BarredBuff's Homesteading Shenanigans

[savingdogs]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha Jamie so true, my goats ate five apple trees and four asian pear trees, all in one day (didn't know Ginger could open gates). It took us a whole day to plant them all and I had been watering them carefully for a year, too.

 

[BarredBuff]

Hey fellow SS'ers. Things are pretty good at the ole homestead. The meat chickens have finally quit dying. I also harvested my feed corn Saturday its curing on racks now. I didnt get as much as I expected but I got a good amount. I have been pondering a few things could you help me?

1. Would this work as chicken feed? Simple scratch mix soaked in some milk, with oat sprouts. Plus regular free range. We are trying to find ways to cut back bills and they are a lot of expense.
2.Ive been contemplating my barn lately. Im going to start off with two does, definitely. Then I was thinking two may not be enough. We are a family of five, I plan on making buttermilk, ice cream (not regularily), yogurt (maybe), cheeses, butter (Im going to gradually collect cream), and plus milk to drink. Then use it to feed the chickens like above. Also would I be able to seel week old kids at auctions barn?
3. Ive ordered more apple trees, what are some things I can do for maximum harvest?


THANKS BB

Don't know about the first two, but keeping the goats out of the apple trees would be a good start...

How was your pizza sauce?

SD, I ve actually got to go and cut some fodder for my rabbits in a moment.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Hey fellow SS'ers. Things are pretty good at the ole homestead. The meat chickens have finally quit dying. I also harvested my feed corn Saturday its curing on racks now. I didnt get as much as I expected but I got a good amount. I have been pondering a few things could you help me?

1. Would this work as chicken feed? Simple scratch mix soaked in some milk, with oat sprouts. Plus regular free range. We are trying to find ways to cut back bills and they are a lot of expense.
2.Ive been contemplating my barn lately. Im going to start off with two does, definitely. Then I was thinking two may not be enough. We are a family of five, I plan on making buttermilk, ice cream (not regularily), yogurt (maybe), cheeses, butter (Im going to gradually collect cream), and plus milk to drink. Then use it to feed the chickens like above. Also would I be able to seel week old kids at auctions barn?
3. Ive ordered more apple trees, what are some things I can do for maximum harvest?


THANKS BB

Don't know about the first two, but keeping the goats out of the apple trees would be a good start...

How was your pizza sauce?

SD, I ve actually got to go and cut some fodder for my rabbits in a moment.

Pizza sauce turned out well, I think it will be okay as pizza sauce - I hot water bathed it for 15 minutes, and it looks like some water evaporated. 25 pints, though.

I went to put them on the canning shelf and the shelf is full! Stuff still to do this season. Someone stop me before I can more!

 

[abifae]

Hey Jamie, I just canned the pepper jelly

 

[FarmerJamie]

Hey Jamie, I just canned the pepper jelly

Waiting for the vinegar and sugar to cook for 5 more minutes to add the pepper flakes and garlic for the dipping sauce. Yes, I made a special trip to the store to get vinegar.

 

[freemotion]

Hey fellow SS'ers. Things are pretty good at the ole homestead. The meat chickens have finally quit dying. I also harvested my feed corn Saturday its curing on racks now. I didnt get as much as I expected but I got a good amount. I have been pondering a few things could you help me?

1. Would this work as chicken feed? Simple scratch mix soaked in some milk, with oat sprouts. Plus regular free range. We are trying to find ways to cut back bills and they are a lot of expense.
2.Ive been contemplating my barn lately. Im going to start off with two does, definitely. Then I was thinking two may not be enough. We are a family of five, I plan on making buttermilk, ice cream (not regularily), yogurt (maybe), cheeses, butter (Im going to gradually collect cream), and plus milk to drink. Then use it to feed the chickens like above. Also would I be able to seel week old kids at auctions barn?
3. Ive ordered more apple trees, what are some things I can do for maximum harvest?


THANKS BB

I feed my hens sprouted small grains in the morning (right now I have wheat, but I've used oats and/or barley in the past, whatever I can get. I like the barley and the wheat best.) and they get whole corn in the afternoons, just dry. Milk is fed by itself on rare occasions. They free range for the rest of their food, and in winter I supplement with mashed bones/scrap from making chicken broth and the leftover bits from rendering lard and suet, along with any leftover cooking fats. They go into the goat's area and eat hay scraps for their greens, and especially like hay that has "soaked" in the snow and ice. I fed my meaties this way, too.

Two does will give you a lot of milk if they are good dairy gals or a mix of good dairy breeds. Many dairy breeds will peak at around a gallon a day and will stay at a steady 3 quarts a day, so that is a lot of milk. FF's will produce less, but can still produce a lot in their first year. I have four does in milk and have been getting a total of about two gallons a day, but I don't breed or feed for peak production as it is hard on the does. Not saying anyone shouldn't, it is just not my goal. I want lower maintenance gals, which generally means a bit lower production.

Consider selling the kids in other ways if you have good does. You will likely get more for them and will feel better about it. Those little kids are darn cute and if you are bottle-feeding from the start (which you should if you will be selling them before weaning) you will become fond of them rather quickly. IMO, auction is the last resort. The stress of leaving their home along with a sudden change in feed can do them in. But if you sell them yourself, you can get a higher price and instruct the new owner, giving them some fresh goat's milk to transition the babies over to whole cow's milk. Or you can transition them yourself in time for the transfer of ownership. Always take a deposit and have a contract in writing if the person wants you to hold the goat for them for even an hour. Learned this the hard way. If you can take pics and videos and post them, you will sell them in a blink. I sold nine, and it was the video links that did it.

Will you be buying two does in milk? or two pregnant does? Or two youngsters, which will mean waiting another year before getting milk? Be sure they are at the very least CAE negative and free of CL....

 

[BarredBuff]

Thanks for the help, Free!

I plan on buying two does in milk this spring. Preferably a Nubian and an Alpine. Me and Mom both agree that we shouldnt skimp when we buy these considering they are more permanent than chickens and ducks. I met an Alpine breeder at the State Fair, her goats were fabulous. They very nice looking. I'd like to maybe get my Alpine from her provided she doesnt want an arm and a leg. Im secretly planning the barn to hold more than 2 does, it will be built for 3 or 4. Just in case we find we dont have enough milk. Im gonna request veterinary records on both does, cae free, and I dont plan to use craigslist.

I would like to let the kids nurse the does for the first two weeks then sell them or barter with them. But I dont want to bottle feed but I want to have my milk as well.....

I may sell mine on Craigslist though....

How much grain do you sprout for how many birds?

 

[freemotion]

It can be very, very difficult to get a kid onto a bottle after nursing for as long as two weeks, especially the doelings. So you really need to decide....dam raised, or bottle raised. If you can breed your does to a good buck you will be able to find good homes for the girls, for sure, and the boys, too, hopefully. Although bottle feeding is a pain in some ways, it is a great experience and lots of fun in other ways. For two weeks, anyways! It is far less stressful for the doe, too, if you pull those kids right away instead of two weeks later. You will have all that colostrum to feed them with the first week anyways, which you won't be using yourself. I've dealt with all the options....dam raising, pulling kids at birth, and I bought a doeling at five weeks when I didn't know any better and I could never get her on the bottle. It was extremely stressful for both of us and she was always crying because she was so hungry. I will NEVER do that to anyone else, ever. Poor little goaties.

How much grain varies from day to day almost. Right now about 22-24 birds are eating maybe 3 pounds a day, maybe a bit more. When it is very hot and dry, they eat a bit more (no bugs.) When it gets cold and wintery, they eat a lot more. When it is balmy and perfect weather, dew in the morning and rain once or twice a week, they eat less, maybe two pounds a day. I feed them by scattering grain twice a day and I gauge how much I give them by their reaction to the food. When all the birds have had a chance to eat and they are slowing down, I throw another handful or two then stop. I'm a bit more generous in winter and make sure anyone on a nest box gets fed.

It takes 1-3 days for most grains to sprout. It depends on the temperature and on the grain...if it was a wet year, they dry the grain with some heat and it won't sprout well. High quality grain sprouts very easily and quickly. Around here, I don't always have much of a choice.

 

[BarredBuff]

Thanks for you advice!!

 

[savingdogs]

Your best bet with goats BB is to listen to Freemotion. Her title says food guru but I think it should be goat guru as well.