NH Homesteader's journal

[Mini Horses]

My AGHs were so cute in winter. I threw hay in their pen and they carried it into their little houses for bedding. Of course, I knew they would and provided a lot of good eating PLUS some less tasty but there for bedding. Threw a couple pads in each house, then some outside and they decorated to suit themselves.

The places they dug and filled/covered with straw and brush for the piglets was something else! Very good moms and smart.

 

[NH Homesteader]

They (well, previous pigs we've wintered) tend to keep it packed down fairly well, and DH shovels paths if he needs to. We can always run hot wire across the top if needed, they're good with electricity.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We can always run hot wire across the top if needed, they're good with electricity.

I can't believe I resisted using hot wire for so long. It's so easy and so, so effective!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

How's school going? DD loving it?

 

[sumi]

Hope all is well by you...

 

[NH Homesteader]

We haven't started school yet, we had a gazillion appointments and things this week I forgot about so we'll start next week!
Stanley got out twice and got into my tomatoes. I was SO angry! DH fixed the fence, no more escapes
DH is going to talk to his dad about a job this weekend... Could mean really good things for us...

The leaves are starting to turn! I love fall!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Uh oh - Stanley better watch out. Getting into tomatoes is baaaaad behavior!

Hope, hope, hope DH's talk with his dad turns out really well!

Hoping we're on the downhill slope towards fall - but still pretty brutal heat hanging around.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Well, I hate to say it but the GG's have not kicked the parasites. I'm ordering some cydectin and if that doesn't work, I don't know. I'm not feeling it right now. All I've wanted for a long time is to be a goat farmer, and right now, I just don't. I miss having two pet goats sometimes. I feel like half the reason I'm doing this is because I have too much time and money invested and I feel guilty if I don't. But I also feel like the darn goats are taking away from my time and energy for my human kids. Though I do want to be as self sufficient as possible and think it's better for my children to have farm fresh milk.

Sorry for the downer post, lol. I'm just having a bad day I think. Sigh.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I feel your pain... and really hope the Cydectin will work for you. The only way I got any relief when we were so wet and the goats were looking horrible was to worm every 10 days for a month which actually works out to be 4 wormings each 10 days apart. That's the only thing that helped us turn the corner when things were at their worst.

Is it barberpole?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yes it's barberpole and coccidia. Well, it was. I didn't redo a fecal yet, but I can tell they're still struggling because their eyes are paler. I used ivermectin 4 times, 10 days apart. And I've been using Toltrazuril every 3 weeks, so I'm not worried about the coccidia. Lucy has clumpy poop again and is looking hay bellied. I'm just so sick of it. Ordering cydectin asap, these goats are costing me a fortune!

Thinking of some triple purpose sheep... There are a lot of fantastic breeders focusing on parasite resistance around me. It's sheep country and I'm starting to feel the same.