# Messybun’s Small starts big dreams



## messybun (Oct 19, 2020)

Wow, I just surprised myself with that title, it sounds epic. This journal probably isn’t going to be.
Right now there are goats, chickens, ducks, geese, a rabbit, and two dogs. I know I’m missing some things in here, but the important part is they aren’t forgotten at feeding time. 
Why am I starting this you might ask? Well, my family thinks some of my ideas are a bit crazy and I want sympathetic enablers. I’d also like to see where it started and where it goes.
Crazy ideas? I didn’t hear anyone ask but I’ll tell you any ways. Letting my dog (poodle mix) grow his hair out so I can practice spinning. Keep in mind this dog likes to seek out the worst smelling stuff and roll in it, and his hair already picks up EVERYTHING; so totally a great idea. I’m also obsessed with sheep at the moment. I just know I could work them in. 
Now, it would also be great to make all my own chicken feed, grow it myself you know. While my gardening skills are nothing to scoff at (more like belly laugh entirely) I’m not sure how I could grow enough chicken forage in the winter but that’s for more research later. 
Anyway, hello to whom ever is reading this, and have a great day!


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## Hens and Roos (Oct 19, 2020)

Nothing wrong with having ideas/dreams, everyone has to start somewhere! I know we have changed up/out what animals we currently have based on our kids interest and mine(DH says he just works to make it happen!)

Maybe instead of trying to spin your dog's fur(especially if he gets it nice and smelly for you first), you could add the sheep for that reason !


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 19, 2020)

Miss @messybun,

I am glad to see that you have started a journal.  Please share with us more about yourself.  And don't be shy -- you are among friends.  And like Miss @Hens and Roos said, there is nothing wrong with having dreams.  Please post lots of pictures of your animals and your farm.  We all love pictures.

I look forward to reading more of your adventures.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## purplequeenvt (Oct 19, 2020)

Not to try to discourage your spinning, but you will probably find poodle very difficult to spin. Poodles have hair, not fur which means it won’t grab and stick together very well when being spun.


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## Baymule (Oct 19, 2020)

Yeah, your family thinks you are crazy......I know that feeling! LOL You fit in just fine here, especially if you want enablers! Yes! You need sheep!


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## promiseacres (Oct 20, 2020)

I have a friend who has spun dog hair, I think she adds wool to it. 
So yes get some sheep.


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## chickens really (Oct 20, 2020)

Hello..
I would love to see pictures of all the animals 👍🏼😁


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## thistlebloom (Oct 20, 2020)

messybun said:


> I want sympathetic enablers



 Oh, boy! You better buckle your seat belt then!
Looking forward to hearing about your sheep empire. 🤣


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## Beekissed (Oct 20, 2020)

My sister used to raise Great Pyrs and spun their comb outs into yarn and made clothing out of it, so it has been done and can be done.  I'm sure there are folks out there doing it who can instruct you in that matter.  









						Spinning Dog Fur: A Poodle Adventure
					

Meet Carl, the 80-pound standard poodle.  Before I learned to spin he was just a great, big, furry, lovable, happy pal.  Once I started spin...




					stseraphinaspins.blogspot.com
				












						Dog Hair Can Be Turned Into Wool for Knitting
					

"Knit Your Dog" is an Illinois-based business that will take your dog's excess hair and transform it into cozy clothes and accessories.




					www.treehugger.com
				












						How to Make Dog Yarn: 15 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
					

Dog fur has been used to make a soft and warm yarn, or Chiengora, throughout history. Much like other yarns, the process for making dog fur yarn involves harvesting the fibers, washing the fur, and spinning it into the yarn. Dogs with long...




					www.wikihow.com
				




We love pics and you'll love yourself by making a picture record of where you started and how far you've come.  I've done it for years now and it's always amazing to me just how much I/we have done over the years, how many changes we've made, etc.  

How much acreage are you dreaming on?  What part of the world are you dreaming in?  Letting us know these few things will help in any advice you may ask for later on.


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## messybun (Oct 21, 2020)

Well, I’m on the east coast (America) and a little less than 2 acres. Right now it is a hobby farm and I’m hoping to get some more useful animals; our current ones are all pets. I tend to have grand ideas, over research them and then decide whether to do them or not. As far as sheep if I find the right breed next spring I’ll try them. We don’t have that many wool sheep locally, by not that many I mean literally any, so I’ll have to look around. Maybe at a livestock auction, but I avoid those like the plague, partially because they carry the plague lol. Bee kissed, that is awesome! My poodle mix is 14 lbs, so I might get a book mark out of him? It would be more for the heck of it and practice.
As far as empires, do my chickens count?  I have over forty birds and an incubator that I need to fill! I also need to figure out what to grow for this winter vegetable wise, and I already have next year’s summer garden planned. Have I mentioned my gardening skills are horrible yet? I almost feel cruel for sprouting plants just to murder them, but it’s getting better.


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## Mini Horses (Oct 21, 2020)

You can see by my location, I'm East coast.  give us a hint by adding something in your profile location.   I mean -- East Coast is not FL weather to way cold up north!  Big difference in climes and what can be done.   I'm sorta the middle -- VA.

As to your chicken feed -- you can produce a lot.  Millett, corn, wheat, rye, all easy to grow and harvest.  Small land use and no equipment to sow or harvest...just some extra labor.   they LOVE worms, bugs, etc.  You can actually grow them.  Yeah, not pretty but you can do.  

I don't have sheet, just goats.   But, I'd suggest you find some raw wool and work with it to decide if you really want to shear and do that part of sheep.  It's work BUT -- so is milking when I can buy it at the store!  Just not the same.      Here we understand the "why" we do.


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## messybun (Oct 22, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> You can see by my location, I'm East coast.  give us a hint by adding something in your profile location.   I mean -- East Coast is not FL weather to way cold up north!  Big difference in climes and what can be done.   I'm sorta the middle -- VA.
> 
> As to your chicken feed -- you can produce a lot.  Millett, corn, wheat, rye, all easy to grow and harvest.  Small land use and no equipment to sow or harvest...just some extra labor.   they LOVE worms, bugs, etc.  You can actually grow them.  Yeah, not pretty but you can do.
> 
> I don't have sheet, just goats.   But, I'd suggest you find some raw wool and work with it to decide if you really want to shear and do that part of sheep.  It's work BUT -- so is milking when I can buy it at the store!  Just not the same.      Here we understand the "why" we do.


Whoops lol. I’m in hurricane central. Even though we have been blessed to not have been severely affected this year. We have similar climates I believe! Definitely not up north like NY, no thanks to all that snow!
I actually am working on breeding my own bugs already! My dragon eats mealworms, so I plan on breeding excess anyway. My neighbor has some gorgeous purebred silkies, and she told me I could grab whatever eggs that aren’t already being sat on, yay! Hopefully I will get some cuties next month.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 23, 2020)

messybun said:


> I actually am working on breeding my own bugs already! My dragon eats mealworms, so I plan on breeding excess anyway.



I fear my Texas Aggie I/Q is getting in the way: "... breeding my own bugs already"?  Do you mean you breed different beetles and caterpillars and other insects?  Or did you mean to write that you breed your own bug eaters, such as chickens?  When you write "[m]y dragon eats mealworms", I thought of the movie "How to Train Your Dragon".  I am guessing that a dragon is a breed of chicken, but I am not sure.  Sorry to be so dense.

Senile Texas Aggie

In case you are not familiar with Texas Aggies and their reputed I/Q level, here is an explanation we gave to another (former) member of the forum when I mentioned Texas Aggies: Rolling Acres Texas Aggie joke


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## messybun (Oct 23, 2020)

I am now thinking about that movie too! I breed both, chickens and bugs. I meant bearded dragon, it’s a type of lizard. So I have a cocooned horn worm(I hate them in the garden but they are great feeder bugs if contained) which means whenever it hatches I should get a ton of eggs from it. And the meal worms, I already have some beetles, but they need to be moved to different bedding so they don’t eat their own eggs. The lizard is new, so I’m not fully set up yet.
I actually lived in Texas off and on for a few years! Texas aggies are a special breed, I would never say your IQ is low, you just know so much about ag  that it sometimes crowds out other stuff.


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## messybun (Oct 26, 2020)

Today I am putting duck eggs in... yay. Ducks are probably one of my favorite barnyard creatures so I'm looking forward to hatching some. 
I also discovered  "cottage" laws or lack thereof. Meaning I can't sell baked goods without a kitchen inspection and sending samples in to a lab. *Big eye roll* The inspection typically costs 150$ by the way. Which even if I thought I could make enough profit to make that worth it, which I don't, there's no way I could pass because I have animals on premises. I wonder if I could make "not for human consumption" cinnamon rolls? Am I the only one annoyed by the hoops you have to jump through to sell basic products? And don't even get me started on the taxes! 
Anyways, my apple trees had their first batch of apples this year! They are absolutely disgusting and tiny, but amazing. I plan to make some ACV with them. Does it still count if I use Braggs mother for my starter instead of homemade? It feels like I'm cheating, but it works SO much faster and with less varied results.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 26, 2020)

Miss Messybun,

If we resided closer to each other, I could buy a dozen eggs from you for $20 and then you could give me a couple of cinnamon rolls!


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## Baymule (Oct 26, 2020)

What state are you in? Cottage laws vary from state to state, some are better than others. Animals on the premises.....do they think you have goats and chickens living in the house? Gheesh.


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## messybun (Oct 27, 2020)

Baymule said:


> What state are you in? Cottage laws vary from state to state, some are better than others. Animals on the premises.....do they think you have goats and chickens living in the house? Gheesh.


I know my state laws suck because I looked them up lol. I guess they do! But I do have one house rabbit, two hypoallergenic dogs, a bird, and a lizard that all live inside. And I wouldn’t put it past me to have a baby/sickly farm animal in the house somewhere. We don’t have a barn so if someone gets sick they go into the “mud room” and when someone is on death’s door they go to my bathroom because it’s easy to bleach. I’ve had a rabbit with fly strike, a chicken with a stroke, another rabbit with pneumonia among other small creatures. Basically if you go to my bath tub it’s likely you won’t come back. Unless you’re a duck because those get raised inside so they’re tame. But the occasional rescues still don’t go near my kitchen and certainly have nothing to do with food! I would be disqualified because the hypoallergenic dogs alone. Some of it I get, some of it honestly begs the question of who do you think makes food if not people with animals? And how are we supposed to eat if it’s not sanitary in our kitchens?


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## messybun (Oct 29, 2020)

Alright y’all, I want your opinion if this is fowl pox or not. I’ve never dealt with pox before so I’m not sure. I haven’t added birds to my flock for seven months, and they came from a clean/closed flock. But we do have a ton of mosquitoes and neighbors with birds. I did notice this lady was a little thin too.


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## Baymule (Oct 29, 2020)

I'm looking for the small dark blackish spots on the comb, and I'm not seeing any. I bought red sex links from a place that had fowl pox from the mosquitoes. The lady said they got over it and never had it again and she was right. She said she couldn't keep it out of her flocks because the mosquitoes spread it. I kept those hens for 3 years with never a problem, even bought new chicks to replace them and the new chicks/pullets did not get fowl pox. 

I got some pictures off the net


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## messybun (Oct 31, 2020)

That’s good! @Baymule! Thank you.
 So, while I was out for a bit yesterday apparently someone was messing around my back fence yesterday. We watched for much of the night, but had to go to bed eventually. It almost looks like someone tried to pull up a post too. So, barb wire going up! I’ll have to check the electric fence too. I hate this time of year. Anyway, be careful y’all.


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## Nao57 (Oct 31, 2020)

Regarding the opening post...

I think the best thing you can do is show the family how your projects will reduce the grocery budget considerably (and make sure they do), while also showing them how the grocery store prices are increasing exponentially.

And its true also.

2020 potato price is double that of 2019. The 2020 10 pound potato bags cost the same price as the 2019 20 pound potato bag price (from earlier in the year). And this is the Walmart price.

Wheat price used to be able to go on craigslist or wherever and buy wheat berry bags for around 25 cents on the dollar. This year there's a big shipping fee plus they are now around 65 cents on the dollar and you can't get them for cheap on craiglist now, or other online venues.

Other grains have gone up. Some are hard to find. I can't see any field pea and barley seed bags for sale in my area right now for the economic farm price.

What people don't realize is that WHEAT is the back bone of America. And grain and hay feed everything literally in some form or another before the end product of what has processed that goes to your grocery store.

So you just show them how your projects can benefit them. Then organize them to try to use your product before going to the store. And then show them the food inflation.

IMHO your dogs aren't going to be producers.

You could probably get  a couple more rabbits.

Rabbit math; bag of alfalfa pellets, 12 or 13 bucks...for 40 pounds. Young rabbits gain 1 pound for every 2 pounds of food they eat. You harvest them at a certain age before the gain slows down. That's less than a dollar per pound of food.

Chickens and ducks also have great gains like that.

Are you using the goat for dairy sources? And maybe it'd work better to use the goat hair for wool than the poodle?

Hope that helps you a lot.

I'm sure your family members have noticed the big increases in food prices recently. Mine did too. But I spent some time explaining it to them, and with what they are seeing on the news of the cities becoming lawless they have been coming around surprisingly fast. Now my sister is doing chickens also.


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## Nao57 (Oct 31, 2020)

messybun said:


> Whoops lol. I’m in hurricane central. Even though we have been blessed to not have been severely affected this year. We have similar climates I believe! Definitely not up north like NY, no thanks to all that snow!
> I actually am working on breeding my own bugs already! My dragon eats mealworms, so I plan on breeding excess anyway. My neighbor has some gorgeous purebred silkies, and she told me I could grab whatever eggs that aren’t already being sat on, yay! Hopefully I will get some cuties next month.



You could feed the ducks and chickens nubia roaches from a nubia roach farm, I think?

But it would get odd looks from your family and won't help anything. (And if they get lose you'll suffer a family faction hit big time.)


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## Nao57 (Oct 31, 2020)

Baymule said:


> What state are you in? Cottage laws vary from state to state, some are better than others. Animals on the premises.....do they think you have goats and chickens living in the house? Gheesh.



When you say cottage laws...is that an official term? 

I hadn't heard it before. Thanks.


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## Mini Horses (Oct 31, 2020)

Yep ... Official term.   Some states are making no sense with rules.  

Here in VA you can sell certain baked or canned goods with no inspections.  Some products only from the farm, no delivery. Some anyway, just limited $ amounts in total annual sales.  Raw milk a no-no but, herd shares work as you are then consuming your own animals milk, even tho you have animal milked and cared for by another.  Oh, you can sell raw milk for craft or animal feed use. I do NOT want to know Fido is hubbys nickname.    Also labeling rules with some items, not for others.    .   States vary on rules!

Sell meat on hoof....if parceled out and packaged, different rules.   We find ways to make it work but, watch your liability.  A closed, knowing network is best.


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## messybun (Oct 31, 2020)

Nao57 said:


> Regarding the opening post...
> 
> I think the best thing you can do is show the family how your projects will reduce the grocery budget considerably (and make sure they do), while also showing them how the grocery store prices are increasing exponentially.
> 
> ...


 Thank you. Basically, if we have the space, budget,  and time for it I can get whatever I want. The deal is also if I get it I take care of it(although my family does chip in I don’t count them in my time) so it’s more that they don’t get why on earth I want too lol. My outdoor rabbits have not historically done well, and are sooo bad for allergies.


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## messybun (Oct 31, 2020)

Nao57 said:


> You could feed the ducks and chickens nubia roaches from a nubia roach farm, I think?
> 
> But it would get odd looks from your family and won't help anything. (And if they get lose you'll suffer a family faction hit big time.)


No roaches here! We have enough naturally and the chickens won’t eat them because they will make them sick. But meal worms suit me just fine!


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## Nao57 (Oct 31, 2020)

messybun said:


> No roaches here! We have enough naturally and the chickens won’t eat them because they will make them sick. But meal worms suit me just fine!



They make the chickens sick? Does that mean all chickens get sick from them? And would ducks also get sick from them?

Thank you for your input.


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## Nao57 (Oct 31, 2020)

messybun said:


> Thank you. Basically, if we have the space, budget,  and time for it I can get whatever I want. The deal is also if I get it I take care of it(although my family does chip in I don’t count them in my time) so it’s more that they don’t get why on earth I want too lol. My outdoor rabbits have not historically done well, and are sooo bad for allergies.



Wow. 

Yeah I get allergies too. 

I get less allergies from my ducks than I do anything else. (Chickens, ducks, rabbits). But ducks are a bit more noisy than chickens (except roosters). But the ducks have a cuteness factor that has made the neighbors love them. (That might help if you are thinking which animals do less allergies, though I get that some people have different allergies than others.) (And maybe part of ducks doing less allergies is because people don't pick them up as much.)

I have been told a rumor...or wait maybe it was a comment here that if you brush the rabbits often they won't have dander and cause allergies. But I haven't had a chance to test if its true or not. (Good luck). 

Re: outdoor rabbits not doing well, can I ask why? Thanks.


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## Baymule (Oct 31, 2020)

messybun said:


> That’s good! @Baymule! Thank you.
> So, while I was out for a bit yesterday apparently someone was messing around my back fence yesterday. We watched for much of the night, but had to go to bed eventually. It almost looks like someone tried to pull up a post too. So, barb wire going up! I’ll have to check the electric fence too. I hate this time of year. Anyway, be careful y’all.


Why would someone be messing with your back fence? That doesn't sound good at all.


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## messybun (Oct 31, 2020)

Nao57 said:


> They make the chickens sick? Does that mean all chickens get sick from them? And would ducks also get sick from them?
> 
> Thank you for your input.


Roaches can carry nasty nasty things, like eye worm, and sometimes will be carrying something that gives an upset stomach. It’s not they themselves.


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## messybun (Oct 31, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Why would someone be messing with your back fence? That doesn't sound good at all.


It’s Halloween and we have horned goats. Or a druggie. Either way NOT welcome.


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## messybun (Oct 31, 2020)

Nao57 said:


> Wow.
> 
> Yeah I get allergies too.
> 
> ...


The fowl aren’t too bad because they are outdoors, but indoor rabbits is a whole different animal, literally lol. Spiders, heatstroke, fly strike, goat shelter damage. Basically a bunch of stuff that makes them not so much an option. My ducks are pets, and I can pick them up and bury my nose in their feathers with no trouble whatsoever. For the rabbits, I used to brush and pull all the loose fur and it didn’t help the allergy sufferers. The only time it would bother me is directly having fur in my eyes lol.


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2020)

When we first moved here, there was a neighborhood thief that lurked around at night, stealing whatever he could. Due to our dogs, our place never looked very attractive to him.  Everyone was glad when he moved far away. Maybe you need big barking dogs?


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## Nao57 (Nov 1, 2020)

messybun said:


> It’s Halloween and we have horned goats. Or a druggie. Either way NOT welcome.



Are you near a sizeable population?

I'd had friends in California (Bakersfield area) tell me that they had roaming bands of homeless people now because of all the economic damage. And this was before Covid started. Often they wake up and the street will have several cars have the windows broken into and robbed. People can't leave any fences, windows, or doors unlocked anymore. 

Its likely any areas with a sizeable homeless population will soon be like this.


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## messybun (Nov 2, 2020)

Oh brr, first cold day! Which means heat lamps up, and I need to finally make the duck shelter I’ve been wanting to. And, as per usual, I’ve waited too long and now have to do it in the cold. But, I will hopefully have a larger duck shelter by tonight. Speaking of ducks, my ducks eggs keep dropping humidity in the incubator. I haven’t had this problem when I do chicken eggs, maybe it’s just because ducks are a higher humidity? Well, good day to you all and stay warm!


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## Baymule (Nov 2, 2020)

The one time I had ducks, I enclosed the bottom of a rabbit hutch with wire and made it a small chicken coop. For the ducks I stapled Feed sacks to it and gave them a heat lamp. That was their warm cozy place. Then I put a pallet on top of a plastic milk crate at each corner and staples a Feed sack on it. That was their intermediate shelter. It wasn’t fancy but it worked.


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## messybun (Nov 4, 2020)

Well, I found some wool sheep over two and a half hours away, and they’ll have lambs for sale in the spring. Corriedel/teeswater crosses and straight teeswater. They sound good, but a bit big. I know, I know, livestock is big. But I’m petite and these guys aren’t! I’d have to lease land or something. But at least there are wool breeds, somewhereish... The quest shall continue. Hope everyone is having a great day.


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## Baymule (Nov 5, 2020)

What about wethers for their wool and halter break them? Do you want to breed, keep a ram and ewes of are you mainly interested in the wool? Wethers can become pets and don't have hormones to make them crazy.


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## misfitmorgan (Nov 5, 2020)

You could also look into a small breed like miniature babydoll sheep.


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## messybun (Nov 5, 2020)

Baymule said:


> What about wethers for their wool and halter break them? Do you want to breed, keep a ram and ewes of are you mainly interested in the wool? Wethers can become pets and don't have hormones to make them crazy.


I love my whethers, but the lambs will help pay for themselves. Plus, I’d like to try milking the ewe and could use some practice with babies. But I might end up with a whether at this rate lol.


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## messybun (Nov 5, 2020)

misfitmorgan said:


> You could also look into a small breed like miniature babydoll sheep.


Those things are so freakin’ cute! If I find them I will get them. But we don’t have any around here as far as I’ve heard. And my capital is a bit small to start so not a likely possibility to get any from elsewhere. But just maybe someone will have little sheep!🤞


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## misfitmorgan (Nov 5, 2020)

messybun said:


> I love my whethers, but the lambs will help pay for themselves. Plus, I’d like to try milking the ewe and could use some practice with babies. But I might end up with a whether at this rate lol.



You would be farther ahead to get a milk goat and a wether sheep. Sheep dont give much milk and are hard to milk and train to milk. Plus lanolin.... Someone on here has dairy sheep but I dont recall who. 

A dairy goats gives 3-6quarts a day for 10+ months. A sheep bred specifically as a dairy sheep can give up to 2 quarts a day, however just a wool or meat breed sheep is more likely to give around 2 cups a day for a really good milker and only milk for 5-6 months, a not so good producer is going to give a cup a day for about 3 months. Meaning the lamb the sheep had to go into milk is drinking pretty much all the milk for the first 2-2.5 months until you wean the lamb. 

Our Toggenburg doe never stops producing milk. We have not milked her in probly a year and she had been in milk 24/7 for probly 2yrs. Even our Boer doe never dried off completely and we never milked her. Keep in mind though our toggenburg is a diary breed of goat and came from heavy milking lines.


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## misfitmorgan (Nov 5, 2020)

messybun said:


> Those things are so freakin’ cute! If I find them I will get them. But we don’t have any around here as far as I’ve heard. And my capital is a bit small to start so not a likely possibility to get any from elsewhere. But just maybe someone will have little sheep!🤞



@secuono raises mini babydolls in virginia.

Also dairy sheep are not cheap. A dairy lamb is $200-800 and would still need to be raised for another 4-6 months before being bred, then be prego for another 5 months before having a lamb and then you have to wait at least 72hrs to milk after the lamb is born. So your $200-800 investment still means at least 9 months of feeding before you get milk and 11 months before you could sell a lamb. It would be all the same for a goat kid but you could skip that and buy a adult goat in milk for around $100-150 at least where I live you can. Do whats right for you, it's your farm.


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## secuono (Nov 5, 2020)

misfitmorgan said:


> @secuono raises mini babydolls in virginia.



Did someone say tiny bundles of smiling wool??









But also, yes, I'm in Va with dual & triple registered Babydoll Southdown sheep. 

They're very common all up n down the east coast.


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## misfitmorgan (Nov 5, 2020)

secuono said:


> Did someone say tiny bundles of smiling wool??
> View attachment 78740View attachment 78741View attachment 78742
> 
> But also, yes, I'm in Va with dual & triple registered Babydoll Southdown sheep.
> ...



If there was a market up here, bet your bottom I would have mini babydolls. They are so stinking cute, I esp love their little beards as babies.


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## messybun (Nov 5, 2020)

What the heck y’all? Tonight’s feeding started with a chicken jumping in my arms so I could carry her to the coop, she hopped down as soon as we got there. Then I have migrating birds...flying the wrong direction! The geese were actually nice to me, which doesn’t happen. The geese don’t bite, but they don’t like me either so that was really weird. Then, I ended up giving two buckets of food, as opposed to 3/4 of one. And they almost polished that food off too. My rabbit, who NEVER misbehaves, has been flipping her food dish too. This rabbit is four years old and has never purposely done that before.
last night I moved my single baby and mom to the big coop. They aren’t happy but whatever. Tonight I tried to move my other mom and five young, they literally just walked through the wire and back to the brooder box. Apparently they can just waltz their way out!


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## messybun (Nov 8, 2020)

Oh yay, my goats started working together to break the chicken coop. How do you secure your chicken coop wire, bottom to a goat’s standards? I’ll try to get pictures tomorrow to see if y’all have any ideas.


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## messybun (Nov 9, 2020)

Well, a huge apple harvest lol. I’ve been meaning to get them for a while, but they kept not being ripe. It’s not like you can tell though, they are soo sour. But, for the tree’s first batch not too bad of a yield. Hopefully they will be better next year. My pears are on their third harvest, and the tree got fire blight earlier this year and took out my whole harvest, save one. I was trying to figure out what to do with the tree and my goats escaped the fence, ate most of the tree and now I’m not having blight problems. Seriously not what I was expecting, but don’t argue with succes? P.s. the pics are of acv I’m the making.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 9, 2020)

Hey, your apple harvest is about like mine this year.
From 7 trees we picked half of a 5 gallon bucket. They were all horse quality, which means I don't feed my horses beautiful apples, haha. There would have been more but the helpful cow moose and her two yearlings knocked a bunch off before they were ripe.

Yours are crabapples aren't they? I think they're supposed to be sour....

ACV making was on my radar this year. It'll have to happen next year I guess.


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## messybun (Nov 9, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Hey, your apple harvest is about like mine this year.
> From 7 trees we picked half of a 5 gallon bucket. They were all horse quality, which means I don't feed my horses beautiful apples, haha. There would have been more but the helpful cow moose and her two yearlings knocked a bunch off before they were ripe.
> 
> Yours are crabapples aren't they? I think they're supposed to be sour....
> ...


Oh no! Silly cows. Slacking trees aren’t they?
Unfortunately, no. It is a Gala apple tree. Or at least Gala is what we bought.
I actually make it from the peels and cores usually. Whenever I make apple sauce or apple butter I usually end up making a batch of acv from the scraps.
The way I’ve figured out how to do it easily is I take the peels and cores (I usually try to pick some of the seeds out because of cyanide) and place them in a clean mason jar. Cover with purified water (super important, especially because we have an insane amount of clorine) then add a capful of braggs apple cider vinegar with mother. Any mother laden acv should work, but braggs is a proven strain. I put a paper towel with a rubber band for the lid. If the apples float out use a rock or some weight to keep them under the liquid; if not it will ruin the vinegar. After the liquid gets brown and bubbly you can decide on how strong you want it. Keep in mind it is easier to dilute, so I’ve left it until there was a “rolling boil” and just diluted. After it is the strength you want strain the apples out and throw them away. Close jar and put in fridge to slow the bacteria down or it will keep getting stronger.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 9, 2020)

messybun said:


> It is a Gala apple tree. Or at least Gala is what we bought.



Call me crazy but those look nothing like Gala, unless that is a 20 gallon glass bowl you're using.  🤣

I think you got a mislabeled tree. Kind of a bummer considering the time it takes to grow a tree to production age.
Thanks for the ACV tips. I really want to accomplish that with my apples next year.
Oh and it was a MOOSE cow and her offspring that vandalized our trees. Dang wildlife!


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## misfitmorgan (Nov 10, 2020)

I have to agree I think you got a mislabeled tree.

Our apple trees did very well this year, Estimated yield is around a ton of apples but its hard to estimate since all the livestock eat them. From what we saw there was about a ton plus there is still probly a couple hundred pounds in the trees. Mind was from about 11 trees in the orchard. We have a few others and one very old variety of some kind that only produces every other year.

Hopefully everyones apples do better next year!


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## frustratedearthmother (Nov 10, 2020)

I've been interested in this apple conundrum and started looking around.  Turns out that there are trees that produce "baby apples" and they come in several of the common apple varieties like Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and more.  Who knew?    






						Are there mini apples?
					

Baby Apples. Frieda's baby apples are miniature versions of regular sized apples you are familiar with. About the size of an apricot, Frieda's carries many varieties of baby apples: Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and Red Delicious.




					askinglot.com


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## misfitmorgan (Nov 10, 2020)

frustratedearthmother said:


> I've been interested in this apple conundrum and started looking around.  Turns out that there are trees that produce "baby apples" and they come in several of the common apple varieties like Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and more.  Who knew?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's crazy!


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## Baymule (Nov 12, 2020)

Why raise a mini apple? It must be nice to buy a place with an apple orchard on it. In Texas we get excited if we can get an apple tree to grow and bear fruit. There have some varieties developed for Texas heat......they send the seedlings to survival school to brave the elements. Heat, hot, scorcher, drought, rain, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat, lack of winter, 9 degrees at night 80 degrees by noon, more heat....... y'all get the picture.


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## messybun (Nov 12, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Why raise a mini apple? It must be nice to buy a place with an apple orchard on it. In Texas we get excited if we can get an apple tree to grow and bear fruit. There have some varieties developed for Texas heat......they send the seedlings to survival school to brave the elements. Heat, hot, scorcher, drought, rain, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat, lack of winter, 9 degrees at night 80 degrees by noon, more heat....... y'all get the picture.


Unfortunately I don’t get why you’d raise a mini apple either. We didn’t have fruit trees on property when we got here, so it has been about six years of waiting just to get tiny apples. Hopefully next year they’ll be bigger and sweeter.
Hey, but pecans tend to do really well out there, don’t they?


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## thistlebloom (Nov 12, 2020)

I can't see a purpose to mini apples either. Unless they are particularly heavy bloomers like many crabapples and you use them for the ornamental display and cross pollination.
Six years is a very long time to wait for fruit, and then find out it's a novelty cultivar.


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## Baymule (Nov 14, 2020)

Yes pecans grow very well here, wish we had one in our yard! They are all over public parks and such, can usually pick up enough to suit our needs. I don't mind foraging. LOL


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## frustratedearthmother (Nov 14, 2020)

I have a feeling that some folks ended up with the mini apples accidentally.  With the mini's having the same names as their larger cultivar cousins it would be a simple mistake to miss the word "mini" or think that it was in reference to tree size and not fruit size.


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## messybun (Nov 21, 2020)

Well, got a load of dirt for all the holes yesterday. Then, got a turkey from the store. Of course, there was no room in the freezer, so an impromptu canning session to make room. Who doesn’t like spending most of the night canning? If I’m already canning I’m going to can the cranberries that are finally available. If I’m making cranberries then I might as well make apple butter, some of them are looking a bit bruised. If I’m making apple butter I might as well see what else can be tossed in a can; I mean everything’s already out and ready. I had a friend who came over for my random canning night, which was awesome. But there’s still at least five batches of cranberries left to cook and can among more apple butter! I love seeing all the jars done and laid out.


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2020)

Ever use red hots cinnamon candy in your applesauce? I've never made it, but a friend gave me some once and it was delicious! What about combining cranberries and apples? That might be interesting.


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## messybun (Nov 22, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Ever use red hots cinnamon candy in your applesauce? I've never made it, but a friend gave me some once and it was delicious! What about combining cranberries and apples? That might be interesting.


I have never thought about putting red hots in applesauce, might have to try it one day. Crapple jam could be good, but I don’t believe there is a recipe for it in the big blue book of canning, and the few recipes I have tried outside of that book have gone horribly wrong. Do you know another trusted recipe book for canned goods?


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## thistlebloom (Nov 22, 2020)

Cranberries are awesome in oatmeal cookies. I am not a big raisin fan, so I sub cranberries for them.


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## messybun (Nov 27, 2020)

Ahh, thanksgiving is over. I think I’m more looking forward to left overs than I was to the meal🤣. I had two ducks hatch yesterday. I have one that pipped two days ago, but it’s not looking right. The membrane looks a bit yellowy and just something’s  off. I might help that one in a little bit. The two ducks are currently in my brand new mistake of a brooder box. My plastic one broke and I decided it would be cheaper to make one out of wood. But it is a two man carry that barely fits through the door, and I didn’t even remember a floor. Don’t plan a building project late at night and when you have to finish it within 24 hours. Anyway, it is covered in plastic and cardboard to protect my floor and the ducklings seem happy. I’m also trying a mama duck heating pad for the first time. It took longer to heat up than expected, but they seem to be doing alright now. I think they’d rather be snuggled in my hoodie, but sometimes life is hard lol. Thank you @Beekissed for helping invent this wonderful brooding method. It is so much better than having a bright heat lamp in my room. Yes, the ducks are in my room, because the house is being remodeled, rearranged and reorganized; but mostly because I want them close. It’s going to be hard selling them I think, but I have a friend interested so hopefully they’ll  take them.


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## Beekissed (Nov 27, 2020)

I'd like to take credit for that method but there was one lady that did it before me and I found her vid when the thought about doing it had occurred to me.  I was just the first to put the model and idea up on BYC.  I had used a heating pad to hatch chicks, so it occurred to me to try to brood them that way also....so when I looked to see if anyone else had tried it, I found her vid.  It didn't exactly show how to make the brooder but it wasn't tough to figure and we all put our own spin on it from there.


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## messybun (Dec 2, 2020)

One quack attack had an unabsorbed yolk, it was my first time with that and eeek. But after the first day the little bit had bounced back and now runs around with everybody else. I don’t think it’s genetic, but should I be worried about hatching her future eggs just in case?


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## Baymule (Dec 2, 2020)

I have no experience with that, but I'd take the chance and set more eggs from her.


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## messybun (Dec 5, 2020)

Today’s the day Amazing Neighbor wants three of the ducklings. I also need to get Amazing Neighbor’s silkie eggs to put in the incubator. I don’t know if it’s irresponsible to hatch for Christmas or not. Hopefully it won’t be. I finally got the duck house done, it took way longer than it should have, and it’s not purdy, but at least it’s done. Everything kept coming before it because they had temporary. I’m still waiting for the heat lamp to come in though, and I might need to add a front to it. But it is blocked from the wind on most sides so we’ll see. 




I even had Ze Douge (when we got him for free his records showed he comes from elite breeding stock🤣) come and help. Have I told you about this dog before? He was for free on Craigslist and we had to know what a bichypoo was. It’s a bichon poodle mix in case you were wondering, which is great for allergies. 6 years old, lived with children for a few of those and super sweet. Until we got him home, he wasn’t potty trained and would get into the trash (aka elevated food dish) right in front of you and had no clue why he got in trouble for it. The worst part is this dog doesn’t respond to punishment. A quick swat is ignored, yelling is followed by a two second remorse and ignoring, giving the good dog attention is followed by whining...at least it gets to him. The squirt bottle is the best tool, but it takes about fifty times for it to get through and it’s not like he remembers for long. Anyway, after several years he is know an almost decent behaved dog. He’s lucky I love him some days😂.


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## Baymule (Dec 6, 2020)

I know that blank stare......... a rolled up newspaper is still the best punishment. That and a deep gutteral AAAHHNNNTTTTT! (strikes fear in children and dogs)

My first duck shelter was a pallet with plastic feed bags stapled to it, set on 4 milk crates. They loved it and piled up under it to sleep.


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## messybun (Dec 6, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I know that blank stare......... a rolled up newspaper is still the best punishment. That and a deep gutteral AAAHHNNNTTTTT! (strikes fear in children and dogs)
> 
> My first duck shelter was a pallet with plastic feed bags stapled to it, set on 4 milk crates. They loved it and piled up under it to sleep.


They’re seeming to love it. I have a suspicion that if I made something that was pretty they’d never touch it. 
Oh, he was actually behaving here, (rare occurrence) this particular blank stare is because he’s blind. Poor guy got super bad cataracts a few years back and just can’t see. Mind you, it didn’t slow him down, just occasionally flattens his nose.


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## messybun (Dec 14, 2020)

So, one of Amazing Neighbor’s puppies got attacked by fire ants last night and went into anaphylaxis. After shocking, Benadryl and what not he’s still here. I’m puppy sitting while Neighbor is at work. The puppy still has a stiff neck and front legs. His throat is really swollen too. Aside from Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream on his stomach do you know anything else to help the little guy?


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## Baymule (Dec 14, 2020)

Awwww...... poor little guy. Neighbor is lucky to have you to take care of him while at work.


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## messybun (Dec 15, 2020)

Little guy is doing better, thank God! He’s eaten, drank and peed. Yay! He’s having a little trouble with his back legs still, and can’t quite stand on them yet. But we’re trying!


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## messybun (Dec 19, 2020)

Yikes! Christmas is so close. I still have a little shopping to do and no baking has been done yet. The house has not been decorated as much as some years, but that’s okay, it’s been so hectic lol. I stopped by my local wildlife rehab place. Man, I forgot how much I loved it. It’s been about a year and a half since I got my license (to get a rehab license in my state you have to go through an internship and x amount of hours) and I haven’t really been back. I’ve taken in a few creatures, mostly bunnies, but just haven’t gone back to help. Between the juvenile crows getting ready for the world and the random screaming whatevers it was kind of cool to know what to do and what they are. Felt homey if that makes sense. I hope I can find some time to go there in the new year. At the moment... the garden is a wreck and I need to start my hot pepper seeds already! Hopefully they’ll grow. Laundry soap needs done, I need to wash eggs to sell them. I’m so bad at washing my eggs. Duck eggs last just as long out of the fridge than in it so I’ll just leave them in a bucket until I need to sell them. Bad habit I know. Paver stones need put down and tamped. Just basic stuff, but then holiday preparations too. 
Oh, and the geese decided last night to try and put themselves to bed with the ducks and ducklings. They don’t do that, ever. So I left the door open. I trust their instincts and figured they could herd the adult ducks wherever they wanted. Turns out they spent a few hours keeping the ducks out of the water before it froze. Hard not to laugh at the geese for that, they spent their first year of life refusing to stay out of water; they even slept in their pool when it was snowing. Anyways, merry Christmas! 
P.s. the puppy went back home and is now playing like a normal puppy! What a little fighter!


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## Baymule (Dec 19, 2020)

You'd better get busy on Christmas! It's almost here! What'cha gonna bake? Pies? That's good news on the puppy, he had a good nurse taking care of him!


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## messybun (Dec 19, 2020)

Baymule said:


> You'd better get busy on Christmas! It's almost here! What'cha gonna bake? Pies? That's good news on the puppy, he had a good nurse taking care of him!


Aww, thank you. Cookies, pies, maybe gingerbread, and if the oven is on I might toss in a cake too. I love freezing desserts and surprising myself later🤣.


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## Baymule (Dec 20, 2020)

I made pumpkin pies yesterday from Giant Pink Banana squash that I grew. One squash makes 3-4 pies! I've had fun and amazement with this squash. It put on 3 crops from 3 vines. The last crop I picked before frost so it didn't have time to mature. No problem, the sheep love the machette chopped squash and fight to be the first to eat it all. They also love the seed pulp and skins of the cooked squash. Even if I didn't cook and eat the squash, It would be worth growing just for the sheep!


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## messybun (Dec 21, 2020)

Ahh yes, the endless search for livestock. Sheep? None to my liking available. Dairy goat? Not what I need. Goats I at least have a better chance with. I’m sure the right goat will come along at the right time, but man I’m impatient! All the leads I’ve found are boys, far away, out of my budget, not a breed I want or a combination of all of it. I’m not even that picky! I don’t care about registration, mixed breed, or even really age. I’m fine with a gal past her prime, I’m fine with a bottle baby, I’m fine with an injured goat (partially blinded, missing an ear, sagging attachments, basically anything not genetic) I just want a smallish family milk goat who isn’t diseased. That being said, if I wanted grass monsters there are plentiful boers, kikos, and the like. Morning whine over.  Hope y’all have a very merry Christmas!


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## Baymule (Dec 21, 2020)

Where are you located? There may be a BYH member near you that could help you find what you want.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 31, 2020)

Happy New Year, Miss @messybun!


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## messybun (Dec 31, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Happy New Year, Miss @messybun!


To you too!!!


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## messybun (Jan 4, 2021)

I’ve been trolling farm sites. So dangerous. The dairies are selling their male calves for 35 dollars, and that’s with the first colostrum; or even a week old. Weanlings sell for about 500. I know there’s a lot in the middle of those two numbers but dang. If I had more land... But I don’t. I finally found three sheep for sale, but I did math. I hate doing math. With the amount of crops I want to grow this year (I really hope they grow!) I don’t see being able to support three lambs, and a goat for milk. Guess I’ll have to wait for sheep. And land for rent locally🤣. A few years ago, super cheap, now, developers have moved in. Two neighbors and across the road is a new trailer park. We have one a little ways down the road, and they keep it nice and fenced. They have concerts down there too, so it can even be fun. I have a feeling this one isn’t going to be so nice. That also means land prices have skyrocketed! 7 acres of swamp land is now over 10,000. Reasonable land? Over 20,000 for 3 acres. Every one is wanting to build, and no one is realizing that our roads aren’t made for it. Anyway, time to maximize what I got. Which means waiting my precious hand spun yarn. I hope to grow peanuts and some grain crops too this year. On one hand, exciting, on the other? I’m about to start online college classes too. Can anyone say sleep deprivation? I’ve thought about angoras, but outdoor rabbits don’t so well with me. The only person I know who could keep a good amount outside lost most of them on a hot summer. And I’m not sure if I want to dive back into rabbits if I could find a way. 
Oh, but did I tell you how I’m going to get more grazing? I’ve discussed, on another thread, about movable fence panels and all the work that goes into them. Then I realized, I can put it on wheels! I have four bicycle tires hanging around, and I could put fence panels on those. To make a small pen, either the goats could push it or I would. Just put pickets at each end where I don’t want them pushing past, and I can build a cheap, portable fence.
I hope y’all are fairing well and happy new year!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 5, 2021)

Miss @messybun,

Good to hear from you.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming -- of having more land, more farm animals, more education.  Dreaming is what helps us get up in the morning and look forward to the future with hope.

Currently I am watching a couple on YouTube that recently sold their house and is looking for a homestead in western North Carolina or eastern Tennessee.  They remind me of my Beautiful Gal and me when we were doing the same thing a couple of years ago.  That was (or seemed like) an ordeal!  I'm glad it is over.  Maybe you can find a place that you will love that offers more land so that you can have farm animals.

If you don't mind my asking, what courses do you plan to take on-line?  Whatever the courses are, I hope you find them useful and fun.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## messybun (Jan 5, 2021)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @messybun,
> 
> Good to hear from you.
> 
> ...


 Western NC is pretty! I like most mountains, aside from the snow🤣. I hope y’all found a place you love after all the hassle!
At the moment moving is not even on the horizon; but I do like to dream still.
I’m planning on getting a counseling certification. I have a knack for it, and it can be a flexible job that leaves me room for other pursuits as well.


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## Daxigait (Jan 5, 2021)

messybun said:


> Wow, I just surprised myself with that title, it sounds epic. This journal probably isn’t going to be.
> Right now there are goats, chickens, ducks, geese, a rabbit, and two dogs. I know I’m missing some things in here, but the important part is they aren’t forgotten at feeding time.
> Why am I starting this you might ask? Well, my family thinks some of my ideas are a bit crazy and I want sympathetic enablers. I’d also like to see where it started and where it goes.
> Crazy ideas? I didn’t hear anyone ask but I’ll tell you any ways. Letting my dog (poodle mix) grow his hair out so I can practice spinning. Keep in mind this dog likes to seek out the worst smelling stuff and roll in it, and his hair already picks up EVERYTHING; so totally a great idea. I’m also obsessed with sheep at the moment. I just know I could work them in.
> ...


you never know and good luck with it I remember on byc somebody talked about growing sprouts for their chickens year-round and somebody actually did it in the dishwasher so who knows.


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2021)

Daxigait said:


> you never know and good luck with it I remember on byc somebody talked about growing sprouts for their chickens year-round and somebody actually did it in the dishwasher so who knows.





I bet those were some really clean sprouts!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 6, 2021)

messybun said:


> I’m planning on getting a counseling certification.



Great!  Maybe you can move near us!  My Beautiful Gal is always saying I'm in need of professional help!


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## SA Farm (Jan 12, 2021)

Following along. Can’t wait to see where your dreams take you 

My sheep are mutts on the small side and I rotate the 4 of them on about an acre. It’s been working for me and them so far.
I wish I had more time and inclination to learn to spin. I don’t do anything with their fleeces other than bag them up and store them in my basement lol. Then I buy yarn to crochet with


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## messybun (Jan 13, 2021)

SA Farm said:


> Following along. Can’t wait to see where your dreams take you
> 
> My sheep are mutts on the small side and I rotate the 4 of them on about an acre. It’s been working for me and them so far.
> I wish I had more time and inclination to learn to spin. I don’t do anything with their fleeces other than bag them up and store them in my basement lol. Then I buy yarn to crochet with


I have a goat I could probably get some cashmere from, just never have. Then I too go an buy yarn. I’ve recently had family members send me two boxes chock full of yarn. One was from my great grandma, it’s incredible to see some of what she was working on. Makes me feel close to someone I don’t remember meeting, if that makes sense. She was literally knitting a stocking with a Santa face on it! I’m hoping to take all the bits and pieces she left and her extra yarn and make a quilt out of it. She even made her own patterns, but I’ll have to have help translating a few of the words lol. 
Perhaps a local living history place could teach you? If you have one nearby that is.


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## SA Farm (Jan 13, 2021)

I have no idea if there’s a living history place around here. I suppose I could see if I can find a fibre group on FB or something, but I think the work involved with actually getting raw wool useable is just too much for me to do and invest in to be honest.
I might use it for insulation or give it away if I do join one of those groups


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## Baymule (Jan 13, 2021)

There is a spinners guild in the county next to us. While I admire it, I know what would happen........I would buy wool sheep, learn to shear, then I'd have to learn to process the raw wool, all the necessary steps to prepare it for spinning. Then I'd have to buy a spinning wheel and find somewhere to put it in this house, I dunno, cover it with velcro and throw it at the ceiling and hope it sticks when not in use? Learn to knit and crochet, make an ugly sweater and my penance would be to have to wear it!


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## messybun (Jan 13, 2021)

Baymule said:


> There is a spinners guild in the county next to us. While I admire it, I know what would happen........I would buy wool sheep, learn to shear, then I'd have to learn to process the raw wool, all the necessary steps to prepare it for spinning. Then I'd have to buy a spinning wheel and find somewhere to put it in this house, I dunno, cover it with velcro and throw it at the ceiling and hope it sticks when not in use? Learn to knit and crochet, make an ugly sweater and my penance would be to have to wear it!


You could win ugly Christmas sweater competitions; that would totally make all the work worth it! 🤣 Don’t knock ceiling space. In the olden days they’d  have a giant quilting frame that was hung from the ceiling, almost like a chandelier. When it was time to bring everyone together for a quilting bee they’d just unhook the ropes and lower it.


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## Baymule (Jan 13, 2021)

messybun said:


> You could win ugly Christmas sweater competitions; that would totally make all the work worth it! 🤣 Don’t knock ceiling space. In the olden days they’d  have a giant quilting frame that was hung from the ceiling, almost like a chandelier. When it was time to bring everyone together for a quilting bee they’d just unhook the ropes and lower it.


I have actually had a quilt frame up at the ceiling, then lowered it to quilt. LOL LOL Then I used a huge embroidery hoop on another quilt and then had a quilting frame that used modified sawhorses to clamp two long 2"x2" to.


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## messybun (Jan 21, 2021)

Day before yesterday it was almost warm and super sunny, today it smells like snow! Phew, that will be interesting. My welshie x drake who ignored my Muscovy hen no matter what has now started grabbing everything that moves, including my new Muscovy drake. 🤦‍♀️. 
Well, it is time to put eggs in again. I have a bunch of duck eggs that my hen was sitting on last night, and have been kinda under a heat lamp kinda not. I don’t think their safe for eating and kinda want to toss them in the bator just to check; but I’d rather do chickens because they’re a more reliable hatch. I also have a broody hen, her mom has hatched babies before so she might have a shot at seeing this through. Which reminds me, I need to add nest boxes to the big coop. I was thinking a 5 gallon bucket on its side? Honestly not sure what would be cheapest/easiest. But I did have someone ask for chicken manure, which the coop needs cleaned anyway so great timing. What else? Oh yeah, I need to get a setup for quail. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some in the summer, but I keep forgetting which type doesn’t fly. Anyway, I’ll double check that before getting them. The great news is I have almost any type of quail imaginable at my fingertips; they are super popular. I’m also thinking about getting about 50/100 sexed chicks and selling as pullets or even laying hens. I don’t have infrastructure for it, but I think it would be a great profit. I might have  enough scraps laying around to build something for them, hopefully at least lol. 
I also found what looked like worms in chicken scat, what do y’all use to worm your chickens, or if you do?


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## SA Farm (Jan 21, 2021)

I give my chickens a bit of dried cayenne pepper and garlic. Not sure if it specifically deworms them, but it seems to at least boost their immune systems.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 22, 2021)

The pepper & garlic make the digestive tract less inviting for worms, so less reproduction of them and same with some of the other high tannin foods eaten, such as acorn.  Things like oregano, wormwood and chicory perform similarly for animals big and small.   I use a dewormer called Strike, bought at tractor supply, about once a year, after a couple hard frosts, for chickens.    Pellets, add to feed.   Free range chickens generally eat what they need to keep things under control....if they have pasture forage!


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## messybun (Jan 22, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> The pepper & garlic make the digestive tract less inviting for worms, so less reproduction of them and same with some of the other high tannin foods eaten, such as acorn.  Things like oregano, wormwood and chicory perform similarly for animals big and small.   I use a dewormer called Strike, bought at tractor supply, about once a year, after a couple hard frosts, for chickens.    Pellets, add to feed.   Free range chickens generally eat what they need to keep things under control....if they have pasture forage!


I have Molly’s herbals for the goats, it has basically everything in it lol, wormwood garlic and the like. I just didn’t know if it would be effective. I’ll go ahead and add some of it in. My birds are free ranged in the day and locked up at night, but being the middle of January there isn’t much of anything to eat for them.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 22, 2021)

Well, when winter temps hit, it kills larvae on ground, so worm after that and your done until just before warm up.  Then they have herbals and the free range.       for most, it keeps things on track.   Goats, they have issues if not field rotated as they like to graze close for the weeds.   That's another reason for browse...higher up and various chems from plants.    Plus the very act of birthing kicks hormones that will increase worm activity for any in body already.  
I only use herbals during milking season...unless some horrible levels show up.


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## messybun (Jan 30, 2021)

Hello all. Let’s begin. Right before our first actual snow of the year(we were promised a few but this is the first actual one) I had a little mama hen come out with four babies, totally unexpected! This morning I only saw three and they are all thin and sleepy. I decided to put them with mom in the brooder bit with food and water, with a bit of acv too. Hopefully they do well, the only problem is I used a cardboard box to line the box and the goats are obsessed! 
Next, I’ve had a little chicken brooding for a while, two days ago I noticed a Brahma decided to go broody too, no big deal, they’ll help each other. Then this...





I have two Brahmas on top of the first bantam broody, and I have a Brahma mix sitting right outside the box, waiting to get in. What would y’all do? Because the box is way too full lol. Maybe if I set up several nests around the outside? It’s my first chicken coop, so it’s a small box, prefab style with a coop up top and run on the bottom. But I can’t keep it closed because of the goats’ destructive nature. I just don’t know if the other hens would go for other nests lol. The first gal has already done most of the work!
Oh, and my duck went broody, yay! But other birds keep laying under her, last night she was over full capacity lol, but now I have a chicken “helping” by sitting on one of the clutches. They are actually in a dog kennel already, should I close the door? I’m a little worried about blocking them in there, but I don’t know how to stop others from laying there.
Oh, and do you know what I did during the snow? I was outside in the flurries in my jammies and galoshes dragging a goat across the yard into the heated chicken coop to get the chill off. The first time I had to run and get her corn, so I had to drag her back a second time 🤦‍♀️. Then I stood outside so she’d eat instead of being scared of the other goats. It was pretty though! And not nearly as cold as the next day surprisingly enough. Cold humidity is so much colder lol. Anyways, hope y’all are having a great first month of 2021.


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## SA Farm (Jan 30, 2021)

I’ve found that the best way to have a broody is to separate her. Her own nest, feed, and water where the other hens can’t crowd her, add to her eggs, or pile on to co-brood. I have tried to just let nature take its course, but it always ends badly that way - at least for me 🤷‍♀️
Broken eggs, squished or killed after hatching by the other hens or, in one case, a drake - especially when first hatched when mama is mostly still sitting on the nest.
I now have several options of places where I can put a broody. Dog houses with small attached runs, a wire dog crate with hardware cloth and boards to keep the weather out and the babies in, a big indoor rabbit cage etc depending on where it needs to be or the weather.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 31, 2021)

If the eggs have been incubating for a while, you should be able to candle them to see which ones are developing. Separate out by rough age and give the different groups to different hens since you have multiple broodies. That way the hen won't abandon the eggs that need more time once the chicks start hatching. Mark the developing eggs with sharpie and remove any fresh ones. You might need to give them more nest boxes or move the broodies to a dedicated sitting area.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 31, 2021)

SA Farm said:


> I’ve found that the best way to have a broody is to separate her. Her own nest, feed, and water where the other hens can’t crowd her, add to her eggs, or pile on to co-brood. I have tried to just let nature take its course, but it always ends badly that way - at least for me 🤷‍♀️
> Broken eggs, squished or killed after hatching by the other hens or, in one case, a drake - especially when first hatched when mama is mostly still sitting on the nest.
> I now have several options of places where I can put a broody. Dog houses with small attached runs, a wire dog crate with hardware cloth and boards to keep the weather out and the babies in, a big indoor rabbit cage etc depending on where it needs to be or the weather.


Same here...I have several dog house pens....hens just love to add eggs and share nests!   My last time for sharing and not breaking up resulted in 2 hens and one chick that turned out to be a roo!   Wasted time because I was lazy.  Best results have been by separating them.  Incubate or separate brood pens.


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## messybun (Feb 2, 2021)

I am an egg thief lol. This morning I cleaned up my broody gals. They had over sixty eggs! How did they even sit on those!!!! Anyway, I stole them, filled my incubator, and then gave her back five marked eggs. I also took the chicken eggs from under my overloaded duck. Hopefully someone else will want the rest of the eggs to incubate.


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## messybun (Feb 4, 2021)

Alright, I’ve got questions. Really just one question. How did I do this so wrong?

I have tried to sprout barley, and it is not sprouting right. What I read said 3-5 days. This has been a week and a half. There is a film starting over the top too, but it doesn’t smell bad. I started by soaking the barley, draining the water, and then putting it in the tub. I was expecting fodder by now, but this isn’t even close. I need to also note that the tub is essentially on a cool heating pad. It’s over a heated animal cage, so the water is moderately warmer than room temperature. The barley is non gmo as well, so it should have no trouble growing. Thanks for the input.


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## Baymule (Feb 4, 2021)

I have no idea, have never tried this. There are fodder threads on BYC, I read some of them, very interesting stuff. If you are a member on BYC, you can do a search for fodder and find lots of posts to study.


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## messybun (Feb 5, 2021)

So, my little mama that hatched four. She lost one, I thought to the cold or the hawk. She lost two to hunger or deformity (one’s backside was shaped wrong) because she didn’t know that chicks can’t eat food that is bigger than them. I grabbed her and the three remaining as soon as I realized what was happening and put them in the brooder with food, but they were too far gone. That left me one. This one was thriving, but when I let them out this morning another hen came up and just killed the baby! I know it’s just a chick, but wtheck!!! Either she’s sold SOON or she’s going on a pot. Even with telling people what she did she’ll get a better price than it’s worth to eat her, which is her only saving factor at the moment.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 5, 2021)

messybun said:


> Alright, I’ve got questions. Really just one question. How did I do this so wrong?
> 
> I have tried to sprout barley, and it is not sprouting right. What I read said 3-5 days. This has been a week and a half. There is a film starting over the top too, but it doesn’t smell bad. I started by soaking the barley, draining the water, and then putting it in the tub. I was expecting fodder by now, but this isn’t even close. I need to also note that the tub is essentially on a cool heating pad. It’s over a heated animal cage, so the water is moderately warmer than room temperature. The barley is non gmo as well, so it should have no trouble growing. Thanks for the input.



Do you know how old the barley is? Seeds lose viability to age, and less than optimum storage. They (barley) are generally good for about 2 years.

You can do a germination test by putting 10 in a damp paper towel and slide that into a ziploc bag with the end open for ventilation. You don't want the towel to dry out, and you don't want it saturated.
Put it in a reasonably warm spot and see what happens.


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## messybun (Feb 5, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> Do you know how old the barley is? Seeds lose viability to age, and less than optimum storage. They (barley) are generally good for about 2 years.
> 
> You can do a germination test by putting 10 in a damp paper towel and slide that into a ziploc bag with the end open for ventilation. You don't want the towel to dry out, and you don't want it saturated.
> Put it in a reasonably warm spot and see what happens.



We ordered the barley late last year. So it should be fine, but I will most definitely do the test!


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## Baymule (Feb 6, 2021)

messybun said:


> This one was thriving, but when I let them out this morning another hen came up and just killed the baby! I know it’s just a chick, but wtheck!!! Either she’s sold SOON or she’s going on a pot. Even with telling people what she did she’ll get a better price than it’s worth to eat her, which is her only saving factor at the moment.


For next time, separate the broody hen so that she and the chicks are not in with the rest of the flock. Hens WILL peck other hens chicks, it's not just the one that you have.


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## messybun (Feb 7, 2021)

Baymule said:


> For next time, separate the broody hen so that she and the chicks are not in with the rest of the flock. Hens WILL peck other hens chicks, it's not just the one that you have.


The worst part is the evil hen hopped up as I opened the door of the box. The mom happened to hop out at the same time, so no one to protect the chick. I’ve had chicks hatch and be raised in the yard before, I’ve also put my young chicks outside with only a little chicken wire containing them. I think a part of my problem is a hawk killed my hen that would protect and introduce new babies to the flock. She was the best hen ever, always watched new babies and trained the younger chickens to be decent birds lol. No one is behaving right after she died. Hopefully my flock goes back to how they used to be, it would mean I have less to worry about.


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## misfitmorgan (Feb 9, 2021)

For the green fodder, I've not done barley but I have done boss. Looks to me like you have to much water. I soaked the boss then drained it completely and misted it everyday and it sprouted.


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## messybun (Feb 11, 2021)

Did I tell you my rabbit story? I’ve had a number of them. Up to 18 living in the house at the same time. Well, they all started dying, lost three in less than two weeks because of bugs(spider and fly strike.) I’ve had them die of cancer, pneumonia, floppy rabbit syndrome and a few other things. Anyways, I went from having my neck up to rabbits down to one in about a year. We call her the lab rabbit because she was born blind. How did she get here you might ask?
 While I was spraying out the stacked rabbit cage I put the bunnies in giant cardboard boxes, rabbits can jump extremely high... So one month later I got a giant stillborn kit. Not unexpected, aside from its size. 13 days later I get another seven, only two are born alive. One was gorgeous and dumb, the other is clever and blind. So, here we have the lab rabbit. A few years ago there was a hurricane coming, said it wasn’t supposed to be a big deal and would head north. I had no clue how unprepared we would be. Within an instant it changed direction and was heading directly for us at a cat 5. In case you don’t know the scales, cat 4 is no joke, five is devastating. We got up and left within 12 hours, including a few hours sleep for our driver. Long story short, my family didn’t have enough time to make arrangements for all of our animals and lab rabbit had to be left behind. I know there was a lot of judgement from people telling us you can’t leave an animal behind, but until you’ve been there leave them be. 
When we came back I had found that LR had lost a tooth. It was strange and I assumed it would grow back. It hasn’t.

I also just noticed she’s losing weight, and call me an idiot because I didn’t think to check the teeth for four days. She lost her second bottom tooth. Now I have a blind half toothless and old rabbit, this sound like the beginning of a joke. So she’s been rolling her nightly banana treat in her food to soften it (I told you she was clever) and eating that way. Last night I gave her hay, and she munched it happily, but I still have to figure out how to get her to eat more than hay. 
Hope y’all have a great day.


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## Baymule (Feb 11, 2021)

messybun said:


> Did I tell you my rabbit story? I’ve had a number of them. Up to 18 living in the house at the same time. Well, they all started dying, lost three in less than two weeks because of bugs(spider and fly strike.) I’ve had them die of cancer, pneumonia, floppy rabbit syndrome and a few other things. Anyways, I went from having my neck up to rabbits down to one in about a year. We call her the lab rabbit because she was born blind. How did she get here you might ask?
> While I was spraying out the stacked rabbit cage I put the bunnies in giant cardboard boxes, rabbits can jump extremely high... So one month later I got a giant stillborn kit. Not unexpected, aside from its size. 13 days later I get another seven, only two are born alive. One was gorgeous and dumb, the other is clever and blind. So, here we have the lab rabbit. A few years ago there was a hurricane coming, said it wasn’t supposed to be a big deal and would head north. I had no clue how unprepared we would be. Within an instant it changed direction and was heading directly for us at a cat 5. In case you don’t know the scales, cat 4 is no joke, five is devastating. We got up and left within 12 hours, including a few hours sleep for our driver. Long story short, my family didn’t have enough time to make arrangements for all of our animals and lab rabbit had to be left behind. I know there was a lot of judgement from people telling us you can’t leave an animal behind, but until you’ve been there leave them be.
> When we came back I had found that LR had lost a tooth. It was strange and I assumed it would grow back. It hasn’t.
> 
> ...


Got any more good stories like this? LOL


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## messybun (Feb 11, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Got any more good stories like this? LOL


A few lol.


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## messybun (Feb 18, 2021)

Alright y’all. The dog woke me up in the middle of the night. All I can say is the sky is so black it’s a bit scary, it’s tornado weather if I’ve ever seen any. If any believers would say a prayer I’d appreciate it. Thanks y’all and hope this finds all you well.


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## messybun (Feb 18, 2021)

Thank God for the morning. No tornado touched down and nothing major seems to have fallen. Two nights ago we had a bunch down the road and throughout, causing havoc.


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## Baymule (Feb 18, 2021)

Good dog! What state are you in? Glad that you didn't get any damage.


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## messybun (Mar 11, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Good dog! What state are you in? Glad that you didn't get any damage.


I’m sorry, but I really don’t want to put my state on here.


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## messybun (Mar 11, 2021)

Okay, it finally happened. I literally dreamed of cleaning. It is THAT time of year and spring cleaning is well under way! Each day I’m trying to tackle a room or small section, depending on what else I have to do that day.  
Anyway, aside from the lingering smell of window cleaner I have chicks! 
My broody duck turned out to be sitting on rotten eggs, so I made her leave them and cleaned up. I wish I’d have done it sooner. But she’s getting back to normal, aside from her interest in the chicks I think we’re good.
Happy March y’all!


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## messybun (Apr 3, 2021)

Hello there. So, the chicks have decided to adopt me. I’ve never had a batch this friendly! One got beat up, or stepped on, or fell out of an airplane. It was curled up in a corner bleeding and going into shock. So it of course came in the house for intensive tlc. Now it’s back up and walking, and waiting by the back door to come back in. I don’t spoil my animals lol. Unfortunately this is a roo I’m pretty sure. Also got quackers in the bator. My friend wants ducklings to expand her flock, I’m excited for the hatch! Especially not having the allergy bombs for more than a few days lol! 
My garden is tiny for most of y’all, but it’s better than last years for me. I now have two raised beds, and a potato tower. Last year I did two large patches in the ground and it died for one reason or another, but the raised bed did beautifully. Hopefully I can get some good stuff. I also have compost that took a year to work on, it is SO beautiful. Perfectly black and Great texture. I’m telling you guys this because my family thinks I’m weird in my dirt pride. 
Ooh, what else? I found lice on my goat, they tend to be good with internal parasite resistance but I always seem to find knits on them, like every year. I’ve got the heebety jeebeties, but I already dusted everybody with diatomaceous earth, so they should be cleared up in a few days.

Still need to clean the yard and garden up. But hopefully you’ll get some great after photos in a little while!


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## Baymule (Apr 4, 2021)

I completely understand about beautiful dirt. You stand up and be PROUD of your beautiful dirt! That takes a lot of work and love for growing things. That is a very nice garden!


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## messybun (Apr 5, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I completely understand about beautiful dirt. You stand up and be PROUD of your beautiful dirt! That takes a lot of work and love for growing things. That is a very nice garden!



Thank you! 😊


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## messybun (May 3, 2021)

The garden pictures I promised. We had a few nights down in the forties and it either killed or delayed most of the other plants, but the potatoes are thriving! And I got sent a batch of seed potatoes I forgot I ordered last year. So hopefully I’ll get a big harvest! The duck is my mr. scovers. He is the best drake so far! He goes and checks on his girl, my other Scovie, who is brooding and he frequently checks on the other duck who hatched a baby. Oh, and I had another duck who managed to hatch a duckling! Now I have one momma duck, one broody duck, and another duck trying to go broody I think. Not to mention about half a dozen hens trying to hatch! I love it, but they’re driving me crazy!
Have I mentioned college lately? Well, I had a beautiful realization. College isn’t for me, and it sounds a bit like a nightmare, even though I have a full ride I really hate to waste. In any case, someone mentioned real estate. It sounds a bit great! Flexible, huge growth potential, relatively quick in, not working with fryers. Also, relatively easily transferable to other states. Because the market is booming at the moment I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get in the black from the initial investment sooner; I’ve been told it usually takes about a year to start really turning profits. 
The ducklings I hatched for my friend are still in my house. She’s having to juggle brooder space, so I’m keeping them until Wednesday lol. Only two hatched though.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 3, 2021)

Going into real estate as a realtor? Or flipping properties?


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## messybun (May 3, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Going into real estate as a realtor? Or flipping properties?


Realtor. I’m not handy enough to flip yet, though I would love to be able to someday.


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## Baymule (May 3, 2021)

I missed out on jobs because I didn’t have a degree. Are you kidding me? I’m qualified, I’m good at what I do and I can’t be hired because I didn’t get a degree in underwater basket weaving? LOL LOL But I did alright all my life, owned a couple of businesses, always had a job unless I didn’t want one.

Go for it. Throw your whole self in it. To be a top sales person, put the clients needs first. You help them get what they want, then you get what you want, which is your commission. People can be a pain, but turn it around by truly caring for what they want, need and their dreams. Owning a home is a big deal and always show respect, just like you want respect from the men who ignore you and talk to your dad or brother when it’s you that knows what’s what with your animals.

Not everyone is college material and you don’t need a piece of paper that cost you $100,000 to prove that you are smart. Know that the real estate market is in flux, always moving. Take care of your money when times are good, because slow downs come around. Having a savings account or investments to fall back will keep the bills paid. By all means, go for it.


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## messybun (May 3, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I missed out on jobs because I didn’t have a degree. Are you kidding me? I’m qualified, I’m good at what I do and I can’t be hired because I didn’t get a degree in underwater basket weaving? LOL LOL But I did alright all my life, owned a couple of businesses, always had a job unless I didn’t want one.
> 
> Go for it. Throw your whole self in it. To be a top sales person, put the clients needs first. You help them get what they want, then you get what you want, which is your commission. People can be a pain, but turn it around by truly caring for what they want, need and their dreams. Owning a home is a big deal and always show respect, just like you want respect from the men who ignore you and talk to your dad or brother when it’s you that knows what’s what with your animals.
> 
> Not everyone is college material and you don’t need a piece of paper that cost you $100,000 to prove that you are smart. Know that the real estate market is in flux, always moving. Take care of your money when times are good, because slow downs come around. Having a savings account or investments to fall back will keep the bills paid. By all means, go for it.


You know, I did think about that degree, but I just don’t like scuba. Thank you. Definitely some good advice too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 4, 2021)

I did go to college, but honestly there are jobs/careers that don't require it that pay a lot more than I make. And a lot of college is probably not really needed. Trade schools are good too, hubby went to a trade school (electrician) and he makes the same as me.

I would recommend finding a good mentor if you are going to be a realtor, someone who you can look up to and does the job honestly and ethically. It's a changing market and there's going to be ups and downs, so squirrel away funds to see you through the slow patches. You may want to have a separate phone or number at least for work versus private, and be ready for calls at all hours, some people are idiots or entitled. Make a work schedule and stick to it. The realtor who helped us get our house has Sundays off with her family, and never does work on Sundays unless a dire emergency, otherwise she's practically on call the rest of the week. 

I also recommend knowing how to research the property, zoning, and permits. Knowing what is already permitted or not, and what restrictions are on a property can really help a client narrow down their search and prevent you and them from wasting time on an unsuitable property. Plus you might be able to help them find a steal of a deal no one else is looking at because it was listed wrong or presented wrong. We got our house because it was listed as unable to get regular loan because the manufactured home wasn't on permanent foundation, which lenders won't touch with a ten foot pole. I spent 5 minutes on the county website and found a copy of permit showing it was on permanent foundation, which meant our lender approved the loan and we got the house and 10 acres!


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## Baymule (May 4, 2021)

Also, as a realtor you will have access to real estate deals that you could buy and convert to rentals. A portfolio of rental properties would make a nice sum of monthly income, especially commercial property.


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## messybun (May 12, 2021)

First, a question. How do you keep everybody from stealing your lunch? Make it out of eggplant and No one will touch it lol! 
Alright, we’ve gone from the 80s to the fifties and rainy. What does that mean? Canning time! Apple butter, I kind of want to try apple pie filling too, but I’ll see how much I have. Cranberries, because I need freezer space! We stock up on those when they’re around and then freeze or can them. I’m going to try jalapeños in vinegar, and I’ll look for whatever else I can toss in. If I’m doing a day of canning I’m going to can! 
This morning I tried to let my duck back out, he’s still having problems with the geese. So I’ll have to sell the bonded pair. Which is unfortunate because they’re so pretty. But oh well, I’m starting to feel bad for them the rain has mucked up their temporary pen pretty bad.


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## Baymule (May 12, 2021)

Make homemade chocolate pudding and put a laxative in it. It should be pretty obvious who is stealing your lunch.


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## messybun (May 15, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Make homemade chocolate pudding and put a laxative in it. It should be pretty obvious who is stealing your lunch.


Slightly cruel, but I like the way you think.


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## messybun (May 15, 2021)

I have a duck in the house, it rained so much their cage became unusable and needed a good air out, so now duck and duckling are in my tub. I want to get them out today. My mama chicken keeps getting a new baby every few days. There are other hens brooding while she mothers what hatches, three so far. 
My dog wasn’t feeling good yesterday, but last night was so bad. He kept coughing and gagging. Not like nice coughing, but tenses his whole body coughing. Then he’d spit up a bunch of mucus. Mucus isn’t puke, so that’s better for his sugar, but I have no clue what’s going on with him. Plus, he has bad teeth and one of the front ones is loose and needs to fall out pronto. Warning to all people; do not feed your dog soft dog food and Vienna sausages every day. The people we got him from fed him that, not since he’s been with me if you wondered.


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## Baymule (May 15, 2021)

Put a note on your lunch.

To the lunch thief, I have put a laxative on part of my meal. If you eat it, we will all know who the thief is! I know what part is treated, do you? 


Ducks in the bathtub. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Sorry about your dog. Sounds like he is a whole lot better with you than his previous owners.


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## messybun (May 23, 2021)

Alright, ducks have been out for a few days. I started letting them in my yard. The mom has taken a little bit to understand that her baby needs her. She kept getting lost and the mom would just look like “why is she screaming” this duck wasn’t raised around other ducks, so she thinks that I’m the mom who just takes care of all the babies. It’s okay, they’re doing much better today so far. I have another broody duck, started with a beautiful nest, and now she’s been moved out of shelter and her nest has been pretty messed up. Every time something comes near her she backs up a few inches and then moves her nest around her. So, I’ve put a container out there and am slowly making her move into it so she’ll have shelter at least. Also, I misted her with a squirt bottle. That took her from hissy angry duck to bffs, at least for a moment. 
Sad news, first thing this morning I had a drowned chick. I got wood in the water that didn’t have it, man I wish I’d have come out just a little sooner. She was a white Phoenix silkie no less. So now her mom is ultra protective of the other two.
The geese are finally letting the duckling near the water, they spent two days keeping the duckling away, but then a chick drowned. Ugh, I wonder if I can train some of the ducks to be a lifesaver. I know one has before, but with a duckling she isn’t quite up to it, I have a drake who’s definitely tame enough to work with but he’s also a coward.  I might end up trying a few of them, hoping they’ll teach the others. So far I only have three who eat from my hands, we’ll see what works.
My dog is doing much better though. He’s not coughing up tons of mucus and is acting pretty normal. Yay!


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## Baymule (May 24, 2021)

Duck drama. Sorry about the one you lost, you just can’t think of everything.


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## messybun (Jun 15, 2021)

School is going well. The system finally started working, apparently Kaplan has been having some trouble with their online courses but it seems to have resolved. We’re getting more storms, one broke our internet lol. Or at least it was a coincidence, but we got it fixed so yay. 
Someone is looking for a part time nanny over the summer. Sounds fun, but she hasn’t gotten back to me yet. Hopefully she does, I got my references lined up in about ten minutes and am preparing for any questions. If she does respond I doubt it will be a formal interview, but might as well be prepared! 
I believe I could do that and school and starting work after school. We’ll see though.


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## Baymule (Jun 15, 2021)

Are you taking real estate courses?


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## messybun (Jun 15, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Are you taking real estate courses?


Yes I am! It’s only 75 hours and then a huge test! Then, 90 hours in the next 18 months to no longer keep it.


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## Baymule (Jun 16, 2021)

You go for it! I believe you are on the right track. Keep going, set your sights on becoming a broker.


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## messybun (Jun 19, 2021)

I got a job! Part time nanny. Met the precious little one yesterday and was hired. I start Monday. 

I also did my first unit test (has nothing to do with passing grade just a knowledge check) it went over stuff that wasn’t even mentioned. Yikes, that’s what everyone has warned me about. That real estate will test on what they didn’t even teach. Well, back to studying, studying, and more studying. Hope everyone is having a good day.


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## Baymule (Jun 19, 2021)

Congratulations on the job, keep studying. Is there a pre rest? Like a company that tests you to help you pass the real test?


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## messybun (Jun 19, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Congratulations on the job, keep studying. Is there a pre rest? Like a company that tests you to help you pass the real test?


Because it is self paced there are several “units” each section is about something else. I.e. legalities, types of land, etc. each unit has a basic knowledge test that you have to pass before moving to the next unit.
 There is a study group now that you mention it though.
I have to finish the entire program and unit tests before I can apply to the state to get tested.


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## messybun (Jun 25, 2021)

I think it’s been a week full of Mondays! 
At the new job the toddler was having an off day, so a few hours of tantrumming toddler. Good practice though. 
Then...my mom's dog started having seizures. Turns out she ate moldy bread the chickens had left. So going on three days of pukey dog with limited bowel control. I’m so hoping she’ll be okay and is over the worst of it. She can’t even keep fluids down though. Any suggestions out there? I’m about to do sub-q fluids, her first round has almost worn off. 
Just yikes. 
Anyway, hope y’all have been having a better week.


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2021)

You can mix your own electrolytes. 5 spoons of sugar, 1 spoon salt dissolved in a glass of water. Use a syringe to give your dog a little at a time. Do the skin pinch test, if the skin stays pinched up, she is dehydrated. Just syringe the solution as often as possible, use your own judgement. Do the skin pinch test to see if it’s helping. I’ve done this before with good results.

I also drink the solution myself when dehydrated from excessive heat or sickness like diarrhea or vomiting. It will save you a trip to the emergency room. Sip it slowly, even if you puke it up, enough will get in your system to help. Just don’t guzzle the whole glass at once.


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2021)

I hope your dog is ok.


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## messybun (Jun 26, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I hope your dog is ok.


Thank you! She threw up 3 times last night, but seems improved from yesterday. She isn’t nearly as dazed as she was either. I’m hoping she got some water down, but I can’t tell because I have two dogs who could have drank from the bowl. So, I’m wary to say but, we might even be on the upswing.


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## messybun (Jun 27, 2021)

The dog saga continues. She seems like she’s doing better, got a few teaspoons of applesauce in her. Then I tried to give her more tums before trying food again and she got so upset she threw up her last drink of water. I’ll take what I got though.


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## Baymule (Jun 27, 2021)

Poor dog. Hope she recovers from this.


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## messybun (Jun 30, 2021)

Dog is refusing to eat or drink today. She is suprisingly not extremely dehydrated. Yesterday she drank a ton, and “ate” a little. When I say ate I mean I had two spoons and was prying her mouth open with one to shovel with the other. When she got tired of that she decided to eat directly off of the spoon. Today I syringed her some water, she snapped at me. This dog does NOT bite, so I’m not sure if I’m happy she’s fighting or ticked that she took a swing at me. Today she was waking around though. 
I’ll see if I can capture her angry face later though, I’ve become doggo enemy #1 after what I’ve done for/to her. I never was her favorite in the house, but giving her shots of vit b and shoving medicine down her throat has really not ingratiated me apparently. I do hope she’ll pull through this for my mom's sake though. She’s been around for about 14 years.


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## Baymule (Jun 30, 2021)

I hope you can get her through this. It sounds like she has a fighting spirit.


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## messybun (Jul 4, 2021)

Happy fourth y’all!
So, truck decided to have issues. Turns out the part was still under warranty from last year. So we didn’t get charged for the fix! Just wow.
On bad news, my brother passed out for a few seconds today; no reason. He seemed okay afterwards though.


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## Baymule (Jul 5, 2021)

I hope your brother gets checked out.


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## messybun (Jul 5, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I hope your brother gets checked out.


He’s going to this week.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 29, 2021)

Miss @messybun,

I'm caught back up on your journal.  I hope all is well with you.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## messybun (Jul 30, 2021)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @messybun,
> 
> I'm caught back up on your journal.  I hope all is well with you.
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


Oh, thank you. With you as well.


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## messybun (Jul 30, 2021)

It’s been a while since I checked in. Let’s start. We got a kitten, she was under the neighbor’s tree and needed help. First cat in my lifetime, so I’m excited. 
My brother is doing better, but still not allowed to drive.
The dog, we did research and long story short flooded her system with water. If you can flush out enough toxins apparently there is a fighting chance that the undamaged organ can still filter. She’s actually doing pretty well, but she’s not allowed to have many treats lol.
Last night I was so proud of the other dog, my dog, I’m going to brag on him a little. He went outside and was taking way too long, so I went to check in case he got lost. I found him at the front porch on guard dog mode. In the pitch black I though there was a kitten on the porch, turns out it was a young possum. He had it cornered and every time it tried to get down my dog would bark. Don’t ask me how he knew when it was trying to move because my dog is blind. After I relieved him of guard duty he started to walk away like I told him to, but when I grabbed the possum it hissed and he came back to my side to protect. Somebody had grabbed me leather gloves and a box in case you wondered. I’m impressed at his instincts and obedience, he didn’t try to attack, but he guarded his yard. All day he’s been patrolling the house and especially making sure the kitten is safe. Brag over.
I hope all is well with y’all and have a good afternoon.


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## Baymule (Jul 30, 2021)

See what a sweet story about your dog. You have a right to brag!


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## messybun (Oct 27, 2021)

Hello folks. I’ve been keeping up reading on here but haven’t really posted. So let’s catch up a little.
My family had a cancer scare with my mom. You know those times in life you have to decide to praise the Lord in the good and the bad. But I am so grateful this turned out to be not cancerous.

Sick dog is doing pretty decent. I’m amazed. 
Kitten is growing well but oh so much trouble lol!

I got 19 bales of hay (2 are a friend’s), and we have 29 bags of corn. It makes me feel better to have the feed for winter, but I still have a lot of winter proofing sneaking up! 

I’m on my last week before applying for my real estate test. I’m stressing that a little. It is by far the hardest course I’ve done and I don’t think much if any of it is sticking. We shall see.

Y’all want pictures? I’ve got some.

The goats are enjoying the remains of my garden/weeds.

This is my old rabbit, just turned 6. She has an eye infection going on here, always has had trouble, but it’s better at the moment.

Oh, and my study buddy. Wonder why it’s hard to focus sometimes...


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## Baymule (Oct 27, 2021)

What a Blessing that your Mom does not have Cancer. It must have been scary for the whole family. 

Getting ready for your real estate test..... with the help of your study buddy, you will ace that test! Then you will go on to become the best realtor ever!


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## messybun (Nov 17, 2021)

Baymule said:


> What a Blessing that your Mom does not have Cancer. It must have been scary for the whole family.
> 
> Getting ready for your real estate test..... with the help of your study buddy, you will ace that test! Then you will go on to become the best realtor ever!


 Thank you so much. You are always the kindest.


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## messybun (Nov 17, 2021)

Okay, so still studying today. First exam is on the 23rd after I pass that test I have another (state) test. All coming up very very shortly.
My good friend had her sixth baby today. I am so excited for her! 
Today I picked up straw for the winter, finished my hay rack and filled it. I wanted to get troughs, but they didn’t have any. I’ll wait until the store has more blue barrels pre-cut because I don’t really have a way to split them. 
My rabbit has an abscess in her cheek, too vascular an area to drain it. So, I’m going to treat her with colloidal silver directly in the eye and triple antibiotic ointment. She was born blind, so I’m not worried that the tao will affect her vision. Chamomile hasn’t been working. She’s got a lot of puss coming directly out of her tear ducts. I hope she gets over this, I really don’t want to have to put her down. She’s the last rabbit  and my dad really loves her. So, we’ll see what can be done. Feel free to give suggestions.


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2021)

I know you will give your rabbit the best care possible. 



messybun said:


> Thank you so much. You are always the kindest.


What a nice thing to say.


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## messybun (Nov 19, 2021)

Yawn. How are y’all this evening?
It feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day...the fact that it’s fall may have something to do with that. It’s hard to believe, I keep wondering where my summer went?! 
Had to get straw and tried to get feed troughs. The store had plants for a dollar apiece, so tempting! But I’m honestly not going to get them in the ground so I resisted, be proud lol. My hardware/feed store also sells ice cream, breakfast of champions lol. A funny glance or two may have been shot my way; but it’s not like I have shame over ice cream so who cares.
Chicken coop roof seriously needs fixed, I have a board curling up. But that hasn’t gotten done just yet. Speaking of chickens I need to sell a bunch, probably 5-10 because their escaping and bad habits are spreading. That may not be a bunch to most people, but it’s like  1/5th of my flock I think... too late to do math right now. Nobody wants to buy right now though. Ugh, if I ate my birds they’d be gone, but I have family members who are currently resistant; plus I don’t have time or freezer space.


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## Baymule (Nov 20, 2021)

Ice cream for breakfast sounds good to me. 
Bad chickens! Eat them!


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## messybun (Nov 21, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Ice cream for breakfast sounds good to me.
> Bad chickens! Eat them!


I’m getting 70$ for the lot today! I was wrong, I have a bunch of people wanting to buy lol. The pit of my stomach drops thinking about getting rid of that many hens...but I need to. 9 girls and 1 boy, I only have 27 total right now. And four are roosters that have earned their place. I want to get sexlinks in the summer, they were the best layers I ever had. I just had an idea, turn my old and small coop into the brooder, I’ve done it before but never in winter. Not sure how I’d weather proof it right now... it’s basically just a prefab coop. But it’s a lot bigger than my brooder box (which my goats broke the roof of btw!) Don’t even know if anyone is selling chicks at this time of year, but I want to get that ready just in case. We shall see. 2-3 dozen chicks would be nice and selling the extra should recoup my costs.


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## Baymule (Nov 21, 2021)

Sex Links are the friendliest chickens! I like the red ones, but black Sex Links are excellent layers too. 

To weather proof your coop, staple plastic to it. If you have those woven plastic feed sacks or dog food sacks, cut them open on the seam so they don't ravel and use them.


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## messybun (Nov 21, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Sex Links are the friendliest chickens! I like the red ones, but black Sex Links are excellent layers too.
> To weather proof your coop, staple plastic to it. If you have those woven plastic feed sacks or dog food sacks, cut them open on the seam so they don't ravel and use them.



Awesome thank you! I keep my corn sacks but didn’t think about using them for this. 
Really on the black ones? I think the black birds are pretty, but I was just going for something that lays, maybe I can get both in one. 🥰


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## messybun (Nov 28, 2021)

Good evening y’all. 
Small update, I passed my school test. Which means all I have to do is pass the state’s test. Which will be a whole lot harder! I’ll get back to the books tomorrow. 
The rabbit’s eyes are clearing up for no discernible reason, and she’s eating and drinking about four times her usual amount. I’m thinking someone might be stealing it, maybe the cat or a dog, haven’t caught them doing it though.


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## Baymule (Nov 29, 2021)

Sex links will lay like gangbusters for 2 years, then slack off. Spent layers make good soup, enchiladas, chicken salad, chicken mole', dumplings and lots more!


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## Baymule (Nov 29, 2021)

Congratulations on passing the school test. You are awesome and I know you will pass the state test!


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## messybun (Dec 8, 2021)

It is so wet! It’s been raining since last night and my yard is now mostly puddle. Ducks are happy, but I need to pull out some galoshes! The goats are doing well with their shelters, but I have a feeling we’re going to have a bad winter so I really want to get another one or two boxes out there to help just in case. Thankfully it’s in the 50s and not below freezing!


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## Baymule (Dec 8, 2021)

At least here on my sand hill, there isn't any mud.


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## messybun (Dec 11, 2021)

Baymule said:


> At least here on my sand hill, there isn't any mud.


Enjoy your patch of dry!


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## messybun (Dec 11, 2021)

Good day y’all. Got hay up in the hay rack, corn down. I have a duck with plastic netting caught around his mouth but I can’t manage to catch him. Perhaps I’ll be able to tonight. Poor guy.


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## Baymule (Dec 12, 2021)

Use a long handled fish net if you have one.


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## messybun (Dec 12, 2021)

Got him! I don’t even know where the plastic netting came from. It’s like a piece of the yellow stuff turkeys come in from the store. Got it clipped off his bottom bill and out of his mouth. It was stopping him from eating well, and would have kept constricting if left alone. Sprayed with some colloidal silver because I didn’t have anything else that would have disenfected and been safe to swallow. If it treats pink eye it should heal a duck tongue? Hopefully.


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## messybun (Dec 17, 2021)

Duck is doing well, but but he’s being more careful when he eats. Instead of opening up and just plowing the feed he’s eating like a normal duck mouthful by mouthful. We’ll see.
The cat got her first mouse. I ended up killing it tossing it to the chickens because she had started to play with it and I was afraid she’d let it get away. So, a chicken grabbed it from the middle of the yard, pulled it up to my porch, and ate it in front of the watching cat. Just why?
Rabbit’s eyes are getting better but I’m not so sure it’s anything I did. They just did and are. 
Big goat got caught in poly rope again. Today I’m going to take the remaining stuff down. The neighbor had to call me because I didn’t realize he was caught again. Thank you neighbor! Anyway, off to chores and holiday stuff.


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## messybun (Jan 13, 2022)

Hello, I’m briefly back again. Started college Monday. Want to remember my dates.


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## Baymule (Jan 13, 2022)

Yay! Back to school!!


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## messybun (Feb 27, 2022)

Alright, so much to do so little time.
Started school, going for nursing. Have to get in the program, which means finish CNA, classes start sooner than I’d like to think about right now. I’m doing a full semester of the classes that are required but aren’t nursing right now; chem, psych, English, something else. I’ve figured that I can push five semesters of nursing school down to three if I do summer school and Clep one class, partly because of what I’m doing this semester. I’m going to start studying for what I want to clep come Monday, probably psych 2.0 because I don’t like  psych 1.0 and would love to be done with it. Double up on study now and maybe I’ll be free of it later? That pushed the move time back for about two years. Which means slightly less of a limbo there. Need to get my garden started, like last week. Which means getting horse manure from somewhere and digging up a new patch. My current garden is simply not big enough and the soil needs at least a season of improvements before it really produces. Which means I’ll most likely only get one good season off the new patch and maybe a fall crop, but we’ll see. 
Goats are struggling with mites again. When it goes from cold to hot it’s bad. It went from 70s for a day to 40s again. So special. The rain keeps washing off treatment too. Ugh, I hate these things. It’s also been a struggle with worms this year. Maybe it’s the goats getting older? I don’t know, but there are two skinny goats that need to gain weight. Even my smaller ones, who rarely have trouble, have had some problems with parasites. 
My chicks are late, my brooder box got broken and then I had most of my young hens go broody. Figured maybe they’d hatch their own? Only two babies hatched and one died. Now, I’ve got to clean out coops and buy babies. Broody birds aren’t my favorite right now. But, I get to get baby chicks so that’ll be fun.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Feb 27, 2022)

Wow, Miss Messybun!  You have had your load of troubles!  Maybe, if you can easily do so, you can cut back on the garden or maybe your farm animals, so the stress won't be so great.



messybun said:


> I’m going to start studying for what I want to clep come Monday, probably psych 2.0 because I don’t like psych 1.0 and would love to be done with it. Double up on study now and maybe I’ll be free of it later?



Gosh, I kind of hate to hear that!  I was counting on you to be able to treat my psych issues once you graduated.


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## messybun (Feb 28, 2022)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Wow, Miss Messybun!  You have had your load of troubles!  Maybe, if you can easily do so, you can cut back on the garden or maybe your farm animals, so the stress won't be so great.
> 
> Yeah, planning on expanding right now is maybe not the sanest idea I’ve ever had. But, just have to try sometimes.
> 
> ...


Hmm, I’m more hoping to stitch skin than mend brains. But, if you ever drop in on my rounds I’d be happy to practice ivs! 🤣🤣 they make everything better. Including the brain!
 Am I selling anyone to be my practice dummy yet?


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