NH Homesteader's journal

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh no! Really hope they show up - but I've seen hens kill chicks from another hen... I forget how far away the little buck is---isn't it a couple hours or so?

 

[NH Homesteader]

It's a little over an hour, not too bad. DH is just working weird hours this week so hard to schedule.

One of the NHs tried to go after one of the chicks the other day but mama schooled her. The rooster has been great with them. I think if anyone killed them, it was the turkey hen. My husband is holding out hope they were hiding and we'll see them in the morning. Couldn't get a hand under mama without losing a finger tonight so we'll see. That would mean they randomly hid out during dinner time and the 2 hours afterwards... Which would be odd...

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ok my husband saw the chicks this morning. Apparently they were hiding for hours last night? What the heck?

 

[tortoise]

YAY!!!

 

[Mini Horses]

GOOD, they were found. May have been under another -- don't you have a setter? Did mom take them back? These guys can really make your heart race! MOSTLY hen raised are my preference....but, it's not without it's trials.

I have two hatched groups going...both are about 6 wks along & fully feathered, etc. 2 days ago, one hen just left them on their own!! That roo just looked better, I guess. But they still go into their hut at night & get locked up. While they go out during day & forage, same area & routine, just no mom, they seem a little "lost". OK, I feel she should have stayed with them!! The other group -- which had 2 hens being mom -- had one of those leave, other stayed with them. Geesh! If 2nd mom leaves, I will collect all chicks from both groups & put into a large grow out run until they show who are roos. They are only 1 wk apart.

Another hen is setting now, 1 week into it & holding.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

WooHoo for the chicks. Maybe they sneaked under another mother. Pretty smart little chickies!

 

[NH Homesteader]

I actually might be dumb. I can't tell our Dominique hens apart. I think chickies may have been with mama somewhere and the other hen was just being weird. She's been hanging out by the turkey coop a lot.. I have no idea what she's doing. I have a Jersey that goes right in one of the hoop coops and steals food from the turkeys. They get all mad and spastic but they don't do anything about it, just look at me like uh hey... A little help?

The pigs got out today, fortunately DH had just gotten home. They went right back in for their dinner and he fixed the spot they got out. Pigs...

I'm getting my buckling tomorrow afternoon! He was tattooed and had his hooves trimmed tonight and she said he is not her biggest fan right now, lol. Hope he likes me better!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Awesome! I demand, no - that's not nice, I ask pleasantly for PICS, PICS, PICS when you get him! I have the cutest little pygmy buckling this year. He's a brown agouti, and I'm beginning to think he's "special." He's really not growing very well either - he looks like he's gonna be tiny... but he does love me! He will stop in his tracks if I reach down to scratch his withers. I love me some Chester!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Aww That's like Storm, who was supposed to be my buck from last year. He's tiny, and cuddly, and so sweet. And is now a wether. When I saw a picture of him, in the back of my head I thought he looked odd. But he was so young and I had never had baby goats before, so I reserved him. He has Rosasharn and I think Promised Land NC lines (I know my Nigie doe has both but I can't remember if he does). Brought him home thinking he was tiny. Yeah he's not even 30 lbs at a year old. He's miniscule and I feed him a ton, fecals are clean, the vet said it must be genetic because there is no environmental reason he should be so small. Grr there goes a year of breeding and a bunch of money down the toilet.

So now, this dude is from the same farm I got my 50/50 minis from and she doesn't usually sell bucks, but she agreed to sell him as a buck. So I feel better knowing he's passed the test with her! He's 75/25 Nigie/Alpine. My Nigie doe is nearly over standard height and has had 2 easy kiddings so I'll probably breed him to everyone this year then get a pure Nigie next year.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like a plan! This little guy was a hard pull during birth...maybe he lost a few brain cells. That's okay though - he doesn't have to grow up and be a brain surgeon, lol!