Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Well crap - literally. I went out this morning to find that Lucy, the last doe that kidded, has raging diarrhea. I can't believe I didn't worm her after she kidded - I'm usually so good about that. But nope, so the poor darlin' is paying the price for my negligence. I knew something was amiss when she didn't shove her way into the feeding frenzy this morning. Funny how they can get sick so fast. Last night she nearly knocked me over trying to get her share....this morning...not so much.

I'm still contemplating who to offer for sale in the next round of goat reduction. I've got a couple pygmy does left and a nice small pygmy-ish buck that could go with them. I might round them up and offer the trio as a starter herd.

I might also decide to let go of the gilt that I held back. She's just a little bit of a runt and I've got the other two females and the big boar left. The younger male is slated for dispatch this fall. Hopefully, he'll grow well on pasture and so far he seems to be doing just that.

Still need to re-plant a few garden things. We've been really dry even though we've had several rounds of threatening weather in the last couple weeks. The rain has mostly stayed north of us. Because of that, I need to do a deep watering of the garden instead of a few minutes with the garden hose. Maybe I can get DH to do that for me. That reminds me, I need to send him a list of honey-do's today.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Aw poor Lucy, I'm sure you'll fix her up fast!

Good thinking on selling the trio. What size herd are you looking to get down to?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

She'll get over it - I'm sure....I hope...I think! She really wasn't feeling too sick - because it took me 10 minutes to just catch her stinky a$$ - and I meant that literally, lol!

I don't even know how many goats I have right now - yikes! I think I was in the low 30's, but then two more does kidded...so maybe mid 30s now with one more due. However, that delivery might result in a herd reduction all by itself. That is one tiny doe.

I think I could live with having 20ish....but that's more a fantasy than reality, lol! I'd probably be ok with just having less than 30!

The problem is that I don't think in real time - I think in future time, lol. I want to cross this buck on that doe and them breed their kids to another line... Just too much experimenting ideas going in my head!

If I do go ahead and sell all the ND's that would be five more down. If I sell that trio of pygmy and pygmy crosses that would be 3 more ... that would certainly help. If I went down 8 goats right now I'd probably be closer to being in the 20's.

Note to self: count goats!

 

[lcertuche]

So what do you do for goat when they got diarhea? When my steer calf had it I gave him a bottle of kaopectate and it fixed him right up.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I haven't done anything specific for the diarrhea, just wormed her. I knew she needed the wormer since she just kidded and that causes a bloom of parasites. I probably won't treat the diarrhea as long as she is drinking, unless it persists past a couple days. I will however, give her some probiotics. Sometimes ya just got "stuff" in there that needs to come out! If it DOES persist she will go in a pen alone and be on hay only and probably something like the pink stuff or Kaopectate or whatever I have in the goat medicine cabinet.

 

[Wannabefree]

DONT count them!!! Denial is so much simpler!!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I like that idea! But, I already started trying to remember everybody and I'm up to 32. That's probably close - but not all of 'em. But, I'm old so I'll forget again in a minute.

What were we talking about???

 

[NH Homesteader]

I even count my chickens. Is this a sign I'm not a real farmer yet? Lol

 

[Wannabefree]

lol I think we were talking about kegs of wine in the pool house.

 

[Wannabefree]

Definitely. You're going to have to work on that NH