JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?

[justusnak]

A friend of mine has full size milk goats. She and I trade milk for eggs...when I told her about my goat babies...she offered to come over and teach me the milking thing. She said..." you are going to need a workbench, about waist high, and a bucket to sit on"
She is just so small....I cant even think she wouls give more than a half of a cup a day. LOL I dont know..I might give it a try. I sure love my goats milk, but I guess I will have to seperate the buck, right?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

awwwwwww!! they are so cute!!!!

I wish E would get off his "no goats" kick.

 

[ksalvagno]

Congratulations on getting the pygmies. They are cute. The male will need to be separated. I don't know if you will plan to continue breeding them but males pee all over themselves and get stinky. So you can't keep him in with the female if you want to milk her. You could have him neutered but since he was breeding, that may not stop the peeing.

 

[justusnak]

Congratulations on getting the pygmies. They are cute. The male will need to be separated. I don't know if you will plan to continue breeding them but males pee all over themselves and get stinky. So you can't keep him in with the female if you want to milk her. You could have him neutered but since he was breeding, that may not stop the peeing.

Thanks...thats what I was thinking..I will have to seperate them. Hmmm, time to come up with a plan. If I seperate them wont they get lonely? I can put thier fencing next to each other...maybe put my ram in with the buck and my doe with my Ewes? They would be shareing a fence...would this work??

 

[ksalvagno]

It is best if they have a buddy. People do put their sheep and goats in together. You just have to feed the goats separately and find a way for the goats to get their minerals without the sheep getting them. Goats need extra copper.

If you keep the other goats and can create 2 areas, then your problem is solved.

 

[freemotion]

You could keep the wethers to keep your buck company....

 

[lorihadams]

I have goat envy.......I'm still waiting for mine to be born already.....I keep checking cornerstone farm's website to see if anyone of my mommy's have given me babies yet.....I have deposits down dangit......I need the cuteness already!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I have goat envy.......I'm still waiting for mine to be born already.....I keep checking cornerstone farm's website to see if anyone of my mommy's have given me babies yet.....I have deposits down dangit......I need the cuteness already!

So you are going to be a new goat mommy too? I am also waiting for mine to be born.

 

[justusnak]

18 MARCH 10
What a beautifull day it was!!! I opened the chicken coops big doors...and all the windows...and aired it out! Whew!! They were all so happy...I got 10 eggs today! Woohoo! I have an extra pen sitting empty now that used to be for the ducks. Well, all duck owners know...its nothing but mud in there. So, I cleaned it up and spread grass seed. Sure hope it grows back! I closed the gate so no chickens or ducks can get to the seed. Then I seeded another area, where I raised meaties 2 years ago, and cant seem to get the grass to grow. Fenced it off as well. Then I moved to the goat pen. Hmmm, Casper is a fence climber. Bad goat, no treats! LOL Had to put in a few more supports to tighten the fence back up. I will be looking at electric for the fence soon. As I was in the pen with the goats...Bambam was standing on the concrete slab makeing the cutest little noises at me. So I walked over to him to talk back...Oh, I wont touch him, he is intact, and smelly! Then, it happened. He was peeing out the side...then he turned his head into the pee...getting it all over his face...then turned to me with googlie eyes. Ohhhhh no!!! Yup, he was chaseing me through the pen...me yelling.. " Back off you stinky buck" or something like that! LOL I was able to get a stick, and he backed off. Whew! However, while I was fixing the fence, he came up behind me and rubbed his head all down my leg. Yup, he is getting his OWN pen soon!! I then turned my attentions to a "playground" for the goats. I had a few medium sized crates hubby brought home, and thought it would make a great climbing area for them. I tossed the crates over the fence, and Casper jumped IN one. I wasn't fast enough with the camera, but it was sooo cute him standing IN the crate his legs all bunched together. I got the crate turned over, and nailed a plank between them, makeing a bridge. They were on it before I even finished! Hopeing tomorrow I can get a few tires in there, burried half way in the ground, for more climbing....and a seesaw. I just loved watching them play king of the hill. LOL
Pebbles will soon have her own area as well. Once the bigger boys are gone, Pebbles will have the stall in the barn, Bambam will have a smallish "shed" in his own pen. I want her in the barn where I can watch her when she kidds, and stinky outside!!
My Nelly is getting closer to lambing. I was able to get her belly and inner thighs trimmed..but there was no way I could do her hooves, alone. I will be looking to get some help on that, as well as getting them sheared. I will be calling the 4H head advisor and see who she recommends.
Tomorrow is supposed to be nice as well...but we have to go get the taxes done. Boo hiss! Wonder how much uncle sam will stick us with this year? Just hopeing we have enough to cover it all. :/
MAYBE we will get lucky, with putting in the septic, and new gutters our tax break will save us? Being that we have no dependants now...we usually pay.
Hopeing to get the pine shaveings to clean the coops tomorrow afternoon. It takes 8 bags..and LOTS of scooping! I did the deep litter method all fall and winter...so there are about 3 or 4 truckloads to be scooped out. Ohhh, but all that for the garden.. If I get it on there now, it should be OK to plant in a few weeks.
Come on planting season! Im ready!!!!

 

[justusnak]

19 March 10

The last few days have been just beautifull weather wise. Sunny, "warm" and a nice breeze.
Then, the weatherman said that four letter S word...How DARE HE!??? Im hopeing he is wrong, and its just a little rain.
Today...we got the taxes done...and, I was pleasantly surprised. We had figured we would owe about $1,500. :/ After the rebate we got from federal...and oweing state...and paying the preparer....we came out $75 ahead!!
We celebrated with a burger from burger king.
When we got home I finished hanging laundry...then headed back to town for pine shaveings. We didnt have time to stop and get it while we were there, hubby had to get to work. So, I bought 6 bags of pine, and a goat mineral block. Tossed it over the fence and they were on it like flies on soda! The little buck makes the cutest grunting sounds, trying to keep everyone away from "his block" LOL
Then I headed to the large coop. There are 4 pens all about 5 x 8. I have been doing the deep litter all winter...so there was literally tons of bedding to be shoveled out. I was able to get 3 of the 4 pens done...before I had to stop. My elbows were giving out on me, as well as my back. Slow and easy...slow and easy. Cleaned all the feeders and waterers....and nest boxes. Whew! im pooped! I came in and had a bowl of cereal for dinner. Drank some coffee....then back out to get the coops locked up, and chase the ducks in. That crazy drake...he runs from me, but when I turn my back, he chases me! LOL Then when I stop and turn, he runs away...silly duck! Oh, and my blue slate turkey started laying today! Woohoo!!! Wont be long now, I will have turkey poults. I just love baby turkeys..so cute...so stupid..but cute! Came back in...got another cup of coffee, and decided to settle in for the night. It was already dark then I realised...I left the laundry on the line. UGH! So, get the shoes on, and back out I go. OK..laundry is in, chickens ducks and turkeys locked in...goats and sheep in the barn...cats out...dogs sleeping...Whew, I can relax....after I clean the kitchen, change the sheets on the bed, and get my shower. :/ I swear...I WILL relax tonight...in a minute.