. I did think it was kind of funny because he has been beating up my other goats, so for a bit, he was in jail
. I am so upset, and just don't even know what to say. Later in the day, when he got back, I did drop him some eggs, but I did not say much. Do I accuse him? I suspect he needed one or two eggs for his brownies, and was simply going to take them. Not knowing how to get to them, maybe he tried going in the run, instead of opening the nesting boxes. Or, maybe an egg was laid on the ground in the run by one of my young girls, and he thought he would just take that. I don't know. Either way, we now have a padlock on our pasture. I find it a pain in the neck, and have to remember to bring a key when I go out. I like just being able to wander in and check on everyone when I am out in the yard, or get home from the store, so this is really inconvenient. Here is another twist to it. We are moving soon, so I don't know if it is worth causing trouble. The biggest thing is, we are terribly perplexed and can not fathom why a grown grandfather aged man who is quite well off would attempt to steal his neighbor's eggs. He knows I am a stay at home mom, and that I was most likely home. It is a huge risk to go into my pasture like that, and he is slightly afraid of the goats. I suspect he called me when he panicked and the goat was stuck in the run, because he knew I would go right out and find him in there, and be able to take care of it. It was weird of him to even call me, and at first he asked for my husband, when he called my cell. Usually, he comes to the door if he needs to ask something.
What would you do? I HATE the lock. Sigh.
