# Margali's Griffin Wood Ranch



## Margali (Jul 6, 2021)

Starting this journal to document progress of our ranch from 12.9 acres of raw land to a productive business.

The name comes from family heraldry of Griffin with a wooded property. Ranch because we will focus on livestock and orchard.
*YEAR ZERO*
*Year Zero Goals* __________ Pasture Planning __________ *LAND IS OURS!*
Week 1___________Week 2__________Week 3
*Goodbye Uncle Chuck*
Week 5__________Week 6__________Week 8 __________ *House Has Landed*
Week 9__________Week 10__________Week 12 __________ *10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY*
Week 14: Move-In Day!__________*Week 16: SHEEP!!* __________ Happy Holidays!
Week 19: Electric Fence__________Week 21: Exploring the Acreage

*YEAR 1
BABY SHEEP!!!__________Bruno Farm Dog*
Remnants of Days Gone By__________Family Fun & More Critters__________Water Everywhere
*Year 1 Goals __________ **BlueStem Ewe* __________ Bees, Please __________ New Tools


----------



## Baymule (Jul 6, 2021)

And so it begins! As you document your progress and look back later to see where you started and where you have got to, it will bring immense satisfaction. Take lots of pictures, before, after and during. You and your husband are giving your children a precious gift-room to roam and play, animals to care for and build responsibility. Awesome.


----------



## Margali (Jul 6, 2021)

Year Zero Goals
- get utilities onsite ASAP
- get driveway culvert and RV parking slot set up ASAP
- get apiary online before New Years for ag valuation
- figure out where future house and shop will be
- figure out pasture layout

Anyone feel tired yet? Can't wait till we close on 23rd.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 7, 2021)

Ooh!  Oh! Bees!!!!!


----------



## Margali (Jul 7, 2021)

Here are some pictures. I recognize mesquite and hedge apple/ osage orange.



 The pond or marsh has ducks and a heron. If it's under 2 feet deep can you call it a pond?


 The loafing shed is decent sized but need new roof beams. 

And THIS is why the tenant blew a fuse about property being sold. He lost his gun range.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 7, 2021)

The gun range..... is that a fallen apart building?  Or just wood tossed up as a target?

Looks like a great place!


----------



## Baymule (Jul 7, 2021)

Too bad for the tenant. But HOORAY for you! Osage orange to you, known as Bois de Arc here, pronunciation slangerized to Bo-dark. Lol

You can probably salvage the tin on the loafing shed. Just done roof pitch on the holes and it won’t leak. Drop a roofing tack in the hole first. That’s a trick my grandpa taught me.


----------



## Margali (Jul 7, 2021)

Alaskan said:


> The gun range..... is that a fallen apart building?


It's one layer of tin and plywood in front of 4 acres till next lot line.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 7, 2021)

That’s not much to stop a bullet. And 4 acres behind it it isn’t far enough. What is behind your property?


----------



## Margali (Jul 7, 2021)

A street of houses! Shear, dumb luck not hurt anyone in the past. 😡 Blue is property lines, red is the backstop.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 7, 2021)

Baymule said:


> That’s not much to stop a bullet. And 4 acres behind it it isn’t far enough. What is behind your property?


All true... you want to set up the stop so your bullets go into dirt.


----------



## Margali (Jul 8, 2021)

This is my rough idea for pasture layouts. Each field is 1 - 1.5 acres for 10acres total. The woods are 2.9 acres. The ground was really soft close to pond so using the existing "roads" as I can. Green is future house and barn. Orange are gates.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 8, 2021)

I shudder at the cost of double fencing....

That arial photo you are using is a topographic map....  do you have a soils map?


----------



## Margali (Jul 8, 2021)

There is one length of double fencing besides the driveway. I'll have to see if I can figure out different way. Is 1- 1.5acre a decent size paddock?

The soil is loamy clay per Johnson County Soil Survey. I will have actual survey soon with septic install and also my own digging.


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 8, 2021)

Might need to go through the area where the range was multiple times with magnets and see if you can remove the spent ammo. Dunno if they were using actual lead or not, but if they were, it's not something you want critters to be ingesting or have it contaminate anything you might eat.

Congratulations on the property!


----------



## Margali (Jul 8, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Might need to go through the area where the range was multiple times with magnets and see if you can remove the spent ammo.


😡 Good point. Should seller have disclosed private gun range in documents? We didn't get over there til husband looked with surveyors.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 8, 2021)

Pasture on left bottom corner looks to have a gate right at the road. That makes it accessible to people on the road. I suppose the small green square is the barn? It needs to be where you can drive to it to unload feed or hay.

The lane you have laid out connects almost all your pastures. Make it wide enough for a tractor and put 16’ gates opening to the lane. Swing room for the tractor, you might need to mow pastures.


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 8, 2021)

Margali said:


> 😡 Good point. Should seller have disclosed private gun range in documents? We didn't get over there til husband looked with surveyors.


Dunno if that is something required to be disclosed, your realtor should know. Would that knowledge have changed your offer or inspection requests? If not, then it's probably fine, if yes, talk to your realtor about options, but if you want the property anyway there might not be anything you can do.


----------



## Margali (Jul 8, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Pasture on left bottom corner looks to have a gate right at the road. That makes it accessible to people on the road. I suppose the small green square is the barn?


The pasture on bottom left has current gate. It's a 8ft wide gate with huge tree limb limitting clearance to about 9ft. We are installing a 30ft wide culvert and new gate on north side of the tree. The 8ft gate will eventually get reused elsewhere and hole in fenceline patched. Until then it will be padlocked.

The small green square is loafing shed/barn. The  big green square is kid safe yard and house. It may get moved closer to road. We need to confirm if we get 400ft or 300ft free wire with power pole install.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 8, 2021)

Usually the extension office will have soil maps of the area....

Each area on the map will be marked to show what soil type it is.

Then there will be a key that says the general potential animal units for that soil type when kept in native vegetation.

The key will also list the best native types of plants that will be found there.

You can then go out and match up what you have growing,  with what the key said you could have.

After doing that...  you sit down and pencil out which areas of your property can hold how many animal units...

Now... it could be that your property is uniform,  all the same, and just the front half was cleared of trees and the back wasn't.   Or it could be that you have 2 soil types, front half and then the wooded section.

Or...  you could have even more than 2 kinds.

The reason to figure that all out first....  is you might have one corner that has bad or very shallow soil that will never grow much grass, and a different section that is awesome.  So....  the bad corner might need 5 acres for an animal unit, and the really good area might only need 1 acre for an animal unit.

That is all more info for you,  as you decide how big each pasture should be.

It is nice if a sacrificial area with some kind of shelter and water can be in the middle, and then all pastures come off of that.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 9, 2021)

I would put the house closer to the road, barn behind the house with access to all pastures.. with all the cut up pastures, you will be hauling a lot of water or laying out a lot of pipe. Use the loafing shed as a pasture for weaning lambs. Build a new and better barn more laid out to what you need. You could use it to start with, keeping the master plan as a goal.

Barn behind the house, access to all pastures. Feed, hay and water at the barn, lock them up for the night.

You could lay out the front pastures in a sun ray pattern, on sides and behind barn with a lane down the middle. Keep in mind truck and trailer access!

Your place is the perfect shape for ease of layout and livestock movement.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Barn behind the house, access to all pastures. Feed, hay and water at the barn, lock them up for the night.


Always nice when you can lock them up at night... especially when there are kids.

X2 on all Baymule said.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 9, 2021)

Alaskan said:


> Always nice when you can lock them up at night... especially when there are kids.
> 
> X2 on all Baymule said.


Kid goats or kid children?


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Kid goats or kid children?


Both!


----------



## Margali (Jul 9, 2021)

Is this closer? Yellow is the free $300ft of electric. Blue with green shading future house, blue is RV/tiny house, green barns.

Having a little trouble visualizing how to go around pond.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 9, 2021)

I think you are getting a better free flow of movement. The back fences now go all the way to the back property line. From experience, if it floods, leaves, sticks and other debris will pile up against the fence and knock it down. Cut the back pastures short, more out of the flood plain, keep the very back fenced on barbed wire for flow of flood waters. You can always pasture a steer in it with a gate left open to a higher pasture for shelter, hay, feed and water.

Not here, but I’ve been over waist deep in flood waters with a leg woven through barbed wire strands to keep from washing away, to loop a rope over a post to keep fence from being totally washed away.

Our house is the free 300’ from the road, if that gives you a better perspective.

You saw how big our yard is. Truck and trailer room, can’t stress it enough. Trailers and tractor parked on other side of the portable building and sheep barn. Need room to pull forward and back trailers in. If you keep to a lane to your house, plan for a tractor and trailer shed behind the house, close to the barn or added on the end of the barn, with ALL WEATHER access. The reason ours are up front, right off the driveway is because the sand gets so soft and deep on the pipeline and around the horse barn, the truck would bury up and get stuck. It would be like trying to drive a truck and trailer over sand dunes.


----------



## Mini Horses (Jul 9, 2021)

Always fun to plan....then see what you end up with!   😁   I lived in a tiny trailer while I built here.  Sure was glad to get house to point of running water and AC!!  Inside wasn't finished but exterior was at that point.  Did a lot of own work, so appreciated those amenities while I finished.

When checking soil types. ask about any restrictions it might carry.   Here in VA there are some soil types and water holding areas that have conditions relating to water shed issues.  Those may be related to use, digging or not, ability to manage that area.  My not be so where you are.  I once had a farm that made me drive posts, couldn't dig.  Talk about $.  An overflow flood area and geesh.....in 30 yrs only once did it "flood".….8-10" but about 3 acres.  We did know before buying.  No pigs allowed on it, for obvious reasons.    Plus at rear of otherwise great 50 ac farm.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

Margali said:


> Is this closer? Yellow is the free $300ft of electric. Blue with green shading future house, blue is RV/tiny house, green barns.
> 
> Having a little trouble visualizing hoe to go around pond.
> View attachment 86734


Post an arial picture with zero lines so I can play with it.


----------



## Margali (Jul 9, 2021)

Alaskan said:


> Post an arial picture with zero lines so I can play with it.


Here you go.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

Margali said:


> Here you go.View attachment 86739


Hummmmm...

So the pond... 
What is the biggest it gets in a flood?


----------



## Margali (Jul 9, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> When checking soil types. ask about any restrictions it might carry.   Here in VA there are some soil types and water holding areas that have conditions relating to water shed issues.


The soil allows septic system and is type listed as good for pasturage in the soil survey. 

The creek in parcel east of me floods, not my pond. The wooded area is 100yr regulated flood plain. I can install and maintain under 50% solid fences and temporary shelters in the flood zone. Zone X requires 3ft elevation to put permanent structure in.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

do you want to keep the goats out of the pond? or use it as a water source?


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

I know some people really like a corridor through the property.

I was never raised with one of those, and have no experience with that.

As a kid my grandparents, uncle and great uncle had cattle ranches, and they didn't use corridors.

Up here in Alaska I have way less acreage and haven't ever used one either.   (not saying that they are bad... just I am not familiar with them)

So.... as a kid in a huge pasture we would drive the truck through while honking the horn... then open the gate to the pasture that we wanted to move the cattle to, drive the truck into the new pasture.  Then honk the horn a few more times.  Take the range cubes out and pour a few lines of cubes on the ground and get into the truck bed before the herd showed up.  Stand in the bed and count the cattle.  Get back in the truck, turn around, drive out and close the gate.

To load up cattle you would open all of the gates to the small paddock that was next to the barn and cattle chute.  Do the same thing as above.  Once the cattle were all locked into the small paddock and the truck out, you could start moving the cattle through the different smaller sorting pens, then into the loading chute.

With the cattle in the small pastures closer to the house (so they were close enough that they could hear my grandfather yell for them), we could move them with my granddad walking first shaking a bucket of cubes, and I would trail in the back making sure no one was lagging behind.  Even as a tiny kid, since I was new (I only helped out in the summers), they were scared of me, so would easily move away.  They were all well trained to come when called, both by truck horn and my grandpas voice, and the shake of the feed bucket.

Back then as a kid my family had the cattle, a few horses, but no goats.  The horses were always kept in the pastures around the house and would come when called.

As a grown-up, I have had milk goats and some horses, and we had no need for sorting pens or a loading ramp. 

My baby sister is now on part of the old homestead and has a herd of goats.  She keeps thinking about sorting pens and a loading ramp but so far makes do without.

If you want a little herd of brush goats, you might really appreciate a set of sorting pens and a loading ramp, just depends on what kind of animals you have as well as how many.

Anyway....  I set up a picture for you....

This one is my fantasy if I had that property:

The idea of building anything where it might get messed up by flooding ....  disturbs me...  so all buildings are in the "safe" area.

Yellow is the roads, I tried to follow the existing roads as much as possible, roads get spendy quick.
The barn is the big red rectangle with a road that goes through it.  Orange is gates.

With the barn I THINK I made the turn out of the barn soft enough to easily make with a truck and trailer...  but that should be looked at super carefully and make sure that the turn is easy enough.

The big house is the big blue rectangle with a small screened walkway connecting it directly to the barn... my kind of heaven.

Tiny blue below is the existing dilapidated run-in.  Blue rectangle in the top left corner is tiny house or RV.

So... I set it up so:

6. is sacrificial area so you don't have to worry about losing goats when the UPS guy shows up.  Also, This way this pasture can stay way brushier and block the view of the road and help you feel more private.

1. is All by itself so that if you want later on you can make that a rental, with the RV or cabin or tiny house, whatever.

7. is the house and garden and chicken coop and such all in a goat free zone.  So, there is a nice sized parking pad at the house, and of course guest parking can all be in section 6.

2. is a smaller "about to kid" pasture, or whoever you want to watch closely, and has barn access.

Pasture 3 doesn't have to lead directly into the barn, they can be fed and watered in the smaller paddock 8.  Sorting pens could be put into pen 8 if such are needed.

Pasture 9 can water from the pond, or have access to feed and water through the small paddock 8.

You could shift fences so that pasture 13 also connects directly to paddock 8, or leave as is, and they could use the fixed up run in, and water could come from the house.  Pasture 13 could be cut in two and have both parts use the same water up by the house fence.

11 is a spot for shelter, and water and a mineral station.  Note that 11 opens onto 4, 5, 10, and 12.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 9, 2021)

ah...  and my question about soils...

I was talking about something like this:

This page doesn't have range on it, but it is for Tarrant county.

Note how a pasture of improved Bermuda grass can yield VERY differently depending on what soil it is grown on.  The AUM under "Improved Bermuda grass" stands for one animal unit for one month on one acre.  One animal unit is one cow or 5 goats.  The far left column lists some of the soil types in Tarrant county.  

When I looked though the table, the lowest was 3.5 and the highest was 9.5.  Huge difference.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 10, 2021)

Nice work @Alaskan!

If the soil is black clay, all weather access becomes important in wet weather. Since the fence won’t go up all at once, getting started up front with shelter and pastures will give time to observe weather/soil conditions on the lower parts of the property. Adjustments can be made as needed.

@Margali you have lots of ideas to mull over and time to apply a starting point. The rest can be worked out as you go.

We started with a back yard fence and fenced pasture where the horse barn is. Standing on our front porch, the next fence was from corner of the horse pasture on the left, to the road. Then across the front to properly corner, then along pipeline to horse pasture corner on the right. That gave us an enclosed area around the house .  The property line across the pipeline took longer to get done, but we were finally finished.


----------



## Mini Horses (Jul 10, 2021)

Personally, I have never regretted having the double fenced drive thru area!  At first one side up and second planned.  Thrilled when it was up.  But I had horses and goats.  It sure made it easier if I needed to move one group and not wanting to mix them.  In winter it let me take feed down alley without followers. I also have underground water lines, marked by one side of fence line.  My property much like yours, a rectangle.  Lot of gates    But worth it....they're on aisle and between fields.

I keep a couple cattle panels in the aisle to use as a cut off in it, if needed.  Just connect to fence, swing across.  Animals graze it.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 10, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> Thrilled when it was up. But I had horses and goats. It sure made it easier if I needed to move one group and not wanting to mix them.


True...  without that corridor it would be impossible to move one group without the other. 

If we ever wanted to separate groups they had to be taken all of the way to the sorting pens, sorted out... and then 1 group led off (or loaded up) at a time.


----------



## Margali (Jul 12, 2021)

We will have atleast 4 groups most of the time rams, sheep main flock, feeder steers, chickens. So I think lane is good idea.

In other news, we will be getting a single wide 3bed 2bath at end of August. The RV floor is giving up the ghost .


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 12, 2021)

Can you put some plywood or more support joists to help the RV floor last until the single wide arrives?


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 12, 2021)

Margali said:


> We will have atleast 4 groups most of the time rams, sheep main flock, feeder steers, chickens. So I think lane is good idea.
> 
> In other news, we will be getting a single wide 3bed 2bath at end of August. The RV floor is giving up the ghost .


Sorry about the RV.

Have you talked to your local extension agent?  

I think in your area of Texas native pasture runs from 8 acres for a single cow, up to 15 acres for a single cow. 

Now one cow is about the same as 5 sheep...  so, it wouldn't be too hard to have a sheep flock....

Of course...  if you are going to make the entire property (or most of it) improved pasture, then the property could carry more livestock.


----------



## Margali (Jul 12, 2021)

Alaskan said:


> Have you talked to your local extension agent?
> 
> I think in your area of Texas native pasture runs from 8 acres for a single cow, up to 15 acres for a single cow.


I asked the extension agent when we started property hunt. He said 9 -15 acres per Animal Unit for unimproved pasture. 

I don't know if I have improved or unimproved pasture right now. I plan to grid out some 1ftx 1ft squares in different spots and try to identify all the grasses present. I also am going to get soil analysis for the squaresnif I can. Need to check price.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 13, 2021)

Margali said:


> I plan to grid out some 1ftx 1ft squares in different spots and try to identify all the grasses present.


Ooh!  Yeah!  Do you have a book?

I actually think I remember seeing an online plant key once...


----------



## Margali (Jul 24, 2021)

I haven't found anything great for grasses. I have a library book and this website for trees.




__





						Texas Forest A&M Service - Trees of Texas
					





					texastreeid.tamu.edu
				




So far I've identified American Elm and Honey Locust all over the property.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 24, 2021)

If any of the honey locust is big enough for corner posts. They don’t rot. They do have thorns that will puncture tires. Personally I am not a fan. They seed and sprout all over the place.

Elm trees make good shade.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 24, 2021)

Huh.... I googled a bit and a nice grass dicotomous key did NOT pop up.

Maybe your local extension office can point you in the right direction.


----------



## Margali (Jul 26, 2021)

🥳🥳🥳 LAND 🥳🥳🥳
We closed on our land today!

Slightly aggog at the amount of money I spent today. 😯 Over half a year's salary on down payment, closing, culvert install fee and culvert.

Next step- deploy the chainsaw, bwahha haha!  We will be putting house in paddock 1 per Alaskan's lovely layout. There is a clump of honey locust in the living room. We also have a sapling to take out of new driveway.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 26, 2021)

HOORAY!!!! 

It's yours now and you can get started!


----------



## Margali (Jul 31, 2021)

*Week 1 Update*
- Culvert purchase and install scheduled early next week
- Development permit approved and paid
- Water install permit submitted
- Site walks for mobile home delivery, electric, and septic scheduled next week

We rented a Kubota B231 with brush hog for the day. Got a 1.5hrs in Friday then worked most of the day Saturday. Hubby hogged and I cleared trees. We widened driveways, mowed the spot for the home. 

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my M18 chainsaw. I DESPISE locust trees. The thorns go thru leather gloves and jeans. I look like I had a cage fight with a porcupine.
Hubby hauling some of my kills to the graveyard.


Mowed house site. Unfortunately trailer is too long to fit in clearing closer to corner.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 31, 2021)

CAGE FIGHT WITH A PORCUPINE!!!
   

Thanks for the laugh! I busted out laughing and read it to BJ, he laughed too. We are well acquainted with locust trees, we hate them too.

Y’all hit the ground running! I know y’all must be so excited to FINALLY have room to roam and SOOOO ready to move out of the RV.


----------



## farmerjan (Jul 31, 2021)

Congrats.... from a "new " home owner... got mine a year ago, and have finally got everything here.... definitely not organized or anything and work to do...had ankle in boot and all last year...  and now knees not co-operating and they will be replace end of Oct.... so I just don't have to ability to do all that you are as fast as you are and I sooooo envy you.... but next year????
Love the "cage fight with a porcupine" analogy....


----------



## Margali (Aug 3, 2021)

I don't understand real estate... I am purchasing a manufactured home with list price $89k and paying $10k down. The "Valuation Report" from the lender says the home is worth $120,300. So did I just gain equity by buying it? Or is it funny money so ignore it?


----------



## Alaskan (Aug 3, 2021)

Margali said:


> I don't understand real estate... I am purchasing a manufactured home with list price $89k and paying $10k down. The "Valuation Report" from the lender says the home is worth $120,300. So did I just gain equity by buying it? Or is it funny money so ignore it?




Stuff like that I don't understand at all.

I would ask though...  if they value it higher than the replacement cost...  are you then paying too much on insurance.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 3, 2021)

Just smile and act like you know what they are talking about. If the lender thinks it’s worth more than you paid for it, then THEY think if you default on the loan, the value is tipped in their favor.

Insurance is based on replacement cost.


----------



## Margali (Aug 3, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Insurance is based on replacement cost.


I DID make sure it was replacement cost not "actual cash value" for the insurance.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 3, 2021)

Smart. If you don’t have full replacement cost, you only get a percentage of the value. If you are underinsured, you get penalized for that. It’s all a racket to pay you as little as possible.


----------



## Margali (Aug 3, 2021)

Look who lives on the property! Meep! Meep! And his nemesis lurks in the woods per neighbor.


----------



## Alaskan (Aug 3, 2021)

Margali said:


> Look who lives on the property! Meep! Meep! And his nemesis lurks in the woods per neighbor.View attachment 87153


Coolest birds


----------



## Margali (Aug 7, 2021)

*Week 2 Update*
- Culvert installed
- Water install paid and meter location marked
- Electric install scoped and quoted
- Honey locust cleared out of trailer area
- Protected 2 trees near house with cattle panel at tree dripline
- Septic walkthru Monday afternoon
- HOME CLOSING MONDAY🥳🥳

It appears we have a family of roadrunners on property. One with a red breast and one without. I think we've identified the area of trees they are living in. We will leave brush intact there.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 7, 2021)

Y'all are getting it done! I know you will be so glad to move in your new home on your new land.


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 7, 2021)

So glad that things are progressing....Roadrunners are kinda neat/funny looking.  Don't have any of them up here in Va.


----------



## Margali (Aug 7, 2021)

Kids had fun with their cousins and the pond. Had to go bring them a 5gal bucket of rinse water.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 7, 2021)

Your kids are having FUN!


----------



## Margali (Aug 11, 2021)

We closed the mobile home loan on Monday. 🎉

The water meter was installed today. Next step, trenching water and electric to house location.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 12, 2021)

This is great! So excited for you!


----------



## Margali (Aug 15, 2021)

Cassandra turned 5 on Friday. We had her birthday party yesterday at a little riding school.

And she's an interesting mix of tomboy and princess. Super pink, glittery eveything, and smuggling toads into the truck. 🙄


----------



## Baymule (Aug 15, 2021)

Oh what fun! 5 years old, she will start kindergarten. Our youngest granddaughter turns 5 on September 1. Barely made it! In Texas, kids have to turn 5 on or before September 1 to start school.


----------



## Margali (Aug 15, 2021)

*Week 3 Update*
- Septic design paid for and submitted to County permitting office
- Water meter installed
- Electric meter station pieces purchased but not installed


----------



## Baymule (Aug 15, 2021)

Before you know it, y'all will be moving in!


----------



## Alaskan (Aug 15, 2021)

Margali said:


> Cassandra turned 5 on Friday. We had her birthday party yesterday at a little riding school.
> View attachment 87353View attachment 87354View attachment 87355
> And she's an interesting mix of tomboy and princess. Super pink, glittery eveything, and smuggling toads into the truck. 🙄


Age 5 is such a wonderful age!

The entire world to learn about.


----------



## Margali (Aug 17, 2021)

Small delays with the work. We need to dig 2 holes 24" deep to concrete in the meter base. We got one of the 43cc 8" post hole augers. It got to 12" fairly easy but that was it. Got another couple inches with effort and then it died. About 15" down is the solid clay. Going to have to rent a big walk behind unit. There goes $250 for 2 holes $%!$$!.

And the combination of vibration and heat outdoors triggered another one of husbands weird migranes. Atleast this one wasn't bad and he felt better after about 3 hours.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 17, 2021)

We bought a gas auger at Harbor Freight for $200. We slap wore that out putting up our fence. There were some hard to drill holes that we filled with water to soften up. And we had a set of manual post hole diggers. I bought them from Lowe’s, made of all metal and the handles are bent outward so we didn’t knock our knuckles together.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 20, 2021)

How are y'all doing? Waiting on another update!


----------



## Margali (Aug 20, 2021)

I've done a little tree trimming and ordered stuff. Major property work has been put on hold for a bit. My husband's Uncle Chuck passed early Wednesday. He's been ill for quite awhile (COPD, arsenic posioning, etc) so it wasn't a huge shock. The wake is on Saturday.

Bob, father-in-law, on left and Uncle Chuck on right


----------



## Baymule (Aug 20, 2021)

Sorry about Uncle Chuck. He sounds like a favorite.


----------



## Margali (Aug 25, 2021)

The manufactured home vendor screwed up and didn't tell setup vendor we closed on home. Installation is pushed back to mid Septmeber.

We decided to change orientation of house on lot. Originally thought East-West but going to put in North-South by shifting road slighlty south.This gives better use of existing trees with door locations.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 25, 2021)

Wise decision. Our double wide sits facing east. The morning sun heats it up and the afternoon sun bakes us like an oven. We do have a couple of trees in the front that offer shade. It helps, but there is little to no shade in the back.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 25, 2021)

Several more weeks of living in the RV?


----------



## Margali (Aug 25, 2021)

Yep, more weeks living in RV. Decided to stick with first plan, long axis of house east to west. We will move it about 20ft towards SE to avoid killing tree. That way front door faces south and narrow ends of house are east and west. Solar gain is NOT a good idea here.

In better news, the roadrunner is blasse about us. He was out eating bugs while we worked.


----------



## Alaskan (Aug 25, 2021)

Margali said:


> In better news, the roadrunner is blasse about us. He was out eating bugs while we worked.


Cool news.


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 25, 2021)

Condolences to your family.  I understand with the situation... not unexpected, but it is still hard when it happens.... went through that with my mom just recently.  

Maybe a blessing in disguise on the house... so you could actually get a better feel for the weather/temps etc.  Not quite as big a push even though I am sure the RV is getting old.  

Neat about the road runner.... YAY on him doing his part keeping the bug population down....


----------



## Ridgetop (Aug 26, 2021)

Since you are in Texas, or any state with a high heat climate,  the important thing is to make sure that not too many of the windows get full western sun.  Eastern exposure heats up the house in the am but by keeping blinds down or adding  covered deck you can keep sun exposure to a minimum.  You really don't want a western exposure since it will be almost impossible to keep temps down in the summer, causing you to run the AC at lower temps.  

We have an east/west exposure on our house here in southern California.  The east side of the house is all bedrooms and one bathroom which is fine in both summer and winter.  The western exposure is the MBR, living room, family room, kitchen, and main entertainment patio.  Even though we have trees along that side of the house, the western sun hits the house and patio as it sets which means that we can't use the patio for certain hours because the setting sun beats in on us as it drops under the tree canopy. The sunsets are lovely but in summer it gets too hot.  We had to extend the overhang on the west side.  This helps on all rooms except the MBR (where we only have a palm tree).  

Also remember that the sun sets in the north west in the summer and the south west in the winter so you need to take those directions into account too.   Suggest you take some camp chairs out and set them up in the areas where the living room windows will face.  Sit in them as the sun sets as well as different times during the day to judge if you should reposition the house.  Even a few feet can make a difference one way or another in shade from the existing trees.  

So happy you will not be living in the RV much longer.  After a while, the charm and excitement starts to fade!    And quarters can get cramped leading to !  LOL


----------



## Mini Horses (Aug 26, 2021)

Heavy pull down shades for windows are a great help.  Invest.   You can get some marker flags and pin the desired location of your house. Watch sun exposure.....move pins, check again....seems they've given you time to do.   😁


----------



## Margali (Aug 26, 2021)

The kids bedroom will have only East facing window. Their up at the crack of dawn on weekends already. 🤣 Master bedroom will be on west end with windows facing south. Eventual plan is solar shade fabric or cling tint on all the windows.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 26, 2021)

Cling tint and black out drapes are the way to go.


----------



## Margali (Aug 27, 2021)

So writing to mortgage company saying house hasn't been set yet and probably not by 1st payment date got things moving! We have 3 loads of fill already delivered to land. Grading and compacting will be done Monday.


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 27, 2021)

Margali said:


> So writing to mortgage company saying house hasn't been set yet and probably not by 1st payment date got things moving! We have 3 loads of fill already delivered to land. Grading and compacting will be done Monday.


Way to go..... sometimes money is the motivator... and the mtg company wants to start getting paid....and they may be putting pressure as in lawsuit/lawyer threats... to get things going along. Doesn't matter how.... as long as it is getting done.....


----------



## Baymule (Aug 27, 2021)

Another thing, don’t put even one stick of furniture in the home until EVERYTHING is to your satisfaction. If you move in, that is accepting delivery and set up.

A friend of mine couldn’t get the mobile home dealer to finish set up. It went on for a couple of months. She called mortgage company to complain. They pointedly asked her if she had moved in and she said no. They then told her if she had moved in, there was nothing they could do. But since she hadn’t moved in, she hadn’t “accepted “ it.  In a very short time, everything was done.


----------



## Margali (Aug 28, 2021)

*Week 5 Update*
- I did some more clearing of access roads thru property.
- We have posts set and electric panel made up.
- The house pad in progress, finally.

I'm still waiting for the online / corporate US Postal Service to acknowledge our new street address.  The local office is delivering our mail but I can't update address for bills.🤬 It's only been a month?!


----------



## Baymule (Aug 29, 2021)

Getting an address used to be just putting up a mailbox and the next day the mailman put a note in it with your address. Things have changed.


----------



## Mini Horses (Aug 29, 2021)

Hasn't been that easy here in a long time.  I bought this land 21 yrs ago.  Was a crop field for years.   Driving to it I was thrilled the mailboxes were on my side of road as I passed current houses.   Had my driveway put in and put up a post.    Went to planning for an address, a 25 mile drive.  Several offices later, got into correct one.   Ask for addy.    After some time, told person who assigns wasn't there.  Explained my Drive time and need, still a no go.   Then, I asked what they would do if this person quit it died.....?  I got a blank stare.   My stare went back to them....along with, let's find the supervisor!  

Left with an address, about 45 min later.   Happily drove home and installed my mailbox.   😁   Made sure it was height and distance needed.  Two days later I found a note from postal.  Box on wrong side of road!  Move it!   🤔   Seems those I pass coming in are delivered by one city route and I am the last person on a different city route, coming from other end of road.    Sure enough, coming to home from other end.....no houses for over 1/2 mile....all boxes across road.     I'm about 1500' over the line.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 29, 2021)

My mail lady drives an old hearse.


----------



## Margali (Sep 1, 2021)

All the materials for plumbing are starting to arrive. Still no progress on the house pad.

Our house is complete. In Alabama on the other side of all the Hurricane Ida flooding. Don't know when it will be delivered. Everyone in the area has more important things to worry about.

And we decided to rent something very important. Such a sanity saver with 3 kids in tow.🤣


----------



## Baymule (Sep 1, 2021)

Wow, it may be awhile before your home gets to you. There are bigger problems out there, be patient. Smart move to put up a porta potty.


----------



## Margali (Sep 2, 2021)

I'm trying to be patient- sickness and hurricanes are out of everyones control.

It's just things stacking up:
- RV floor failing
- RV invasion by fire ants
- Husbands health
- ****ty health insurance that hospital doesn't accept for ER facilty bill
- Budget death by a thousand cuts


----------



## Baymule (Sep 2, 2021)

I know y’all can’t wait to get out of that RV, especially with the floor failing. That’s kinda important. And fire ants too? I hate those things. Sorry about your husband’s health and insurance problems.
That’s a lot to stack up on you. Take care of yourself, you are the glue that holds it all together.


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 2, 2021)

Margali said:


> I'm trying to be patient- sickness and hurricanes are out of everyones control.
> 
> It's just things stacking up:
> - RV floor failing
> ...


Not sure which broke the camel's back... but I agree. That is too much at once!


----------



## farmerjan (Sep 2, 2021)

Margali said:


> I'm trying to be patient- sickness and hurricanes are out of everyones control.
> 
> It's just things stacking up:
> - RV floor failing
> ...


Thoughts are with you.  There are no easy answers.  Hoping that the floor will hold up for as long as it takes...Don't know a thing about fire ants,  thank goodness they aren't up here....
Can you get some sort of "construction loan" or something while all this is crawling,  through no fault of your own??? I am just thinking that the interest rates are still real low, that maybe it is  smarter to work off borrowed money for a bit with interest rates real low... I have no idea of what your situation is.  If you aren't worrying over the budget so much, then maybe you can survive the rest with a little less stress...


----------



## Margali (Sep 3, 2021)

@farmjan We already have more debt than I'm comfortable with. And I guess that should says ranch budget death of a thousand cuts. Like ~$200 of materials stolen, $300 for septic design that we cant get someone to install, etc.

Fire ants are the thing I despise most about Texas. They weren't a big deal in our sticks & bricks house because the insect guy could use harsh chemicals on outside of house. With 300sqft built like a sieve, I'm limited on what I'm willing to use inside. Sevins dust chemical spray on the underside of carriage and de inside are working but it's a constant fight.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 3, 2021)

I’ve had fire ants in my car before. At one house, I kept a can of Bengal ant spray on the porch. When I got home from work, I sprayed my tires to keep the fire ants out of my car. And no, there was no food in the car.


----------



## animalmom (Sep 4, 2021)

Regarding your fire ants... I've used peppermint oil successfully to keep the pests out of the rabbitry and our house.  It has a strong, but pleasant odor for a few hours, and seems to deter the ants for a long time.


----------



## Margali (Sep 4, 2021)

Bees!🐝
I picked up the second load of the beeware that I got for $500 total.🎉 And set up my hive stands and first couple hives. Need a few more short concrete blocks. I will be getting a nucleus hive tomorrow and split it into 2 hives.


----------



## Mini Horses (Sep 4, 2021)

Mice are not fond of that peppermint oil either!   

Love your bee set up.


----------



## Margali (Sep 6, 2021)

*Week 6 Update*
- More tree trimming completed
- USPS finally updated address database so I can change contact info on everything.
- Collected the rest of my haul of beeware
- Installed bees on Sunday. We have livestock on the farm.
- Hauled over the kids playground stuff and set it up.


Also did some relaxing: went to the pool, park, and grandpatents house.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 6, 2021)

BEES!!! You now are officially a farmer! 

Love the kids picture, they are having fun.


----------



## Margali (Sep 7, 2021)

We have a house pad!🎉🎉


----------



## Baymule (Sep 7, 2021)




----------



## Alaskan (Sep 7, 2021)

Margali said:


> We have a house pad!🎉🎉
> View attachment 87546


Looks good and flat!


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 7, 2021)

In that part of Texas can you dig a post hole without hitting a rock?


----------



## farmerjan (Sep 7, 2021)

Baymule said:


>


X a zillion....


----------



## Margali (Sep 8, 2021)

Alaskan said:


> In that part of Texas can you dig a post hole without hitting a rock?


No rocks, top is sandy loam then 24ft down it's solid clay. Then rented power auger could barely get 3ft down for putting in electric panel.


----------



## Margali (Sep 10, 2021)

Think we figured out a decent schedule. Get home around 4:30pm, eat dinner and do homework. Work on ranch from around 6:30pm till sundown at 8pm. Much cooler and kids are exhausted for bed time.

The pond is really low with all the heat. You can see the mud field where it used to be. Plan is to deepen it over winter so it's at least 3ft at shallow end.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 10, 2021)

Got a delivery date on your home yet?


----------



## Margali (Sep 10, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Got a delivery date on your home yet?


Nope. 🙄


----------



## Baymule (Sep 10, 2021)

Margali said:


> Nope. 🙄


----------



## Margali (Sep 16, 2021)

🎉🎉 The house is at the local dealership. They are confirming setup date but aiming for next week.🎉🎉
The quote for our septic system install came in at low end of my guestimate. 😁


----------



## Margali (Sep 18, 2021)

*Week 8 Update*
- got first yard hydrant installed
- the offset connector we had to order arrived so husband could continue work on electric meter
- Septic permit application paid and recorded with county. Should get permission to proceed in about a week. We were able to use the plan/design already purchased. 
- borrowed back the lawnmower we gave to FIL about 8yrs ago. Bought new filters and oil for it so we can mow our roads.


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 18, 2021)

Margali said:


> borrowed back the lawnmower we gave to FIL about 8yrs ago. Bought new filters and oil for it so we can mow our roads.


----------



## Mini Horses (Sep 19, 2021)

What, free storage???    

Here's my trade off....for years my DD used my riding mower for her yard.  2 yrs ago she bought her own.  Last yr the engine went in mine...late in season.   Now, I borrow hers!  😁👍. Only used a few times and don't like the seat but, wasn't buying new one this year.   I have an older one that works but, took deck off to pull a tiller and don't want to switch out each time, so used hers for couple months.    she lives on my farm, separate housing.


----------



## Margali (Sep 20, 2021)

🎉🎉🎆The house has landed!!🎆🎉🎉


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 20, 2021)

Margali said:


> 🎉🎉🎆The house has landed!!🎆🎉🎉
> View attachment 87691


What a joy!


----------



## Margali (Sep 25, 2021)

Took a 4 day weekend to work on utilities. I'm wore out. Trenches are dug for water and electric/fiber. My wonderful sister in law Amanda took kids for several hours while Uncle Lee (red shirt) helped with trenching.


Then everyone came to see the house and mass chaos ensued. I found out a 3yr old can fit in a 6" wide trench and thinks it's hilarious.


----------



## Margali (Sep 27, 2021)

My little helpers filling in the water line trench.

And watching the septic installer. Such a deep hole and power tools galore.


----------



## Margali (Sep 27, 2021)

*Week 9 Update*
- Water line installed and yard hydrant moved to east of house. The 1.5" Pex-A gives us 35gpm because the main is at 100PSIG! We had to install a pressure regulator to have 75PSIG into house.
- Trench for electrical done.
- Additional wire is on order because they filled Rev1 of quote not Rev2.
- Septic install has started. We have a giant hole on the backyard and trench to sprinkler locations.

Whew, we got a lot done. And as usual I got injured. I was stepping over the 6" wide, 36" deep trench and the edge crumbled. I wrenched my ankle and knee. I got roadrash on my shin. I also managed to smash my left pointer finger with the stuff I was carrying. Sigh...


----------



## Baymule (Sep 27, 2021)

Hey, you are making progress in a BIG way now!! That is fantastic!


----------



## Margali (Sep 27, 2021)

@Baymule Have to get the house done so I can move on to important things. Like the sheep shed and fencing!


----------



## Baymule (Sep 27, 2021)

Snip said to tell you BAAAAAA!!! he sure is growing big and beautiful. Aria is still fat and not telling me when the lamb is due. LOL


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 27, 2021)

Remember to install a pressure regulator for any sort of garden sprinkler or drip system you might install, that much pressure will blow the pipe fittings off, ask me how I know!

Congratulations on all of the progress!!


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 27, 2021)

Margali said:


> @Baymule Have to get the house done so I can move on to important things. Like the sheep shed and fencing!


Oooooh!


And a huge glorious barn?


----------



## Mini Horses (Sep 27, 2021)

Margali said:


> Whew, we got a lot done. And as usual I got injured. I was stepping over the 6" wide, 36" deep trench and the edge crumbled. I wrenched my ankle and knee. I got roadrash on my shin. I also managed to smash my left pointer finger with the stuff I was carrying. Sigh...



Well you better stay at the window with your youngins to check out the septic....that's a way bigger hole!


----------



## Baymule (Sep 28, 2021)

I had a friend come over last week for some sheep therapy. Her mom died of covid, just days later, her step father died, the next day her step mom died. Poor woman was hit from all sides. Plus she is going to the hospital in another week for double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. Breast cancer runs in her family and she doesn't want cancer.  She and her friend went into the sheep barn and got mugged for attention from the ewes. 

Sheba and Setry were in there and Sentry just went ga-ga over the two ladies. Both got lots of licky-face and Anatolian hugs. Sheba finally warmed up to them. I finally caught one of Miranda's lambs and my friend held her, hugged, squeezed and kissed that lamb. Aria came up to her for scratches and petting. My friend was delighted. They both thought Aria was the prettiest in the whole flock. Aria was super sweet and my fried left with a big smile on her face. 

There's nothing like sheep and dog hugs when life kicks you down.


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 28, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I had a friend come over last week for some sheep therapy. Her mom died of covid, just days later, her step father died, the next day her step mom died. Poor woman was hit from all sides. Plus she is going to the hospital in another week for double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. Breast cancer runs in her family and she doesn't want cancer.  She and her friend went into the sheep barn and got mugged for attention from the ewes.
> 
> Sheba and Setry were in there and Sentry just went ga-ga over the two ladies. Both got lots of licky-face and Anatolian hugs. Sheba finally warmed up to them. I finally caught one of Miranda's lambs and my friend held her, hugged, squeezed and kissed that lamb. Aria came up to her for scratches and petting. My friend was delighted. They both thought Aria was the prettiest in the whole flock. Aria was super sweet and my fried left with a big smile on her face.
> 
> There's nothing like sheep and dog hugs when life kicks you down.


Sounds lovely.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 28, 2021)

I tried to get a good picture of Snip for you. After he got a drink of water, he just wanted to come to me for me to pet him. Here’s the best pictures I got. You probably aren’t interested in the bodacious booger nose close ups I got. LOL 








And Aria


----------



## Margali (Sep 28, 2021)

We have septic vault in the ground. The delivery truck was neat. 

There is a hiccup though. Septic quote didn't include tying the drain lines together under the house. They said that's normally part on install. I hope so or we are looking at another $2k.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 28, 2021)

Closer and closer to moving in!


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 29, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Closer and closer to moving in!


----------



## heidil (Sep 29, 2021)

Margali said:


> If it's under 2 feet deep can you call it a pond?


Heck, here in Florida they'd call that a lake!  LOL

Anyway, I'm wishing you much success!  We purchased 5 acres of raw land (jungle) here in Florida and it's amazing what you can get done in a few short years with determination.  We still work full-time jobs but we worked ourselves to the point that we felt like limp noodles each weekend.  

We don't have as much on the line as you do.  We're not trying to turn it into a profitable business (just our retirement farm).  But I admire (& envy) folks SO MUCH who make this lifestyle their living.  Best of luck and sincere wishes for great success!


----------



## Margali (Sep 29, 2021)

heidil said:


> We don't have as much on the line as you do.  We're not trying to turn it into a profitable business (just our retirement farm).  But I admire (& envy) folks SO MUCH who make this lifestyle their living.  Best of luck and sincere wishes for great success!


I like my dayjob and will probably keep it. The plan is to develop ranch into second full income. The minimum requirement is ranch to break even so it isn't drain on finances.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 29, 2021)

After 7 years here, raising meat chickens, a few feeder pigs each year, we were finally showing a profit. Because the slaughter places were so backed up, we stopped slaughtering lambs and took them to auction. My goal was to raise and sell enough to pay for our consumption and be able to give meat to my kids. We met that goal and slowly expanded to making a small profit.

Apply for a Texas sales tax exemption. List raising sheep and bees for your Ag. With all the infrastructure you need to build, it will save you a lot of money. Fill out a farm schedule on your taxes. In January file for Ag exemption on your farm. It took 5 years for mine to come through. It will take awhile, but it will save you money.

I will be moving my farm equipment to my son’s. I don’t know where I will wind up, but I’m not quitting. I may be down, but I’m not out.


----------



## Margali (Sep 29, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Apply for a Texas sales tax exemption. List raising sheep and bees for your Ag. With all the infrastructure you need to build, it will save you a lot of money. Fill out a farm schedule on your taxes. In January file for Ag exemption on your farm. It took 5 years for mine to come through. It will take awhile, but it will save you money.


I already have my Texas sales tax exemption thanks to advice from co-worker. The property already has an active Ag Valuation status. Per my research and the Johnson County form, I can continue Ag Valuation without the 5 year wait using my bees and sheep.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 29, 2021)

Ag exemption already! That is awesome!


----------



## Margali (Sep 30, 2021)

Yep, that's why I have push to get bees and sheep going. I have to file Ag Valuation by end of April.

Sheep math has started... 🐑🐑🐏🐏
I don't want Snip and Aria in same pen. She should have a rest before being bred again. That means I need a weather/ram buddy for Snip and an ewe buddy for Aria. I told my husband I'm getting myself 4 sheep for Hannukah and he could help with accessories. He just sighed.🤣

I'm thinking 1 acre paddock with 2x4 no climb divided down middle with electric for first paddock. An 8x8 shelter with removable center divider to start. Idea is to be able to move it with pickup.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 30, 2021)

It's just me, but I'd probably go for a permanent shelter. Moving stuff all the time gets old. I'm a big believer in make it easy. If it is wet, you will make ruts with pickup and dragging a shelter. If it's muddy, you may not be able to use a pick up.

To keep from a shelter in every pasture, center a shelter and make pastures that connect to it, close the gates to the pastures that you don't want them in, open the gates to the pastures that you do want them in. Make it easy on yourself. You are a working mom, you need easy.

I just happen to have a wether, Snip's triplet brother that I bottle raised.............


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 30, 2021)

Baymule said:


> It's just me, but I'd probably go for a permanent shelter. Moving stuff all the time gets old. I'm a big believer in make it easy. If it is wet, you will make ruts with pickup and dragging a shelter. If it's muddy, you may not be able to use a pick up.
> 
> To keep from a shelter in every pasture, center a shelter and make pastures that connect to it, close the gates to the pastures that you don't want them in, open the gates to the pastures that you do want them in. Make it easy on yourself. You are a working mom, you need easy.
> 
> I just happen to have a wether, Snip's triplet brother that I bottle raised.............


Yep!  Easy! 

And that was on my "i get to put my dream fences on your pasture layout".  One central area with feed and water, and pastures rotate off of that feed and water spot.


----------



## Margali (Oct 2, 2021)

😭 I can't find 4ft tall 2"x4" woven wire anywhere?! All the normal sources TSC, McCoys, Lowes, Home Depot  Atwoods, etc list it as out of stock. I found one place online, kencove, but they are 1/3 more..


----------



## Baymule (Oct 2, 2021)

What about the 4”x4” sheep and goat wire?


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 2, 2021)

Yeah, what other size holes?

As long as it is woven and strong,  different size holes, or different height can we worked with or around.


----------



## Margali (Oct 3, 2021)

@Baymule @Alaskan Will 4"x4" woven wire stand up to sheep and cows putting hooves on it? That is what permiter fence is made of. It's been stomped on enough it's 3ft tall. The previous owners had to add 3 strands of barbed wire on top to make up height.


----------



## Margali (Oct 3, 2021)

Here is current setup with first 2 paddocks. They are approxiamtely 3/4 acre each. I'm going to rebuild the loafing shed as first barn.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 3, 2021)

Margali said:


> @Baymule @Alaskan Will 4"x4" woven wire stand up to sheep and cows putting hooves on it? That is what permiter fence is made of. It's been stomped on enough it's 3ft tall. The previous owners had to add 3 strands of barbed wire on top to make up height.


Put up the 4X4” wire, it will be a good fence. Run a hot wire top and bottom, possibly middle too. Horses and cattle can be real hard on a fence. Wish I had hot wired this place. Now I have wire I got to go straighten out.
Just don’t use welded wire or field fencing.


----------



## Margali (Oct 3, 2021)

*Week 10*
- Wire is in trench and buried. It still needs terminated at both ends
- Pex B conduit for fiber is run and into house.
- Septic tank, sprinklers, etc are in the ground.
- Ran into issue during inspection because we shifted tank 30ft to east. That puts it at end of house not directly inline with backdoor. The dimensions of where tank went were not marked on the drawing at all. It might cost us $300 -$475 to get inspector hissy fit settled.
- We are trying to find a local plumber to do sewer line assembly under the trailer. All the pieces were shipped un installed.

Lots of progress but more work to go. Biggest holdup right now is electrical coop putting power to meter. I've got first paddocks figured out. Now I need fencing!.


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 4, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Put up the 4X4” wire, it will be a good fence. Run a hot wire top and bottom, possibly middle too. Horses and cattle can be real hard on a fence. Wish I had hot wired this place. Now I have wire I got to go straighten out.
> Just don’t use welded wire or field fencing.


X2


----------



## Baymule (Oct 4, 2021)

Making more progress! I know you can’t wait to get moved in!!


----------



## Mini Horses (Oct 4, 2021)

Contact  seller of house.  If you were to get the hook up to sewer, make them do it!  Most here it IS included.  There.   Look at contract.

Either way,  I'm certain you will be beyond excited to move in!!😁


----------



## Baymule (Oct 4, 2021)

Second cup of coffee, tried a spoon of honey. Nah, I've gotten spoiled to cream. When did I get so picky?


----------



## Margali (Oct 4, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> Contact  seller of house.  If you were to get the hook up to sewer, make them do it!  Most here it IS included.  There.   Look at contract.


Plumbing hookups is specifically excluded and I knew that. Issue is our house came with 4 drains out the bottom not one. The model to view on lot had skirting and apparently it's a recent change to not tie the drains together before shipping. The piping was shipped with so just labor charge. 🙄


----------



## Margali (Oct 9, 2021)

So $375 and sewer lines are all hooked up. Now we need to get past the inspection on Tuesday. Our key is permit application states "installed approximately as shown". The drawing shows tank in front of back door and we moved it approxmately 30ft east to clear doors and windows.

My next project is better steps. The current steps suck and I clutzed. I got to start early on my 3day weekend pulling wiring for AC. Then lost the whole day.😡🤬😡 Atleast, I still had the boot from last time. 🤦‍♀️


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 9, 2021)

Margali said:


> So $375 and sewer lines are all hooked up. Now we need to get past the inspection on Tuesday. Our key is permit application states "installed approximately as shown". The drawing shows tank in front of back door and we moved it approxmately 30ft east to clear doors and windows.
> 
> My next project is better steps. The current steps suck and I clutzed. I got to start early on my 3day weekend pulling wiring for AC. Then lost the whole day.😡🤬😡 Atleast, I still had the boot from last time. 🤦‍♀️
> View attachment 87868


Broke? Sprained?


----------



## Margali (Oct 9, 2021)

Ankle's not broken, badly sprained. I didn't tear anything this time I think. Loose, easily damaged joints run in the family. It's one reason my normal footwear are hiking boots.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 9, 2021)

Hey, at least it was the same foot so the walking boot fit. Lol


----------



## Margali (Oct 9, 2021)

Nope. Last time was right ankle. The boot doesn't have arch so fits either one. 🤪


----------



## Baymule (Oct 10, 2021)

Well I guess that shows that I have no experience with a walking boot. I bow to your vast knowledge in such matters.


----------



## Mini Horses (Oct 10, 2021)

Vet wrap!   Sounds like you need to carry it with you. 

Appears y'all will be moving in before long.....not soon enough, I'm sure.  Temporary can be hard.


----------



## Margali (Oct 12, 2021)

Septic has passed inspection! Final bit of electric on co-op side should be done tomorrow. 
Skirting is scheduled this week and ac install next week. We may be ready to go for our anniversary on the 22nd.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 12, 2021)

That would be a great anniversary present! Haha, we moved (packed the house hold in a U-Haul) on our 19th anniversary.


----------



## farmerjan (Oct 15, 2021)

My walking boot is for either foot also... lord help me that I ever have to wear it again... but am keeping it in case....
Hope the ankle feels better soon.  I will tell you that the ankle I had replaced is the one I always sprained as a kid... if it starts to hurt you at all in the future... don't wait... get it looked at as the loose joints like that wear down faster since they do not stay aligned... and see if they can do stem cell injection..... mine was too far damaged from years of wearing... the ankle replacement has been absolutely FANTASTIC..... DO NOT let them talk you into fusing it or it will never bend again... and they cannot do a replacement after fusing.... It took me 5 years to find the doctor to do mine and I am SOOOOOOOO glad that I did... everyone wanted to fuse it...
So glad that things are progressing with the house... hope you can get in  it soon.


----------



## Margali (Oct 18, 2021)

*Week 12 Update*
- Septic passed inspection on Tuesday.
- Friday I discovered a fairly serious issue with the house. The metal truss detached wood joist near backdoor. We'll see how Sunshine Homes stands behind their product.
- Got a big pile of 2x4x14 from family stockpile to fix the loafing shed.
-I carted a bunch of random yard stuff from RV park to ranch.
- Alijah continued electric install


----------



## Baymule (Oct 19, 2021)

If they are not prompt about getting that fixed, call the mortgage company. Don't move in, not even a lawn chair.


----------



## Margali (Oct 19, 2021)

Oh, I already cc'd the mortgage company on email with pictures. After all right now the house is mostly theirs. 😏 They will have a lot more leverage with manufacturer than I do.


----------



## Margali (Oct 19, 2021)

We have electric, skirting, AC, and furnace! Now we just need the floor joist fixed so we can move in.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 19, 2021)

That day will be cause for celebration! I'm thinking weenie roast and marshmallows.


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 19, 2021)

Baymule said:


> That day will be cause for celebration! I'm thinking weenie roast and marshmallows.


Oooh!!!


----------



## Cecilia's-herd (Oct 20, 2021)

Margali said:


> After all right now the house is mostly theirs. 😏


That's the attitude we're looking for!


----------



## Margali (Oct 21, 2021)

So the service guy at Sunshine Homes finally replied with more than one word after the account rep for Palm Harbor at Sunshine was included in emails. He replied only to me and said:
_Your work order was received as my reply made you aware. The outrigger appears to be bent. This is mainly for alignment purposes in the assembly process. Our guys will repair this when we run a service route. This should not be a major concern and should not stop you from moving in. The work order has been put into our system. Our normal routing time is 4-6 weeks from the time we receive the request. I will get to your repairs as quickly as I can. Thanks, William_
Trying to decide a$$hole quotient for my reply. Tried to snow the wrong engineer. That "outrigger" is the main metal gusset truss to the I-beam frame.


----------



## Margali (Oct 21, 2021)

I'm pretty proud of my response. I was civil and mostly polite even.
---‐-----
Hello William,

The single word "received" was unclear. The normal response from service vendors to a work request is an email stating the work ticket number and an estimated repair time.  Thank you for clarifying that my work request was received into your system and is currently at 4 - 6 weeks estimated repair time. *What is the work order number for our reference?*

Regarding the comments that the "The outrigger appears to be bent. This is mainly for alignment purposes in the assembly process." and "This should not be a major concern and should not stop you from moving in."
*
I DISAGREE.*

The "outriggers" are an integral part of the support structure for the home transferring the applied loads from the joists into the main I-beam frame, see attached sketch. This truss-joist assembly is located in the kitchen area which has the highest deadload of the house due to the cabinets and appliances. The severed connection means the entire floor joist in that area is unsupported. This is a major concern since the floor joist has deflected 1.25" downward in a month. This is putting additional strain on the entire structure. Adding additional live load by moving in all our belongings will increase the loading on this joist and cause more damage.

*Please advise updated ETA since the criticality has been explained.*

Regards,
Jennie Ballard, BS Mechanical Engineering
979.299.8356


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 21, 2021)

Margali said:


> I'm pretty proud of my response. I was civil and mostly polite even.
> ---‐-----
> Hello William,
> 
> ...


Brillant!


----------



## Baymule (Oct 21, 2021)

Oh boy! That was great! Now you call the mortgage company back and read his email, then yours and inform then that you are not moving into a substandard home and would they please contact the service guy who treated you like a stupid ignorant person and light a fire under him. Also that you refuse to pay for a house that is structurally damaged. 

You have a right to be proud of your response, that was awesome. haha you beat him up with your brains! Top that dummy service guy!


----------



## Margali (Oct 21, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Oh boy! That was great! Now you call the mortgage company back and read his email


Oh, I added everyone else back to email thread when I replied: Palm Harbor office manager, Sunshine Homes account rep, and mortgage company contact. Excluding people from the conversation would be rude. 😏 Current feedback is "issue will be fixed as soon as possible."

The house install company is currently set to fix a pier that was ontop of electric inlet and had to be moved. We are going to ask them to install an extra pier at this joist if they get out before Sunshine does.


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 22, 2021)

Baymule said:


> haha you beat him up with your brains!




Great!


----------



## Margali (Oct 22, 2021)

Okay, Sunshine Homes has put our ticket in the next 10 day maintenance run that starts Monday. We will get apt setup call soon. That is reasonable response time. 😁


----------



## Margali (Oct 23, 2021)

Happy Anniversary to Us! 10yrs of crazy fun. We had dinner at a really nice Brazilian style stakehouse. Gigi and PopPop took the kids for the weekend.



Had a nice night at hotel with unlimited hot water, slept in...
Then back to work on the ranch!


----------



## farmerjan (Oct 23, 2021)

Congrats on the anniversary...

Double KUDOS for the reply to the "think they know everything and can just snow the "dumb" public"  idiots.... So nice when the "little guy" is smart and intelligent and KNOWLEDGABLE and can meet and beat them at their own game...


----------



## Margali (Oct 26, 2021)

We purchased a ready build 5'x5' deck and stairs. Uncle Lee and Alijah graded out pad and set it yesterday. The kids and I filled in the water line trench and reset back stairs. The stairs are wired to the concrete blocks.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 26, 2021)

More progress!


----------



## Margali (Oct 30, 2021)

The required warranty work is done and we are moving stuff in! The service guys, James and Drake, were awesome! They spotted a couple other issues and fixed them this trip. So happy with service once we got on correct priority queue.


----------



## Mini Horses (Oct 30, 2021)

Margali said:


> So happy with service once we got on correct priority queue.


Meaning, once they realized you would require them to do their job, correctly and timely?? THAT priority queue??? Atta girl!! 👍


----------



## Baymule (Oct 30, 2021)

WHOOP!! Yay! Moving in time! Home at last!


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 30, 2021)

Excellent news!!!!


----------



## Margali (Oct 31, 2021)

Good news- we have 95% of stuff we need for day-to-day living moved in.
Bad news- Both parents are exhausted and have a stomach bug. Dealing with super excited kids is not fun when you feel like crud.
Best news- their awesome grandma is taking them trick r treating. Grandma saves Halloween!


----------



## Baymule (Oct 31, 2021)

Sounds great except for the stomach bug. Happy Halloween!


----------



## Margali (Nov 1, 2021)

Still feel like crap but got the eldest's bunkbed in and assembled as a loft. I love Ikea's solid pine furniture. It is easy to disassemble for moving and stands up to a lot of abuse. All the kids are going loft bed to maximize room sizes.

I also have a lead for private sale of the RV! Our neighbor at the RV park has relatives that are interested. We would just need to clean it up and they'd take over the slot. They are willing to fix floor and other minor issues. Asking for ~ half NADA value so good deal for both of us.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 1, 2021)

Great deal with the RV!!!! No effort on your part other than general cleaning and the neighbors will have their relatives nearby.


----------



## Margali (Nov 2, 2021)

I can't find the black binder of records. All our birth certificates, SSN cards, marriage license, and vehicle titles.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 2, 2021)

Margali said:


> I can't find the black binder of records. All our birth certificates, SSN cards, marriage license, and vehicle titles.


It will turn up. How many hiding places in a RV anyway?


----------



## Mini Horses (Nov 2, 2021)

Apparently you placed it in that hard to find "safe place"!   😁  oh, how many things have I placed there. 🤫     it'll show up once you have gone to the trouble to replace everything.....usually stuck between things you were packing and sorting in a rush.


----------



## Margali (Nov 3, 2021)

Still emptying RV and searching for the binder. Internet is installed at house with cables strung everywhere.

This rain has turned our driveway into a mud slip'n slide that tries to eat delivery guys. Thank goodness it's flat or we'd be SOL.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 3, 2021)

Crushed concrete makes a good road. If the driveway is low, you will have to bring in dirt to build it up, then crushed concrete. We did ours in sections. $$$$


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 3, 2021)

Or.... don't drive on it.   
Yep, park at the gate, just far enough off the road so noone hits you.... 

Then walk.

At times, if the weather is bad, that us what you do,  because NOPE, I am not buying gravel.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 3, 2021)

Except @Alaskan just waits for the ground to be frozen, which they have 11 months of the year.


----------



## Margali (Nov 3, 2021)

There isn't a solid spot by the road. I skid turned in. LOL



In other news, I found my folder.🎉🎉🎉 Sale of the RV is on.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 3, 2021)

Mud! Don’t listen to @Alaskan !

Yay!! You found the folder! Good bye RV


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 3, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Except @Alaskan just waits for the ground to be frozen, which they have 11 months of the year.


True, true.... frozen solid or dry...  but we have on rare years had 2 months of car swallowing mud pits.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 4, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Mud! Don’t listen to @Alaskan !


Are you suggesting that Al isn't a fountain of good information??


----------



## Baymule (Nov 4, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Are you suggesting that Al isn't a fountain of good information??


Nope. He just prefers mud over gravel.


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 4, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Nope. He just prefers mud over gravel.


Mud costs less!!!


----------



## Bruce (Nov 4, 2021)

Certainly true Al! But then one MIGHT consider the inconvenience of walking all the way from the road to the house in the mud, gaining 4" of height in the process


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 4, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Certainly true Al! But then one MIGHT consider the inconvenience of walking all the way from the road to the house in the mud, gaining 4" of height in the process


Inconvenience is free!


----------



## Margali (Nov 6, 2021)

RV is sold! We got the last of our stuff out this morning and gave keys to their relative at slot next door. Found out a box of books that was in corner got ruined. Our guess is the portable ac unit condensate tray leaked. 

First thing in the morning, I get to finish the dryer vent piping. Then we can do laundry at home. 

Afterwards, husband is going to help me with the loafing shed. 7 days till sheep!!


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 7, 2021)

Margali said:


> RV is sold! We got the last of our stuff out this morning and gave keys to their relative at slot next door. Found out a box of books that was in corner got ruined. Our guess is the portable ac unit condensate tray leaked.
> 
> First thing in the morning, I get to finish the dryer vent piping. Then we can do laundry at home.
> 
> Afterwards, husband is going to help me with the loafing shed. 7 days till sheep!!


Well...  uh.... 

  for sold RV

  for the ruined books

 for laundry venting

  for sheep!


----------



## Mini Horses (Nov 7, 2021)

Things are going along now!   It will move so much faster with you're being on site, at home, in your home. 😁  Been a long wait, right?

Congrats!


----------



## Margali (Nov 7, 2021)

@Mini Horses Almost exactly a year in the RV!

Special Agent Alexander completed a daring mission to install the dryer duct. He was injured in action (minor cut) and recieved hazard pay.


The dryer vent is to right of the clean out drain in background and even lower crawl space height!

The triumphant exit!


----------



## Baymule (Nov 8, 2021)

I love your sense of humor and adventure! Everything is better when you can laugh about it. What exciting times for you and family, home at last!


----------



## Bruce (Nov 8, 2021)

Good job SAA!


----------



## Margali (Nov 9, 2021)

Realized something today. Yhe ranch is only 11minutes from the near plant and I get an hour lunch...

So I went home, inhaled food, and put another 20minutes into loafing shed.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 9, 2021)

Go home and inhale food? Waste of time! Make non messy lunch and eat it on the drive from work to the shed


----------



## Baymule (Nov 9, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Go home and inhale food? Waste of time! Make non messy lunch and eat it on the drive from work to the shed


Great idea! Peanut butter and jelly!


----------



## Bruce (Nov 9, 2021)

No that can be messy! Deli meat and cheese.


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 10, 2021)

A burrito would be less messy, it's all contained in the tortilla. They are pretty easy to meal prep too. Hmm, now I want to make burritos...


----------



## Bruce (Nov 10, 2021)

I made one last night. I wouldn't consider it "one hand while driving" food. Unless you don't put much in it I guess.


----------



## Margali (Nov 11, 2021)

Ugh, today sucked. The only useful bit I got done was stopping at feed store during my hour long drive to work. I picked up 2 5gal flat back buckets, a stiff brush, replacement colostrum, bottle, and 2 bags of feed. I need to get CDT, needles, first aid kit, and minerals.

It was kind of funny watching employee bring out feed bags. There was a line of pickups then my little sedan on the end. Popped the trunk for him, reached in and moved the chainsaw so he could put the bags in. He gave me a funny look. Doesn't everybody keep a chainsaw in their trunk?🤷‍♀️🤣


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 12, 2021)

Margali said:


> Ugh, today sucked. The only useful bit I got done was stopping at feed store during my hour long drive to work. I picked up 2 5gal flat back buckets, a stiff brush, replacement colostrum, bottle, and 2 bags of feed. I need to get CDT, needles, first aid kit, and minerals.
> 
> It was kind of funny watching employee bring out feed bags. There was a line of pickups then my little sedan on the end. Popped the trunk for him, reached in and moved the chainsaw so he could put the bags in. He gave me a funny look. Doesn't everybody keep a chainsaw in their trunk?🤷‍♀️🤣


Sounds practical to me.

Sooo....did you get the CDT etc?


----------



## Baymule (Nov 12, 2021)

I used to have a 2003 Ford Focus wagon. I’d tell the guys at the feed store to load that 500 pounds of feed in the red Ford truck, just to watch their confusion as they looked for a red Ford truck. LOL


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 12, 2021)

I've transported a bale of hay in my little Honda Fit, several times. The feed store worker was impressed the whole thing fit inside. I'm still trying to get hay bits out of it now though. It does make the car smell better, like a giant air freshener.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 12, 2021)

Margali said:


> Doesn't everybody keep a chainsaw in their trunk?🤷‍♀️🤣


Can't hurt! You'll be the one to open the road when a tree falls across it trapping an untold number of people


----------



## Margali (Nov 14, 2021)

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
We have sheep! Baymule improvised an awesome loading ramp and they practically loaded themselves.



On the way home now, stopped at a light and girl behind us is squeeling loudly in delight.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 14, 2021)

How did the unloading go?


----------



## Margali (Nov 14, 2021)

Pretty good. All the relatives were there to see them. The kids added to the chaos.

They are bedded down with water, grain, and several armfulls of forage for each pen.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 14, 2021)

Those three are some of my favorites and I'm delighted that they are making a new home with you and your family. 

Amazing how they trotted up that fancy ramp we put up! Haha, they made me look like a sheep trainer!


----------



## Bruce (Nov 14, 2021)

Margali said:


> We have sheep!


That is great! You know you got well cared for sheep, not like buying at auction.


----------



## Margali (Nov 15, 2021)

My brain woke me up at midnight insisting I MUST go check on the babies. 🤪

They are fine. The night is clear amd full of stars. Orion the Hunter is directly overhead with the moon high in the SW sky.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 15, 2021)

You just confirmed that Snip, Panda and Aria are in the right place. When I first got sheep, I did the same thing. LOL I did a late night check at 11 PM, then break of dawn check on them. We bought 4 bred ewes and the excitement was over the top. I hope Aria has a pretty ewe lamb for you!


----------



## Margali (Nov 16, 2021)

I had nice visit with sheep last night while kids were at cub scouts. Aria and Snip let me touch and brush them. Panda was more interested in the hay.

I am adjusting my morning schedule some so kiddos can help feed their sheep. They were super excited.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 16, 2021)

Good plan, get them in the groove while their interest and excitement is high.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 16, 2021)

If you think the kids are excited now, just wait until Aria lambs!


----------



## Margali (Nov 17, 2021)

Grr... No one near here caries sheep specific un-medicated loose mineral. One feed store had the Purina sheep mineral with anti-fly medications. I couldn't figure out from packaging if it was safe for bred ewe. Also, the local stores wont add some to their restock order. I offered to buy 2 bags at a time if they added it to the order but "Nope, you have to pay for ship to store".

I ended up getting Producer's Pride General Purpose Mineral for the sheep. The Calcium Phosphorus Ratio is 3.5:1 vs Dumor Sheep 1.7:1. It has zero copper. The Selenium (min) is 10ppm half that of the Dumor. I think it is good enough for short term? I will try the feed store where I got the Martindale feed next time I work at the far site.


----------



## Margali (Nov 17, 2021)

In other news, I just realized it's been only 16 weeks / 4 months since we closed on our land. No wonder I'm feeling frazzled. I think I need to un-jam the turbo button before I completely burn out.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 18, 2021)

Margali said:


> In other news, I just realized it's been only 16 weeks / 4 months since we closed on our land. No wonder I'm feeling frazzled. I think I need to un-jam the turbo button before I completely burn out.


Take it from me, YES you need to turn off the turbo button for at least a weekend and spend family time. A bad weather weekend would be a great time for binge watching kid movies, baking treats, and doing crafts. Pine cones make great Thanksgiving/Christmas turkeys with tooth pick legs (you gotta cheat and give them 4 toothpicks). Also wrap Christmas presents in white butcher paper, then decorate them with crayons, stencils with tempera paints, buttons, the big sequins and what ever your kids little hearts desire. One year, we picked up pine cones, rolled them in Elmer's glue, then in glitter. They made pretty Christmas tree ornaments. Sweet gum balls, those spiky things that everybody hates to step on, spray painted, make pretty Christmas wreaths. 

There is an eclipse of the moon tonight from midnight to 6 AM. I know the work schedule is fast, but maybe take a few moments in the morning to watch the last of it might be a relaxing, quiet thing to do. Naw, not quiet-not with kids! But maybe a science moment for them. 

Take a moment to slow down and enjoy family-they are the reason for the land in the first place.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 18, 2021)

The Martindale feed 14% all purpose pellet has copper in it, 5-15 PPM if my memory serves me. Hair sheep need some copper, mine do great on that feed and don't have the brownish tinge to the black hair like they used to. If it is "old" hair/wool then it is tinged brown, but new healthy hair and the wool undercoat they get for the winter is black. 

According to Pat Colby, keeping Dolomite lime out for the sheep prevents copper toxicity. I get Dolomite garden lime at Lowe's in the garden center. It is calcium and magnesium, very important for preventing grass tetany in the spring.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 18, 2021)

Baymule said:


> There is an eclipse of the moon tonight from midnight to 6 AM.


Which we will not see unless we get a REALLY tall ladder to rise above the clouds.


----------



## Margali (Nov 21, 2021)

I woke up the eldest for the peak of the eclipse. He was mildly interested. The hot cocoa to warm up was appreciated.

We are on the mend from stomach bug attack. Cassandra and I spent some quality time with the boys. 

Snip put his full face against me and started to lean hard while getting scritches. He got a light thump on chest and "NO!". Not sure if that was disallowed behavior or not since it was face not top of head but I corrected anyway. He decided to eat hay for awhile then presented his side for the curry brush.

I need to get a tougher hose real or pressure regulator. It's not liking 100PSIG. LOL


----------



## Bruce (Nov 21, 2021)

Definitely need a pressure regulator. 100 PSI is higher than you need for anything shy of pressure washing and there are machines for that. I'm surprised you don't have a regulator coming in from the (I am assuming) city feed line. You don't want that sort of pressure in the pipes in the house either.


----------



## Margali (Nov 21, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Definitely need a pressure regulator. 100 PSI is higher than you need for anything shy of pressure washing and there are machines for that. I'm surprised you don't have a regulator coming in from the (I am assuming) city feed line. You don't want that sort of pressure in the pipes in the house either.


We installed one for the house dropping pressure to 75PSIG. I hadn't installed one on main line to yard hydrant because plan on extending run another couple hundred feet.


----------



## Bruce (Nov 21, 2021)

Will there actually be any pressure drop? It isn't like you are going miles with lots of people taking water out along the way. Our old neighborhood had its own well, 85 homes. When it was just a tank in the air we had only 25 PSI and we were downhill from it. They replaced that with underground tanks with pumps, pressure went up to 70 PSI, 700' from the tanks/pump. Given the houses farthest from the tanks/pump are nearly 1/2 mile away I don't think you need 100 PSI anywhere. You are more likely to need volume than pressure depending on how much you use at the same time.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 21, 2021)

Glad y’all are feeling better. 
Yes, if Snip pushes, that is prelude to ram. Correction, NO! Or a deep guttural AAHHNNTTT! Then a hand slap on the nose. He is trying you to see what he can get away with. As a 2 month old, he’d push on me, the slap on the nose was quick and immediate. Haha, he’d back off, I could literally see his mind working, “What just happened?” After a little bit, he’d come back, I’d scratch him and we were friends again. 

Ringo will try me every once in awhile, then squint his eyes and raise his head to avoid the slap he knows is coming. LOL


----------



## Margali (Nov 21, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Yes, if Snip pushes, that is prelude to ram. Correction, NO! Or a deep guttural AAHHNNTTT! Then a hand slap on the nose. He is trying you to see what he can get away with.


That's what I thought. I love how Cassandra is taking to the sheep. She's doing good at remembering the rules.
- No getting in pens without grownup because they could squish you accidentally.
- No feeding unless a grownup measures it because you can give them stomach ache.
- No touching top of head because that starts the shoving game.


----------



## Margali (Nov 25, 2021)

The kids enjoy helping with the sheep. It's on the list to get water piped to the shed. In the meantime, they enjoy hauling water for me. Tip- the $2 snap on lid keeps 5gal bucket full to the brim.


----------



## Margali (Nov 26, 2021)

We had a great Thanksgiving.

My kids also love their big Hannukah gift.


----------



## Margali (Dec 2, 2021)

Had a night to myself and got my haircut finally. My bangs were down to tip of my nose when wet. 🤪

Had some sorbet in peaceful quiet then spent time with the sheep. Aria let me brush her and touch all over. Should you be able to feel babies moving a month before due date or at all? I think she's still doing fine condition wise. I can feel her spine but not the side points. She is so fluffy!


----------



## Margali (Dec 4, 2021)

We took part in the Christmas parade last night with the scouts. We pulled my SIL 16ft trailer as the float base. I provided 10 bales of hay as the seating. It rained last night after the parade so not sure if the hay is useful anymore...

THis morning's first cup of coffee is down and sheep betrayed. I fed Aria her morning ration then cornered her for the CDT booster. 

It's 95% humidity and 61 degrees here. Fog soup.

Quote Reply
Report •••


----------



## Margali (Dec 4, 2021)

Aria explored the outside pen some. She kept wandering back inside. Not sure she's found the electric fence yet.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 4, 2021)

Aria is looking good. You’ll be able to feel her babies move and even see funny lumps sticking out of an otherwise smooth tummy. She’s so pretty! 

Christmas parade! What fun! 
Depending on how wet the hay got, it should be ok if fed pretty quick. 10 bales for 3 sheep…. Probably some will go bad before they can eat it up.


----------



## farmerjan (Dec 4, 2021)

All according to how wet, open the bales up in the barn and separate the sections "leaves"  and it will dry out to some extent... all according to how wet it got.  Feed as much as you can in the next few days, but if not soaked then it will dry considerable if you open up the bales and spread them out.


----------



## Margali (Dec 5, 2021)

The boys got a couple hours in the paddock today. Aria spent the entire time yelling "Stop eating my grass!" Snip and Panda both encountered the evil fence. They did find the courage to come back out and get treats though.




Snip also spent a fair bit of time chatting up Aria.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 5, 2021)

Sheep time is the best! 
Is that a mesquite tree with those thorns?


----------



## Margali (Dec 5, 2021)

@Baymule It is honey locust. I don't have any mesquite on property just honey locust and black locust.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 5, 2021)

The thorns will puncture tractor tires. Ask me how I know. 

The wood is extremely hard and is rot resistant. So if you have any the would make a fence post, use them! You can put them between T-posts to help cut expenses. 

It’s just me, but I really hate those thorny things. I’d cut them down, use what I could for posts, even crooked or curved ones, poison the stumps and burn the branches.


----------



## Margali (Dec 5, 2021)

@Baymule The stuff towards front of land is either 8+ inches around or under an inch thick. The few massive trees are staying and the rest is bonfire fodder. This is the pile from a 20' x 20' paddock. And there are several trees still in there.


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 5, 2021)

Baymule said:


> The thorns will puncture tractor tires. Ask me how I know.
> 
> The wood is extremely hard and is rot resistant. So if you have any the would make a fence post, use them! You can put them between T-posts to help cut expenses.
> 
> It’s just me, but I really hate those thorny things. I’d cut them down, use what I could for posts, even crooked or curved ones, poison the stumps and burn the branches.


There are varieties of honey locust that don't have thorns, they are supposed to be good for firewood (via coppicing), fodder (leaves & seed pods), fences, tool handles, etc. I got two planted last year as bare root, they grew maybe 3-4 feet taller in the year.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 5, 2021)

For the life of me, I can't imagine why anyone would plant the thorny varieties on purpose. 


Margali said:


> @Baymule The stuff towards front of land is either 8+ inches around or under an inch thick. The few massive trees are staying and the rest is bonfire fodder. This is the pile from a 20' x 20' paddock. And there are several trees still in there.
> View attachment 88426


Do your research for what shade trees grow well in your area. Plant some for shade. Stay away from Bradford pear, they bloom beautifully in the spring, but are considered an invasive. Plus the "pears" are about the size of a marble. 

Looks like you are working hard to reclaim the land for pasture. Keep it up, you WILL win!


----------



## Margali (Dec 5, 2021)

@Baymule It's not the tractor tires I'm worried about. A 1.5" thorn went thru my shoe into my heel! 🤬  

I'm thinking I should give the boys a CDT booster since I'm sure the sheep are going to end up stepping on them to. I need to work on hoof trimming handling.


----------



## Alaskan (Dec 5, 2021)

I know they are weedy...

But I like redbuds and  mulberry.

Live oak, all oak...  are also great.  

 Pecans are fantastic...but wow disease prone so plant them where they can drop down dead and not bust anything.


----------



## Margali (Dec 5, 2021)

@Alaskan We currently have elm, oak, and another shade tree (wild plum?). I plan on adding apples, mulberries, walnut, cherries, and plums to land as I find varieties which will work in this area.


----------



## Bruce (Dec 7, 2021)

Margali said:


> Not sure she's found the electric fence yet.


You'll probably hear about it if she does.


----------



## Margali (Dec 7, 2021)

Aria seems to be scared to graze by herself. She'll enter the paddock but not go far from the door into the shed. Tomorrow I may try and put Panda out to graze with her.


----------



## Alaskan (Dec 7, 2021)

When we first got our goats they were scared to graze alone.

They were happy to graze if someone was with them.

So we made a "calmgoat" or scarecrow dressed up so they thought they had a companion human.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 8, 2021)

I was grazing Ringo and the young ewes behind the horse barn yesterday. The about to lamb, fat ewes were on the pipeline pasture. A neighbor tested a couple of reload rounds (he fires into the ground) . Suddenly I had two groups of sheep at the gates wanting to go back to the barn. It was close to feeding time so I let them go home.


----------



## Margali (Dec 8, 2021)

I've confirmed my electric fence packs quite a wallop. 

Aria grazed today with Panda after they settled dominance with a couple headbutting bouts. I expanded the electric fence to let them graze another section of grass. Snip was NOT amused that he didn't get to graze. His turn is tomorrow.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 8, 2021)

Panda and Aria look happy. That's a good picture.


----------



## Bruce (Dec 9, 2021)

Margali said:


> I've confirmed my electric fence packs quite a wallop.


You aren't the first one here to make that determination, unintended, without a tester.


----------



## Margali (Dec 10, 2021)

The boys wouldn't graze by themselves either. Panda grazed in expanded area while I was sitting there until he found the fenceline. I guess the electric is too scary or they miss their doggy security guard.



Dominic hung out with me and fed the sheep a snack. Then he got a little too excited and pushy with the brush. Snip backed away but Dominic kept advancing. Snip "air butted" him, ie head down and hop forward without contact. I threw the other brush hard into Snip's side and chased him into shed with yells. Then they were put up for the night.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 10, 2021)

Always assert yourself over the sheep. Don't let even the smallest rammy behavior go by without immediate correction. You did good.


----------



## Margali (Dec 11, 2021)

Posted this on Coffe thread:
Feeling blessed today. I logged into payroll portal to confirm paystub for yesterday. I got a quarterly bonus AND a raise. I took this job a year ago with a fairly hefty paycut vs pre-layoff wages. That deficit is mostly gone now. AND I have an interesting job near family.

And..... hubby said I can get more sheep!!🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉


----------



## Alaskan (Dec 11, 2021)

How many more sheep?


----------



## Margali (Dec 11, 2021)

I currently have 2 reserved! A 9mo ewe with color splotches and a 1yr bred ewe all white. I pick them up next weekend.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 12, 2021)

WHOOP!!! More sheep! Then they have lambs, you keep girls, they have lambs….. you see where this is going don’t ‘cha? It’s so much fun!


----------



## Margali (Dec 12, 2021)

Yep. I can't wait for babies! I'm actually hoping for some boys to process this year. I need to find the local processor.

I can't believe the price of lamb at the store. $18.99/lb for rack of lamb and $8.99/lb for boneless leg of lamb. It's imported from AUSTRALIA!!


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 12, 2021)

Margali said:


> I pick them up next weekend.



Atta girl, get them while DH is still agreeable!!!😁😁

Oh, you'll get boys!  Yeah some years way more than you want.   Lamb is very expensive to buy at the store....


----------



## Margali (Dec 12, 2021)

I guess it's winter now. There was ice in the water buckets this morning. 🤪 


I got a 10'x10' storage shedlet to store hay in. Assembling it with the children helping took forever. It has a zippered front not shown.


----------



## Margali (Dec 12, 2021)

Hmm.. I'm think I might get a second young ewe. That way I can have 2 first time mamas go together with Snip. What was that saying about sheep math? 🐑🐑🐑🤷‍♀


----------



## Bruce (Dec 12, 2021)

Margali said:


> I got a 10'x10' storage shedlet to store hay in.


I hope either you don't get big winds or that holds together better than the one I got at Harbor Freight. Didn't last 6 months.


----------



## Margali (Dec 13, 2021)

Bruce said:


> one I got at Harbor Freight. Didn't last 6 months.


It's from Harbor Freight... what part failed the tarp or the tubing?


----------



## Baymule (Dec 13, 2021)

@Devonviolet where are you? You have one of these, what did your DH do to strap it down??


----------



## DeEtta (Dec 13, 2021)

Margali said:


> I don't understand real estate... I am purchasing a manufactured home with list price $89k and paying $10k down. The "Valuation Report" from the lender says the home is worth $120,300. So did I just gain equity by buying it? Or is it funny money so ignore it?


How exciting and congrats on getting a new home. 

I just bought a new MH and put it on 1.25 acres.  It took months to have it delivered and then a month of set up.  

I too did not understand purchase vs value and insurance.  But it was explained to me this way.  

Assess value is different than market value.  I paid 60k, assess value, but my market value is 100k. Which is equity if you want to resell it.  But to find your taxes, assess value, the best thing to do is check your county property appraiser site. I can access ours on the county website.  It will list both assesd and market value.  

I live in Florida so it might be different if other states.


----------



## Bruce (Dec 13, 2021)

Margali said:


> It's from Harbor Freight... what part failed the tarp or the tubing?


The tubing. It is too thin walled. We get some pretty stiff winds and it is often mainly from the south or the north. The entire structure would visibly lean hard to the south, then hard to the north. That flexed and bent one of the verticals where it enters the arched tube. I was able to bend it back but it bent again and so did the one on the opposite side. I set up bracing to keep those two in place, it didn't lean in the wind anymore but the forces went elsewhere and started bending other pipes.

You can see in the second picture that the vertical on the left has already broken off and is no longer connected to the arched piece.



When I took the mess apart, only 1 vertical was not broken and several of the "rafter" pieces were. They break where the tube narrows to go in the connecting piece.

Something you might want to look out for is that the wind will unzip the door panel. And there is nothing at the top to keep the zipper tab from coming right off. You might want to fix that before you have to try to get the thing back on the zipper.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 14, 2021)

Nothing like the voice of experience.


----------



## Devonviolet (Dec 14, 2021)

Baymule said:


> @Devonviolet where are you? You have one of these, what did your DH do to strap it down??


We used the anchors that came with the four corners and the tubing in the middle  - an anchor where each tubing in touch the ground. In addition to that, we used to ratchet straps in the middle of the garage, to which we attached dog tiedown anchors. Then we ratcheted the straps until they were tight. That held beautifully for six years. In the end, the frame failed, when we had 60+ mile an hour winds blowing against the side of the garage - but that was due to side pressure. We never had it lift off the ground, like some reported happening. We had had Highwinds before, and the frame had stood firm. In the end it couldn’t withstand 60+ mile an hour winds! So, we took it apart (saving the unbent tubing (like any self-respecting homesteader would do), and it is stored in the barn, for future projects. 

After about three years, we did have to replace the canvas on the garage, because we had 45 or 50 mile an hour winds, that ripped it to shreds. This time the canvas failed as well.


----------



## Margali (Dec 14, 2021)

Thanks @Devonviolet I put in the ground anchors. It is protected on the windy side by the metal sheep shed. It sounds like with ratchet strap on top I should get the year I expect before making repairs.


----------



## Bruce (Dec 15, 2021)

Devonviolet said:


> So, we took it apart (saving the unbent tubing (like any self-respecting homesteader would do), and it is stored in the barn, for future projects.


I guess I must be self-respecting  I had to take back some broken parts to HF to get my refund (I had uncharacteristically paid for a longer warranty) but I have the rest, not sure what I will do with them though. Taking up space in the barn with all the other "might be useful some day" stuff.



Devonviolet said:


> when we had 60+ mile an hour winds blowing against the side of the garage - but that was due to side pressure.


Yep, side wind pressure flexing it back and forth is what did mine in.


----------



## Margali (Dec 16, 2021)

New mom jitters. My Sister In Law will be feeding and watering the sheep Saturday and Sunday while we visit the kids great-gramma. The urge to leave a multipage instruction manual is strong!


----------



## Bruce (Dec 16, 2021)

As well it should be unless SIL is well practiced with tending sheep!


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 16, 2021)

Only 2 days?   They should all be good...hay,, water.   😁👍


----------



## Ridgetop (Dec 16, 2021)

Finally moved in and self-respecting hard-working farmers!  Congratulations!  Soon to be sheep breeders too!  So wonderful to have your young children that will go through these journeys with you.  Wonderful memories to be made here.

Check out a 4-H club in your area.  If you can't find one call the Extension office and they can put you in touch with several.  Children can show large livestock at 9 years old, small stock (poultry and rabbits) at 5 years old.  Also have all sorts of other projects your children can do as their fancy takes them.  My children tried everything.  They settled on their main projects but enjoyed the others as just for fun.  The good thing about 4-H is that they offer experience in leadership skills, public speaking, *beekeeping,* rocketry, sewing, canning, cooking, and a whole lot more in addition to the livestock projects.  Surprisingly it was my boys that enjoyed the cooking and sewing projects more.  There are Field Days where they can compete for medals etc. as well as on their record books and record keeping skills.  

Post pix of Aria's lambs when they arrive!


----------



## Margali (Dec 16, 2021)

@Ridgetop We've made contact with the local 4H group but haven't gotten to any meetings yet. I came up with the following single page to email and post at the shed. The metal drums will be labeled as "Feed" and "Minerals, Misc". The vet names and addresses are on the copy she'll get.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 16, 2021)

I think you got it covered. Nervous Momma! That's precise and good instructions. Go enjoy yourselves, you have a good caretaker and the sheep will be fine.


----------



## Margali (Dec 17, 2021)

@Baymule She's never taken care of anything besides cats and dogs. Though her great danes may be bigger than Panda...

Cassandra helping me prepare for Sunday adventures. I'm thinking about cutting a sheet of thin panneling I have to fill gaps between railings. That's sections of old pool safety fence made of welded aluminum tubing.


----------



## Ridgetop (Dec 17, 2021)

Sheep are easy, just feed and water and they will be fine.  Aria is not ready to lamb instantly so you can go and enjoy yourselves.  

When you come back, I will tell you some of the ridiculous things sheep can do to get into trouble.


----------



## Margali (Dec 18, 2021)

The visit with great-grams and great-aunt went great. The kids found the craziest socks at a truck stop. Great-grams got a Bob Ross set and a gingerbread man set. Great Aunt got "I ❤ Coffee" and a set covered in cats.

Hanging out at hotel waiting for tomorrow. Sheep! 2 or was it 3...


----------



## Baymule (Dec 18, 2021)

Ridgetop said:


> When you come back, I will tell you some of the ridiculous things sheep can do to get into trouble.


That’s not how you inspire confidence in taking a couple days away from the farm! 



Margali said:


> Hanging out at hotel waiting for tomorrow. Sheep! 2 or was it 3...



Getting more sheep?? Pictures!


----------



## Ridgetop (Dec 19, 2021)

Hysterical laughter at other's predicaments and possible terror for the future - YES!


Remember we aways think it can't happen to us.  We are right - the same things never do happen to us - JUST WORSE THINGS!


----------



## Baymule (Dec 19, 2021)

Ridgetop said:


> Hysterical laughter at other's predicaments and possible terror for the future - YES!
> 
> 
> Remember we aways think it can't happen to us.  We are right - the same things never do happen to us - JUST WORSE THINGS!


Oh you are having waaay too much fun, building suspense for your tales of mayhem and disaster!


----------



## Margali (Dec 19, 2021)

No sheep.
🤬🤬🤬


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 19, 2021)

WHAT??   Of course more sheep....you need more sheep!


----------



## Margali (Dec 19, 2021)

There will be more sheep. Just not this weekend or from that lady.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 19, 2021)

Lousy sheep farmer?


----------



## Margali (Dec 19, 2021)

Home. Snip, Aria, and Panda are good.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 19, 2021)

Margali said:


> Home. Snip, Aria, and Panda are good.


Such a relief for worried sheep momma.


----------



## Bruce (Dec 22, 2021)

Margali said:


> There will be more sheep. Just not this weekend or from that lady.


Sorry it didn't work out but it sounds like you avoided a disaster. I'm sure you'll find what you need.


----------



## Margali (Dec 24, 2021)

We had fun today. The kids and I explored the acreage. I chopped a path thru the greenbriars until we found the back fence line. Our neighbors across the back have horses.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 26, 2021)

Exploring! What fun. Those woods need a picnic lunch.


----------



## Margali (Dec 26, 2021)

Aria's still looking good. Her udder is slowly filling. Considering walling in whole open front. Poor Snip was really damp this morning from the fog being blown in.


----------



## Margali (Dec 26, 2021)

My eldest, keeping the sheep company.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 26, 2021)

Aria is so pretty and getting a cute little bag. The dampness from the fog won't hurt them. They have a thick layer of inner wool that keeps them warm. Sometimes mine stay out in the rain when they have shelter to get under. They are wearing leather and a winter short wool coat. LOL

That is so heart warming to see your eldest staying with the sheep.


----------



## Margali (Dec 27, 2021)

I love my hubby and the present he got me. Wyze cameras and solar panels to run them so I have sheep shed cam!


----------



## Baymule (Dec 28, 2021)

That man is a keeper! He knows the way to your heart. No frou-frou stuff for you, give you something sensible that you have a use for!


----------



## Margali (Dec 31, 2021)

The kids visited the sheep. Aria was NOT amused.


----------



## Margali (Dec 31, 2021)

I moved the electric fence to new area but not let sheep in yet. There are ALOT of honey locust pods in among the grass even though I fenced off area directly under tree. It's listed as safe fodder in several experiments. I'm just worried about them gorging and upsetting their stomachs. @Baymule do you have any ideas?


----------



## Baymule (Dec 31, 2021)

When I put the sheep on new grass, I limit them to 2 hours and provide plenty of hay and baking soda. So if you are worried, just let them graze it for a short time, then put them up. Then you can see how they do. 

Aria’s belly is dropping. I have her due January 3, it could be a week or two later. But she’s looking like it’s soon!


----------



## Margali (Jan 1, 2022)

So I got a sprinkler tripod to irrigate the section of pasture sheep will go on after the current one. I hope to get the winter rye to grow. It is super short.

The current paddock has bare spots. What would best seed be to sow or should I just stack some of the rained on hay there?


----------



## Margali (Jan 1, 2022)

Ugh, these seedpods came in with the hay I think. They are super stuck in Snip and Panda's fuzzy buts. What kind of brush to pull them out or do I just leave them? Don't want them to work to skin and cause issues.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 1, 2022)

Winter rye probably won’t do much growing until early spring. Bare spots are not surprising this time of year. The soil may be not so great there too. Putting the hay on it would increase humus and help the soil. Good idea. 

Grass burrs. Comb, brush and scissors. Put the burrs in a bag, don’t drop them or they will grow and give you more!


----------



## Mini Horses (Jan 1, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Put the burrs in a bag, don’t drop them or they will grow and give you more!



A gift that keeps on giving!  😲
But most hay has grass seed in it.  So that is a good gift!  Check it.  You could even throw seed down and cover with hay.😁


----------



## Bruce (Jan 2, 2022)

I'm pretty sure you don't want that stuff growing at all Mini!!


----------



## Margali (Jan 3, 2022)

Yesterday the boys were being bratty. "I'm the boss!", "No I AM!" jousting.


----------



## Margali (Jan 5, 2022)

Baby!!!


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 5, 2022)

OMG... how colorful.... all the times that @Baymule wanted "pretty and colorful" to keep..... Looks like a nice big lamb.  Male or female???? 
Congrats.  Great to see them up and nursing like that.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 5, 2022)

Aria is the most colorful, prettiest ewe I’ve ever had born. When you wanted Snip, I knew the best ewe would be Aria. Ringo has done himself proud! That baby is more colorful than a box of crayons! I sure hope it is a GIRL!!


----------



## Baymule (Jan 5, 2022)

Waiting!!!


----------



## Baymule (Jan 5, 2022)

Oh, and about 20 pictures!!


----------



## Margali (Jan 5, 2022)

Pretty sure the baby is a boy. 😭
Pretty active but walking flat on front hocks.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 5, 2022)

Pretty sure? Look under the tail! 
Don’t worry about the floppy feet. I had one like that 2 or 3 years ago and his pasterns strengthened up and in a few weeks, you couldn’t tell it. 

Boy or girl, that is one beautiful lamb!


----------



## Margali (Jan 5, 2022)

@Baymule Pretty sure he has a ball sack but trying to inspect by flashlight kinda hard. Hoping I'm wrong though...


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 5, 2022)

You don't have to look... just feel.  There is a set or there isn't.  Really, feeling is the safest way to tell.


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Jan 5, 2022)

If you can catch "it" peeing you can tell.  Boys pee from the belly - girls pee from the back end.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 5, 2022)

I bet he would fetch a good price at auction!


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 6, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Winter rye probably won’t do much growing until early spring. Bare spots are not surprising this time of year. The soil may be not so great there too. Putting the hay on it would increase humus and help the soil. Good idea.





Mini Horses said:


> But most hay has grass seed in it. So that is a good gift! Check it. You could even throw seed down and cover with hay.


Took the suggestion right off my keyboard!  
In heavy snow areas I read that you want to sow pasture seed before the first snowfall so the seed sits until snowmelt.  Then it sprouts.  I would definitely sow now and cover with the sheep bedding or hay.  If you don't get any snow this year, then the hay/bedding will protect it from birds, sheep and ground creatures.


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 6, 2022)

Congratulations!  Pretty lamb! 

Just turn him upside down and check.  Tiny fuzzy sac - boy, no penis and sac - girl.  I turn ours over to check when I put iodine on the cord.

No worries on pasterns.  Pasterns are sometimes turned under if baby/babies are squashed in minimal space.  Since this was a large lamb in a first timer, probably caused by the position of the fetus inside.  Had quite a few with goats (Nubians often kidded 4) and a couple with lambs.   Will either straighten if turned under, or will strengthen and straighten in a week or so.  

You won't be able to keep those kids out of the lamb pen now!  Good time to teach them how to rake and shovel poop.  That stuff is good for garden soil too.  Just empty the wheelbarrow in rows where you plan to lant your garden.  Come spring you can till it in. You will get tons of worms with that good sheep manure and hay leavings.


----------



## Mini Horses (Jan 6, 2022)

Lift tail...one hole or two????    Suspense is killing us!!!  🤣🤣


----------



## Cecilia's-herd (Jan 6, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Lift tail...one hole or two????    Suspense is killing us!!!  🤣🤣


Seriously! We wanna know!!


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 6, 2022)

Nice large lamb - gorgeous coloring - gotta be a ram.      The prettiest ones always are. Mama is a nice easy lamber and good mama though so that makes it so much easier when she lambs again.

And like Bay says - good price at the auction!  (As long as you don't succumb to temptation and keep him.)  It helps to visualize your lambs like this:

RAMS  $$$$                                  EWES


----------



## Mini Horses (Jan 6, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> RAMS $$$$ EWES



🤣  Which is why I could unload some does!  Too much love.  The $$ ones are 
gone!!!

So true about visual analysis...it's a boy!


----------



## Margali (Jan 6, 2022)

He's a big boy, 11.35lbs at 24hrs. I iodined the cord but I was in a bit of a rush. This evening confirmed he is a boy and my scale was reading kgs in the morning.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 6, 2022)

Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. 
It is now official. You are a 
LAMMY GRAMMY!


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 6, 2022)

Sorry it is a boy, glad it is big and healthy and eating....


----------



## Mini Horses (Jan 6, 2022)

Nice lamb!  A beautiful boy.   BUT mom is lovely, colorful and might give you a little, colorful girl one day.🤗


----------



## Margali (Jan 7, 2022)

Considering the name Houdini. I went to do evening feed and he was OUTSIDE the pen. Mouth was a little cold and Aria was very upset. Put him inside and he nursed for awhile. Then he sqeezed out twice more.





Fixed fence with tarp. It's tiewired to fence on top and excess is wrapped around 2x6 to hold it taught and flush to fence.


----------



## Bruce (Jan 7, 2022)

I thought it was goats that were escape artists!


----------



## Baymule (Jan 8, 2022)

Lambs can walk through panels. Most of the time they don’t, but this little guy is inquisitive. How come they are so smart to get out, but never are smart enough to get back in? LOL

You may have to get a 2’ tall roll of chicken wire and hog ring it to the bottom of the cow panels. Hint: stop chicken wire at end of cow panel and start new run at 2nd cow panel.


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 8, 2022)

They always go where you don't want or expect them to go.  And yep, they never seem to know how to get back through where they just came out of.... STINKERS.


----------



## Margali (Jan 8, 2022)

@Baymule Where did you find hog rings and plier that was big enough to go around the cattle panel wire? The pens are made of 4x6 I think since that is what was left at farm. 

Thinking of switching out to 4x4 like outside pen and redoing aisle way. Too narrow with how sheep are pressing on it. I also need a gate at open end of aisle.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 8, 2022)

Feed store.


----------



## Bruce (Jan 8, 2022)

Or TSC. I got some there to wire cattle panels together to form a fence (Jan's suggestion).


----------



## Margali (Jan 9, 2022)

Baby is doing good. He was not interested in cuddles or getting his picture taken. 



Panda on the other hand... loves his cuddles.


----------



## Margali (Jan 12, 2022)

The baby's name is Spot by a 3 to 1 vote.Spot is doing good. He weighed 17.02lbs today. That's 1.13lb/day gain.

The boys are being extreme but heads. A good 2/3rds of the time PANDA starts it. I thought wethers were supposed to be mellow?


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 12, 2022)

A lot of rams (and wethers) butting is just jockeying for dominant position. Since these 2 are the same age and size they will continue to push each other around for a while.  Our rams live together and get along fine most of the time.  They do fight when a ram that has been in the breeding pen returns to the Celibate Boys Club from the Field of Ecstasy.  I haven't decided if they are reestablishing dominance or just taking out their frustrations on the one bragging in the locker room.


----------



## Legamin (Jan 13, 2022)

Ive hade three different kinds of ram now and have had three separate experiences with rams!  My first ram was a craigslist ’free to good home’ special that I bought to fatten for the freezer.  Before long he had a full rack of horns and was stubbornly keeping myself and my workers out of the entire paddock!  I had him in with other rams and some ’castrati’ goats and he felt the need to constantly reassure himself that he was king.  I finished him with grain and freed the paddock of a nuisance.  My second was/is ‘Briar’ a Leicester Longwool ram, polled and 340+lbs.  he is gentle and sweet and runs up to me to get his pets and cheek scratches.  If I ignore him too long he walks up and gently leans his shoulder into my leg until I start rubbing his neck and cheek…during mating season this all changes..  our third national 3rd place Best of Breed BFL is gentle, polled and stubborn.  He takes pets and love but on his own terms.  These two came back into their own paddock after breeding with separate flocks and the game was on.  It quickly became too dangerous to be in the pen with them.  They knocked heads until the blood flowed and four hours of first aid and antibiotics was needed.  The lesson was simple and it came from the breeder who supplied the Leicester Longwool ewes..after breeding separate them from the flock and bring each one into his own stall for a week to cool off.  They need to be at least a hundred yards from the ewe flock because they will smash through solid welded steel fencing to get back to the ewes…and they will be successful and they will be badly injured..or so I learned.  I know it sounds like torture to isolate a flock animal but they are simply not in their right minds after breeding for a month.  If they are left in with the ewes after lambing they will get rough with the little ones and it is not injuries you have but dead lambs.
The Leicester Longwool is the gentlest breed you can imagine.  They walk up and demand love and pets..11 months out of the year you are the only voice that they will follow and gather around and they will follow you off a cliff if you call them…but that one month….it takes special handling and separation until their hormone levels get back to normal.  It’s the kindest thing to isolate them and let them come to their senses before rejoining the rams together and keeping the ewes to themselves.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 14, 2022)

I haven't used one of these, but I've read of others using them with great success. Ram face shields, then can't see straight ahead, so can't charge each other. 






						Ram Shields
					

Protect your animals and yourself by blocking the ram's forward vision with a ram shield.




					www.premier1supplies.com


----------



## Margali (Jan 14, 2022)

Baby spot is doing good. Already mouthing hay trying to figure out why mama likes it.


----------



## Margali (Jan 15, 2022)

Spot's first adventure! Exploring the run out paddock with mama. 

Hay is boring, what's over here?


----------



## Legamin (Jan 15, 2022)

Baymule said:


> I haven't used one of these, but I've read of others using them with great success. Ram face shields, then can't see straight ahead, so can't charge each other.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the idea.  I will be curious to see if they work.  Being kind of handy with leather and a sewing machine I will probably order one and make the other three for next year.  I like PremierOne products and have an abundance of them.  Good quality product when you can’t find it locally or the local price is just too dear.
I’ve included a pic of Briar on a Fall day as he ran up to me for ear-scratches while I was trying to just get a picture….but how do you tell a ram twice your own size that you’re not offering ear-scratches today? (I’m just not THAT brave!)


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 16, 2022)

Our 4 White Dorper rams are polled. One of them grew large matching scurs that just looked like huge bony skull lumps.  He broke them off one after the other, fighting with other rams.  Some mess to clean off but not too bad since they were not true horns. Styptic power to clot and Alumishield to protect from flies.  We don't have the luxury of enough flat property to keep the rams penned individually or a field away from the ewes.  They seem to do ok after a day or two of muscling around.  Maybe because there are 4 in the pen.


----------



## Legamin (Jan 16, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Our 4 White Dorper rams are polled. One of them grew large matching scurs that just looked like huge bony skull lumps.  He broke them off one after the other, fighting with other rams.  Some mess to clean off but not too bad since they were not true horns. Styptic power to clot and Alumishield to protect from flies.  We don't have the luxury of enough flat property to keep the rams penned individually or a field away from the ewes.  They seem to do ok after a day or two of muscling around.  Maybe because there are 4 in the pen.


I do understand that.  The property we bought had a lot of empty barns, shelters and buildings as a dairy farm that had fallen into severe disrepair.  So we have spent five years building up, shoring up and fencing in.  We do not actually expect to make a profit for at least another two years.  We are finishing the new sheep barn and will have an organized Winter layout for treatment, Summer shearing, lambing etc with about 36,000 sq. Feet of open indoor concrete floor area to separate into ram pens, ewe pens and lambing pens as well as open living area.  It will be a great expansion from the two partial barns we are using now.  We will open up a remote barn that has sat empty for years and use it exclusively as our Winter ram barn.  It is a couple thousand feet away from the new barn so they will not charge the fences etc. to get to the ewes.  The layout is better than I might have done myself as it was a professional dairy operation once (1920’s-1960’s) and it has just been a lot of lumber, nails and screws with elbow grease to bring it up to a usable functioning sheep farm.  10 acres isn’t much but when used effectively it should be able to support a 60-100 sheep operation.  sounds like you have the ram situation under control.  I just found it a real shock at how aggressive an awful it was to watch 350lb rams slam into each other at full trot.  The sound was sickening and the blood made it worse for me.  They were stunned but none the worse by the next day!  Live and learn!


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 18, 2022)

Our White Texas Dahl rams are like bighorns... you ought to hear them when they hit each other head on,  during the "rut" season.  These guys are in the 200+ lb size and the heads with the curl of horns is impressive.  But they break the horns and then are worth a whole lot less with uneven horns.... Sounds like a gunshot when they "crack heads"....


----------



## Margali (Jan 18, 2022)

Legamin said:


> The property we bought had a lot of empty barns, shelters and buildings as a dairy farm that had fallen into severe disrepair.  So we have spent five years building up, shoring up and fencing in.


Sounds like a lot of work and fun. We purchase our acreage in July. It's fully fenced but not in best shape. The property came with a single loafing shed which I've turned into my sheep barn. Eventually it will be guys only while newer barn will have the ewes and other livestock.





						Loafing Shed Refurbish
					

Going to refurbish the old loafing shed on property. The main posts are okay. The big issue is all the joists are detached at one end or the other. The tin roof is holding the joists up 🤦‍♀️. Several joists are cracked too.



					www.backyardherds.com


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 18, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> But they break the horns and then are worth a whole lot less with uneven horns.... Sounds like a gunshot when they "crack heads"....


Sounds like for a championship rack and best prices you have to pen each ram separately.  How old are the rams when you sell them to the game farms?


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 18, 2022)

Our rams are in the 4-6 yr old to get the size horns that the game farms want for "trophy heads"..  Penning them separately would be ideal, but we usually try to put one or 2 of the best males in with the young yearling males as they don't fight as much that way.  Another thing that helps is to have the males far enough away from the females that they cannot smell them and so there is less "enticement" to try to be dominant.  When several ave similar size horns they are more likely to break ends off the horns.  Putting a big head in with yearlings, they don't hit the same and so don't get broken off as easily.


----------



## Margali (Jan 22, 2022)

So my plans to work on yard and sheep shed got derailed at TSC. His name will be determined once his personality emerges from the day's shellshock. He's a 4mo rotweiler/heeler mix. He's my husband's new companion.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 22, 2022)

He will make a good buddy for your husband.


----------



## Bruce (Jan 23, 2022)

Did the local animal society have an adoption day? 
I bet you'll all love that boy.


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 23, 2022)

Not to rain on the parade but Rottweiler and heeler is not a good mix for small livestock.  

The heeler urge to round up (chase) livestock combined with the Rottie urge to kill prey is not a good mix.  You will have to do intense training with him asap.  And definitely don't let him run with the sheep.


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 23, 2022)

Sorry, but I have to agree with @Ridgetop ;  for the exact reasons she said.  A herding type dog combined with one that has a strong inclination to kill is going to be a very very tough row to hoe.... Any herding dog type... aussie, border collie, heeler type is hyperactive just by the nature of the blood/breeding.... and I have been around rotts that are very nice with people and such, but NOT to be trusted with livestock either...  I hope it turns out well for you but it is going to be something you are going to have to stay on all the time....no unsupervised time out loose.


----------



## animalmom (Jan 24, 2022)

Well now everyone's mileage may differ... I have a Border Collie/Red Heeler who cares nothing for my goats/ducks/geese.  She does like to bark at the cows but that's the extent of her interest.

I had a dog that would round up the cows and bring them to me.  She was a cross between a mountain lion hunting dog (what ever that may have been) and a handsome stranger.

Let the dog know now what you expect and go from there.  He may be content in rounding up your children.  Regardless he looks like a handsome dude.


----------



## Margali (Jan 28, 2022)

So the dog is named Bruno. He's good on crate training and basic commands. He's extremely reserved around Hubby but hopefully that will change.

He's came with me while I fed the sheep twice. He wont go closer than the 10ft leash makes him. I think he's intimidated by their size.

 He also seems to have no prey drive right now. He flushed a rabbit from a bush about a foot away. He stood still, looked direction it went, then looked at me like "what was that?.


----------



## Baymule (Jan 28, 2022)

He sounds like a smart puppy. Knowing you, you will train him to commands and good manners.


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2022)

Training training training - obedience training is fun.  Rottie and cattle dog will have ability & smarts for obedience training.


----------



## Margali (Feb 10, 2022)

So Hubby and I caught COVID. We are all recovered now except stamina is still shot. Kids didn't get sick at all.
Bruno and the sheep are doing good.


----------



## Bruce (Feb 10, 2022)

Glad the kids didn't get it, or were asymptomatic. I hear the fatigue can last quite a while, pace yourself.


----------



## Mini Horses (Feb 10, 2022)

Sorry you got it!  Glad it's pretty much gone.  😊

The sheep look great!   Love the face marking on the black.


----------



## Alaskan (Feb 10, 2022)

Super cute lamb!

Bummer it is male. 

Glad to hear from you again, and that you are better.


----------



## Baymule (Feb 10, 2022)

Sorry that y’all had Covid, but I’m glad it’s gone and over. It sure drains all your energy. 

Your sheep are looking good, that Spot is just gorgeous. Wow! He is so colored up!


----------



## Margali (Feb 13, 2022)

I jinxed myself about having healthy kids. 🤦‍♀️ They and hubby now have strep throat. I'm hiding in the bedroom trying to stay health.

I'm also having soo much fun sorting receipts for home build and ranch start up. I had stuff in too broad of categories so I'm categorizing to match Sch F better and record for home basis. *I know it was mentioned not to start business in 2021 due to 5 yrs to turn profit but I have $23k extra income from 401k withdraw to purchase land to offset.* For example I spent $6k to get water onto property and that is how I water the sheep. What part of that is covered? Same question with $1.5k for culvert wide enough to get a tractor onto property. Need to discuss that with accountant... But first I need to have the information in usable format. ugh


----------



## Ridgetop (Feb 13, 2022)

Covid takes all your energy.


----------



## Baymule (Feb 14, 2022)

I got all my reciepts done, printed out a summary to take to CPA. I'm keeping important folders in my truck so I don't lose them. LOL LOL 

Don't worry about showing a profit, it will come. In the meantime, charge off all you can. I do a profit/loss for the sheep and show a profit this year. I do the dogs, dead loss. BUT at least the sheep are profitable. I don't know how the CPA does it all, that's why I pay him. I will consider myself a REAL farmer when/if the sheep cover the dog expense. LOL LOL


----------



## Margali (Feb 14, 2022)

New issue with Bruno. Today he snapped at Dominic (no contact) for trying to take his toy. Cuffed him, rolled upside down, scolded, and put in crate. Then loved all over Dominic. I will be focusing on kids ranking him and being allowed to mess with his food and toys. *sigh*


----------



## Baymule (Feb 15, 2022)

Dogs have to learn. You did right and corrected him. Take him down a notch and let him know his rank in the pack.


----------



## Margali (Feb 15, 2022)

Get your laugh emoji's ready. Currently researching wood chippers and other tools for the farm.


----------



## farmerjan (Feb 15, 2022)

Margali said:


> Get your laugh emoji's ready. Currently researching wood chippers and other tools for the farm.


Don't know if I would laugh.... maybe cry instead.... OUCH on any purchases.


----------



## Baymule (Feb 15, 2022)

I only cry at the diesel fuel pumps.


----------



## Bruce (Feb 17, 2022)

Baymule said:


> I will consider myself a REAL farmer when/if the sheep cover the dog expense.


Since the dogs are needed to protect the sheep, aren't they part of farm expenses? It isn't like they are lap dogs hanging around in the house 24x7.



Margali said:


> Get your laugh emoji's ready. Currently researching wood chippers and other tools for the farm.


3 point for the tractor?


----------



## Margali (Feb 18, 2022)

So there may have been a house on the land at one point. I found what appears to be an old well to south of main gate. There is an old propane tank about 50ft from the well.





Unfortunately, FIL's tractor moved to next family member needing it last week. May see if tractor can come back at some point. Otherwise, I'll cut off the top assembly and fill with mud slurry so it can't collapse.


----------



## Alaskan (Feb 18, 2022)

How deep is the well?


----------



## Baymule (Feb 19, 2022)

Yes, by all means fill in the well or you can have it tested and see if it can be outfitted to water the animals and garden. That might be a better use of the well, but safety for your children comes first.

The old propane tank can be sold on Craigslist to make a BBQ pit out of.


----------



## Margali (Feb 19, 2022)

I can't get the well lid to move at all even with truck and towstrap or jumping on it. It's solid concrete with only a 2" hole in the middle. Not a safety issue for the kids. One of the edge bricks is gone and I fed a rock on a rope down. It went about 12ft before it hit and came up dry.

The propane tank is super old and under the drip ring of the gigantic leaning cedar at the front of the property. The tank is about 5ft behind portapotty in the picture below. I'm not sure I can get it up without ruining enough roots to topple the already leaning tree *into the power lines*.  That is why I was going to back fill it with dirt so it can't collapse and call it good.


----------



## Bruce (Feb 19, 2022)

Margali said:


> So there may have been a house on the land at one point.


No "may" about it! No one is going to bury a large propane tank for an occasional weekend tent site. Now you need to find the foundation.


----------



## Baymule (Feb 20, 2022)

You have accessed the situation and made the best decision. Kudos for you.


----------



## Margali (Feb 21, 2022)

So tired, 3 day work weekend complete. I have a couple of hours of daylight left but I'm DONE.
-many loads of laundry
-scrubbed kid fabric foldy chair covered in mud
-loads of dishes
-put away yard clutter
-picked up car from oil change
-did Sam's club run w family
-pulled up and cut short roots in driveway path that are scrapping car undercarriage
-laid out recessed 20ft gate w stakes and strings
-went to our first 4H meeting
-online request to 811 to mark utilities
-joined KHSI
-loaded sheep into pickup w family and took to vet for check up with cough. They got antibiotic shot.
-worked on shed roof a bit


----------



## farmerjan (Feb 21, 2022)

Margali said:


> So tired, 3 day work weekend complete. I have a couple of hours of daylight left but I'm DONE.
> -many loads of laundry
> -scrubbed kid fabric foldy chair covered in mud
> -loads of dishes
> ...


Yep, ENOUGH....


----------



## Baymule (Feb 22, 2022)

A woman’s work is never done……


----------



## Mini Horses (Feb 22, 2022)

Great, busy, mark off list kinda day!!  👍🤣


----------



## Margali (Feb 26, 2022)

So Cassandra wants to do fancy chickens with 4H. We are getting 10 hens and 5 straight run Speckled Sussex on April 5th.
We are going to build a chicksaw and rotate them through pastures after the sheep.


----------



## Baymule (Feb 26, 2022)

Speckled Sussex are beautiful chickens.


----------



## Margali (Mar 1, 2022)

Spot is getting big! He's 47.6lbs at 51 days old. I'm going to try and record him with KHSI as a commercial ramling stud. 

I need to start thinking about weaning process. I hope he can go in with Snip and Panda. Otherwise, I'll need to figure out a third pen.


----------



## Baymule (Mar 1, 2022)

Spot sure is looking good. You can leave him with Aria for 3 months to give him that extra boost from mom’s milk. She looks to be in good condition.


----------



## Margali (Mar 1, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Spot sure is looking good. You can leave him with Aria for 3 months to give him that extra boost from mom’s milk. She looks to be in good condition.


I still haven't managed a creep feeder that Aria won't destroy. The pair are getting 2.5lbs of feed x2/day into 2 feeder bins. Spot is eating quite a bit of the pellets then Aria cleans up. Spot is growing 0.73lb/day which is good.


----------



## Mini Horses (Mar 1, 2022)

He's handsome!   Conformation and color....winning combo.  🤗


----------



## Margali (Mar 1, 2022)

Whoever setup the road names for Johnson County should be shot. There are multiple county roads parrallel to each other named ***, ***A, ***B, and ***C, etc. Each road has a same set of addresses, ie 1000 block.

Delivery services can't seem to keep them straight. I'm putting up a more elaborate street address sign but it doesn't help if they are on wrong blanking road.


----------



## Margali (Mar 5, 2022)

FatherInLaw came and mowed down alot of the standing dead dried grass. 


Is there anything I should try overseeing now to get more variety in grass mix? Irrigating now should help grass takeoff.


----------



## Baymule (Mar 5, 2022)

It looks like a good stand of grass already, dormant, but plenty for a few sheep. To get the most bang for your buck, it should be lightly disced and dragged, to expose soil for the seed. If you already have a thick sod, wait and see what you have. Maybe next fall sow some white ball clover and winter rye grass. Graze them lightly on it, let it go to seed, dry out, and mow it down. 

What are your fencing plans? You have been there awhile and have time to study on it. Sheep and goat wire, T-posts are high and going higher.  At least you can start small with a pasture, then another and add as time and money allow.


----------



## Margali (Mar 13, 2022)

Been working on the chickshaw build. This is what I have done after day and a half. It's 4'6" wide x 6' long x 3' high with 1"x1" wire floor. The roll out nest boxes will be extend off back wall. 
*not permanent location, wheels are last step*

I had so much help building. 🙄🤪🙄


----------



## Baymule (Mar 13, 2022)

Building always goes better with good helpers!


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 14, 2022)

We had a portable coop that we built with next boxes that stuck out of the back of the coop.  The nest boxes had hinged lids that could be lifted up to get the eggs out, and they slanted to allow rain to run off the tops.  The coop was about 6' x 4' and only about 3+' high.  It had wire mesh floors so the poop could fall through and sat up on 12" legs off the ground.  The chickens used to go under the house during the day for shade.  there was a hinged panel that could be closed up at night and opened so the chickens could walk up into their house.  We co;d move t by sliding long 2" x 4" s under the bottom and carrying it around.  We had thought of putting it on wheels, but the ground was so uneven here that we decided wheels wouldn't work.  The top of the coop also had a hinged section so we could clean it out with a high pressure hose.  It worked great for our 12 chickens.


----------



## Margali (Mar 17, 2022)

@Ridgetop Sounds like our designs are very similar. I'm going with wheels because our ground is level but full of 2" tall tree stumps from multple years of brushhogging.


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 17, 2022)

I would have gone with wheels if I could move it anywhere.  I like the idea of moving it around the garden lot after harvesting so the chickens would scratch up all the remaining plants, and fertilize the soil for next year.  If too much nitrogen in the chicken poop, toss a bag of fine sawdust or shavings in for them to scratch into the soil.  The extra nitrogen will mix with the carbon in the sawdust and break everything down into nice rich soil.


----------



## Alaskan (Mar 17, 2022)

I really like having my veggie garden set up for chickens. Good fences and a net I can stretch over the top.

In the fall it is easy to toss cockerels in the garden to clean it up.

It is a bit trickier to toss chickens into the garden in the spring...  usually no extra cockerels and so much snow.


----------



## Margali (Mar 17, 2022)

Spot is HUGE! He weighs 60.46lbs at 67 days old. He's shaping up well.


----------



## farmerjan (Mar 17, 2022)

He has some serious leg under him.  That's pretty big for 2 months !!!!


----------



## Alaskan (Mar 17, 2022)

Margali said:


> Spot is HUGE! He weighs 60.46lbs at 67 days old. He's shaping up well.
> View attachment 89970View attachment 89971


Dang he looks great!  And huge!!


----------



## Baymule (Mar 18, 2022)

Congratulations of one very fine boy! He is beautiful.


----------



## Margali (Mar 20, 2022)

So I set up first paddock of electric fence, ~.25acre. The grass is barely started but all the scrubby trees are budding out. Snip was willing to leave the runout paddock for a grain bribe. Scaredy Panda refuses.

Bruno met the electric fence and now will not come within 200 feet of the sheep shed.


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 22, 2022)

Amazing weight on 2 month old lamb!


----------



## Margali (Apr 10, 2022)

It's been awhile since I made an update. I've been soo busy!

2 weekends ago family came over and we had tons of fun. The teenage boys did some shooting and everyone rode go carts. Alijah gave littles a wagon ride around the property. I bought a food oil IBC tote and cleaned it up. 250ft of hose later, I have a water supply by the sheep shed. I plan on making a gravity refill water trough.⛲


Last weekend I worked on chicken coop and got it mostly done. My neighbor that's moving gave me a corral!🎉 My family invaded and we put up gates to property. Albert (grandfather-in-law) gave us posts. 🥳🎉🥳


My baby chicks arrived Thrusday and are doing okay. We've lost the 5 spares included in order. Some of that is my kids fault sneaking them out of brooder to play with them. This weekend I set up the corral as an isolation pen. I traded Spot and some cash for a pair of katahdin/dorper cross ewes. Need to figure out names.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 10, 2022)

WHOO-HOOO!!! That’s the right kind of family get together! Awesome progress! And a free corral too! 

Baby chicks don’t stay babies long, they will soon be feathered out. Chicken coop going up! That’s super! 

Nice trade on the two ewes! Now Snip has 3 girlfriends! More lambs! LOL I need better pictures of your new ewes! How old are they?


----------



## Ridgetop (Apr 11, 2022)

Good job on the trade for the ewes.  Now 3 ewes and a ram will get you off to a good start breeding.


----------



## Margali (Apr 11, 2022)

They are 2months old and WILD.The one with white marking rammed tru the wire around bottom of corral and ran around crazy. Bruno was a good boy and sat far back watching the action. They both got a CDT shot. Today or tomorrow will be attempt 2 to weigh and deworm.


----------



## farmerjan (Apr 11, 2022)

When we are bringing in new calves/feeders or even cows,  we give them 5-7 days to just chill out before attempting much of anything in the way of working them.  They are so much more likely to come down with stuff when their systems are so wound up.  We do give blackleg right off the trailer as protection... but other vaccs and anything else like worming waits for a few days.  You might be better off to just let them chill out a bit and see you are not always going to "do something to them" every time they see you...
They are nice looking... sorry they are so wild...


----------



## Baymule (Apr 11, 2022)

Feed is a great gentling assistant. Sit down in their lot, that puts you on their level and not towering over them, a scary monster. LOL Every other day sit a little closer to their feed. When you hit that spot where they totally freak out and refuse to eat, back up a little. It may take awhile, but I know you have patience. 

They look real nice.


----------



## Mini Horses (Apr 11, 2022)

Nice looking ewes -- who sure appear to be looking for an escape! 🤭. I'm sure it will work out before long.  You'll get them calmed.  

Of course these were not born there but I have found that imprinting when born makes a huge difference in their attitude to you later.  Even if you can't get to them as much as you'd like, that first couple hours and days makes a real difference when you do need to handle them.  Less fear factor.


----------



## Margali (Apr 12, 2022)

Last night sucked and today's going to be a mess. We got home from scouts at 7:30pm to discover the tap into the 12" water main for our meter failed.  I got completely soaked and covered in mud shutting our water meter valves which did nothing. It's the main line for this side of town so they started work immediatly. Cue trying to sleep thru backhoe noise.


----------



## Bruce (Apr 12, 2022)

That sucks!!! At least they have to deal with fixing it, not you under the house or something.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 12, 2022)

Yes, the good news is that it is on the city, not YOU to fix it. Maybe a muddy mess, no sleep, but at least you don't get the bill for repair.


----------



## Margali (Apr 12, 2022)

Water is back on! I'll see how bad the mess ia when I get off work. Don't know off any damage to house but I gave insurance company a heads up just incase.


----------



## Margali (Apr 20, 2022)

So it's almost end of April but....

*YEAR 1 GOALS*
- Register dBa name
_Done_
- Farm logo
_In Progress_
- Transfer Ag Valuation to our name
_Applied 🤞
-_ Register with Katahdin Hair Sheep International and Scrapies Program
_Done_
- Sheep herd to 4 ewes
_Now 3, probably stopping here so I can buy more bees_
- Chickens
_In Progress_
- Beehives to 5 hives
_Last several severe storms knocked over hives. All 3 are dead, starting over. _
- Close up front entrance
_In Progress, posts and gates are in. Just need to buy and stretch wire._
- Water supply at sheep shed
_In Progress, 275gal tote to gravity feed water trough. Can fill up with hoses about once per month._
- Figure out control plan for locust trees
_Attended Ag Extension training and have ideas to try_
- Clear access path along entire fence line


----------



## Alaskan (Apr 20, 2022)

Except for the bees...  sad...


But everything else sounds excellent!


----------



## Baymule (Apr 20, 2022)

You are on a roll!


----------



## Mini Horses (Apr 21, 2022)

Sorry about the bees.   They are expensive, too.


----------



## farmerjan (Apr 21, 2022)

Sad on the bees, but everything else is getting there... it sure doesn't happen as fast as you want....


----------



## Margali (Apr 25, 2022)

🎉🎉I'm 99% certain, my application for ag valuation was approved. The Central Appraisal District database lookup shows parcel of 11.9 acres with the D1 agricultural use code. The payee page isn't updated yet.🎉🎉

🤔Neither the 1 acre E2 Mobile Home land sub-parcel or Mobile Home account show the homestead exemption.🤔 Not sure why... when I have mortgages on both items and it's sole residence.

And I've upgraded the sheep shed, do you like their swimming pool?


----------



## Bruce (Apr 25, 2022)

The pool is nice but I think you might want to dig it a bit deeper. Teddy as in the pond behind the barn up to his belly the other day. I understand that when it is hot out but it was 40°F!


----------



## Baymule (Apr 26, 2022)

Was the land already in agriculture exemption when you bought it?

Love the swimming pool, where's the umbrella and Pina Colada??


----------



## animalmom (Apr 26, 2022)

Where are the cabana boys ready with towels to hand the ladies when they are through bathing?


----------



## Margali (Apr 26, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Was the land already in agriculture exemption when you bought it?


It already had ag valuation and ag tenant on it. Everyone has been telling me horror stories about Johnson CAD people being super strict and turning down ag valuation for new owners. And the info on how many head per acre of what type of pastureland was clear as mud. So I was worried that would happen and I would have to win appeal to avoid rollback taxes.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 27, 2022)

I filed Ag on the 8 acres we had in Lindale. It took 5 years to be granted. It made a good selling point!


----------



## Margali (Apr 28, 2022)

The chickens are getting big!


And sheep are enjoying the greenery.


----------



## Margali (Apr 28, 2022)

Our neighbor gave me a roll of 4"×4" wire, a round bale holder, and partial round bale.

Getting the round bale home was hilarious. We didn't have a tractor and it was laying flat.


----------



## farmerjan (Apr 28, 2022)

If at all possible, get the round bale rolled so the rounded part is up.  The rain will work it's way down into the hay and ruin it quickly if it has the "flat side" up.  The rounded side will help to shed more of the rain and the net wrap also helps to shed some water.
Unless you just plan to use it for mulch then getting wet and all isn't important.

That's a pretty good score, a round bale ring/feeder is not cheap new. And good wire/fencing is always a plus.


----------



## Margali (Apr 28, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> That's a pretty good score, a round bale ring/feeder is not cheap new. And good wire/fencing is always a plus.


This is same neighbor that gave me the 7 panel round pen. Very blessed by her generosity.

The hay's been out for months flat side up. Probably going to be bedding in shed / mulch. I have a small stack of square bales I'm feeding the new girls


----------



## Alaskan (Apr 28, 2022)

Margali said:


> This is same neighbor that gave me the 7 panel round pen. Very blessed by her generosity.
> 
> The hay's been out for months flat side up. Probably going to be bedding in shed / mulch. I have a small stack of square bales I'm feeding the new girls


Are they getting out of livestock??


----------



## Margali (Apr 28, 2022)

They are older couple and moved into town. They are selling their land.


----------



## Alaskan (Apr 28, 2022)

Margali said:


> They are older couple and moved into town. They are selling their land.


Ah!


----------



## Baymule (Apr 28, 2022)

Aria looks so pretty framed in green! 

You have some real nice grass/graze showing up! Anytime you put out a round bale for the sheep, remove the net wrap or hay twine. If they chew and swallow it, it could impact their intestines. They would die a painful miserable death with you trying everything to save them and not knowing the real cause. 

Now I’ve scared the crap out of you for the day. That’s better than hiding behind a door and jumping out hollering BOO! Hahaha!


----------



## Margali (Apr 28, 2022)

Baymule said:


> remove the net wrap or hay twine. If they chew and swallow it, it could impact their intestines.


I know about the net issue.  I keep finding bits of net mesh around the acreage. It drives me nuts that previous owners didn't care.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 28, 2022)

Margali said:


> I know about the net issue.  I keep finding bits of net mesh around the acreage. It drives me nuts that previous owners didn't care.


I know! I hate digging old hay twine out. I’m with you on that!


----------



## Mini Horses (Apr 29, 2022)

Another thing with that wrap....when the sneak a bunch of rebaled on you, sometimes the wrap hasn't been fully removed!    I pull some of the pads apart on any new load, to check for that.  Sometimes you see it sticking out on the sides.    Apparently rebaling rounds to square is a "thing" now.   Just make $ on that.


----------



## Alaskan (Apr 29, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Another thing with that wrap....when the sneak a bunch of rebaled on you, sometimes the wrap hasn't been fully removed!    I pull some of the pads apart on any new load, to check for that.  Sometimes you see it sticking out on the sides.    Apparently rebaling rounds to square is a "thing" now.   Just make $ on that.


That is so wrong!!

If you think you are buying fresh new hay.... well... it should be just that!


----------



## Baymule (Apr 29, 2022)

Some hay producers bale big round bales to get them off the field quicker and MUCH easier. Then they bale squares to order. Makes sense to me. But not the webbing.


----------



## Alaskan (Apr 29, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Some hay producers bale big round bales to get them off the field quicker and MUCH easier. Then they bale squares to order. Makes sense to me. But not the webbing.


Ah!  Ok, that makes sense.


----------



## Margali (May 1, 2022)

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I was high enough on the list to get a ewe!
This girl will be ready in June. An excellent birthday present to myself.


----------



## Margali (May 1, 2022)

Yesterday was Dominic's birthday party. The stockyard trainride didn't happen but he enjoyed the maze. The longhorn balloon hat was not a good idea...


----------



## Baymule (May 1, 2022)

Beautiful ewe lamb! Congratulations I know you are thrillled! 
Happy birthday to Dominic, stockyards is a good idea for birthday celebration.


----------



## farmerjan (May 1, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Some hay producers bale big round bales to get them off the field quicker and MUCH easier. Then they bale squares to order. Makes sense to me. But not the webbing.


We have done it sometimes too.  Mostly it is because we ran out of square bales for a customer, and they are not equipped to handle a round bale.  Sometimes we don't get enough sq bales done, and then a later cutting is on a field that is farther away so it is quicker both to bale round bales and transport them home than sq baler/wagons and all that.   So for many it really is about the ease to get them off the field;  it is a royal PITA to take a round bale and have to then run it though a sq baler in the barn floor... because usually it is when it is raining out or snow or something....You have handled the round bale, which is not as much as a wagon load of sq bales, but then you have to undo your work, BY HAND, and feed it into the sq baler and then handle the sq bales.   Anyone that doesn't take care of the plastic is a JERK... but there are a few here and there that use a special machine that "cuts the bales into quarters" and such, and then they could get much more easily run through a sq baler... and the plastic could very well still be on the bale... which is laziness.  That is poor business practices if nothing else...


----------



## Bruce (May 2, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Some hay producers bale big round bales to get them off the field quicker and MUCH easier. Then they bale squares to order. Makes sense to me. But not the webbing.


I was going to ask a question but nevermind .....



Margali said:


> The longhorn balloon hat was not a good idea...


Because it is too much like a sword? And shouldn't a longhorn have TWO horns?



farmerjan said:


> You have handled the round bale, which is not as much as a wagon load of sq bales, but then you have to undo your work, BY HAND, and feed it into the sq baler


..... because Jan answered it. I can't imagine the time it takes to rebale a round into a bunch of squares feeding the hay by hand.


----------



## Margali (May 4, 2022)

Pepper and Dash have been with me for a month now. They are still standoffish but understand I'm food lady. They will let me enter pen and get within a few feet without freaking out.

So it's time for next step, learning electric fence.⚡ I set up a small section inside the corral and energized it. So far they've figured out the poles don't bite but string does sometimes. One short tangle but I freed her quickly. 🤦‍♀️ Pepper stuck her head thru the shelter crate to taste it and panicked when it zapped. Maybe she was seeing if it would bite while she was "hidden"? 🤷‍♀️

We'll continue short supervised sessions for awhile. Then I'll move them in with Aria. I may have to go 3 strand to start with because their so short.


----------



## Baymule (May 4, 2022)

Sounds like progress is being made. Some will become your best friend, some merely tolerate you. Either one is better than panic at sight of you. 

I got a roll of Premier 1 electro netting. So far I’m happy with it, it creates a good barrier.


----------



## Margali (May 6, 2022)

This weekend is all about the bees. 🐝🐝

Today I removed a swarm in a water valve box for a nice couple in Grand Prairie. As a bonus, I found another swarm moved into an empty hive I had set up.



Tomorrow we are going to pickup some nucs.


----------



## Baymule (May 7, 2022)

You are amazing!!! I want to be like you when I grow up!! Free bees, just for going and getting them! Winner!


----------



## Margali (May 7, 2022)

But @Baymule , I want to be YOU when I grow up!😳

Removing them was super easy and she paid me gas money. Lady stated someone else quoted her $250 which is ridiculous for a meter box swarm. That's cutout (of walls, ceiling, etc) pricing.


----------



## Baymule (May 7, 2022)

I admire bee keepers. Bees are amazing creatures. I like planting flowers for them.


----------



## Margali (May 11, 2022)

Beehives installed at my yard. I need to put down some more cardboard to kill grass.


And... the young ladies are with Aria now. I'm not sure if they are going to work long term on my farm. Pepper went thru electric and Dash went over like a deer. They are going to stay in run out pen while I rerun electric with more rows.


----------



## Mini Horses (May 11, 2022)

They sure are pretty tho. 🤣🤗.   Sometimes they calm after lambing.

Don't know with sheep but, my goats show me their escapes.  If I call and they are in area of escape, they come back same way!  Then I can go fix.  😊

Yeah my goats jump well...and NO respect for electric fence!!  😬


----------



## Baymule (May 11, 2022)

Aria stays because she was hand raised and not wild. My first 4 ewes came off a 300 acre ranch and bounced off the wire in the lot if I so much as looked at them. It took awhile, but they settled down and learned to eat out of my hand. How old are these two and when do you plan on breeding them?


----------



## Margali (May 11, 2022)

Baymule said:


> How old are these two and when do you plan on breeding them?


They are about 3 months old right now. I plan on breeding them this fall at about 8 months. It depends how well they grow out.


----------



## farmerjan (May 11, 2022)

They may get better being in with Aria.... make it a habit of always taking them a little something... if she comes to you they will usually follow... since they know the taste of grain... They may never be super friendly... but their lambs will usually be a little better if you are around them from birth... @Baymule 's experience with hers shows that they can get better... but you may never be able to keep them in electric unless it is netting and they do not "see a way out"....
Maybe just get some lambs out of them and then sell them and keep the lambs... make them a means to an end...


----------



## Margali (May 14, 2022)

I got the girls out on paddock without them challenging the fence. Hunger trumps fear.


Why are you eating the short stuff?


----------



## Bruce (May 14, 2022)

Margali said:


> Why are you eating the short stuff?


Because the short stuff is tender new growth!


----------



## Margali (May 17, 2022)

Busy bees at the ranch. Four hives are going strong. The swarm I captured a week ago (under smoker) absconded. Oh well, I gave my free bees their resources.


----------



## Margali (May 18, 2022)

So I am down to 9 chickens from the 14 that left the brooder alive. I thought a hawk got them so I put netting over run. Today Alexander saw Bruno with chicken in his mouth then chasing another. One he was chasing is alive but in undegrowth. Apparently they are small enough to go thru chicken netting. Then Bruno thinks they are fair game.

Snip is going thru teenage a***h0le period. I think the little girls are hitting puberty cause he is sticking his head thru fence to smell their buts. I was carrying hoe today because snakes. Snip decides to rub his head on it and then square up on me. Um, NO! So he got chased into inside pen with several wacks to chest and but. The neighbors at trailer park may think I'm crazy. Cause I was yelling at him "Keep it up and I'm going to EAT YOU!"

Tomorrow we school meetings then Friday I'm going to be bushhogging about an acre. Ugh...


----------



## Baymule (May 18, 2022)

Hahaha! I can just see you whacking on Snip and threatening to eat him! Haha! That’s funny!


----------



## Margali (May 20, 2022)

I LOVE my new weedwacker. I took all this overgrown stuff out in about 30minutes of wacking. The rest of the morning was picking up trash with my new wagon.


----------



## Baymule (May 20, 2022)

Awesome! That looks real nice. That big wheeled weed whacker is great!


----------



## Margali (May 20, 2022)

It's great. I'm glad I was wearing my new snake gaiters though. I found a chunk of barbed wire in the grass. The trimmer whipped it up across my legs and wound it on the spool. Once I got the wire loose, the trimmer started back up without issues.


----------



## Baymule (May 20, 2022)

Wow! Glad you weren’t hurt. Better yet, your weed whacker started right back up!


----------



## Margali (May 21, 2022)

Today was slower paced with the high wind and storms. 😜 Did a supply run in the morning for weed eater string and chemicals. A couple of loads of laundry. I sprayed all the pokeweed in front 4 acres before it set berries. 

We went out for snow cones. I had a POG passionfruit/ orange/ guava one, yum. We also explored a newly opened feed store in town. They carry Martindale🎉. 

Then I worked on first autorefill trough. I need to glue the fittings and make a guard for the float.


----------



## Baymule (May 22, 2022)

We got that storm last night, starting around 10:30. It’s gone through but I still hear thunder. Snow ones and a new feed store sounds like a great family outing! 

Ever pick the poke for greens? It’s pretty good. Just have to bring it to a boil and pour the water off 3 times, then add bacon or ham and simmer. Bake cornbread, supper!


----------



## Margali (May 22, 2022)

Finished sheep automatic water trough. REMINDER: Use food grade totes and barrels!


----------



## Baymule (May 22, 2022)

That sure beats hauling buckets! That looks great! I have one of those totes. I wonder how hard it is to keep clean?


----------



## Margali (May 22, 2022)

Baymule said:


> That sure beats hauling buckets! That looks great! I have one of those totes. I wonder how hard it is to keep clean?


I've not had any issues. The lid is black with a center white cap. I took the white cap out and used aluminum mesh to screen hole so it breaths but no bugs. When it runs all the way empty, I spray insides with hose nozzle and add some apple cider vinegar with fill up.

Here's the parts list. I will take a picture of the barrel adapter when I make the next one.
Parts List:
Tote Cap- Double Check Thread Type
Garden Y-splitter brass
Garden 10ft hose
My blue barrel had center 3/4" tap on the white bung lid. They can vary so double check
3/4" F Garden Hose Thread x 3/4" male NPT
3/4" MNPT x 1/2" FNPT
3/4" FNPT x 3/4" FNPT coupler
Float Valve


----------



## Mini Horses (May 23, 2022)

Algae buildup?   That's a consideration here...I like the concept but even my big troughs get bad with the heat.   Not an issue to water gardens😊

Bath water heated in summers.   You might need a shade cover.   ?


----------



## Margali (May 27, 2022)

I'm living in a sheep soap opera! Snip was going crazy flirting with Aria and getting frustrated enough he tried challenging me. He lost but my better knee took some damage. I put him in with Aria. So... Panda is now being crazy ramming the little girls if they are in night pen together. But grazing is okay. 🐑🤷‍♀️🐑

I got both girls in my make shift crush before their dinner. Dash just got dewormer. Pepper got to test my nursing skills. She has a flaky scaly patch on her inner ear that also had a few ticks. 


Second picture is after cleaning before Blu-Kote. Dhe also got dewormer. She's 61lbs at approx 4 months old.


----------



## Baymule (May 28, 2022)

I’ve never seen anything like that in a sheeps ear. I’ve seen the brown crusty stuff from ear mites in rabbits ears, it only took a few applications of mineral oil to clear it up. But white crud in a sheep ear is something new to me. I’m guessing you’ll have to repeat several applications? Let us know how you treat it and how long before it is gone. 

Love is in the air! LOL I’m sure Snip is a very happy boy!


----------



## Margali (Jun 4, 2022)

It's a cool, misty morning perfect for hanging out with the sheep.


Snip is back to his sweet self now he has Aria with him. He also starting to loose his winter coat. Panda has resigned himself to babysitting and settled down. He's figured out if he's mean to the baby girls, I drive him away from the grain.

I also think the smaller inside pen is just too small. Aria and Snip are on that side now and they will not go in except feeding time. Unfortunately, I have to work all weekend so I can't fix it.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 4, 2022)

Always plenty to do on a farm! Funny how work gets in the way!


----------



## Margali (Jun 10, 2022)

Work has been soo crazy! But I can see the end of this unplanned turnaround. 

In other news, a rooster learning to crow sounds hilarious!


----------



## Baymule (Jun 10, 2022)

A rooster learning to crow sounds like someone is strangling him!


----------



## farmerjan (Jun 10, 2022)

Even moreso when it is a hen that wants to crow.  My leghorn was trying to crow a bit for several nights... Laughable.


----------



## Bruce (Jun 11, 2022)

Echo tried for awhile but she quit. Not sure which hen it is now but one of them gave it a shot last week!


----------



## Margali (Jun 12, 2022)

We came home and found a brown Bruno. Turns out he made himself a watering hole.

Unfortunately, it was right against the house over our water line. So I was a nice person and extended the ac drip line to appropriate location and cover current pit with baby fence.



The heart shape is entirely accidental...


----------



## Baymule (Jun 13, 2022)

It’s HOT! What’s a dog to do?


----------



## Bruce (Jun 13, 2022)

Margali said:


> The heart shape is entirely accidental...


It was not! You wanted Bruno to know you love him!


----------



## Ridgetop (Jun 13, 2022)

Baymule said:


> That sure beats hauling buckets! That looks great! I have one of those totes. I wonder how hard it is to keep clean?


Before I ran water lines and hooked up auto waterers in our rabbitry, we used 2 liter bottles with drinking spouts.  We put 1/8 tsp bleach in each bottle to keep algae out of the bottles.  You can probably put some bleach in the large tote to control algae if it becomes  problem.


Baymule said:


> A rooster learning to crow sounds like someone is strangling him!


Have you noticed that they don't "crow" loudly at first?  It is like they are trying it on for size to see if they cn really do it.  Almost like a whispered strangled crowing until they finally get it right!  LOL


----------



## Margali (Jun 14, 2022)

So I've decided to sell all my bee stuff. If anyone local to DFW is interested let me know.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 14, 2022)

Aww too bad. With all the hours you work, new home, land and all that you do, you got a lot on your plate.


----------



## Margali (Jun 14, 2022)

It's also I have no backup for the bees. For the sheep and chickens, I have my family and extended family that can do basic chores if needed.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 15, 2022)

How often do the bees need care? Can’t you check in on them occasionally or at  least leave them long enough to leave once in awhile?


----------



## Margali (Jun 15, 2022)

Baymule said:


> How often do the bees need care? Can’t you check in on them occasionally or at  least leave them long enough to leave once in awhile?


I'm not even managing once per week... I'm pricing things to recover my investment and a little profit.


----------



## Alaskan (Jun 15, 2022)

Margali said:


> I'm not even managing once per week... I'm pricing things to recover my investment and a little profit.


Yeah... you have been working crazy hours.

It is hard, but ya do what ya have to do.


----------



## Margali (Jun 16, 2022)

So I sold a bunch of bee wiodenware yesterday. Today we drove to San Saba to pick up this calf tilt table.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 16, 2022)

Will the calf table be too big for the sheep? I hope it works out, that's a great buy!


----------



## Margali (Jun 17, 2022)

I think it will be fine @Baymule. The bottom walking plate is about 16" wide and it will squeeze super tight. The only thing that may need modifying is bottom plate to open so I can reach feet easier.


----------



## murphysranch (Jun 17, 2022)

May I ask what a calf tilt table is used for? Thanks.


----------



## Margali (Jun 17, 2022)

murphysranch said:


> May I ask what a calf tilt table is used for? Thanks.


Let's one person wrangle a much stronger animal to give medicines, trim feet, etc.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 17, 2022)

And castrate.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 17, 2022)

Hey if it works for you, I may have to start looking for one too.


----------



## Ridgetop (Jun 17, 2022)

We have one - they can still kick hard when squeezed and rolled over on their side!  One ewe sent me flying about 6'!


----------



## Ridgetop (Jun 19, 2022)

These squeeze and tilt tables are great BUT be warned! The sheep hate being tilted!  They will struggle and kick like mad.  Also scream!  They also don't want to calmly walk into the scary thing. You will need to try it out several times to get the hang of using it. They can also be heavy to turn with the sheep in them. Lambs are too small, and it won't hold them.  We need 2 people to use ours - one to tilt the sheep and the other to do the work on the sheep. The tilt table should lock into place once tilted.  I am considering making a blindfold for the sheep once in the squeeze to see if it will calm them like it does horses.

Wes Patton (Glennland Farms) has one that is about 40 years old and isn't manufactured anymore.  It turns the sheep totally upside down and the sheep stops struggling once it is upside down! Wonderful!  Everyone in our seminar wanted to order one, but the company is out of business now.  

Open squeeze facing slide gate from chute.  Open end has a head gate that attaches where it is currently open in picture.
.


Sheep inside squeeze with head caught in head gate.  As you can see there is not enough room under side of gate to trim hooves so we had to flip her.  Any more room under side of tilt and the sheep's legs slide out in a dangerous fashion.


DH flips sheep onto side for me to work on her hooves which were overgrown.  (Do not do this on sheep more than about 2 1/2 months into pregnancy.)  Plenty of room now to work - just don't look away and be quick on your feet.  Apparently, sheep don't like being on their sides in this thing.  They kick and flail around!  Ready to trim hooves.  Easy Peasy!  Hooves are easy to reach and trim.


BUT! 
They kick like devils on their sides so you have to be spry.  I was almost finished with this ewe, having avoided her kicking hooves when I turned away for a second to answer a question from DS1 who was sorting sheep on the other side of the fence and 
 
KAPOW!   BOOM!  SPLAT!     



She got me right on the side of my hip and sent me 6' onto the ground!  Luckily, I didn't land on my hoof trimmers since as soon as something like that happens I immediately toss them aside to avoid impaling myself.
 My beloved family took photos before assisting me to my feet and checking for a broken hip!  4-H record book training from childhood.  I was bruised and sore on both hips - one side from the kick the other from the landing - but was able to finish trimming that ewe and several more before hobbling inside and demanding a full body cast!

There is another piece of equipment I am saving for which is similar to the squeeze but instead of tilting is constructed to give you room to work on the sheep at a comfortable height for trimming hooves, AI, and other medical and grooming needs.  

Have fun playing with your new toy.  Just don't be surprised to hear screams as the children climb in and have their siblings tilt them side to side!


----------



## Margali (Jun 19, 2022)

@Ridgetop Several companies like Lakeland make spin trim chutes $$$$. 

Thank you for your tips. My first plan is headgate and squish without tilting. The bars drop down and I think I'll be able to grab foot good enough.


----------



## Margali (Jun 20, 2022)

So Snip is starting to shed but it's not coming cleanly. The wool is loose but dreadlocked to the summer hair coat. So I "helped" get the brown section over his shoulders off.


----------



## Mike CHS (Jun 20, 2022)

Most people that we know that have them like them.  Even the people that we sold ours to love it.  

We didn't like it for all of the reasons @Ridgetop mentioned plus there must be something in our sheeps genes that makes them dive down on all fours when they are stressed and no matter how tight we got them in the chute, it was still a bear to get them back on their feet.  We got what is called a Deck Chair from Premier1 that the sheep don't mind very much.  Most of our sheep are tame enough that we can trim them in the stall with no issues.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 20, 2022)

I was wondering how Snip was shedding, what about Panda? Aria sure looks slick and pretty! 

Snip and Panda’s mom, Eve, has a thick thatch that I just scissor trimmed off. Miranda shed out slick. 

@Mike CHS told me that if they got wet, the wool shed easier. Mine get rained on and it washes the lanolin and embedded dirt off, the wool just peels off!


----------



## Margali (Jun 20, 2022)

@Baymule Panda shed to just a mohawk by himself. That is coming off easily with a little help. Snip's could be used as a rug...


----------



## Baymule (Jun 20, 2022)

I scissor sheared a ewe that had a rug. I hung it over the fence, it looked like a raccoon pelt.


----------



## Baymule (Jun 20, 2022)

I took pictures of my young ewes this evening.

This is Cookie, full sister to Snip. I’ve been rubbing the fur off her, plucking and giving her lots of scratches. She paws my leg for more. I’m trying to see if I can get rid of the baby fuzz, will she shed out next year instead of a matted rug. The matted mess in the background is Butterfly, daughter of Frimplepants and she also is a matted mess. 





This is Cookie and Rainbow. Rainbow is a daughter of Lucy and Ringo. Lucy is a daughter of Miranda and a Dorper ram. Lucy carries a rug, I have to shear her, usually with scissors. I posted before and after pictures on my journal. Rainbow (named by 5 year old granddaughter) had baby fuzz that has come off easily with grooming. She has a good hair coat. Same as Cookie, I want to see if getting rid of the baby fuzzies helps shedding after winter.

The brown ewe is Pinto, daughter of Ewenique and Ringo. Perfect hair coat! 





This is Dainty laying next to her mom, Nova, triplet daughter of Miranda and Ringo. All 3 of Miranda’s triplets were shaggy and I “helped” them get rid of it. Dainty has a nice hair coat, Ringo is her sire and grand sire. You can see the woolly map on Nova. LOL





Another one of Dainty.






I thought I’d post these for you, maybe getting the baby fuzzies off might help shed better next summer. We’ll see next year!


----------



## Baymule (Jun 23, 2022)

I plucked off the fuzzy butt patches on Cookie and Rainbow. Rainbow has the better hair coat. Now to wait on winter and next summer shed.


----------



## Ridgetop (Jun 24, 2022)

I never pluck or trim.  Half the flock is perfectly clean shed, most of the rest have just a mohawk strip, several are too wooly to suit me.  I will be culling some of these this year.   Although they seem to shed differently each year.  I am keeping a ournal of who sheds clean to double check next year.


----------



## Margali (Jun 28, 2022)

I had a blast this weekend. Friday we picked up Cinnamon, ewe 2238 from Bluestem Farm. And another tote cage to elevate the water tote. 


Saturday I managed to check on bees. Then dyed the boys hair blue and green. Cassandra picked 4 chickens at local farm and we popped them in coop at sundown.

Sunday we got my squeeze chute situated and picked up a tank scrap section to use as a fire circle. We also got my storage tent moved. I found this cute little Dekay's snake, non-venomous.


----------



## Margali (Jun 28, 2022)

This evening I tested out the calf squeeze. It's almost too big! Snip was able to pull his head back thru headgate on all the way closed setting. Board thru back frame kept him in while I trimmed his coat. He put up with it for the grain bribe.


----------



## farmerjan (Jun 28, 2022)

Okay, I have to ask.... Dyed the boys hair blue and green??????


----------



## farmerjan (Jun 28, 2022)

Be careful of the water tote on top of the other cage.  A full 300 gallon tote weighs over 1 TON.... 2400 lbs if it is 300 gal and is full... I don't think the cage below will handle that much weight on top of it.  You don't want it to collapse with someone/something under it.  It is different for it to hold the weight IN,  as it is evenly distributed all around... but you are putting all the weight directly on top and it just might not be able to hold it.  To only fill it say 1/3 full - 100 gallons - would be 800 lbs more or less...


----------



## Baymule (Jun 29, 2022)

Good advice @farmerjan i would have never thought of that. 
Snip has made a beautiful ram! Cinnamon is a lovely young ewe, I know you are proud of her! 
Never heard of a Dekay’s snake, what is their native range?


----------



## Margali (Jun 29, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> Be careful of the water tote on top of the other cage.  A full 300 gallon tote weighs over 1 TON.... 2400 lbs if it is 300 gal and is full...


These are IBC Intermodal Bulk Containers that I use everyday at work. They are designed to be stacked 2-3 high with liquids much heavier that water. You can stack 4 high empty. The thing to make sure of is the footing. I leveled it and had single high compacting ground for about a month.








						IBC Tote Specifications: Understanding Costs, Sizes and Dimensions
					

IBC tote sizes range from 110 to 550 gallons, with 275 and 330 being the most common. Dimensions are internationally standardized to roughly 45"L x 45"W. Costs range from $180 to $2,000. Learn more IBC specifications, shipping logistics, and compare to other common containers.



					www.ibctanks.com


----------



## Margali (Jun 29, 2022)

The kids begged for colored hair. It'a summer break and demipermanent dye. 🤷‍♀️ Cassandra will go hot pink if she earns it back.


----------



## farmerjan (Jun 29, 2022)

Hey, kudos to you for knowing what stacking can be done or not.  Around here the ones available I would be concerned about stacking.  I have one that is a 330 and know the weight it puts on the springs of my little truck when I fill it half full.... so just wanted to make sure you did not stack it and not know the weight.  Didn't realize that it was something you were well versed in... and learned something from you about them.  Several of my dairies get them with iodine teat dip in them, and others get them with different chemicals like pipeline chlorinated cleaner and acid rinse.... they have them on the concrete so level and "safe" base; that is usually on a higher level.  Always single, so that they can get to the spigots on the bottom.  Had not seen them stacked.


----------



## farmerjan (Jun 29, 2022)

Have to just laugh at the kids.......It used to be a big thing to dye your hair green for ST. Patrick's day when I was a kid..... Oh well, it sure isn't going to hurt them.....


----------



## Mini Horses (Jun 29, 2022)

And eyebrows, too!!  😁😁. Cute and fun.


----------



## Margali (Jul 2, 2022)

We had rain today! 🎉🎉🌧⛈🌧🎉🎉



I got a lot of fence posts set from gate to sheep shed. I was kind and only worked 9am-9pm with the driver.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 3, 2022)

That looks FABULOUS!!!!!


----------



## Bruce (Jul 3, 2022)

Margali said:


> I was kind and only worked 9am-9pm with the driver.


ONLY 9-9? I don't think I could pound posts for 12 hours (OK, I know I couldn't) . And I wouldn't be able to lift my arms for days if I did half that much!!


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 3, 2022)

Bruce said:


> ONLY 9-9? I don't think I could pound posts for 12 hours (OK, I know I couldn't) . And I wouldn't be able to lift my arms for days if I did half that much!!


X2!!!!


----------



## Margali (Jul 3, 2022)

LOL You guys crack me up. I did maybe 4 hours total thru the day, 14 posts. My arms aren't that sore but I got blisters even with gloves.

Today I didn't do any tposts. Just used my chainsaw. 😏


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 3, 2022)

Margali said:


> LOL You guys crack me up. I did maybe 4 hours total thru the day, 14 posts. My arms aren't that sore but I got blisters even with gloves.
> 
> Today I didn't do any tposts. Just used my chainsaw. 😏
> View attachment 92420


For no blisters...

Super tight goatskin gloves...  then work gloves over them....

The super tight goatskin gloves act like a callous layer.

Back when I was young... and would weekend/occasional warrior at the ranch... they worked perfectly.


----------



## Margali (Jul 6, 2022)

My chainsaw broke. It will not keep chain under tension. 😭 I also ran out of umph. I will send it in for warranty claim.

And this evening, Bruno killed a chicken. We suspected him of a couple others but this time I saw him. He was running across field with chicken in his mouth. I hopped out of car bellowing "LEAVE IT!" He dropped the chicken and came towards me. I put him in down and checked on the bird. It was still warm. 😭🐓😭

I had him in down while I held chicken in front of face growling "MY CHICKEN! MINE". That's my normal phrasing when he gets intent on something he shouldn't. Then husband walked him on short lease back to house and into crate. I got my brand new net and caught all my chickens to trim flight feathers. 90% sure the deaders flew over fencing. *sigh*


----------



## Bruce (Jul 7, 2022)

Sorry about Bruno killing chickens 

What kind of saw and how old? Must be pretty new if it is still under warranty.


----------



## Margali (Jul 7, 2022)

@Bruce It's a Milwaukee M18 battery operated chainsaw. It's only a year old . Part of it maybe my usage cycle- nothing for months then days straight of small 2" stuff with occasional 8" tree. 🤷‍♀️

I standardized on Milwaukee for myself and work because they have 5yr warranty. They will inspect tool for free then refurbish for ~30% new if not warranty repair. All you need is serial # of tool, no registration hassle.


----------



## Bruce (Jul 7, 2022)

Sounds like a nice saw by the specs and good warranty. Maybe you just got a bad one.


----------



## Margali (Jul 9, 2022)

It is so hot out, 110F. I finally finished a couple indoor projects I've been putting off.

Tool Rack


Movable pantry shelves. The house came with only three shelves. And deep freeze now has wheels.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 9, 2022)

Gonna be in the 100’s next several days. It’s 100F now at 7:46 PM. It’s a good day yo do inside chores.


----------



## Margali (Jul 9, 2022)

I sold 2 hives to a nice lady and her grandkids.
I was told I have to save it for gas money to visit family in September. I agree but there are so many sheep things to buy.


----------



## farmerjan (Jul 9, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Gonna be in the 100’s next several days. It’s 100F now at 7:46 PM. It’s a good day yo do inside chores.


----------



## Margali (Jul 10, 2022)

And now Pepper is limping. She is not wanting to put heel down at all.   I need to get hands on to see what is going on. My guess is a honey locust thorn.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 10, 2022)

I hate locust trees.


----------



## Margali (Jul 11, 2022)

Sold another bee hive! Only one left along with jacket and last bit of woodenware. At this point I've made back this year's investment.


----------



## Margali (Jul 14, 2022)

So I got Aria into the calf chute. It's way too big and fixed side pannel makes it so I can't reach. Posting on FB for same cost I paid to see if I can get my money back.

And... today there is an actual goat tilt table for $800. Sigh


----------



## Baymule (Jul 15, 2022)

Once I can move and get set up, I think I’m going to build a wood stanchion with hinged fold down sides. I have a metal stanchion, but they can step off the sides, it may work well for goats, but not for my sheep. I could make solid sides so they can’t fall off, drop one side, trim feet, do other side. I have the goat head with a squeeze on the neck (they can pull their heads out) and it has a tray for feed. And I have the sheep head that chains their head up. I can also build it long enough for them to fit comfortably. Only drawback I can see is they will pee puddles and that will get messy. Squeegee?


----------



## Margali (Jul 15, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Once I can move and get set up, I think I’m going to build a wood stanchion with hinged fold down sides. I have a metal stanchion, but they can step off the sides, it may work well for goats, but not for my sheep. I could make solid sides so they can’t fall off, drop one side, trim feet, do other side. I have the goat head with a squeeze on the neck (they can pull their heads out) and it has a tray for feed. And I have the sheep head that chains their head up. I can also build it long enough for them to fit comfortably. Only drawback I can see is they will pee puddles and that will get messy. Squeegee?


Could you attach the wood sides to metal stanchion do pee goes thru?


----------



## Baymule (Jul 15, 2022)

Maybe, but it’s too short length wise. But you gave me an idea. I could make a section at the back for a piece of expanded metal. They sell pieces at TSC. Only problem might be where to put it, to get it out of the weather. No barn. Maybe build it, use tractor to put it in shed? When you got Aria, Snip and Panda, they walked right up our makeshift piece of OSB, right into your truck, much higher than a stanchion is. I have to halter and drag them up the expanded metal ramp, they don’t like it at all. I think between the two of us fumbling around, we can come up with something that works. I’ve got to make this easier on me. Sheep hate the tilt tables, it scares them.


----------



## Margali (Jul 15, 2022)

If it's the texture or see thru ness, I saw one on marketplace with outdoor carpet attached over the grating.


----------



## farmerjan (Jul 15, 2022)

If the metal is grating... it is the texture.  Cattle don't like to walk into parlors with the metal grating that is over the "gutter" part where they stand to catch most of the urine or manure that they do while in there.  It hurts their feet in comparison to a solid piece of concrete, metal, wood or whatever.


----------



## Margali (Jul 15, 2022)

I sold most of the rest of my bee stuff. I still have the jacket which is okay. It isn't quite up to emitting visible stench waves but it is well used. Some armor for dealing with wasps nests couldn't hurt.

I just ran the report- I am in the hole $164 for the entire beekeeping adventure. That's the cost of the jacket plus I still have a couple hive tools floating around.

🎉🎉🐝 I BROKE EVEN!!! 🐝🎉🎉


----------



## Baymule (Jul 16, 2022)

A break even, I call that a win!


----------



## Ridgetop (Jul 16, 2022)

Until they are trained to go in a stanchion for grain, sheep won't walk onto a stanchion even through a chute.  For one thing, a chute with see through sides has them thinking that they can break through somewhere.  The other thing about walking into the stanchion is that they see the bars at the end.  When we weighed in the scale or moved pigs in the pig cart we had to open both end pieces so the animal thought it was able to escape out the other end.  Same trick now with the sheep in the scale.  They don't want to be trapped in an unfamiliar box.  On the stanchion, even grain is not an inducement.  

Start with your tame lambs and put them on the stanchion with some grain.  Let them see you putting a scoop of grain into the grain holder. In a few months they will willingly jump onto the stanchion for their grain.  Don't lock them for very long at first.  Once they are used to the being n the stanchion you can extend the time period.  If you are trimming hooves, do one or 2 feet at a time, then switch sheep.  That way they won't have time to get too antzy.  Eventually they will associate the stanchion with treats and grain.  Dairy animals associate the stanchion with relief from emptying their udders as well as the grain so are easier to train.

The problem with the small size of your stanchion is that it is a _portable_ stanchion.  Portable stanchions are made to fold up and take to goat and sheep shows so they are shorter and narrower to fit into the aisleways. The wooden stanchions DH made for our milking barn were wider and longer.  He made them double with a seat linking them so we could put up 2 does at once. Eventually he had to make a second set so DS2 could exchange goats and wash udders on a second pair while the first was in the process of being milked, hand stripped, and teat dipped.  Since we used a machine, he could get through the herd faster that way.  DS2 and DS3 milked 12 to 20 does am and pm starting in kidding season.  We milked through the entire year since we were on milk test.   

I will find a picture and post it.  4 x 4 posts for each corner of the stanchion with 2 x 4 cross pieces to hold the platform.  2 x 4's with bolts through the bottom were the head catches with bolts through holes in the upper cross piece to hold them in place.  A wooden grain box was built on the front.  You can use scrap wood to build these stanch8ons with a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood for the base.  After cutting out for the seat, use that scrap plywood to build the grain boxes on the front.  I am attaching pix from DS2's 1995 4-H book.  He was 11 and his spelling leaves something to be desired, but seeing his attempts is rally fun to remember him.  (In his sheep section he spells "checking for good loin" - "cheking for good "lone".  Luckily eventually he was able to use a word processor with spell check.  

I outlined the pieces of the stanchion with pen before printing them since the pix were kind of dark.







I posted these full size so they are easier to see how they are made.  DH finished one is one day or less.  You just need a skill saw, and drill with driver bits and a drill bit of 5/8".  I used the same 5/8" bit to make feeding buckets for the kids and water barrels with Lixits for the hogs.  I sanded off the platforms (since you will be sitting on them to trim hooves) and the edges of the platform and feedbox.


----------



## Margali (Jul 16, 2022)

So I didn't break even on the bees. I sold the jacket this morning and re-reconciled my cash vs software. 45 minutes of panicking later, I realized I double entered the first bee wooden ware sale.   So net cost was ~$414 for the 2 years.


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 17, 2022)

Margali said:


> So I didn't break even on the bees. I sold the jacket this morning and re-reconciled my cash vs software. 45 minutes of panicking later, I realized I double entered the first bee wooden ware sale.   So net cost was ~$414 for the 2 years.


Sigh...

But the experience is priceless!  Maybe....


----------



## Margali (Jul 17, 2022)

@Alaskan The head slamming is for the self induced panick not final net on bees.

The chickens keep leaving the run and becoming Bruno chewtoys. So I spent some of the bee money on panels and moved coop into better spot with some help.


I get everything setup including net over top so they can't jump over. Then chicken takes running jump and squishes thru panel gap! 😡


----------



## Margali (Jul 17, 2022)

I had some 1"x1" stiffer netting for plant trellising saved. I wrapped the inside of the 16'x16' pen with that. It's just secured at the corners for now. Tomorrow I will get some UV stabilized zipties to secure it better. These chickens need to start laying soon!


----------



## Baymule (Jul 18, 2022)

Your chickens are determined to be Bruno snacks.


----------



## Bruce (Jul 18, 2022)

Margali said:


> The chickens keep leaving the run and becoming Bruno chewtoys.


Fortunately no Bruno here. Chicken feeding was late last night (5 instead of 4). Aurora decided she shouldn't have to wait behind the 5' gate and flew up on top then over. DW and her sister saw it happen. Sadly Aurora isn't too bright, decided she wanted to go back by trying to squeeze through the 2x4 wire. Of course she couldn't get more than her head and neck in. Sort of panicked but managed to find the gate after I opened it and pushed the other 21 hens out of the way.


----------



## Margali (Jul 18, 2022)

I sold the calf table for $350!  Only out the gas money for getting it. Here's the chicken run semi setup.



That's the good new. Bad news is operations at plant screwing up AGAIN. This time they assumed the instruments didn't work AND did not verifying in the field. Last week, ops management  had them put a bunch of maintenance spares out in the mud to get rained on. I'm considering job hunting again...


----------



## Baymule (Jul 19, 2022)

Great news on the calf tilt table. Yay for chicken run going up and all things ion the farm. 

BOO on working with idiots!


----------



## Margali (Jul 25, 2022)

This heat is horrible. I'm only able to work on stuff from a little before sunset to complete dark.

I'm trying ro decide if Pepper and Dash are big enough to go in with Snip. Managing one paddock will be easier with my limited time. They are approx. 6 months old and about 2/3 as tall as Panda. Dash weighed 60lbs at 4 months.

Thoughts?


----------



## Alaskan (Jul 26, 2022)

Margali said:


> This heat is horrible. I'm only able to work on stuff from a little before sunset to complete dark.
> 
> I'm trying ro decide if Pepper and Dash are big enough to go in with Snip. Managing one paddock will be easier with my limited time. They are approx. 6 months old and about 2/3 as tall as Panda. Dash weighed 60lbs at 4 months.
> View attachment 92787
> Thoughts?


@Baymule  ?


----------



## Baymule (Jul 27, 2022)

I’d give them a couple more months. Some people breed ewes at 6 months, I like to give them time to grow and mature a little. I wait until 9-10 months. Probably not what you want to hear. And this heat is horrible.


----------



## Ridgetop (Aug 4, 2022)

With this heat I would definitely wait until they are closer to 10 months old. Just because Katahdin (and Dorper) ewes _can_ breed at 6 months doesn't mean you need to breed them that early.  Waiting a couple months will allow the ewelings time to grow larger.  Pulling nutrients from the body of a growing eweling to support the growth of her own lambs can stunt the ewe.  Sometimes young ewes won't breed until 10 months or so anyway. Early fertility and breeding have been bred into these sheep as an industry tool to obtain more lambs (the cash crop) faster.  Very early breeding is mostly used on large sheep flocks that need to support farm families as sole income.  

Katahdin rams should be fertile in this heat but no need to stress the ram either.  Wool breeds go temporarily sterile in high heat situations.


----------



## Margali (Aug 10, 2022)

It's been a couple of weeks since I updated, just too dang hot. The girls went thru the e-fence to be in padock with Aria twice in week after I posted. I decided letting them stay was easier on my sanity. Snip is NOT interested in the heat.

I got tpost for first cross paddock fence spaced and set. They aren't all the way in because the ground is rock solid and the neighborhood dogs were going crazy. So I stopped at 9pm.😉

So far the no new chicken losses. 🤞🤞


----------



## Baymule (Aug 11, 2022)

Check mark on driving in T-posts! I feel your pain! Water the posts, let sit overnight, water again, it will help.


----------



## Margali (Aug 11, 2022)

First egg on the ranch! It's medium brown with speckles. So I don't know if it's from my Speckled Sussex or Red Sex Link. I guess I will have a monotone egg basket. LOL


----------



## Baymule (Aug 12, 2022)

Congratulations! I remember getting my first egg, it was so exciting! Your kids will love to go gather the eggs, it’s a wonderful childhood experience.


----------



## SA Farm (Aug 12, 2022)

Margali said:


> First egg on the ranch! It's medium brown with speckles. So I don't know if it's from my Speckled Sussex or Red Sex Link. I guess I will have a monotone egg basket. LOL


Probably the sex link. I raised speckled Sussex and they lay creamy brown eggs without any speckles. I think they like to keep all the speckles on their bodies 😂


----------



## Margali (Aug 12, 2022)

I think I figured out our farm logo. Colors below will be on Cassandra's show gear: sparkly silver and purple. I think colors will change depending on what sticker is going on. The first 3 zillion attempts were laughable or too complicated for vinyl cutting or screen printing on swag.


----------



## Mini Horses (Aug 12, 2022)

Egg collecting was always a fun thing for me as a kid at both grands!   To this day I love going to collect them....don't even eat them very often but, enjoy the birds an collecting eggs.  Probably why I also like various color shells.  😊

I like your logo. 👍


----------



## Baymule (Aug 13, 2022)

That’s an original logo! I like it! 
Red sex links are laying machines. When my oldest granddaughter was about 6 years old, she and a little girl across the street would chase the hens all over the yard, catch them, lug them around, put them in chicken jail, (an old cage) and spend hours playing with the hens. Those hens took it all in stride, were gentle and didn’t peck the eyeballs out of their tormentors and never missed a beat laying eggs. About the only rule I had was, if a hen was in the nest box, leave her alone. Red sex links are really great hens!


----------



## Ridgetop (Aug 13, 2022)

Can you blow up the logo and put it on a piece of plywood (or even posterboard) for a Fair pen sign?  If you can make a stencil, you can spray paint it on a piece of plywood for a permanent sign.  If you are crafty you can transfer it to the plywood and paint it on freehand.  Apply a couple coats of Varathane on top and store it between shows.


----------



## Margali (Aug 13, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Can you blow up the logo and put it on a piece of plywood (or even posterboard) for a Fair pen sign?


That's the plan! My SIL has a cricket vinyl cutting machine. We will have all the things labeled.  And use projector to throw image large scale onto fabric/wood. That's how we made banners for SCA.


----------



## Margali (Aug 13, 2022)

Cassandra is having a blast. Need to find a tpost mount for bucket. Mocha kept knocking it off yellow chair.


I'm getting better at this fencing thing. It only took 2hrs to tear down and reset. So happy my sheep love oak and mesquite!


----------



## Margali (Aug 14, 2022)

Alexander's new pet decided I was a safe spot in the chaos. Her name is Amy from the girl hedgehog in Sonic.


----------



## Margali (Aug 17, 2022)

🎉🌧🌧⛈🌧🌧🎉
RAIN!


----------



## Baymule (Aug 17, 2022)

Margali said:


> 🎉🌧🌧⛈🌧🌧🎉
> RAIN!


Me too!


----------



## Ridgetop (Aug 17, 2022)

Lucky!  I want some!


----------



## Margali (Aug 21, 2022)

It rained again! Kids and dog became mud monsters again. Bare clay is soo slippery. I took advantage of the rain and cooler weather to start working on fencing again.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 21, 2022)

The rain will soften the clay and make it much easier to drive T-posts! Are you on black clay? Slippery it is!


----------



## Margali (Aug 22, 2022)

I decide to take a PTO day to work on farm stuff. We've had 5+ inches of rain since midnight. 
🌧⛈🌧
Timing is intersesting.... Glad I have rubber boots!


----------



## Bruce (Aug 22, 2022)

That is a lot of rain!!  Did it soak in or flood off?


----------



## Margali (Aug 22, 2022)

Per bucket we got 10" since lunchtime yesterday. We have standing water all over farm. Ranges from 2" to deeper than my boots. It is slowly running off to pond. I had to move Mocha and Panda into tack area that doesnt have full roof to get them out of the water.


----------



## Baymule (Aug 23, 2022)

A sheep swimming pool! That’s a lot of rain. We can get epic rains. Where’s it been all summer?


----------



## Margali (Sep 4, 2022)

I haven't been on alot recently because work has been long days at the far site including the weekend. I stole last Saturday off and took Cassandra to North Texas Fair to see the sheep shows. I also traded my Hyundai Ioniq for a Toyota Highlander. I got tired of getting stuck in the mud.

I got the 3 day weekend off just in time to be sick. There is a bug making it's way thru the family. I was lying down and Cassandra came running in saying a "A SHEEP IS CAUGHT IN THE FENCE!!" Husband went to check and found Pepper had put her head thru the e-net fence, got stuck, and choked herself. 😭😭😭😭😭

They had only been out grazing for 2 hours so she couldn't have been dead long. I sucked it up and got ready to process her. Husband stuck a 2x4 between two trees in shade and called for reinforcements. By time my sister in law and het husband got here with tools, I had Pepper bled out.

My amazing family helped me get everything processed and in fridge in 2.5hrs from time of discovery. BIL was giving me tips as we went. First time I've processed something larger than chicken or rabbit.

Pepper

on left
on right


----------



## Mini Horses (Sep 4, 2022)

I'm sad you lost her.  I'm glad you found her in time to harvest the meat.  It's difficult, I know.   Last of mine that I had to unexpectedly harvest, broke her ankle and we had to  do what we had to do.  Thankfully my hunter neighbor was here that weekend and did the deed, gutted and skinned....with his deer set up.   I had ice and coolers ready ... Only me to go beyond his quartering for me.  

Raising livestock has its moments.   Bitter, sweet and everything between.   of course their calendars only have weekends...and the faves volunteer. 😔


----------



## Baymule (Sep 4, 2022)

That is so hard to bear. I’m so sorry about Pepper. Heartbreaking to lose her. It takes a certain kind of person to face the hard reality of accidental death, and suck it up, to harvest the meat. At least you kept it from being a total loss. I’m so sorry.


----------



## Finnie (Sep 5, 2022)

I’m so sorry for your loss.


----------



## Margali (Sep 5, 2022)

And the upper respiratory bug has caught me. It's been running thru the family. Not COVID, strep, or anything else testable. Just mild fever and nose like niagra snot falls. Voice is gone from postnasal drip.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 6, 2022)

I’m sorry you are sick. It sure isn’t any fun when the kids are sick, but when MOMMA gets sick, it’s SERIOUS.


----------



## Margali (Sep 8, 2022)

Feeling better. I scored an lightly used 5'x8' trailer for 50% of new. 😀 Axle rated for 2,000lbs which my new highlander can do easily.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 9, 2022)

SCORE!!!


----------



## Bruce (Sep 9, 2022)

Margali said:


> I scored an lightly used 5'x8' trailer for 50% of new.


Nice! Now you need a drop down hitch.


----------



## Margali (Sep 10, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Nice! Now you need a drop down hitch.


LOL, this was temporary for driving home.

This trailer will be mine for my Highlander. My hitch receiver in the mail. So we'll see about drop once I get it installed. 😉


----------



## Margali (Sep 11, 2022)

I "mowed" the front yard with the weedwacker. It now needs raked, ugh. I am researching groundcovers to hopefully take place on grass around house and septic system. I already have big patches of horseherb and frogfruit by sheep shed.

I need a better handling system... it was sheep lassoing time to collect fecal samples. We'll see what the vet says tomorrow.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 16, 2022)

I’ve made a chute with cow panels and pallets before. It wasn’t great, but it sure beat RUN and the FLYING TACKLE!!


----------



## Margali (Sep 16, 2022)

@Baymule  I looked at the pdf from the vet today. The numbers she gave me were *Per Slide* not Per Gram. No wonder she asked why I tested.



So EPG is extremely low.  I emailed to confirm grams poop used. I bet the drought helped in this respect killing eggs.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 17, 2022)

That is a fantastic count. If she used the McMasters slides, you multiply the count times 50. All are in the safe/low range.


----------



## Margali (Sep 17, 2022)

I hate being sick. Sinus infect turned to chest infection and the antibiotics are ripping my guts up.

So much to do and I'm stuck inside! 5 days till we leave for St Louis for the memorials. Animals aren't setup. Nice clothes haven't been purchased. 😱🥵


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 17, 2022)

Margali said:


> I hate being sick. Sinus infect turned to chest infection and the antibiotics are ripping my guts up.
> 
> So much to do and I'm stuck inside! 5 days till we leave for St Louis for the memorials. Animals aren't setup. Nice clothes haven't been purchased. 😱🥵


Well... that sucks.

If we could only schedule illnesses!


----------



## Baymule (Sep 17, 2022)

Oh no! You have to get well in a hurry! I’m guessing sending your husband shopping for the kids would be a bad idea?


----------



## Margali (Sep 18, 2022)

Doctor switch antibiotics and it's working without tearing me up. I'm officially at the manic sick stage where you need to lock up the tools.

So I cooked my lamb ribs. I tried salt & pepper, Herbs d Provencial, and Thai Curry as rubs. 2hrs at 250F. Cassandra liked the curry before AND after I told her it was sheep.😉


----------



## Baymule (Sep 18, 2022)

Keep those tools locked up! You can NOT relapse and get sicker! You have an important trip ahead of you, concentrate on that


----------



## Margali (Sep 21, 2022)

So critters are setup and SIL walked through things. The sheep have 4 square bales in feeder with 2 spare. I hope that should be enough for 5 sheep and 6 days.

ETA: Sister in Law will be feeding their grain each evening. She is also feeding the cats and checking water everyone.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 21, 2022)

Be safe on your trip, and come home to your sheepies!


----------



## Margali (Sep 21, 2022)

@Baymule  It's a short road trip, only 1,400 miles round trip. I did more than that in last 30 days going to work. 

Car and insurance salesman always look dumbfounded when we talk yearly mileage. Apparently 30,000 - 45,000 miles per year is high.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 22, 2022)

@Ridgetop, her DH and I went 1500/1600 miles to get Cooper from @Mike CHS and Teresa, plus our side trip to go see @Palomino. Then another almost 400 miles to Leander and back to take me to meet Eric Conard and give me their seal of approval for me to get a puppy from him. He has 2 females out for breeding, it will take awhile. Was it worth it? You darn bet'cha! 

I know part of your trip is memorial services for lost loved ones due to Covid. I hope y'all can remember the good times and that the good memories outweigh the sadness.


----------



## Ridgetop (Sep 22, 2022)

Finally caught up with your adventures - barely had my computer working since 9/4 when we left CA.  Finally set it up 9/14 but terrible internet.  Trying to catch up with everyone now.

Too bad about losing your lamb but lucky to catch her fast and be able to save the meat.  And have the kids eat it.  We lost a lamb the same way when she caught her head in a cattle panel we used as a feeder.  Unfortunately, it was a silver gray ewe DS1 panned to keep for breeding and we didn't find her till evening feed.


----------



## Margali (Sep 23, 2022)

We stopped at the Girl Scout store in Fort Worth. Cassandra got to pick out her Daisy vest and a charm. She was so excited.

We got to Tulsa around 11pm. And slept in until 9:30am.


----------



## Margali (Sep 27, 2022)

The memorial service and wake dinner were good. I got to spend time with Aunt Janet and Uncle Steve talking a bunch of random things.

Sunday morning I spent 4 hours hanging out with my best friends Annie and Mary. I can't believe I hadn't seen them in THREE YEARS!

Then we had New Years service with family. Dominic fell asleep 10minutes in. The big kids did good.😀


----------



## Baymule (Sep 27, 2022)

I’m glad y’all had a good time. Family time is the best time! Are y’all back home now?


----------



## Margali (Sep 27, 2022)

We just got home. All critters are in good shape. Though apparently Snip jumped a fence at one point...
School and work tomorrow, ugh.


----------



## Margali (Sep 28, 2022)

This website, https://www.historicaerials.com, is neat! In 1956 aerial photo you can see the old house and a really big barn. House was torn down after 1981 picture and before 1995 picture. The barn remnant is my loafing shed.


Okay, I know I should be sleeping... Found this website that has more photos, https://data.tnris.org. 1942 no house


----------



## Alaskan (Sep 29, 2022)

Margali said:


> This website, https://www.historicaerials.com, is neat! In 1956 aerial photo you can see the old house and a really big barn. House was torn down after 1981 picture and before 1995 picture. The barn remnant is my loafing shed.
> View attachment 93719


Well..... wow...


----------



## Baymule (Sep 29, 2022)

Too bad adopt the old farmhouse. I love old farmhouses, was looking for one to fix up, but wound up with a double wide. For the money, I’d rather have more land, less house. Farmhouses around here have mostly been torn down and humongous homes built in their place. The few preserved farmhouses are well cared for and as high as the huge houses. Just call me a Doublewide Diva. LOL

At least a part of the barn was left for you to utilize for your farm. 

Ship jumped a fence while you were gone? Bad Snip!


----------



## Margali (Sep 29, 2022)

So insomnia plus curiosity means I did a unofficial title search on my property. I can trace ownership back to *1909*! That's when I loose the trail with Mr J. A. Easterwood, the real estate king. In the *44 year *between 1869 and 1913, he has *53 recorded deeds.* He bought many properties at Sheriffs Auction. So much cursive...


----------



## Margali (Oct 5, 2022)

Baymule said:


> For the money, I’d rather have more land, less house. Farmhouses around here have mostly been torn down and humongous homes built in their place. The few preserved farmhouses are well cared for and as high as the huge houses. Just call me a Doublewide Diva. LOL


So you wouldn't come visit if I built my dream castle? 

On day 5 of the new adventure on how my body is a screw up. Stupid heart needs to behave.  Right now I can barely get out to sheep shed to let them graze. I had to put off my NRCS site evaluation.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 5, 2022)

Of course I would come visit! 
Put off your NRCS site evaluation, I’m so sorry!  That’s a bummer. 

What is doctor saying about your heart? Could this have been brought on by work stress?


----------



## Margali (Oct 5, 2022)

I don't know any thing for sure about the heart issue. I went into ER Saturday since the bronchitis was bad and I couldn't catch my breath at all. The triage nurse asked me when I was diagnosed with AFIB!🤯 Heart rate is wandering between 40 and 126 while sitting still and not coughing. Mom says it sounds similar to an issue she has but 🤷‍♀️.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 5, 2022)

So could it be hereditary? Doesn’t matter, you just gotta get treatment.


----------



## Alaskan (Oct 5, 2022)

Well sucks

I hope things settle down for you.


----------



## Margali (Oct 7, 2022)

I ambled out to sheep shed and sat with them for awhile. I think Aria might be bred. I'm seeing a bit of udder development. Snip was put in with her May 27th, so earliest due date would be Oct 21st.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 7, 2022)

You need your sheep therapy!


----------



## Margali (Oct 8, 2022)

I had so many plans for this weekend! And almost none of them will get done. 

One thing I have to do is cut a new crawl space door and reattach dryer vent. It's a fire hazard putting lint under house. I'm going at pace a snail could beat with lots of brakes. I should be able to cut a 2'x4' door in 3 days. Before you ask, relatives are unavailable and husband can't kneel on ground.


----------



## Ridgetop (Oct 8, 2022)

What tool are you using to cut the crawl space door?


----------



## Margali (Oct 8, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> What tool are you using to cut the crawl space door?


The underskirt is thin OSB. I used my angle grinder on one spot each side to make a starter slice. Then I finished with jig saw. Cut the sides first, install hinges and latch, then cut door top and bottom.


----------



## Margali (Oct 9, 2022)

Got the dryer line fixed yesterday. I'm impressed with our dryer's filter. There was zero lint blown under house.


Today's fun is FIRE! We are going to burn one of the tree piles from putting house in. Finally have a low wind, low temp, non-burn ban day.


----------



## Mini Horses (Oct 9, 2022)

Have marshmallows?


----------



## Baymule (Oct 9, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Have marshmallows?


 
And hot dogs?


----------



## Mini Horses (Oct 9, 2022)

Party!!


----------



## Margali (Oct 10, 2022)

Yesterday we had hot dogs but no marshmellows. Today we had marshmellows. Family came over to ride 4wheelers, shoot targets, and have fun. I manned the burn pile and mostly sat down talking. I did get to drive the side by side. I WANT!


----------



## Baymule (Oct 11, 2022)

So a side by side is on the radar now........ get the 2 seat one so the whole family can ride. You can fold the seat up to extend the bed for more hauling room. Looks like a day of fun!


----------



## Bruce (Oct 13, 2022)

Margali said:


> It's a fire hazard putting lint under house.






Margali said:


> There was zero lint blown under house.


Thanks goodness!!!


----------



## Margali (Oct 14, 2022)

Feeling better that bronchitis is gone. Moved half the sheep fence by myself. We got me a smartwatch so I can track my heartrate, etc. Pulling fences was 45minutes and 394 calories per watch. I'm at 4300 steps and I wasn't wearing it all day.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 14, 2022)

I use the step counter on my phone. It’s usually in my pocket. Your watch sounds way more cool!


----------



## murphysranch (Oct 15, 2022)

One of my brother's has AFIB. He's had three procedures so far and lets see - he was born in 61 so he's 61. Woah. We think our Grandfather on Mother's side had it too. But Grandpa had a stroke, then lived another 10 plus years and then another stroke and then passed. Heart caused. 

I LOVE tending a fire, using a shovel, rake and yes, hose as a back up.


----------



## Margali (Oct 17, 2022)

Father In Law is cleaning out his barn so he can move in his cows. We got the Troybuilt Pony lawnmower we sold him ~6yrs ago and an identical one for free. One new battery and terminal later it runs and cuts! Not great but good enough. 
My husband said he wasn't expecting the manical laughter. I wonder what he thought I would do if it started? 



Bruno thinks it is a horrible monster and is trying to bark it into submission.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 17, 2022)

Margali said:


> My husband said he wasn't expecting the manical laughter. I wonder what he thought I would do if it started?



Dance naked around a bonfire.


----------



## Margali (Oct 17, 2022)

@Baymule LOL, the neighbors aren't that far away.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 18, 2022)

Then I guess you'll have to skip the naked part. I have a huge pile of tree limbs out in the pasture, plus another pile to push into the fire, a little at a time. Waiting on rain and lots of it. Going to have a weenie roast, marshmallows and smores. Invite friends and neighbors, sit around fire and have a good ol' country time.


----------



## Bruce (Oct 18, 2022)

Margali said:


> We got the Troybuilt Pony lawnmower we sold him ~6yrs ago and an identical one for free.


You can get the lawn mowed in half the time now!


----------



## Ridgetop (Oct 18, 2022)

Make sure Layne comes!


----------



## Margali (Oct 18, 2022)

This morning Snip was naughty. He thought I was unarmed since I didn't have my big stick or shovel with me. He thought wrong.

Snip did an air ram ie hop forward with head down while I was letting them out to pasture. I yelled, slid purse off shoulder, and got him in flank with it. He turned and tried to hide in flock. I got him right in the jewels with my heavy purse. He was off like a streak of lightning. Husband about busted a gut laughing.


----------



## Margali (Oct 18, 2022)

Bruce said:


> You can get the lawn mowed in half the time now!


The second one is parts carcass. It was run without oil...


----------



## Ridgetop (Oct 19, 2022)

Never turn your back on a ram.  Sometimes you can't turn your front either!  LOL  I never trust those boys, especially once they get several years old.  A ram is not fully grown until he is about 3-4 years old.  At several hundred lbs. they can do damage.  🤕🦿🦽


----------



## Margali (Oct 19, 2022)

@Ridgetop I know and am being careful! Like I said I am always armed when working with Snip and he isn't allowed close without a solid fence between us. He was still a good 6ft away when he acted up which is why I only got in two hits.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 19, 2022)

Bad boys, bad boys!
What’cha gonna do? 
What’cha gonna do when they come for you? 

Smack’em with your purse!


----------



## Finnie (Oct 19, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Make sure Layne comes!


🧑‍🚒👩‍🚒👨‍🚒 And invite some of these

😱


----------



## Margali (Oct 24, 2022)

Spent our 11th wedding anniversary at the ER. 🤬 Apparently, I passed out while talking to hubby. Nothing obviously wrong so $%##%$# doctor said it was my "anxiety". So no driving and being hovered over.

Sheep are doing good. Spent a little time working on garbage pile with kids keeping me company. 


We had our first girl scout meeting.The kids had fun.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 25, 2022)

You got something going on and it’s not anxiety. You need a doctor that’s will find out what it is and not toss pills at you. Hard to find, doctors are overworked and don’t spend the time with patients.


----------



## Mini Horses (Oct 25, 2022)

Margali said:


> Apparently, I passed out while talking to hubby. Nothing obviously wrong so


Really????   Agree...needs to be checked out!  Not a normal.


----------



## Ridgetop (Oct 26, 2022)

Sometimes I WANT to pass out while hubby is talking.   Maybe the subject didn't agree with you?  LOL

Seriously, you need to find out what is going on.  Do you have very low blood pressure?  Super low blood pressure can cause fainting and dizzy spells.


----------



## Margali (Oct 26, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Seriously, you need to find out what is going on.  Do you have very low blood pressure?  Super low blood pressure can cause fainting and dizzy spells.


System is alternating between erratic heart beat (45 - 113 resting) and HIGH blood pressure (182/110). Most of the main tests are next week.


----------



## Margali (Oct 26, 2022)

Today I witnessed a litteral pissing match. I was blocking off the junk piles by subdivision. Bruno came with and neighbors dogs started barking. He went up to fence and inspected it carefully. Then he peed on fenceline tree AND THE DOG'S FACE.   

I collected Bruno and took him back to the house. He'll be singing a different tune tomorrow after vet visit. ✂️


----------



## Baymule (Oct 26, 2022)

That’s so funny!


----------



## Ridgetop (Oct 26, 2022)

Pacemaker?


----------



## Bruce (Oct 28, 2022)

Margali said:


> Spent our 11th wedding anniversary at the ER. 🤬 Apparently, I passed out while talking to hubby. Nothing obviously wrong so $%##%$# doctor said it was my "anxiety". So no driving and being hovered over.


Passed out like fell over? Wow



Margali said:


> System is alternating between erratic heart beat (45 - 113 resting) and HIGH blood pressure (182/110). Most of the main tests are next week.


Yeah that isn't "nothing". I hope the tests reveal something quickly. No way to live sitting around hoping you don't pass out.


----------



## Margali (Oct 28, 2022)

Bruno gets to be a man for another week. He found spilled kibble so not fasting. Snip is working on his moves but needs to up his speed. Mocha and Dash keep dodging. 

I'm pretty sure Aria is heavily bred. Trying to figure out arrangements. Bruno can duck sheep e-fence but is respectful of the adults. Not sure about actual lambing. Last time Aria lambed at night inside the solid fence wire. If I am well enough to install it neighbor has given me fencing to extend solid fence paddock. Otherwise I might put Bruno on a tether during daytime?


----------



## Baymule (Oct 28, 2022)

You can feel the ligaments on each side of her spine on her butt. They get all soft and squishy preparing for birth. She sure is looking good! Pretty as always.


----------



## Margali (Oct 28, 2022)

@Baymule Do you think she's due soon? She went in with Snip on May 27th but I don't know when she settled.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 28, 2022)

What’s her bag look like? Her momma would have a full bag before she lambed. 
Aria does look to be hanging low.


----------



## Margali (Oct 29, 2022)

Cassandra's first sheep show went good. Even with our 1am bedtime from littlest ER visit. That tiny bandaide hides 8 stitches!!



Pick of Cassandra and Mocha with more details on Sheep Show Beginnings thread.


----------



## Ridgetop (Oct 29, 2022)

Adorable unicorn costume with her woodland fairy princess.


----------



## Baymule (Oct 30, 2022)

What did you secure the unicorn horn and mane with? Great costumes on both Cassandra and Mocha. They are so cute. Cassandra looks so professional in the show ring. She’s on her way!


----------



## Margali (Oct 30, 2022)

Baymule said:


> What did you secure the unicorn horn and mane with?


I put construction details on Sheep Show thread


----------



## Margali (Nov 3, 2022)

Bruno went to the vet today. ✂️✂️

Aria looks like she's getting ready to pop! Her udder is filling and rear end is poofy. She let me run a hand down her back but didn't get a feel for ligaments.

And silly boy is silly.


----------



## Margali (Nov 6, 2022)

Bruno is recovering from the operation. He is being super velco dog.

I think Aria is about a week away from lambing based on pictures from last year. I read online about P-Test strips for sheep and was curious. I bought 10 to try out. $3.50 per test and catching pee is alot easier than drawing blood. The test is supposed to tell you what trimester they are in. I want to figure out if Mocha and Pepper are bred.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 7, 2022)

P-strips for ewes? You gotta report back on those and let us know how they work!


----------



## Ridgetop (Nov 7, 2022)

Absolutely!  Although chasing my not tame sheep on the hillside will be difficult to catch them peeing.  Maybe it won't need a clean stream and I can just rub the strip in the pee puddle they leave behind to taunt me.  LOL


----------



## Margali (Nov 8, 2022)

My amazing co-work gave me rolls of 2"x4" no climb wire.  Some will replace the 2"x4" welded wire on the isolation pen since Snip is tearing it up. The rest will go towards fencing in paddocks.


----------



## Margali (Nov 8, 2022)

Current plan is finish 2 paddocks for ram land with solid fencing. The red misty square is future barn and blue misty square is future house. Basically following neat design by @Alaskan. Google maps updated their pictures but not on GIS server yet. This was late summer and you can see how much pond shrunk.

We also finally have a chance to gravel and grade driveway in yellow. No slinging mud for blocks next spring. 🎉


----------



## animalmom (Nov 9, 2022)

Nice co-workers you have!  Great gift!


----------



## SageHill (Nov 9, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> y not tame sheep on the hillside will be difficult to catch them peeing. Maybe it won't need a clean stream and I can just r





Margali said:


> Current plan is finish 2 paddocks for ram land with solid fencing. The red misty square is future barn and blue misty square is future house. Basically following neat design by @Alaskan. Google maps updated their pictures but not on GIS server yet. This was late summer and you can see how much pond shrunk.
> 
> We also finally have a chance to gravel and grade driveway in yellow. No slinging mud for blocks next spring. 🎉
> View attachment 94397


Awesome!!


----------



## Alaskan (Nov 10, 2022)




----------



## Ridgetop (Nov 10, 2022)

Lucky to have such nice co-workers!!!  At the price of wire that is a SCORE!


----------



## Margali (Nov 14, 2022)

Snip went to auction on Saturday. I had a lot of fun. I was good and didn't buy anything. 

The girls are looking plump but will not pee near the scary stick so I can catch sample. I will work each day on getting them used to it.

I need to find another obedience class then herding lessons for Bruno. He is actively herding the sheep and children. No splitting from the group is allowed!


----------



## Bruce (Nov 14, 2022)

Are the sheep in the house or the kids out in the pasture?


----------



## Baymule (Nov 14, 2022)

No problem, just stick kids and sheep in one group! Babysitter!


----------



## Ridgetop (Nov 15, 2022)

At one Fair DS3 took a nap in the straw laying on his heifer.  LOL  Great photo if I could find  it.  In his 4-H book probably which I gave to him years ago.  Often see dairy youngsters bedded down in the pens with their animals.


----------



## Mini Horses (Nov 15, 2022)

Well phooey.  I was waiting for a p-strip report! 🥴. Just brought 5 goatee girls home and thinking about those strips.   Hmmm...guess I'll depend on one of my bucks to tell me.  Bummer!   They all squated right after getting off the trailer, too. 😁


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Nov 15, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Just brought 5 goatee girls home



Ummm, you know we're gonna need pictures!


----------



## Mini Horses (Nov 15, 2022)

Tomorrow,...got there, got home, unloaded...rain began.


----------



## Margali (Nov 16, 2022)

So this evening Mocha cooperated with me. I used a stick with cut off soda bottle with ziplock stuck inside and opened over edges. That way I could just zip it closed and label it.


Dry strip

Result 40-60days bred🎉🎉🎉


That gives February to March due date. I will repeat at 10days per instructions to see if it goes to next color.

Overall easy IF you can get the sample.
@Baymule @Mini Horses


----------



## SageHill (Nov 16, 2022)

Margali said:


> So this evening Mocha cooperated with me. I used a stick with cut off soda bottle with ziplock stuck inside and opened over edges. That way I could just zip it closed and label it.
> View attachment 94488
> Dry strip
> View attachment 94489
> ...


Very cool!!


----------



## Baymule (Nov 17, 2022)

There goes Margali with her ziplock bag, following sheep around waiting for pee. 

The things we do for our sheep…….

Congratulations on the upcoming lambing. Little lambs are so cute. I never get tired of them.


----------



## Mini Horses (Nov 17, 2022)

Now I need to order those!!  

Group I just bought had a young buck with them.  That's fine, decent animal but I wanna know!  

Couple will go to my other bucks if open.  Of course my bucks would tell me in good time if I put them close but, don't want to annoy them with a constant nose up their butt right now.     and don't need the fence issues this week either. . Gotta love 'em!


----------



## Margali (Nov 23, 2022)

Phase 2 of Ranch Build has started. We are in the narrow window of not too hot, ground not frozen, and plenty of days off. Plan
- water and electric to the barn.
- electric to gate which is on path to shed
- outlet and box at power panel so I can mount electric fencer there.
- Double hot wire installed separating the ranch from home acre.
- Going to use the trenching to install electric to make drainage ditch along drive.
- We may get some gravel on the driveway too. 

I also have the 2x4 no climb to put up. Issue with that is I have no wood or metal H corner posts where fence turns.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 23, 2022)

You need the H braces. No braces, no fence. That non climb wire is hard to stretch, do you have a stretcher bar? If you don’t, you can make one with two 2x4’s. Drill holes, bolts with washers and nuts and you have a wire stretcher. 

You also need to set the braces and give them time to set up before you stretch wire to them.


----------



## Mini Horses (Nov 25, 2022)

You have a lot going on there.  Fencing takes so much time!!  Looks simple when done.  Like a day in the park!!  We know better.     trench and wire will be easier and faster...unless you have rock.  🤔


----------



## Margali (Nov 25, 2022)

The driveway has decided it comes first, thank you very much. First tow of the season out of our own drive with more to come. The moment tires went off gravel he started drifting.


The littles and I are sick and staying home. Husband and eldest went to visit husband's dad and grandma. I am a little manic (or maybe it's the coffee) and worked on fence lines. I think this looks good. We also took a ride around ranch.


----------



## farmerjan (Nov 25, 2022)

Sick and out in the rain????


----------



## Margali (Nov 25, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> Sick and out in the rain????


The rain was all day yesterday. Today it's just overcast and swampy. It's about 55F out.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 25, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> Sick and out in the rain????


That’s what I was thinking!! 



Margali said:


> The rain was all day yesterday. Today it's just overcast and swampy. It's about 55F out.



Yeah, still chilly and damp-not good for sickies! 

Hey is that fish pond your driveway? Silly! Trucks don’t swim!


----------



## SageHill (Nov 25, 2022)

Margali said:


> The rain was all day yesterday. Today it's just overcast and swampy. It's about 55F out.


Sounds like hot cocoa and a blanky day to me.


----------



## Margali (Nov 25, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Yeah, still chilly and damp-not good for sickies!
> 
> Hey is that fish pond your driveway? Silly! Trucks don’t swim!


It was take them outside or break out the duct tape. This was the legal option.   We had hot cocoa and naps afterwards.

That's a reflecting puddle, the PONDS are on the other driveway and by the sheep shed. It doesn't count as a pond until I'm checking depth vs mud boot on each step.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 26, 2022)

A reflecting puddle! Get the marsh lilies and cattails! Dig it out a little, frogs/tadpoles will show up, toss in some goldfish and stock with ducks!


----------



## Baymule (Nov 26, 2022)

I got a bunch of those reflecting puddles right about now. Seriously considering the above advice!


----------



## Bruce (Nov 26, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Drill holes, bolts with washers and nuts and you have a wire stretcher.


I used 3/8" eye bolts top and bottom and 2 come alongs. That made stretching pretty easy


----------



## Margali (Nov 26, 2022)

So much fun, the sheep shed is no longer 3in deep and climbing.😖



As usual it only rains on holidays and weekends here. Another couple inches coming down tonight.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 26, 2022)

My sheep lot is sloppy, but not like that!


----------



## Margali (Nov 27, 2022)

Bruno was barking pretty good earlier. I went outside and had him show me. It was an armadillo! I can't recall seeing a live wild one before.


----------



## Baymule (Nov 28, 2022)

Armadillos are harmless, they will dig for grubs. You have a big enough property to share with an armadillo. As a kid, I chased them. They are extremely fast!


----------



## Margali (Dec 4, 2022)

We went to parade last night. Kids had fun but Bruno had mixed feelings. 

So we got several loads of rock and family spread it.


----------



## farmerjan (Dec 4, 2022)

Rock spreading is WORK..... 
You are continuing to make steady progress....


----------



## SageHill (Dec 4, 2022)

Margali said:


> We went to parade last night. Kids had fun but Bruno had mixed feelings.
> View attachment 94828
> So we got several loads of rock and family spread it.
> View attachment 94823View attachment 94825


Looking good!!


----------



## Baymule (Dec 4, 2022)

A ROCK driveway! No more fish ponds in the driveway! That’s super fantastic!


----------



## Margali (Dec 8, 2022)

*LAMBING 2022-2023 HAS STARTED!!!
🎉 🎉🎉*
Aria has one lamb on the ground and doesn't look done. I moved the peanut gallery to other side of shed and fed everyone. I will check back in a bit.


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 8, 2022)

Its so hard to wait.  🥴😁🥰


----------



## Margali (Dec 8, 2022)

Male twins, Blacky and Whitey. I moved Aria to smaller pen side because twins were having trouble keeping up.


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 8, 2022)

Congratulations!!  😍. Such cuties.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 8, 2022)

They are gorgeous! And best part, Aria had twins!


----------



## Finnie (Dec 8, 2022)

They are adorable!


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 9, 2022)

Do you have more ewes to lamb soon?


----------



## farmerjan (Dec 9, 2022)

Congrats... that is great.  Meat for the freezer or a nice little bit of money to put towards feed.  She is at least paying her way and is a nice ewe to have on top of it.  Wonderful.


----------



## Margali (Dec 9, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Do you have more ewes to lamb soon?


My other two ewes should be bred. The pregtest on Mocha said she was first trimester so Feb-March?


----------



## canesisters (Dec 9, 2022)

I just discovered this thread - what a GREAT IDEA!  I wish I had thought to do this when we started clearing trees off of formerly forestry land.


----------



## SageHill (Dec 9, 2022)

Margali said:


> Male twins, Blacky and Whitey. I moved Aria to smaller pen side because twins were having trouble keeping up.View attachment 94952


Congrats!! So CUTE TOO!!


----------



## Margali (Dec 11, 2022)

So much rain! Everything is a soggy mess. Not quite as bad since I dug trenches but still...

Blacky sounds congested.  His temp is normal at 102.6. I gave him a dose of LA-200 hopefully head off any pneumonia.


----------



## Margali (Dec 13, 2022)

Blacky is doing great. So antibiotics must have worked.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 13, 2022)

What a pretty spotted trio! 

We got storms on the way! While I was in therapy this morning, her daughter sent a text, “I love you. In a stairwell at work, there’s a tornado going over us”. She was in McKinney. 
Storm is on its way here, my sister called to warn me. 
You and family be safe!


----------



## farmerjan (Dec 13, 2022)

I am not a pusher of antibiotics.... but please do a follow up second shot.  Make sure the "bug" causing the congestion are "killed"... one of the biggest problems with using an antibiotic is that it doesn't get all the germs, and then a week or 2 later it comes back with more resistance.  That is one of the reasons for  all the new rules going into effect because of the resistance that comes along from not "killing the bug/infection/disease" the first time out.   Most LA-200 shots say to do a second dose in 2-3 days if I can remember it..... 
We often run the animals in for a 2nd shot even when they are looking better.... if they "come back down with it" again it will be harder to kill it.
Believe me, we do not use alot of antibiotics.... I don't like to use them... but when we do, we make sure they get "better" ..... Some things don't need a follow up shot... but respiratory things can be tricky... With the size of the lamb, you are not looking at any great expense for a little better hedge.  
I am glad that is seemed to get him heading in the right direction.  That is also in part due to your GOOD observant "husbandry" of watching and knowing your animals.


----------



## Margali (Dec 27, 2022)

Blacky got his 2nd shot of antiniotic and been great. I just weighed them and they are 22lbs each. That is 0.7lbs/wk gain. Aria is getting extra feed and looking good.


No freeze damage at the farm. Sheep were unamused at walking to house to get warm water.


----------



## Ridgetop (Dec 30, 2022)

Nice big lambs.  Flashy colors too - will bring good prices in a couple months at auction.


----------



## Margali (Jan 1, 2023)

So the line to septic sprayers is broken. Unsure if it is the freeze or FIL's driving around with tractor. Either way we had a big ice puddle.

I found a steal of a deal on a used playground yesterday. We drove an hour each way and 2 hours to break it down. $200 plus gas for ~$800 worth of accessories. The build for our new swingset is pushed back to next week due to incoming rain.


----------



## Mini Horses (Jan 1, 2023)

Woohoo!!  Great find on swing set.👍


----------



## Baymule (Jan 2, 2023)

Bargain swing set!! That’s awesome! Your kids are at the right age, they will play on it for years to come. Money and time well spent. 
Fixing the septic line shouldn’t be a big problem. Just time and work digging it up.


----------



## Margali (Jan 2, 2023)

I have a reservation and a deposit on Whitey.  🎉  🎉  🎉  🎉


----------



## Baymule (Jan 3, 2023)

That’s awesome!


----------



## Ridgetop (Jan 5, 2023)

Who is Whitey?  Did I miss a post?


----------



## Baymule (Jan 5, 2023)

Ridgetop said:


> Who is Whitey?  Did I miss a post?


Go back a page. Aria had twin black and white spotted ram lambs.


----------



## Margali (Saturday at 4:58 PM)

Today was terrifying and almost a tragedy. I am still freaking out hours later.

*SHEEP ARE OKAY*

This morning, I was working on swingset accessories and Bruno started barking. I look up and there are a pair of stray dogs at the closed front gates. The dogs went UNDER the gate and took of straight for the sheep. Bruno tried to drive them off but they ignored him. They dove right thru the 2 wire electric fence. I run full tilt to the sheep shed yelling "SHEEP" "SHEEP". The herd comes at a dead run after circling towards the pond with dogs in pursuit. I manage to steer the sheep into the night pen and slam the gate in front of the dogs.

Dash was limping a little bit at first on her left front but seems okay now. Whitey's back leg was covered in slobber but no wounds. I reported it to sheriff's office. And he said there is a pack of 30-40 stray dogs several miles north of my place. The officers' advice was SSS and a donkey. *sigh*

I think our next ranch project will be a proper shooting backstop in location of old range. I'm already planning on fencing once check for selling the truck clears.


----------



## SageHill (Saturday at 5:26 PM)

PHEW!!!! That WAS scary - and great action on your part.  Looks like that swingset is worth even more because you were outside and close enough to do something. 
Stray dogs -- not good.


----------



## Baymule (Saturday at 7:00 PM)

That was a close one! Good thing you were right there. Shoot the #%€*} things!


----------



## Finnie (Saturday at 10:28 PM)

Margali said:


> I run full tilt to the sheep shed yelling "SHEEP" "SHEEP".


THIS is the benefit of training the sheep to come to the feed can shaking and the associated SHEEP SHEEP call. 

You needed it in an emergency and they knew what to do. Wonderful job saving them from those dogs!


----------

