# Aggieterpkatie- The Daily Bleating-LOTS of pics 4/17



## aggieterpkatie (Sep 19, 2011)

So since I already have a blog (and have a hard enough time keeping it updated ), I didn't want to start a normal journal.  Instead, I thought I'd start a journal for daily comings and goings for the whole board.  You know, just kind of a post where we can all chat about boring stuff, or our days, or what's new with us, you know, random rambling.     Feel free to post here anytime, don't wait on me to start the day's postings!  

So what does everyone have going on today?  My perpetually broody hen, Wanda, is in the process of hatching out eggs.  One chick so far, and hopefully when I get home from work she'll have more.  She was sitting on 10 eggs.   

June (my Oberhasli doe) got bred on Saturday.  My buck Theo (who lives on another farm 1.5 hrs away-we share him) is here now (obviously if he bred June ).  I would like to bring him back to the other farm soon, but I figure my luck if I go ahead and send him back June won't settle.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 20, 2011)

Well 9 out of the 10 eggs hatched yesterday.  The 10th egg is still in there, but I'm thinking it's a dud.  Wanda (the hen) looks pretty happy with herself.


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## elevan (Sep 20, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> Well 9 out of the 10 eggs hatched yesterday.  The 10th egg is still in there, but I'm thinking it's a dud.  Wanda (the hen) looks pretty happy with herself.


Yay!!  Yesterday was a good hatch day for me too    Miss Flufferbottom has 8 little fluffies with 3 more eggs that may hatch this morning    Very proud mama hen.


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## kelsey2017 (Sep 20, 2011)

I'll bite.  Sometimes I just want to talk about the farm too and I have rather worn my interesting out with everyone else.  I feel super good to talk to animal folks.  

   I am having coffee now, trying to settle my stomach and gear up to go get our newest addition.  She is a 15 month old Jersey/Shorthorn heifer who is bred to a Jersey bull and due in early May.   She will need gentling and time to get used to us but will become our family's milk cow.  I also have been messaging with someone on BYC that wants to buy some of my Jearhon eggs to hatch and it got me wanting to try that out as well.  I found a large clutch of hidden eggs all nestled in a large bin that was filled with the fleece from Lilly our one sheep.  It was a beautiful sight, all those different shades of cream and pink with the eggs in a super soft nest of fleece.  Those would have been lucky chicks but none the less they will not be ruining my fleece.  I have never tried incubating eggs before so she and I will both get to since I found some eggs to try myself.  She will get fresh eggs but these ones I found will do for me.   
  This has been a good year for the expansion of our farm.  Since spring we have added sheep, turkeys, ducks and now a dairy heifer.  So happy to get my full service farm rolling.  
We didn't breed our sheep this year but they are mostly pets and I wasn't super concerned about it and still may if the right opportunity comes along.   We are enjoying life around here that is for sure.


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## DonnaBelle (Sep 20, 2011)

We are working on getting everything ready for the winter that's sure to come in a couple of months.  I'm more anxious this year after the literal blizzard we had here February 1st. this year.  We aren't used to that in Oklahoma.

Over the weekend 3 couples from the Bastrop, Texas area came up to visit our neighbor accross the road and we visited with them Saturday night.  They say Texas is just a big dry tinderbox and they had to get away for a while to escape the smoke smell.
They're all lifetime Texans in their 60's and say it's way beyond anything they or their folks have seen before.

We're lucky here in Green Country, NE and East Central Oklahoma.  We had a 2 inch rain last Friday, it was lovely.  

So far this year we have: Expanded the "doe barn" and built a new "buck barn".  Removed the hoses from the main water source to the barn and put it underground.  Moved the auto waterer into the barn on an inside wall so hopefully it won't freeze up this winter.  

We've got to:

Reposition the electric fencing for the chicken yard.  I like to move them around on new ground, keeps them healthier I think.

Reposition the electric fencing for the does.  They just won't go out to the back side of the huge area DH fenced in.  They don't like to get out of site of the house and barn I imagine....

I'm constantly looking for ways to make my animals lives "more better".  I started this little adventure late in life.... I wish I had been younger when I discovered goats.  

DonnaBelle


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 20, 2011)

It's been a crazy busy week. Started off terribly last Tuesday with Louise and then ended with the opening of our antique store on Sunday.  And yesterday we rested.   If anybody is coming through WV, please stop by Retropolitan in Shepherdstown WV. We're right on rte 480.   

Trying to ease back on some of the farm projects. Like letting the greenhouse go. If nobody buys it before we get time to put it up... well then I guess I'll have lots of salads.  Got rid of all of our chickens because I don't have time to redo the coop before winter.  Just feel like I'm playing way too many games of whack a mole lately. Too many irons in fires.    

There's good stuff too though. Our apple tree that we planted the first year we lived here finally produced apples this year. Of course the pear tree bloomed last weekend so I think I need to go have a talk with it since it did the same thing last year. 3-4 blossoms right around September.


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## 77Herford (Sep 20, 2011)

DonnaBelle said:
			
		

> We are working on getting everything ready for the winter that's sure to come in a couple of months.  I'm more anxious this year after the literal blizzard we had here February 1st. this year.  We aren't used to that in Oklahoma.
> 
> Over the weekend 3 couples from the Bastrop, Texas area came up to visit our neighbor accross the road and we visited with them Saturday night.  They say Texas is just a big dry tinderbox and they had to get away for a while to escape the smoke smell.
> They're all lifetime Texans in their 60's and say it's way beyond anything they or their folks have seen before.
> ...


It does keep your chickens healthier.


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## Roll farms (Sep 20, 2011)

I just spent 30 minutes chasing down the Togg buck, who got out of his pen (for the 50th time, it would seem) and decided he needed to go visit my boer / Nubian / Kiko does.  

They are all *supposed* to be bred, except Penny....who had a 12# kid this year and isn't SUPPOSED to get get bred, by anyone... 

He was only loose for 5 mins. before I got down there, and I didn't see any mess on her, so I'm hoping he didn't.  

DH then got a phone call from his unhappy wife, in which I threatened to castrate both him AND his goat if he cannot figure out a way to contain him.  He is currently tied to the bobcat.  The goat, not DH.  

For now.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 20, 2011)

Sounds like everyone is busy!  Elevan, congrats on Miss Flufferbottom's new clutch (love her name, btw).   

Kelsey, congrats about your new addition! I'm sure she'll turn into a great milk cow.  

Good luck getting all your "to-do" stuff done, Donnabelle. I feel so badly for Texas.  We had a bad drought this summer (until August when we started getting rain. Now we've had 22" of rain in 3 weeks).  I can't imagine what Texas is going through though....horrible.  

SFC, your antique store sounds awesome!!  I don't blame you for taking a few irons out of that darn fire!  Life is too short to be too stressed out with no time to just enjoy life!  And congrats on your apples!  I would love to finally stop procrastinating and plant some fruit trees!


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 20, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I just spent 30 minutes chasing down the Togg buck, who got out of his pen (for the 50th time, it would seem) and decided he needed to go visit my boer / Nubian / Kiko does.
> 
> They are all *supposed* to be bred, except Penny....who had a 12# kid this year and isn't SUPPOSED to get get bred, by anyone...
> 
> ...


Stupid buck! Hopefully Penny gave him the what-for and told him where he could go!  My stupid Ob buck managed to run over and try to breed my doe kid in the 30 seconds they were out of the pen together (doing some pen re-arranging) and we were RIGHT THERE!!!!  Stupid buck was so intent on breeding her and ran by me so fast.  I don't think he was successful, but I may as well send a blood test from her along with the other girls when we do preg checking.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 20, 2011)

I have this great image of your husband and the buck tied to different sides of the bobcat.  And you standing there with bander in hand telling them you are going to fix this problem one way or the other.


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## elevan (Sep 20, 2011)

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> I have this great image of your husband and the buck tied to different sides of the bobcat.  And you standing there with bander in hand telling them you are going to fix this problem one way or the other.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 20, 2011)

So Wanda really tries but sometimes she doesn't quite get it right.  I came home and found her sitting on the floor of the coop, looking all broody.  







But this is what I found up in the nest box:





  Dingbat had moved herself down to the floor but didn't know how to get the chicks down.  I moved her and the chicks to the barn so they could have some privacy for a few days.  






One of my toms has a swollen face.  I posted on BYC..hopefully someone can help me diagnose it.  






And here's a random pic of Theo, my buck.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 20, 2011)

Crap, I think my turkey has mycoplasma.  :/


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## Roll farms (Sep 20, 2011)

That's what I was going to say about your tom...we had one get that once.  I tried treating him w/ everything under the sun.  Ended up having to put him down.  Sorry.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 21, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> That's what I was going to say about your tom...we had one get that once.  I tried treating him w/ everything under the sun.  Ended up having to put him down.  Sorry.


Crap. Well, I'm going to call our TSC and see if they sell Tylan 50. Hopefully they do, and they'll have a bottle I can pick up today.  I managed to catch him this morning (and didn't even get my work clothes dirty, go me) so he's in the barn ready for meds.


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## that's*satyrical (Sep 21, 2011)

Sorry bout your tom 

Just gettin light out here, so i'm finishin my coffee then it's time to go collect eggs, feed the livestock their morning ration, make sure water buckets & waterers are cleaned & filled, and handle my doe (n.dwarf) she is not used to being milked & I want to use her for milk after she kids so I am trying to get her used to me rubbing her belly & touching her udder lol. So far she doesn't like her udder touched much so this could take a while..... urgh.


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## Roll farms (Sep 21, 2011)

If it makes you feel any better, a doe's pre-milking attitude towards udder touching usually changes dramatically once they're fresh.  
Even my well-trained milkers don't like me to touch their udders when they're dry.  I think they think I can get blood out of a turnip....

11am....so far ToggBrat is still in his pen.  Let's see how long this lasts.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 21, 2011)

Well, my vet said tetracycline in the water (for all the poultry) should work.  Someone on BYC said it probably won't work, but since I have tetracycline on hand (and don't have Tylan on hand) I'll try it first.  

Good luck with the udder stuff.  Sometimes you luck out like me and get a doe who's never had anyone touch her udder until she freshened and she behaved beautifully.  Never kicked or lifted a foot a'tall.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 21, 2011)

We had a respiratory rattle bug thing go through some of ours earlier. Tetracycline helped for a while but it came back. 2 rounds of tylan knocked it out.  I treated the water for 5 days, waited 10 days and treated for 5 days again.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 21, 2011)

Well this same thing shows up as a chronic respiratory thing in chickens, and mycoplasma in turkeys. Could be the same thing you had.  :/


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## Roll farms (Sep 23, 2011)

How's your turkey?

The &$*O)# Togg buck escaped 2 more times since my first post about it.  The second time he got out of the 'escape proof' kidding room.  How he did it is beyond us.

Soooo...I called this fellow who wanted to borrow him to breed to his 2 Togg does.  The first time I offered him, the guy said he wasn't ready.  Then he called back while Buddy was at a friend's house....and he got huffy when I told him he was gone.  

I'd pretty much decided not to call him back but.......he he he.

I don't even care if the dumb goat gets out / runs off / gets away..........for at least a little while...Buddy is someone else's problem. 

*happy sigh* followed by *evil laugh*


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 25, 2011)

The turkey is no different.  I'm not all that sure I"m dosing him correctly, because for some reason the tetracycline has to be THE hardest darn antibiotic to figure out the dose.    I need to get some Tylan, but our TSC doesn't currently have any.  I may have to bite the bullet and just get some from the vet.  He's still acting totally normal, and eating and drinking normally.  

I wonder if your Togg buck is escaping over at the new place?  


I went home (where I grew up) to go to the county fair this weekend, and had a great time!  I came home with 2 animals.      The first one will be staying here until Darla (ewe) is bred. Then he'll go back home.  He's a Southdown ram lamb, and a big boy!  He was born in Feb (or March?).  












And this little cutie is staying here.  She's so cute.  I started a thread in the rabbit section to see what age/breed she may be.  






AND!  I found a few pictures of loooong ago when I was in 4-H!!!!  This is a picture of my second or third year in 4-H, so I was probably 11-12ish.


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## Ms. Research (Sep 25, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> The turkey is no different.  I'm not all that sure I"m dosing him correctly, because for some reason the tetracycline has to be THE hardest darn antibiotic to figure out the dose.    I need to get some Tylan, but our TSC doesn't currently have any.  I may have to bite the bullet and just get some from the vet.  He's still acting totally normal, and eating and drinking normally.
> 
> I wonder if your Togg buck is escaping over at the new place?
> 
> ...


Looks like you got a really good buy with that Southdown ram lamb.  I'm very envious right now.  Can you hear the drooling?  SheepGirl's Southdown peaked my interest.  Can't wait to see what he brings to your farm.

Also love the new picture of your rabbit.  Definitely looks like a Mini-Rex by that current picture.   I'm really liking that fur.  Mini-Rexes fur is so plush.  And his coloring, now that I can really see it with the current picture (very clear by the way) looks like a Tort color.   Definitely a sweetie.  

Congratulations on your 4-H experience.  Would have loved to do it when I was young, but not from "livestock" people.  Actually not from "animal" people.   Looks like the experience helped round you for your Adult livestock adventure.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 27, 2011)

So with over 22" of rain since August 1st we're bound to have some mud.  Darla has footrot.  She's in the barn and I treated her last night and this morning. Hopefully she'll be feeling better this afternoon.  I'm not going to put her in with the ram until she's better, and I'm frustrated she's being bred so late. This is one of the frustrations when you don't own your own ram, you're kinda at the mercy of the owner.  Oh well, it's not the end of the world.  


And do you ever think about your production and think about totally changing directions?  I've got 4 sheep and 4 goats right now.  The ram and buck will be leaving soon, and I'm trying to sell my wether kid.  HOPEFULLY I'll only have the 3 ewes and 2 does come winter.  Sometimes I think I should just sell all the goats and focus on sheep.  But then I can't get goat milk, and I can't make goat milk soap.  

June is my doe in milk, and Ida is her doe kid from this spring.  Ida is lovely and is a big improvement over June, so I want to keep her, but do I really *need* 2 does?  I don't know yet.  June is CAE+ and Ida is hopefully negative (will have her tested this fall) so I could always stop breeding June and just breed Ida when she's old enough, but why keep around a doe that doesn't produce?  And I'm kinda attached to her, but I guess I would get over it if I sold her (June).     Too much to think about, and this is one of those times when I wish DH was involved with the animals so we could decide these things together.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 27, 2011)

It is never easy. Especially when we get attached to them. I was supposed to have people from a really great farm that is attached to a school out here come take a look at my last big Nubian and I can't do it. I keep finding excuses why she's not ready, or it's raining or something.   And I even KNOW the change has to be made but ugh.  She's 11, she was my first goat. She's my girl.


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## Roll farms (Sep 27, 2011)

Aww, SFC, couldn't you keep just that ONE old Nubian?  She's probably pretty well trained and not gonna stress your heart....maybe?

The people who have Togg boy haven't called back sooooo  he's either behaving or gone and they don't want to tell me.  

Every time I try to get DH to help me decide (when I'm fence sitting) he just says, "Do whatever you think is best."  Arrrrgh - sometimes I wish I had a more opinionated man.  WAIT - wth did I just say?  LOL

I prefer goats to sheep, I hate shearing.  HATE IT.  That's probably one of the reasons I don't like the Toggs, I have to shave them.  We've been lucky that our Ewe's never had foot rot / scald / etc...it's pretty muddy here 60% of the time, but she never has.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 27, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Aww, SFC, couldn't you keep just that ONE old Nubian?  She's probably pretty well trained and not gonna stress your heart....maybe?


That's what I was thinking.  



> The people who have Togg boy haven't called back sooooo  he's either behaving or gone and they don't want to tell me.


No news is good news! 



> Every time I try to get DH to help me decide (when I'm fence sitting) he just says, "Do whatever you think is best."  Arrrrgh - sometimes I wish I had a more opinionated man.  WAIT - wth did I just say?  LOL
> 
> I prefer goats to sheep, I hate shearing.  HATE IT.  That's probably one of the reasons I don't like the Toggs, I have to shave them.  We've been lucky that our Ewe's never had foot rot / scald / etc...it's pretty muddy here 60% of the time, but she never has.


Yeah, I'm probably asking for trouble with more opinions from DH.   

Some sheep are just more prone to footrot. Darla definitely is.  My other sheep were always fine, but Darla had it when I got her and I just think she can't take the moisture the others could.  If I had an operation and was worried about every little problem, I'd probably cull her.  Since I have so few animals I don't mind treating her.  Heck, it's not even once a year she gets it luckily.  I put some Ammens powder in between her toes yesterday.  I've been using the Ammens when June gets staph on her udder, and it has zinc in it.  Since a common treatment for footrot is soaking in zinc sulfate, I figured I may as well try it. Plus it can help dry out between the toes.  I ended up giving her LA-200 anyways this morning, because she was pretty uncomfy.  

I don't mind shearing.  I do most of it myself, except when I don't have any sharp blades.  But it's $25 per sheep for the local boy to do it, and I can do just as good of a job as he can.  Plus, I was given my shearing machine, which really helped me out a lot!  Those things are expensive.  And I do wool crafts.  One of these days I'm going to actually start spinning (yeah yeah, I keep saying that).  Really, I am!  I swear!  

And you know what?  The sheep don't lick my legs or "help" with every stinking project like the goats do.  I HATE when the goats lick my legs!!!


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 27, 2011)

I KNOW.... She's not even horned.   Maybe I'll just hide her in the barn.  L


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 28, 2011)

Morning all you BYHers!  Happy Wednesday! Half-way through the work week!   

This morning I dropped a fecal off at the vets for my 15 year old dog, Scooter.  He's had chronic diarrhea for a while, and he's lost a lot of weight.  The vet told me he'd be losing muscle since he's older, but he's REALLY lost a ton of weight.  I did a fecal a few months ago but I realized the other day they only tested for worms and coccidia, not giardia.  Scooter has a habit of finding the nastiest water to drink when he's outside, even though he's got a nice big bowl inside.  I'm HOPING he has giardia and that's what's causing the weightloss and diarrhea, because if not, then he's just old and really declining.     I'm 30 now, and I've had Scoot for half my life.  This dog means the world to me.    I'm also going to be switching his food to either a puppy food or a really good senior food, and I'm going to add Metamucil to hopefully slow his gut and add lots of fiber to his diet.  I'm hoping we can get this under control.  






This picture was taken last summer. He's lost a good bit of weight since then.  I know his hourglass is running low on sand and it makes me cry to just think about it.


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## elevan (Sep 28, 2011)

Scooter is a pretty boy.  I hope you're able to figure out what's going on and get some weight back on him


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## Roll farms (Sep 28, 2011)

Nothing, and I mean nothing....beats a really good dog.  
Hope he feels better soon.


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## 77Herford (Sep 29, 2011)

Yup always hard losing an old pet but I prefer to look on all the good times I had.


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## Roll farms (Sep 29, 2011)

Warning to menfolk:
The following will be a rant about my hair.  Feel free to not read it.  I can't vent about it on Facebook (the hairdresser's on my friend's list) so...you guys have to suffer.

I am usually a 'throw the hat on w/ a pony tail' person....Most days I don't bother w/ 'fixing' my hair, and I only get it trimmed 2x a year....but....I have wanted a spiral perm for a long time.  My hair is finally long enough to do it.
I sat for 3.5 hours yesterday (I don't sit still well for long), my neck is sore from the sink,  and I paid $80.00 and...

My hair is straight.



She said she'd redo it for free, but I'm not wanting to sit through another 3.5 hrs and risk frying my hair.



*end of hair rant*

Gotta bring in all my houseplants today, supposed to have our 1st frost tomorrow night.  

Then I gotta go get kid feed, put that away, and tear down some stuff in the garden.  Hope to get that all done before the rain hits (AGAIN) this afternoon. 

Have a great Thursday.


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## Ms. Research (Sep 29, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Warning to menfolk:
> The following will be a rant about my hair.  Feel free to not read it.  I can't vent about it on Facebook (the hairdresser's on my friend's list) so...you guys have to suffer.
> 
> I am usually a 'throw the hat on w/ a pony tail' person....Most days I don't bother w/ 'fixing' my hair, and I only get it trimmed 2x a year....but....I have wanted a spiral perm for a long time.  My hair is finally long enough to do it.
> ...


As someone who doesn't fuss with my hair.  And just throw it back with two barrettes, I feel your pain.  Sounds like a weak solution was used.  It does happen.  And too soon to try it again.  I would be afraid of frying my hair too.  Haven't had a perm in AGES.  Don't miss the sitting and the smell.  

Hope the rain holds off of you.  Have a great Thursday too.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 29, 2011)

3.5 hours and nothing to show for it but straight hair?  I'd be ticked!!    I wonder how long you'd have to wait for it to be safe for your hair?  


Vet (well, the receptionist) just called and Scooter's fecal was negative for everything.  :/    Then she was asking if I'd made any changes to his diet, blah blah blah.  I told her no, and she asked if I fed wet food. I told her I just started feeding wet again, and then she said to stop feeding him wet food because it can cause loose stools.  I told her I *just*, as in, 2 days ago, started feeding wet food and that is NOT the case. And yes, I've tried other foods and I know to change foods slowly, and it is NOT the changing foods that has caused it, because he has had it for a long time.     It's just frustrating because 1 of my BFFs is a vet (a couple hours away) and my other BFF is currently IN vet school and I'm working with both of them trying to figure out what is wrong with him and how to fix it.  I'm not stupid, and I hate it when vets just talk to you like you're a moron.     Sorry, rant over.  

Today I am going to the Southern States, which has a HUGE selection of really great dog food and hopefully I can pick something out that'll help him.  My friend said to start feeding Metamucil which will slow down his gut, and to feed canned food to help increase his moisture intake.  I'll start there and see how it goes.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers (Sep 29, 2011)

It is raining in my neck of the woods. Today I am going to paint an old flower pot. It is at least 50 years old. I cant wait until its finished! I will have to post before and after pictures. 

Sorry about your hair Roll Farms. I would be pretty mad if that ever happened to me. 3 and 1/2 hours and your hair is still straight?! That is ridiculous!


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 29, 2011)

Took this earlier when I was out in the yard.


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## daisychick (Sep 29, 2011)

Rolls, I used to get spiral perms all the time when I was younger (in the 80's)  1 in every 5 of them wouldn't take!!  So I decided straight hair it is for me.  I would love love love to get one again but I don't want to risk it.  My hair is really thick and they had to use 2 perm solution bottles on my hair to get it to take.  Do you have thick hair???  It really does take a lot out of your hair cuticle, so I would wait a while before trying it again.    Sorry it didn't work.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 3, 2011)

Hello BHYers!  Happy lol Monday!  It's chilly out this morning!!    High of 58 or something today. I'm so glad. Now, if we could just get this rain to stop I'd be happier.  I really need to do some work out in the pens...like cleaning up matted nasty hay and straw from the shelter and feeding area.  Not looking forward to that, but it'll be much easier if it wasn't so soggy out.  

Good news, Darla was bred last night.    Hoping it takes because I don't want late lambs.  


And not so good news....my vet friend said Scooter probably has some sort of cancer developing, but we won't really know for sure unless we do all sorts of testing.  I'm not really wanting to put him through all that, because I wouldnt' treat it if it was cancer. I just don't feel like it's fair to put him through that, and he's had such a good, long life already.  We are going to try metronidazole and prednisone to make him more comfy and see if that helps his diarrhea.


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## DonnaBelle (Oct 3, 2011)

I'm pretty happy this morning.  We've had a run of really good weather and we've gotten a lot of "big" chores done.  I say we, most of the stuff is pretty heavy lifting and DH does the most of it.  Thank goodness we have that young couple that live here on the ranch.  He is a godsend, will work from daylight to dark if we let him.  He is so strong and has is super smart and can figure out about anything.  We usually only need him one day a week and if he wasn't here we'd be sunk for sure.  He was working on one of his outside jobs last week and brought me home a big bag of pears from a tree where he was working.  They were delicious, even the goats got some.

We moved the chicken yard, part of it's now in the garden, the chickens are busy digging out the bugs and grasshoppers.  It's now 3 sections (each 140' long).  We finally figured out that l/2 inch PVC pipe makes great extra supports for the fence.

One of the horses has like a rash on one side of his neck.  I made up some of that super salve you guys posted the recipe for and put it on him yesterday.  I think it's fly bites.  We have had the worst fly season in memory.  All that rain in the spring bred them, and the heat kept them going.  I hate flies.

I found an interesting facebook page was created for people trying to get hay.  It's called the Hay Connection and people from all over the US post if they need hay or are selling it.  Even if you don't need hay, it's interesting to read.

DonnaBelle


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 4, 2011)

That Hay Connection site sounds interesting, DonnaBelle.  


My hen, Wanda, who hatched out all the chicks is such a dummy somtimes!  My sister said she's like the Octomom- she loves having the babies but isn't quite sure how to care for them all!     Wanda tends to forget she needs to keep ALL the babies warm. The other evening I heard loud peeping, so I went out to see what was the matter.  Wanda was in the coop with half her chicks, and the other half was scattered all around the yard. A couple under the coop, one under the woodpile, and one in the sheep pen.    So I had to catch them with my chicken catching net (a fishing net).  The last one ran into the hedgerow and would not come out, so I got Wanda from the coop and took her out to the woods.  Once they reunited I scooped the chick up with the net and put them all in the coop.  Good grief.  Then she'll do stupid stuff like sit on a pallet. Um, Wanda, the chicks can't get under you if there are cracks between boards in the pallet.  And last night she was up in the nest box with 2 chicks and the rest of the chicks were running around all .   Shoot, I just forgot to put the perches for the nest boxes down (they fold up to prevent chickens from getting in there).  Now I dont' know WHERE they're gonna lay today.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 4, 2011)

Ok, so I need to make some animal decisions.  I need to downsize a little bit and sell/eat/something some of the animals.  Feed bills are too high and time is limited.  Here's what I have:

2 rabbit bucks:  one is a very large Silver Fox/American Chinchilla cross.  I've put him on CL before with no responses. Should I try again or just put him in the freezer?  He has a bad 'tude which makes the freezer argument a bit stronger.  The other is my new rabbit who is pretty small and probably not worth eating at this point.  I've had him on CL for about a week with no response.  

Turkeys: I currently have 5 turkeys, a Royal Palm pair, 2 buff toms, and a slate/buff hen.  They're eating a lot.  Feed is almost $12 per 50 lbs and they're costing me a lot.  I had dreams of keeping 2 breeding pairs, but I just dont' think it's going to work out.  I have to come up with winter housing, and the suckers eat so darn much.  I could eat them all, or I could sell 4 of them and eat one.  They're much bonier than I'm used to (they're heritage breeds).  I'm thinking about calling the local poultry processor and asking if she'll barter in exchange for processing them, since I just don't feel like processing any animals right now.  I just don't want to take up my time, which is pretty limited right now.  I'm also limited on freezer space, but I could probably can a good bit of turkey meat.

Wether:  I have a 6 month old Oberhasli wether that I just cannot sell, as in, nobody wants him.  I could take him to auction, but I feel so bad doing that because the local auction isn't the greatest.  I could eat him, but he's not meaty at all.  I don't see the point in giving him away, when I could just eat him.  Is there enough meat on a 6 month old dairy wether to justify eating?  Now I can see why some dairy people humanely euthanize of newborn bucks.  (does that sound harsh?)

Chickens:  I've been thinking about downsizing, but I'm not sure yet.  

I don't know what I want to do.  I needed a sounding board, so I figured I'd get y'alls input.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 4, 2011)

And I would really like to do meat rabbits, because we liked raising our own broilers but it was too much work (I had to do all the work).  I figured rabbits would be a good substitute.  Well, maybe instead of raising meat rabbits I should just buy young rabbits at the auction and raise them up?   That way I could have zero rabbits through the winter?     I really have no clue what I want to do.  I need a plan, and not just "oh, that sounds good today."


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## ksalvagno (Oct 4, 2011)

I have to admit that I just had pet rabbits but felt they took a lot of care and feed. I would be putting the rabbits in the freezer if I were you. I think your idea of getting rabbits at auction and raise them up to butcher before winter is a good idea. I would also just put all the turkeys in the freezer or can or donate a turkey to something. If you want turkeys again, then I would just go with the broad breasted ones that you grow to put in the freezer.

As far as the wether, I would put him in the freezer too. We put an adult Nigerian Dwarf in the freezer and just had ground meat done. We only got 17 pounds but it was $60 at the processor with some meat or $200 at the vet for euthanizing with nothing. For us the $60 was worth it to have peace of mind that he would never be neglected or abused and that it was quick. I refuse to take anything to auction. I would rather put it in the freezer. I don't want my animals abused or neglected. 

I actually didn't mind doing the broilers since it was only 9 weeks. But I only did 10. Maybe if you did them in smaller batches but multiple times? We do take ours to a processor. We just aren't in the position to have the time to do all that processing of animals.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Oct 4, 2011)

Dairy boys just don't chunk out until closer to a year in my experience.  But by then you will have fed him for that much longer. Really it's best to butcher them right when weaned since up to that point it's all free food from their point of view.    


I would consider putting the turkeys on CL or the like. Somebody else may want them as breeders and you can possibly get more for them as such than as meat.  If not then look at processing them.  


We just hit reset on our chickens last month and I AGONIZED about it until I posted them and the day after they were gone I could not have been more relieved. We will have zero chickens through the Winter and I'll start again in Spring.  Go for it, I doubt you'll regret it.  I cut chickens down in stages. First I kept everything that was interesting and ditched the reds/mutts/etc.  Then I sold off the remaining heritage breeds, Marans/Doms/etc.   I do still have my rooster but I can deal with just one pretty easily.  

And the pigs are all now gone which is a HUGE relief.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 5, 2011)

Ok, so I think it's a good plan to put the rabbit(s) in the freezer.  I may wait a little while on the little one to see if he grows (or maybe he is just a mini rabbit).  

I'll call the processor and see how much he'd charge to do the goat.  I know it was really cheap for our lamb...like $45.  It would probably be worth it to just go ahead and have him processed.  Do people ever tan goat hides?  Obs are so pretty and I wonder if there would be a market for his hide?  

The turkeys I'm still not sure about.  I need to make a few phone calls and see what it would cost to pay someone to process them.  Honestly, I feel almost guilty paying people to process them when I'm able to do it, I just don't *want* to do it because it's too time consuming.  But hey, better to pay someone to do it than drive yourself crazy with too many irons in the fire, right?


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## Ms. Research (Oct 5, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> Ok, so I think it's a good plan to put the rabbit(s) in the freezer.  I may wait a little while on the little one to see if he grows (or maybe he is just a mini rabbit).
> 
> I'll call the processor and see how much he'd charge to do the goat.  I know it was really cheap for our lamb...like $45.  It would probably be worth it to just go ahead and have him processed.  Do people ever tan goat hides?  Obs are so pretty and I wonder if there would be a market for his hide?
> 
> The turkeys I'm still not sure about.  I need to make a few phone calls and see what it would cost to pay someone to process them.  Honestly, I feel almost guilty paying people to process them when I'm able to do it,* I just don't *want* to do it because it's too time consuming.  But hey, better to pay someone to do it than drive yourself crazy with too many irons in the fire, right?*


X2


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## Roll farms (Oct 5, 2011)

I doubt anyone would buy a single goat hide.  I know people who send in big batches of them when they get a bunch of goats slaughtered.

I started to suggest you could tan it yourself....but then remembered the point is to simplify your life, not add to it.


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## daisychick (Oct 5, 2011)

I too am trying to slim things down around my place.  I had 5 turkeys that I planned on breeding.  I took them to a local poultry swap and sold them right away, that was 1 thing slimmed down.  If we had a local processor I would of taken them in for the freezer.  I am seeing tons of rabbits for sale on CL, I would say if you can process them and put them in the freezer go for it.  It is amazing how much less feed I am going through by getting rid of the turkeys.  Every little bit helps.


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## Hickoryneck (Oct 5, 2011)

If you feel overwhelmed then you have to cut back don't feel guilty it's better for your family and your critters if you are happy and have free time to enjoy them all so by all means cut back! 

Turkeys are very easy to sell if you don't want to pay to put them in the freezer.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 5, 2011)

Well CRAP!!!!       Now I've got more issues.     My buck, Theo, has spent the last 10 months or so living on a different farm.  She got to use him for breeding, and in return she feeds him.  That works out well for me because I don't want to house a buck all year.  Well, now she said she can't take him back for reasons she blames on her hubby.  It's ok, because I totally understand her not wanting another buck, so that's not a problem.  I was going to take him back this weekend, and I was really looking forward to not having him here any more.

But now I'm just not sure what I want to do with him.  He's a nice buck, both in temperment and conformation.  My kids this year that he sired are nice kids.  I just don't want to house a buck all year!  :/  Not only would I have to have him, but I'd probably have to keep my wether (his son) for company as well.  Good grief. But then if I sell him, I'll have the hassle of finding a buck to use for breeding come fall.  

I think I'll list him for sale, and have the wether go w/ him as a buddy.  I should have stayed in bed today. NOthign is going right. My jeans are tight, I'm hungry, coworkers are trying my patience, and now this.


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## BarredRockMomma (Oct 5, 2011)

I understand, just remeber things could always be worse, and be thankful for what you have.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 5, 2011)

BarredRockMomma said:
			
		

> I understand, just remeber things could always be worse, and be thankful for what you have.


Thanks!  I'm better now, just had a bit of a freak out moment.


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## BarredRockMomma (Oct 5, 2011)

Been there, any more when it happens I go sit with the goats and chickens. One goat likes to come over to get her head scrached and I have one little chick that likes to sit on my shoulder.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Oct 5, 2011)

Take a deep breath.  And just slightly modify your plans.  Put the buck up for sale  w/ or w/o the wether.  Give a single price and a both price. If they both sell, great!  If not, freezer the wether like you planned. 

I'm seeing adds for heritage turkey pairs at 60-80 a pair for regular breeding pairs with exceptional adults running 45-50 by themselves.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 6, 2011)

Okie dokie!  Today is a gorgeous day out!  It was nice and cool this morning and it's supposed to get up to around 80*. Perfect weather!  

And want to hear the best news?  I got meds for Scooter and put him on Metronidazole last night.  This morning he had a solid poop!!      I've never been so excited about poop. 

The meds for my turkey also FINALLY came in yesterday.  I didn't get a chance to treat him last night, but I will tonight.  AND, SFC, a lady contacted my friend (who has an organic veggie farm) because she was looking for a turkey for Tgiving.  She wants a heritage bird so I may work out a price and sell one to her.  I was looking up prices online just to see what other free-range heritage turkeys are sold for.  HOLY COW!  A lot!  So I will be figuring out a price I think is fair, and I am now thinking I should just do the processing.  I'd just feel better about selling a bird if I know I did it, so I can control everything (control freak much? ) and make sure it's clean, etc.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 28, 2011)

Well sad news, I said goodbye to my dog, Scooter on 10/26.  Sad, sad day.     But I'm trying not to be too sad about it, because I know he'd want everyone to be happy.  He was a happy dog, so I'll be happy for him and remember all the great times we had.  


And here are some updated pics of my doeling, Ides of March (Ida).  I lub her.


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## elevan (Oct 28, 2011)




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## Roll farms (Oct 28, 2011)

Ida wanted to keep that doeling, too.  

Sorry 'bout your dog.  I still miss all mine who've left me.  But I smile when I remember them.


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## elevan (Nov 24, 2011)

Happy Thanksgiving Aggie


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## daisychick (Dec 25, 2011)




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## elevan (Dec 25, 2011)




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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 6, 2012)

Well it has been ages and ages since I've updated this, but there's lots going on now so I thought maybe I'd try to update it.    We'll see how it goes.  

The sheep are being flushed for breeding now. I'm trying to line up a ram to borrow again this year.  I've got Southdown ram lambs who are acting like they've been hit by the puberty bus, and I'm sure they'd love to help out with breeding, but I guess I should try to get an unrelated ram first.    I've got the rams separated now after I saw them acting interested in the ewes, and now they're getting grain to go ahead and get them ready for freezer camp.  Hopefully they'll be ready in a couple months, but our freezers are jam packed so not really sure what we're going to do with them.  :/  

The buck for my 2 Ober does is coming on Saturday. He's the buck I bought from NC 3 falls ago.  I sold him to some folks back in my hometown, about 2 hours away.  I was going to go pick him up, but they offered to bring him to me since he's big and they worried he'd damage our truck cap.  Fine with me!     So this year June will be bred again (this will be her 4th breeding) and her yearling daughter, Ida, will be bred for the first time. I'm So.Darn.Excited about her breeding...I don't want to jinx it but I can't wait to see what she has, how her udder looks, etc.  She has a precocious udder, so she's already lactating (but I"m NOT milking her).  I'm going to be drying June off in the next month, but I'm stocking the freezer up for milk for soap now.  It'll be nice to have an extended break from milking (well, from probably October to Feb).  

The meat rabbit babies that were born in May are finally all processed. I did keep one pretty doe I like.  I may try to sell her. If I can't sell her, I may just breed her eventually. Who knows.  Not that I need another doe...

And, in other news, I got a call from a potential wholesale client (for my soaps, lip balms, and lotion bars) who is interested in selling my stuff in their store. I have to go meet them tomorrow, about an hour and a half away.  I'm excited, because it's a pretty big store!


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 6, 2012)

OOh yay. I just called my sheep breeder guy and he said I can borrow a ram from him, so I'll go pick him up this Sunday.  This will be the weekend of love.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 9, 2012)

Here are pictures of the buck that came to our house on Saturday. I originally bought this buck from a breeder in NC in the fall of 2009.  I kept him for the breeding season then sold him to some folks that live a couple hours away.  We've kept in touch and they're nice enough to let me use him again this year.  The buck I used the past 2 years was his son, but I sold him last year.  Ida, my yearling doe, is the granddaughter of Mammoth (this buck).  I'm so excited to breed back to him this year because he's really matured into a nice looking buck. He's LONG.   He's a sweetheart, which is good because he's very strong. Luckily he doesn't realize that.     The does aren't crazy about him yet, but hopefully they'll change their tune soon.


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## Roll farms (Sep 9, 2012)

He is a nice lookin' buck.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 10, 2012)

Here's the ram lamb I'm borrowing this year.    Hoping he'll gain some weight!  He went in with the ewes today.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 12, 2012)

Well, I haven't seen any action, but this morning June (Ober doe) smelled like the buck all over...so I'm guessing there's some action going on.


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## jodief100 (Sep 12, 2012)

Your buck is Purty.


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## SheepGirl (Sep 13, 2012)

I love your ram!


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 13, 2012)

Yeah, he's a pretty nice boy.  Still no breeding going on. I'm hoping they just haven't gone into heat yet.  They were in with my two ram lambs until a couple weeks ago, and I'm really hoping they're not already bred.    I think I would have noticed breeding going on.  I did see the rams act interested, but never saw any ewes act remotely interested.  I'll try to be patient...he's only been here since Sunday afternoon.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 17, 2012)

Bean (a ewe) was bred, and June and Ida (does) were bred.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 2, 2012)

Bean, the ewe, was re-bred Sunday, which is consistent with a heat cycle.  Hopefully she settled this time.  Darla and Barley were bred Sunday night/Monday morning.    Hopefully they all settled and will all lamb right around the same time!


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## SheepGirl (Oct 2, 2012)




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## SheepGirl (Mar 3, 2013)

Haven't seen you on in a while! Hope everything's okay! 

Any babies yet?


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 14, 2013)

I'm still around, but just not very often!  Lambing is over for the year.  It was my worst one ever.  Not sure what went wrong, but all the luck was against me this year.  My management didn't change at all...   I bred three ewes.  Darla, my Southdown ewe, and her two 2-year old daughters, Bean and Barley.  Barley lambed first, with twin ram lambs, both natural colored.  That same night, Bean aborted twin ram lambs.    One looked malformed, so I'm thinking that maybe caused her to abort? That has never happened to me before, so I was really heartbroken.  Then Darla lambed with a single ewe lamb.  I was really frustrated it was a single, but she's such a gorgeous little ewe!  She's definitely staying here.  

At a week old, I noticed one twin ram lamb of Barleys was hunched and looking pretty pitiful, so I bottle fed him thinking he wasn't getting enough to eat.  His temp was fine.  The next day, he looked even worse,and he was practically hypothermic. I brought him in and warmed him up, tubed him w/ fluids, gave antibiotics and vitamin b.  I worked on him all day and lost him that night.  His breathing had gotten pretty rattly, so I'm thinking it was pneumonia.  His brother seemed fine, and was gaining weight.  I went out to feed a few days later and he was dead in the pen.     No idea what happened with him.  I've only ever lost 1 lamb out of allll the lambings I've had, and this year I had 2 aborted and lost 2 after birth.  UGH.  I had a few moments of wanting to sell every animal on my place, but I'm feeling better now.  

I figure I'm due for a bad year, since I've never really had any troubles.  I sure hope it turns around for next year though!

But since I have only an acre, and I'm limited on number of animals, I've decided to sell Bean and Barley.  I really like them (especially Barley!), but now that I have a second purebred Southdown ewe, I'll be sticking solely to purebred Southdowns.  It just makes more sense.  

So if anyone is interested in 2 2-year old Romney/Southdown (natural colored) ewes, let me know! I'd really love for them to go together.

Here are some pics:
Darla's purebred Southdown ewe lamb:











One of Barley's twins (died):





Barley's udder pre-lambing:





Darla's udder pre-lambing (got even bigger):







I did have a better kidding season though.  One doe had twin doe kids, and one had a single buck kid. The buck is already in his new home, being bottle fed.  The doe kids are doing great, and cute as a button.


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## SheepGirl (Mar 14, 2013)

Your ewes have really pretty udders! I wish my ewe's udders looked that lol

And sorry about all the babies you lost  That's odd that you lost the one ram that was seemingly healthy. That's gotta stink.

I hope things turn around for you next year!


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 20, 2013)

It was nice and sunny yesterday so I took a few pictures.  


The sky was so pretty yesterday evening.  





I put up the electric net fence since it's starting to warm up and the pasture will be growing again.  I need to lime and fertilize it soon...hopefully this weekend.  I also need to scrape the area under the hay feeder since there's a build up of waste hay unde there.





My ram, smelling Rooster Cogburn.  The ram needs a name, now that I've decided to keep him (I was just going to borrow him for breeding, but I decided to buy him).  





Barley (L) and Bean.  I really hate to sell Barley, so now I'm wondering if I should keep her and just sell Bean.





Barley again.  Even though she's not purebred, I just really like her build. She's tall and long and just a nice ewe.





Baby Girl's tail fell off yesterday!  She needs a name too.


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## Pearce Pastures (Mar 25, 2013)

LOL at your bum sniffing ram.  He looks really built!  And rooster is handsome too.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Mar 25, 2013)

So sorry about your "stinky" lambing season!!!    It happens to the best of us! All you can do is your best and hope for the rest! 
You ewe lamb is DARLIN', love her!!!


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 17, 2013)

Got the flock sheared on Sunday!  Then I put them out in the yard to graze yesterday, and they loved it.  Finally the grass is growing, but the only part tall enough to graze was the side yard.  I fertilized their pasture a couple weeks ago, so I have high hopes for good production this year (soil tests showed it was low in nitrogen).  

Darla (l), then Bean, then Ram (skinny butt!), then Barley.




Darla (l), Bean(r)




Bean (facing), and Barley




The ram and the ewe lamb (still unnamed!)




I'm in love with this ewe lamb!




Love this pic:




The ram has grown a ton frame-wise, now I hope he puts on some weight.  I'm trying to not grain him, but I may separate him with the lamb when I wean her, and grain them both.  




Barley








June




Nessa




Elphie and June




the ram


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## Four Winds Ranch (Apr 17, 2013)

I love how neat and sleek your sheep look all freshly shearn!! Mine are still shaggy beasts! :/


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