NH Homesteader's journal

[NH Homesteader]

My (estranged) grandmother passed away this morning. She's been saying she's dying since she was 30. Today she fell in the kitchen and died. My grandfathers is grossly incapable of caring for himself so I have no idea what will become of him.

My husband's (also estranged) grandmother died last weekend. Strange.

 

[NH Homesteader]

So I've been keeping track of the feed bill the past few months and this month it's rather depressing, lol. My barrow needs to go! I have plenty of freezer space!

I've been thinking today about plans for my goat herd and how much milk I'll need, etc. I'm planning, as of right now, to keep my Nigie as my coffee creamer/soap milker. Then I have my two minis who will be bred this fall. I want one full size alpine doeling next spring and that's actually going to be more than enough milk. I'll get a buck this summer and another one next year and be good until someone ages out (my Nigie is my oldest at 3 years old). I don't see why I need to milk more than 4 does for just us and selling a little soap.

Remind me of this when I find more adorable goats, please!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Wow - crazy about all the grandparents...

My feed bill went waaaay down by selling the baby pigs and getting rid of the boar. I've got them all turned out to pasture now and barely toss any feed out for them. I just can't stand it when they're standing at the gate squealing though - I'm a softie and have to give them a little something, lol.

I've never made soap. It's on the 'someday' list though...

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh gosh I need my feed bill to go down! My barrow eats as much as my 2 gilts combined so that will help! And I'll put the goats back to eating brush when it gets hot enough for the ticks to calm down so they'll hardly eat any hay.

FEM, how much grain do you feed growing kinders? They're similar to the buckling I'm getting and with my Nigie being stunted (not dietary but still), I'm nervous about making sure I feed enough!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

FEM, how much grain do you feed growing kinders

Oh boy...That's a good question. I've always got so many goats together that I couldn't even tell you. I do have a Nigi buck and his son who is 1/2 Nigi, 1/4 pygmy and 1/4 Nubian in a pen together. Neither of those guys are as big as my 'real' Kinders, but their size could approximate a 'growing' Kinder. Those two get a scoop of grain mixed w/chaffhaye twice a day to share. The scoop holds around 4 cups I think...I'll check when I go feed later. They are in a pen with no grazing so they have a hay rack that gets filled every day also. They are maintaining their weight very well on that.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Cool thanks! This guy might be closer to their size anyway. I've heard so much "no grain for bucks!" I'm trying to recover lol

 

[frustratedearthmother]

If I had a place where my bucks could browse I'd love to NOT feed them grain. But confined to a pen - I think they need something more than just hay. My bucks lose condition without it - especially the Nubian!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Mine will be able to eat brush to their hearts' content this summer and fall. Then they'll be in a pen for the winter. Unless we move. Then I think they have brush they want cleared down there too.

 

[baymule]

Hey in case you were all worried it might be spring up here- it's currently.... Snowing again.

All I got to say is.....MOVE!

 

[sumi]

I'm with baymule here… MOVE!