I had my first negative goat attention experience the other day.
I've been wondering why on Earth there were so many rocks showing up in the goat pen. For some reason, perhaps naievety, I just didn't think that people might be throwing rocks in there. I was in my kitchen getting a snack and I heard some odd noises outside. I looked out the window, and saw two kids (trespassing in my neighbor's yard) throwing rocks at the goats, who were now hiding in their house. I banged on the door and they ran away. THEN it dawned on me that THEY had been throwing all those rocks in the pen!!! I was annoyed, but busy with something else, so I didn't think much about it at the time.
Later, I went out to clean out the goat pen, and the boys came back. Awfully ballsy of them. Why I didn't rip them a new one right there, I don't know. I clearly didn't take my crotchety old woman pill that morning.
They kept asking if they could feed the goats, or pet the goats, or whatever. One boy kept asking if he could jump the fence to come see them, to which I responded that he absolutely could not. An older boy riding a bike, who seemed related in some way to the younger ones, stopped by and was asking questions. He was very polite, though, and I never saw HIM throwing rocks at the goats.
Then the younger two went get MORE friends/cousins/brothers/whatever and they said they were coming in to see the goats! I kept insinuating that I didn't want them to come back, that I was busy, etc, but I clearly wasn't forceful enough. I got out of the goat pen and went to the gate to see them jumping OVER it because they couldn't figure out how to open it. UGH!
So now I have FIVE boys in my back yard, probably from ages 8-16 or so, and I'm just completely out of my element. I have little ones, and I'm not authoritative at all with the older kid crowd. They kept trying to pet the goats, and by doing so they would lunge at them and the goats were FREAKED OUT. The poor things were running everywhere trying to get away from the strange people they didn't know. They were jumping over toys and obstacles, falling down, almost running into things. My little toddler was outside and I was so worried they'd knock her over or step on her. It was absolutely ridiculous. I was also worried the goats would hurt themselves or the other kids in some way because they were scared.
Most of the boys were actually quite respectful, but the youngest few kids were trying to show off. It was SO STRESSFUL. I finally made it very clear that I needed to get back to work and they needed to go. Luckily, the oldest boy really got the younger ones to get out.
The poor goats were so stressed out. Hermione wouldn't leave my side for a long time after the kids left.
I had to pick up all the rocks and such in preparation to mow, and then I got REALLY angry.
This is just absolutely ridiculous. That big rock was near the spool the goats lay around on, meaning it was actually thrown AT a goat, and not just at their house. They could have been seriously injured! The rocks were all around the pen, so I'm assuming they threw rocks at them while they ran trying to get away from them.
So, LET those kids come back. I'm going to give them quite a talking to. They know better than that. I know they were raised right, because most of them were very polite. I don't think they'll be back, though. When they were in the back yard, one of the rock-throwers noticed there's a camera back there. Hopefully that deters any future shenanigans.
