# Dusty Boot Ranch



## DustyBoot (Nov 13, 2017)

Guess it's about time I started one of these. We moved here in February and took some time to evaluate and get settled in. New perimeter fences started in August because they were in poor shape and wouldn't hold cows, let alone goats. It's been a long process, but should be finished today!

We added three beehives in late May, too late to get honey for this year but hopefully they'll be well established for next year.

Three Kiko-Boer doe goats arrived in August, along with their two Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd guardians. We've been using electronet fencing to create rotational grazing paddocks for them with good results so far. We bought a buckling in September but he didn't work out; replaced him at the beginning of November and I suspect we now have baby goats due in mid-April. 

Chickens and guineas arrived in early November and seem to be settling in well. Eight Rhode Island Reds, four guineas. The coop is on skids and we move it regularly so the birds have fresh pasture. They're surrounded by electric poultry net that's turned off during the day but on at night to keep predators at a distance from the coop. Eventually we may open up the fence during the day to let the birds range farther, but we want them well trained to return to the coop before we consider that. We also need to see how our LGDs respond to them. Our hope is to use the birds to follow our larger animals to help reduce bugs and parasites and hasten the decomposition of manure. 

Later this month we'll have a few steers arriving as some friends are renting our pasture and allowing us to see how cows do on the property. Depending on how it goes, we may decide to raise our own cows or raise stocker calves.

Our next project looks like being meat rabbits. We've never eaten rabbit, but we're not too picky so I'm pretty confident we'll be happy with the results. We'll start small, though. 

Possibly on hold for spring is an aquaponics system. Do fish counts as herds? 

Not sure what else will end up on the agenda, but there we are for now.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 13, 2017)

It sure sounds like things are moving right along for ya. It will be interesting to see if the electro netting will contain the guineas. I'm planning on adding some next year and would like to protect them better than just free ranging, but unsure about any fence containing them without clipping the wings. Hope the cow keeping goes well, so ya can get some of your own.....never raised fish, tho we do have a pond....so, I guess that counts....sorta.....


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## DustyBoot (Nov 13, 2017)

Nah, the fence doesn't hold the guineas. They fly right over it if they want to. But so far usually only one or two flies over, and then circles the pen wanting back in with the others.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 13, 2017)

It is uncanny how they easily find their way out, but can't repeat the process to get back in....crazy little things they are, but so entertaining....


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## Latestarter (Nov 13, 2017)

Sounds like things are moving along at a great pace. looking forward to following along.


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## DustyBoot (Nov 13, 2017)

Things started moving fast once they started moving!

Went out to put the birds away tonight and the guineas were raising a ruckus. The chickens were all inside the coop for the night. The guineas had flown out of the pen and were running around outside distressed that they couldn't get into the coop. Had to open up the fence for them, then open the side of the coop because they wouldn't go in the little pop door. Silly things.


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## animalmom (Nov 14, 2017)

Your plans sound like they will keep you busy, and fed (a good thing).  My DH and I were city folk before all the animals, and had not eaten goat or rabbit knowingly so were were cautious about the prospect.  Rabbit is delightful, tender, like veal.  Older rabbit is great in casseroles or shredded in enchiladas or oh my word I'm making me hungry just thinking about it.

Don't forget to put in something that is just fun... like a water garden.  Doesn't have to be huge just something pretty and put in a few goldfish.  Let me know when you do as I usually always have extra waterlilies and plants to share.

Glad you are here!  Looking forward to reading how things are going for you.


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## DustyBoot (Nov 14, 2017)

To be honest, as far as I'm concerned this is all fun!   I love animals, so being able to have so many of them around without it being some sort of crazy hoarder situation makes me happy. I could sit and watch the chickens all day. And the house is really gorgeous -- we were fortunate in being able to buy something so much nicer than we expected or hoped for. But, I will have to come up with a fun project. I'll bet the kids would love goldfish. 

The fences were finally finished yesterday, and I slept well last night knowing it was done! They've been in progress since early August and I was beginning to think they would never be finished. My poor just-a-pet Border Collie is confused that suddenly she has a yard again (albeit a huge one). I appreciate being able to let her outside without having to worry that she might go harass the birds through their fence if I'm not watching. We moved the goats to a new section of the pasture and were able to make it much bigger because we used the perimeter fencing as one long side of the paddock. It'll be nice not to have to move them again so quickly. Previously if we wanted to move them, we haltered them and led/dragged them up to our small permanent goat pen, moved the electronet fences, then led them to the new paddock. This time we closed the pasture gate, took apart the old paddock, herded them into the new area before it was completely enclosed, and finished setting up the electronet around them while they munched away happily. So much simpler.


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## DustyBoot (Nov 14, 2017)

This afternoon, four guineas were happily wandering around outside their pen, so I let them be. This evening, one was back inside the pen and three were outside and unhappy that they couldn't get back in. At least one had the sense to fly back in?


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 14, 2017)

I was thinking about putting their coop area outside the fence, so when they fly over they will be inside the fence already and have an acces hatch cut into the fence back to inside tbeir coop.....


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## DustyBoot (Nov 16, 2017)

Ha! There you go.

Last night I forgot to go herd them all inside the coop before dark. I was resigned to finding the guineas roosting in trees -- but all the birds were in the coop. Guess they can figure it out if they have to!


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## DustyBoot (Jan 10, 2018)

Long overdue for an update here. Right after Thanksgiving we added three rabbits to the homestead. Shortly after Christmas, one of our does had a litter of 8. They're growing beautifully!






This was day 10. Eight little Rex babies. Our other doe is due later this month, and we're planning to get a few litters in before breaking for the heat of the summer.

Yesterday we added another resident, sort of on impulse. I've been wanting a dairy goat and have done a lot of research but didn't have a concrete plan for when it would happen. Someone in the next town over was selling their LaManchas and the price was right because they needed them gone ASAP (about to go on the road in an RV). I took one doe, the one who follows people around everywhere and supposedly take on foster babies. She's 3 years old, bred to a LaMancha buck and due in March or April. Our Kikos are due in early April, so that works out well enough. And it means I have some time to get my act together before I'm milking. 



 
It seems to me that she could afford to put on some weight before kidding, so we'll be working on that. Right now she's in a pen separated from the rest of our herd, and we'll try putting her in with them after a good observation period. I plan to build a milking stand soon and start feeding her and grooming her on that just to let us get a bit of a routine going.


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## animalmom (Jan 10, 2018)

Pretty doe!  I agree it looks like she could use a little more groceries.  What's her name?


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## DustyBoot (Jan 10, 2018)

They were calling her Thelma, so that may stick, but we're waiting to see if something else jumps out at us before we make it official.

Looked like she was being kept in a pretty bare pen on goat feed and hay. Where we have her right now has more to nibble on than where she was (although still not much), and once she's cleared from quarantine she'll be able to go forage with the rest of the goats. The kikos are doing well on what's out there, but I expect to continue offering supplemental feed for her. I have hay out there for her now, and I got a bag of goat feed and I'm adding a bit of calf manna on top of it to help with weight gain. My first experience with a dairy animal, so hopefully I'm doing it right!


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## Bruce (Jan 10, 2018)

CntryBoy777 said:


> I was thinking about putting their coop area outside the fence, so when they fly over they will be inside the fence already and have an acces hatch cut into the fence back to inside tbeir coop.....


I'm not sure you can outsmart a bird that is, by all accounts, pretty stupid  But hey it is worth a try.


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## Latestarter (Jan 10, 2018)

Nice looking doe there DB. Hope she turns out to be a really good milker for you. At peak, my milker Lamancha was giving about 3/4 of a gallon to a full gallon a day w/2 milkings. Real serious milkers give even more than that. I was happy with it since I'm by myself. IMHO dairy goats are always too "skinny" for my liking/to my eye... just seems to be how they're built... Meat goats build... meat, dairy goats put it all into milk production... (even when not milking?!)


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## Baymule (Jan 10, 2018)

Beautiful bunnies! I love spotted bunnies. Your new goat is a nice girl. At least she knows the ropes and I'm sure she will be glad to teach you all she knows about milking!


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