TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
So now you will have two little goaties sleeping on the sofa?? He is very handsome. 
SheriM - Too Stubborn to Stop Dreamin' - SURPRISE!!!
- Thread starter SheriM
- Start date
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
What a cutie!! Oh my! Nope, he wont be spoiled either.
Hi Sheri,
Your newest addition is ADORABLE! How hard is it to raise bottle baby goats? (I'm always on the lookout for something new to raise...)
Also, I lost the thread where you were looking for ways to keep your water from freezing- have you had time to think of a solution yet?
I still think about it from time to time and wonder if a small propane weedburner could melt frozen water buckets...or can you easily herd your animals a couple times a day into one pen closest to the water source? Since I don't have goats, I'm not sure about their "herding" capabilities. My llamas and minis come to me, so its easy to lead them around. That would make it easier to keep one trough melted instead of hauling water to everyone...
You've got some challenges here, but I think you will pull through...
Leanne
Your newest addition is ADORABLE! How hard is it to raise bottle baby goats? (I'm always on the lookout for something new to raise...)
Also, I lost the thread where you were looking for ways to keep your water from freezing- have you had time to think of a solution yet?
I still think about it from time to time and wonder if a small propane weedburner could melt frozen water buckets...or can you easily herd your animals a couple times a day into one pen closest to the water source? Since I don't have goats, I'm not sure about their "herding" capabilities. My llamas and minis come to me, so its easy to lead them around. That would make it easier to keep one trough melted instead of hauling water to everyone...
You've got some challenges here, but I think you will pull through...
Leanne
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
Sounds like the two new additions are settling in fine - and enjoying life with their human family!
Blackbird
Goat Whisperer
Sheri, Masai is ADORABLE!!
- Thread starter
- #76
SheriM
Lovin' The Homestead
Hi there. It's not hard at all to raise a bottle baby. Depending on the circumstances, it can be a bit of a challenge to get them onto the bottle, but once that's done, there's nothing to it at all. Most of my bottle babies never see the inside of the house. Mary was an exception, due to the time of year she was born. Most are born in the barn and stay there, even if they go on the bottle. I just take a bottle out to them and they come running.Cybercat said:
About the water, the problem isn't in keeping their troughs ice free. I have submersible heaters in all of the troughs that keep the water open. The problem is in filling the troughs. Some of them are right close to the hydrants, but I have a couple of pens that aren't and they're the ones I where have to carry water buckets over to fill the troughs.
- Thread starter
- #77
SheriM
Lovin' The Homestead
Masai is only a week old, so he was born in the warmer weather and has never been inside. He became a bottle baby because his mother has very severe mastitis. I actually bought her too, hoping I could treat her and have a good milking doe next year, but she is a total orangutan... wild as a snake and not afraid to defend herself. She actually slammed my husband in the stomach so hard she knocked him off his feet, and since then, I haven't set foot in the barn with her. I'm only 2 weeks post op and I simply can't take the chance on being hit, so unfortunately, we'll have to cull the doe. I sure wish there was another option, but ther just isn't.
Anyway, Masai is out in the barn, not in the house like Mary. We finally turned his mother out with the herd so it would be safe for me to go in to feed him and luckily, I have another doe who looks like she's ready to kid any day now, so she's in the barn to keep him company. She's a sweet old soul who puts up with him, even though he isn't hers.
Mary is now spending her days outside in the yearling pen. They do pick on her once in a while, but she's still very happy to be out there and has definitely figured out she's a goat (thank goodness!) It's still too cold out at night to leave her outside full time, but if this blasted weather ever straightens up, she'll be out there to stay.
Anyway, Masai is out in the barn, not in the house like Mary. We finally turned his mother out with the herd so it would be safe for me to go in to feed him and luckily, I have another doe who looks like she's ready to kid any day now, so she's in the barn to keep him company. She's a sweet old soul who puts up with him, even though he isn't hers.
Mary is now spending her days outside in the yearling pen. They do pick on her once in a while, but she's still very happy to be out there and has definitely figured out she's a goat (thank goodness!) It's still too cold out at night to leave her outside full time, but if this blasted weather ever straightens up, she'll be out there to stay.
- Thread starter
- #78
SheriM
Lovin' The Homestead
The doe I thought was so close to kidding hasn't got down to business yet but, wow, is she a sweetheart. I said in an earlier post that she was putting up with Masai being in the barn with her, but this morning, she was actually letting him cuddle up to her. I went to give him his morning bottle and he popped up from between her and the wall, just the way he used to do with his mother. What a girl!!
- Thread starter
- #79
SheriM
Lovin' The Homestead
Since shortly after moving to Saskatchewan, our only vehicle has been a Ddoge 1/2 ton 4x4 extra cab long box. Great truck for farm work, but what a pain in the neck for just running around in. Anybody remember that song "Gimme 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around"?
So I have been diligently putting away the money from selling the puppies and I finally had enough to start shopping around. I wanted a mini-van, since there's enough cargo space to make it more useful but on the other hand, a small car would be even easier on gas. Also, a car would cost less and maybe I'd have some money left over to finally get a round baler for this year's hay crop.
So, I looked at a few cars but they were all basically garbage, beat up and not worth having at any price. After some soul searching and some deep consultation with the budget, I started looking at vans again. To make a long story short, I am now the proud owner of a 1991 Chevy Lumina van. Here in Sask. this thing would be old enough to drink, but it's in good shape and hopefully it will do me well for a few years at least.
So I have been diligently putting away the money from selling the puppies and I finally had enough to start shopping around. I wanted a mini-van, since there's enough cargo space to make it more useful but on the other hand, a small car would be even easier on gas. Also, a car would cost less and maybe I'd have some money left over to finally get a round baler for this year's hay crop.
So, I looked at a few cars but they were all basically garbage, beat up and not worth having at any price. After some soul searching and some deep consultation with the budget, I started looking at vans again. To make a long story short, I am now the proud owner of a 1991 Chevy Lumina van. Here in Sask. this thing would be old enough to drink, but it's in good shape and hopefully it will do me well for a few years at least.
- Thread starter
- #80
SheriM
Lovin' The Homestead
Mary is now officially a GOAT!! She is now living in the barn full time with Masai and Breeze, the doe I thought was close to kidding. Looks like I was wrong about Breeze, but I think she's enjoying being in there where she doesn't have to compete for the grub and she doesn't seem to mind babysitting, so it's working out great.
She is now living in the barn full time with Masai and Breeze, the doe I thought was close to kidding. Looks like I was wrong about Breeze, but I think she's enjoying being in there where she doesn't have to compete for the grub and she doesn't seem to mind babysitting, so it's working out great.
