Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Finally got a pic of a few of the chicksters - they move too fast to get them all!

Ok - I have a big decision to make and I'm opening it up for discussion, lol. We're going to have an addition to the family. I've found someone in my area who has AKC registered and working Anatolians. I don't really care about the papers but I do care that they are working dogs. The pups are just over 3 weeks old and I'm second in line to pick. I want a male to work with Maddie so here are the choices:


Pup 1:

Pup 2:

Pup 3:

Pup 4:

Pup 5:

And last - but not least, Pup 6:

I am partial to at LEAST 3 of them, lol. The seller wants us to pick pups soon... I'd rather wait until they were 8 - 10 weeks, but I'm not in charge. And, I want to hold on to my #2 place in line so I'll pick as soon as she calls me to come pick.

I've already seen the pups once last week, but they had barely opened their eyes and were just starting to totter around. And, they still had puppy breath....Ahhhhh!

The parents are impressive. The male is a light brindle - looks like a tiger! He's gorgeous and has a huge block head. The female was 120# before she was bred. They are both big and beautiful. They live on only about an acre, but they do stay with the goats and there are lots of chickens/ducks there too.

They'll be ready to come home by mid-June. I'm starting to get excited!

 

[Mini Horses]

OH, NO!!!

You have to choose? Only one??????? Bad, bad....of course, in person makes a difference but, anyone looks good. It's always a hands on thing. Shame on you, tempting us. #1 & #4 are cute, #6 looks like a "bruiser" in the pic....may be just the closeness. You have a real tough go there. I'd take one if closer.

Now, the chicks are so adorable!!! The hen is a beauty...looks like a Delaware? Well I can hardly wait for some of that to watch right here in my own pen. My broodies are very serious, so I feel pretty good about them. May have to split both nests between 3 hens we will see......

 

[Denim Deb]

I like #1.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I am partial to 3, 4 and 6 right now - but that can easily change, lol!

The hen is a Light Sussex...and her co-mother is 1/2 black australorp and 1/2 buff orpington.

You can almost see the webbed feet they are trying to grow. It's a natural adaptation to living in a swamp, lol! One of the chicks actually got stuck in the mud and I had to pluck his/her little self out of it....geeze!

But, we've had a beautiful week and things are drying up nicely --- supposed to start raining again Monday. Will this madness ever end??????

 

[Mini Horses]

I see you have several ponds now.....waterfront property!

WOW Worse than here but, we have had rain every day for last 10. It is scattered off & on all day, gloomy, often heavy showers at night. Just waterlogged ground. I have mud & puddles where I have never before. My goats hate it. The chickens just plow on and do NOT wipe their feet before going into the nests. Dirty eggs.
Boots to feed, wet clothes, yuck, yuck

Can't get much of anything done because it is just a mess. Of course (!!) I was off almost all week from my PT job. Did venture out one day and pound T-posts into part of my yard area where I often graze horses. Just updating the area/posts as it's hot wired and day only used but, great grass. Why buy gas to mow and hay to feed?? I need to plow the garden -- can't --- move pigs, can't get fence at other area, although over 3/4 done, too wet to set a post to pull from/to.....We all have rain, rain, rain. Guess July we will be complaining of drought

Be sure the puppy can SWIM!

 

[Denim Deb]

We have a ton of rain here as well. And I don't know if my chicks are having a problem getting into the broody house or what. Today I caught them all and put them and the hen in. When I went out to give Stormy his dinner, they were all out again.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Went to visit my mom and dad today - kind of an early Mother's Day visit. The visit was nice until the conversation turned to my brother. It's an uncomfortable situation and I don't deal with it in the best manner I suppose. We were there for a couple of hours and then we had to get home. Too much to do - too little time. But, DH hung a gate between some pens and my new 'feed room/trailer'. I'm enjoying this arrangement - it makes feeding less stressful in some ways. I just need to get in the habit of bringing all my empty feed buckets back to the trailer instead of leaving them in the barn!

I've locked up the youngest bunch of kids for disbudding/toltrazuril and worming tomorrow morning. My son is cooking ribs tomorrow for Mothers Day and guess who is the guest of honor? Well, one of a couple guests of honor... there will be extended family there and I love the idea of blending the outlaws and the inlaws.

Plus it will give me the chance to check out his garden. I haven't seen it in several weeks. No matter how it looks, I'm sure it will look better than mine. I did break down and buy some eggplant and some pepper plants and got them in the ground this evening. But, everything that I had planted has pretty much bit the dust. As if we have any dust, lol! All we have is mud - argh!

That's all I've got tonight - hitting the bed in 5....4...3...2...

G'night!

 

[Denim Deb]

At least, other than peas, I didn't get anything in the ground B4 all this rain hit. My plants are in my greenhouse and they look good!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's great Deb. I did manage to get some more mulch around my corn. It's stuff that I pulled out of one of the goats bedding areas and it's a lot of hay that's already breaking down and loaded with lots of good poop. I hope it gives the corn a good boost.

I have one good row of beans that is way stressed with too much moisture, but it's hanging in there and growing a bit despite the poor conditions. If we can dodge this rain they're calling for today they might get a fighting chance.

I've got some sweet potatoes and tomatoes in tubs that are doing pretty well, so all is not lost.

I got the last 7 baby goats disbudded yesterday morning before going to my son's place. I can NOT say enough how I hate that whole process, but it's just one of those things that has to be done. Most of these guys are around the 3 week mark, so I couldn't put it off any longer and I kick myself every time I don't get it done earlier. They all hated it and put up a big ol fuss, but 5 minutes later they've got their bellies full of mom's 'feel good juice' and they're playing king of the mountain.

Mama pig is not being so sweet to her daughter anymore. I fed them yesterday morning and went to feed the goats when I heard a squeal and turned around just in time to see the baby pig flying through the air doing the most perfect somersaults ever! I gave her a 10! She was uninjured, well, except for her pride. She probably weighs a good 40 pounds or more and her mama launched her about 8 feet right through the air. it's time to get her a feed pan of her very own cuz mama is NOT sharing anymore...

Happy Monday, ya'll!

 

[Denim Deb]

Maybe momma was trying to kick a field goal and didn't understand that you're supposed to use a football, not a real pigskin w/the pig still attached?