NH Homesteader's journal

[NH Homesteader]

I've never eaten chicken and dumplings. I don't even know what it is, really lol

So, hooves done, CDT done, Ivermectin done (thought the mites were gone but they seem to not be, so I gave in and got injectable Ivermectin. That was fun). Moved them to a clean pen and house. Expanded the pig pen. DH made venison for dinner.

Tomorrow I'll start digging for the pig butchering, uh, stuff lol. It's supposed to get up to 78!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh man -- you haven't LIVED til you've had some really good chicken 'n dumplings! It's basically a chicken soup, but on steroids, lol! Lemme see if I can find a suitable recipe online.

This one is similar to the one I make. It's my son's favorite meal in the whole wide world!

http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-and-dumplings-72963

I put a little poultry seasoning into the dumpling mix. I love the 'drop' style dumplings. They are a moist on the outside because you cook 'em in the broth, but they're like a biscuit inside. And, I will thicken the broth with a cornstarch or flour slurry - even though the dumplings will thicken it a bit.

You'll find a lot of recipes for dumpling dough that is rolled out - not my fave!

I WILL be making some this weekend now - because once you get a 'hankering' for 'it - nothing else will do!

Sounds like you had a busy day too! I generally just dust with Co-ral for live/mites. But the Ivo should do the job for you!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Hmm I may have to try that! It looks yummy!

For some reason I had in my head that the Co-ral only worked for lice. I guess I remembered that wrong! I have permethrin spray stuff that works great on lice, not so great on mites. Dang bugs. One of my does had pretty light eyelids so hopefully this will do the trick.

My little wether, who hasn't grown right, is finally big enough to fit in the stanchion (I always held him before). He kicked his little foot so hard when DH was trying to trim, his whole rear end and other foot were flying up in the air! Lol! Apparently he prefers it when I hold him!

Oh and the pigs are so excited about their enlarged pen (which hadn't been rooted up yet, bonus!). It was really cute watching them!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh crap - my bad. I saw mites, but I thought lice. Ivo ought to take care of it for ya. I hate bugs too.

Silly little goat, lol.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Redo again in 10 days right? And I'm putting plenty of DE on their bedding.

Well it looks like the doe I'm waiting on is also familiar with the doe code. Still waiting! There are plenty of Nigie bucklings to choose from if my mini isn't born, so I'm not super stressed about it. I need a buck and I like her animals so I'll definitely be getting someone from her. And if a mini alpine doeling (50/50) is born (due end of May), I might get one of those too. Then I'll be good on goats, other than getting a second buck next year, for a while.

My friends in TN just got goats, two little Pygmy/Nigie crosses. They're psyched, they love them. I'm kind of like.... Trying not to be a jerk but if we move down and stay at their place for a while, now I have to find a nice way to ask them if theirs are tested and make sure they haven't contaminated (with coccidia, orf, whatever) the ground my goats might be on. Not a big deal, just something I have to consider.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'd re-do for sure in a week to 10 days. I don't have experience with mites... However, I can kill me some lice, lol!

Maybe once you get to TN you can have a totally separate area for your animals - with a good bit of distance away from theirs?

However, it would be nice if theirs were tested and clean and you didn't have to worry about it. Maybe you can start slipping them some info - at least about coccidia treatments and parasite control.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yeah I'm trying to slowly feed info so I don't sound like a know it all! I would separate them for sure, theirs have horns too and other than my wether (who has one horn, one scur, bad disbudding job), mine do not.

Spent a few hours cleaning up the yard, and hanging out with the goats. Now sitting down for a minute before lunch. In the 70's and sunny today!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

In the 70's and sunny today!

Enjoy! We're cloudy and cruddy today - supposed to rain later. I'm not going to complain because the garden needs a nice watering. BUT - it needs to stop before it gets out of hand!

 

[NH Homesteader]

We might have rain tonight. Going to be much cooler the rest of the week. Aiming for Thursday for the piggie. DH is working on his hanging setup now.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ugh - hope the rain misses you! Hope you can get pigster to his new home! (in the freezer)