# Jeff & Monica's Journey



## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 22, 2021)

Hi all
I thought I would start a journal when I am about to add some new animals.  I grew up on a farm--my first pet was a pony of all things!  We raised cows, ducks, chickens, geese, sheep, goats.  I learned a lot from my Dad and a lot of trial and error.  Now that he has passed on, my Mom still has 35 acres--she rents about 28 acres to the neighbor and he grows corn, beans and wheat.  The remaining land is mostly grass and pasture, which takes forever to mow.

I have been looking on craigslist for a couple months for sheep to graze some of the grass and goats to help with brush control, but I want to maintain a low investment.  And I think I found some best of both worlds:  Pygora goats!  They eat grass, brush and produce gorgeous fiber for me to knit.  The ones I found are born fairly black, but fade to a light grey as they get a little older--I can see hats and gorgeous sweaters.  

I will need help trying to configure a fence to keep them safe 

from escape
predator
durability
I do have 3 electric chargers for fence that run off a 6 or 12 volt battery, range is 5 miles.
Also to consider is that we will need to have a pasture at my house that is on a slope for their winter home.  My yard is only 2/3 of an acre, but nearly half of it is woods on a steep incline.  Our winters are such that I don't want to go 10 miles to tend them daily, but they will have a nice area to spread out in the woods.  If we get a ram, he can probably stay here fulltime unless he is needed to do his business.  I have concrete pad to put a little shed on for them for the winter, which will make cleanup easy.  

I will post more as details get worked out.  I tried to post some pics but my phone not cooperative.


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## misfitmorgan (Jul 22, 2021)

Congrats and your soon to be new goat friends. I dont think anyone on this forum has pygora goats so it will be fun and interesting to see them and how things come along with your infostructure!!

I will mention there are a lot of things a goat will not eat and they will not make it look "mowed" like other livestock do. Would also say you have to have them fairly dense population and rotate grazing for you to notice a big difference on much of the land with goats as they pick a bit here and there.  On the roughly 7 acres you have, you would need minimum 80 pygora goats to keep it looking grazed down. This is my assuming you are in a place that has 1 animal unit = 1 acre and in the north since cold winter. I dont imagine you plan to start with all 7 acres fenced off so just make sure you make small enough pasture sections that whatever number of goats you have can keep it ate down to your preferred level/look. Typically 6-8 full size goats(12-16 pygora??) per animal unit.

As far as the daily tending part, if you got a LGD you could feed round bales and use an insulated heater auto-waterer, that could/would cut your trips down to once a week to check on them in the worst of winter.

For fence many like the goat/sheep woven wire fence often with electric wires run on the inside and/or around the top to keep them of the fence and from jumping it as well las to keep predators from coming in. The LGD would also help with predators. The electric is to make the fence long lasting, otherwise the goats will destroy it. We use page wire fence with electric on the inside and top.

I'm sure others will have suggestions for fencing or anything else you need ideas for.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 22, 2021)

I am a little disappointed and confused though...I offer to pay a deposit to hold them til we can get the fence and the seller is telling me she got burned on a deposit and is now going to leave the posting on craigslist up until we pick them up.  I offer to pay deposit so that they know we are interested, and now she is thinking we are going to give runaround.  

We need a good sturdy fence and a shelter QUICK!  She sent me some pictures of what they have for pasture and I know my Dad has some of those panels and gates like what she has.  We just have to get into the barn that is rapidly decaying to get them out.  I already have the electric fence chargers, I just need the wire, connectors and at least one battery.  I like the idea of using wire panels and put the hot wire at the top.  I know they don't want a tight, closed airtight shelter for right now, so we can probably use pallets and tarps for windbreaks and suncover.  Cold is still a few months away, so a proper barn is not needed right now.  I would like to combine our chicken coop into the goat shed to keep each other warm and company.  We have shed that needs to be taken out (keep the concrete pad it sets on though for a base for the new shed) and the coop for my layers is a haven for termites.  Jeff had to replace about 5 feet of a  4X4 beam early this spring and the termites are returning for more.  

We have appointment on sunday at 2, and Jeff is bringing the trailer.  I have seen this breed of goat at the fair and I would be so happy to have some of my own!  


Tommorrow is a big day!  The cornish rocks are going to the butcher!  I think I will put them in a water trough and let them out in the sun to dry so i can clean them up a bit.  We had a lot of rain the past couple days and i feel as though I would be contaminating our food if I left poop all over them.  I could say it is mud, but I know it is poop LOL.  I gave them food and water today, but only water.  I have a chicken crate that Dad had put up in the haymow and Jeff brought it back down.  That crate seemed huge when I was little!  Jeff is going to let me use his truck, so I won't get poop everywhere in my jeep.  I don't think I would have enough room for the coolers and the chicken crate anyways.  I think I will put the bigger ones in this batch and there is a couple that seem to be struggling more.  They have dark poop for the one and the other chicken has almost no color at all and it is very watery white--like paste glue.  I might see if I can give them some of the antibiotic chick starter and take them in a couple weeks if they are better.   

Jeff is still on the fence about pigs, but I think he is close to accepting that i am a FarmGirl.  I have seen on pinterest that people get the round bale feeders and put them on their sides so they are like an arch and then put fence panel over and gate on both ends.  I have been looking at idaho pasture pigs and see that they do well on pasture.  

ahh ok i am tired and starting to ramble.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 23, 2021)

I like the idea of growing alfalpha on a section of the land that is currently old pasture.  I can cut it and save some for later, as well as allow them to graze.  I don't want to buy a lot of hay when I can just grow it myself, especially when I can cultivate an area and avoid mowing it.  For the pasture at my Mom's, I would like to keep the goat pen portable.  Being able to move them increases their food supply and allows us to spread fertillizer to where it is needed most.  So even if it is pasture one day with goats on it, it will get mowed the next time.  

My Husband Jeff is still concerned about the pigs becoming a problem.  If they follow the goats in rotation, the grass will not interfere with the hotwire close to the bottom meant to prevent them from digging.  If the pig pen is slightly smaller, the grass will be clipped short.  He keeps talking to Big pigfarmer that raise on concrete slab with 100 pigs at a time, which is much different than 2 on a rotated pasture, which i think he is beginning to see.  

I am concerned that the pig will not be ready for the freezer when it gets cold and its needs will be more complex.  Perhaps we should wait til spring?


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## misfitmorgan (Jul 23, 2021)

BaBaaHMonica said:


> I am a little disappointed and confused though...I offer to pay a deposit to hold them til we can get the fence and the seller is telling me she got burned on a deposit and is now going to leave the posting on craigslist up until we pick them up.  I offer to pay deposit so that they know we are interested, and now she is thinking we are going to give runaround.
> 
> We need a good sturdy fence and a shelter QUICK!  She sent me some pictures of what they have for pasture and I know my Dad has some of those panels and gates like what she has.  We just have to get into the barn that is rapidly decaying to get them out.  I already have the electric fence chargers, I just need the wire, connectors and at least one battery.  I like the idea of using wire panels and put the hot wire at the top.  I know they don't want a tight, closed airtight shelter for right now, so we can probably use pallets and tarps for windbreaks and suncover.  Cold is still a few months away, so a proper barn is not needed right now.  I would like to combine our chicken coop into the goat shed to keep each other warm and company.  We have shed that needs to be taken out (keep the concrete pad it sets on though for a base for the new shed) and the coop for my layers is a haven for termites.  Jeff had to replace about 5 feet of a  4X4 beam early this spring and the termites are returning for more.
> 
> ...


The deposit thing happens, we have had a person in the past pay a deposit on a butcher animal then when it came time to fork over the rest they backed out. Always with the...oh I didnt realize it would be that much cant you give me a discount?

If the panels is what they are in now sounds like they should work fine, be prepared you may need electric wire around the bottom still so they dont find a way out.

Make sure if you put the goats and chickens "together" they are separate where feed is concerned. Chicken feed can kill goats. Goats are like mice/rats they will fit thru holes and get into places you didnt think it was physically possible to do. Also plan for some kind of roof or cover over your hay feeder or something to block chickens from going into the hay, poultry will poop on hay, try to nest in it, and lay eggs in it. 

Your pallet and tarp idea sounds great for a temporary shelter, we used an old truck topper on T-posts/sticks for our goats shelter until their barn is built.

Hope your chickens that are sickly get better or butchered.

I hope you enjoy your piggies when you get them, they are goofballs when they are little and a lot of fun to watch so I'm sure you would both enjoy them so much. I have never seen round bale feeders used for pig houses, I have seen just panels arched over and covered with a tarp or sheet metal as houses often. @Baymule make a pig shelter of that sort of design with the gate and all.


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## misfitmorgan (Jul 23, 2021)

BaBaaHMonica said:


> I like the idea of growing alfalpha on a section of the land that is currently old pasture.  I can cut it and save some for later, as well as allow them to graze.  I don't want to buy a lot of hay when I can just grow it myself, especially when I can cultivate an area and avoid mowing it.  For the pasture at my Mom's, I would like to keep the goat pen portable.  Being able to move them increases their food supply and allows us to spread fertillizer to where it is needed most.  So even if it is pasture one day with goats on it, it will get mowed the next time.
> 
> My Husband Jeff is still concerned about the pigs becoming a problem.  If they follow the goats in rotation, the grass will not interfere with the hotwire close to the bottom meant to prevent them from digging.  If the pig pen is slightly smaller, the grass will be clipped short.  He keeps talking to Big pigfarmer that raise on concrete slab with 100 pigs at a time, which is much different than 2 on a rotated pasture, which i think he is beginning to see.
> 
> I am concerned that the pig will not be ready for the freezer when it gets cold and its needs will be more complex.  Perhaps we should wait til spring?


How old are the pigs you are looking at?

Planting and growing your own alfalfa sounds great......have you looked at the cost of seed? Do you have a plow, disc, planter, haybine, hay rake, hay baler, storage area and tractor? Also goats dont need alfalfa so if you want to just make grass hay it would be cheaper, you still need to either hire it out, do hay shares or own a haybine, hay rake, hay baler, storage area, and tractor.

I don't believe you or the goats will enjoy a portable pen. If they dont have space to run around and play you are missing most of the fun of owning goats. They would basically just be standing or laying there all day, boring life. I have seen people use portable pens for bucks/rams when not breeding but never for a 24/7/365 situation.

@Baymule 
Oh yeah...I didnt realize the idaho pasture pigs take 10 months to raise to butcher size. Definitely to late this year to get them finished before winter unless they are coming 7 months old. I don't think it is going to be possible to ever finish those pigs without winter being involved. If the pigs were born in say january, you wouldnt be butchering until november at the earliest and most people in the north dont have piglets in january.


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## GardnerHomestead (Jul 23, 2021)

BaBaaHMonica said:


> I am a little disappointed and confused though...I offer to pay a deposit to hold them til we can get the fence and the seller is telling me she got burned on a deposit and is now going to leave the posting on craigslist up until we pick them up.  I offer to pay deposit so that they know we are interested, and now she is thinking we are going to give runaround.
> 
> We need a good sturdy fence and a shelter QUICK!  She sent me some pictures of what they have for pasture and I know my Dad has some of those panels and gates like what she has.  We just have to get into the barn that is rapidly decaying to get them out.  I already have the electric fence chargers, I just need the wire, connectors and at least one battery.  I like the idea of using wire panels and put the hot wire at the top.  I know they don't want a tight, closed airtight shelter for right now, so we can probably use pallets and tarps for windbreaks and suncover.  Cold is still a few months away, so a proper barn is not needed right now.  I would like to combine our chicken coop into the goat shed to keep each other warm and company.  We have shed that needs to be taken out (keep the concrete pad it sets on though for a base for the new shed) and the coop for my layers is a haven for termites.  Jeff had to replace about 5 feet of a  4X4 beam early this spring and the termites are returning for more.
> 
> ...


We have two IPP X KuneKune gilts. They are such cool pigs. minimal rooting. Get along with my goats and chickens. Very friendly. they are about 6 months old almost and close to 200lbs each. I've been trying to convince my husband to breed one and eat the other but no luck so far lol. The plan has been so far to eat both. I like the rotating pasture idea, and want to incorporate it into our property but we only have 2 acres.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 23, 2021)

sigh ok.  

I got a ton of work to do today.  GRRr but first I must answer.  

My portable goat pen will be huge--Like 16'x 4' goat and sheep panels and a gate on either side so they move to the next plot.  Jeff found some neat corkscrew looking things for corner posts:  Wire connector panel hinge.   I have a tractor ,but it is not usable.  I have been pulling the chicken/turkey run with my jeep. We have a yartcart that we use at the campground that has a hydraulic dumpbed on the back with a hitch, and Jeff has a Sierra truck that can pull a nearly 8K camper It is mostly level land at Mom's.  I would like it to be portable so they help with mowing and brush control...they will have plenty to look at.  The space at our house is very small, but we will be feeding them mostly hay, leftover produce from a  distributor and pellet type food.  Even that area, I can section it off into 2 areas.  This area will be mostly so that we can have them close and be able to keep an eye on them.  I would never buy an animal with the intention of leaving it for a week at a time--even with a heated water bowl and LGD.  Just the thought makes me upset.  Who will feed the LGD?  

As for the pigs...I can get 2 of the idaho pasture pigs in about 6 or 8 weeks.  We will figure it out.  we are Not eating frog legs and tofu...Jeff works long days in the summer heat and winter cold...he needs real food.  I am committed to pigs, just getting it all together is a chore in itself.  Both of us went to school with people that own butchershop, so we even get a discount because we remained friends over the years..

The chickens are going to be sharing a shed, but they will be completely penned away.  they only contact they will have will be through a fence.  I don't think they will even share a waterer.  I see a shed with 2 openings to the sides for them to go outside, and a big opening for us to go in to care for them.  The chickens can have 3 levels to go up and down inside with roosting poles and nest boxes,  Each level will have its own door with framed poultry netting.  I have only 4 layer hens and a rooster at the moment, but I think with adding another level that they can actually use--I can win at chicken math.  

Please respect that this thread is MY journal of our experiences.  I truly appreciate the advice, but some of this already figured out, I am just writing some of it down.  Please correct me if I am absolutely wrong, ask a moderator to edit my post, I don't want to spread misinformation,but as in anything else in life, we are going to make mistakes, but that is how we learn.


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## misfitmorgan (Jul 23, 2021)

I wish you luck in your endeavors and won't be bothering you again.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 23, 2021)

Please lock this thread.  Delete if you have to.  This journal is not what i had in mind at all.  This in my mind MY musings.  IT really makes me upset that the people that i read their posts for advice are the ones that are now putting their 2 cents in telling me not to.  If I wanted advice I would have asked in a similar thread, not my journal.  

And I would prefer not to eat sick, diseased or injured animals.  That is why I am trying to raise my own.  If I want to eat unhealthy animals I can go right to the grocery store and buy a pack of styrofoam.  FOR REAL.


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## Baymule (Jul 23, 2021)

Please don’t lock your thread. Continue on with your musings. You have said what you want it for, I respect that. Use it for your enjoyment and documentation of your progress.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 23, 2021)

Well apparently I can't because I need your direction to close that as well.  lol  

I respect everyone advice, but this thread is for me to sort out all of what I know from what i learn here vs., What I currently supplies I already have, what i already know DOES NOT work,  What my Dad wanted to try next if he ever had a chance.  Don't mess with it.


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## farmerjan (Jul 24, 2021)

I will also delete my post so you can have this the way you want.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 24, 2021)

No it is ok.  I want it mainly for my own musings and thoughts and not a discussion thread of what i should not be doing.  Be certain: i will post if something doesn't go as planned.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 26, 2021)

Ok so busy these last couple days!  
I put $550 down on 5 Pygora goats yesterday! They are gorgeous silver grey with curled hair and soft silky shine.  OMG not enough adjectives to describe how beautiful they are.   Even Jeff is excited  we are getting them.  He thinks they will make awesome pets, but I am thinking fiber!  I looked up some knitting patterns and I absolutely can't wait!

We are asking them to hold them for a few days so we can configure a safe enclosure and build a shelter to keep them out of the sun and wind.  Jeff thinks that we can build a better space in the woods later, but for now up closer to the house will be better so they can get used to us and we can keep a close eye on them.  

My Mom's house needs a little less mowing this time of year, so we can slow up a bit which is a relief!  I planted a pretty big garden, but mostly all I have picked is weeds.

We had our first taste of the cornish rocks:  I put some legs on the grill and they took longer to cook than I thought so I finished them in the oven.  So proud of myself for getting them fed and moved to new grass just about every day, except the few times I asked Jeff to move them.


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## Mini Horses (Jul 26, 2021)

Hope you can post pictures when you get those goats.  Curly goats!  Cute.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Jul 29, 2021)

Jeff ordered the things for at the corners and joins of the goat panels...they should be here friday.  This fence will go in our yard and connect with the fence that will go on the hillside. "Wire panel connector hinge" is what they are called and we are pretty excited to see how they work.  My Mom's land is mostly flat and we want a combination of pens that we can move and pens that we can leave them in the same space for a few days.  There is a construction company that sells their old fence posts for 25 cents each and Jeff knows the driver of one their truckers that can install them in the ground for us.  There is a long fencerow that is overgrown and full of poison ivy, that they will have plenty to eat.  After they clear out what they want, we can get in and chop out the brambles and nettles.  I think spring will be easier for them to accomplish so they don't get burrs in their fur. 

I am checking garage sales for slides and kid picnic tables for them to climb and keep them entertained....ehh ok US entertained.  I can't wait to watch their antics!  I would like the have at least one new plaything in each pasture area so they always have something new.  I always loved watching the mom teach the babies how to down the slide!  Dad somehow knew that their time was getting close when she didn't want to show the babies and left it to the older kids to demonstrate. 

Water supply is a huge consideration!  I have a rainbarrel at our house and a cistern at my Mom's.  Since they will be at our house over the winter, I will have a bucket heater and fill it with water from the house as the rainbarrel will freeze.  Jeff put a water pump in at the cistern and has an electric spool for a base.  The bucket would not fit under the spout with the table, so he cut a hole in the table and the bucket sets on the table base.  Clean water is so important!  I have been researching using goldfish to keep the water clean--they eat what dribbles out of the goats mouth and they keep control of the mosquito and algae.  I am looking for pond plants that will process the fish poop, but that the goats will leave alone or that they are not able to reach.

Pictures will have to wait til the goats are in our possession.  I want to have our setup in the pictures LOL


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## BaBaaHMonica (Aug 2, 2021)

BIG purchase yesterday to buy fence panels and the fedex guy almost got a hug when he arrived!  He brought the fence panel connectors and it was like seeing an angel arrive in blue LOL.  We spent almost $1000 on fencing, hay and misc livestock stuff, just this weekend.  And that is with my employee discount!   My yarn is quite an investment, but the goats also have a purpose and that is to eat the weeds and brush.  

I found a kid slide that fits perfect in the little pasture behind the house--only $6 bucks at a day care garage sale.  As I recall giving them some place to rear up and butt heads is a popular activity and prevents boredom and limits bad behavior.  We have a bench that Jeff built, but we don't use much which we can put in the pasture for us to sit and relax and allow the goats to come up and check us out.  Food is a powerful motivator.  If they are a bit skittish, a little over the fence feeder like what you can put pellets will fit on a slat on the bench.  They are still at the sellers house til we can complete at least one pasture.  Jeff and I have discussed that we can get them a gift certificate to the farm store and a local fast food resturant.  

I took the rest of the meatbird chickens to get processed.  The man was very nice and charged only $3 per bird and even cut it up.  They are Amish, so we had to bring in 2 coolers full of bagged ice.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Aug 8, 2021)

OMG the goats are here!  I will take some pics tomorrow if I can get them up close enough LOL. They are a bit skittish, but getting settled in a bit.  

Another chapter of the story about to unfold!


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## BaBaaHMonica (Sep 9, 2021)

Ok it is picture day.  I give up on the ohone and will just take out the laptop LOL.  I think i found someone to shear them and she is willing to drive 3 hours!  I have clippers and she will show me how to use them and give some pointers on how best to manage to get the job done and have a good batch of fiber to send for processing!
Tango is in the feeder

click on the link!  my technology not so good.


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## Finnie (Sep 9, 2021)

Link didn’t work for me.

That’s awesome about the shearer!


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## Margali (Sep 9, 2021)

Link didn't work for me either. Congratulations on getting your goats! They sound neat.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Sep 9, 2021)

Tango is in the feeder

try it now.  I might have to get my kid out here to post the video LOL


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## BaBaaHMonica (Sep 11, 2021)

The papers were in the mail for the registration!  So exciting!


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## Finnie (Sep 13, 2021)

BaBaaHMonica said:


> Tango is in the feeder
> 
> try it now.  I might have to get my kid out here to post the video LOL


Nope, still says 404 not found. 


BaBaaHMonica said:


> The papers were in the mail for the registration!  So exciting!


Awesome!


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## Finnie (Sep 13, 2021)

BaBaaHMonica said:


> Tango is in the feeder
> 
> try it now.  I might have to get my kid out here to post the video LOL


To post a video on here, it has to be uploaded somewhere else on the internet, and then you can put a link to it here. If it’s posted on YouTube, then the video can be embedded right here in your post.

It sounded like a cute video, so I hope you and your kid can figure it out.

P.S. we like still photos, too!


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 2, 2021)

Huge update (trumpets blaring!!!!) 

:::Tomorrow I am going to drive 8+hours round trip to pick up 2 LGD ladies!  The previous owners have health issues and with heavy hearts have sold all their livestock and these 2 beautiful pyrenees are the last to leave to new homes.  They are so bored and yearn for a herd to protect. They are 5 years old sisters and spayed. I am so excited, I almost peed myself at work when i saw one come into the store all proud and magnificent blazing white!!

I think for at least a week or more, we can keep them separated so everyone can get used to us and the new dogs.  The goats still a bit skittish as soon as the treat bag is empty, the 2 older goats get most of it anyways LOL.  

Keep you all posted!


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 4, 2021)

They are here and gorgeous!  We had a 3 1/2 hour car ride and not a single bark or growl.  They were scared to get out of the jeep, but we were patient and it took treats and patience, but we got them both to the kennel, with hubby carrying the 2nd one the last 100 yards or so.  This was not a suprize...they were just as hard to get them in, as they never had basic command training, so we will have to make it a point to take them on a ride once in swhile so they know what to do and lessen their anxiety.  This was their 2nd car ride in their 5 year existence.

They will be separate for a day or so, the goats had their tail flat on their back and making grunts and snorts.  They are not used to dogs that much.  and our dogs not used to livestock now for a couple years.  Their names are Angel and Precious.  

I heard barking a bit last night...I was up anyway with hot flashes!  So i went out with flashlight...I think it was the rooster making chirping sounds.  They have not met yet.  Cats,Goats, Chickens, Rooster is the order of introductions.  Cats cut the lline simply because they are inside/outside and have coloring similar to skunk and raccoon.  And they were outside when I got home and they could sense their presence immediately.

More later, i am needed outside with some hay!


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 6, 2021)

More 3 am barking...i go out and see what is going on...they seem fine, i hear nothing, pitch black.  I go back to the house, I open the door and they start again.  I go back and see if maybe i miss something....nope all fine and dandy.  I go back to the house.  By this time i am a little miffed and mad that yet again they wake me up.  

Then i heard it.  There was a beep, like an alarm.  The dehumidifer was full so i empty it.  Still beep and dogs bark.  So I follow the beep to the FREEZER door that was open just a crack.  

So lesson learned that if they are barking, there is a reason and my job is to figure out why.  They earned their keep in less than a week and protecting livestock that has been in the freezer for over a year.  Thank you ladies and I will get you some big beef bones from the butcher.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 10, 2021)

Today was shearing day!  Such an exciting day!  I remember shearing days when we had sheep, but was not sure how it all worked with pygora goats.  Lots of avoiding capture and a ton of bellering, but it is all finished.  They had hoof trims and liquid dewormer while they were on the stand.  This was first time I actually was able to pet the oldest one, April.  She sniffs me out, but so very cautious.  They look so differnet with the fleece clipped off, but Sara, the shearer lady said they all look like they are getting good feed and noticed no issues with their skin.  She drove 2 1/2 hours and charged only $110.  I threw in lunch and we had a feast after shearing.I feel like i need a nap.  Whew!

The dogs are doing great.  Precious and Angel.  Precious has a little scar on her nose from a hot spot LOL and her head is a little different shape than her sister.  Angel has a head that reminds me of a golden retriever, but i don't think she has any of that line.  Several times, the chickens have wandered right up to the fence and they barely notice the dogs, So I think the next paddock will include the chickens being able to enter the pasture. I already have the fake eggs out so they have a chance to see that eggs are not tasty and hopefully we can get the eggs before the dogs and goats get a liking for them.  I gave Angel and Precious their own pork shoulder bone for reward for letting me know about the freezer door.  I can't imagine going outside now without a visit to go see my dogs and goats.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 12, 2021)

well twice I have had to go look for the fake eggs, so I am hoping that they think the coop is still a nice place to lay their eggs.  Lets get this figured out!  

I used my Hubby's drill to hang some of the mineral box feeders in the goat shed.  By the time I figured out how to operate the darn thing, the battery was dead.  I got one hung up, but they knock it off already.  I wili try again.  I was pretty proud of myself for a few minutes.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 22, 2021)

You know me by now...i can't pass up a good chick sale.  I work at the local feedstore and i saw the bargain bin chicks for 4 for a dollar. They are 3 weeks old and have a good many feathers already.  I got 2 at regular price, but they are considerably smaller, but one of the bigger chicks is letting them snuggle.  Imagine that:  I have a chick that wants to be a mama already!

They are in the coop, but separated from the big girls for now...they kind of freaked out a bit when i brought the box over LOL.  There is no light hooked up on that side but i layered in some straw and let them have one of my old handknit hats to coverup.  Night time temps might go to 41 tonight.  I held one up at the fence and Angel, one of our LGD's laid down at the fence--no barking, no growling, so I think they will be just fine with them once the coop gets moved over to the pasture.  The cats on the other hand are a different story and i worry they will wander too close and I think Hubby will come home to a dead kitty.  I am already planning on how to modify the entry of the coop so the chickens can get in, but the goats won't fit.  So it will be kind of like a kissing gate, but made so the chickens can use the door, but the goats are blocked from entering. I can move over the run they have been using and have their food and water outside the coop like they have been used to.


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## BaBaaHMonica (Oct 23, 2021)

update:  heat rolled out from the coop, so i think they were pretty good.  That one little chick is getting named Lil Momma for sure, she still had them tucked under her wings.  I heated up water on the stove and put it out there for them.  I put a little over their food and mixed in some chopped up oatmeal, flax and quinoa.  I want to get them started on some good feed.  I might knit them a little bowl for a nest so they can snuggle up and get warm.  I have not been able to get a momma hen to be a mother yet...Just the one that was broody and she was the only survivor after something sneak in and kill off all the other chickens.  She had been sitting on the eggs for about 3 weeks and wouldn't get off, but they were starting to stink and had turned black.  So, decided that i could get her some chicks to get her off the nest.  It was magic!  She pop off that sticking pile and was like OMG my babies are here!  She showed them how to eat and drink and by the end of the day they were sliding off her back.  

Angel and Precious are doing good with the cats, but not sure if they actually met.  Oreo and Domino are very curious cats, but run off when they realize they have been spotted.  IttyBitty is more of a housecat and doesn't go far from the porch.  

The goats do a lot of headbutting on each other, the dogs and yep even me...Tango got me the other day and gave me a big bruise on the side of my knee.


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