Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks goatgurl...two steps forward and three steps back. BUT - today kind of made up for some of the bad.

My mother has lost a LOT of weight... She went from about 135lbs to 112 and has absolutely NO clothes that fit. So, earlier this week I got online and ordered her a few outfits...two pairs of pants and three blouses. One of the pairs of pants was delivered today and she called to thank me. She was so happy and it really was a good conversation. She got such joy from such a simple thing and she was so grateful. It kind of made me feel horrible for some of the things I've had in my head. I know it was just one conversation and it doesn't mean she's 'cured' but it was really nice to hear that she was happy.

In other news - I've been trying lately to be a better chicken mother. I've been fermenting feed and now I'm trying to sprout some wheat for them. Who knows if it'll work, but I'm going to give it a go.

I haven't been selling any eggs for the last three weeks. I'm withholding them because I used some Ivermectin on my birds. But, I'm going to email my customers tomorrow and tell them we're back in business. But, I have a dilemma.... I think I need to go up on my price. I only charge $2.00 a dozen right now and I'm losing money like crazy. At that price I'd be better off using the extra eggs for dog food or even feeding them back to the birds... So, I want to go up to $3.00 a dozen. Most folks around here that advertise on Craigslist charge at least $4.00. Feed has gone up, and I've got more birds because I'm trying to keep up with the egg demand, so I'm out more money these days...

What do ya'll think? Is $3.00 too much?

I"m hoping to get some does bred in the next week - 10 days. Whoop, whoop! Baby goats are so awesome and I want some!

But right now I want a low-fat, sugar free popsicle. LOL - hardly worth the effort to get up and get it, huh?

 

[Mini Horses]

I feel $3 is ok..."free range" (ya know what that might mean) at WM are more than that and not fresh like yours. I intend to go up on mine this year -- if I ever get this flock of girls to get with laying! Young hens. May have to put lights on in AM to encourage them to give them up. Never have had to do that. My flock of Barred rocks started laying in Jan and never stopped. These girls are being slackers. LOL Food, water, huge range area, large coop, cozy nests......I don't get it and TOLD them so!!! Explained about stew pots and all that....

So glad your mom liked her gifts. You will find that you will be doing more shopping, as they can't. I am awaiting delivery on some similar things for mom. Have had to go to some special needs sites for hers. What an education.

SO -- you mention popsicle and to the right of this column are adds. The one now is for home delivered cookies, Halloween decorated. What to do! urge coming on.....

 

[Mini Horses]

Earlier you posted you were trying some fermented feed for the chickens. I've read a little but, WHAT type feed are you using?

Much looks like scratch feed... obviously the cumbles or pellets are just mush when wet. I always have scratch, BOSS, flaked barley, rolled oats, etc. Guess just some whole grains.

And how's it going? Sprouts working?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

The fermented feed is doing good. I put a lot of different grains in like whole oats, rolled barley, scratch, whole wheat berries, and some BOSS along with throwing some of their lay pellets in it too. The pellets do turn to mush but they still eat it. I'm also throwing in some whole corn that I'm trying to use up... My goal is to get away from corn as much as possible. And, a couple of times I've added a little Chaffhaye just to see if they'll eat it and I never find it left behind so I guess they do!

Occasionally there will be some residue that dries to a powdery substance that's left at the bottom of their feeder. I suspect that is the 'melted' pellets, which is a tiny bit wasteful. I think I'm going to phase out the pellets in the FF and just toss them in as I feed it. They'll retain a bit of their shape then and hopefully won't get powdery and left behind. I occasionally toss in some Calf Manna too.

There must be something to it because some of the gals that haven't laid in awhile are laying again. I know that because of the egg color. Last year I had a lavender Orp that never grew all her feathers back after her molt and now she looks like a pin cushion from all the new feathers she's got coming in. Something must be working!

This is just day two of the sprouting experiment. I peeked at them this morning and I think I see some little sprouts starting. Hopefully, by this evening they will be more evident. I really don't have this set up very well, but if it works under these conditions I'll think it's worthwhile to improve the set-up somewhat and even expand it. I'm hoping that these changes will improve winter egg production. Time will tell, I guess.

Happy Friday ya'll!

 

[Britesea]

Hmmm, maybe I should try the fermented feed for my ducks.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's really not hard to do and doesn't add a whole lot of time to my chores. I'd say its worth a try!

 

[goatgurl]

do you have a "health food store" near you? if you think $3.00 a dozen is to much to charge for free range eggs go in there and check out what they want for them. i almost had a heart attack!!
and when i get my flock pared down to just my hens I'm going to try the fermented feed. I've seen a lot of good things about it. anxious to see how it works for you.
I'm so glad you had a good conservation with your mom. please don't beat yourself up for thinking things, most of them are probably true so don't do that to yourself.

 

[Denim Deb]

I ought to try it as well.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Busy day! I brought two of the lactating does up last night and kept them from their kids so I could milk 'em this morning. I really should wean their babies...eventually anyway. But this way their babies keep the milk flowing and I can milk them when I want to. Brought them up again tonight too. The other doe, Sparkle, I'm still milking daily.

Decided I'd turn the new wether out with the does which meant the young Nubian buck he formerly lived with was alone, so I tried putting him with two older bucks...pygmy bucks. Did NOT work! He's so laid back that he wouldn't even stand up for himself. Those little pygmy bucks chased him, and abused him to the point that he finally laid down and just gave up. He's twice their size but he let those guys tear him UP! So.... now he's living in a different pen and I grabbed a young wether out of the pasture to keep him company. Geeze, I need less bucks!

I found some Napa style cabbage plants at Wally World and grabbed a couple 9-packs. I love, love, love Kimchi so these cabbages will work out perfectly. I weeded a 4 x 8 bed and got some of them planted. I also picked up some Rainbow Swiss Chard and some spinach too. I've never had luck growing spinach from seed, so I'll give this a try. Hoping I'll find some space, and time, to plant some onions, garlic and carrots too.

Craziest thing - I moved some chickens out of some pens a while back and wonder of wonders, tons of okra sprouted in that same pen. I grew okra there 3 or 4 years ago, so the seeds must've just been laying there waiting to germinate. I'm going to actually get a little okra harvest from totally volunteer plants. I love that!

Gracie got to have a little fun today. She helped me bring in the goats, and she gets a big ol' power rush from that, lol. However, Maddie (the Pyr) wasn't really crazy about Gracie herding 'her' goats. She lunged at her, but I called her down and both of them actually listened to me. Gracie is a naturally born herding dog and she needs very little direction. She is learning to 'rate' herself and the goats - but barely, lol. Let's just say she is very enthusiastic! I really wish I had more for her to do because she is definitely a dog who needs a job.

Oh goodness... just got a call from my Aunt about my mom's latest pranks...

Wine sounds real good right now.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have a small pan of grain just starting to ferment. I plan to take some to the chickens later today, transfer liquids & balance of grain to a larger bucket and add more grain/water, using what is there to start it all going. Then we will see where it goes and how much I need to "manage" to keep it up.

You sound like me, let the kids help keep the doe in milk.
Have to watch as they will slow down production as the kids slow nursing. As the kids get older, the does also tend to control amounts in a weaning process, so you have to milk to keep it coming. Ivory (my Saanen) actually would rather I milk her now than have the kids nurse at 4 months. Now I will have to get my lazy rear out there & wean those girls, milk mom, get my routine back, etc.

I love volunteer plants -- -- it makes you feel like you got a "bonus", right? Last time I had some, about 6 tomato plants that were actually in a moveable chicken tunnel, I turned the goats into the field and the just HAD to crawl into that and eat those plants!!!

Don't see much planting her for Fall this yr. DS is here finishing a major "repair/rebuild" of my old equipmt/barn. Plus some other projects for a couple days. Most I forsee with gardening is probably getting a couple raised beds up, filled & prepped for Spring. So, some cover crop things may get in there. Some painting jobs will take priority over food right now. And new portable piggy shed, etc. BOY, they've been a real help clearing out some of my garden area with a light till there.

Let's all keep track of what we see (or not) with fermented feed -- hopefully we'll see more egg & feathers, too -- also, any reduction in feed amounts, etc.