Hen23's Journal~Goodbye

[Henrietta23]

Found some pictures of Oberhasli/Saanen crosses. Don't know anything about the farm. I was just looking for images out of curiosity. That, and I'm still waiting to hear from the vet about when we can go see his kids. Here's the link. You'll have to scroll down a bit and read descriptions.
http://hymnotesfarm.wordpress.com/

 

[Henrietta23]

Need to assemble a goat care kit. Is there a sticky anywhere here or BYH that anyone knows of?

 

[freemotion]

Hmmm, seems like you posted the list about three posts back!!

Milking is easy!!! Really!!!! (Bwahaahaahaahaa!!!!)

 

[Henrietta23]

Hmmm, seems like you posted the list about three posts back!!

Milking is easy!!! Really!!!! (Bwahaahaahaahaa!!!!)

Maybe that's why I'm not finding the sticky....
Just as we were leaving to go price fencing the vet called so I finally got to speak to him directly. He has promised on set of twins to another vet friend. Rats. That means he has a doeling and her twin brother left. He did say he will castrate the buckling. He wants $50 for each goat. He will do routine care for me too! He will teach me how to trim hooves. That Nubian is sounding like a possibility...
seriously, how loud is a Nubian? Can I put her with a doeling? I don't have room for two goat pens and shelters. I can't believe you have me seriously thinking about this. :/
So, hoof trimming tool, milk pan,
uh oh DH is going to have to build a milking stand sooner than he thought. Maybe. Can't breath again.
What kind of fence posts do we want if we're going to run one electric wire at the top (I'm clueless about electric fence. DH can do it, but never has) Ugh, so much to figure out. I can't believe this is really happening.

 

[freemotion]

Fencing depends on your property and your neighborhood.... I used t-posts from TSC and the little clips that come with the Red Brand horse fencing, then the clips for the electric tape and wire (used both....tape is visible, great for horses, wire is almost invisible, so you need to do more training of the animals so they don't run through it....but it might look better to you.)

I used wood board fencing for the line of fence that shows from my house, and lined it with the wire horse fencing and topped it with electric.

If your pen is big enough for the doeling to get away, they should be fine together. Mya is a bonkin' goat, with horns, and I hung an old door (you could use something that looks nicer!) in the middle of the communal stall (about 12x 10') so that Mya won't always be looking at the others and running them out in the cold and rain. They sometimes get chased around or under the door, but it works very well. It is on heavy cords, so it swings and they can go under it. They discovered that they can scratch their backs on it and go under it even without being chased.

A milking stand is EASY.

You can milk into quart canning jars or a stainless steel pan or bowl, no need to buy anything special. You can filter with a funnel lined with guaze or with a wire coffee filter and a funnel. I make my own udder wash/teat dip with Clorox and water. You will want to have a few gallon jars to store milk in until you get to it or if you get overwhelmed when life is.....life.

You will need:

2 two gallon water buckets
2 square, over-the-fence feed pans
a milking stand (maybe now, maybe next year)
a hay rack or two...check out my simple ones on byh http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3755

A couple of bags of shavings and a bale or two of straw, if you like.
A couple of bales of hay, preferably alfalfa mix for the lactating doe.

Whatever they are used to eating until you decide how you want to feed them. You might even buy a bale of hay from each owner, so the goat has what they are used to for a few days/weeks. Use a lawn-and-leaf size bag over each end of the bale to transport it in a car.

I think that will get you started!

ETA: Oh, and a mineral feeder that screws into the wall, and a bag of goat minerals to feed free choice. I think that is it......

 

[Henrietta23]

Not bad at all. Just trying to put up a fence during baseball season is a little nuts time-wise.
I'll have DH see if there's a student who needs a wood working project! We can pay for the materials and the student will get credit. Again, he can do it but it's the time that gets tight. But I'm putting the goat before the horse. We don't even know if your farmer's nubian doe is available and if I can afford her and if I can get her down here. There I go rambling again.
TSC is 1.7 miles from my house. I'm going to be even more glad of that soon I think.
Our priest installed electric fence for his wife's sheep so we do have local help.
I found a source of hay in the paper tonight, $6 a bale. Is that reasonable? The ad says they have both alfalfa and clover.
We do have a truck for hauling stuff like that but I've been known to bring home straw bales in my '94 Volvo wagon! I suppose I could even transport a small goat back there. Or two.
It's official. It's going to happen. I BOUGHT the Storey's Guide! I've only borrowed it from the library before.
You don't happen to have pictures of your door do you?
I'm not sure how big the pen will be, but not huge.

 

[freemotion]

I'm sure Paul still has them, he had three lactating does when he e-mailed a few hours ago. He doesn't check his e-mail often, and I have no idea if I still have his phone number...I doubt it. That was over a year ago when I got Ginger. I e-mailed him again. I hope his spotty doe is one of the lactating ones. If so, she will be an absolute love and is gorgeous, too.

I brought Mya and Ginger (separate trips) home in the back seat of my Hyundai Sonata!!! Lined with tarps, and with a piece of plywood behind the seat backs so I wouldn't have a goat in my lap on the highway! Mya was in the car for 6-7 hours...we hit major traffic. I was in tears within the first hour! She was so frail it was frightening.

Paul is located in Charlemont, near the plaza of the same name on the Mass Pike. Probably closer to you than to me, actually!

 

[Henrietta23]

Not sure about that. GoogleMaps sends me up 91N and says almost 2 hours.
Poor goaties! We have a dog barrier in the Volvo to keep the GR from climbing in our laps while driving. Should keep goats in back too. That should get some fun looks!

 

[freemotion]

Just got back from a quick trip to drop off eggs to the folks and borrow dad's car for tomorrow....and on the way over, I realized I typed in the wrong town...it is Charlton, between exits 9 and 10 on the Mass Pike. Google it again and see what it gives ya!

 

[freemotion]

Oh, and fun looks..... Stop lights! When a sleeping goat lifts it's head and looks out the window at the car in the next lane...the looks on the faces are priceless!!!!