Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

I just noticed the other day that Conan seems to be starting to fill out. Back legs still crooked, lol, but body is actually starting to bulk up. Finally! He's almost 14 months now and while he's not as big as Dusty - he's about the same size as Kinder.

Just moved them to a new pen yesterday. It's hard to see but there's a rubber feed tub under the hay - I was trying NOT to feed it on the ground, lol. They rooted it out in about two seconds. Chore for today - get a real hay feeder in that pen!

Terrible angle on Dusty. You can see the bare spot on the top of his neck (and most of the other goats) because they stick their head's through a cattle panel to reach the feeder that I hang on the outside of the panel.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh yeah! Not so scrawny anymore!

 

[sumi]

Diva is And the boys look good!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Wait what? Is there a Diva pic? My phone is only showing me Conan and Dusty

 

[frustratedearthmother]

There is a pic of Diva. It's in a post previous to Dusty and Conan. Can you go back a page?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Stupid phone, there it is. She's soooooo cute and so traditional pygmy, I love those colors!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

She is like a little wind up toy! She’s so tiny compared to all the others!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

First day back at work. Getting up at 5:30 was NO fun at all. Bottle feeding. Going to have to go home at lunch and feed them for several weeks. ARGH!

I gave myself a little break this morning and didn't lock the does up last night for morning milking. But, tonight I will have to. Then I'll have to figure out how much time it's going to take me to milk them both in the morning. I neeeeeed the milk for the babies. I do not like having bottle babies!

Starting a new herd management program. I struggle to find a mineral that I like and that they will eat enough of. They love their kelp - but only barely show interest in their minerals anymore. And, they really look like they need it after the long, wet winter we've had. Coats are rough on several and some of them aren't carrying the weight I'd like to see them with. I've purchased some Replamin gel and started that protocol yesterday. We will see if I can keep up with it on a weekly basis. Some of the folks that use it don't even copper bolus anymore. I had bolused most of the goats in December so starting this now should keep them covered for copper. All but three sucked it right out of the syringe - so hoping it won't be a struggle to keep up with. It's going to be an experiment for sure.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh interesting, I've never heard of that. My goats love their minerals, but curious how it goes for you!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I went back and re-read some of the info and it looks like I need to do it 3 days in a row and then go to weekly. I've heard that once you get a good result that you can drop back the frequency a bit. We shall see...

I'm really need to concentrate on a smaller, but productive herd. I've sold 7 goats in the past couple of weeks, and of course lost one....so we're down 8 mouths right now. But, we have 10 new babies, lol. Shhhhhh - some of them won't be with us forever.

Gotta get back to butchering - I've been slacking.