# Changing goals and speed



## AClark (Aug 10, 2016)

I'll preface this with being that my husband and I both grew up in the country, so we're just trying to get back "home". 

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
As far west TX as you can get without being in New Mexico. Mild winters, hotter than the pits of Haydes summers, with really windy sandstormy spring.
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
Married, there will be 7 of us starting next year in the house.
3. How would you define your farm?
An urban disaster. Right now we're limited to rabbits that have to be kept indoors

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Spare time, what's that? My husband works full time, and with our family, spare time just means there's something that isn't getting done.
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I can't build for crap, hubby can, so I expect he'll build some structures when we find "home"

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
I can, I do well with steel and can do MiG (I have a MiG welder) and Arc. I never quite got the hang of Oxy-Ace, but I can cut with it.
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
My family, I grew up on a ranch. Hubby grew up farming. 
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Starting as a hobby, hoping for occupation.

9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I'm knowledgeable about horses, fencing, feeding, gardening, canning - would like to know more about rabbits, goats, and pigs
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Sheep/Alpacas, I don't want to mess with anything I need to shear
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Yes, that's goal #1
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Reading about my future endeavors
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Both, including a brownie transmission tractor, also a backhoe and a forklift. If it has wheels and uses fuel, I can probably drive it
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
Yes to both. I sew, knit, crochet, I also do canning. 
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
No, chickens and poultry you need a permit for here and it's expensive, any other livestock is prohibited. 
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No, my uncle is a machinist so if I ever had the need I have someone to teach me though
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I love gardening. I grow lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and lots of others, I like veggies
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Car battery, duh, doesn't get everyones attention like explosives do. But no, I love fishing, legally. 
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
Right now, basically none, soon we're looking at 3+ acres though
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
Technician, degree finishes next year. 
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Mechanic ability, I'm a pretty good diesel mechanic and an excellent gas motor mechanic. 
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
I don't know, my degree has nothing to do with farming at all.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
LOL, noooo, a carpenter I am not
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
Yes, it goes along with my regular job
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
Hard call, I've lived all over, AZ, CO, NY, TX - I definitely prefer to be out west
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
I prefer the villains, the wicked witch from Wizard of Oz comes to mind. She can borrow my broom any time
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Yes
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes, I love cooking and believe the best foods come from the best ingredients. Not much beats farm fresh anything. 
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best, helping a newborn foal out of the sac, it was really rewarding. Worst: putting my old horse down...myself.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
We're both avid hunters but it isn't easy in TX, no BLM land, and I dont' know anyone to lease from. 
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
We both work hard and have zero problems with getting dirty, and if we don't know something, we will research and learn.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
I can everything from meat to jam, I plan on processing my own rabbits. I've processed lots of wild game so this shouldn't be hard.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
I'd like to when we buy, solar power is really nice when you live somewhere sunny
35 What is on your to do list?
Find property before we move.
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
No, and yes I would like to.
37. In what do you trust?
I trust that hard work will get you through
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
We fix everything, from the trucks to electronics. Nothing that can be repaired sufficiently goes in the trash.
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
I've had to learn that you can't buy based on "cute" - I got a really obnoxious dog that way. Sure, she's really pretty, but she also has lots of bad manners that we can't seem to break.


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## Latestarter (Aug 11, 2016)

Maybe you should consider the "other" side of TX? You know, over where they get a decent amount of moisture?  There's a good group over that side, and I will most likely be joining them next month.


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## Baymule (Aug 11, 2016)

Yeah, come on over to east Texas! Still jot in the summer, but at least we have lots of nice green trees!


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## AClark (Aug 11, 2016)

I don't really get a choice in our move. We are moving to Oklahoma (Fort Sill) in January. This is pretty close to what I'm used to, I'm originally from Arizona. I'm not looking forward to tornadoes or their winters - I detest the cold. I lived in far upstate NY (40 minutes from Canada) for 4 years and yeah, those folks can have that part of the US!

Oh heck @Latestarter, you're retired Navy. You get it then. My husband is still active duty Army. I won't say how long he's been in, but he has deployed to Bosnia...that should give you an idea, lol.


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## Latestarter (Aug 11, 2016)

OH shoot, that's right, I forgot you folks are still active duty... You don't really get to "pick" your location aside from the dream sheet for potential stationing... I WAS in for 24 years and ended pretty much as an instructor. Pretty embarrassing when you're telling sea stories to a class and start out "Remember when..."? only to realize 1/2 way through that most in the class weren't even born when you experienced that... I was there for the Iranian hostages, Panama, Grenada, Bosnia and the Balkans, the "fall of the iron curtain and the communist Soviet state", the start of the middle east issues we're STILL screwing around in/with (WHY?!?!)... Long time ago now.


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## AClark (Aug 11, 2016)

Exactly the same plan here, my husband got assigned as an instructor. We probably won't move from there unless it's to move home after he retires. It's a great time for us to get settled with my oldest boy going into high school next year. It's hard on the kids to be dragged all over the place every couple of years for sure.


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## Mike CHS (Aug 11, 2016)

It's a good thing to come up with a plan now if you can. I retired from the Navy in '91 but stayed in the same field as a contractor until a couple of months ago.  My only regret is waiting as long as I did but it made the $$ better for what we are doing.


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## Bruce (Aug 11, 2016)

"34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
I'd like to when we buy, solar power is really nice when you live somewhere sunny"

Doesn't have to be sunny! We had 2 ground mounted arrays (*) put in last December. They still produce on a day when it is raining ALL day. Not anywhere close to what they put out on a full sun day of course. And they do better if you remember to brush the snow off in the winter 

One thing to consider is they do better in COLD than in HOT climates. The panel output rating is based on something like 70F ambient temp. Less output when it is hotter, more when it is colder. Electricity flows better in cold.

Where I live the % of possible sun averaged over time is 49% (Portland OR is 48%, Seattle is 43%, Oklahoma City is 68%, 90% in Yuma). I don't know what we have averaged since the arrays went in but they have produced over 6 Megawatts since Dec 9.

* total potential output is 6.6 kWh if everything is perfect which, of course, never happens.


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## AClark (Aug 11, 2016)

I'm going to be living about an hour from OKC, where I live now is 84% according to NOAA. I didn't know that the output varied depending on the heat, that has a potential to be a problem here and where we're moving, as it's hot at both. Snow? What's that? I haven't seen much of that since we moved back out west. We had lots in Watertown, NY, and I know VT gets a lot of it, my husband is from the Plattsburg NY area. 
My guess then out here is that it would work more efficiently in the winter than the summer due to temperatures. I don't know much about it, but we've toyed with the idea of solar power to help with the electric bill. They use solar panels on a lot of the houses here, though I'm not sure of the difference since ours don't have them.


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## AClark (Aug 11, 2016)

Being in the same field doesn't give him basically, any options. There's not much civilian call for field artillery, unless we stay in OK at Sill where contractors do basically what he'll be doing, instructing. They send civi's from Sill here to do training for some of the goodies like the Excalibur round - actually they were just here 2 weeks ago.
My line of work can go anywhere (medical) so if he decides he wants to just chill at home after he retires, I think he's earned it.


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## Bruce (Aug 11, 2016)

Watertown gets NAILED being just downwind of Lake Erie. I worked with a guy whose mother lived in Watertown, some of the pictures one year! Aside from the fact that one would sink fast, they could have walked out the second story windows.

According to data I found, we get only 8 or 9 days with full or partial sun in Nov and Dec (and I won't know what the panels will put out in Nov until it comes!), 11 in Jan and Feb. Don't know if last Jan was "average" for days with sun but we had 16 days with 10 kWh or more generated, 9 of those were over 20 kWh and 4 of those were over 30 kWh. The total output was just about equal to what we used.

In contrast, OK City has 18/19 in Nov/Dec and 16/17 in Jan Feb. Our BEST months for days with at least some sun are July and Aug with 18 which is not much better than OK City's WORST months. So even if there it less output per hour due to heat, an installation in OK City should be excellent. That means the same amount of power from a smaller array which means cheaper to install.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 11, 2016)

Bruce said:


> "34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
> I'd like to when we buy, solar power is really nice when you live somewhere sunny"
> 
> Doesn't have to be sunny! We had 2 ground mounted arrays (*) put in last December. They still produce on a day when it is raining ALL day. Not anywhere close to what they put out on a full sun day of course. And they do better if you remember to brush the snow off in the winter
> ...



@Bruce 
We are between 48-53% of possible sun.....and those two arrays would have paid for my electric for all of 2016 so far and had left over and that includes two months we ran an electric heater...this year it will be lower by approx...1,400kw which means it would have paid for my electric for december too and had a little left over lol. Would have saved me over $1,000 lol. I should look into getting some of those. We only use about 8,000kwh/yr.


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## AClark (Aug 11, 2016)

That made me go dig out my electric bill. We used 2500 kWh in the last month or so. Yeah, it's high, we are running 2 full size refrigerators, 1 mini fridge, 1 big deep freezer, the AC set to 70, and a pool filter, a 90 gal aquarium, and my washer and dryer run pretty non stop  - plus there are 6 of us - stove and hot water are on gas. Most of July was in triple digits, up to 110 F. Of course, summers are our "scary" utility bills. I can definitely live with the house being warmer than 70, but my husband doesn't cope with it. He's the type to wear shorts all winter, while I'm bundled up as soon as it gets below 70.

 Our December bill was for 1000 kWh -and our heat is electric forced air, with all the same as above running. Kind of tells you what the pool and AC run electric consumption wise. My guess is the AC is what is really draining it, and that's just normal, it has a new filter, but it literally never shuts off. Even the truck AC has trouble on the really hot days. 

Watertown definitely gets nailed with the snow. If I never shovel snow again for the rest of my life it would be too soon. It's so pretty the first snow, and then when it becomes a big gray bucket of slushy suck, I'm over it. The difference was the winter utility bill there was outrageous, but summer was cheap since I didn't have AC and would just open the windows and turn a fan on. In another month or so here I'll be opening windows and turning the AC off.


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 11, 2016)

AClark said:


> I don't really get a choice in our move. We are moving to Oklahoma (Fort Sill) in January. This is pretty close to what I'm used to, I'm originally from Arizona. I'm not looking forward to tornadoes or their winters - I detest the cold. I lived in far upstate NY (40 minutes from Canada) for 4 years and yeah, those folks can have that part of the US!
> 
> Oh heck @Latestarter, you're retired Navy. You get it then. My husband is still active duty Army. I won't say how long he's been in, but he has deployed to Bosnia...that should give you an idea, lol.



I was stationed at Fort Sill many years ago.
Field Artillery 13 Echo


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## AClark (Aug 11, 2016)

My husband's 13B


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 11, 2016)

AClark said:


> My husband's 13B


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## Latestarter (Aug 11, 2016)

Not much call for my specialty in the civie world either   Anti-submarine Warfare specialist.


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## Bruce (Aug 11, 2016)

misfitmorgan said:


> @Bruce
> We are between 48-53% of possible sun.....and those two arrays would have paid for my electric for all of 2016 so far and had left over and that includes two months we ran an electric heater...this year it will be lower by approx...1,400kw which means it would have paid for my electric for december too and had a little left over lol. Would have saved me over $1,000 lol. I should look into getting some of those. We only use about 8,000kwh/yr.



Yeah you should  My array is expected to put out about 8K a year but that is if they are set to an "average" angle. Since they are ground mounted, I can tilt them. 64 degrees (look nearly vertical) in the winter and 17 degrees (nearly horizontal) in the summer. Spring and fall are in between naturally at 42 degrees. Your latitude determines these settings:
http://www.solarpaneltilt.com/

Each person has to see what tax advantages exist. There is a 30% Federal tax credit and some states have incentive programs as well. But if you don't pay much in income taxes, the credit doesn't do you much good though you can carry the credit to future years. And you need to check your state's Net Metering program. Nevada basically killed any new residential solar installations this year with changes that would make anyone connecting wind or solar to the grid pay twice as much per month for the "privilege" of being connected as non connected people pay. And they cut the amount the utility company pays for the electricity you provide to about half what they pay "wholesale" and you still have to pay retail for anything you use of theirs. Get out the shovel, solar is dead in Nevada. So yes do look at it but look carefully, unless you (the general you!) have money floating around and would like to be more "green".


Wow AClark, you ARE burning the watts! 33 kWh/day in the "off season" and 83/day in the "high" season? OUCH. Get your husband a swamp cooler and set the A/C to 80!

Our winter use is about 14 kWh/day. Our "base load" seems to run about 500 W/hr since that is what the electric company shows we take from them at night. Heat on one side of the house is wood, the other propane hot air. Hot water is mostly propane as is the (you paying attention Joe?) 1931 Glenwood Insulated Deluxe range and oven. That isn't a model number it is the date of manufacture. See OLD appliances were made to last a LONG time  We also have an electric wall oven. Summer is almost twice as much due to the 24' above ground "adult wading" pool and the dehumidifier in the basement. Both should go off in a few weeks


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## Latestarter (Aug 11, 2016)

I love your oven, but the appliances I was referring to weren't even close to being antiques yet...


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## babsbag (Aug 12, 2016)

We just put in our second set of panels, 22 panels 2 years ago and 18 more last month. My average summertime usage is about 40kwh a day, but some days are as high as 75. In a perfect world I should be generating almost what I consume. We have a time of use meter so I make power during the day and sell at high rates and consume it at night at cheaper rates. We have a swamp cooler, seldom use the AC, and heat with gas or wood in the winter. I am the only one home 4 days of the week but I do have a hot tub, a pool, and a pond. But I am fairly certain that it is our well that consumes all of our power. I irrigate a garden, an orchard, a small lawn, and lot of flowers. The irrigation goes non-stop from 9 PM-10 AM. April-Nov. Someday we will have a solar well pump.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 12, 2016)

We use about 21-22kwh a day...there are only 2 of us. We have no AC, no pool, no furance, no aquariums, no swamp coolers, etc. We have basic stuff, lights, modem, tv, laptop. The stove and dryer run on propane which we use 20lbs of propane every 1.5-2 months sometimes longer just depends, when it is humid it takes longer for the dryer to dry stuff. Hot water tank is electric but i take cool/cold showers from late spring to early fall because its the only way i can cool off. Heat is a wood stove and this year we are putting in a propane wall mount unit so the place can be heated in case the fire goes out when we are at work or we need to be away from the house overnight.

i know we can get tax credits for any "green" improvements...not sure on the rest but i do know consumers is running some sort of study because they either put in or are putting in more wind farms and solar farms and they are offering some sort of package for selling back energy to them.


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## AClark (Aug 12, 2016)

I love old appliances. When I was growing up, my grandmother had a GE commercial stove,  the big wide one with the pie drawer and all that. It was getting hard to find parts for locally (before the internet) and she got rid of it. She's been kicking herself in the butt ever since because she has killed 2 ovens since then - the new ones aren't quality. Since I've lived in this house, just under 2 years, we've had 3 dishwashers and 2 ovens - all made by GE and not abused broken (or I would have had to pay for them) one oven you could turn to 350 and it would get to 550 internally instead of 350, had them come out and fix it and it kept doing it. The dishwashers, oh lord, one broke on the door and wasn't repairable. I need that kind of creature comfort with the size of my family. Since I live in a rental, there isn't much I can do except accept the appliances they provide. Most homes here don't have fireplaces either, my parents do but I think they use it twice a year lol.

Yes we do suck some juice, but 33 kWh/day in the off season works out to be 5.5/kWh per person - almost 14 per person in the summer. But, everyone is home in the summer vs most of the year with school too.

Back at it making cages today, went and bought Lowes out of 1x1 and 1x 1/2 wire. I still had some 1x1/2 but figured I may need another roll. We'll finish the stand over the weekend. Lowes has 1x1 wire that is 24" high and 15' long. I'm making cages 28x28


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## Bruce (Aug 12, 2016)

misfitmorgan said:


> We use about 21-22kwh a day...there are only 2 of us. We have no AC, no pool, no furance, no aquariums, no swamp coolers, etc. We have basic stuff, lights, modem, tv, laptop. The stove and dryer run on propane which we use 20lbs of propane every 1.5-2 months sometimes longer just depends, when it is humid it takes longer for the dryer to dry stuff. Hot water tank is electric but i take cool/cold showers from late spring to early fall because its the only way i can cool off. Heat is a wood stove and this year we are putting in a propane wall mount unit so the place can be heated in case the fire goes out when we are at work or we need to be away from the house overnight.
> 
> i know we can get tax credits for any "green" improvements...not sure on the rest but i do know consumers is running some sort of study because they either put in or are putting in more wind farms and solar farms and they are offering some sort of package for selling back energy to them.



Wow, I can't see how you are using 21-22 kWh a day with that. Your year round sounds like our winter (but I do have an aquarium and heat in in the chickens' water) and we only run ~14 kWh/day then. Are you using LED lights or incandescent? Hot water tank insulated AND the pipes? Even the cold pipe should be insulated several feet from the tank. Maybe the refrigerator is ancient and less efficient than newer ones? All the little things add up.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 15, 2016)

21-22kwh is our daily average...for the year.

Last months bill shows we use an average of 13kwh/day for the month. We have a mix of lights which includes 16 lights in the barn and a flood light in the farmyard area. Water tank is not insulated it is in my bedroom closet and it is in no way cold here..it had been over 95F here for the past week. Why would i insulate my cold water lines? The fridge is approx 4 yrs old.


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## AClark (Aug 15, 2016)

Today is full of suck. I turned my PC on this morning and it crashed, big time. Spent the whole morning getting it back running, which included me losing everything (literally had to wipe and repartition and reinstall back to Win 7 - I had Win 10 and it refused to boot windows this morning, wouldn't recover, and had a fatal error). My kids dropped my external backup drive and the PC no longer recognizes it's even plugged in, so my back up got nixed. I have a lot of f-words to say about all that. I lost all my data sheets for the bunnies, luckily, I have a hard copy on my desk, but now that I need to put in another sheet and don't have an original to print off to make copies...blargh. Just inconvenient that I lost that, including my expense sheet which I didn't have a hard copy of.
Also had some sucky news from my orthopedic doc this morning referencing hand surgery. Though it will improve it, and it's a big reason I don't have as many hard copies of things because I have trouble writing, it's also kind of tough news to swallow since I've already had surgery on that arm once and it looks like there's something wrong in there. Neurology first, then we'll see if the news gets any uglier - surgery is already THE option to fix it, but it will tell whether it's 1 surgery on the wrist, or one on the elbow again and the wrist also. The elbow wasn't a cute little arthroscopic surgery either, I have a 6+ inch scar there and it was a long recovery. Hopefully it can be repaired enough that I don't lose anymore use/grip. My hand surgeon here said the problem with the elbow is that my previous surgeon used the most aggressive technique available due to the amount of damage I had, and that there wasn't really anywhere to go from there. Not that I'm knocking the original surgeon, he was great and it did help a lot, but now I'm stuck at there's not much more they can do to fix it because it's already as fixed as it can get.

Now for the nice news. Both of my new does took to being bred and I bred back the one with the failed first litter. I should have 3 litters due within a week next month - we'll see how many make it. So, that lit a fire to get things finished! I'm also working out how to move them when we go to OK in January. I have two options. Since we are towing our classic truck (classic, that's funny, it was just an older pickup when I bought it in high school!) on a car hauler that we own, they can either go in the bed of that truck with a cover (it has hooks to tie down a cover) or in the cab - but the cab is only a single cab so it might be a bit small for cages. It's only a day drive, 640 miles, but depending on the weather. It could be hot here in January, that's not unheard of. Since the vehicle on the trailer won't be running, I guess I have to make a judgement call on whether it's going to be hot or cold and work from there. We'll be out of here around the 1st of Jan.
That's the only option to ride in the cab. Our other 2 trucks will be full with 4 kids and 2 dogs.
So much to do and not enough time. I have to replace a transmission seal on the old truck because I messed it up loading it (hit the drive line on the trailer and it unseated it, probably tore it - good reason not to use a backhoe flatbed to move a truck, the ramps don't fit right!) and have to put new tires on the car hauler - the guy we bought it off of put radials on it, and we already had one sidewall blow out with 600 lbs of pallets on the trailer. No way are they going to hold almost 6000 lbs of actual steel truck.

Mostly just preparing to off-load unnecessary crap to make weight for the move. I'm not keen on being charged for excess, and would rather not have to load my dually down to the springs to make up for it, considering Ill already be pulling the car hauler with the old truck. Not that I worry that it will do it, it's a 2000 F350 with the old 7.3L turbo diesel - but I do have almost 191,000 miles on it so less stress is better, considering it's the original transmission. My husband's truck doesn't need the stress of the trailer with the truck either, as it's only a 1500 but considerably newer. No reason to beat up the new truck! That and I get way better fuel economy than his 1500 does (5.7L Hemi) even when towing. Last time I towed I weighed out at 12,000 lbs towed behind me and got 16 MPG. His truck doesn't get more than 14 highway without a load.


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## Latestarter (Aug 15, 2016)

Sorry bout the medical issues. That really sucks. You have a lot on your plate! Try not to have a nervous breakdown on top of everything else.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 15, 2016)

X2 what LS said!  Hope things get better for you!


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## AClark (Aug 16, 2016)

The arm issue I've been dealing with for years, I had an accident when I was little (fell through a window at school) and it did a lot of nerve damage. The first time they opened it up I had a lot of scar tissue and it was pressing on the ulnar nerve (the "funny bone") - other than feeling like I banged my elbow, the big concern is losing the use of my hand. It has improved a lot, and I got a lot of the use of my pinky and ring fingers back, but my hand is so weak that simple tasks like opening jars are getting close to impossible. Even shooting a handgun is getting difficult, my 1911 is my favorite, but with the weak hand and wrist I can't hold it tight enough and it jams frequently due to being "limp wristed" even using both hands. It's not my gun, my husband doesn't get any jams out of it, it's me. 

I've done these moves 6 times now, I don't stress about it anymore. I know in the end, it'll all work out somehow. Seems like I always have a lot on my plate, but I know the reward of being able to relax some after we get moved is totally worth it.


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## Bruce (Aug 16, 2016)

misfitmorgan said:


> 21-22kwh is our daily average...for the year.
> 
> Last months bill shows we use an average of 13kwh/day for the month. We have a mix of lights which includes 16 lights in the barn and a flood light in the farmyard area. Water tank is not insulated it is in my bedroom closet and it is in no way cold here..it had been over 95F here for the past week. Why would i insulate my cold water lines? The fridge is approx 4 yrs old.


You don't need to insulate all your cold water lines, just the first few feet where it goes into the water heater. Copper is an excellent conductor. Put your hand on the cold water pipe just above the water heater and on the same pipe a goodly distance away. 

Why insulate the tank? Because it is leaking heat, the insulation behind the tank enclosure is quite minimal. That heat must be replaced which costs money. Put your hand on the outside of the water heater then put it on the outside of your washing machine. Both have metal exteriors, the water heater will feel warmer. Unless you WANT to heat your closet, then don't bother insulating the tank


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 17, 2016)

Bruce said:


> You don't need to insulate all your cold water lines, just the first few feet where it goes into the water heater. Copper is an excellent conductor. Put your hand on the cold water pipe just above the water heater and on the same pipe a goodly distance away.
> 
> Why insulate the tank? Because it is leaking heat, the insulation behind the tank enclosure is quite minimal. That heat must be replaced which costs money. Put your hand on the outside of the water heater then put it on the outside of your washing machine. Both have metal exteriors, the water heater will feel warmer. Unless you WANT to heat your closet, then don't bother insulating the tank



We have no copper piping in our house....its all plastic PEX with PEX fittings and is also run inside of our house. 

The water heater is very small like 2.5ft tall and fat, it lives in the back of the closet in my bedroom in its own wooden box which the top of is the bathroom cabinet. I'm not sure we could get insulation around it. The cabinet opens into the bathroom by our double vanity and the bottom opens into my closet.


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## Bruce (Aug 17, 2016)

PEX all the way straight into the water heater? That seems unusual.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 18, 2016)

Bruce said:


> PEX all the way straight into the water heater? That seems unusual.



Yes all the way to the fittinf on the waterheater..they make pex fittings for it. We had to re-plumb the house and didnt put any copper in at all....before that it was all pvc that had froze and broke many times...pex dosent freeze break like pvc.


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## Bruce (Aug 19, 2016)

Yeah I'm not real sure why anyone ever thought PVC for source water pipe was a good idea.

We had to have half the house rebuilt including all the plumbing (now nice and straight and runs as short as possible) but the plumbers connected PEX to copper at the water heater. MAYBE because it is a propane on demand heater? I have no idea if that makes a difference.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 22, 2016)

Bruce said:


> Yeah I'm not real sure why anyone ever thought PVC for source water pipe was a good idea.
> 
> We had to have half the house rebuilt including all the plumbing (now nice and straight and runs as short as possible) but the plumbers connected PEX to copper at the water heater. MAYBE because it is a propane on demand heater? I have no idea if that makes a difference.



That's exactly why. PEX needs to start 18" downstream and 6" upstream from on demand/tankless heaters.

Technically even on a regular tank heater it is suppose to be 18" downstream. Meh We have had the PEX hooked to two different heaters for 2 yrs and no issue. Might diminish overall life of the PEX perhaps though.


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## AClark (Aug 22, 2016)

So, finally finished the cages, my poor hand is so stiff I can barely move it, lol. My husband, well he did the frame, he took what I had done apart and revamped it completely and came out so far ahead of me it was unreal. I really like it! He also helped me with the last cage because I just couldn't crimp those j clip pliers anymore and had developed a new blister over the existing blister from last time.
We'll be putting the pans in today, I didn't have extras, but found that lowes carries washing machine drip pans and they're perfectly sized for this. Speaking of that, my washing machine drain pump went out and I'm waiting on parts and we'll take it apart tomorrow evening and get it fixed. Not having a washer is not good at all!
The cages are 28x28x18H with 1 x 1/2 on the bottom and 1x1 on the top and sides. The only downside is the top cage is out of my reach so I have to keep a stepstool in there. Don't mind the mess, the bunnies are messy with their hay, and I have some cleaning up to do in there 
A side note, the top water bottle, the actual bottle cracked but those tips fit right on a $1 spray bottle from the dollar tree. So always keep the tips for them even if the bottle is shot, it's a cheap replacement.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 22, 2016)

Looks Great, nice job!!

You plan on putting a litter tray between each cage...or no? Wondering because it looks like the tray on the bottom will be to wide to fit under the other cages.


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## AClark (Aug 22, 2016)

Yes, you can buy 30x30 or so washing machine drip pans at lowes, they have a few sizes (ETA they are comparable to the pans for cages in price, and a lot closer than TS is from me). The pan on the bottom is 36x30. I just haven't made it down to lowes yet to pick up pans for in between, we are also toying with the idea of putting corrugated plastic between and PVC'ing it into a bucket instead - but I need the master carpenter to figure that one out for me.
For now, the bunny on the bottom has it rough with rude neighbors with bad plumbing but it'll be fixed by the end of the day.
there is actually space between the top of the cages and the 2x4, just that those cages are newly made and still a bit bowed so it looks like there isn't.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 22, 2016)

Oh alright that makes sense..and yeah our rabbits have had the same problem at some point or another. 

I just tell them pretend they are in victorian times and walked to close to the eaves when the piss pots were being emptied in the am.

Lowes is no where near us but TSC is like 15-20 mins from here i work...TSC is $17-20 per pan so we decided for summer to hang cages outside and just not stack anyone....winter is gonna be interesting.


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## babsbag (Aug 22, 2016)

Cages look good.   I used to put those water bottle tips on 2 liter soda bottles.


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## AClark (Aug 22, 2016)

Lowes is 6 miles from me, TS is 22 miles. Washer drip pans are $18-19 so about the same price range, and probably will hold up better considering they're made to hold washer weight. They will be moving outside once we get moved though.

I tried the 2 liter bottles but it leaked really bad, same tip. Not sure if it was the additional pressure or what, but the spray bottle doesn't leak.


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## AClark (Aug 24, 2016)

Nothing new going on with the creatures, I did get the washer fixed after a flood of dirty stagnant wash water, 2 hours with multiple applications of the f-word, and every knuckle on my hand busted and a cut on my arm. For whatever reason, I couldn't get a bolt off to take the front off the washer (samsung front loader) so I did the pump from the back. It is not made to have the pump removed from the back, however, it is possible with long skinny arms. 
Of course, I own 4 ratchets, in all 3 standard sizes - and only had 1/4 inch drive sockets and couldn't find that ratchet - thousands of dollars worth of tools and held up by missing one 1/4 drive ratchet - oh, and could the bolt have been standard? NOOO has to be metric 13, just enough where a 1/2 inch slips. It made things interesting. However, the sweet reward was turning on the washer and listening to the water flow out of it, and being able to have clean sheets and clothes again. My husband has been at work since Monday and hasn't been home, and I was on day 6 of not doing laundry. I do everyones laundry on separate days to lessen the workload, but now it's piled up. Maybe I'll catch up today.
I figure that 1/4 inch drive ratchet is probably in my old truck, where I took the dash apart and never put it back together. I've been chasing an electrical demon and thought it was behind the dash - nope! So I left it off so I can clean really good behind the instrument panel and put in a stereo. Someone actually stole the stock stereo out of it. Now why is that hilarious to me? Because it was a standard tape deck and AM/FM. They spent all that time to rip off an obsolete piece of junk. They also did a very nice job of not tearing up my dash at all, and unplugged everything rather than rip and cut. I figure they saved me some time taking it out myself. 

We have about 2 weeks until I figure one of my does is due. I tried palpating her but you know what? I can't tell anything from feeling around. Whatever, I'll put a box in and if she has babies awesome, if not, we'll try again. The other two should be due about a week after her, 2 days apart, if they are going to anyway. So I still have that 3rd box to build.


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## Latestarter (Aug 24, 2016)

Way to go... push on through despite the obstacles!


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## Baymule (Aug 24, 2016)

Fixing appliances! Go girl!!


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## Latestarter (Aug 24, 2016)

I've heard folks talk about plugged up "lint traps" in washers. I remember the old central post agitator washers had a "sieve basket" that sat on top of the central post. The water was cycled up and back into the washer tub through that basket and there was always a lint ball in there at the end of the spin cycle. I now have a front load washer and have no idea where the lint trap is, if it exists, or how to get to it to clean it even if it needed cleaning/emptying...  Since it's staying here for the new owner(s), I guess I no longer have to worry about it


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## babsbag (Aug 24, 2016)

Seems like we used to put extra washers in the 2 liter bottles for water...that was 30 years ago so who knows what has changed.


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## AClark (Aug 25, 2016)

@Latestarter Oh God, yes front loaders have a lint trap. What brand washer is it? Whirlpools are on the bottom under the drum, you have to take the front plate off - it's a pain. My Samsung has a door to access the lint trap. They also catch spare change, nutsa nd bolts, and anything else that was in your pocket. 
They need to be cleaned out about every 2 months, as they clog with lint, critter hair, hay, everything. At some point if you never clean them out, you'll get a No Drain error (ND on Samsung, other codes for others) and you'll have to. It also burns out the drain pump. The lint trap is on the drain pump  put a bucket under that thing before you pull it and hold your nose. Nobody is prepared for the smell that comes out of front loading washers, lol. 

All that's just good to know if you have another front loader in the future - Samsung and LG make the better washers IMO, and they have easier access to the trap, it doesnt' require anything other than open the door and spin the trap off, whereas some other models require disassembly. I am not an appliance mechanic (I prefer diesel or old gas trucks!) but when you do 15 loads of laundry a week, and it's been sitting dead for 6 days, you become one!


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## Baymule (Aug 25, 2016)

I never knew that. I have a front loader Samsung and just got up to go look at it. It has a little door down by the floor so I guess that is where I am supposed to clean it out. I've had it for 1 1/2 years..... Sounds like it's gonna be a fun task.


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## Bruce (Aug 25, 2016)

Hey Joe, thanks for moving to Texas and posting about it so @AClark could tell me about the lint trap in my washer!

I imagine there is something about it in the owner's manual and if it got clogged up enough to throw a code I would dig it out but, no need now. I have a 5 Y/O Whirlpool Duet. Fortunately mine is a model that has the access panel below the door. Found a video from a lady that had the same brand, no access panel and she took off a WHOLE lot of the metal around the washer (not all of it was necessary she found out) but a SERIOUS PITA. I swear these things are made to ensure the "Maytag Repair Man" stays in business.

Found a video for mine (after I did it of course):





The part where he pulls the strainer and pump out a bit and puts it back in is kind of dark so here is some of detail. The red rubber tab holds the front of the strainer down. There are 2 black rubber "supports" one on either side if the strainer body an inch or 2 back. There are tabs on the front of them but you don't need to mess with that. There are "keyway" slots in the washer sheet metal. If you pull the whole strainer body forward about 3/4" you can pull the rubber parts up and out of the sheet metal. Probably tight the first time. Then you can pull the entire thing forward enough to get the front of it over a bucket (or if you don't have the way WAY overpriced drawers, get something shallow like a cookie sheet with sides) so the water doesn't go into the drawer. Mine wasn't too bad, 1 small screw, 2 small balls of Hershey's Kiss foil (safely blaming the spouse for those) and a bit of gunk. Stunk though, just like a sink drain that should have been cleaned a month ago.

For all you front loader owners out there, find a video for YOUR washer on YouTube, or check the owner's manual in case it actually tells you how to do this. Seems like yet another appliance thing that should be checked regularly but isn't because it is anywhere from "not a big deal (some have access doors), to a slight PITA like mine to a HUGE PITA like the model in the first video I found.

Thanks @AClark


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## Bruce (Aug 25, 2016)

Baymule said:


> I never knew that. I have a front loader Samsung and just got up to go look at it. It has a little door down by the floor so I guess that is where I am supposed to clean it out. I've had it for 1 1/2 years..... Sounds like it's gonna be a fun task.


See if you can pull the body forward like mine. If not figure out some way to catch and funnel the water outside the washer when you pull the strainer. Yours will likely be fairly easy since there are no torx screws to remove to get a panel off for access, just flip open the door. Mine are torx/hex combo so I could use a ratchet to remove them since my "indoor tool kit" has no torx driver.


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## babsbag (Aug 25, 2016)

I have a Samsung front loader, and for the record, I hate ALL front loaders and washers without agitators. However, I digress. My lint trap seldom has anything in it, but the cold water supply line has a filter on it (hot might too) and it gets clogged and when that happens the bleach and fabric softener dispensers don't empty all of the way. It is time to clean mine again; about every 6 months. 

My next appliance to repair is the igniter on my gas stove.


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## AClark (Aug 25, 2016)

I've found the easiest and least messy way to do it is have a shop vac running. Put the bucket under the trap, twist it off and shove the hose to the shop vac in it. That sucks all the water and any leftover lint out of the lines really well. It also helps knock down the "swamp" smell. They tell you to clean them out with affresh or whatever once a month but I don't see where it helps the smell, maybe the build up. I do know that when you aren't using it, if you leave the door open it relieves most of the swamp smell because it's airing out instead of sitting stagnant. However, my washer gets used almost daily so that never happens here.
I had an older whirlpool duet, and it required you remove the bottom panel to get at the trap. I like the Samsung a lot more! I have the way over priced drawers, and they do make it a pain because any water that misses the bucket/shop vac goes in the drawers. Empty them out before you do it lol. With the whirlpool and not having drawers, I used a board to get under it and then my 3 ton floor jack to bring it up high enough to remove the bottom panel - that works pretty good. I got rid of the whirlpool because it was constantly breaking down, I went through 5 drums within a year and a half - luckily I had extended warranty but I'd spend weeks waiting on parts, and it was useless when the drum went because it would tear the rubber seal and leak water out the front of the door.

I am also not a fan of front loaders, except for the fact that they are larger capacity. Before them I had a 20+ year old Kenmore. I gave it away and they're still using it. I think agitators get the clothes cleaner, but it's nice not to spend an entire day doing laundry, I think I cut down from 20 loads to around 15 (which includes sheets and such).

They definitely need to be cleaned out to be efficient. Especially with heavy use. Mine always has grass, hay, lint, lego pieces, and change in it. I go through pockets but sometimes I miss stuff. I'm more diligent about DH's uniforms because he likes to leave pens in the sleeve pocket. Any money found in pockets is for the "laundry fairy" aka me.
Most of them have filters on the hot and cold water hoses too and those clog up, that's a "no fill" error. We have really hard water (between 800-1000 PPM according to my tester) and things like the bathtub and the washer are always full of junk. CLR cleans it right off within a few minutes though.
I know that at least with mine, the propeller for the drain pump is open once the trap is removed, so all that hair and stuff can get jammed in it if it's not cleaned. That was probably the reason for the death of my pump. I could tell it was seized because I put my finger in and the prop wouldn't spin at all, even after being cleaned out. It finally had enough of gobs of animal hair and lint I guess!

I have to go to the feedstore tomorrow. Normally I enjoy the trip, but I'm pretty sure I'm suffering from food poisoning and the bunnies are just getting extra grass and hay until I go for their pellets. I'm dreading having to drive down to get my son from football practice. At least I have lots of dog and cat food, it's just rabbit pellets I'm out of - but I highly doubt they'll starve with plenty of alfalfa hay to eat.


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## Baymule (Aug 25, 2016)

@AClark if you have food poisoning, mix apple cider vinegar and honey half and half. pour 1/4 cup in a glass and fill with water. Sip on it, don't guzzle it down. This is good if you are vomiting and having diarrhea, even if you vomit it up, enough will be in your system to help. In 30 to 45 minutes, the vomiting and diarrhea will stop.


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## Bruce (Aug 25, 2016)

Is this a case of using raw honey and its various anti (most anything bad) properties vs refined honey?


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## AClark (Aug 25, 2016)

I'll remember that for next time! I'm over the worst of it, it was mostly just vomiting and cold sweats, I was literally soaked this morning when I woke up. I still feel bad, but haven't thrown up in several hours so it's worked it's way through. Guess that's what I get for eating fast food.


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## greybeard (Aug 25, 2016)

My old wringer washing machine never threw a single code--neither has my newer 12 yr old rotary control Hotpoint.


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## AClark (Aug 25, 2016)

@greybeard so what you're saying is you're volunteering to come do laundry for 6 of us with it? lol
I was at that point Monday morning, I washed a few things in the kitchen sink, can't go without skivvies!


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## Latestarter (Aug 25, 2016)

Sorry you've been dealing with that... I guess we've all had to deal with it at some point. Never fun. Hope you heal up pretty quick.


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## Bruce (Aug 26, 2016)

greybeard said:


> My old wringer washing machine never threw a single code--neither has my newer 12 yr old rotary control Hotpoint.


Same with my 1931 Glenwood Insulated Deluxe cooking stove. No codes. Same cast iron burner technology that is found on current very high end BBQ's. Never fails to light unless the Scripto "Aim and Flame" runs out of fluid. Works when the power it out.


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## AClark (Aug 30, 2016)

Noticed one of my does has ear mites this morning. Nobody else has anything goopy, but her ears have some crusty goop and she keeps shaking her head. Dosed her with some Ivermectin (Noromectin) I have for the dogs heart worm preventative so hopefully it clears up quick.

ETA: It did clear up basically over night, now just to treat preventative for the next couple of weeks to make sure anything that hatches dies!
It has done nothing but rain here the last 4 days or so, we are on a flash flood watch until 5 PM today. It sucks because I forgot a bag of feed in the bed of my truck and the bag obviously got wet. It seems ok and we should go through it, it's dry now, but I was pretty irked I forgot it. I carried 1 in and got busy I guess and forgot the other.

So I never mentioned my rabbits names. I let my children name them, so they have some weird ones, but I don't care.
Does are "Sunny Butterfly", "Ellie" and "Daisy". The bucks are Midnight and Popcorn. Ellie and Daisy I picked up here in town and when I went to get them I noticed the neighborhood was really shady - which I should have realized from the side of town they were on. I suggested "Ghetto Bunny" and "Hood rat" for their names but the kids shot that down.

Anyway Sunny is due to have kits on the 7th if she caught after losing her entire first litter. Then Daisy and Ellie are due sometime the next week - I have to look at my record to know exactly what days.
I'm also starting to look for some angora bunnies. We found a build design for a spinning wheel and wow that sounds like so much fun. Hubby is certain he can build it and said it looks pretty easy, he can knock it out in an afternoon. I crochet and knit already, and I would die to get my hands on some real angora yarn. I see finding angora's here isn't so easy so I may wait until we move - not only for less critters to bring but may find some closer to where we're going.

I'm really debating what type of Angora's to get. I see where people spin dog hair, and since i have a dog that sheds in globs I figure I can use that to practice with since who cares if I ruin it or make mistakes, it's dog hair.

But the spinning wheel is a project for another weekend, this weekend we have to do the tie rods on my husbands truck. It shudders so bad at 45+ that it's scary, and with it being lifted I"m afraid it's going to go and he'll end up rolling. It's to the point that me and the kids aren't allowed to ride in it until it's repaired, so we've been using my truck for the family outtings. Mine needs rear brakes and that's an unholy nightmare with a dually. I never realized the rear axle has that much to remove to get at the disc brakes. They just started making some noise so it definitely has to be a vehicle repair weekend. I'm debating getting my old one up and running, it needs a battery, just for a back up since both of our regular drivers are in need of parts. I'm picking up the tie rods, all 4, this afternoon and my brake pads. Looks like the tie rods are easier than my brake pads will be though.


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## AClark (Sep 6, 2016)

The tie rods, oh good lord. So that took us 2 days to finish. We realized after the install that "wow, this truck toes out super bad". We did notice the old tie rods were shorter, and after some Google-fu I found out that when you put a suspension lift on your truck, it changes tie rods and ends. So off it all came so we could use an angle grinder to cut 3/4 inch off them. Then they fit right! It's back together, and the only issue is I didn't quite get the alignment perfect, there is a very slight left pull.
We couldn't get to that until Sunday though because we were both sunburned and overheated. Meanwhile, we decided to put the new ICP sensor in my diesel.
FML! Since we're both too short to reach the ICP sensor (behind the alternator) my husband climbed up to sit on the driver side battery. He must have bumped the top radiator hose and the entire thing broke off.
Plastic crap! Now, you can't just replace the broken plastic piece on the radiator, you have to replace the entire radiator. Meanwhile, his truck hadn't been finished on the tie rods. Normally we wouldn't work on 2 at a time but the ICP sensor should have been just an unbolt and bolt the new one back in and done. He had to call a buddy to give him a ride down to pick up an entire new radiator for it. That wasn't a bad job to do, just really messy with all the anti-freeze, motor oil, and tranny fluid that leaks out when you disconnect the radiator.
We did manage to finish both trucks on Sunday. It definitely reinforced that vehicle #3 needs a battery so we have a back up. I could have pulled one of mine off the diesel, but the older pickup has some other issues that make it hard to start and it needs some work anyway. it will start, but you have to jump out and pop the hood to turn it off. We never did get to my rear brakes. I still have to top off my tranny fluid, it's not on the stick anymore after that much leaked out, but we were pretty delighted that the intercooler and tranny cooler didn't need to be removed. It really was about 8 bolts and it lifted right out. Kind of bummed that I lost all my anti-freeze, considering I had just flushed it last December.


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## Baymule (Sep 6, 2016)

You are my hero.  I have NO idea how to work on a truck.


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## AClark (Sep 6, 2016)

DH did most of the work, I am getting too big in the middle to get around as well as I need to, and can't lean over things as well anymore. It's team work though, I grab tools and hold parts, put things together, and he does the heavy lifting and breaking bolts loose. 

Side note, we should have a litter of baby bunnies tomorrow or the next day. Her box is in but I don't see any start to a nest. I'm a bit concerned since last time she lost them all, but since I moved her to the garage where it's a lot warmer than the house, I think I have a bit more wiggle room in case of emergency.


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## AClark (Sep 8, 2016)

6 babies born this morning - haven't tried to figure out what they are yet, other than alive and wiggly. Only the last one was born on the wire but I happened to check and catch it about as soon as it was born, then noticed the pile of fur in the box was moving. 

I'll have to get better pictures later, the Canon had a dead battery, so phone photo has to do.
I like the nest, I gave her shredded newspaper and some pine chips, the alfalfa was her's to eat that she dragged in for them. Much better than last time!


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## Bruce (Sep 8, 2016)

I would guess they are bunnies


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## AClark (Sep 8, 2016)

Mutt bunnies for the freezer! Lol. I might sell a few as pets but if they don't go for pets, they are food. What I meant was what gender they are though  lol you sound like my husband, he's a perpetual smart aleck too.

Still 2 more does potentially due on the 13th and 15th. Not sure that they caught yet, but preparing anyway.


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## Baymule (Sep 8, 2016)

Mmmmmm.......bunnies.....  

Fried rabbit, rabbit stew, rabbit gumbo, rabbit casserole, rabbit enchiladas, rabbit sausage, bunny burgers, rabbit chili, smothered rabbit in gravy........


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## AClark (Sep 9, 2016)

Taters precious! Boil 'em, mash 'em, put 'em in a stew?


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## AClark (Sep 12, 2016)

So the truck saga continues. Apparently the sensor we put in was supposed to have a gasket, that wasn't in the box. It blew oil all over the street in front of my house and I'm afraid to drive it since it's blowing a lot of it. Now to find a gasket to fit that little fitting and put it back on again...finding the gasket isn't easy. Being down to 1 running vehicle sucks. 

We still have 6 baby bunnies and she's doing well taking care of them. My red doe is due tomorrow, she got her box yesterday and it's full of material and fur already, so I may have a nice surprise tomorrow morning, or even tonight. The chinchilla colored one is due on Thursday, and I don't have a box made yet. I may end up buying one since both of my "templates" are currently occupied.
It's a funny mix of the 6 already here, 2 black, 2 "fawn"? and 2 I'm not sure what color they are...all with big white spots, but they don't look like typical brokens, more like the mother with a big strip of white on the face and neck.


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## greybeard (Sep 12, 2016)

If it's a Ford, the ICP sensor has just a little 'o' ring above the threads. Tightening too tight will break the ring. Another common failure is a split in the top part of the plastic part of the sensor, and it will squirt oil everywhere, kinda like the older oil pressure sensors and switches did when they cracked. Not unusual to get a new one right out of the box and it leaks too. 
(I was a diesel mechanic for about 2 decades)


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## AClark (Sep 12, 2016)

Yes it's a Ford (7.3 Powerstroke), and it just didn't have the o-ring at all, we pulled it and looked. THe problem with the old one was that it had oil all the way up into the plug in for the pig tail, so we replaced the pig tail and the sensor. I didn't notice because the old one had probably rotted off or was too covered to notice. I thought it was leaking off the new radiator we had to install, but that's all clean, this is sprayed on the bottom of the hood and down into the valley. 
We're working down on cold start problems, and figured this couldn't hurt to replace. It basically won't start unless it's been left on the block heater for an hour plus if it's under 60 degrees, however once you start it in the morning it can sit for hours and hours and will start right up - no white smoke or anything, just cranks without firing. GPR tests good with the multimeter, I ohmed out all the glow plugs (0.08 ohms) - nothing noticeable there. Injectors have been replaced, 191k miles on it now. Both batteries are getting older and have been replaced multiple times due to failures (dont' buy cheap batteries!) so we're just stumped on it. Oil gets changed at 5k miles, I change the fuel filter every 10k. Don't buy cheap fuel filters either, the last Duralast one I got split and spewed diesel everywhere while I was priming it. I thought I seated it wrong until I pulled it back off and all the pieces fell out. 
Replaced the HPOP a year ago after it blew apart. Here's the old HPOP:




Here's all the parts recovered after I cleaned them up (they wouldn't accept a box of parts for the core)


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## AClark (Sep 12, 2016)

On a different topic, baby bunny pics.


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## AClark (Sep 13, 2016)

We have 5 more baby rabbits. They were born yesterday afternoon. That makes 11 born within a week, with 1 more doe due Thursday. These were a day early and a surprise. I went out to check and the fur pile was moving. This doe did a lot better than my other one, it's her first litter but she built an overkill nest, had them all in the nest and covered up within about an hour between me going out there.

Finishing up the last nest box that should already be in there with the last doe...It still needs a bottom. My husband cut it out last night, we are kinda behind the curve this time!


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## Latestarter (Sep 13, 2016)

Agreed, having only one vehicle sucks. Hope you get it fixed including the fail to start cold issue.


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## AClark (Sep 13, 2016)

Thanks, the fail to start I've learned to adapt over - cheap christmas light timer and plugged in. It comes on in the morning before I wake up and it's nice and warm by the time I have to go. Bright side to that is the engine is warm and the heater works almost instantly!
It's just the o-ring, but I can't manage to get down to autozone on foot, it's a bit too far of a walk for me, so there it sits in a pool of motor oil until someone has enough pity to take me to the store for a $2 o ring.


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## HomeOnTheRange (Sep 13, 2016)

If I still lived in Las Cruces we could knock this issue out quickly!  Will your AutoZone deliver?


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## AClark (Sep 13, 2016)

They probably would, except I'm not sure on the size of the o-ring and have to bring the part in to size one. All I know is it's small, maybe 3/8 ID. If I could say with any certainty I am pretty sure I could have talked someone into picking me up one already. 
I worked around it, gave up on trying to get my husband to give me a ride, he's in the dog house. I'm going to fill it up and go down there with it tomorrow with the tools to fix it in the parking lot. It is leaking pretty excessively, but I"ll determine my options int he morning when I check the oil. I am pretty sure I was driving it spraying oil, so that should give me a good clue as to how much it's going to blow out in the 6 miles I need to limp it down. 
The other option is to yank a battery out and stick it in my 84. The 84 will start with some coaxing, but the speedometer doesn't work in it, lol. I can use my phone app for that though, just it's hoses and belts are so old that it really probably is safer to take the oil leaking diesel. The 84 hasn't really been meant to be driven, we are restoring it and it looks like hell with the dash pulled off, but it will start and drive and is legal with plates and insurance all the same. I really regret not working on it more to have it as a back up vehicle now.


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## AClark (Sep 14, 2016)

@greybeard you were right, I got o-rings and pulled the ICP off, it did have the ring on it but it was torn. Put a new o-ring on, still have a leak where it seats. That might be because I was apprehensive on putting too much tight to it, so I tightened it down a bit more gently and we'll see. I was down 2 qts this morning, just barely still on the stick. I have a big deep 1 1/4" socket that fits it nicely and doesn't seem to touch the plastic, that was my main concern was breaking that plastic off or shredding another o-ring - except now I have 12 of the suckers.
It has always had a minor oil drip, just a spot or two every now and then that we could never find, I don't stress over that, I know it takes about 2000 miles to need a qt, but this leak is definitely more severe.

Side note, made a call where I bought it and they're sending me another sensor for free, and don't want my oily mess of one back either!


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## AClark (Sep 15, 2016)

Do you ever start on a project, intending to fix something minor, and it's now a week later and you have more problems than you started with? I think it's just because we noticed more problems when we started, lol.

My husbands truck, we had to replace the tie rods, got the parts etc. It's lifted, which apparently means that stuff from Autozone does not fit and you need to modify or order them. We figure that out when we can't adjust the alignment and it started wearing on the tires.
Ok, so now I've saved the old ones and I'm hunting down the correct outer tie rod ends. The inners were the same as what was on it, just longer, so we cut those down to be the right size no problem. Meanwhile, realize "hey that tire shouldn't wobble back and forth" - yep, wheel bearings on one side. I'm a firm believer in "I'm not just doing one side to do the other side a week from now" so replacing both...blah.

Then, the diesel truck, since I'm a bit SOL on waiting on the new one to get here, I "fixed" the leaking one with a rubber hose o-ring. Seriously, I put the new o ring that fit on the part and it leaked, so I added another larger ring and tightened it, and so far...no leaks. This is ridiculous to be down 2 vehicles in a week. Seriously need to get busy on the restoration project so we at least can drive that.


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## Latestarter (Sep 15, 2016)

Or you could cut your losses and get rid of everything and start over from scratch... Don't you just wish you could afford to do that?


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## Baymule (Sep 15, 2016)

There was a time that if there was some old POS vehicle over 20 years old sporting 150,000 plus miles, then it had my name on it. For the longest time I drove a raggedy   oldsmobile that my mechanic warned me not to drive any farther out of town than I wanted a wrecker to drag it back.


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## AClark (Sep 16, 2016)

That's basically what I've owned all of my adult life. None of them being a true POS, but I"ve never owned a brand new vehicle. I can't justify paying that kind of money to drive it off the lost and havei t lose a ton of it's value.
My husbands truck is 7 years old, less than 100k miles, mine is 16 with almost 200k. I expect stuff to go on mine by now, the little things that are worn from all those miles.

Daisy had kits last night. I counted 5, but she was pretty frantic still so I let her be and went to bed. I'll see if I have more sometime today.


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## Baymule (Sep 16, 2016)

DH has a 2004 F250 diesel, bought new when I sold Fords. It was nice to use my employee discount, then Ford ran a no interest sale, so we came out smelling like a rose.

Glad Daisy had her kits. I used to raise rabbits many years ago and I loved the baby bunnies. They are so cute! Until you get too many of them, then they are so delicious!


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## AClark (Sep 16, 2016)

I'm driving a 2000 F350 with the 7.3 diesel motor. Less problems than the 6.0 or subsequent 6.4 but when stuff breaks, it really breaks! It's pretty easy to work on, but the parts costs are prohibitive. This stupid little sensor that's broken is over $100 retail. It's literally the size of a D cell battery. I love that an oil change at home costs me about $80, most of that being in motor oil (got the 5 gallon bucket on sale at Napa last time of the Delo 15w40 for like $65), hubbys truck takes 7 qts of oil (5.7L Hemi) and it's less than half the cost of mine at 15 qts.

They are adorable, but I don't really have many qualms about eating them. There are a couple that might get saved back but they won't be as cute by butchering time so we'll see!


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## AClark (Sep 23, 2016)

Well I have a runt, unfortunately it's my favorite marked one. I'm not sure if it's male or female so it may not matter anyway, but it's considerably smaller than the rest. It's not a peanut, these aren't dwarf rabbits, so I don't know what gives. It's healthy and wiggly, just tiny. We'll see if it survives. Other than that, still running 16 babies with no losses yet. The oldest ones are out of the box and hopping around and being generally cute. 

I think getting the (free) replacement sensor worked. I've always had a very minor oil drip, but it also seems to be gone, and it's not pouring oil out like it's going out of style. I don't even think I need to change the oil for an extra month the way it was leaking. There are some good benefits to buying on ebay, the seller I used was awesome and didn't want the leaky one back, just shipped a new one at his cost. Parts are also cheaper on Ebay. I think my starter ran $80 or so with shipping, when Autozone wanted close to $200 for it. 
Not to mention, I find that getting parts at autozone are hit or miss, they are notorious for giving me the wrong part. I've learned if I'm going to buy from there, I have to bring it in with me to compare, because a lot of the time the computer is wrong. 
Ebay is also my go to place to get replacement parts for the 84 Dodge. They are cheaper and I can always find them, opposed to the local auto parts store which doesn't always stock parts for something that old.


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## Mike CHS (Sep 23, 2016)

There are some good and economical vendors online that I have used.  I needed new headlights for my 11 year old Tacoma and the dealer wanted $193 EACH.  I got the two headlights online for $78 for both.


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## AClark (Sep 23, 2016)

Same, I replaced the headlights on the F350 earlier this year. The old ones were in bad shape, really foggy and a broken turn signal. I put some cool ones on it for $140 for the pair (all inclusive with the turn signals built in unlike the old ones) - the angel eye halo ones. 
Now if I could only find some nice seat covers that actually fit it! All these new ones have holes for head rests, and I don't have any head rests! lol


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## Bruce (Sep 23, 2016)

AClark said:


> That's basically what I've owned all of my adult life. None of them being a true POS, but I"ve never owned a brand new vehicle. I can't justify paying that kind of money to drive it off the lost and havei t lose a ton of it's value.
> .....



If you are going to drive it until it dies, buying new isn't a bad idea, Yeah, you can buy one several years old, the one someone wants to get rid of BEFORE it starts costing them money, but then YOU pay for those repairs.


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## AClark (Sep 24, 2016)

I try to pick something that is relatively gently used - I can't afford a $45,000 price tag or the payments that go with that, but I need a large pick up. The bright side is if stuff breaks on a new truck it can be under warranty, but again that price tag is hideous (MSRP on a truck like mine, 2016 model is $42,000 - mine is a long bed, super duty crew cab dual rear wheel) whereas I paid $9k for my truck, and for the life of it probably won't put another $30k into it. A new motor for mine is $7k, transmission is about $3k, so for about $10k I can replace the two most expensive parts on it. 
So far I've replaced the oil pump, $450
Starter: $80
ICP sensor - $22 on Ebay
Headlights - $140 (but that was an optional upgrade I could have spent less and replace just the broken parts)
Radiator - $160 - because we broke it putting in the ICP sensor but it was crisp and on it's way out - my mom had the same problem on her 1990 F150, the plastic breaks where the hose goes on.
AC harness - $40 from a junkyard

The rest has been general maintenance and replaceable items that I'd have to do no matter what year it was, batteries, oil filter, fuel filters, oil, tires.

That being said, my truck is registered in Arizona. Arizona charges you a percentage based on the value of your vehicle, to be depreciated every year. My plates are now $80 for 2 years, instead of $600+ a year for a newer car. When I had my Mustang, which was used but only a couple of months old and I knew the person who bought it and couldn't hack the payments anymore, the plates cost about twice what a car payment was. I had that car for 10 years (it was a 2004 anniversary edition and traded it in for my truck) and replaced the whole rack and pinion + power steering pump and the alternator in it. The rack and pinion gave out in 2011, so it was a 7 year old car, and when i traded it in (2014) it had 99k miles on it.  
My ex husband drove the Mustang and I drove a GMC Yukon XL - but when we divorced he insisted that he take the Yukon, even though he's single with no kids living with him, so I had to trade the car in for something with more seating. Funny thing is that Yukon has around 160k on it now and he recently replaced the water pump to the tune of $800 and the knock sensor threw a code. Why? Because it has had a knock in it since about 140k miles. 
I've definitely replaced more on the F350, but it has 191k miles on it, and the motor is great, tranny is in great shape too.


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## Bruce (Sep 25, 2016)

Can't argue with that @AClark! 

Why is your truck registered in AZ? TX doesn't tax by value does it?

Anyone else remember when trucks were austere utility vehicles and not priced like luxury cars??


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## AClark (Sep 26, 2016)

I'm an Arizona resident legally (have an AZ drivers license too), and being military we can put whatever plates on our vehicles. I can put TX plates on it, but it is far easier to keep AZ plates which get mailed to my parents house and they just send me the stickers. 
The short answer is Arizona doesn't require emissions testing (except 2 counties, neither of which are my home of record), no safety inspection - just pay them, receive sticker for the plate. No stupid stickers on the windshield, no getting it inspected before your plates are up, and if you have a dash light on like I do, it doesn't matter. My "brake" light has been on for over a year since I had a recall fixed at the dealership - they cut into the harness on the master cylinder to put a fusible link in and it never went off again - they also claim is not "their" fault. It would never pass TX inspection with that light on, even though it doesn't mean anything other than my cruise control isn't working and it worked fine before the dealership touched it. 
It's also a bit cheaper, our TX registered truck cost $90 + inspection fee this year, Mine is only $80 for 2 years, my 84 Dodge is $31 for 2 years of plates (also registered in AZ). Technically our other truck didn't pass this year due to the tint, which doesn't make sense because mine is legal here in TX and AZ (35%) and darker than his, but his failed on it, but the shop let it slide and said we tell a cop we just had the tint put on so he doesn't get nailed for it. 

Trucks used to be for work and not a luxury vehicle, that's for sure! Now you could buy a nice BMW for less than a pickup unless you go really barebones on the truck. I think they do it to keep people from buying gas guzzlers vs cars.


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## AClark (Oct 5, 2016)

I'm so over this sensor and the leaking - it did great for about 2 weeks and I'm back to leaving puddles everywhere I park. Truck runs great, sensor is working, but I'll be damned if I can figure out why it's leaking again.

Bunnies are doing good, still have 16, even the little bitty runt is healthy, just tiny. Two of the white ones have red eyes which was a surprise since both parents are white with dark eyes. I'm not really handling them since they have a purpose, but the oldest ones are friendly regardless. They meet me at the cage door on their hind feet to be petted, and really how can I say no? The most I ever handled them was to check that they were being fed and to put them back.

I have a feeling that butchering day is going to suck for me, I've really tried to not get attached and not to handle them so they wouldn't be friendly, but some of them are anyway! The other two litters are much more standoffish, and that is fine by me.

Well, just a short note on things, since I need to go pull that sensor off and see if I can stop the leak, since I need to hit the feed store and grocery store both today. If I get lucky I may even make it down to the fabric shop which I've needed to do for several weeks. I have a lot of sewing that needs to get done, and I'm running out of time, but this leaky truck makes me wary to drive it very far.

ETA: So, somehow that sensor managed to work loose - that was the cause of the leak. After spending 30 minutes looking for the correct socket for it, I noticed I could take it off with my fingers. How, I'm not sure, as I know I put it on reasonably tight to begin with.

I'm trying to get all these little things fixed, since we're doing our move after Christmas and I'm going to be hauling the other truck - I'm also about to be short the only other pair of adult hands for a month so now we're on a push to get it all done. Truck needs rear brake pads, but the thought of having to take off all 4 back tires isn't a pleasant one. It has to be done though, our car hauler doesn't have trailer brakes, so I'm going to have to rely on my trucks brakes to do the job. 

I swear my husbands work is doing everything they can to make this as difficult as possible. He's barely been home due to work issues (well, other peoples issues, not ours) and with him about to leave it's getting to be a lot. I'm scheduled for hand surgery after the baby is born so while I can get some stuff done, I am not nearly as efficient as I need to be.


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## AClark (Nov 29, 2016)

Well I haven't been around much due to the craziness of getting ready to move and all. Still looking for a house but have a lead on something in the country so maybe, I have my fingers crossed.

I lost the vast majority of my baby rabbits. They were 10 weeks old, I moved them to a big pen outside since I was out of space inside. Only the ones I planned on keeping stayed indoors. Something got into there inside my yard and I guess? scared them to death, they'd been out there for a couple of weeks already. I was planning on processing all of them the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I lost 8 in one night, moved the remaining ones inside, and ended up putting 1 down and the other passed on it's own, it seemed fine the day before as well, I went out to feed and it was dead. I have no clue what happened to them, the one i put down was still alive but couldn't get up. Not a single mark on any of them, cage was undisturbed. I had lost a couple before the move, mainly being the runty one - no clue on those either, nobody seemed sick and the ones that are still inside all are healthy and in good shape. It hasn't been very cold and they were protected from the wind, the place I have them indoors isn't heated either. I guess it's a learning experience, though I'm not sure what I learned other than my pellet gun is functional for the job, which I had planned on using it to process them.

I wasn't looking forward to processing day either, some of them were really friendly even though I barely handled them, but this just sucked.

Meanwhile, spent Thanksgiving day with my parents. My mom wanted us to cut a tree down for her because it had died and was leaning over a fence. My husband got their chainsaw out and got it running, cut a wedge in it...and we decided it felt rotten enough to pull over with the truck. It was leaning so bad we were really afraid to cut it in case it fell the wrong way (it could fall on a fence, through their power lines, or through the other fence - not a lot of room to drop it correctly), so we had planned on putting tension on it with my truck from a good distance to force it to fall that way.
Well, that didn't exactly work. I pulled the straps tight with the truck gently and the whole tree ripped out of the ground, roots and all. I had probably 200 feet of straps for a 20 ft tree so it didn't come anywhere near my truck, but


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## HomeOnTheRange (Nov 29, 2016)

Sorry to hear about your rabbits.  It is really sad to loose so many and not even know why!


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## Latestarter (Nov 29, 2016)

Did you use any kind of chemicals on the area where the rabbits were placed outside? Insecticides? herbicides? fertilizer? If so, it could have had a cumulative effect over time while they were out there. Just a thought. Sorry you lost them. Loss of meat as well as the hit to the pocketbook.  Hey! What's up with this?


AClark said:


> it didn't come anywhere near my truck, but


  An incomplete sentence followed by a distinct lack of pictures?!?!?!   Hope there wasn't any significant damage.


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## Bruce (Nov 29, 2016)

Maybe we get to suggest an ending to the story @Latestarter 

... it didn't come anywhere near my truck, but it scared the bejeezus out of us all the same.


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## Latestarter (Nov 29, 2016)

... it didn't come anywhere near my truck, but we'll be doing fencing on someone else's property besides our own.


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## AClark (Dec 1, 2016)

LOL, I got distracted and thought I was finished. It scared the living heck out of me because my almost 90 year old grandfather was "supervising" this (he's spry, very spry) and he has this tendency to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When I put tension on the rope to take up the slack I saw the tree start to go (I was idling the truck forward) and saw my husband pushing grandpa further away from the tree because it was shaking back and forth. I ended up gunning the truck - which sounds more bad@ss than it is considering I was in granny gear, to make sure it would come over my way and not on them. 

You just can't tell what crazy stuff might happen, and I was afraid it was going to snap and shoot back at them. I can replace a fence or call the power company out to fix the line if I goof up, but can't replace grandpa. Grandpa scares me because he can be kind of oblivious to when he needs to get out of the way. Love him dearly, but wish he wouldn't supervise our antics. My husband is good at getting out of the way but he does his own stuff I don't approve of...like climbing said rotten tree to put the strap on rather than going and getting the ladder. I was watching him pull off good sized limbs climbing it because it was in such bad shape, and though he's only 150 lbs, I had my doubts on whether it was going to hold him. 

The bright side is, now I don't have to worry about that huge tree coming down on the main power lines going in the house, or on the fencing, or my mom's truck or anything. Downside? When we go visit at Christmas we need to chop it up. 

As for the bunnies, no when I put them outside, I put them where my garden was. I've never used any chemicals there. They sprayed pesticides there before I moved in but not since, and they are supposed to be "eco friendly" for pets and kids. Maybe that was the cause though, it would make sense considering the one I put down was acting like it had a neurological problem.


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## AClark (Dec 6, 2016)

I've learned a lot about TX DMV lately, and am happy to be leaving. I mentioned before we had bought a flatbed/car hauler off a friend. Well, he gave us a bill of sale and receipt for it, he didn't have a title. Apparently, that's A-OK in TX and common for "home made" trailers. It is a manufactured trailer that had the tongue replaced, and the VIN is gone, but it has been registered etc. So, I went to register it, and found out to get a title on it I have to have it inspected. That means all the lights have to work, and they don't, I have a magnetic set to plug in for it. Then they charged me through the nose to register it, at least I think $66 is expensive for 1 year of trailer plates! At some point I'm going to have to get a title on it so I can register it back home, as they won't touch it without a title, but I'm not paying another $66 next year - my AZ plates on my truck are only $45 a year. AZ said my plates would be $125 but those are permanent plates that you don't have to renew ever. Maybe I'll register it in Oklahoma, I'm not sure, but definitely not TX.

It's down to crunch time getting ready to move. We just finished a nightmare with the gas pickup. When we first got the truck we went out mudding, and hit a huge hole in a wash we couldn't see - that broke the race and dumped all the bearings out of the CV axle, we replaced that but didn't realize it had damaged some other things as well (tie rod and wheel bearing on the same tire). After we had done the tie rods on it since one was shot, we figured out the wheel bearing was bad on that side - which requires replacing the entire hub. I ordered them in a pair, and we did the bad side first. It took about 4 hours to get it all apart. We held off on doing the second one because we ran out of time. Well, hubby and I were going to the store and the truck started wobbling really really bad. Pulled over and the driver side had sheared off 3 lug studs out of the 5 on the one we hadn't replaced yet. He has oversized tires, and though we went and got our car hauler after getting a friend to give us a ride home, the extra wide tires wouldn't fit on our trailer by about 1 inch, so had to call a tow truck to get it home. It also ate up the front tires pretty bad so another $400 for 2 new tires on top of the hubs/bearings and tie rods, and $100 to have it aligned after all that since I am not good at alignments. He makes fun of my 17 year old truck for having problems occasionally, but it has never cost us $1000 in repairs all at once, and it has 193k miles on it, his has 91k. The worst that has happened to mine was the oil pump went out almost 2 years ago and cost us $450 in parts to replace. We still have to do 2 actuators inside the dash on his because we just figured out his truck doesn't have any heat - I guess that's a perk of living in TX is realizing in December the truck heater isn't working. It was a recall for Dodge, but they said it had already been repaired and they wouldn't fix it again. They are easy, the worst part is pulling the dash apart. 

That being said, I am waiting on a new wiring harness for my cruise control. I took my truck to the dealership for a recall and they cut into the harness to put a fusible link in. Well, since theyd id that, I haven't had cruise control and my brake light is on and off. Only $14 to replace it and about 5 minutes, but all the same the dealership sucked and said it "wasn't their fault". Funny how it all worked fine until they cut into the harness. Barring anything breaking while I put that wire on, my truck is ready to go.

Other than that, it's the great purge of crap of 2016 in my house. I threw out an entire truck bed full of stuff out of the garage over the weekend, literally all junk and crap that has accumulated for the last 3 years. We are in the phase of "let's try to eat all the stuff out of the deep freezer" now, which makes for some oddly concocted meals. Anything we don't manage to eat we are giving to a friend. I've managed to empty the refrigerator and freezer that came with the house and get it clean, just have to find the shipping bolts for our washing machine now.


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## Latestarter (Dec 6, 2016)

I'm sure you'll be thrilled when it's all done and over with... Mean time, try to keep your chin up.


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## AClark (Dec 9, 2016)

Chin is definitely up because we are leaving here! I'll miss being close to my family, but this is a black hole in the way of duty stations.


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## AClark (Jan 10, 2017)

So, it's been a long month! We are moved, semi-unpacked. We rented a place that is farm critter friendly and has 2 acres. We thought we were going to lose quite a bit of square footage but it didn't end up being that way, this house is probably the same sq ft, just layed out different (better, IMHO) I gained kitchen space, office space, and bedroom space, but lost some footage in the dining room.

There were definitely some interesting setbacks, a fair amount of our furniture showed up broken (the stuff we didn't throw in our trucks) and the pack job is amazingly dumb. Nothing like unwrapping 20 pieces of paper to find a toothbrush and a washrag thrown into it, while drinking glasses got a single sheet. Our trip was uneventful, I towed the flatbed with my old pickup on it like a dream with the old F350. The recently repaired Dodge ran great too. I just got DSL internet installed today, as we're too far out to get anything but DSL or sattelite, but it seems sufficiently fast.

As for the creatures. We ended up putting the Shepherd down, our cattle dog is with us though. The GSD came with us and she flipped out so bad she tore a bunch of 2x6's up, stopped eating all together, and did nothing but pace and bark for 4 days even with a sedative, so it made the decision easier. All 8 rabbits made the trip in their cages in the bed of the old pickup on the trailer, covered with a tarp. I have an incubator going now with 24 mixed breed chicken eggs in it, we'll see how that works out as they are shipped eggs. We are planning on some quail after the chicken eggs. It's my first time incubating eggs so it's been a learning experience - I put in an automatic egg turner but I had to hand turn them for a couple of days before it got here as the farm store was sold out. I also have 2 Nubian does coming sometime this week, hopefully early on because we're in the path of the ice storm that is all over the news.

I don't mind it here. I'm not too sure about the weather, with us getting snow last Friday. My F350 waited until we got here to have a breakdown so that was nice, and it wasn't a major one. My heater core bit the dust and poured out the better part of a gallon of antifreeze, but it was a reasonably priced part and took my husband about an hour and a half to put in - as we couldn't get the "easy" clamps off and had to literally cut it out. I had a very heavy heart when I saw all the antifreeze pouring out of it, figuring it was the water pump (while not expensive, a lot more involved in replacing) but then noticed it was back by the passenger door, and when we removed the glove box and the cover, all kinds of antifreeze pouring out of the heater core. 

Lucky for me, this place came with a barn and a lean-to shed in the fenced pasture. I bedded it down for my goats already and I'm excited to bring them home. They are gorgeous!


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## Baymule (Jan 10, 2017)

So glad that you made the move and are getting settled in. That is a major event. Sorry about having to put your dog down. That is never an easy decision.

You'll have to post pictures of your new place and don't forget the goats!!!


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## Bruce (Jan 10, 2017)

Wow, must have been and still is exhausting!


Soooo, where are the pictures?

@Baymule you beat me to it!


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## HomeOnTheRange (Jan 10, 2017)

Glad you made it!


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## Mike CHS (Jan 10, 2017)

I hate that about your dog but glad you got home finally.


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## AClark (Jan 10, 2017)

Pictures pending finding my camera amongst all the boxes, lol.


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## Latestarter (Jan 10, 2017)

Sorry you had to put the one down, but from everything you shared, it was best all around. Glad you're there and starting to get settled! I think you said this will be DH's final tour, right? So you'll be staying there after he's out? But maybe moving to (buying) a different (bigger) place? Did you have the goats before or are they brand new to you? I can't recall... Already hatching eggs to boot... Do you have a coop and run set up already? I'm jealous... I need to get off my butt and start getting things accomplished around here


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## NH homesteader (Jan 10, 2017)

Seriously Latestarter! Joking... 

Congrats on the move and the goats.. Sorry you had to put your dog down but it sounds like it was best for all involved. Best not to let her suffer.


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## AClark (Jan 11, 2017)

It was the best thing for my poor dog. I cried at the vet, my husband wouldn't even get out of the truck. She was well loved but mentally suffering. I don't think we'll get another dog, at least for a very long time, our cattle dog is under 1 year old and he has a long life left with us.

Late, I did not have the goats before. I had a goat when I was a teenager though; a smelly, nasty pygmy buck aptly named Stinky - but he was cool, he would ride in the back of my truck like a dog. We will probably stay in the house we rented as long as we can before deciding to purchase somewhere. We still want to get a feel for the area and if we're going to like it enough to stay, but so far so good. It also depends on DH's work. It looks like he got a good cushy job here, and if he can stay in that, he'll be a lot happier, and so will I. We've grown really tired of all the field time and deployments, and since his back surgery I think it's best if he stays in an admin job vs. out working with heavy guns.
I do not have a coop set up yet. DH already planned out how to do it, as he is the carpenter around here and said he can knock it out in a day and not to worry about it, we had time before our chickens would be out in one, lol. I candled my shipped eggs - they didn't have the best shipping experience so I was pretty leary about any of them even starting. They're at day 4 now and I can see veins in some of them (the white and Maran ones anyway, the blue ones I can't see squat in, they are thick!) so at least I know they were fertile and not damaged enough in shipping to not do anything. I do realize they may still not make it, but at least I know they were good to start with.
 We had a snow storm the day they were to be delivered and we didn't get mail that day. I talked to the post office the next day and our rural carrier said "Oh no, I saw what they were and kept them inside, so they've been warm." - heck I was just calling to see if they knew where they were so we could drive down and pick them up. I am terrible at driving on snow, but DH being from upstate NY is excellent at it. He's starting to teach me how to drive on it but I'm so scared I doubt I'll ever learn. I lived in upstate NY for 4 years and had many little bumps into snowbanks and such so I don't trust myself to drive when the weather sucks. I learned that if the weather is going to be sucky, just to make sure I have everything I need and hunker down for it.

I picked up my saddles from my parents, we plan on getting a horse when I can settle on something that isn't ridiculously expensive or dangerous to ride. I want DH and the kids riding experiences to be good. I didn't really have it that way and had a lot of broken bones due to it, so I'm being very picky about what I get for them to ride since none of them have ever ridden and what I can ride and expect is different.


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## Bruce (Jan 11, 2017)

I would think that driving in snow in West Texas would be a lot harder than up north where snow is a months long fact of winter life. I doubt most people in TX have tires that are good in snow. "All Season" usually means "any season except when it snows or is icy".

After this final tour, don't forget to look at East Texas. It seems particularly popular with BYH members. I think they have become a magnetic force for moving vans.


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## AClark (Jan 11, 2017)

I'm actually in Oklahoma now, lol. East TX does look nice, and it's pretty nice here. We'll see where we end up, maybe closer to my parents in AZ though.

I have tall narrow tires on my pickup. 215x85x16's, the thick load rated E's - but I drive a dually, they're off road tires (Hercules terra trac AT2's). My truck is so heavy (old F350) that I prefer those 9 ply tires, even if it rides like a tank. DH has 35x12.5x20s on his pickup but he also has 4WD and I don't. He drove my truck out on the snow and all and said it handles pretty well for a pickup, probably because it's so heavy. Of course it doesn't handle like his because he can pop into 4WD, but he said it's safe and I just need some driving in crap lessons.
I grew up in AZ, the only thing I really know how to drive in is sand storms, lol.


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## Bruce (Jan 11, 2017)

I would think that a heavy dually would handle snow better without snow tires WAY better than a car would. Just plan ahead, slow down and leave plenty of space between you and other people, all that mass takes some distance to stop. You'll be fine.


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## AClark (Jan 11, 2017)

Yeah that's been my issue. We are uphill from the stop sign at the end of the road, and I was poking along down the hill and still managed not to stop at the sign. Luckily, I have about zero traffic on my road, but the deep ditches on the side make me nervous. Our road is not maintained whatsoever when it's icy or snowy, so in my week of being here, I've already seen that it is very slick! Even the mail carrier said that last week when we had the snow our road is too dangerous and if it's like that not to expect to get mail - so it's my best interest to keep track of the weather closely if I'm going to have anything alive shipped.

We have a weather alert for Friday for an ice storm, I have to make it to the store tomorrow sometime since they're saying we may lose power and I need oil for my hurricane lamps. Other than that, I'm ready to bunker down for the whole weekend. All the critters have plenty of food, we have propane for the grill and the freezer is full - I don't plan on going anywhere! It isn't like I don't have anything to do here, I'm still unpacking. I quite literally did "eeny, meeny, miney, mo" to pick a room to start on today. I did manage to get the livingroom and kitchen finished though, need to hang a shower curtain in the bathroom and get my office/laundry room sorted out since it's a massive disaster of paper and boxes.


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## AClark (Jan 11, 2017)

Oh, figured I'd drop in some pictures of the eggs I'm incubating while I'm at it. It's just a mixed flock but I already know some are viable (the ones I can see into anyway!) they are dual purpose mixed though, so roosters to the freezer, hens to the coop.


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## Bruce (Jan 11, 2017)

The eggs look great, I hope you have a good hatch rate. Do you have your Mama Heating Pad brooder ready to go??

 I am fond of being able to tell which girls are laying and having different color eggs helps that a lot.

If your mail carrier says it is too icy to deliver mail, I say it is too icy to leave the house!


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## HomeOnTheRange (Jan 11, 2017)

Nice set of eggs.  Hope the hatch rate is high!


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## Baymule (Jan 11, 2017)

Pretty eggs! I hope you gat mostly hens, colored eggs are fun!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 11, 2017)

So glad to hear ya made it!  It sounds like ya have already started working on things and sure wish ya the Best with the eggs and nubians.   I use to dance at some PowWows not too far from where ya are now, I have had a lot of fun and met some really Great people there...it does get pretty Windy and be sure to get a good weather app on your phone...it will come in Handy for ya. Anxious to see your layout, set-up, and animals when ya get settled in.


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## AClark (Jan 12, 2017)

The girls got here this morning. They want to be friendly and come right up to me, but won't quite let me pet them. They're getting used to everything here, and our cattle dog doesn't know what to make of them, other than to bark, try to herd them, realize that they aren't going to be pushed around, and bark some more.
The goats do "talk" to me when they see me come out, and run up, but then they're like "no, don't touch me" and just move away. They'll get used to it though.


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## Bruce (Jan 12, 2017)

Yep just a matter of time. Looks like they have plenty of space!


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## AClark (Jan 12, 2017)

They have about 1.5 acres to roam around, so yes they have lots of room. Excuse the crappy cell phone pics, my camera is still buried and I'm not motivated enough to go dig it out of the cold barn.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 12, 2017)

What a nice Pair!! They have some beautiful colors and markings, I know ya are Pleased!


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## Baymule (Jan 12, 2017)

your goats are so pretty!


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## AClark (Jan 18, 2017)

Update on the crazy train...
I bought a horse. Yes, I intended on going to look, they had a mare there that I was interested in. It's funny how these things work themselves out though, and how sometimes, you don't choose the animal you went for, but get chosen by another.

This guy has 20 mares, and is selling them off because his pasture is looking pretty bad (it's down to dirt where we were at). He's been feeding them but with 20 of them, that gets expensive fast not to mention just grass hay doesn't have enough nutrition for pregnant mares. Not only is it a lot of mares, but he turned a stud out with them, and so most if not all (exception is the molly mule and some real young foals) are in foal, due starting next month.
I went to look at a bay paint mare, and decided I didn't care for her looks as much seeing her in person - she was a lot bigger and heavier built than I wanted, I prefer something shorter because i don't have to struggle to get on.  However, this one little chestnut mare came up and just loved all over me and my husband - a real pesty friendly thing. Most of them weren't interested in checking us out, the bay mare I originally went to see, the molly mule, and this little chestnut were the real nosy ones.  She's super gentle, let me handle her all over, pick up her feet, and was one of the only ones that is halter broken.
Of course, she is in foal, and had a foal last year. She is only 3, won't be 4 until the spring according to the seller - which I'm apt to believe seeing what baby teeth she still has. Her body condition is not great, you can see her hip bones and her ribs, and from the looks of her, looks like she's due to foal in probably 6-8 weeks - really the only fat part on her is her heavily pregnant belly, which is also probably wormy. I hadn't intended on getting anything that young, unbroken, and especially pregnant. She also has malnutrition hoof cracks, but luckily they aren't deep and with some good trimming and groceries, it'll grow out. Time and groceries will do wonders. 

God bless my husband. We were looking and I mentioned what he thought of her...it's hard to overlook skinny to see what's under it. His response was "whichever one you want we'll take". For the whopping price of $400, Lucy is coming home with us. My theory is that she's a 2 for 1 deal since she's going to have a foal (the stud was pretty nice looking) and it just gave this guy $400 to buy feed for the rest of them.  He has good intentions, but is old and has more than he can care for, so he was offloading them cheap and mentioned how much he didn't want to send them to auction but it was looking like a reality. The horse auction is a couple of hours from me and from what I read, killer buyers frequent it.

In other news, aside from the charity case, we bought the ugliest stock trailer I have ever seen in my life. It's pretty beat up, doesn't have a floor left (it literally rotted out) and needs some welding, but for $175 we couldn't pass it up. The frame, axles, and tires are all decent, it just needs major body work. Boy is it UGLY though. We went to DMV yesterday to register it (OK doesn't require it but their requirements made it questionable - they allow you to not plate them but you have to put the license plate number off another vehicle you own and with out of state plates, it was a real gray area) and I swear on the registration application I should have marked the color as "tetanus."

We had an adventure with it as well. Went out to pick it up, no problem, got hooked up and down the freeway it went. I came to a stoplight in town and it jolted and jumped the ball, broke the pathetic safety chain and it took me 2 miles to get turned around (median divide was too tall to jump) to get it back on the trailer. Dumped it right on the pavement, but hubby went to lift it and a bunch of guys from the gas station ran over and helped him lift it back on the truck. Found out that it had rust in there and hadn't quite locked on originally.  Then on the way home we stopped and DH noticed my truck was leaking fluids. I just replaced the heater core - pop the hood and my truck is pouring motor oil out of the de-gas bottle which has cracked. The seal on the oil cooler gave it up. So, now I have to replace the oil cooler and de-gas bottle, and flush the whole system of motor oil. I thought it was my injectors leaking, as I had a little oil (a few drops) in the antifreeze before, but now it looks like a chocolate milkshake.

I guess I"m thankful that it didn't do that on our trip here, and will leave it at that.


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## Latestarter (Jan 18, 2017)

Good lord if it isn't one thing with your truck(s) it's another... Agree... glad it didn't happen during your move. I'm gonna need a stock trailer pretty soon as well, but since I can't weld it needs to be legal and functional. Doubt I'll find one like that for $175... Grats on the new horse! Sounds like quite a deal. Hope the groceries and some wormer helps get her back on the right track before foaling. Sounds like she'll be a real winner down the road.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 18, 2017)

Great news about the horse...s 
Not so good about the truck tho. 
....and the trailer sounds interesting...I wouldn't be relying on the images of my mind if there was a pic or 2 to show the horse...and trailer. 
Then I'd know if we had the same definition to such adjectives.


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## AClark (Jan 18, 2017)

This trailer is embarrassingly bad. I have a welder and had 4 years of welding in school, so I have that covered. Hubby is a great carpenter so he's going to do the floors and sides again - then primered and painted with a new canvas top and it shouldn't be the ugliest trailer in the world! The wood slats on the side are so rotten that you can poke your fingers through it. There is a piece of ply wood on the floor and it's only there to keep the spare in the back...not a single board left, lol





And our new little mare. This picture doesn't do her justice but you can see her ribs. She was too close up on us to get any good side shots.





Late - my truck is old with almost 200k miles - it has not been maintained the way it should have been by the previous owner to me. Seems like the heater core and the oil cooler have been going out for awhile now that I recognize that it wasn't what I thought it was. Injectors are a common replacement at 200k miles or more, and I figured I was getting some seepage there, not the real issue, which is also very common on the 7.3L Powerstroke. The bright side is they are not expensive repairs, $140 for all the parts, but it is labor intensive to flush the whole coolant system of oil. There's a lot of things it could have been that are way worse and more expensive, and luckily it has never left me on the road. Even like this I was able to limp it home with the trailer another 5 miles without it overheating. It's been a good truck, just the person before me didn't put the maintenance into it that you really need to do with a diesel motor.


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## Bruce (Jan 18, 2017)

Congratulations (I guess ) Good thing you have nothing else to do so you have time to fix the trailer  

But I have a question based on these ASSUMPTIONS: 
You didn't ride the unbroken horse home. 
You didn't put it in that 'thing'. 
You don't already have a functional trailer or you wouldn't have purchased a 'project'. 

So how did you get Lucy home?


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 18, 2017)

Thanks A! If ya think that is the Ugliest, ya need to come to Ms and look around...The mare does have Promise and in your very capable hands will certainly have a much better Life than she would've had...guess we are on "Foal Watch" now, and can't wait to see it.


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## Latestarter (Jan 18, 2017)

So basically on the trailer situation, you're gonna keep the spare & plywood it's sitting on and replace the rest?  Just kidding, but seriously... that old trailer will be right at home being towed by that old truck...   Kidding again. Yeah, I understand the truck situation... All things considered it's a heckuvalot cheaper to do repairs on what you've got than to pay purchase price, registration costs, sales taxes, insurance prices and all the other costs associated with getting a new(er) one. (I keep telling myself that same thing ) I'd like to find a stock trailer similar in size to that one, but in much better shape. I can do wood working repairs, but don't know welding...


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## AClark (Jan 18, 2017)

Bruce said:


> Congratulations (I guess ) Good thing you have nothing else to do so you have time to fix the trailer
> 
> But I have a question based on these ASSUMPTIONS:
> You didn't ride the unbroken horse home.
> ...



I talked someone into picking her up for me.  I have a friend whose dad lives here and knows livestock folks, so that has worked out to my benefit.

Of course I have NOTHING better to do than to fix up that old abomination, but I really think it has enough promise (and the frame is fine wihtout any holes, lol) to be something useful and decent. Can't expect much out of a trailer that costs less than $200. I picked it up in the dark, the guy asked if I wanted to look at it better and I said it's probably better I don't! lol I knew I could weld the metal or cut it out if it's bad (the top is, I have a metal saw and already scoped out the replacement framing for the top real cheap), but I fail at the woodworking. Hubby and I laughed at it for about half an hour before we called the guy to buy it - just going off the pictures. 

My guess is 6-8 weeks for a foal, could be sooner or later, I honestly don't know and the guy didn't know when she was bred other than he turned the stud out last March. So February or later. Anyone want to bet on color? Dad is a bay tobiano paint.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 18, 2017)

What an adventure! I'm enjoying reading 

I hope you absolutely swamp us with pictures when your horse (& foal, when it makes its arrival) with pics!


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## Baymule (Jan 18, 2017)

If the stud has any "cat's paw" prints, then he is homozygous for paint and the foal will be a paint. Lucy sounds like a sweetheart  and the foal is an added bonus. She really picked you to get her out of that place, she knew a good thing when she saw it. I love the trailer. It sounds like something I would do, much to my husband's horror.  I bought an old boat trailer for $75 and put new wheels and tires on it. It is on my list of projects, gonna build a chicken coop on it so I can pull it to different pastures.

We want pictures of Lucy's progress and definitely have to post pics of the trailer as you bring it back to life.

I feed my old senior horses a 14% pellet from Martindale feeds. It is called their all purpose pellet and my horses stay fat and healthy on it. It is actually listed under their cattle feed, but I've had my horses on it for years and used to drive an hour away to get it. Look and see if there is a dealer close to you, I highly recommend this feed to fatten Lucy back up. And the price won't tear your head off, either.

http://www.martindalefeed.com/MFM/beef/MFM/01005906012.html


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## AClark (Jan 19, 2017)

I have a 14% small pelleted cattle feed I've been giving the goat bozos (they are bozos and have to be involved in everything!) I'm starting her out real slow with the pellets and alfalfa mix cubes, as I have concerns on colicking her, and I know feeding her too rich too fast can founder her feet.

I picked up a regular horse size rope halter for her after a long debate at the store. Yeah, I should have gone with my gut on that one because I knew she had a smaller head, and should have picked up the yearling halter for her as this one is huge on that pretty little head. I forgot my rope halters at my mom's in AZ when I picked up my stuff, but I had yearling halters since my profile pic horse had a tiny head too.





A better side pic from home in my pasture - we figure her body condition score is in the 3-4 range. Of course being that far along in foal makes her belly look better.


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## AClark (Jan 19, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> What an adventure! I'm enjoying reading
> 
> I hope you absolutely swamp us with pictures when your horse (& foal, when it makes its arrival) with pics!



"Adventure" is exactly what we call it. My mom says it is hereditary, because any time she goes to do something simple like pick up a trailer, it ends up being an adventure. My husband knows this is how it is with me, and nobody gets upset about mishaps, it's actually funny when that's how things go every time. It gives you a good attitude about things going wrong because you're used to it and nothing surprises you!


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## Latestarter (Jan 19, 2017)

When you get a couple hundred pounds added onto her frame she'll be a good (better) looking horse


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## Baymule (Jan 19, 2017)

That looks like a nice pasture you have her in! She sure looks happy to be there!


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## AClark (Jan 20, 2017)

Last night we did a little work. We are going very slowly to figure out what she knows and doesn't, and not to stress her. I got her to lead a little (she is pretty easy to halter in the field, but doesn't lead), picked up her front feet and hoof picked them out. She also got a tube of Safe Guard, which she is the first horse I've ever had that didn't make a nasty face and spit out dewormer. I have to be pretty careful because I'm at 38 weeks myself and can't take being beat up by a spooked horse, so i left her back feet alone since I'm more likely to get tumbled like that. It's a good thing she is super gentle. She just figured out that when I come out in the morning and afternoon, I'm bringing "good food" and she should come up instead of standing there gulping grass. I've literally never seen a horse that ate non-stop like this, she finally took a break yesterday afternoon. I mean, I know horses graze off and all all day, but she was gulping big mouthfuls of grass for 24 hours before she finally got "full". The red mud looking poop is passing through and starting to look normal too, so I'm happy about that.

Found bot fly eggs all over her and going to pick up a knife for them later. I didn't know what it was, as where I had horses before doesn't get bot flies on horses - glad i dewormed her with Safe Guard since it gets bot fly larvae too and I don't even want to know what's in her stomach - it's been cold here since at least November so she's been dragging those eggs around at least 2 1/2 months. I've seen "cattle grubs" before, but never on a horse, or the eggs. Trying to figure out where to do the scraping as I don't want to do it where her and the goats eat, but she doesn't lead all that much...kind of debating using a plastic pan and scraping into that and disposing of them. I only figured out what it was after watching a youtube video on someone who got a rescue horse and she pointed them out. Then of course, you have to watch the vet videos on what they do to their stomachs and I could see DH's skin visibly crawl. 

I've yet to see any visible worms in her poop after kicking around in it this morning, but I expect to.

Plans for the weekend - deworming and trimming goats. I don't have hoof nippers here or I'd start on Lucy's feet too, my mom is mailing a pair of GE's for me. Goat trimmers are cheap, but cheap horse nippers are still expensive, and those GE forged ones are over $200 - luckily my mom said she had an extra pair and at most I might need to send them in for sharpening but I could more than likely get a couple of trims out before that. I don't think the goats have worms, but it's preventative after finding the bot fly eggs as I'm not sure if they can be zoonotic, but I'd just rather not.

We also have 3 litters of baby bunnies due the first week of February. The rabbits are enjoying their new set up in the barn outside. I finally got the water nipples you can hook to tubing and to a bucket and that is the best thing since sliced bread, no more filling bottles, just grab the hose and fill the bucket. 

My eggs are due to hatch next week too. I'm not adept enough at candling to know what I'm looking at, and some I can't see through, so I'm just going to cross my fingers and hope for the best.


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## Bruce (Jan 20, 2017)

Wow, babies of all nature on the way!!!!! Chicks next week, Bunnies and YOUR baby in 2 weeks? Then the foal at some point in the future.


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## HomeOnTheRange (Jan 20, 2017)

A few years back, I had gotten one of these (http://electrichoofknife.us/) to help out with the large number of goats.  (The picture on the homepage is of a horse/cow attachment, the goat attachment is like a sanding disk.)  It really saved the back and hands.  I know the price is up there, but the pain it has saved me is priceless.  Just thought I would toss it out there.  I love any tool that will save me time and effort.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 20, 2017)

I've got to get me one of those!!!  Thanks for the info.


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## Baymule (Jan 21, 2017)

You have been doing all that you do while in the family way? I already knew that you are one outstanding woman, but you are so far, far beyond outstanding!


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## AClark (Jan 23, 2017)

Being hugely pregnant doesn't really slow me down at all. If you stay really active, it's not so bad other than wearing out faster than everyone else. But, nobody complains at you when you sit down and take a break either. 
I managed to get 1 goats front feet done. Those cutters work great (just hand helds) and the goats have fairly soft feet here so they cut right through. Couldn't catch the other one, after 45 minutes of chasing her around trying to herd her into a corner where I could grab her, I gave up. DH and I scraped tons of bot fly eggs off Lucy but didn't finish - she was getting a bit impatient after an hour and we figured it was just best to give her a break and some sweet feed. I cut my hand on the trimmers and just finished soaking it with some drawing salve since it puffed and got infected. That stuff works great, it's all drained and no longer tender. Good reminder to use gloves to do that! 

Lucy's wormer worked, she passed a ton of small strongyles. Good to know I'm feeding a horse and not parasites now. I bet her weight picks up quick. 

I had a rather large pile of crap in the pasture with the creatures, and had al ot of concerns about them stepping on it. We picked out car parts, rusty nails, wood, dirty diapers, you name it, obviously none of it being our garbage. Broke down all the wood and burned it in our firepit, and shoveled the rest into a bag. Now I don't have to stress over nails and trash. 

Yesterday's weather was super windy, but we had our other horse delivered. "Fred" is a really sweet little guy. He's 12 or so years old and already broken. Very gentle and calm. Lucy needed a buddy anyway but she's a little jealous of him. We were messing with him and she walked up so nonchalantly and nipped him on the butt! They squealed and kicked at each other pretty half heartedly over that - but this morning I see they're standing together just as peaceful as can be.

I didn't get pics of him because it was late and my camera was a move casualty, but here's the ones the seller sent me:









I'll get some more when it gets light out with my Ipad. We also picked up a pygmy goat buck. He's still pretty young, so he's penned up in my shed (ask how long it took to catch him after he got loose from me, lol, he fits through the fence.) Pics to come later.


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2017)

What a pretty line back dun! And wow! He is put together real nice!


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## Bruce (Jan 23, 2017)

Dang you have a TON of things going on!!!! I hope you get all the animals settled before your baby is born, you might have a bit less time on your hands  

Glad Lucy has a friend, she sure hit the jackpot when you chose to take her home.

About the crap in the field. Do you have a metal detector? I got one of the rolling magnetic metal picker uppers to make sure the barn alley was clear before getting the alpacas. Amazing how many times over several days we went over that space and kept finding MORE old metal, nails, etc even after the last sweep was clean. It doesn't work in the taller grass which is why I asked if you have a detector.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 23, 2017)

What a really Nice looking horse! 
It seems that ya really have things going at a Fast pace there. But, ya may want to get started "Preparing your Nest" don't ya think? 
Don't push things too much, ya would hate to go into labor while dickering with catching animals to trim hooves.


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## AClark (Jan 23, 2017)

Baymule said:


> What a pretty line back dun! And wow! He is put together real nice!


He's a palomino dun - I was baffled on his color too. Thought with that light gray he was a grulla (very obviously dun factored with the lineback and striped legs) asked my grandmother because I'd never seen a grulla or dun with a blonde mane and tail...palomino with the dun factor, and that's why he's such a smokey gray color with the flashy stripes, haha. She provided a lot of photos for Phil Sponenberg's book on horse color genetics, so she's an excellent source when I'm lost. I've met Dr. Sponenberg a few times when I was a kid.

He is put together like a tank! He isn't very tall, maybe 13.2HH, all body and short legs.

So, there I was this morning. I came in from feeding, talked with DH a bit (it's my birthday, he came home after PT this morning) and I"m sitting here debating finally getting that cup of coffee I've been coveting this morning. DH texts me, as he just left for work, and says "I'm chasing your goat home". The new little buck was about half a mile up the road. DH chased him partially home with the truck.

...This was an hour ago. I walked up to the end of the road in my PJ's and chased his little butt the rest of the way home. Piggy horses pulled his fence down to get his food and let him out. It was a temp set up until it got light enough out today for me to do something better in there. Well, I start putting up something a bit more permanent, and he's gone again! Back down to the end of the road. Lucky me, I have very little traffic. I herd him home but he's not going to cooperate, he goes every direction that I don't want him in, and isn't having it with going back to the shed to be penned back up.

Then, it dawns on me. I own an aussie cattle dog, and I'm tired. My dog doesn't have any training but whatever, I can call him off if need be. I let Buckshot out and I point to this little demon buck and said "get him". Dog bee-lines for the little goat and gets right on his heels, pushes him right into the field and turns him. I point to the shed and whistled and he turned him right to it. The buck gets defensive, still not wanting to go in and butts the cattle dog, but cattle dogs are nothing if they aren't persistent and he pushed him right where I have been trying to get this goat for the last hour - in about 3 minutes. I lock the gate up and out the dog. Not bad for zero livestock training, he's over-zealous and was just waiting with baited breath for me to tell him who to get next. He knows his basic commands but gets a little wired around the critters so I usually make him stay in the house because he wants to nip heels while I"m messing with them and I constantly have to out him.

I'm getting that damn cup of coffee now. I think I earned it.

We're ready for the baby, I'm only a week out from the actual due date so I'm kind of hoping things will hustle along. I don't generally mess with anyone since I'm home alone during the day, but DH is only 5 miles away at work and as soon as I go into labor, he's got 2 weeks off of work


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## Bruce (Jan 23, 2017)

Dang good dog! How the heck did he know where you wanted the goat, or even that you DID want him to fetch the goat??


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## AClark (Jan 23, 2017)

You know, I think it's because I point to things when I play with the dog for him to fetch, and point which way I want him to go and he just picked up that the goat is a fast running toy. I know I can out him if things didn't go how I wanted them to, and the goat seemed more than happy to go back to the shed with a dog after him. I stood there with my jaw on the ground for sure.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 23, 2017)

They can read your mind!  Really!


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## AClark (Jan 23, 2017)

Do not let this face fool you, this is the spawn of Satan. Those horns are coming off also.



]

Super farm dog, doing super farm dog stuff





Rabbits got their new digs









Pictures of Traveller (formerly named Fred)


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 23, 2017)

I knew I thought he was Beautiful for a reason...Fred, hummm....that's my 1st name...but, I have been told that I was the South end of a North bound horse...


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## Bruce (Jan 23, 2017)

Ah, now if we want to we can call you something other than @CntryBoy777 

I have to admit @AClark, that goat doesn't look like trouble. But I'll take your word for it.


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## AClark (Jan 23, 2017)

The goat is now in my house, because he managed to escape again. DH is coming home at lunch to give me a hand with this, I'm tired of playing stupid games, I've won plenty of stupid prizes today.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 23, 2017)

Well Bruce there is nothing ya can call me that hasn't been heard before, so ya can't be the 1st and ya probably won't be the Last, either... and anything ya can come up with will be "Filed" just like all the others and have no lasting effects. I have very Thick skin.  
I think you are wise to involve your DH with it, instead of trying to handle it all yourself.


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## Bruce (Jan 23, 2017)

Well, I WAS thinking we could refer to you as Fred, but if you would prefer I use your horse reference ... 

WHERE in the house? That little demon could destroy the place!


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2017)

Fred reminds me of a Fiord Horse or a Haflinger. He is sure a nice looking boy! And you're a week away from your own baby? You go girl!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 23, 2017)

I was thinking about your buck, and a quick cheap solution may be duct taping a pc of PVC pipe across his horns. You can use a length that would not allow his head to fit thru, and negate the danger of the ends of the horns, until ya wish to deal with it. A plus could be it would give him something else to focus on instead of "Escaping".


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## AClark (Jan 23, 2017)

I cut him loose in the house, he hid in my sons room because the dog laid outside the bedroom door, lol.

DH came home at lunch with a small dog collar, I already had a steel dog tether, so he got tied up until DH gets home from work and makes a fence - I ended up taking a nap for the rest of the afternoon, I was worn out. He's still here and tied to the fence where he can hob nob with the other goats (and has about 50 feet of tether), so I finally got some peace and quiet today lol. We have a whole roll of chainlink and some fence posts, so DH said basically he's just making a pen when he gets home and all the bozo goats can go into it until they can be nice with letting me catch them and he gets big enough not to run off.


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2017)

After all of that, you needed that nap!


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## AClark (Jan 24, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Fred reminds me of a Fiord Horse or a Haflinger. He is sure a nice looking boy! And you're a week away from your own baby? You go girl!



I think you're on to something with the Haflinger - especially with the color, size, and he's built like a brick ....house. They knew he was half QH and something else but couldn't remember what else. Obviously, he is an easy keeper, and he really eats like a pig. 

The goat...escaped for the 5th time last night. DH got home late from work and we literally nailed plywood over the door and called it good. You could hear him butting the plywood a couple of times last night and I guess he finally gave up. 
My grandmother was telling me about someone she knew that owned goats, and how they used to make sausage out of the little bucks they weren't keeping. She couldn't imagine how you could do that to something so cute...well, after yesterday, I can not only imagine it, but I told DH I wouldn't feel a bit bad about eating him. He's lucky he stinks like hell and I know he'd taste like he smells.


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 24, 2017)

Congrats on all the new or soon to be new arrivals!


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## AClark (Jan 25, 2017)

We had a tragedy yesterday. I heard Traveller screaming and the goats were making a ton of noise, so I go to check on things and Lucy had spooked and jumped the fence. I'm still not sure what spooked her that bad to do that.  My neighbors helped me chase her down, but in trying to get her loaded to bring her home (she was 2+ miles away when my neighbor caught her), she threw her head and cracked her skull wide open in the sinus cavity. It was absolutely horrible. I won't go into details on what it looked like, but think of the most awful thing you've ever seen and that pretty much sums it up. I thought she was going to bleed out, the reservation police showed up to assist (they were great btw), and then it started to clot and the bleeding slowed way down, so we figured we would lead her home and try to have the vet meet us there so we can get some medical attention ASAP, if nothing else at least some painkillers for her. I called the vet and they refused to even call the vet on call since I wasn't already a client for equines - it was 5 minutes after closing so I got answering service for their 24 hour emergency line. I was told to call the emergency vet over 15 miles away, they were less than 5 miles from where this was happening. 

She ended up going down and having a seizure about halfway home, she wasn't going to get back up. The police, me, and my neighbors all agreed that the only humane thing left to do was put her down. I think she either threw a blood clot to the brain or had some kind of brain damage from the injury, even though it was lower than the brain cavity. The police called it in and stayed while I put her down, which was basically crowd control at that point. My neighbors were nice enough to help me haul her off with their flat bed since they had a lift. They put her out deep into one of their pastures by a creek, where they put their cattle that have to be put down.

I'm still in shock at something I've done a million times, just simply loading a horse into a trailer, ended like that. One good head sling that hit just right; she had been in a trailer before too. I'm thankful for the police being there, as some guy came running out screaming at me about "why'd you shoot that poor horse" and they intercepted him. I'm not sure how that went down, as they told me to go ahead and go home, and I was more than happy to. I wasn't in a state of mind to deal with someone getting in my face over something I didn't want to do, and probably would have lost it on him. I'm trying to convince myself that he wasn't being a total jerk and just didn't know any better, that there wasn't another option. Had I not done that, she was going to lay there and suffer for God only knows how long. 

 DH was there with me, and only my oldest son knows how it actually went down, but thankfully didn't have to see any of it. DH ran home to get my pistol while I stayed with Lucy, my son knew what was going on when he went to find it. I'm crushed, it's almost like a bad dream, where any minute you'll wake up and it won't be real.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 25, 2017)

Oh my goodness I am so so sorry. How horrific and tragic. I'm glad the police sound reasonable there. I would have some unkind words for that vet.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 25, 2017)

That's horrible and I'm so sorry you had to deal with that.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 25, 2017)

How awful. My heart dropped to my stomach reading this. Just awful 
I am so sorry you (and Lucy) had to go through this.


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## Latestarter (Jan 25, 2017)

What a tragedy... So sorry this happened and you had to put her down. I would definitely write a letter to that vet who's office turned you down and explain the details and thank him/her for not being there when he/she was needed. I would be livid!


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 25, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> What a tragedy... So sorry this happened and you had to put her down. I would definitely write a letter to that vet who's office turned you down and explain the details and thank him/her for not being there when he/she was needed. I would be livid!


I was thinking the same thing 
Several of our vets were some of the only people willing to handle situations like this (in our area). It isn't uncommon.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 25, 2017)

Wow, what a turn of events.
I do applaude you for your quick and responsible decision, it is difficult to absorb a situation like that and do what was Best for her...leaving ya no real Choice. It still doesn't make it any easier to bare, tho...


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## Baymule (Jan 25, 2017)

Aww... I am so sorry about Lucy. You were so happy to have her and so excited. This was just a freak accident and not your fault. I know you are heartbroken and stunned about the whole thing. What a terrible thing to happen. I admire you for doing what had to be done, it takes a strong person to do that.


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## Bruce (Jan 25, 2017)

I have nothing else to say other than what has been said. SO sad!!!


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## Bruce (Jan 25, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> What a tragedy... So sorry this happened and you had to put her down. I would definitely write a letter to that vet who's office turned you down and explain the details and thank him/her for not being there when he/she was needed. I would be livid!


Damn straight.


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## promiseacres (Jan 25, 2017)

so very sorry about lucy unfortunately many of us live without an available vet....sometimes we do what we have too 

Traveller is such a handsome guy.


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## AClark (Jan 26, 2017)

Had to run by my hay supplier today for some cubes. Whole office (them being my neighbors who helped with poor Lucy) had gotten the story from their grandson, as him and his friends were the ones who were there with me when we put her down. He chucked an extra bag of feed in my truck and told me not to tell. Good folks, I'm trying to figure out something nice for them since they were so helpful and didn't have to be. I know one of them feels responsible for the accident, but I already told him it wasn't his fault (he was holding her when she did it, as being this big and pregnant nobody wanted me involved) and that this kind of thing happens. I know he still feels really bad and responsible, but it wasn't anything he did or didn't do, just a freak accident. I'm praying he doesn't hold onto it for long, as I certainly don't hold any of it against him.


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 26, 2017)

so sorry to hear 

maybe some baked goodies-cookies or brownies as a simple thank you


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## babsbag (Jan 26, 2017)

I'm sorry about Lucy. You did the right thing, but that doesn't make it easy.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 26, 2017)

Well, being a guy...I'd give him and the ones that helped $20 each for their help...just tell em ya want to buy their Lunch. That would suffice and would show your Appreciation. These days and times for a woman, unless there is already an established friendship, less personal is always better, and much safer.....IMO.


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## Baymule (Jan 26, 2017)

What about ordering pizza for their lunch?


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## norseofcourse (Jan 29, 2017)

Wow, I'm so sorry about what happed to Lucy    what a horrible thing to have to go through     Such good neighbors to help you through things, I like the idea of something homemade, too, for them.


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## AClark (Feb 5, 2017)

Today I saddled up and rode Trav. First time anyone has been on him in at least a year according to the previous owner, and I had no idea on how he'd be. 

Well, I'm writing about it so obviously he didn't kill me. Actually, he didn't do anything bad at all. He stood still while I got on, rides very well, no buck or bolting. My hackamore is too much stop for him and he doesn't care for it, slings his head, so I'll downgrade to a flat hackamore for him. I just wanted to make sure I had plenty of stop. 

Also, we picked up 2 mares from a killer feed lot, they'll be here sometime next week. A 10 year old bay mare and a 7 year old buckskin mare that's a kids horse. The mares were on the short list to being shipped for slaughter, so we snatched them both up - you get a discount from the shipper if you have more than 1 horse, lol. 

So, some good came from the loss of Lucy, we gained two horses that were going to the slaughter, that we wouldn't have found otherwise.


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## NH homesteader (Feb 5, 2017)

Wow they're beautiful! How's that baby? You are one tough lady... Riding already?


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 5, 2017)

Sure can't beat that....I've been hoping you, the baby, and family were doing Good...and ya was getting some Rest. Well, I should've known ya wasn't sittin still.  I certainly don't know horses, but what it's worth, I really like your Choices....they're Beautiful to me!


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 5, 2017)

Glad you saved those two!


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## goatgurl (Feb 5, 2017)

@AClark first wanted to say how sorry I am about lucy.  I had to put down a mare a few years back that had slipped on wet grass, fell and broke her pelvis.  thank heaven my vet came out.  I held her head in my lap while he gave her the injection.  I so totally loved that gal. 
second thing is hi from across the state of Oklahoma.  I live on the ark/ok line south of Poteau.  sounds like you're one tuff cookie.  look forward to following your adventures.


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## goatgurl (Feb 5, 2017)

forgot to add that since your guy doesn't like the hackamore maybe you might to look into a bitless bridle.  it isn't a side pull or a hackamore.  google it and see what you think.  my horses and I loved the ones I had.


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## Baymule (Feb 5, 2017)

Nice looking mares. I see kids horses all the time on Craigs list starting at $2500. Dumb kill buyer--could make a lot more money than slaughter-but I am sure glad you got her!


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## AClark (Feb 6, 2017)

That's exactly it Bay, the kids horses on craigslist are way out of my price range, or theyw ant $2000 for a 20 year old horse - that might drop dead from old age at any time. Some horses on my CL are up to $5000 and that's just ridiculous. Of course those horses are papered and whatnot, but you know what my thought on it is? I'm not riding their papers.

I paid about $1400 for both mares ($775 for the bay and $625 on the buckskin). they went for their slaughter weight price. I'm actually glad the kill buyer does this, apparently what they do is evaluate everything they pick up from auction, and the ones that don't "deserve" to be sent to slaughter get put up for quick sale. Not that I think any horse deserves to go to slaughter, but you know what I mean, the sound, sane, broken ones get a 2nd chance to find a home. If they're nuts or unsound, they don't get posted up for a 2nd chance.
I guess people think their horse couldn't possibly go to a kill buyer if they're gentle and broke to ride, but the dozens of horses I see from that lot tells me otherwise.

The page I found them from has a nice pair of gelding hafflinger's up, has video of them driving and everything. @promiseacres I know you were looking at Haffies, they have them fairly frequently. The only downside is they don't come with any history, just video of what they can do (ride, drive, whatever) and a current coggins. The drafty horses go for more than what I paid for mine, but they're going off what they weigh and it's by the pound.

@goatgurl These horses are coming from AR, there's a feedlot outside of Little Rock apparently. I'm not real familiar with OK yet, I just moved here, so not sure where you're at. I'll look into a bitless, the hackamore I had on him is definitely a more severe version than a flat band one is - but I figured it was better to try him out with that than to find out I needed more stop and not have it. Now that I know it's more "stop" than I need I can go down to something way more gentle. He has wolf teeth still and doesn't care for a bit, which is fine since I don't care to ride with one either. I'm debating just trying him out with a halter since he's such a light touch - turns on a dime with 1 finger on the reins. He's another "cheap horse" buy, and I can't see any reason someone would get rid of him. He's gentle on the ground, safe for just about anyone to ride, an easy keeper and not to mention he's real pretty. DH picked him out and I'm glad he's so easy to handle, since DH isn't an experienced rider yet he needs something that won't waste him to learn on. Trav is easy going as they get, the saddle in the pic is mine and it doesn't fit him at all (it's made for a horse with higher withers, and fatty there doesn't really have withers) so I didn't ride him long since no matter how much I cinched it, it was sliding from side to side and I know that can't be comfortable and might give him saddle sores. So I will use our other saddle that fits "fat back" horses on him - but any horse that deals with an ill fitting saddle without throwing a fit is a good one. Down side is my roping saddle that fits fatty horses is missing the leather strap for the cinch, I must have lost it somewhere, so I have to replace that.

CntryBoy - you may not know a lot about horses, but you have a good eye for them. Both of these mares are real pretty, nice pretty heads and well comformed bodies. You're like my DH, he's not real horse savvy, but he can pick out a real nice looking one! The buckskin is a bit thin, but I think she'll bloom with good feed.

The baby is doing well. She keeps me up half the night but I can always take naps during the day, and I definitely need them. I'm dragging getting up at 5:30 these days, but as soon as the kids are at school I can crash back out. My 13 year old son has really taken to her and loves to hold and cuddle her - he watched her while we were test driving the horse yesterday. My youngest daughter is enamored with the baby as well.
My grandmother asked if I wasn't a bit on the sore side to be up riding a horse, but it had never even occurred to me, and the only thing that hurts is my back still. I guess not much slows me down, lol.


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## Baymule (Feb 6, 2017)

Horse slaughter is a touchy subject. All I'll say is that outlawing slaughter in the USA only made it harder on the horses, now being shipped to Canada and Mexico. I am glad that you were able to find a good buy on those two nice mares. Our gelding that we bought came from a lady who buys from kill buyers, rehabs them and puts them up for sale. I don't put much stock in "rescues" that beg for money, but this lady actually buys and sells and doesn't have a money begging "non-profit".

What about posting the site where you found these two? Anyone looking for a decent horse might find a good deal like you did.


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## AClark (Feb 7, 2017)

I'm with you on the horse slaughter thing, I think you and I are on the same page. There's an excess of horses, and you can't keep them all. Now they have to endure long trips to Canada or Mexico for the same end result. 

I'm not sure if these kind of links are allowed, I'm sure someone will take it down if it isn't. I found the two mares on here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/147827545655597/

They post them for the kill buyers set price, do donations for the ones getting close to shipping off so someone will pick them up cheaper - I agree, I don't deal with rescues that are begging for hay money and whatnot.


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## Baymule (Feb 7, 2017)

I saw your two on there. Good for you and good for them. I love the Haflinger team, wish I needed them. Hope someone buys them.

I can't think of any reason why this link would be taken down, it might help some one buy a good horse at a good price, not to mention save the horse.


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## TAH (Feb 7, 2017)

So if they ship to Canada I wonder how much extra they would charge for for us to get one to Alaska. Yes we were going to get a donkey but sister wants a horse and dad said he would consider.


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## Baymule (Feb 8, 2017)

TAH said:


> So if they ship to Canada I wonder how much extra they would charge for for us to get one to Alaska. Yes we were going to get a donkey but sister wants a horse and dad said he would consider.


I think I saw on the FB site that it is $1.15 a mile, you might try to find something closer than Arkansas.


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## AClark (Feb 8, 2017)

Depends on the shipper, and how many horses. They seem to cut it down if they are shipping more than one. The person shipping for me knocked off $50 off my single horse price for throwing another one in her trailer for the ride, lol. Some are as low as 60-75 cents a mile, but that's a hell of a long way up to AK.

I'd look up in WA or OR state, good bet there are kill lots up there too and a lot closer. They also have donkeys, mules, etc on that page, so good bet there's another page in that area that has the same. 

Bay, figured you'd see the ones I picked up, I stole their photos to post here since obviously they're in AR and I'm not. I think they'll be here tomorrow pretty late, maybe Friday morning. I just scored a new bridle with a flat band hackamore and reins plus a crappy halter (all as a lot) on ebay for $24. The hackamore alone is worth more than that so I don't mind throwing the halter in the shed for use around here. I was short a bridle (only had 2) so it was a great deal. I have 4 saddles, but only 2 bridles. Actually, only 3 of the saddles are mine, the one I gave to DH, the one in the pic, and a tiny kids saddle that was mine when I was little. The 4th is my mom's 2nd saddle that she just gave me so I'd have enough for the bigger kids as well. None of the boys or DH want to ride mine, it's too "girly" or use one of my bridles since it's all heart conchos and also girly. It's a good thing because I was looking at saddles earlier and couldn't find anything that would fit me or DH. Mine is a 14.5 inch seat, his is a 15 - everything we saw was 15.5+. 

DH got all into making his saddle pretty. I had to order new concho's for it, since it was missing one and it's an antique so not going to find them locally. He picked out some real snazzy conchos for his and then said mine on my saddle look like crap and I should pick out some to replace them with. So, rather than just replacing 1 that I actually did find on Ebay, I'm replacing all 12 between the two saddles.


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## TAH (Feb 8, 2017)

I brain just went running with a idea even though I know it won't happen, lol. 

Bay it probably is a good idea to look in Washington.


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## AClark (Feb 10, 2017)

So, my mares got here last night real late.

I think I got a 2 for 1 on the buckskin, because she looks awfully big in the belly for the body condition she's in.





 

 



So the kids mare is on light riding until I can figure out when she might be due. Luckily my kids are lightweight and won't be riding at anything more than a walk for quite awhile since none of them have really ridden.

And, my mare, who ended up being a lot bigger than I expected, but very nice looking, she even has a sock on her back foot you couldn't see for the mud before.



 



And a pic of everyone. It was real early when I got out to take these, like just barely day light (I had to wait almost 2 hours for the sun to come up to go take pics, ha!) so my pics are limited because I had a lot of glare.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 10, 2017)

You might be right on the buckskin....she's got a big ol' belly.  Any sign of an udder?


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## AClark (Feb 10, 2017)

She's had a foal before from the looks of it, but no bagging up that's noticeable. Harder to tell on a mare that isn't maiden.

ETA: Trav looks pregnant in this pic, I knew he was fat, but this really puts it in perspective on what a butterball he is.


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## Bruce (Feb 10, 2017)

That's for sure! When I looked at the last picture I looked first at the horse on the right. Yep, pretty round, then I looked at the one on the left and figured out THAT was the one you think might be pregnant. Um, and the other is male, so not pregnant. Time for WW!


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## AClark (Feb 10, 2017)

WW for horses for real! I keep telling myself "at least he's not skinny". Maybe I need to cut back on his feed though.


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## Latestarter (Feb 10, 2017)

the way you're acquiring animals, you're going to need to adjust your signature line(s)


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## Bruce (Feb 10, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> the way you're acquiring animals, you're going to need to adjust your signature line(s)


Yep and maybe mention the new baby once in awhile.


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## Baymule (Feb 10, 2017)

Your mares look real nice, you got a good deal on them. What about having the vet check the buckskin to see if she is in foal?


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## AClark (Feb 15, 2017)

I'm still looking for a vet after the other incident. That was the one that came highly recommended. 

I do need to update my sig. I've almost gotten where I can catch the big bay mare, she isn't a very trusting soul like the other two, but she's getting where when she sees me she will nicker and come running up, and lets me pet her. She learned from the other two "in your pocket" pests that I'm nothing to be afraid of and I bring food and brushings. The other two walk so close behind me that I have to watch my feet so they don't step on my heels. The other night when I fed I was watching the buckskin mare walk about half a step behind me and walked straight into one of the goats butts. The goat was quite startled I walked right into her. 

We've had 2 days of heavy rain and it's a mud pit around here. I don't really mind because I see all the new green grass popping up where the horses have eaten down the old dead stuff. 

So, some better horse pics and baby pics


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 15, 2017)

Oh my goodness - what a cutie!!!


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## Bruce (Feb 15, 2017)

There IS a baby (human  ) it wasn't just a rumor 

You getting any sleep?


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## AClark (Feb 15, 2017)

Sleep? What is that?
I get a couple of hours a night, she wakes up around 2 to eat and be changed. This morning it was 4 AM, fed her, changed her, and she stayed awake until 5:15 or so. I fell back to sleep and my other kids woke me up at 7 - 20 minutes before their bus gets here, somehow I managed to sleep through my 5:30 alarm blaring for an hour and a half...I do the night shift since DH has to be to work so early and needs the sleep more - ya know since he has to drive and go to PT etc. I can always nap during the day if I need to - well I keep telling myself that anyway. I'm surviving on coffee currently. Not sure the horses are thrilled about me being inconsistent with feeding them in the mornings though, depends on the baby. Sometimes it's 5:45, sometimes it's like 8 before I manage to drag my tired butt out there.


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## Baymule (Feb 15, 2017)

Beautiful little girl. You are blessed.


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## Bruce (Feb 15, 2017)

My chickens and alpacas are used to a somewhat varied "morning time". Like anywhere from 7 to 10   But then I always make sure there is hay in the boys' feeder on the wall and the girls have food in their feeder in the coop when I close up at night. The auto chicken door opens with the daylight. In reality the only reason they care if I come down in the morning is for TREATS!!!!!!! The girls get kitchen scraps, left over cat food and BOSS. The boys get their alpaca pellets. My only real concern in the lower barn this time of year is temperature, sure don't want those eggs to freeze!

The barn cat is a driver since he chose to hang out in a part of the barn where there is no power so I can't keep his water from freezing and have to go out earlier than I would otherwise.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 15, 2017)

She is a DOLL! 
The horses look like they're coming along pretty good too. The fresh grass will help them out a lot, too.
Our animals wish we were more "Regulated" too...but, we always tell them they'll Survive. The goats and ducks are the worst....the cats are just Demanding anytime.


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## NH homesteader (Feb 15, 2017)

Ahh cute!!!


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## babsbag (Feb 15, 2017)

I keep my goats guessing as to when the feed is coming. Depends on how late I was up the night before as that determines my wake up time. But this is winter, it all changes come summer and baby goats. 

Your baby girl is adorable. Wish my kids would give me a grandchild.


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## AClark (Feb 15, 2017)

I'm waiting on the fresh grass for sure. My neighbor said my pasture gets way out of hand in the summer, and he's glad he won't be the one mowing it and that I got some "lawn mowers" to help with it. 

Now we're looking at getting a tiller for our garden area, and DH is working out a plan for a chicken coop.


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## AClark (Feb 18, 2017)

Gardening hasn't gotten done yet. I'm just going to put that out there. All for a lack of daylight hours.

DH and I are worn to the bone, but in a happy content way. Yesterday, I caught Trav and Dixie. Trav has an old injury to a front hoof that makes his hoof grow a little wonky, so I got on trimming that. My mom sent me a pair of GE Forge hoof nippers (yeah the $250 pair...that she has 4 other pairs of) and I went to town. His hoof looks normal, but he is an ass about being trimmed. I also did Dixies front feet, went to the feed store, and we finally got my truck back up and running (oil cooler this time! What a job!).
It's nice to be tired like that. Now I go to bed with a purpose instead of "I guess I need sleep."

I also got tired of "let's be friends" with the goat that wouldn't let me catch her, so I mugged her and trimmed all 4 of her hooves as well. They were all sorts of bad, and I was going for the gentle approach of catching her, without success.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 18, 2017)

Glad ya are able to find your new "Normal" there....after such situations that are behind ya now. I know it has gotta feel good to ya both, and that translates to Good for the whole Family....and the animals as well.


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## Baymule (Feb 18, 2017)

A brand new garden takes a lot of work to get going. This will be our 3rd year garden and I am looking forward to a good garden this year. I hope you have good soil as a base. Having horses for their manure is a help too. Our first year here, I almost felt like following the horses around with a basket to catch the poop! LOL With all that you have going on, any kind of garden you plant will be a bonus.


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## greybeard (Feb 19, 2017)

Baymule said:


> A brand new garden takes a lot of work to get going. This will be our 3rd year garden and I am looking forward to a good garden this year. I hope you have good soil as a base. Having horses for their manure is a help too. Our first year here, I almost felt like following the horses around with a basket to catch the poop! LOL With all that you have going on, any kind of garden you plant will be a bonus.


Baymule--that reminds me of how my father used to do his small garden. He would go around the pasture with 5 gal buckets, and collect older horse poop. He tilled the garden, then dug a 12" deep trench where each row would go and filled them 1/2 full of poop, then raked the soil in over that.
He had the best garden around--made tomatoes like crazy.
If a garden has poor soil, it can be made good, but takes lots more work. The biggest problems with gardens are drainage related. Too porous and you can't keep moisture in the top soil. Too poor drainage and it stays muddy and root rot is a problem.The latter is what I encounter with mine every year--too much white chalky clay-- both in the topsoil and in a boundary layer further down.

We mentioned red iron ore clay recently. Thought I'd just throw this in as a FYI. Many people think the presence of red clay means there will be usable iron ore further down. Not so most of the time. The iron ore was, millennials ago,  on top of what is now red clay. The large iron particles simply rusted away to a very fine powder long ago and dissolved into the clay, turning it red and making it sticky as heck when it rains.


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## AClark (Feb 19, 2017)

My soil is pretty dark, and it looks like it'll be good. Has to be better than the sand I had in Texas for planting in. I have some of that red clay in a pile in the pasture as well if I need to add in something to retain more moisture. I'm planting on a bit of a slope so that may or may not need to happen - I'm not sure how much rain we get here but I think it's a fair amount, so I picked the sloped area so it can drain down into the pasture if it gets flooded out.
Funny you mentioned that @greybeard I was definitely considering walking around and collecting horse manure for the garden, the old dry falling apart stuff, not fresh horse apples. Aside from burning plants, I did just deworm the horses and I don't want those chemicals in the garden. Unfortunately, deworming is a necessary evil and as much as I don't like using chemicals, you kind of have to for parasite control. I already had the kids rake out underneath the rabbit cages, which had some straw bedding for the goats to lay in as well so there's a mixture there. 

My plan there was to till the space I plan to plant, then dump all the manure collection in it, and till it again to mix everything in. I really need to get on getting things started inside, I waited because the growing season is different here and normally I'd have started indoors around the 1st of January, but with a later last frost date here, I'm waiting a bit. I do need to get my butt in gear this week though. 

I'm planning out a large garden this year. I have plenty of good neighbors to share with if I get over-run, and no lack of manure around here. I'm actually thinking about starting a compost pile since the manure production here is high with 3 goats, 3 horses, and 8 rabbits. 

Speaking of the rabbits. It sucked, but I lost both litters around the first of the month. Mama's didn't pull enough fur and they got chilled - it was down in the 40's or so. I attempted to warm them up but didn't have any luck, I got home from the hospital with our baby and she had them the next morning. They were warm in the morning but by noon they were chilled bad. I lost 14 kits out of 2 does, and the 3rd doe didn't get pregnant at all. I rebred them, but the one doe just isn't having it and I'm not certain she's going to have a litter again. She had a litter back in September, no problems, but she wasn't cooperative for the buck this time. I still have 3 does from the previous litters that are all coming up on breeding age, so if she won't go for it, I may breed her daughter or one of the other does. I was planning on having some rabbit meat for the freezer in April, but I guess I'll have to wait. The uncooperative doe needs to realize that if she refuses consistently, she's going to end up at Camp Kenmore herself.
I'm debating selling off a trio (my spare buck and 2 of the Sept does), or trading for another buck, but we'll see. The new litters are due March 4th, and I'll see what I get out of that. Hopefully the weather cooperates more, or I'm bringing them in this time. 

Right now, I have 109 quail eggs in the incubator, they are due to hatch in a week. I didn't have luck with the shipped chicken eggs, but I don't think that was the sellers fault. We had a big snow storm come in the day they were supposed to get here and they got left at the post office since we didn't get mail delivered that day. None of them hatched. I cracked a couple of them at 25 days and most of them had partial formation but never got past a few days. So something was wrong. I have a digital thermometer and hydrometer in there now so hoping for better luck!  
We plan on processing most of the quail, and leaving enough for eggs (to eat and hatch out for more quail).


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 19, 2017)

Something that might save ya some work, is to make your compost area on one end of your garden....this fall, disc or till it under....let it winter, then plant on it next year, and put your compost on the opposite end next year. If ya need some to freshen the ground....just pull it from the bottom. We do something similar, but it is across the edge of the garden for run off control and to trap the acorns from being washed into the garden here.


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## Baymule (Feb 19, 2017)

@greybeard our soil is pure white sand. I am glad that we didn't wind up with the red iron ore clay--we have a pure white horse and I didn't want him to turn that rusty red color.  I'll gladly deal with the sand! There is red dirt right across the road from us.

@AClark are your rabbit cages hanging wire cages in a barn or shed? if so, for the next litters in cold weather, put one of those aluminum drop lights over the nest box, on top of the wire with an incandescent light bulb. The light bulb will keep the kits toasty warm. I always made my nest boxes with an open top for this reason.  I put hardware cloth on the bottom, I lost too many litters when the does peed on the babies. With the wire bottoms, the pee went right through and the kits didn't die of ammonia pneumonia.


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## AClark (Feb 20, 2017)

They are wire cages but not hanging, we built an open bottom shelf for them to sit on, and I have open top boxes for their nests in a shed. I had given them a ton of straw for their nests, there just wasn't adequate fur for them. It was rather sad, they were all huddled together in the fur, but cold as ice within a couple of hours. 
I dont' have power out to the shed but I can run an extension cord. I was debating doing that for the next litter if I can't just bring the boxes in - depends on the weather and if it's going to be warm or miserable out. Our night temps are still pretty low so I might set it up to have lights on at night for them. Not a bad idea at all!


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## AClark (Feb 23, 2017)

Does anyone else ever feel like this is them? 





That's me "Come to me jungle friends" when I go out to feed now. Y'all should hear the ruckus. I have 3 horses nickering at me, and the 2 Nubian does "complaining" as soon as I step out on the deck and start to put my mudders on. It gets a bit sketchy trying to navigate between 3 pushy horses and 2 goats. The kids horse walks so close I can feel her breath on my neck, I'm tripping over the goats walking in front of me, and pushing my husbands gelding off of me the whole time. Luckily, nobody kicks at each other, but I am wary not to get caught in the crossfire. 
My TB mare is taking awhile to learn to trust me, I wouldn't say she has been abused, but she still looks at me like I'm sketchy and up to something. I'm just now where I can brush her all over and pick up her feet, but still haven't re-tried haltering her after finding out she likes the "you can't catch me" game. I know she's broke to ride and well broken, but I'm letting her take her time to build up a bond since she's still not super comfortable with me. The kids horse thinks I'm the best thing ever because I have food, she was easy to win over. 

My quail eggs are on lock down and am I ever excited! I managed to candle a couple of the eggs with my Iphone (works great BTW) and I saw one move in the shell. Most are too dark and spotted to see through well, but I saw one moving around for sure. So, we can expect fluffy quail chick pictures in the near future. I know not to count my "chickens" before they've hatched, but with 108 eggs in there still, something has to hatch, right? 
We are going to retry chicken eggs after these guys vacate the incubator. I think a combination of getting too cold and improper incubator regulation caused my failure of the last batch.

Aside from that, I've misplaced my "herd" management binder and can't figure out when the new rabbit kits are due. I think I rebred them on the 4th? Yeah I need to find that thing. 

I honestly believe that if I died and went to heaven, I'd be put right back where I am now. I honestly couldn't ask for more.


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## NH homesteader (Feb 23, 2017)

yup, every time I step out the door there are 4 goats, 3 pigs, 4 turkeys and 13 chickens who are trying to convince me they're starving to death! I have learned how to push the pigs out of the way (but they seem to think I can feed them when their faces are crammed into the food dish- hello fat heads in the way!)

It's great isn't it?


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 23, 2017)

Sounds like ya are having Fun...and plenty of it...
If even half of them hatch, that will be a bunch of "Peepers" running around. If ya noted the breeding in your journal here, ya could always search back to it and wouldn't have to keep a book....just a thought....somebody here could even remind ya....


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## Bruce (Feb 23, 2017)

I was wondering about the pet door in the bottom freezer until the penguins came out. Guess the landlord didn't notice that modification. 

Fortunately I only have to deal with the herd of 12 chickens in the barn alley. The alpacas can't get in there but they stand at the gate in anticipation.


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## Baymule (Feb 23, 2017)

AClark said:


> I honestly believe that if I died and went to heaven, I'd be put right back where I am now. I honestly couldn't ask for more.



My husband and I say all the time how blessed we are and how happy we are. I totally get where you're coming from.


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## Mini Horses (Feb 23, 2017)

My goats are in a front field now and when I pull into the driveway they run to that fence line.....in AM, open back door and everyone starts yelling  "hello, FEED ME AGAIN !".  Pigs?  I would carry a loaf of bread and throw it out, so I could dump feed while they scampered for it.

All I can say is that we need to remember this --- BECAUSE we feed and they love us for it, when they get out of their fenced areas (and one day or night they will) and have that "burst out run", they will happily come to us when we call and rattle a can of rocks!  It's like being the Pied Piper

AClark the baby is adorable!   Nice head of hair, too...  I hope you get some rest here & there.   You will be fine so long as you don't mistakenly give your coffee to the animals!  You'll need it.

I can say you are braver than I with 100+ quail to hatch     Obviously you needed more work!   Really???


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## Bruce (Feb 24, 2017)

Yes @Mini Horses I think she did need more work! Hardly anything going on


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## Hens and Roos (Feb 24, 2017)

Good luck with the quail....it is neat to watch them hatch....like popcorn!


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## AClark (Feb 24, 2017)

@Bruce  of course I needed more work, I might get bored around here!

To be honest though, that's true. While the baby does have her demands, she's also a newborn and sleeps a good deal. DH is happier with me staying home than working, and I think I'm going to go "back to work" from home from here on out. I hate commuting, traffic, and well, most people so going to work in the morning was always a challenge. Not the getting up part, but the driving and dealing with people part. My job is frequently done from home anyway. 

It is totally the Pied Piper, I think it's hilarious to watch them all scramble to chase me around. It's kind of like a Laurel and Hardy skit. I leave 2 buckets over the fence to go get the furthest feeder, and the goats realize it and go start to eat out of it, or one of the horses will follow me with their head in the bucket while I walk (seriously, 1000 lbs of animal with it's head so far in a bucket it can't see where it's going, what could go wrong here?) And yes, fat heads in the feeder before I pour it - I say the same thing! Move your fat head so I can dump this out.


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## Bruce (Feb 24, 2017)

But you have several other kids as well, no? I ASSUME they require a bit of attention. That said, I'm sure you are using a bucket that you can carry. Just happens your bucket is bigger than some others


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## AClark (Feb 24, 2017)

I do have 4 other children, but they are all school aged and gone from 7-4, so it's a lot of down time during the day. I mean, yes I have household chores, but I make my older kids pick their own messes up so I have a minimal amount to do. Just vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, moping and washing clothes. They put their own laundry up. Other than that, unless they have a dr appt or I need to go to the store, I don't have much to do all day. 

I feed with 5 gallon buckets - I can carry 4 at a time, and they aren't full so it's not very heavy, just bulky. I impressed my 13 year old when I bought feed a few days ago by carrying 80 lbs on my shoulders from where I park to the feed shed, rather than moving the truck to unload. Good exercise! I had picked up groceries and backed the truck in to unload those, and didn't see any reason to start the truck to move it to unload the feed. I might if I had more than 4 or 5 bags though.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 24, 2017)

Don't turn around if ya see something waving behind ya in your peripheral vision....it is just your Cape waving in the breeze....


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## NH homesteader (Feb 24, 2017)

I knew I liked you! Lol, the people at TSC look at me weird when I carry 50 lb feed bags to my car. One guy was really bothered that I wasn't using a cart. It's easier than going back with the cart!


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## AClark (Feb 24, 2017)

Exactly, and carts tend to tip ove r when they get that heavy.


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## Bruce (Feb 24, 2017)

I'm good for one 50# at a time, not more.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 24, 2017)

I'm the same way, if it's a small load just carry it. 

I'm a small framed person, 5' 5" and 100lbs.  
The guys at Southern States are always shocked. Not long ago we were loading ~30 bags of feed, they stand on the loading dock and toss the bags over while I load them. I wasn't quite ready and as I turned around a bag was coming at me, I caught it in mid air with one hand and stacked it. The looks on everyone's face was priceless! 

Plus, I'm pretty sure shoulders are made just for feed bags to sit on. 

People think small "chicks" are weak, love to prove them wrong


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## NH homesteader (Feb 24, 2017)

My 6'4" brother has a "bad shoulder" (wahhh, it's not that bad, he's a complainer) so my parents have told him don't bother trying to help  them move furniture, his farmer sister will do it


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## Baymule (Feb 24, 2017)

At 61, I can still toss a 50 pound bag of feed on my shoulder and put it in the feed shed. Ya'll keep it up, toss those bags and square bales, it is weight lifting--farm style!


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## Mini Horses (Feb 24, 2017)

Well........ya know you are getting old when everyone offers to help you load your feed, even the customers outside and you HAVEN'T EVEN started to pick the bags up, just drop a tailgate!  
Depending on my mood I let them but, most often I explain that when I can't do it it will be time to get rid of them all...Thanks!

I generally back right up to the barn as soon as I get home.  Unload.
Never been able to throw a 50# bag on my shoulder....40 ok.  But I can still stack that hay 5 high.  Can't explain it.   Slower


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 25, 2017)

Me too, @Baymule!  I usually buy 16 - 18 bags of feed at a time and 99% of the time I  unload them all myself.  I now keep my feed in a trailer outside the pasture (so no break ins by the critter)...which means I actually have a couple steps up to get in the trailer.  Keeps me strong!   But doesn't help the torn tendon in my ankle...sheesh!

I say the same thing @Mini Horses - when I can't move the feed anymore it's time to hang it up.


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## Bruce (Feb 25, 2017)

Mini Horses said:


> Never been able to throw a 50# bag on my shoulder....40 ok.  But I can still stack that hay 5 high.  Can't explain it.   Slower


I think the hay is easier since you can grab both strings at different places on the bale for balance. Tough to do with a bag of feed especially if you have hand grip issues.



NH homesteader said:


> My 6'4" brother has a "bad shoulder" (wahhh, it's not that bad, he's a complainer) so my parents have told him don't bother trying to help  them move furniture, his farmer sister will do it



That's one way to get out of work! Wait until your daughter starts out lifting him


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## Mini Horses (Feb 25, 2017)

Bruce, so true.  Those strings can make a nice hand hold & change the balancing act.  Plus I can put one end up and flip, flop if needed.   Using one layer as step stool helps.....hey, I'm 70+, I can cheat! 

CountryBoy, I'm with you....surely AC wears a cape!!  Probably a whip at hand, too.     With 5 kids, 3 horses, 3 goats, rabbits & 100+ quail, a garden going in, a husband (& who know what else is going on there, like renovating trailers)  it is not what I would think had ANY slow time.  I'd be yelling for help!  

Wore me out even thinking about it.


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## NH homesteader (Feb 25, 2017)

Carried my 50 lb bag through TSC today again, got some weird looks. Of course I was wearing my "nice" clothes, so people think I'm nuts. 

I actually have a harder time with bales than feed bags. But I'm pretty sure most of our bales are more than 50 lbs.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 25, 2017)

I wanna know how you get by with just one bag of feed lol!!!  Course maybe I should buy smaller amounts at a time... would be easier than a marathon unloading session!


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## NH homesteader (Feb 25, 2017)

Haha! Well... I bought goat feed the other day, and we buy pig food in bulk from a friend with a silo (55 gallons, around 350 lbs, I don't carry those around!) so it was just a bag of chicken food! We don't have great storage so we don't buy too much at a time.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 25, 2017)

We are usually going to town 2-3 times a wk, I told them at the Co-Op that they had more storage than me, so I let them store it. Plus, with only 3 goats a 50# bag lasts for about a month....the chickens and ducks on the other hand go thru 2 bags a wk. That will go down tho, when they start getting out all day eating bugs and grass.


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## Bruce (Feb 25, 2017)

How many chickens do you have @CntryBoy777 ? My 12 girls go through 50 pounds in about a month in the winter. Of course I have no ducks.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 25, 2017)

We have 9hens and 2roos....and 12 ducks.


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## NH homesteader (Feb 25, 2017)

Ducks eat so much!! Ours were major grain hogs!


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## Bruce (Feb 25, 2017)

Yep must be the ducks. 100# a week for 11 chickens is ridiculous.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 25, 2017)

Our Pekins were, until we kicked their butt out to go forage. Our egg khaki Campbell's lived mostly off of grass. Same thing with our geese. If they are on feed our geese get angel wing


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 25, 2017)

That is one of several reasons I'm wanting to get this fence done....but, the main one is to eat the dang Bugs around here like those ticks, grasshoppers, and plenty of others...along with the slugs.


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## Bruce (Feb 26, 2017)

Won't be any left for you and Joyce!


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## AClark (Feb 28, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> I'm the same way, if it's a small load just carry it.
> 
> I'm a small framed person, 5' 5" and 100lbs.
> The guys at Southern States are always shocked. Not long ago we were loading ~30 bags of feed, they stand on the loading dock and toss the bags over while I load them. I wasn't quite ready and as I turned around a bag was coming at me, I caught it in mid air with one hand and stacked it. The looks on everyone's face was priceless!
> ...



Small people get stuff done! I'm 5' 3". My first job out of high school was at our local hay broker/feed store. I can't even tell you how many bales we would load a day, but it was by the ton. Bales are easier to handle because it's compacted and not a sack of pure dead weight. 
The photo is of me some years ago, the horse I'm on is the size of a large pony (13.2 hands tall)

I have a lot of nerve damage in my left (and dominant) hand and arm. I had an accident when I was 8, I fell through a window, and it cut through the top of my arm and out my elbow. I had surgery on it 2013 because I lost motion and feeling in half my hand. Mostly the muscle wasting is getting to me but I try to keep active and use it so it doesn't deteriorate anymore.

That said, as long as you can still do it, do it. I get my "busy" life from my grandparents. Grandpa will be 89 this year, grandma 85, they still unload their own feed. It was just in the last few years that grandpa stopped hauling the hay and stacking it in the barn by himself, he passed out and fell off the top of the stack (we think from the heat) and we figured it's time to stop and have someone else do that kind of hard work. Grandma still lifts the bags of horse pellets, and she's tiny with a bad back. Obviously, when we're there we do it for them, but they are still capable. I think that kind of lifestyle keeps you out of the nursing home to be honest.

My quail hatched out on Saturday afternoon. I think there's 70 or so (out of 108, 30 eggs were duds, and a few had babies that didn't get out of the shell). I was cleaning out the incubator yesterday, and I heard chirping. I found 1 egg with a live baby quail still in it, but it had shrink wrapped and he was stuck. I know everything I read said not to help them, but he'd been stuck in there for days, so I cracked his shell off of him. He's tiny, and kind of curled up. He's in my bedroom on a heating pad in a box and not in with the small herd of dinosaurs. Now, I didn't have much hope for him, I figured he'd been stuck for too long, but he's looking better and moving around, and he was chirping when I got up this morning. His name is Bob (whether he's a boy or not). If he makes it, he gets a stay of execution and no trip to Camp Freezer.


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## Baymule (Feb 28, 2017)

Here's hoping for the best for Bob! I hope in my 80's I am still tossing feed bags!


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 28, 2017)

I really don't think I'll make it to 80, but plan on being as active as I can until I do "Check Out". That sure is a whole lot of peepers there, hope they all make it to size...especially Bob/Bobi.


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## Bruce (Feb 28, 2017)

You can aim for 75 @CntryBoy777 , that gives us a good long time to enjoy your company.


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## AClark (Mar 1, 2017)

You never know Cntry! It is a ton of "peepers" (funny, that's exactly what I call them). "Bob" is still with us and looks better by the day! It's still in my bedroom, on a heating pad in a box, but it's straightened out from being cramped in the shell and hops around, eats and drinks, so the odds are improving. Bob won't be going in with the rest of the dinosaurs, as he? is smaller and I'm still concerned they'll pick on him. We decided he gets raised in the bedroom in an old rabbit cage when it's time to upgrade his digs. When he's big enough, we'll tag him so he doesn't end up on the short ride to Camp Freezer. I'm glad my husband is as big of a sucker as I am, as he isn't phased by having a baby quail in our bedroom and even brought up that we can't eat him before I did.
I think that's the key to a good marriage; marry someone as weird and eccentric as you are! 

Since Bob has a name and can't be eaten, here's a glamour shot of the little critter.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 1, 2017)

I understand that, for sure. We knew nothing about goats before we got our 3 almost 2yrs ago now, and since it was a doe and 2 wethers, several have asked if we are going to eat them...and immediately commence to telling us just how Delicious goat meat is. We just smile and thank them, but we got them to learn from, so they will be untouched as long as we are living. The only way we would consider it is if there wasn't anything else to eat. We have been talking about expanding and going in a bit of a different direction with it, but they will always be our teachers and pets.


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## AClark (Mar 1, 2017)

I'm much the same way. We've named all the goats, and have no plans on eating them. When our two does eventually kid, their kids will probably be sold rather than eaten. I mean if I can't sell the bucklings, yeah I'll make them wethers and probably eat them, but it seems that Kinder goats have a market. I'd rather sell them off than eat them really. 
It's kind of like the rabbits, they have names, and when they no longer produce will just be pets. Their offspring is fair game for food. I don't know, I don't eat anything with a name, so I don't name things I intend to eat, and I don't get them friendly. At the point they are friendly, they are pets, and I can't make myself process them. No name and not a pet, not a problem.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 1, 2017)

See I'm the opposite. I would prefer to eat the bucklings than sell them, because I always worry about animals I sell being treated poorly, particularly wethers who get bounced around a lot. 

Things that come to the farm as pets or non eating animals though, can't eat them. We're weird.

Oh, and Bob is adorable!!


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## AClark (Mar 1, 2017)

Well, I feel better that it isn't just us that name things and then can't eat them! 

I kind of wondered about that too, whether they would get bounced around and treated badly. I would feel guilty about that. Weird how it is, you feel less guilt about eating them than selling them to a potentially bad home. I bet that's why when I got my does the guy I bought them from came out to see where they'd be.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 1, 2017)

Absolutely. It's hard to sell animals!
We do name our pigs, but we just go through the state names. We've had New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, California, North and South Dakota. Lol


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## AClark (Mar 1, 2017)

We debated pigs, but the butchering process for them is insane with the scraping and hot water dipping. DH was telling me how they did it when he was a kid and that it took him, his uncle, dad, and cousin and it was an all day affair. No thanks. I'm not a lazy person, but that just seems like too much work. That and I don't particularly care for pork, except bacon.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 1, 2017)

With me it comes down to not just the name thing, but when there is a distance kept, I can do the whole slaughter thing, but it really isn't my idea of Fun....but, can..have and done. If there is more than 1 chicken in the freezer, then I don't know which it is....but, a goat or bigger I would know. Though, I have noticed that there is a change about the 1.5-2yr mark that they lose their younger personality and at that point I could do it. So, those we keep will be wethered and not sent to camp until about 17mnths. There won't be as much time devoted to them...like chickens or ducks. The reason we got goats too, is if there is ever no more power...or can't afford it, then there won't be very much wasted or spoil with us and the neighbor eating it. Plus, we have to be able to handle what we have.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 1, 2017)

yeah no way are we doing that either. We skin them. Not that difficult or time consuming. DH cuts, I wrap. I never cared for pork until I had farm fresh pork. Now it's my favorite meat!


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## Baymule (Mar 1, 2017)

I don't name the ram lambs that get wethered for slaughter. I did slaughter a named ewe lamb last year because she didn't grow off and was small. Reality knocks. I name pigs and they go to slaughter. I butcher my own chickens and old hens. But I get it about not wanting to eat an animal you named.


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## AClark (Mar 2, 2017)

Well, Bob didn't make it.  I'm not sure what happened, he was looking good and alert, moving around, eating and drinking and DH came home from work and came out of our room with a sad look and I already knew why. It sucks. At least Bob got a couple of days of being warm instead of dying in his shell.

I really prefer to keep a distance between my heart and animals that are destined for the freezer. Reality is, I'm a bit of a soft touch, and it helps me cope with it. I have no problem hunting, and butchering the ones I haven't tamed down or named, but just something eats at me if it was a "pet". I currently have a rabbit with a name that I don't think is fertile anymore, or is refusing. She gets 1 last shot at making a litter or she's going in the freezer. I do know that she can't sit and scarf down food without doing her "job" and have a replacement set up for her.


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## Baymule (Mar 2, 2017)

Sorry about Bob. Sometimes we just throw our heart into a lost cause, even though we know the chances are zero to none. But we still try. Sometimes we beat the odds and that one success outweighs all the losses.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 2, 2017)

Sorry about Bob. And well said Bay, as usual.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 2, 2017)

Awww!....well it isn't like ya don't have plenty of other things around ya to take your mind off of it. Especially that beautiful little girl....how's she doing by the way?


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## AClark (Mar 3, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Sorry about Bob. Sometimes we just throw our heart into a lost cause, even though we know the chances are zero to none. But we still try. Sometimes we beat the odds and that one success outweighs all the losses.


That's exactly it, I knew he had a slim chance, and wasn't surprised really. I have 53 total, I finally got a head count on them when I cleaned out their brooder.

@CntryBoy777 
I'll see your knee, and raise you an arm! Both pics are of the same arm, top and bottom. My ortho doc debated another surgery but after looking at my nerve conduction study said it wouldn't be useful, and they'll look into cutting into my collar bone to release it up there instead. I wish I could find the surgery pics, they were really cool (and gross, lol).


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## AClark (Mar 3, 2017)

Oh, and a happy pic since this thread has been kind of sad lately.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 3, 2017)

She is just so precious!! She appears to be very alert, too. What a beautiful head of hair. My oldest daughter had a head full like that, lost it all and was 2 before it grew back, Blonde. Yeh, that arm looks pretty damaged ya have. I've only had 1 surgery on the knee, but no cartilage, shredded ligaments, nerve damage, and not much inner support to keep it in place. I injured it playing softball back in '77....I thought I was having Fun....


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## Bruce (Mar 3, 2017)

You WERE having fun ... until you wrecked your knee 

Those are some wicked scars @AClark, did the doctor use a butcher knife instead of a scalpel?


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## Baymule (Mar 3, 2017)

Bruce said:


> You WERE having fun ... until you wrecked your knee
> 
> Those are some wicked scars @AClark, did the doctor use a butcher knife instead of a scalpel?


It looks like he used  a cross-cut saw! 

Your baby is so gorgeous!  I like the pink camo blanket. It's so nice that you are influencing her with girlie stuff!


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## Bruce (Mar 3, 2017)

Trying to hide her from the boys, can't start too early!


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## AClark (Mar 6, 2017)

Lol, the pink camo are the sheets on my bed - but I totally have a Mossy Oak onesie for her! 

The top of my arm was done by a window in 3rd grade, I fell right through that thing. The back was done by a great surgeon, they didn't use stitches (glue) so it didn't quite stick together great. It should have, since it was in a cast for 2 weeks to heal, but it was in the middle of summer and with the humidity and all, it was a nasty soggy mess (and boy did it itch!)

I don't expect Lena to lose her hair. All my kids were born with a mop of hair, and all but 1 stayed dark (so I have 4 brunette kids and 1 blonde, and I am brunette, so is DH). My 2nd youngest has really dark hair, it's darker than mine. Here's my 6 year old with her new baby sister.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 6, 2017)

Oh that's sweet...I bet she is a big help to ya with Lena...along with the others too.


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## Baymule (Mar 6, 2017)

Beautiful children. You are blessed.


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## Latestarter (Mar 7, 2017)

Beautiful kids and I'm sure you're proud of them all.


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## AClark (Mar 9, 2017)

Thanks everyone! I do have some good kiddos, even the teenager who makes me want to strangle him! 

I went to Atwoods yesterday and spent the national deficit. Came home with 8 12' corral panels and a 330 ft roll of woven fencing (good price on it, $125). That roll of wire weighs a ton, they used a forklift to put it on my truck and the truck bounced. That wouldn't be so impressive if it wasn't a 1 ton truck! 12 ft panels fit good in a long bed truck with barely any hanging over, with the toolbox I could only fit 4 that barely hung over the tailgate, the other 4 hung over another 2-3 feet so I had to tag them. For once, my welded in goosneck ball was handy because I tied them in with a ratchet strap to the hooks in the front, and then again to that so no way were they flying out. 

I made a 30' round pen out of the panels. I guess I haven't mentioned it, but my bay horse is very hard to catch and not trusting at all. We started some round pen work yesterday and after about half an hour I got a halter on her. She's well broke to ride and has great ground manners once you catch her, but I'm not playing "catch me if you can" constantly. We're working on it. She won't face me in the round pen, keeps swinging her butt at me but isn't offering to kick - trust issues.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 9, 2017)

Congratulations!!....ya went out, bought stuff, got it home, and all of that without any other incedent taking place. Things are getting Better....and if anyone can get the bay turned around and tamed...you most certainly can. I can barely handle a 100' roll, so no way am I wrestlin a 330' roll. I follow the Clint Eastwood line, "A man has to know his Limitations". Oh, and about the teenager, they all reach that point and if ya are lucky....ya won't be staring in a mirror dealing with those yrs....ya only have to count to 18...


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## Bruce (Mar 9, 2017)

Yeah those 330' rolls are too heavy for most of us. I got lucky when I had to take the one for the west line off the cargo carrier on the back of the car. Guy came down the hill (8 houses, private road the runs the south side of our property) just when I was going to deal with it, stopped and asked if I wanted help. We got it down the swale and back up the other side and left it there. I unrolled it by rolling it out enough to attach it to the corner post then used a piece of metal conduit to make an axle of sorts and wire to connect it to the garden tractor headed north. Not smooth, but it worked.


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## Baymule (Mar 9, 2017)

I have a 30 year old Tennessee Walker mare that we've had for 20 years. She has never been trusting, no matter what I've done. She must have been treated badly, it's sad. All my animals are all over me, but not her. She finally decided that a brush is a good thing and will come to me for brushing. it only took 12 years for that.

Good luck with your mare, she is pretty and I know you can teach her better manners.


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## AClark (Mar 13, 2017)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Congratulations!!....ya went out, bought stuff, got it home, and all of that without any other incedent taking place.



You just about nailed it there. It is a feat for me to go, do something, and come home unscathed!  As for the teenager, he'll be 14 this year, is bigger than me, and when he tries my patience I just remind myself "4 more years" lol.
We are figuring out how to unroll that beast without killing ourselves, we don't have a tractor, just the pickups, and I know I can't run a pipe through it and roll it off like I do barbed wire, since I can't hold that roll up. We literally rolled it off the back of the truck and to the barn and left it.
I've had in mind a design to make a wire roller that goes on the insert for a hitch for awhile. One you can just yank off like you would a ball hitch. I might weld one up one of these days and see what I can do with it.

Belle (the bay mare) is off the track. I didn't know it when I bought her, but I see tattoo marks when she flips her lip up. Eventually I hope to be able to look at it and hopefully read it. So it makes sense why she's so easy to handle, as she's been handled a lot. It's just catching her that is rough. She's absolutely perfect to do her feet. I pulled that old shoe off and trimmed her feet and she had perfect manners. She's never offered any bad behaviors, like kicking or biting. The most she did was rest her nose on my back while I lopped on her ski feet. I finally brushed the lot sticker out of her mane and brushed her tail, and the rest of her. No issues at all as long as you don't touch her nose. I am getting where I can run my hand down her forehead and off the end of her nose without her flipping out though. She finally took a small bite of grain out of my hand, but jerked back like "OMG what have I done?!" - we'll get there though.
I have some theories on why she's so touchy about her nose.
1. someone got too gung ho with a twitch
2. someone sawed on her mouth with a bit, and if you can't put it in, you can't saw on her mouth

I see now that bitless riding is all the rage, which I find amusing because I used to get ragged on for using a hackamore as a kid. I'm a big fan of it, but it's all I knew growing up until i started showing. Even then, I hated being forced to use a bit because it was the rules.
The other thing that cracks me up being all new and trendy is leaving your horse barefoot. I get a good laugh out of that as we never shod horses unless they needed it. I wish I had known as a young teenager just how trendy I was with my bitless barefoot horse! 

The two QHs are clowns, and completely all over me every time I go out there. Trav always tempts me to hop on him bareback, and then better sense prevails that I should put a halter on him at least before I do that. Dixie is putting on weight well and doesn't look like a skeleton anymore. Trav just looks comfy with his mutton withers, and I have zero thoughts of riding Dixie bareback since she is high withered.

Bay, TWH's are such nice horses, that's a crying shame. Though after seeing what they do to some of them for showing, I don't blame them for thinking people are sketchy. If I wanted a horse strictly for pleasure riding, I'd definitely look at them, that gait just looks super smooth and comfortable, rather than having your ribs jostled apart with a trot.


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## Bruce (Mar 13, 2017)

AClark said:


> Belle (the bay mare) is off the track.


Order more hay!!!! Those race horses burn hay just breathing. When we bought this house there was a lady boarding 2 horses and a pony, she stayed through the winter. One was a thoroughbred, BIG horse. She showed me a picture she took when she got him. Plenty of ribs showing. The people she bought him from said they couldn't get weight on him. She did though, just gave him more hay!


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 13, 2017)

Throw a chain over a limb, or rafter in a barn, get the come a long out and hook it up and lift it out of the bed...pull out...and lower it. Rope and pulley will also work.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 13, 2017)

My SIL bred thoroughbreds. They don't eat more than other horses the same size. All horses eat a ridiculous amount though. My husband calls them hay burners for a reason lol


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## Mike CHS (Mar 13, 2017)

Every time I handle one of those 330' rolls of wire I give thanks for our hilly property.  I always lay it out at the top of a hill and let gravity do the rest.  I did learn to stay downhill of the roll with my rock bar to slow it down and stop it when it wants to go off direction.


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## Bruce (Mar 13, 2017)

I ran a hollow pipe through the roll, ran wire through the pipe and connected the wire to the hitch on the garden tractor. It unrolled pretty well as I drove along slowly and my wife adjusting things as needed (yes I stopped when she was doing that).


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## AClark (Mar 22, 2017)

NH homesteader said:


> My SIL bred thoroughbreds. They don't eat more than other horses the same size. All horses eat a ridiculous amount though. My husband calls them hay burners for a reason lol


Hay burners is right! 
I go through 2 round bales (800 lbs or so each) a month and I just picked up 200#'s of pellets and 250#'s of cubes the other day. However, everybody, goats included, eat the pellets, cubes, and bermuda hay. I would say I probably total out around 500 lbs of cubes and 600 lbs of pellets in a month. My neighbors at the hay farm love me, since I buy the bales and cubes there. I write them checks since they don't like messing with debit cards, memo line: horse feed. I'm half debating writing "Unprocessed horse sh*t" on the next one. Of course I go through the hay because I free feed it so they can eat as much as they want, and then I just feed the pellets and cubes at night.
I'm glad I paid off my truck, it gives me a good chunk of extra money, that is now going into horse food, lol.

Belle is no small horse, she's at least 15HH, maybe more, I don't have a stick handy. Her withers are at the top of my head though, and I'm 5'3" so a good guesstimate would be 15.2 HH.
The other two are in the 14 HH range - Dixie is gaining weight well, but I feed her as much as I do the TB.

I have chickens hatching today...on day 18. WTH. So this morning I got up, and turned the turner off and moved them down on the grating. I heard chirping...ok cool. I've heard chirping all day. I like to watch them rock around and looked in, since today was supposed to be day 1 of lock down, and 2 eggs have pipped. They weren't due to hatch until Saturday, but tell them that!  
The ones that are hatching are Cochin and Cochin crosses. I also have a mixed batch of eggs. I candled them as I went today and all is looking good for a big hatch. I ordered extra eggs since my last batch of chicken eggs didn't work out good and now I think I over did it. There are 31 eggs in the incubator now that all candled as good and alive this morning. I candled them at day 7 and chucked the yolkers out and one red ring. Oops. 
My quail didn't have the best success rate. I still have about 20 out of the 50 that hatched. Not sure what went on there, but they dropped like flies the first two weeks - I did use medicated feed. I moved them out to the barn early this week with their heat lamp and all is well there. They should be about ready to go outside, and the weather has been in the high 80's, low 90's so not very chilly at all.

My Californian buck passed away the other day. No clue as to how or why, he was just dead in his cage. He wasn't sick or anything you could see, but could have been age as I have no idea how old he was when we got him a year ago. Nobody else looks sick or anything. He should have 2 litters on their way April 7th if the does caught this time and I have 1 of his daughters. It sucks because I don't care much for the other buck and had planned on selling off my 2nd buck but I'd be shooting myself in the foot now if I did. I'll wait and see if I get a decent buck out of the litters I hopefully will get. 
I did skin him out and saved his pelt. He was really tough to skin! 




I rode Dixie the other day for the first time and she did great. All the kids got a turn riding her with me leading, since none of them know how to steer and she doesn't neck rein.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 22, 2017)

It sounds like ya will be making up the Quail losses with Chickens instead....gonna be a while lot of Peeping going on over there. Sorry to hear about your buck, hope those expecting come thru for ya. I do love Horses, but it is costly to have them. Are your goats doing okay and staying at home?


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## NH homesteader (Mar 22, 2017)

Oh my feed bill!


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## Bruce (Mar 22, 2017)

Does one feel a might puny when standing next to a horse whose neck STARTS at the top of their head?


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## Baymule (Mar 22, 2017)

You have been busy! We were given 6 Californian bunnies a few weeks ago, they are in the freezer. I cooked one, they are good. Dixie is looking good, sounds like she needs some reining lessons. The new horse we bought needed a tune up, but we took him to a trainer because DH had shoulder replacement surgery and I didn't have time.

How is that beautiful baby doing? We need an update!


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## AClark (Mar 23, 2017)

Bruce said:


> Does one feel a might puny when standing next to a horse whose neck STARTS at the top of their head?


Ever watched the Kentucky Derby and seen the jockeys getting up - yeah, I feel like that. Like them, I might need someone to give me a boost to get all the way up there. I'm used to short horses, most of the ones I've ever had have been in the 13.2-14.2 HH range. I can easily swing up on those, her, I'm going to have to jump to get a foot in a stirrup. 

I have 9 Cochin chicks this morning, 6 black and 3 that are cream colored. Some of my other big chicken eggs are pipped and we are waiting! The incubator is nowhere near as nasty as it was with the quail, that was flat out disgusting.


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## Baymule (Mar 23, 2017)

Congrats on the new chicks! I think I'll borrow the neighbors incubator to hatch out some Easter eggers before I kill that darn mean rooster that I hate so much.

I'm 5'7", but my knees are crapped out and getting on tall horses is a chore. I sold a 16.2 hand mare last year because of that.


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## Latestarter (Mar 23, 2017)

I love horses, but do NOT envy you the cost to keep them. Just too much for me to cover...


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## AClark (Mar 23, 2017)

Two of my bigger eggs have hatched. Both of them are buff colored.
So, now it's a bunch of black ones with white stripes all Cochins
2 or 3 buff colored Cochins
1 bright yellow Cochin
and 2 "I don't know, came out of a large light brown egg" buff colored ones.

I'm debating buying another Californian buck and still selling mine off, I saw some up on Craigslist a couple of days ago. I have a doe that is freezer-bound if she doesn't produce this time. She's been bred 3 months in a row and nothing.

Round bales aren't expensive, they are $40 each, that's my lowest cost. A 50# bag of pellets is around $7, cubes are $8 a bag. I do feed a lot, which will drop back some when Dixie gets up to a decent weight and I'm not having to feed her as much as a huge horse. 

I guess I don't think too much about it since horses are my true love as far as animals go. I like the goats and the birds and rabbits, but I don't love them like I do the horses. You can't put a price on happiness. 

Dixie definitely needs some reining lessons, she responds to leg cues very well so I will have no problem teaching her to neck rein. She's on very light riding now since I am pretty certain she's in foal, that big belly didn't shrink down with good food and a big tube of dewormer, so it's a good bet that's a baby. I'll probably get the vet to check her soon, as she needs her teeth floated anyway. Both of the mares came with a nasty case of feed lot snot, and I didn't want to drag the vet out since it looked very similar to strangles and that stuff is so contagious, it's better the poor vet doesn't drag it back to their office to share it. 

I'm trying to upload pics from my iphone, but my computer crashed the other day and I'm having to reinstall itunes and all of that. It crashed so bad I had to wipe and reinstall everything. Will post some pics later.


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## AClark (Mar 23, 2017)

Baby and baby chicken pics!


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## Latestarter (Mar 23, 2017)

Your baby girl sure looks like a sweetie. Grats on the hatch.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 23, 2017)

Our neighbor has their ducks laying eggs all over the place and when we told them they had an incubator they were thrilled to be able to try and hatch some.  We have had some cold weather so we have no idea whether or not they are still viable.


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## Baymule (Mar 23, 2017)

Only a BYH'er would post pictures of their baby and baby chicks on the same post!!  Beautiful! Both of them!


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 23, 2017)

She really has wide-open eyes....and "Ponies" on the Jumper, seems Mom is sending those subliminal messages....


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2017)

Mike CHS said:


> Our neighbor has their ducks laying eggs all over the place and when we told them they had an incubator they were thrilled to be able to try and hatch some.  We have had some cold weather so we have no idea whether or not they are still viable.


As long as they haven't frozen, it's probably ok, might not be a high hatch rate but I bet something does hatch. I kept the first batch of eggs on the counter for 2 days while I waited for the second to get here so I could put them all in at once. They're all hatching on time. I think I have 5 eggs that haven't hatched as of this morning, only 1 has pipped.


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## Bruce (Mar 24, 2017)

There is someone on BYC that hatched out fertile eggs from Trader Joe's. I bet those weren't carefully stored to avoid low temps. Do your neighbors have NO birds that ever go broody? I have several chickens that I wish would NOT (except for starting about the end of the 3rd week of April, my next 7 chicks should arrive from Meyer the next Tuesday/Wed!!)



Baymule said:


> Only a BYH'er would post pictures of their baby and baby chicks on the same post!!  Beautiful! Both of them!



Nah, they do it on BYC as well. But I agree, cute baby


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## Mike CHS (Mar 24, 2017)

We are incubating eggs just to do it.  We are getting some hens that are already laying tomorrow so eggs and chicks is just adding an item to give us something to try.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 24, 2017)

Your daughter is beautiful!!

Hatching eggs is fun. I had amazing luck with ducks, which I didn't want very many of. They went broody all the time so I stopped incubating those. I thought one of my ducks was eaten once but she reappeared a few weeks later with 12 ducklings!!! Half of them weren't hers. 

Now turkeys, which I want to hatch, are so much harder to make happen.


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2017)

Hatching eggs is not only fun, it's addictive! Every time the baby woke up last night, I'd get up and check on the incubator and find more hatched out. Tons of fun to see what is going to come out of those eggs. I think I made it more fun by getting a mixed batch so it's like Christmas, you don't know what's in the package but you're pretty sure you're going to like it, even if it's socks from Grandma. (Side note, getting socks for Christmas as an adult is awesome! lol)
The down side? The smell from all those hatched eggs is pretty foul, no pun intended. It's pretty repulsive. 

The baby likes looking at the chicks, they capture her attention pretty well.


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2017)

NH homesteader said:


> Your daughter is beautiful!!
> 
> Hatching eggs is fun. I had amazing luck with ducks, which I didn't want very many of. They went broody all the time so I stopped incubating those. I thought one of my ducks was eaten once but she reappeared a few weeks later with 12 ducklings!!! Half of them weren't hers.
> 
> Now turkeys, which I want to hatch, are so much harder to make happen.



I was kind of thinking about turkeys, but getting eggs to hatch around here doesn't look so good, and they want an arm and a leg on Ebay - if shipping was more reliably gentle I'd go for it.
I have thought about ducks but everything I've read says they are messy, and since I don't have a pond I'd have to make something for them and clean it. For once I'm going to say that is probably more work than I want to invest into it, lol.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 24, 2017)

How much are people asking for them? I've never looked aeound because I got 2 of mine (plus my tom that died this winter) from a friend for free, and got my 2 new ones locally from someone who was selling out.


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2017)

It depends on the breed and how many eggs - looks like average is $4-5 each, plus shipping at $12-15 flat rated. That's for no refunds or guarantees and if the post office messes them up, you usually have to pay for shipping for the new eggs. 
From what I understand, shipping tends to reduce viability too. I've had good luck with these but they weren't shipped very far either (one batch came locally, the Cochins, and the other from Missouri).


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2017)




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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 24, 2017)

Looks like ya are getting a pretty good handle on the whole incubator thing....at least to me it seems ya have a fairly good rate with it.


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2017)

I got a digital thermometer/hygrometer- that's the key, accurate humidity and temperature.


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## Baymule (Mar 26, 2017)

I have been studying incubating on BYH. I found a 108 page thread on the Incuview incubator, on page 60, going to order one Monday!


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## Latestarter (Mar 26, 2017)

You mean BYC? There's loads on incubating over there...


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## Mike CHS (Mar 26, 2017)

We bought the Hovabator and the auto egg turner as an accessory.  We are just now starting to use it so we will see how it goes.  We got that several years ago as we were slowly accumulating for the move here.


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## NH homesteader (Mar 26, 2017)

I also have a Hovabator with egg turner and we love it. We had a cheapo incubator before, had so many issues regulating temp. No more! It works great.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 26, 2017)

We have a digital thermometer but no hygrometer. May have to check into something if need be.


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## Baymule (Mar 26, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> You mean BYC? There's loads on incubating over there...


DUUUHHH....... yup I mean BYC


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## Bruce (Mar 26, 2017)

AClark said:


> Every time the baby woke up last night, I'd get up and check on the incubator and find more hatched out.



I trust you remembered to check on the baby as well!


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## AClark (Mar 27, 2017)

Uh well, here's the thing about the baby - I can't not check on her, since she insists that she sleeps in our bed. I have tried to get her to sleep in her bassinet, but I've also found that if I want to get some quality rest, letting her sleep on me is the way to go. We both sleep better that way. 

I have a Little Giant or whatever they're called incubator. Nothing special, just the styrofoam one. The egg turner and rails are the key to success I believe, and a good thermometer/hygrometer. I got our digital therm/hygro off Amazon for like $8. The heating element can be a pain in the butt to get settled in, but once it's on point, it's good to go. I set it up the day before to adjust it where I want it so once it sits at 101F (it's still air) for 8+ hours I know it's not going to act crazy anymore. 
I'm putting a fan in it for my next batch, I have a CPU fan and some old cords. 

I have 21 chicks out of 31 eggs that candled good. Two never made it out, they zipped but died, not sure why


 

 

 

 . I had 2 die the first night. I did something bad, I helped 2 that had shrink wrapped up in their shells, but both of them are healthy and doing well.


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## Latestarter (Mar 27, 2017)

It's not bad if it worked... justsayin.  You successfully replaced the other 2 that died with ones that otherwise would have been lost as well. Nicely done!


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## HomeOnTheRange (Mar 28, 2017)

Nice overall hatch!


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## AClark (Mar 29, 2017)

Yeah, not bad for shipped eggs either. From what I've read it really can reduce the hatch rate. I hate that you get losses after they've hatched, it's sad to see they got that far and then just went.


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## AClark (Apr 4, 2017)

Well, we've officially given up on making the abominable trailer into anything large stock can ride in. Started to dig into it and found a crack in the frame, and it's really not worth sending out to weld, I don't trust myself to weld up something that critical.
But wait, there's more - since I have it and have already put the work in to rip out the rotten wood, we've decided to go a new route with it - it will be the Chicken Coop 5000! Yes, for just 5 easy payments of $0, you too can have a completely mobile sturdy chicken coop. It comes complete with doors already and a steel frame, and hey, chickens don't weight enough to break that crack in the frame. Don't like where it is, hook it to the truck and move it!
Eh, it is what it is. We can still make it serve a purpose, and it's not worth much in scrap! Some wire, wood, and a coat of paint and it has a new use.

We did pick up a decent critter hauler today though! Has a spare, good floor, and all the lights even work, lol!


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## Mike CHS (Apr 4, 2017)

I like your plans.  We are doing the same thing with a smaller 16' trailer that was damaged.


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## Bruce (Apr 4, 2017)

Seriously large chicken tractor!


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 4, 2017)

When ya park it roll the tires up on a board, like a 2"x6", it will make it much easier to move later on...and give you a chance to roll away. It will keep the tires from being in holes over time with the weather. Your animals will be "Stylin" riding in that cadillac of a trlr.
I thought about ya earlier, I stopped by a guy's house and he had to show me some of his property and garden. He has a couple of horses...I only saw 1...it was a mare and really looked in bad shape....it was really sad, and I don't know enough to assist the elderly man with her, and certainly am cautious of taking charge on another's animal while on their property. I thought if AClark was here it would be better cause you'd know what to look for and things to suggest. I just left and can't get it out of my mind...sad. He is 71 and his wife is getting over a broken hip, so there has been a lot taking place over there. Anyway, just had to tell ya...I didn't get any pics either.


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## AClark (Apr 5, 2017)

The new gooseneck is not my chicken tractor, the ancient 16 ft stock trailer will be Bruce. The truck hauling it is my good ole breaks down frequently F350 - still a good truck.

I picked up that white gooseneck for $1200, and it's in really good shape. I parked the drop down on a cinder block, because I already figured one good rain and I'd be digging it out. There's a gooseneck flatbed behind it parked the same way, lol - I'm going to be selling that flatbed though. 

Cntry - best bet is a tube of Ivermectin dewormer and make sure she's getting enough to eat. Might need a vet out to assess her teeth, especially if she's old. She may not have front teeth to graze anymore and would need softened food. Maybe see if you can pet her and look in her mouth, that's the big reasons horses lose weight.
Another thought, if she's on pasture, she may be starving with plenty to eat. I knew some folks in the Tupelo area and their grass looked great, tall and green,but it basically had zero nutritional value, and their horses looked pretty rough. 
Parasites are the number one thing in the south though. Horses need to be on a deworming schedule, about every 8 weeks. Bot flies lay eggs on their legs, the horse ingests them and then wreck havoc. 
Ivermec is cheap though, the paste tubes are maybe $5. I'm learning some new stuff being here, as I kept horses in Arizona and we didn't have half the problems they do here.


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## AClark (Apr 5, 2017)

Chicken update as well - Atwoods had a buy 1 get one sale on chicks, and uhm, I brought home 12. We're moving everybody around after work today, my day ended up being nuts and it just isn't happening until DH gets home and can give me a hand. 
I picked up a white leghorn cockerel - pretty sure it's a boy anyway. DH already said we're keeping him and naming him Foghorn. 
I have a frizzle feathered chick as well, it's pretty cool! I'm not sure what else I picked up, I did a half and half batch, so some are black chicks and some are cream or white - straight run so who knows, I probably got all roosters! 

And, as most of you probably think I'm nuts already, I picked up a dozen of the Texas A&M white coturnix quail eggs to hatch out. I ended up about 50/50 males and females with the other coturnix quail and separated out the males I don't need. They are chilling in the barn in rabbit cages until I finish building their permanent home; they'll be 6 weeks on Saturday and look like full grown birds. I kind of like the males, their little crowing is cute.


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## Baymule (Apr 5, 2017)

Good deal on the trailer! You sure have a knack for finding good deals! I like the Chicken Condominium idea and I bet they will like it too.


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## AClark (Apr 6, 2017)

I do, just dumb luck I think. I got on craigslist to skim, saw that and jumped on it. I'll be wiring lights on the flatbed this weekend and putting it up for sale. The floor on it is shot, but has new tires and all so I should probably pay for my new horse trailer with the sale of it. I've destroyed so much trailer wiring that I've gotten really good at wiring it. 

New horse trailers brake wires are cut, I'm going to look at that because it's heavy and definitely would benefit from having functional trailer brakes. I'm pretty glad I decided not to cut the goosneck hitch out of the bed of my truck. The previous owner welded the ball into the frame of the truck, and I hated it because it meant I couldn't sit anything flat in the bed. I was going to have it removed, but it was nearly impossible where it's located - and I guess it goes with "when life gives you lemons" situation. When life gives you a gooseneck hitch you can't get rid of, buy a gooseneck trailer!


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## AClark (Apr 6, 2017)

On a side note, DH surprised me by coming home early for lunch today. I wondered why he was home at 11. He didn't say anything, just gave me the receipt from Atwoods for yesterday to put it in my expense sheet and file it and there were 2 receipts. I looked at the first one, which was for the new "brooder" (aka water tank) and then looked at the second. My trip yesterday got cut short by having to run to my kids school, so I didn't have time to pick up the water tank/brooder and he picked it up after work for me.

DH has always nixed the idea of geese to go in with the chickens, because he and his cousin were picking on his uncles geese when they were kids and the geese retaliated hours later - which personally I think is funny and that those two had it coming!

Well, the mystery receipt was for 2 adorable goslins, they are straight run, but if I am not mistaken, it looks like DH nabbed a male and  female. One he got was because it was the biggest and "looked cool", and the other he let the store clerk pick out. I mentioned when I picked up the chicks yesterday that if they had geese I would have brought two home, and acted surprised like I didn't know I got goslins instead of chicks - but they were out. Apparently he called them this morning to ask when they would get them in and they had gotten there this morning.

DH got big brownie points this morning. So, for his thoughtful gesture, I'm about to head out and cut up the hog we have aging in the refrigerator. One of his work buddies shot it and didn't need it, so gave it to him (it's gutted and skinned) and it's been sitting in the fridge since Sunday. So, as soon as I get these knives sharpened up, I'll hoist it in the barn and go to town on it, and I should finish it before he gets home from work.  Hopefully I can hoist it up by myself, but if not, I'll tie the rope to my truck and pull it up that way.
I may still be vacuum sealing it when he gets home, but it'll be all cut up at least.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 6, 2017)

One good turn deserves another!  So sweet of both of ya'll!


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## Baymule (Apr 6, 2017)

Wild hog makes the best sausage!


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## AClark (Apr 7, 2017)

I have an entire bag of parts for sausage, and casing in the fridge. That's the plan for today. I managed to get it all cut up, vacuum sealed, and in the deep freezer before DH got home. I wanted it partially frozen to grind up as it makes it a bit easier. I have an electric grinder but I don't like it very much, it clogs up too easily, so I will hand grind it twice, and then use the electric to stuff the sausage because it has the sausage attachment.
My 10 year old son took it all out to the deep freezer for me. He's a strong little dude.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 7, 2017)

You did good!  And, so did your son!


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 7, 2017)

Ya could've at least put it in a cloths basket or tote for easier transport for the young lad....
That is one good thing about having an array of youngsters, there is always helping hands whether willing or not....and before too long he'll be doing the cutting-up for ya too...


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## AClark (Apr 10, 2017)

I finally rode Belle for the first time. She's been a little wary of me, like she doesn't know who to trust, so I've taken my sweet time backing her for the first time and worked more on building some trust between us.
I've gotten to an age where I don't bounce as good as I used to, so getting on and playing bronc rider isn't exactly something I look at as fun anymore and now prefer to go the slow and easy route. I did know when I bought her that she was broken to ride, but buying a horse from a horse trader that says a horse is broken is like saying the check is in the mail, the dog doesn't bite, and I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.

That being said, she is a beautiful ride! Doesn't move when you mount, which is good because she is tall and I"m not so I struggle a bit to get my foot up in the stirrup, neck reins, stops on a dime, just an all around good horse. She isn't something I'd put DH or the kids on because she's too much horse for a beginner, but she's a good one for me. The worst she did was about 2 good leaps and threw her head down, but we stopped that nonsense with a quickness - I didn't even lose my balance and I certainly didn't know it was coming. I did learn that my reins are too short for a horse with a long neck (7 ft reins) so I'll be buying new ones today - what a great excuse to get pretty new reins. 

Considering I picked her up at a slaughter feed lot, I just can't imagine why she ended up there. She's not dangerous to ride at all, the worst thing about her is she is a bit hard to catch in the field. She would have made any reasonably experienced rider a great horse, so I'm a bit lost on how a well broken and young horse ended up thrown away.

DH had a car accident on Friday, someone in a utility truck backed into him in a parking lot. He was driving by and the guy backed up without looking, hit the front tire, destroyed the drivers door and mirror and the running board, and cut a 2 ft long hole out of the rocker panel - so we're off to get a rental car for him and to send his truck off to the shop today. Probably a good thing it was a big utility truck for a company, I'm guessing I won't have to fight much with fleet insurance to get it fixed.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 10, 2017)

So glad it turned out really good for ya on Belle, she is a Beautiful horse. Sorry about DH's incident, but good they have insurance and hope it gets fixed without a bunch of hassel.


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## AClark (Apr 10, 2017)

He's happy, the rental place gave him a brand new Dodge 2500 diesel pickup for his rental. It's a pretty nice ride. 
I called their insurance company and they sent me to voicemail, so I'm having my insurance tow it down and do all the stuff and I'll let them harass and chase down this fleet insurance company to recoup the money. I understand because we can't get a police report for 7-10 days that they weren't going to do anything with it until they had it, so nope, wasn't DH's fault whatsoever, we'll let the insurance companies duke it out.


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## Baymule (Apr 10, 2017)

The best part about that is that your husband wasn't hurt. Trucks can be repaired. Belle is super nice, glad that she is working out so well for you. Thanks to you now I look at that kill pen site, and I see some darn fine horses on it. Way too nice horses to be sent to slaughter.


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## AClark (Apr 11, 2017)

Right? That page has lots of excellent horses on it, though I have the suspicion a lot of their handling is rough on site. A lot of the horses after folks get them home are spooky or really head shy. Belle is no exception to that, though the kids horse is ok with it, but you wouldn't ever have to rough handle her as she's super easy going.

It kind of irks me though, did you see the horse Pixie on there? Well, she was put down after people donated the funds to get her "safe" because she was too crippled to lead a comfortable life. I could have told you that from the video of her walking. These "rescues" need to look at the bigger picture, if it's old and lame, let it go, save the ones that have a chance at having a home and won't be taking up deperately needed rescue space. For every ancient crippled horse they take, a young sound one goes without a home. 

The shop called about the truck, the adjuster is getting to it today, but they had to get me to authorize them taking it apart. We get to keep the sweet rental until it's all finished, and man that truck is way nice. Nice enough I told DH if we wanted one, we could trade his truck in and get one. It doesn't have any running boards, so I have to use the steering wheel to get in, it sits a couple inches higher than my 1 ton does, but I have running boards (and so does our Dodge) so we don't have to struggle to get in.

Here's some pics of the truck - driver front tire got it too and has a gouge out of the sidewall, those tires are not only expensive, but we just put them on in December. Rear driver door got some scuffs, but the major damage is all to the driver door and rocker panel.


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## Baymule (Apr 11, 2017)

Yeah, I wondered why they were trying to "save" that club footed horse too. And then she was put down? Gheesh.

Don't get too attached to that rental truck.....your truck will get fixed and get it's feelings hurt if it no longer is wanted.....


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## AClark (Apr 12, 2017)

Yeah the rental is new and shiny and smells good still, DH let one of his soldiers smoke in his and it stinks now. There's no getting that smell out, I've tried. Not that I mind smokers, but I don't want to smell it in my house or truck. The previous owner to my F350 smoked and short of ripping the carpet out of it, I'm not sure how to get the smell out. Febreze just doesn't cut it, it covers it, lol.

I don't like the color on the rental, it's silver. My truck is silver too, and my 84 is silver and blue. I have a thing for silver I guess, I don't care for it, but every vehicle except one that I've owned has been silver. I had a silver Explorer, a silver mustang, and now the silver F350, plus the silver and blue Dodge. My GMC was maroon and I hated the color of it. Silver is ok, but I like black or dark blue for vehicles. Can't be too choosy on color when you buy used vehicles though.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 12, 2017)

Yeh, and those silver ones don't draw the heat like the darker ones do either....and seeing as how ya like those Warm climates, silver is probably better for ya....


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## Bruce (Apr 12, 2017)

Oddly enough, silver doesn't show dirt like a lot of colors.

That gash in the RP is something else!

We were rear ended while at a stop sign Sunday before last. I'm getting really F'ing tired of being rear ended. No people damage, car is supposed to get fixed starting Monday. Girl had a Junior Operator's license which means she is under 18. I bet their insurance (USAA) is going sky high. This one is relatively minor. Last time I was rear ended (2012) it was on the interstate on ramp and they totaled the car. Came down to "worth doing IF we can find used parts".  Can anyone say "Bet she was texting"???


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## Baymule (Apr 12, 2017)

Vinegar will take the smoke smell out. Spray mist it, roll up the windows and let it sit in the sun. Then open it up and air it out.


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## AClark (Apr 18, 2017)

Thanks, I'll try that!
I used to have USAA for our auto but I found that Geico is cheaper by about $70 a month - they give better discounts for government employees. 

We got the estimate back from Geico, since the other drivers fleet insurance didn't bother to call me back I had to file it on ours to get the truck fixed. Total cost is $4,850 - using salvage parts for the door, frame, and running board. Also estimated to take 20 days to fix, so we have the sweet rental until at least the end of the month. 

We finally put up that 330' roll of fencing over the weekend. My oldest son and I managed to carry it (that thing is literally almost 400 lbs) but couldn't lift it into the back of my truck, so had to ramp it up in with 2x4's. DH unrolled it while we tacked it up, which took the better part of 3 hours, but we did get it done. It was essential to do because the goats could slip through our fence, and I couldn't plant the garden until they were secured, otherwise they'd eat anything that popped up!

I just did the horses West Nile vaccines and put Equi-spot on them on Friday - equi-spot works really really well. We've already found ticks on our dog and the human kids, but the horses don't have any. I also trimmed all 3 horses hooves yesterday and dewormed them all. The kids horse and DH's horse are jerks about doing their feet, they both lean and yank their feet. That's one thing my horse is great about, she picks them up for you and doesn't lean or anything. It took me maybe 20 minutes to do all 4 of hers, and over an hour and a half to do the other two. I did my horse last since she's good and I knew I was going to be tired by the time I got to the 3rd horse and I'm glad I did.

Belle has improved in leaps and bounds. I can touch her face without her freaking out now, even her mouth. She's starting to follow me and let me pet her in the field without running away too. Only took 2 months to slowly start gaining trust, but I think she and I are going to get along great.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 18, 2017)

Sure sounds like ya are really busy, but the extra "Hands" sure do come in handy. I bet the quail and chicks are really growing too. There was never any doubt about Belle, just a matter of time with a wrangler like you involved...


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## AClark (Apr 18, 2017)

The quail are basically full grown, they'll be 8 weeks this weekend. I have a batch of the Texas A&M whites in the incubator now.
Chickens, I have some big ones. The white leghorn rooster is a character, he hops up to the top of their brooder and will sit on my lap while I'm in my office. 
We'll be moving the quail outside sometime this week, waiting on a good sized pen for them. They are in the barn for right now and doing well - the 4 extra males are going to someone from work, since I'm keeping all the females and 2 of the males already. Kind of a trade for the feral pig they gave us. 

No wrangling involved with Belle really, just takes a quiet and patient person and a willing attitude from the horse. My neighbors horse keeps escaping to come over and visit, we were watching on Friday from our porch since we were cleaning fish. They tried roping him and finally cornered him to catch him. I can catch him by walking up to him with the halter. It's all about approach.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 18, 2017)

I wasn't thinking of the physicality of wrangling, but the art is knowing the animal and being able to work with it. That is what wrangling is about to me. I guess in my way, I was complimenting ya on your abilities to know and work with most any animal....


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## AClark (Apr 18, 2017)

Lol, I know what you mean. I "wrangle" the goats, because they are buttheads. They aren't afraid of me whatsoever, they just don't want to play "stupid human games". They also can't be bribed with food as easily as a horse can! It's a good thing they aren't nearly as big or as strong as a horse or I'd really have a problem. 
Just a different mentality. The goats aren't nearly as curious as to what kind of interesting food stuff I might have in my pocket, whereas the horses have a need to investigate. I also haven't handled goats anywhere near as much as I have horses so there's a learning curve. I have learned that it is far easier to corner a goat in a small pen than to try to rope one, they are quick little suckers and can hop through a loop and escape easily!


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## NH homesteader (Apr 18, 2017)

My husband grew up on a horse farm so he's had to learn how to handle goats too. When they escape, he can't get them to go back in. They follow me right in, and it makes him so mad! Haha! He's the hoof trimmer/shot giver, I'm the milker/food bringer. Kind of unfair splitting of duties but no wonder they like me better.

Have you tried BOSS with your goats? Mine are food obsessed, funny yours aren't so much.


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## AClark (Apr 18, 2017)

Yeah, mine don't follow me, I herd them back in when they escape. Maybe that's it, I'm the shot giver/hoof trimmer too, but we both feed them. I tried the gentle approach and coaxing, but their hooves got so nasty it ended up with just mugging them to do it. Actually they weren't bad to do once I caught them, but they were obviously displeased. I do like that I can sit on the ground to do their hooves, rather than hunching over to do horses - a lot easier on the back! One of them just lays down like "I give up" and that's easier yet. 
I really like the goats, they are comical, but a giant pain in the butt too. Betty was escaping and I'd find her on my deck eating the shrubs, she also ate the flowers out of my front yard and the ornamental grass.


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## Baymule (Apr 18, 2017)

It sounds like you are right where you need to be-smack dab in the middle of a bunch of animals and your family. Ain't it great?


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## Latestarter (Apr 18, 2017)

Goats absolutely prefer your prized landscaping items over most any other edible... If you prize it, you can bet they will too! They are funny. Mine haven't escaped yet, but I know it's just a matter of time. I mean if a pig can escape the confinement I had it in, I'm sure the goats will have no problems either.  I've only had mine a couple of days and they already come running to me any time I'm outside in hopes I'll have something tasty for them. The babies not so much yet... They aren't treat driven yet.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 18, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> They aren't treat driven yet.


Nope - they are TEAT driven!  (I amuse myself)


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## Latestarter (Apr 18, 2017)




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## AClark (Apr 19, 2017)

Oh yeah, they definitely like my landscaping, and my neighbors. Betty chewed up the elm tree over there. Luckily, my neighbor is a really nice guy and has never complained. I'm pretty sure he finds amusement in me chasing the goats though, lol.


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## AClark (Apr 20, 2017)

Well, here comes the bad weather. It's supposed to come in tonight, with potential for tornado warnings tomorrow. I'll be prepping today, I need to go comb manes out and put in their new little gadgets. 
http://www.sierraviewranchgeneralstore.com/manestay

Check these out, for those of you with horses in crappy weather areas. I think this is a lot easier than what we did last time, which was to catch them when the storm hit (ok, I watch the weather more now, I wasn't aware it was that severe until a friend called me) and write our phone number and name on the horses with paint markers. Not so much fun or safe to do during a storm. These little gadgets clip into their manes and are waterproof. Pretty sturdy too, the clips are strong.
Depending on how much rain we get, I might be gone for a bit. My internet tends to get janky when it rains a lot - old phone lines I'm betting.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 20, 2017)

That area ya are in can sure get some sizeable storms moving thru, so being watchful is certainly a wise thing. It is always best to be prepared. Hope it doesn't get too rough out that way....we are suppose to have some all day Sat.


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## Latestarter (Apr 21, 2017)

Just took a gander at the NOAA weather radar... Looks like a pretty good batch of T-storms drifting across OK right now. Just about to get into OK City. Don't see any tornado warnings with any of them right now. there are a couple of strong storm warnings right on the TX/OK border near Witchita Falls TX. Bet they're giving a great light show though. Hang in there!


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## AClark (Apr 21, 2017)

The tornado watch is for today but it's a low risk, they are saying it's going to be maybe up to tennis ball sized hail, and definitely a lot of rain. I got storm alerts last night but I don't live far from the impact range for Fort Sill (artillery school for those that don't know) so I can sleep through pretty much anything. I'm close enough to one range that it shakes the house when they're out firing.
It doesn't even look like we got rain where I'm at.
Late, you drove right by me, I live less than 5 minutes from I44. I guess they rescinded the warning at 3:40 AM, but it's supposed to kick back up around 10 this morning. Be safe driving in this stuff!


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## Latestarter (Apr 21, 2017)

Hell, if I'd have known you were only 30 minutes north of Witchita Falls, I would have done a detour to meet you for a late lunch or snack or something. I'll keep that in mind next time I'm passing through that area going or coming from CO.  Looks like the south end of a major north south line of storms just passed you by to the north. Looks like some really solid stuff headed east.. Hope they have their yard stuff tied down.


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## AClark (Apr 21, 2017)

Yeah it's been surprisingly mellow, just some rain and light wind now.
Wichita Falls has some family history for me, so we're going to check it out one of these days. The Kell house down there belonged to relatives (I'm a Kemp, not a Kell though) - in the photos online my g-g-g-grandmother is sitting on the porch. My g-g-grandfather is buried in Granfield, and what's really cool is my g-grandfather saw Geronimo in the jail on Fort Sill when he was like 5 years old. 

Here's a pic of the jail on Fort Sill:


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## greybeard (Apr 21, 2017)

That part of Fort Sill looks a lot like old (restored) Fort Concho in Tx. Been there lots of times when I lived in San Angelo. I guess the army had one design for all their early frontier forts?

http://www.warbirdsandairshows.com/images/Historic Sites/Fort Concho/fort-concho-107w-15.jpg


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## AClark (Apr 21, 2017)

Creepy, it does. Here's some pictures of the Cav barracks that are build in a square just like that. There's the barracks, and across the lawn is the officer housing (still lived in, I didn't get pictures) and the SNCO/senior officers across from that. The old commissary and quartermaster are just behind the officer housing.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 21, 2017)

The bldgs at Ft Gibson, Ok look the same, too. It is between Muskogee and Tahlequah, it is where the Cherokee were marched to on the Trail of Tears.


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## AClark (May 1, 2017)

All the really crazy weather missed us completely, we got some wind and cold, and a little rain, but nothing like OKC got. Which is good, I have to haul the kids horse to the vet tomorrow to get her teeth floated, and since the brakes aren't working for whatever reason, it's nice that it should be dry out.

***RANT WARNING***

We're off this morning to pick up DH's truck, they said they were done with it on Friday, but I was waiting on someone to come and do my kids horses teeth who never showed up. Now, the equine dentist seems irked with me after she cancelled on me 3x in a row because I'm not going to use her. Well, when you cancel because your assistant didn't show up, and then complain because the horse you did the day before was a rank a-hole and you need your helper, I'm sorry but I"m having a hard time comprehending this.
She was supposed to come out on Friday before last, but the weather was bad, ok, rescheduled for last Wednesday. Wednesday morning she said she had to take her husband to the Dr (my appt was at 5 PM), rescheduled for Friday 5 PM - Friday at 3 PM tells me she can't because her assistant isn't coming, then complains about the horse she had to do on Thursday being bad about it...all the while I"m like "uhm, so basically you went and did someone elses on Thursday but bumped me back for the 3rd time and you're complaining because I'm taking my horse somewhere else?" - no sense whatsoever. Then the excuse of I live quite a ways from her - which is true, except I fully offered to load up and take my horse to her. I feel like that meme with Fry from Futurama "Shut up and take my money!". She also costs about twice what the vet does so it's not like I'm cheaping out here. Meanwhile, this poor horse loses more than gets in her because her back teeth suck and all her food dribbles out.

Not picking the truck up was a blessing in disguise though. We went this morning to get it. Left outside with the door unlocked, I know because we got right into it as soon as we got there. It isn't actually fixed, they admitted they didn't know what was wrong and we'd have to take it to a dealership - drive it there. With the 4x4, EBS, ABS, and skid control lights lit on the dash. They are saying those were already lit...I busted them on that lie, because they took pictures of the dash when they got it in the shop and uploaded them to Geico.


This is the photo the adjuster took of the dash and I pulled off my claim file.
The EBS and all lights go right under the screen - yeah they look "on" to me...so I say "would you drive this the way it is?" and the guy goes "no, not with my wife and kids in it" but they shooed us off and left us to take it home like that. They said the "key fob" is the reason it won't lock and all the lights are on...yes I'm sure the key fob is the reason it says the ABS is messed up. Get real, I might be young but I'm sure not dumb. They gave me the diagnostics they had done and even I can read on there when the stuff saved on the computer shows it acting up and the mileage - 96,467 miles for the left door (the side that was hit) and 96, 672 miles for the ABS and all....they can try to argue the door lock at the 467, except the police report happened 5 miles from our house and the tow truck picked it up in our driveway. 
It won't lock the driver door, which they replaced completely - sounds more like they did it wrong to me...but what do I know, I'm just a girl.

BS. We drove it straight to the dealership and dropped it off. I called Geico and complained to high heavens about returning a vehicle not completed and unsafe. I kept their rental pick up to take home to get my truck before dropping it off. I pulled in our driveway and they were calling me back saying they're extending it and to keep the rental. Even Geico didn't understand why they hadn't towed it to the dealership themselves and had it looked at.

So, I basically paid the $500 deductible to drive it literally 1 mile over to the Dodge dealership to sit in their shop for diagnostics and repairs. The body on it looks like new, you can't even tell it was smashed into, but that's not very useful when you can't drive it. It's just a shiny looking driveway decoration.

I don't get it, we weren't even at fault, the other driver is insured, why jerk us around like this? Might be time to go back to USAA for insurance.

Also, the police report STILL isn't finished after 3 weeks and I called and tore into the MP's for that too. It was supposed to be done by the 17th, told them their E4 was a lazy (add in choice words here) because we had to have it corrected twice already and it was supposed to be done on Friday, and they told me it wasn't finished this morning. I did get my way with that, the desk sergeant said he would do it himself because he's "tired of this kids BS" - because no doubt the hold on the police report is the reason the other insurance isn't doing anything. 

It's definitely a Monday. I have a feeling I have not yet begun to be the complete a-hole I know I can be today.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 1, 2017)

Well I tell ya AC let's just get "Fired Up"....nothing better sometimes than "Kicking A**, and Taking Names". I had to face the A** that has promised me to help with my fencing this morning at the CoOp....and suffice it to say he won't be showing up Ever around here. Then, I go to the Extension office to drop off my soil samples and ask a few questions about grasses for pasture in this area. This is about the 10th time I've been in there with questions and have yet to have one answered. There was 1 lady in the office and she said that she worked with school nutition. She took my phone # and said she would have someone call to answer my questions....I'm still waiting, for mnths now, for the call with answers to my previous questions. About all I can get from them is printouts from the website....I believe "Customer Service" is a thing of the past....here in Ms and there in Ok, too. It is totally insane dealing with idiots these days, and they get upset that their irresponsibility offends ya and ya let them know in no uncertain terms what ya think. I've even tossed a dollar to a few....they all will ask what it is for...I always  tell them it is for a Clue when ya can find one.


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## Baymule (May 1, 2017)

Sometimes, after endless tries at being nice to people, you just gotta wad up and rain down all over them.


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## Latestarter (May 1, 2017)

AClark said:


> I don't get it, we weren't even at fault, the other driver is insured, why jerk us around like this? Might be time to go back to USAA for insurance.



OMG! Didn't you read about my recent experience with USAA? I wouldn't recommend them to an enemy right now! I've been with Geico as well and when my daughter got totaled making a left in an intersection by a driver running a red light (head on), she didn't get paid out for her car for almost a YEAR!! She was on MY policy at the time, so it wasn't a "kid thing" either. The ONLY reason I'm still with USAA right now is because my insurance is paid in full through July. I will almost assuredly be changing at that time.

OK, now here's MY *RANT* warning...

I don't think there's an honest, reputable, truthful, legit insurance company in existence... ANY insurance! But for now let's stick with vehicle... They're like politicians... they spew BS and tell you what you want to hear because they know nobody will read the contract and especially the fine print. So when the time comes that you actually need to use what you THOUGHT you had paid for, they inform you that you never really had that coverage to begin with. Or they'll tell you that the BS they're screwing you with is "the accepted industry standard"... Accepted by whom? Might be accepted by them but it's force fed to us! Tell me one place in any insurance paperwork that states that if/when they write your vehicle off as totaled, that they will only pay you the scrap metal value of the vehicle rather than the value of what it's going to cost to replace it? So what you "thought" you were paying for isn't in fact what you were paying for. And as a result, they pay you 1/2-3/4 of the true value of your now lost vehicle. 

So you have the lib*rty mutu@l's of the world advertising/selling you on their BS "full value" coverage with disclaimers (not available in all states, NOT "standard" but an add-on, at substantial additional cost, and only on new vehicles, for a short period of time, subject to underwriting guidelines {you must qualify, meaning statistically less likely to NEED that coverage in the first place}) "You'll get your WHOLE vehicle back"  yeah... I'll trust you on that one... about as far as I can throw you, IF I even qualify for it. 

Insurance; the only enforced by law requirement to gamble.  Yup... gamble. You see, you're paying the insurance company based on your belief that you "MAY" get in an accident and need coverage (a gamble). The insurance company is gambling based on statistics, that you WON'T get in an accident and they won't HAVE to pay you back anything. Don't you know that's why your sex, age, location, driving history, tickets, credit score, income, employment, education level, height, weight, butt size, etc all becomes important to whether they'll even insure you in the first place?  BUT... if by some bad chance they DO need to pay you, they're going to make it as difficult as possible for them to lose money on any aspect of the transaction. Enter the newest high paying job market; ambulance chasers - lawyers 

Oh and accident forgiveness? Oh yeah... you pay for that in advance (higher rate than elsewhere) so you pay in advance for the accident they are gambling you won't have. 

Or how about alst@te, that now sends you a "reward check" every 6 months for NOT having an accident (see the above disclaimer from that OTHER insurer)? So I guess that's their admission that they're over charging you from the get go... Why aren't you charging me LESS to begin with, and only charge more to those who HAVE an accident history? That cracks me up as much as those who are elated at a huge income tax refund... You've given the govt the use of YOUR money, for FREE, for over a YEAR, with no interest return to you! See if the govt will be so "user friendly" when you owe THEM money for over a year... you'll be charged interest as well as penalties! 

You SHOULD have your withholding (W4) set up that you are giving EXACTLY what you (will) owe monthly or slightly less. Ideally, you'll need to send the govt a check for $1 along with your tax return. This is YOUR MONEY that you are giving them to do with as they wish, free of charge, for however long it takes for them to refund it back to you! You want a big refund check in May or June? Then take that extra money you'll no longer be giving to Uncle Sam (or more truthfully, the illegal, NON governmental organization that works outside/above the law referred to as the IRS) to baby sit and put it in an interest bearing account. Then, come next April or May or whenever you'd normally get your tax money back, close the account and go blow it. Or better yet, put it in a 401K or IRA that will benefit you down the line!

Wow... must have had some pent up anger in there somewhere...  Sorry you're dealing with this BS! I feel for you, truthfully! And I can identify. Hope this next step gets you back to normal and quickly.  But seriously... USAA? maybe reconsider and check around some...


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## AClark (May 1, 2017)

Generally I am easy to deal with. Obviously, since everything is an "adventure" of some sorts in my life, I'm pretty understanding when things don't go right. It's life, it happens, and Murphy is my first cousin it seems!
However, when I've finally had enough. I will literally pick a time of day and call every day at the same time until I get the information I'm looking for - persistence is key. Most of the time they'll get what you need just so you leave them alone.

Or, like the horse dentist, if you screw me off, I'll spend my money somewhere else. She's definitely not happy with me, and is someone I want to stay on good terms with, so I just said I'd schedule the dental work with my vet and no hard feelings. I like her as a person, but not interested in doing business with her again.
It's just basically knowing when to toe the line, rather than cross it. Like with the MP's, I know DH can't flip out on them, but I sure can. Amazing, after my heated phone call, DH drove down and picked up the report within half an hour. He's been down there twice already. I already had a contingency plan if they ignored it anyway.

Same went for the insurance company, when they blew me off it's just "ok, who is your supervisor" and I'm shocked at the quickness that everything started falling into place - "Oh no Mrs Clark you can keep the rental until the dealership is done with it, and we're so sorry..." when 30 minutes earlier they wanted me to leave my rental at the body shop to be returned...told them that wasn't happening because the rental is in my name and I'm not leaving them responsible for it.

I had USAA for 10 years before I switched to Geico. Never had any issues with them, my ex wrecked my car and it was fixed and back in no time and done right. The only reason I switched is because they are more expensive than Geico is, and it was like $70 a month difference.

Geico sucks. I read that little disclaimer on Liberty Mutual when I saw the commercial on TV, paused the TV to read that tiny crap. What a joke. Accident forgiveness is a joke too, do you think they forgave me for my very first accident when I backed into that car with DH's truck? Hell no, they jumped my rates up for the last year and a half since ith appened. My very first accident ever, at 31 with a whopping pay out of $2300. Big f'ing deal.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 1, 2017)

I've had my share of "Issues" with insurance with many companies, and they all are great as long as You are paying, but when it is Them that is paying, they raise the rates, or cancel ya altogether. I will never own another vehicle that I don't pay cash for and get only liability coverage. I have several hundred thousands of safe driving miles, but my credit score affects my rates...crazy. I can't grab the "Bait" with the IRS LS, the last contact I had with them, I had Homeland Sec called on me to escort me from the bldg for asking 3 questions they refused to answer.


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## AClark (May 2, 2017)

LOL yeah don't get me started on Big Brother, though I'm more pleased with politics as of late, the IRS is a total racket.
However, we have so many kids that we get a refund no matter what. I never blow the refund though, I use it to pay bills, get new tires or things we need, etc. I paid my truck off this year with it so I didn't have to pay the interest anymore and now I save what I was making for a payment in a savings certificate.

What I want to know is how is it if I want a loan from the bank, they charge me 10% interest, but they only pay me less than 3% interest on a certificate so they can use my money...banks are a racket too.


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## Latestarter (May 2, 2017)

Well, they are "for profit" after all...


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## AClark (May 2, 2017)

Yeah, but predatory, they know if you're getting a loan you need it and will pay the interest. The only reason I keep it in the bank is because I accrue a little interest, and my mattress won't! 
ATM charges too, why do I have to pay $3 to get my own money out of the bank just because I don't have my banks ATM close to me? It would cost me $3 in gas to go all the way to town and back to hit an ATM from my bank and at least 45 minutes...convenience fee is right. I guess I need to plan on pulling out cash every month while I"m in town to make up for it, but you never know how much you'll need anyway.

We're off this morning to take Dixie to the vet to get her teeth done. Hope it all goes well. I test loaded her in the trailer the other day and she gets in easy so at least there's no trauma in that part. She's getting pretty big in the belly and looks like she's starting to bag up, so probably a month or less on having a new baby. 

Now the question is, what is the new baby? I have no idea on a sire, as I got her and she was pregnant. Could even be a mule foal for all I know. I'm hoping it's a horse though. I've had no luck tracking down the previous owner, even though I have their home address. I googled it and the house recently sold and I can't find where they might have moved to to ask them about her. The guy that owned her was elderly so he might have died; I can't find an obituary but that doesn't mean anything either, my grandmother didn't have one. 
I've debated calling their realtor and asking if they'd pass along a message with my phone number. I'm not sure if that's too pushy or not. Obviously they didn't want her since she went to auction and ended up at a slaughter lot, and maybe they don't care what happened to her. But, I know if I got in a position where that had to happen I'd want to know they got a good home.


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## Hens and Roos (May 2, 2017)

You can always call the realtor and ask if they would be willing to pass on your message, who knows maybe you will hear back


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## AClark (May 2, 2017)

Back from the vet, had Dixie pregnancy checked. He said he thinks she's in foal but couldn't feel a foal but could feel her uterus and he's pretty sure she's in foal, just not as far along as I thought. Also had her teeth floated for good measure, they weren't bad and he said he wasn't sure it would help with her eating, but can't hurt. Our new vet is pretty cool and really nice.


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## Mini Horses (May 2, 2017)

AClark said:


> Obviously they didn't want her since she went to auction and ended up at a slaughter lot, and maybe they don't care what happened to her. But, I know if I got in a position where that had to happen I'd want to know they got a good home



Sadly, this may be true.   But you just don't know.   Sometimes "life" happens and you are in a situation with few options.   If it were ME, I'd ask the realtor if they would pass a message and maybe you will find a grateful prior-owner.     You have nothing to lose.     In some areas you can hardly give a horse away.  Who knows, they may have tried and this was the last ditch option for them -- an auction.   

Please try.  It will make us feel better for sure  .


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## CntryBoy777 (May 2, 2017)

Ya could always send a letter thru snail mail to the address ya have, and if there was a forwarding address thru the PO they would reroute the letter to the new address, or it would be returned to sender with no forwarding address....worth a shot anyway.


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## Baymule (May 2, 2017)

Well look at it this way-you got a bonus horse. Whatever it is I am sure you will be delighted and it will have a good home. Dixie is getting good care now and is healthy and happy. Maybe the former owners care, but got in a bad situation and had to sell her. I'd give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen? That they don't give a sh*t and refuse to give you any information? 

Insurance-the bane of everyone's existence.


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## Mike CHS (May 2, 2017)

I agree with the others that it can't hurt to try to contact them and you might be pleasantly surprised.  We have had several people offer us horses that need to get rid of loved animals but we aren't in a position to take any.


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## Bruce (May 3, 2017)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Ya could always send a letter thru snail mail to the address ya have, and if there was a forwarding address thru the PO they would reroute the letter to the new address, or it would be returned to sender with no forwarding address....worth a shot anyway.


You beat me to it Fred! Forwarding is good for 1 year.

Re: USAA
My only experience is with the recent repair of my wife's rear ended car. I called my ins co (LM) the day after the accident so they would it happened. The "offending party" had filed online with USAA the day before and sent us the claim number. I called USAA to make sure THEY knew that *I* knew they had a claim. I made sure they had all the information. Must be the "offending party" didn't pull all 3 names from her license since they had her listed under her maiden name. I told them my wife's last name on the claim was her maiden name, now her middle name, and gave them her current last name (same as mine, which she has used for the past 26.5 years). The guy gave me choices of where to take it. 

I took the car to one of them on Friday, 5 days after the accident so they could do the estimate and schedule the repair which turned out to be 2 Mondays out. He found out that the "offending party" hadn't taken "responsibility" yet though that wasn't unusual before the ins co got the repair estimate. He told me to wait until they did so to schedule the rental car. I asked him to call me when they did. 

I hadn't heard from him by the following Friday morning so I called him. He looked and they still hadn't taken responsibility.  He called back about 10 minutes later and told me USAA said they "hadn't been able to get in contact" with the "offending party. After nearly 2 weeks???  So we cancelled the repair appointment and I didn't call Enterprise. 10 minutes later he called back, miracle of miracles USAA had gotten in touch with the "offending party" and they had taken responsibility. REALLY?? Nearly 2 weeks after the accident and a full week after they got the repair estimate, all of a sudden they could reach the people with 1 phone call??? Did they even TRY before?????? Un-cancelled the repair appointment, scheduled the rental car. They had it listed under my wife's maiden name. I gave them her current last name, same as mine. When I picked the rental was concerned, the claim was still in her maiden name.

Got the car back a week after leaving it (2 weeks ago), signed the paperwork including the part where USAA pays the repair place directly. What showed up in the mail this past Monday? Yes, a check from USAA for the repair cost. Yes, made out in my wife's maiden name  Called the repair place yesterday to make sure they hadn't also been paid. Will be dropping the check, signed over to them, at the repair place today.

So my "complaints" with USAA are minimal, just aggravating "poor service" things.


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## AClark (May 3, 2017)

The saga continues with it. The truck is at the Dodge dealership to finish the repairs.
Dodge found that the right rear wheel sensor wire is cut, that's why all the stupid lights are on. He said it wasn't rubbed, it's cut through. Considering the lights weren't on when it got to the shop, my bet is on it got clipped during repairs. The left driver side front wheel bearing is shot - Geico is arguing that one. We just replaced it in November, and they are wanting the receipt, which I am having a hard time finding. Get real, they replaced the tire on that side already because it was clipped...

Now, the fun part is we are waiting on our adjuster to go to the dealership to look over what they found to see if they're going to cover it. He said he was going there on Monday, I called Monday afternoon and he said Tuesday...and he didn't even bother with it yesterday.

I'll try a snail mail letter. It has been my experience that a lot of mail gets lost when you forward it. I just got a letter from December from the old house, and I put in the change when we moved.


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## AClark (May 4, 2017)

Oh when it rains, it pours. I noticed when I took Dixie to the vet my brakes felt off. We did my front brakes a few months ago, but hadn't done the back because duallies are more work and it's hard to get the back tires off. Not having brakes on the trailer, I was having a lot longer stop time than I should have - I know, drive a vehicle big enough to stop your trailer, which I do, if my brakes on the truck aren't messed up!

Uh, yeah glad I took it to the shop when I did. You know it's never good when the mechanic comes in with a look of "oh my God" and says "you need to come see this." My caliper pin snapped off and the caliper wasn't connected at all anymore, the brake line was holding it on. Shop said I was lucky it didn't seize up my wheel and make me wreck.
So, I left my truck over night since it was late by the time they got the parts in. Good shop, only replacing what really needs it, which is the caliper, the bracket, and 1 rotor (other side) that was paper thin, and the pads. Still costing $330, but most of it is labor since the rear axle has to come off to do the rotor. That is beyond my ability tool wise anyway.
You'd think I would have heard it making a sound, but I hadn't heard it, or felt it on the pedal.


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## Mike CHS (May 4, 2017)

I'm glad you caught it.  The price to fix it is cheap considering what might have happened if you had not caught it.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 4, 2017)

Yeh, ya sure dodged a bullet there....and didn't cost ya severely, either....Rejoicing with ya with Glory and Praise!


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## frustratedearthmother (May 4, 2017)

Geeze, that could have been a real disaster - especially pulling a trailer!  So glad you dodged that bullet, like CB777 said!


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## AClark (May 4, 2017)

No kidding! This truck hasn't had the best of maintenance, I've had it for 2 1/2 years and a lot of things look like original parts. I know the shocks on it were the OEM's when we changed those out last year. I had a frozen caliper on my front brakes when we changed those but it hadn't snapped off, just no longer was applying my brake pads.

Being a dually I may not have rolled had it seized it up, but it would have been a wild ride for sure! Maybe my brake light will go out now. It has been on since the dealership messed with the master cylinder...which I took out and replaced all the work they did myself because it was so janky, but the light wouldn't go out. I assumed it was to do with the plug on the master cylinder since it doesn't leak brake fluid.


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## AClark (May 4, 2017)

We got some rain last night so I'll finish up rowing my garden today. I have 3 rows planted and a 4th started out of 10 (garden is 10'x25') but the ground was so hard it took the entire family to dig it back up after tilling it a month ago, and then my oldest and I started rows - well, 5 of us dug, while my 6 year old picked up all the worms, lol. 
Also got my lawnmower part this morning, solenoid went out on it, so going to change that out real quick and hopefully get to mowing while I wait on the call for my truck to be finished. I need to grocery shop but that will have to wait until tomorrow or something, I'm not pushing it to the point I'm exhausted today, Monday we caught all the goats and put flea collars on them, and the stuff for the horses to keep the ticks off. It took 3 hours to finish all of that up including digging the garden back up, Tuesday my son and I did the rows after the vet appt, and yesterday the truck thing. I think today needs to be somewhat restful, lol.


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## Latestarter (May 4, 2017)

Lucky you trusted your gut on that brake issue. Could have been loads worse. Sounds like you've had plenty to keep you busy.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 4, 2017)

If AC is breathin'....she is Busy with something. Like the old folks used to say she has "Ants in her Pants" and can't sit still....


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## AClark (May 4, 2017)

Hah, that may be true. I got the solenoid on and no crank, can't find my multimeter, so threw the battery on the charger for good measure. Waited awhile and got a small crank off jumping the solenoid, but still nothing from the key. I'll worry about it later. While I was out there I decided it was time to dig out the charger for the dewalt and the weed eater...then find the batteries, then make a place to charge everything...then oh look, a box full of pots, need to dig through that one!

I really can't help myself. I start to do one project and then notice 500 other things to do also so I just make a mental checklist and knock out as much as I can. I'm a bit stumped on the lawnmower. It ran fine, I stuck a stick between the deck and frame, shut it off, pried the stick out, now it won't start. Checked the deck safety and seat safety and they seem to be functional (before I lost my stupid multimeter!) Which may have just reminded me of where I may have put it! lol

ETA: Picked my truck up, got home, working on the mower when the kids got home from school. Walked by my truck and noticed there's a huge puddle of fluid. They had called and let me know a seal on the axle was leaking badly before and I had to pay extra...guess I got a bad seal, so back to the shop with the truck.


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## AClark (May 5, 2017)

Got my truck back this morning. There were 2 seals for the rear axle, and they were .0025 in difference size. They had gotten the slightly smaller one by accident (as you can imagine, they look the same!) and that's why it leaked, they replaced it with the larger one and all good - no extra charges or anything. Nice folks.

Went out to breed 2 of the rabbits, since it looks like one didn't catch, and the other had babies early and they didn't make it. Found my white doe with a box completely stuffed full of hair and counted 4 new kits! This is the doe that wasn't having being bred so I'm surprised, because I left her in with the buck for 2 days and just hoped. 

My younger replacements all put their weight back on, I'm not sure what it was but they don't feel like scarecrows anymore. I bred one of them back to my buck, the other two I'm not sure what I"m going to do there, since that buck is their father. I'm debating buying another buck since my Californian buck passed away suddenly.

It's good to have new babies that are doing well.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 5, 2017)

That poor girl heard ya talking about getting rid of her, so she thought she'd better spit a few out, before she was "History".


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## AClark (May 8, 2017)

That's true, she was headed for Camp Kenmore fairly soon. I didn't even know she was going to have them, I put the box in just in case because she hasn't had a litter in several months. Glad I did. They are nice and fat and all cozy in a huge bed of fur. 

Our weekend was pretty busy. I put a tune up on DH's gelding. He got where he just wouldn't move at all, just stood there all stubborn. He's a smart guy, and I feel like I worked harder than he did, but I did get him up and moving along nicely after a bratty hissy fit of kicking up his hind end, a half rear and attempt to run with me, and him turning around and biting me on the leg. He's spoiled. He kicked up his back end because I got on him with a crop and he wasn't a fan of a few taps to his butt. He went along fine after he figured he has to move forward or I'm going to sit and irritate him, and he can't dump me that easily.

I mean really I should be working with mine, but I didn't get around to it, I was tired after having to nag DH's horse along for an hour. Little does he know but he's about to start getting more exercise for his lazy butt.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 8, 2017)

How are all the Birds and goats doing?


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## AClark (May 8, 2017)

Birds, well I had another batch of the TX A&M quail hatch out over the weekend - which I'm surprised because their packaging left a lot to be desired and had a bunch of cracked eggs, but 7/12 hatched so not too shabby. Chickens are doing good in their new outside digs. We picked up a smaller coop for a temporary outdoor home until we finish the Chickenmobile 5000. I couldn't cope with them in the house anymore, the white leghorn rooster can fly very well, and was making a habit of flying from the floor and landing on the top of my head at my desk...just to hang out. I'm none too keen on having a chicken on my head. 
My adult coturnix haven't laid any eggs yet, I'm not sure why, 1 rooster with 8 hens, they are 10 weeks old now? I still have 1 gosling, the other passed away over the weekend. I'm not sure what was wrong, but it was a lot smaller than the other one and they were the same age. Actually the other one started out smaller than the one that died. Fed them the same and everything so no clue. 
Once the big coop is finished, the quail are getting the smaller coop, and their cage is going to be the rabbit grow out pen. 
Goats are doing well, we had a circus with catching all 3 of them to put flea collars on the other day - trying to keep the ticks off. I dewormed them all once they were caught too. 

I've been having a hard time keeping up with the pictures, I think I've hit my peak with being busy. I'm still working at the garden, it's hard as a rock, but we are expecting rain tomorrow night through Thursday so that should help. I have a bunch of raspberry bare root plants to get in the ground and blueberry bushes coming in the mail. That and with fighting with the mower and taking DH's horse to the vet this morning I've been busy as all can be. Good thing Trav was good at the vet (had to pull a coggins so he can be hauled). 

The whole truck(s) issues this month have put us a bit behind in getting things done, my brakes ran $400, and I'm out $1350 on DH's truck, it had to have a new ignition module and key and that ran $850, plus the $500 deductible I haven't gotten back yet. They really get you on that ignition (Dodge) because you can't program those at home and you're left at the mercy of the stealership. However, DH's truck is finished, runs and looks good, and is back home and the rental turned in. I kind of miss the rental, until I figured out what my trade in was on my truck and how much payments on a new vehicle would be...that made the decision of "I really don't need a new truck" really easy.

I still need to go unhook the trailer and run to the feed store to pick up bird food, I planned on it earlier but the dealership called while we were at the vet so we just dumped my truck off, unloaded the horse, and left in the rental to go get the other one. I pretty much killed an entire morning between the vet and dealership. I might as well pick up horse pellets and stuff while I'm there and save myself a trip later in the week.


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## Bruce (May 8, 2017)

Glad as the other folks you didn't have a wreck with the bad rear brakes! $400 for brakes is cheaper than your $500 deductible and you got it back a lot faster than if it had wrecked


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## frustratedearthmother (May 8, 2017)

AClark said:


> My adult coturnix haven't laid any eggs yet, I'm not sure why, 1 rooster with 8 hens, they are 10 weeks old now



Couple of things I'm wondering about.  I didn't raise the T A&M birds, just the 'jumbo' coturnix.  Not that I'm an expert at all, but I raised them for quite a few years, and am looking to get back into them.

How much protein is in their feed?  When I was raising them I always put them on a Game Bird Starter with (I think) 28% protein.  They always started laying right at 6 weeks.

Do your birds get plenty of light?  Mine always did better if they got some natural light.

That's all I can think of.   Hope they start getting busy for you!


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## AClark (May 8, 2017)

I'm using game bird starter too, it's 28% protein - http://www.atwoods.com/poultry-feed/ranch-pro-gamebird-starter-grower-40lb.htm They are outside so they get sunlight all day, their run has a roof so it gets shaded in the late afternoon but that's about it. I just added in some egg shells thinking maybe not enough calcium? These are the jumbo brown coturnix, the T A&M's just hatched. I have 2 other roosters but I moved them out because 3 roosters seemed excessive. I guess they'll lay when they feel like it! 

Bruce, at 17 years old, any kind of big wreck pretty much means a total on that truck, so yes I'm very grateful it didn't seize up and wreck. At least now I know that all my brakes are good, since we did the front ones and the back ones are completely serviced and rear diff checked too. It stops a LOT better with the trailer now for sure.


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## frustratedearthmother (May 8, 2017)

Well, durn it!  That's all I had...maybe the extra calcium will help 'em.


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## AClark (May 12, 2017)

Well, I've been hiding out a bit since the BYC'ers are here. Nothing against them, but the feed is overwhelmed and the limited time I can spend on here reading I've been spending trying to sift through the plethora of new posts. They're about a vivid bunch!

Updates, my TX A&M quail are doing well. I finally got the garden dug up enough after it rained to row it out, I'm about to go out and finish the next 7 rows of planting and I'm done! My 20 chickens after some possum casualties are doing well and getting huge! Our cattle dog got all over the possum and it hasn't come back, but when/if it does, I'm going to probably have to shoot it. I like Opossums, they're pretty cool, but it can't be hanging out to have chickens for dinner.
 Goats are doing goat things, and driving me nuts. I still haven't gotten pictures of the new rabbit kits, we lost 1 out of 4. Either it passed and momma threw it out of the box, or it was still nursing when she jumped out and got too cold, I'm not sure which. Not particularly thrilled that she only had 4, but it's something versus nothing, so we'll take it. 

My 10 year old son got his braces off yesterday, he's a really happy dude. He ended up helping me with the shopping yesterday so to the helpful child goes the spoils. He got a new Classic rope and a pair of jeans. Now i have to pick up a crappy bale of cheap hay to stick the roping dummy on for him to start learning. That's not much work, the real work is going to be finding out whether the kids horse has been roped off of, and if not, teaching her to not panic over a rope swinging over her head. I doubt she has, her training is very basic - she doesn't neck rein or back up, but those are easily taught on a horse that doesn't blow up and it's do-able. "Anyone can ride this horse" turned out to be "this horse is super gentle and broken, just isn't finished." I don't mind finishing horses, I just don't like backing them for the first time, that always makes me nervous because sometimes those dead gentle horses turn out to be rank, and I don't bounce so good anymore!

DH's horse got the "spoilt" worked out of him last weekend, and even though he bit the crap out of my leg, he learned that his BS doesn't fly with me and worked really well. He got a present at the tack shop too, called a riding crop. I can only do so much with my reins since I much prefer roping reins and they just aren't long enough to swat a horse with. I'm currently working out an exercise program for these guys, since DH's horse is obese and I imagine some of the lazy is because he wears out fast. I know he was worn out after I rode him for an hour, he really appreciated the nice cool bath afterward. 

My horse has really come around. She's now super easy to walk right up to and pet, whereas it took me a month to touch her after bringing her home and turning her out. We're still working on touching her face, but I can halter her without being smacked in my face now, so that's nice. 

Seems like all the work is paying off, I'm finding a bit more time during the day now that most of the major things have been finished. We still have to finish the big chicken coop, and the planting on the garden but I'll get that done today. Planting is the easy part, it's all the digging, rowing, and weeding that I hate to do. I also need to clean out the critter shelter, but that means I need to find a place for all the rocks in the wheel barrow! Lol. Always something to do.  I plan on taking it easy this weekend and just enjoying the horses, maybe go fishing, and maybe only a few chores. My knee has been bothering me a lot lately, and it doesn't help that I now have a horse mouth sized bruise on it.


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## norseofcourse (May 12, 2017)

Sounds like some really good progress with the horses, hope your bruise heals up fast.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 12, 2017)

Sounds like ya are knocking the "Rust" out of the pipe pretty good there with all the horse work....I'm not laughing at ya, but ya talking about the horse biting ya reminds me about the "Horse biting the Apple" joke that we grew up with. The roping practice for the 10 yr old is a good way to occupy time and keep him busy.
I haven't been as active here either, but I have been busy around here....I just have stayed on the journal pages mainly. I think others have been pretty busy too, with gardens and such.....
I really don't like possums and will grab the 22 quickly...they get under the trlr and drive me crazy. Even had 1 get in the AC ducts....I finally caught it coming out and he never returned.


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## AClark (May 16, 2017)

I'm not sure how I feel about possums. They are cute in a way and have some benefits. It hasn't come back and as long  as it doesn't come back and mess with anything, I'm not going to seek it out.
We are getting a new dog today. I've really been on the fence about it, since we made the decision to put my GSD down back in January. I was at the feed store yesterday and someones teenaged boy asked a question, his dad didn't know so I told him, and then his dad goes "oh, you have a farm?" so I said "yeah a small one" and the dad says "want a dog?" - of course I had to ask what kind. He's the animal control officer from the next county over and has two Black mouth cur pups that are out of time at the shelter. Said to come by today and I could have one or both for free.
Well, I've never even heard of a black mouth cur dog, but after doing some reading last night, looks like she'll be a good addition. 

Fred, I'm not sure that I've ever heard that joke, care to share? 

I did get the garden finished, planting it went really fast once it was all rowed, etc. 

And just for fun, some pics of fat shiny horses, and goats stealing their food. The buckskin mare is making an ugly face at a goat in the picture, she didn't feel much like sharing.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 16, 2017)

Man those horses sure look Great!!....what a turn around and it sure speaks volumes of your hard work and knowledge.
What ya do, is ask an unsuspecting person if they know how a horse bites an apple?....if they say no, then ya take your strongest hand and grab the knee just above the joint....there are a couple of nerves there and squeeze....the older folks used to get kids with it when I was growing up. It will make anyone jump and the face made is "Shock and Awe"....


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## AClark (May 17, 2017)

Oh wow, ok, I just heard it differently then. My first ex husband used to give horse bites on the leg, man those things smart!


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## Mike CHS (May 17, 2017)

Pretty horses.  That light brown one reminds me of the horse that Marshal Dillon road in the TV show Gunsmoke.


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## AClark (May 17, 2017)

Yeah he did ride a buckskin, that never occurred to me. 
Thanks, I do my best to keep my critters in good shape. I see a lot of horses around these parts that look like a good feeding would do them wonders. I can't imagine how folks ride horses that look that thin. Granted, our gelding is obese, but we are working on slimming him down.

I went to ENT today since I've had a sore throat for the better part of a month, and a non-strep throat infection. I'm waiting for scheduling to call me to remove my adenoids and tonsils both. A little old for that kind of thing, but better late than never. Maybe it'll stop the constant ear and throat infections I get. 

Anyone else see that tornado hit Elk City OK? That's a ways from us, we got a really big storm last night. It woke me up maybe 1-2 AM coming down so hard I thought it might break our bedroom window. It was all over by 3:30 AM when I got up to let the puppy out though. We are expecting more weather tonight going into tomorrow.


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## Hens and Roos (May 17, 2017)

stay safe, we are probably getting some of the same weather!


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## CntryBoy777 (May 18, 2017)

Looks like ya have some pretty rough weather in the neighborhood for a couple of days there, be Alert and stay Safe out that way.
I didn't mention anything about your dog, to be honest I've never heard of that breed, but looked it up. Really nice looking dogs and sound like they are a good one to have, I talked to a guy that raises them and he said they don't tolerate cats and small animals, unless they are raised with them. Hope it fits in well, and they like to dig Big holes. I know ya can handle your animals tho and can't wait to see some pics.


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## Latestarter (May 18, 2017)

Well, looks like OK is getting pounded right now with severe weather, but it looks to all be east of you at this point. This morning they had TORCONs of 8 (80% chance of tornadoes) through most of central OK. They'd originally said we might have heavy weather here today, then moved it to tonight, but now I guess it's still too far west and will be here tomorrow. The dry line/front has slowed its eastward progress.  Sorry you're not feeling well. How is your newest child doing? You haven't mentioned her in quite a while.


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## AClark (May 19, 2017)

Most of the real bad weather missed us, we just got the good part, which was the rain. It's still raining today and is supposed to all day. My garden is going to go nuts with all this nice soaking rain, it's not coming down hard enough to flood, even though we're on a flood watch. 

The baby is getting big and doing well. She chatters quite a bit now and can roll over and squirm around on the floor. Not bad for almost 4 months old. The rest of the kids are home for summer vacation, it's day 1 and rainy so they are all hyper and driving me nuts. Not a great combo when you're sick and run down.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 19, 2017)

Awww!....she is such a Sweetie.
Ya need to take care of yourself, hope ya get to feeling better. Glad the bad stuff passed ya by....and your summer Help has arrived....


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## Latestarter (May 19, 2017)

Awwww she's gorgeous! What a beautiful little girl! Thanks for sharing the pic. Sorry the kids are home and house bound due to weather. Hope you're able to catch up on some rest and gain a little strength. From what you described, it probably won't happen till after you have those tonsils and adenoids removed...


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## AClark (May 22, 2017)

You're probably right late, I am still suffering through a sore throat and a tickle that makes me cough constantly.

I can't help but post this picture. She's a seriously happy 6 year old, albeit toothless right now. This horse is a saint.

I'm on a quest to find a kids saddle that will fit a horse. I don't mind the kids using my saddle, except I have to take it apart every time since the breast collar and all that fits my horse is way too big for their smaller horse. Unfortunately, out of 5 saddles, the only one that fits their horse well is mine. Obviously, it would be better if the kids could reach the stirrups too - but that's as far up as they go (I know, they're set for me! lol) I have 2 that are full QH bars, and 2 that are semi (this being one of them, the other fits too far down on the withers for my liking)
I do have a pony saddle but I'm not sure it's going to fit the horse. She has high withers, like my TB. No point in the horse being uncomfortable. Not like I need an excuse to buy another saddle either lol.


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## frustratedearthmother (May 22, 2017)

Have you seen these?  They are stirrups you can attach to your regular size saddle for little legs.

https://www.amazon.com/Tough-1-Nylon-Stirrup-Leather-Stirrups/dp/B015OXR6XG


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## Latestarter (May 22, 2017)

And another darling daughter gets her reveal! She's also beautiful, even without teeth  You done good there mom!  That's a nice looking horse and a pretty nice saddle as well. 5 saddles? That's a lot of $$ tied up. Again, hope you get to feeling better soon. I don't get sick too often, but I hate it when I do and more so when it lingers. It seems the older I get, when I do get sick, it takes a lot longer to kick it.


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## AClark (May 23, 2017)

I've seen them but not sure how much I trust them, my saddle doesn't have a whole lot of horn to hook onto for those kiddie stirrups
.
Late, I know 5 saddles sounds like a lot, none of them are new, that's for sure. I've had 1 of them for 30 years (it was my kids saddle for my pony) and 2 of the others for about 15 years. My mom gave us one of hers for the kids to use, and I bought another off Ebay because it should fit DH's wide glide horse, but I need to fix something minor on it. 

You have a good eye for saddles, that one is an old Dakota, very well made saddle and expensive brand, if you buy saddles used they are pretty reasonably priced. 

We'll add insult to injury with being sick. My kids have had a bug that causes some really projectile vomiting. DH hasn't had it yet, but my oldest and I finally got it last night and both of us spent most of the night praying to the porcelain god. I slept in until 10 this morning, but I'm about to go lay back down. Luckily, it seems like a 24 hour bug since the kids that were throwing up yesterday are fine today.

Side note before I go back to bed, my quail finally started laying. We had 1 egg on Saturday, 2 on Sunday, and none yesterday, but it's finally happening, lol.


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## Latestarter (May 23, 2017)

Sorry you're now  along with the rest. I hear you on the saddle numbers... I've had some folks ask me why I need 5+ rifles... Then you try to explain that they all have different uses even though they all share a common purpose Hope you and the kids get over the latest sickness and get back to "normal" quickly.


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## Hens and Roos (May 23, 2017)

sorry to hear you are sick, hopefully it is only a 24 hour bug for you!


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## AClark (May 24, 2017)

It was only a 24 hour bug, I feel fine today, but now DH has it. He went to work late this morning and they told him to go home for the day. He's really feeling yuck. 

Everyone needs 5+ rifles. The 30-30 is for hunting, the .22 for varmints, the 12 gauge for birds/varmints/break ins...saddles are the same way! Two are for roping, they have a bigger stronger horn, the one in the pictures is a barrel racing saddle, but I use it as all purpose because it has a deep seat and is comfortable, the trail saddle is my moms. Not to mention with seat sizes and everything everyone uses a different saddle - though DH and I are about the same size so the biggest one we have is a 15 inch seat. 
Then you have to consider the horses back - some horses are higher in the back and require a more narrow saddle, some are fatties like Trav and need a wide saddle. 

My grandmother said I might as well use my pony saddle and just pad it up more, that kids don't really weigh enough to be that uncomfortable with a thick pad. She's more than likely right, the heaviest of my little kids is 55 lbs. The boys are tall enough to use a regular saddle. 

One of my Texas A&M chicks is "defective", it has a wry neck. I thought it was going to pass on, as it could only lay on its side and kick around, but was managing to get to food and water so I just let it be. Today, it's up and moving around just like the rest, other than a crooked neck. It's 2 weeks old now and isn't any smaller. We debated culling it but decided that we'd let nature take it's course, glad we did since it came out of it and is doing well.

Our garden is coming up nicely now, I just planted 10 blueberry bushes, to go with our 20 ft row of raspberries. We are working on finishing the old trailer for the chickens as well, they are outgrowing the little coop fast now!


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## AClark (May 24, 2017)

Chicken and A&M quail pics...I think I have quite a few roosters, at least 4 or 5. They are pretty comical, obviously they aren't afraid of people, they thought I was there to bring them more treats. While we were planting the kids found a bunch of worms and were feeding them.
That's the little quail with the crooked neck, DH named him "Quasi"...

ETA: I'm catching up on chores this morning, everybody got fed last night, but I'm cleaning everything out before my dr appt today.


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## Bruce (May 24, 2017)

Yep definitely some roos in there.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 24, 2017)

Sure glad y'all got past the "Bug", and I'm totally clueless about saddles, so will just admire and listen. That darling daughter looks like she would enjoy winning a buckle, just like her Mom. All the chicks are looking good and coming right along....ours will be a yr old the first wk in June. Hope things go well in gettings those tonsils out, I still have mine with no problems.....knock on wood.


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## Latestarter (May 24, 2017)

AClark said:


> Everyone needs 5+ rifles. The 30-30 is for hunting, the .22 for varmints, the 12 gauge for birds/varmints/break ins...



Ummmm you're including the shotgun(s) in with the rifle count?  I always count them separate...  Well, truth be told, I don't count, as gun math is another subject.


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## AClark (May 25, 2017)

Gun math is totally different. I count in the shotgun because I only have the 1 and it's a multi-purpose tool. 
We recently acquired some crackheads that are squatting in an abandoned house about 2 up from ours. Found this out from the neighbor when we had no water pressure all weekend, apparently, crackheads had jacked the water on over there without a meter, and being "down stream" of them, it zapped our pressure - according to the water company. It sucked, basically couldn't shower because there wasn't enough pressure, took over an hour to fill the water tanks. I have the feeling that if they aren't concerned with stealing from the water company (and the cops have been out at least twice for that) they won't have any problem with trying to rob houses nearby either. 

Tonsils are a weird thing. I've always had some problems with mine. Mainly because they developed craters in them from getting infected frequently, which only exacerbated the problem because now food gets stuck in them and gets them infected all over. They also cause recurring ear infections, which I will be more than happy to be rid of also. 

I have a lot of hope for my kids to fit my shoes when it comes to riding. 3 out of 4 are pretty ambitious about riding. My oldest is afraid, he had a very minor accident on my barrel horse when he was maybe 4 and it really set in on him. My horse was 20 or so by then, but still pretty spunky - but gentle. He had a habit of shaking, like when dogs get wet, when he'd get sweaty. Well, that's fine if you know it's coming. He was sweaty from my kiddo riding him, shook, and shook the kid right off. My son fell flat on his chest, knocked all the air out of him. It didn't really hurt him, but it scared him pretty good. The younger kids are happy for me to let go of the reins and let them "steer" (which really they only think they are because their horse follows me around whether I'm leading her or not) but not my teenager. He wants me to lead the horse still. Just needs some confidence building, he has some interest in bulldogging, and should be big enough to do it, but he has to overcome his fear of falling off. My other son is more interested in roping and I see some potential there.

Funny thing, last weekend my boys were teasing me about being "too old" to rope anymore, since I am way out of practice. After a couple of practice swings, my oldest boy thought he was brave and poked at me that I couldn't rope a moving target. Needless to say, when I heeled him running away from me in the yard and dumped him straight on his butt, that tune changed. 

Oh, and a pic of the ratty little puppy I picked up. So, they said Black mouthed cur, but I think cattle dog cross. After being wormed and fed up, her ears stood up. 
Any and all guesses are welcome. She's a muttley little thing, about 25 lbs.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 25, 2017)

It is good to hear that they have the interest in it. Ya may be a bit rusty, but ya never forget how...just like riding a bike. Glad to hear ya still got it, too. It does sound like getting those dang tonsils out will be a big Relief to ya, sure hope it goes well for ya....gotta have some ice cream on hand to aid your cure...
Tell your oldest that he already has the getting off the horse part down, now he just has to learn how to control the fall while grabbing the head and avoiding them Horns.
The pup is sure cute and muscled, but I think it is a mix too. Sure hope she turns out to be a good little helper for ya there. Hopefully they will run the "Heads" off for all of yours Safety. I doubt it will be tolerated for very long by the law there.


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## Mike CHS (May 25, 2017)

Teresa had similar problems until she got hers removed in her 40's.  No issues since then.


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## Baymule (May 26, 2017)

That is no black mouth cur. They are popular dogs in east Texas for hog hunting and they make darn fine cattle dogs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mouth_Cur


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## AClark (May 28, 2017)

Yeah she has the color and coat, but isn't anywhere near big enough. She's slick coated and it's fine, makes it easy to see ticks on her though. She does herd, her and our cattle dog are starting to make a great team. She's about the same size as our Aussie cattle dog, same body build too.
It doesn't really matter anyway, but I appreciate a good herding dog for sure. Her whole litter was found in a crate dumped on the side of the road down here, so no telling what they actually are. Most folks have herding dogs though, and she shows a natural ability for it, and is a "heeler" type (herds kids, nips heels).


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## CntryBoy777 (May 28, 2017)

Tell the DH that I really Appreciate his Service....and I Appreciate yours too. Having been a "Navy Brat", the sacrifice of the spouses and families tend to go unrecognized, but it takes much sacrifice for the family to up and move so often, and to continue to support the one that is at the "Beck and Call" at a moments notice. So, you are to be commended in your position in the Home and are Appreciated as well.....


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## AClark (May 29, 2017)

Thank you Fred. It's definitely an "adapt and overcome" lifestyle.

Big picture update. We moved chickens and Bo the goose. Moved the baby quail outdoors (a cage inside the cage with the other quail).
I have had a lot of new quail eggs, so I have put around 20 or so in the incubator, wish me luck! They appear fertile, a couple were cracked so I broke them open to investigate and they were fertile, so it seems to reason we'll have some more quail in about 2 weeks.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 29, 2017)

They all look really Nice and Happy!....how old do you cycle the quail to the freezer?


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## Baymule (May 29, 2017)

I raised Pharaoh quail about a lifetime ago. They were small, but easy to clean and delicious. I cracked the eggs in a measuring cup to fry them. There was a yolk in every bite! Your birds are looking good and your horses have slicked out and look beautiful.

Thanks to you, now I look at the slaughter sites. There are some darn nice horses that don't belong there, I am always glad when they get bought. We bought a blaze faced, stocking legged little 13 hand chestnut gelding a few months ago. The lady we bought him from buys kill pen horses, rehabs them, then sells them. He is a sweetie, dog gentle and we love him. I am at my limit with 3, 2 of which are 28 and 30 years old, so no more horses for me. But if I ever get another horse, I'll follow your lead and buy one from the kill pens.


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## greybeard (May 29, 2017)

Baymule--where is the nearest 'kill pen' to you?

(I rarely if ever see any equine going thru the salebarns here and the few I do see go to private buyers as 'back to farm' animals. Did see more in 2011's drought year, but most of those were not slaughter animals)


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## AClark (May 30, 2017)

There is a big one in Bastrop, Louisiana, but it's run by Stanley Bros, the same ones that had the trailer flip in MS maybe 2 months ago with 30ish horses on it, only around 15-20 survived if I remember right. I think the driver fell asleep at the wheel.
Mine came from Arkansas, there's several big feedlots in the Little Rock area. There's another big feedlot in Forney, TX.

There's a horse auction here in Sulphur, OK. I haven't gone, as it's a bit of a drive, but once a month it's a nothing but horse auction, tack, everything. I don't hear well enough to do auctions to be honest. I would love to have the space to pick up more horses, test and feed up, and resell though. I may go eventually to saddle hunt, I'm at my horse limit as well.

The last batch of quail I did were 9 weeks old. They were really good sized. Bay is right, they are super easy to clean. You skin them, which doesn't even really take tools, just push fingers in there and pull. I used kitchen scissors to cut the spine out and when you do that you can pretty much just pull and everything comes out and you are done.

ETA: I am dragging this morning. I took Lena to the ER last night around 9 PM. She hasn't been feeling well all weekend, and had a cough. Yesterday she didn't want to eat much and when she did, projectile vomited and aspirated it. I got home around 2:30 AM, she has a respiratory infection. They gave her some meds and she's finally sleeping peacefully without coughing and throwing up. I'm not getting anything done today, I think I'm going to go cuddle up with her and go back to sleep.


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## Latestarter (May 30, 2017)

Sorry your little one isn't feeling well. you've certainly had your share of illness lately. Maybe you'll get through it and be able to enjoy the full summer.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 30, 2017)

I don't blame ya and ya certainly deserve the extra rest. Hope she gets better for ya soon.


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## goatgurl (May 30, 2017)

I sure hope lena gets to feeling better.  poor baby girl and poor mama too.  quail are something I've thought about raising but just haven't jumped into it.


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## Baymule (May 30, 2017)

Hope that Lena feels better soon. I hate it when babies and children get sick. Cuddles and love goes a long way when they are sick.

@greybeard I have some facebook links, dunno if you are on facebook. I think most of it is a waste of time, personally. People post crap that used to be email forwards, now they pass it around on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/bastroplouisianashippen/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/147827545655597/

https://www.facebook.com/OklahomaKillPen/?fref=st

https://www.facebook.com/kaufmankillpen/


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## AClark (May 31, 2017)

Late, when a bug gets started in my house, it really makes the rounds. It usually takes about 2 weeks to get everyone. The 24 hour bug we had only took about 5 days to nail everyone in the house though. DH is the last to get everything, if he even gets it. I swear the Army vaccinations pretty much make you immune to everything including the plague. 

The chickens are enjoying their new digs, big time. So is Bohannon. Geese are clumsy things. He waddles, jumps in his pool, but he gets so excited to see us he literally falls down running in the pen, which shouldn't be funny but it really is. Apparently, we are getting turkeys this week too. DH and one of his buddies from work are taking a long lunch on Friday and going shopping.


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## Hens and Roos (May 31, 2017)

Hope you guys are feeling better!


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## greybeard (May 31, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Hope that Lena feels better soon. I hate it when babies and children get sick. Cuddles and love goes a long way when they are sick.
> 
> @greybeard I have some facebook links, dunno if you are on facebook. I think most of it is a waste of time, personally. People post crap that used to be email forwards, now they pass it around on facebook.
> 
> ...


 Thanks. No, I don't do FB, but I can still view the pages....for a few seconds..until FB throws their annoying splash screen up urging me to log on or join.  (I haven't opened my email in 6 months either.)

It seems like I've been to Bastrop La before. N. La if I remember right.


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## AClark (Jun 1, 2017)

Facebook is a total time sink. I do like it because I get to see pictures of my friends and family, but the majority of it is crap. It is, however, where I get my "horse talk" on.
It does make it a lot easier to share photos of the kids, I can upload them in one place instead of sending them to everyone one email at a time, other than those facts, I wouldn't even have it. It has caused it's fair share of arguments between DH and I when some random guy will message me.

So, ever go to the feed store looking to buy feed and like 1 other thing (in my case, geese), don't find what you were looking for (geese) but come home with 3 ducks, 2 turkeys, and 8 more chicks? At least I didn't forget the horse, goat, chicken feed I guess!


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## AClark (Jun 1, 2017)




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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 1, 2017)

You are so Crazy!!.......I'm proud to call ya a Friend and if I ever get homeless, I'll make my way over there and work for Food.....


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## AClark (Jun 1, 2017)

Hey, that'll work, I'm a fairly decent cook too, and I already cook for a small army every night, what's one more? Lol.
Some people slave over making sides for BBQ's and what not, I'm so used to cooking mass amounts that I don't even notice? Twenty servings you say? Give me an hour.

Side note: The chickens in their new digs are comical, Bohannon too. I walk over and say "hey chickens!" and they all run over to me, Bohannon with his wings out making weird noises the whole way. I totally feel like Ace Ventura.


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## lcertuche (Jun 1, 2017)

Those little quackers sure are cute.


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## AClark (Jun 1, 2017)

I think that one is a Cayuga, I don't know what the other two are...kind of like my chickens, some of them you can tell what they are, others, complete mutts. I have one with mottled feathers, black legs, and 5 toes per foot. 
We put in a "pond" for Bo, a kiddie pool, so the ducks will be right at home. They can make as big of a mess as they want to with it once they're outside, they can't hurt anything.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 1, 2017)

Well I'm no gourmet chef, but no one has ever starved around me, and I don't require any special fixins either. I was raised to just be thankful something is on the plate...
I've ate plenty of Indian tacos not far from where ya are either.


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## AClark (Jun 1, 2017)

Mmm, Indian tacos, where I grew up we used to get the Navajo tacos and they are excellent. Makes me want to make them for dinner. We're simple folks, nothing too fancy to cook, but nobody goes hungry. Tonight is chicken fried steak, biscuits, and probably broccoli.


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## AClark (Jun 2, 2017)

Yes! It is pouring rain here, flooding and all! Guess my prayers got answered because it's coming down great. My road is flooded, my yard is flooded, and my garden is draining nicely.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 2, 2017)

Well, I'm glad ya got some needed relief. We just went 3.5hrs without power....it is 82° outside and 81° inside the humidity is at 74%. I was just about to go for a ride in the AC even if just around the block....which, here is about 10miles...


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## lcertuche (Jun 2, 2017)

It looks like some thundershowers are going to be coming this way later. I saw Tarah from Living on a dime make Indian tacos. I've been thinking I need to try making some of those babies.


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## AClark (Jun 2, 2017)

They are good for sure!

DH went with a work buddy to TX today to straighten out some family drama for the friend. He comes home and is looking out the window and says "did we get a new horse?" No shock, not upset, just plain as day. I said "No, but obviously that wouldn't surprise you". He goes "no, it wouldn't" - it was his horse, just soaking wet he isn't anywhere near the same color. I wonder if that's a sign that I could get away with it? lol
I'm good with 3, with being sick I haven't been riding them anyway. Surgery is schedule so hopefully after the recovery time I'm feeling better.

I'm now at 7 or 8 weeks or so with this sore throat, it just won't go away this time.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 2, 2017)

That is a long time for something like that.  Hope it gets under control soon.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 2, 2017)

Yeh, that can't be fun at all. I know ya will be glad to get rid of those bothersome things.


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## Bruce (Jun 3, 2017)

AClark said:


> So, ever go to the feed store looking to buy feed and like 1 other thing (in my case, geese), don't find what you were looking for (geese) but come home with 3 ducks, 2 turkeys, and 8 more chicks? At least I didn't forget the horse, goat, chicken feed I guess!



Sounds like an entry for the "You might be country if" thread!


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## AClark (Jun 4, 2017)

It is a long time to have it for sure. The "sleep apnea" that is coming with it is annoying too. Everybody loves to wake up choking and not being able to breathe right? I can't wait to get these swollen monstrosities out. I feel like crap this morning, I got maybe 4 hours of sleep last night between me feeling bad and the baby being up and still coughing and feeling crappy, and truth be told, if I didn't have some homework to finish I'd still be in bed. The baby has a dr appt tomorrow morning, which is good because she's still not over her respiratory infection. You can tell she feels better, she's back to eating well, but she's coughing and hacking at night still. She ended up sleeping in our bed last night where I could sit her up better, since sitting up seems to ease her coughing. That basically meant I slept with 1 leg off the bed all night since she managed to twist sideways.

Bruce, I don't know if it qualifies, the feed store is kind of like Walmart. You run in for shampoo, and come out $100 later on other things you forgot you were out of/on sale.

Yesterday was a fun day. I trimmed my horses feet, and decided I was already muddy and covered in crap, so figured I'd do the goats too. My goats aren't super friendly, they'll come up to me, but I can't catch them. I ended up roping one by her back feet, at which point she just gave up and let me catch her, and the other I had to have the dog pin because she saw me swing that rope and bolted - I can't run fast enough to keep up with the goat to rope it on foot, lol. I always was a better heeler than header anyway. So, the girls got their hooves trimmed down, only 2 horses and 1 goat left to do! 

I exercised DH's gelding and noticed the poor guy was kind of uncomfortable. I realized that he had gotten a lot of build up on his "junk" (ya know, not that I'm looking or anything, but it was noticeable), so I got the fun part of doing a tutorial on a sheath cleaning so DH knew how to. I have a feeling that's still going to be my job though, DH looked rather put off on sticking his hand up there to clean things out. DH's best line was "are you sure you want to put soap up there, that'll make it burn when he pees, I have experience there" - yep, I'm sure I want to put some seriously watered down soapy water "up there" and I'm going to hose it out after.


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## Bruce (Jun 4, 2017)

Guess you need to keep your roping horse saddled when it is goat hoof trimming time!


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## lcertuche (Jun 4, 2017)

I hope you're feeling better soon.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 4, 2017)

Sorry that ya are so miserable, and the baby is still having issues. I think I would wait on the hooves til ya are feeling better, and I wouldn't shy away from Learning, but certainly wouldn't be Volunteering to wash the horse either....


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## Baymule (Jun 4, 2017)

I sing to my horse while I clean his pee-pee. He hates it. I squirt a tube of KY jelly in the day before to soften things up, then again about an hour before.

The Sheath Cleaning Song
Author Unknown

(Sing it to the tune of "Hello Mother, Hello Father" from camp song)

How's it hangin'?
So much cleaner.
Aren't you glad I
washed your wiener?

I'll admit it's
kinda creepy
that I had to stick my arm up in your pee-pee.


It was sticky.
It was gunky.
It felt icky.
It smelled funky.

It was cruddy,
it was crusty--
when you stuck it out, it creaked like it was rusty.


After half an
hour of toilin'
and of squirtin'
baby oil in,
you're as fresh there
as a daisy.

Either this means I love you or else I'm crazy!!!

Tags:


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## AClark (Jun 4, 2017)

I would totally sing that while I did it, next time! Trav was good for it, he just stood there, he's definitely more comfortable today. I used Coconut oil because that's what I had, and it gets really nice and thin when it's warm. It also smells nice, but not like I'm going to volunteer to sniff test up there after the fact. I sing while I'm out with the horses anyway, they're the only ones who don't complain about it, lol.
I didn't do DH's horses feet today, I feel generally "ok", it doesn't seem to matter if I work more or less, I still have the basic crappy feeling, so I might as well work. He's just not good about his feet and I was in a good mood, so why ruin it? lol
Fred, I don't think anyone volunteers to do that job at all. DH got a "good to know" lesson, and I don't really mind doing it.

I did, however, work DH's horse, I hopped on him bareback, in shorts, barefoot, and rode him with a halter. Smart, right?  Normally, I don't ride without long pants and boots on, but I didn't feel like going in to change or putting a saddle on him. Then I gave him a full bath and combed him out all pretty, so he could go roll in the dirt  His behavior is improving, he's not a typical gelding - might even be proud cut the way he acts, including mounting my mare when she's in heat.
DH's back has been bothering him all day, he still has a herniated L5/S1, they did surgery on the L4/L5, but didn't mess with the other one because it requires a fusion. He wanted to ride but with the back pain, I don't blame him. I also don't mind volunteering to ride a horse I know isn't going to waste me. 

I think I'm going to braid up a special halter for Trav to ride in, he rides better in a halter than he does a hackamore by far. I'll braid up a rope halter with actual reins because really this was his best ride yet. Maybe I'll braid up a soft bosal for him with a nice headstall, I'm not sure, it'll be something nice though. I'm currently working on a set of reins for me anyway. I don't like how the store bought ones feel, they're too thin feeling, so I started some nice thick ones. 

Belle decided she wanted to be next and wandered in the round pen. We did some light work and some bonding. I've gone from a horse I couldn't touch to a horse that is starting to face me and follow me around. I'm happy about that. I'm not brave enough to hop on her bareback and she's too tall for me to do it anyway, her withers are almost at the top of my head. She'd have to get down on her knees for me to get on, or I'd have to climb the fence. 

I never did go back to bed like I was planning. By the time I finished up homework, the baby was awake anyway. She finally fell asleep after eating a ridiculous amount, and us cranking on the humidifier with some vicks in it. 

I am going to have to suck it up and do hooves this week, I know I'm going to be down for around 2 weeks with no lifting, so I'm going to assume that means trimming feet is going to be out of the question. That's some hard work if you've never done it. Especially if they aren't well behaved about it either.


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## Bruce (Jun 4, 2017)

@Baymule


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## AClark (Jun 5, 2017)

Fatty horse after his bath and the reins I"m working on.


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## lcertuche (Jun 5, 2017)

Baymule said:


> I sing to my horse while I clean his pee-pee. He hates it. I squirt a tube of KY jelly in the day before to soften things up, then again about an hour before.
> 
> The Sheath Cleaning Song
> Author Unknown
> ...


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## AClark (Jun 5, 2017)

Ya know, I didn't think to use KY jelly...something about that just seems wrong considering what it's sold for. My luck, I'd get that stuff that they advertise that gets hot and cold and have a real bronc on my hands, lol.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 5, 2017)

AClark said:


> I'd get that stuff that they advertise that gets hot and cold and have a real bronc on my hands, lol.


YIKES!


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## Latestarter (Jun 5, 2017)

AClark said:


> My luck, I'd get that stuff that they advertise that gets hot and cold and have a real bronc on my hands, lol.



 We need video!


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## AClark (Jun 5, 2017)

I think it would be like using Icy Hot and then using the bathroom without washing your hands...probably a REAL bad idea. I do my best to stay on the top end of the horse and in the middle, laying in the dirt and looking at how pretty the sky is and wondering if you can get up isn't fun! lol


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## Baymule (Jun 7, 2017)

AClark said:


> Ya know, I didn't think to use KY jelly...something about that just seems wrong considering what it's sold for. My luck, I'd get that stuff that they advertise that gets hot and cold and have a real bronc on my hands, lol.


Try being that person at the drug store with an arm load of KY........I get some strange looks. So of course I tell 'em what it's  for.  Ever have to stick your finger up their pee-pee hole and dig out the lumps of uric crystals? My gelding hates me for that.... I swear he can suck his pee-pee up behind his eyeballs when I'm groping around for it to pull it down. Gheesh! Gimme your darn ding-dong horse!


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## greybeard (Jun 7, 2017)

AClark: I gotta ask.
What ya think about Sooner Coach Bob Stoops retiring today?
And how 'bout those Lady Sooners wining back to back world championships? Not shabby at all for a 10th seeded team.
(College World Series softball for those that don't keep up)


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## Bruce (Jun 8, 2017)

@Baymule You need to buy it at Costco. EVERYTHING they sell comes in the JUMBO size. No one will wonder why you are buying the really big jar, it is likely the only size they would sell 

Pardon an ignorant question. If this is such a big problem with stallions, what happens with the wild horses? No one there to go arm deep to help out!


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## AClark (Jun 8, 2017)

Bruce,
It's a common problem with geldings since they don't breed...they never get to "knock the rust off" as it were. A stallion in the wild, well, that ole boy is getting some and doesn't get the build up. 
I"d have no shame in buying that much KY jelly, I'd have to really go all out and grab a roll of duct tape, some chocolate syrup...ya know, let's just really make that cashier wonder what's going on!

Grey, I can't say I know much about OU, I don't keep up much with sports, but I know the local folks are real proud of OU.


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## Bruce (Jun 8, 2017)

Don't forget the whipped cream!

Ah, it is a gelding problem! Makes sense. And there are no geldings in the wild


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## AClark (Jun 8, 2017)

Yeah, I'm told stallions kept up can have issues down there, but I've never seen it with my parents studs. Some geldings are more prone to it as well, I rarely had to do that gross job with my old gelding.

That said, Bay, Trav did have a bean as well. Now those are gross. It wasn't huge, maybe the size of one of those plastic bracelet beads. He won't let everything hang out for me, so I had to go fishing as well. I have a bottle of Ace, but he was ok with the whole thing enough that I'm not going to dope him to get him to drop. I figure all softened up most of it will work it's way out if I missed any.


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## Mini Horses (Jun 8, 2017)

My minis were always good about the "clean outs".  Generally I used Excaliber.    But even my stallions were hosed out as I did use them for outside breeding, just precautions.  LOL




AClark said:


> Well, I've been hiding out a bit since the BYC'ers are here. Nothing against them, but the feed is overwhelmed and the limited time I can spend on here reading I've been spending trying to sift through the plethora of new posts. They're about a vivid bunch!



Me, too.    By the time I opened one thread, all the others had moved and no way I could/would get to all.   No issues with new members but, for a couple of weeks.....WOW!!  

Your horses look amazing.  Nice job!    

You will love it after those T/A are gone.  Mine had been a mess every week, it seemed, for years.   Evenutally taken out.  Larger scar area to heal because of all the damaged tissue.  Still was worth it --  Liquids for a while.


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## Baymule (Jun 8, 2017)

The best way I've ever gotten my gelding to drop is feed him and let him get a full belly. Then he relaxes, stands 3 legged and lets it all hang out. I just have to sneak up on him......


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## AClark (Jun 9, 2017)

Thanks Mini, I over-feed everything, I worry more about animals getting lean than I probably should. Not to brag, but my horses are fatter than 90% of the horses I see in the area.
I'm not sure Trav ever gets full. He can eat!

I am looking forward to my tonsils being gone, I've had a cold for several days and they are back to inflamed and miserable. Nothing tastes good at all. I can't wait.

High light for today, going to pick up Skeeter from being spayed this morning. Sucks she's going to be feeling bad, but it's better than unwanted mutt puppies. I think cheaper in the long run too, I've had litters of puppies before, but purebred and registered, and they eat a ton and are so messy.


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## Baymule (Jun 9, 2017)

It is just good sense to spay mixed breed dogs. We have 4 dogs, 2 are intact, 2 are "fixed". I hope you get your tonsils done soon!


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## AClark (Jun 12, 2017)

Definitely, I don't even feel bad about it now. I kind of always feel a bit bad about spaying dogs because they don't really give them much in the way of good pain meds, and I imagine that hurts like a SOB. Skeeter was kind of pathetic when I picked her up, had to carry her out to the truck and she laid on the back seat, made me carry her in the house. 24 hours later she was back to herself and running around, so she must not feel that bad. 

I always hear that spaying is so expensive - and it definitely wasn't cheap, even with the discount for being a large critter customer there. But, the last litter of puppies I had (German Shepherds) cost me probably as much as the spay in dog food by the time they were 8 weeks. Granted, I had no problem selling them, but they were good lines and papered. I don't know how people don't just spay their mutt females instead of letting them have puppies because there's no way you can re-coup the cost of feed for puppies you ultimately have to give away. I don't mind mutt dogs, but I won't pay for them. I didn't even pay for our purebred cattle dog.  Vet said she's about 7 months old, I guessed 5-6 so not too far off. She was 25 lbs, so I doubt she's going to get much bigger, maybe another 10 lbs when she's up to a good weight.
Got her a crate too. I didn't crate train our cattle dog, but he picked up on house training better than she is. 

I'm pretty beat this morning. I took advantage of that 15% off at TSC and bought cattle panels. We decided to change our rabbits over to a colony instead of cages. So, we built the rabbits a nice pen out of scraps we found around here (came out really nice too!) and I didn't get to building the goat pen. I'm going to work on it today as soon as my meds kick in and my back stops hurting. The rabbits new digs are 16'x12'. We used one 16 ft cattle panel for a side (a good one we had and weren't using already) and I cut up a couple of panels that were wrecked for the other side and we butted their pen up against the barn for 2 sides. We lined the bottom with corrugated sheet metal and DH framed out a gate which I covered with 1/2"x1/2" wire. 
Previously, we had them in cages in a shed, but it was so hot and it was hard to keep them cool. They are now on the north side of the barn that is almost all shaded all day and nice and cool back there - it was in the 90's yesterday and we were nice and comfy back there working on it. It's pretty nice to see them all loose and they are definitely happy. We still have to build them some shelter, but DH is bringing home some pallets today to do just that with. 
We haven't had a lot of luck with getting meat rabbits in the cages, so figured we would try something different. Since it doesn't matter to us to selectively breed, this may work out. Worst case scenario, they end up moved back to their cages and I use their pen for chickens if it doesn't work out.

Saturday was a bust for being productive. I mowed, DH scrounged up t posts for the goat pen. I meant to ride my horse this weekend but we ended up doing chores and by the time I got around to having the time I was so tired and beat I didn't bother. It's so hot I feel bad riding in the middle of the day so I have to wait until late afternoon/evening anyway.


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## Baymule (Jun 12, 2017)

The heat can wear you down. We have been working on fence pretty hard the past few weeks, by noon we knock off because of the heat and humidity. You get a lot done, so don't be hard on yourself, sometimes you need a day off.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 12, 2017)

Those daily chores somehow sometime don't allow for a whole lot else to get done.  You have been knocking it out and in my opinion, doing great getting there.


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## AClark (Jun 13, 2017)

I'm not used to humidity at all. The heat doesn't bother me, I can deal with 100+ degrees no problem after living in AZ and TX, but with the humidity I think it's a lot worse.
I didn't even start on the goat pen yesterday. I went and got feed and unloaded it and all that. I tried really hard to make fewer trips, if I could only manage to get a second sack up on my shoulder it would be faster, but I can't lift a 50 lb bag with 1 arm. I'm sure I can carry 100 lbs, but I can't get the bag far enough over my shoulder to balance - I tried, but it slid off.
I did work and ride DH's horse, and he rode him bareback, and so did my 6 year old. He's too much horse for a little kid though so I led him around with her on him.

Father's Day is this weekend...glad someone mentioned it on Facebook. I got DH a new bosal and headstall for his horse.
I hope he likes it, I think it's pretty, and not girly. 




@greybeard Had a question for you. I'm looking to trade for cow/cattle of the beef variety. Budget is around $1200 for the trade item. What would be a fair trade both ways? A cow calf pair, bred cow, calves? I'm not breed particular, just want to make sure a trade is fair.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 13, 2017)

Looks really good to me...and agree it is not girlie.


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## Baymule (Jun 13, 2017)

Nice Father's Day present. He ought to love it!


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## greybeard (Jun 14, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Nice Father's Day present. He ought to love it!


 X4
I see I'm not the only one having problems getting a post to show up and the result is multiple posts of the same thing.


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## AClark (Jun 14, 2017)

We are a practical bunch when it comes to gift giving. We buy each other things we know will be used and loved for years to come. Sometimes it's hard to pick out things like that, but when it's something someone needs and will appreciate, it's all the better. I also never mind getting tack as a gift, I might have a tack hoarding problem  Oh, new splint boots, why thank you!  

My boys and I finished the new goat digs yesterday. I think I could have used a bucket loader to pound those T-posts in the ground was so hard. Not to mention trying to dig in those 4x4's...with a shovel. The first 6 inches of ground were a nightmare, all rocky and hard clay. I had my oldest stand in front of the shovel, then I stood on it and rocked it back and forth to wedge it down and pry it up. I think that took us the longest.
We had fun, I let my oldest boy drive my truck (I wasn't in it, he scares me too much, lol) through the gate and around the pasture to bring all the panels and tools and crap. He did well, he's learning not to mash the "go" pedal. He did a lot of the post pounding, I let him wear my gloves because, let's face it, my hands are like leather already, and he has blisters today, but he worked hard and didn't give up. 
DH got home in time to help me finish hanging the latches, so while the pens probably aren't perfect or anything, they are pretty decent. I was thoroughly amused watching DH's fat gelding look disappointed in not being able to eat the goats feed last night! Usually, he'll scarf his down and go take theirs. They aren't staying in there yet, as I have to finish their shelters and obtain waterers still, but they went in long enough to eat un-molested. 
I think it took us around 4 hours start to finish. Even had the baby outside with us laying on a blanket in the shade. My younger son was on "baby detail" because he doesn't weigh enough to help dig and isn't big enough to pound posts yet - my girls stayed in the house and wanted nothing to do with the manual labor.

Ended up riding my horse after dinner and she did well. I put some effort into grooming her other than just knocking the dirt off, and she really loves to be brushed and combed. She gets better every time, less spooky and panicked. I've decided I'm going to have to shoe her, as her feet are ouchy when ridden. I think I'm going to go with the glue on re-useables.


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## Bruce (Jun 14, 2017)

Cuteness baby pic!!

I've found that a spading fork is better than a shovel to get a hole started. 

You gotta get those girls out to help on ALL types of jobs or they'll end up like mine.  Good on your boys though. Your younger one was on baby watch? Bet the girls could have helped there even if they didn't touch anything that was dirty or manual labor. Like my 2, seeing you working your @55 off doesn't translate to "I should get off my butt".


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## AClark (Jun 14, 2017)

Oh I put the girls to work too, they were tasked with cleaning inside since they didn't want to go out and help with the fence. They did a nice job of picking up. We all clean the house and had tidied up that morning, but I tasked them with wiping off kitchen counters, sweeping the kitchen, and cleaning their bathroom. 
My older daughter isn't really safe around the baby, she gets distracted too easily and the baby is really too heavy for her to hold. My 6 year old is better, she sits down with the baby and doesn't try to carry her. Actually, the boys are better with the baby than the girls are, more gentle. 

It's funny how kids personalities are. My 6 year old daughter is a little Tom boy, she is usually good with getting dirty. It was hot outside yesterday, in the high 90's, but wasn't bad where we were in the shade. My 8 year old daughter is Miss Priss. Kind of like one is going to be a rodeo queen, and the other is going to be more like Mom. I don't know where the Miss Priss comes from, I'm not like that at all obviously. My boys are kind of the same way, the 10 year old is rough and tumble, completely fearless like his 6 year old sister, my oldest is more nervous and afraid to fail and do things.


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## norseofcourse (Jun 14, 2017)

Looks great!  And your little one is growing up so fast


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## greybeard (Jun 14, 2017)

AClark said:


> My boys and I finished the new goat digs yesterday. I think I could have used a bucket loader to pound those T-posts in the ground was so hard. Not to mention trying to dig in those 4x4's...with a shovel. The first 6 inches of ground were a nightmare, all rocky and hard clay. I had my oldest stand in front of the shovel, then I stood on it and rocked it back and forth to wedge it down and pry it up. I think that took us the longest.



no posthole diggers?
I probably have 4 pairs, not counting the twist type hand augers, the extra tall lineman hole diggers, and tractor driven ones.
You need to put a value on your time...initial cost divided by the time they last. $50÷5 years=$10 year=a big time saver. They'll dig right thru that clay and able you to pull out most rocks too. Implements are an investment that you will get a visible and tangible return on.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 14, 2017)

Something that helps us is to use a rock bar to break up the soil/gravel and then use the post hole digger to take the dirt out.


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## AClark (Jun 14, 2017)

I've used post hole diggers at my parents - they are hard on the arms. Being that I have had a major arm surgery, I decided not to buy one when I bought the t-post pounder. I actually didn't expect rocks, the other places we have dug in 4x4's have been a lot softer and not this crap. 

 I was thinking a pickmatic might have been a useful buy, but that dawned on me while standing on a shovel and using my kid for balance. After the first 6 inches of it was broken up it was easy digging, but those first 6 inches were bad. 

Honestly, we wasted more time looking for the right tools than anything. We seriously need to clean out the barn and organize stuff so we can find it, a lot of it is still packed from the move and we have to dig through boxes to find stuff.

The gates are really tight in there, I might trim them down a little with the reciprocal saw. I am no carpenter, so I'm just glad it all matched up. 
I still have the shelters to work on, which should be easy but I decided I'm going to wedge the roof so it's at an angle to drain.


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## greybeard (Jun 14, 2017)

If you think PH diggers are hard on arms and shoulders, you surely  will think the same about that pick. Mankillers. I've given all mine away as of years ago.


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## AClark (Jun 14, 2017)

Shoulders I don't mind, it's the elbow. I can't keep it bent for prolonged periods because the doctor moved the "funny bone" nerve outside of between the bones and into the muscle in my arm since it was pinched. I have some shortening of the nerve due to it, so if I keep my elbow bent, it irritates it. Bright side, if I bang that elbow, I don't get smarted by a funny bone since I don't have one there anymore, lol. 

This is what they do if anyone is interested. It's weird, but I got some of the feeling back in my fingers so it did help.


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## Bruce (Jun 14, 2017)

greybeard said:


> They'll dig right thru that clay and able you to pull out most rocks too.



You'll need to tell me what type/brand of PH digger you use that will easily dig through clay and pick up most rocks. I find once I hit a rock of any size from a couple of inches to BIG, the PHD is pretty much worthless. If they are on the smaller side I can use the PHD to pick them up but only after I've dug them up with a shovel some to find the "edges".


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## Baymule (Jun 14, 2017)

Nice pen. I know your goats will like having their own place. Your mare is really looking good, glad that she is relaxing and trusting you more. Your baby is so beautiful. She is so precious.


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## greybeard (Jun 15, 2017)

Bruce said:


> You'll need to tell me what type/brand of PH digger you use that will easily dig through clay and pick up most rocks. I find once I hit a rock of any size from a couple of inches to BIG, the PHD is pretty much worthless. If they are on the smaller side I can use the PHD to pick them up but only after I've dug them up with a shovel some to find the "edges".


I know all about rocks--used to live in  city called San Angelo Tex out where the Caprock and Llano Estacado begins..
This, was developed there, for breaking up the rocks just under surface, then you remove the rubble with a regular pair of PH diggers without disturbing the hard packed surrounding soil. That's the key to setting posts--disturb as little surrounding soil and strata as possible. 
Dug lots of holes with it in sheep and goat country.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/truper-san-angelo-bar
http://www.dewalt.com/products/hand-tools/hammers-and-pry-bars/70-san-angelo-bar/dwht55148

How to:
http://www.landscapeadvisor.com/how-to-dig-a-post-hole/


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## Bruce (Jun 15, 2017)

I've always tried to use the PHD from start to finish. That does look like a good tool and one that I'm sure would have helped me. I had a pointed with 4 sides bar I could smack with the hand sledge and pry with but I think that smaller flat end of the San Angelo bar would have made digging around the edges of rocks and smaller stones much easier. Thanks.


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## AClark (Jun 15, 2017)

I think if I was going to dig an obscene number of posts I would buy an auger at this point. I don't know how my parents did their place in AZ, I know grandpa hand dug all the posts with a PHD, but on 320 acres that is a ton of digging. I know when they bought the place it only had a perimeter fence, so grandpa must have really busted his butt doing it. Their arena is all railroad ties and boards, as are most of their corrals. 
Makes me wonder why they never bought an auger for their tractor. They have a little Ford 9N, that could have made short work of a lot of it. 

My kids horse is looking bigger and bigger in the belly. It looks like we may have a foal yet.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 15, 2017)

We were advised not to get an 3 point hitch auger for a lot of reasons including not much down pressure but other than one section where we had slab rock it has been a life saver.  I even used it to plant a bunch of trees.  I carry several shear pins whenever I'm using it though.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 15, 2017)

Well, I'm sure your grandpa was more comfortable and used to using the PHD cause he grew up with them and it is just how it is done....long before an auger was readily available. Even today, many stay with what they "Know" even tho technology advances so quickly, we tend to hang onto things of the past. I still wish they sold cars with carbs and without the computer, chips, and sensors....just with the regular basic stuff PS, PB, AC, and a radio. I could care less about the bells and whistles....but, those days are past and will never return.
I hope things go well for the foaling....any idea when ya are expecting it to arrive?


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## Bruce (Jun 15, 2017)

Mike CHS said:


> We were advised not to get an 3 point hitch auger for a lot of reasons including not much down pressure


My understanding is that 3PTs USED to have down pressure but no more. People that know tractors can clarify. However I somewhere (maybe Tractorbynet??) I saw a picture of someone who had attached a loooooong pipe to some "appropriate" place on the 3PT (I guess) so there was human powered down pressure. With that long pipe the leverage was adequate to get the auger to dig when its own weight wasn't enough.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 15, 2017)

We had to use leverage when we were digging in a rocky area where even a skid steer with a pile driver didn't cut it. In our open clay soil I have been digging holes in a minute or less with our little tractor just using the weight of the auger.


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## Bruce (Jun 15, 2017)

Clearly you need a lot more 40+ pound rocks in your field down a couple of feet, easy drilling just isn't all that exciting


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## Baymule (Jun 15, 2017)

An auger for our tractor would have cost over $900, and since it is a small tractor, it would haven't dug very deep any way. So we bought the hand auger from Harbor Freight for $200 and have used it and been happy with it.


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## greybeard (Jun 15, 2017)

AClark said:


> Makes me wonder why they never bought an auger for their tractor. They have a little Ford 9N, that could have made short work of a lot of it..


I've used a pto driven PHD on an N series Ford--several in fact. 2n,8n,9n, and they all presented the same problem, unless you had some extensive work done to them (like adding an engine driven hydraulic pump)

It's called the 'live pto' problem.  The N series were and are great trctors, but they had limitations and some quirks and those quirks are where the horror stories of PTO drive PHD originated. The biggest one,  is they were underpowered at low engine RPMs, and the gear ratios of the transmissions sucked. Forward speeds were too fast for many implements
In the case of the N, and many others, there is a secondary issue with the non-live pto. Two actually.

_"One is that the pto is driven off a counter output shaft of the transmission. This means that the tractor must be in neutral or moving for the pto shaft to spin. It also means that if the pto shaft is spinning, the tractor is being moved, or must be in neutral to stay still. Pushing in the clutch doesn't matter, the engine is out of the picture here. You would need to be in neutral to separate the pto shaft from the driveshaft. Hence the nasty habit of bush hogs shoving tractors around by their rotational inertia, and the need for an overruning clutch. This prevents the attachment from pushing the tractor around through the pto shaft.

Another annoying aspect of the N is that the hydraulics are driven off that pto shaft. So every time you push in the clutch, the hydraulics are dead."_
That last part, means the only way the N series  3pt lift will work is if the PTO is engaged. If you hang something (a big root or edge of a big rock) you push in the clutch and disengage the PTO lever. Then normally, you will pick up the auger, breaking the root, but with a N, you're stuck there, because you can't pick the auger up out of the ground because the hyd pump has no power going to it. Your only true safe option was to kill the tractor, get a pipe wrench and turn the auger baxckwards till it cleared the obstruction, which is a pita, and most people opted to just keep the engine running, with the pto engaged and try to pick the auger up with the 3pt at a high rate of engine speed. When the auger came to surface, the end would swing wildly out in a big arc and hit anyone standing nearby, assuming you didn't twist off the driveline and it swing out killing everyone big enough to die.
Look carefully at this cutaway of a 9N ad from the late 50s and you can see why the problem exists.
Added to that, most pto driven equipment of the day didn't have the shielded drivelines that are mandated today. Just the steel shaft, visible and free to go where ever if it broke.






Modern tractors either have an engine driven hyd pump, a 2 stage clutch (one stops the PTO at 1/2 depression of the pedal) or have the hyd pump mounted on a different shaft from the PTO outut shaft.

If you've ever tried to use a powered tiller behind an N series, you will immediately see what I mean about the transmission and final drive ratios. You can't find a gear slow enough for the tiller to break up the soil in one pass unless it is really loose or already broke with a double bottom plow.


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## AClark (Jun 16, 2017)

That makes a ton of sense. We had a blade for it only, and I do kind of remember it being fairly speedy for a little tractor. I learned to drive on that. My parents would have me scrape the horse pens out with it, and I thought it was great fun. I didn't even realize I was working.
Oddly enough, they don't really have rocks there. Their soil is about as hard as it comes though. The last post I dug there (railroad tie) took me hours, it was no joke.
I only knew they made augers for them (theirs is a 1941 I believe) and other implements, but they never bothered to get anything other than the blade. Obviously, they knew better than I do.

No idea when to expect a foal. The vet said 3-4 months when we went, I think a month and a half ago. Maybe an August baby. No telling what it's going to be since we have no clue on a sire, could even be a mule. Whatever it is, it will be well loved I'm sure. Mares generally don't need help for foaling and it's over and done with fast. Most of them pick in the middle of the night to foal, so it'll just be a surprise to come out and see a little head poking around their momma.

Fred, I still have a truck without the bells and whistles. It is so much easier to work on than the diesel beast, everything is simple. I do enjoy my newer truck for some of the comfort features, but that's about it.


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## AClark (Jul 3, 2017)

I haven't been on lately, we've gotten really busy and I just haven't had time. Tonsil surgery is next week, and today is an emergency trip to the dentist since I crushed a molar over the weekend and it has abscessed. We have zero availability for ER dentists on the weekend here, and I had to call 10 different dentists this morning (being a holiday weekend) until someone could take me in this afternoon. 
I was at the ER yesterday about the tooth, the whole side of my head had it's own pulse. I don't like these painkillers they gave me, they make me feel super loopy and nauseous. 
My tooth is so bad I'm pretty sure they are going to pull it, now whether it's a surgical or regular extraction is the question. If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have none at all. It's my first tooth to be pulled aside from my wisdom teeth several years ago, so I'm not happy, but I'm glad it's the very last molar so it won't be noticeable. I'm pretty sure I don't even want them to try to fix it, it's so painful and there's less than half of it left anyway. 

Get this, I broke it eating a salad. Not a crouton either, a piece of lettuce. That's what I get for eating healthy, bacon wouldn't do me dirty like this!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 3, 2017)

That sucks in such a big way!  So sorry you're having to deal with that.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 3, 2017)

That just makes me cringe....cause I know how it feels...sure hope ya get rid of it soon....and I know next week can't get here fast enough for ya.


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## misfitmorgan (Jul 3, 2017)

I agree on the N's limitation. We broke a lot of shear pins using the auger to dig post holes. Currently our 8N is nonoperational because someone put a massively over sized loader on the front of it and it ended up somehow bending the steering column and a few other parts so now you can't drive straight and it has two flat un-repairable tires. It has sat for about a year and a half now because the fix is over a grand and we would rather just get a new tractor. IT is a great zippy little tractor for doing things like raking hay but really thats all we found it useful and if you were on a bumpy field oh boy...wear your good bra or your jockstrap.



AClark said:


> I haven't been on lately, we've gotten really busy and I just haven't had time. Tonsil surgery is next week, and today is an emergency trip to the dentist since I crushed a molar over the weekend and it has abscessed. We have zero availability for ER dentists on the weekend here, and I had to call 10 different dentists this morning (being a holiday weekend) until someone could take me in this afternoon.
> I was at the ER yesterday about the tooth, the whole side of my head had it's own pulse. I don't like these painkillers they gave me, they make me feel super loopy and nauseous.
> My tooth is so bad I'm pretty sure they are going to pull it, now whether it's a surgical or regular extraction is the question. If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have none at all. It's my first tooth to be pulled aside from my wisdom teeth several years ago, so I'm not happy, but I'm glad it's the very last molar so it won't be noticeable. I'm pretty sure I don't even want them to try to fix it, it's so painful and there's less than half of it left anyway.
> 
> Get this, I broke it eating a salad. Not a crouton either, a piece of lettuce. That's what I get for eating healthy, bacon wouldn't do me dirty like this!



So sorry about the dental issues. Ironically I took a bite of toast and broke a tooth. Bacon was the culprit that ripped out one of my new filling though lol.

The pulling isnt bad honestly. I never had a tooth pulled, lost my insurance so i didnt go ot the dentist for many years then i finally decided i had to go and see what my options were. They pulled 7 of my back teeth in one sitting including one wisedom. I had one tooth they could not get to numb for some odd reason so that one really sucked but still only took maybe 4-5 minutes to get out that one. My gums were sore for a few days but nothing like how my teeth had hurt, i took one pain pill when the numb started to wear off and thats it. I have to go get 4 more pulled and my partial fitted and then i am good on pulling for a few year i hope.


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## Baymule (Jul 3, 2017)

Sorry about the tooth. That hurts! It will be a relief to get it pulled, I broke a tooth on a bacon sandwich once.


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## Latestarter (Jul 3, 2017)

Good luck for a successful and relatively pain free surgery next week. Hope the dental issue doesn't cause the other to be put on hold... that would really suck... Sorry about the tooth and hope it comes out with no issues.


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## AClark (Jul 5, 2017)

The tonsil surgery had to be put on hold...
I went to the dentist on Monday, she numbed up the broken tooth, and tried to pull it for 30 minutes. It never budged. She could have gotten it with what is left of it if it wasn't fused to the bone. I had this problem when they pulled my wisdom teeth too. Apparently my molars decided to fuse themselves to my jaw. So, she couldn't get it out and my mouth is wrecked.
She gave me a referral to an oral surgeon, they were closed yesterday, and I called this morning - they can get me in on the 11th. I called every oral surgeon in town and Tuesday was the best I could get, another said "August". Tonsils were supposed to be the 10th, but since I have to have dental surgery on the 12th I had to reschedule that, and I don't know when they're rescheduling me for yet. 
I am beyond sore, I've spent the last 2 days in bed taking 30/300 tylenol 3's every 4 hours (like the bottle says to) to keep it a reasonable amount of pain. 
It's going to be a long week, that's for sure, as I didn't get a lot of painkillers and am going to have to split them to stretch them out to Tuesday, even with the refill I begged for. I don't know how well that is going to work because I've been setting alarms to wake me up to take them in the middle of the night so I don't over sleep and I'm waking up 30 minutes before the alarm goes off due to the aching. I'm trying not to let it get out of hand, because it was way out of hand after the novocaine wore off from the attempted pulling and I don't think I've ever been in so much pain in my entire life, I rate this well above childbirth in terms of pain.
I hope they can reschedule my tonsils soon, next month DH is leaving for Texas for a month so I won't be able to have it done then.

Aside from that, all the creatures are doing well. I don't have any baby bunnies yet, even though they've been in their colony for a month now, though that may be due to the heat. I bought another buck a couple of weeks back, Ozzy (he came with the name, which is awesome). He's a Cinnamon and is huge. Very pretty rabbit, but I haven't posted pictures because he's molting and looks rather rat-chewed right now.

I ended up with 7 roosters out of all of my chickens, I have 4 set aside out in the rabbit pen to grow out, and they'll be on their way to freezer camp next month. I plan on keeping 2 for sure, maybe the 3rd separated, because I can't decide which black one I want to keep. They are both really pretty Black Copper Maran X's. Foghorn gets to stay because he's a very nice rooster with a good personality. 

I had a neighbors cat that snatched a chicken, one of my favorites too. I caught him in a Havaheart trap inside the pen and dumped him way out in the country. I hope it doesn't come back, because next trip isn't a ride. I took a shot at one the other day and missed and it hasn't come back since, but I imagine it will. 
I do not like cats, but I don't go out of my way to kill them. I wish they'd just stay over at the neighbor who feeds them.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 5, 2017)

Oh man, just reading about your dental issues makes my mouth hurt.    Sure hope you can keep that pain knocked back until you can get to the oral surgeon.


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## Bruce (Jul 5, 2017)




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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 5, 2017)

Dang, Girl.....ya just can't do things the easy way can ya?!...I know words sure can't bring ya comfort and if the pills don't quite make it, and ya need to kill the pain.....Wild Turkey 101 has worked for me in the past....in a similar situation. I'm not advocating the over use of it, but desparate times, call for desparate measures.....hang in there!!....


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## Bruce (Jul 5, 2017)

And if that doesn't do it there is always 151 Rum! Maybe self medicating with high octane booze isn't the best example for the kids though.


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## Baymule (Jul 5, 2017)

I am so sorry you are going through so much misery. A bad tooth sure can bring you down. I know it will be a relief to finally get it done. Hang in there.


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## Latestarter (Jul 5, 2017)

Sorry lady... if it's not one thing it's another. Hope you make till they can take it (the tooth). Then you have to schedule another round to get those tonsils taken care of.


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## AClark (Jul 6, 2017)

They rescheduled my tonsils for the 17th, so that's all good in the neighborhood. I know once the tooth is out it won't hurt much, just a bit tender, and I'm ok with that, been there done that. As long as I don't get a dry socket, it'll be relatively painless after the first day. 

I've debated swishing whiskey in my mouth, but all I have is Jack Daniels Tennessee Fire in the freezer and I think the cinnamon might burn, lol. Also not sure that with such a high dose of codeine that it would mix well. I'm doing ok with splitting them in half and taking a little more spaced out, I'm not as comfortable, but I will have enough that way to last me through Tuesday, and I'm not completely miserable. 

I'm still going out to feed and everything, it's the highlight of my day even when I feel this bad. I miss the critters.


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## Baymule (Jul 6, 2017)

I hope you can sleep ok. Between a baby, toothache and "mother's ears" tuned into any sound that doesn't belong........... 

Nothing like hanging out with the critters!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 11, 2017)

Hope everything is doing as well as can be expected....and hope all goes well for ya tomorrow. I know you'll be Glad to get rid of that dang tooth.....


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## Latestarter (Jul 11, 2017)

Good luck!   fast recovery


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## AClark (Jul 13, 2017)

They did end up extracting it yesterday. I feel so much better. It's only a bit achy where it was, no more sharp pain at all. I have a couple of stitches and they had to cut it to get it out. 
I've never had the dentist give me laughing gas before. That is a weird feeling, and I didn't even feel them IV me. I remember them talking, and then waking up and the nurse saying I could go home. I wasn't really keen on being put under for it but the surgeon said it was bad and something I needed to be out for. 

The good news is, that's it. The other dentist said I would need an implant to keep my bottom molar from getting out of whack, but the surgeon said my jaw is so small that the tooth in front of the one they pulled still hits the bottom molar and it would be completely unnecessary to do an implant. 

Tonsils are still coming out on Monday. The ENT said it was fine to have the tooth out first and probably better so it wouldn't break off during the tonsil ordeal. I can't believe how much better I feel than I did yesterday morning, it's almost instant relief.


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## Bruce (Jul 13, 2017)

and extra for not needing the implant. Those are some big bucks you wouldn't want to spent.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 13, 2017)

Sooo glad that it went well and ya are feeling so much better.....just take it Easy for a few days and don't go trying to catch up on things all at once. It is Hot out there and ya sure don't need to pass out in it trying to do it all.....


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## AClark (Jul 13, 2017)

No kidding, those are big money. I didn't want to do a root canal and crown on it, partially due to how much it costs and the other part being I thought it was a bit too far gone. The surgeon said a crown wouldn't have held I didn't have enough tooth left on the one side, and it would have been pulled anyway. This surgeon does implants, so I will take their word for it when they say I don't need one.

Thank God for dental insurance, it didn't cost anywhere near what I thought it was going to. Less than $200 all said and done.


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## Baymule (Jul 13, 2017)

A bad tooth makes your entire body sick, getting that tooth out was a blessing. Glad you are better, not charge ahead for the tonsils!


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## Latestarter (Jul 13, 2017)

Glad all went well and you're done with that issue... Now on to the next.  that operation goes as well as this one went.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 13, 2017)

X2....


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## AClark (Jul 14, 2017)

I hope so too. I spent a week and a half on painkillers for that tooth. It's been out for 2 days and I haven't taken one since yesterday afternoon and feel just fine. It's only a little tender where they stitched it up. 

It feels so good to be back to the farm. I went and let the chickens out this morning and they are happily running around the yard and under the neighboring pasture trees doing chicken things. Our dogs decided to attack Foghorn yesterday while we were out watering. The dogs are in a load of trouble for that, they've never shown any interest in the chickens until then. DH's dog was shaking Foghorn when I got them off of him, and he was completely limp. I brought Foghorn in the house, and honestly thought he was a goner. He doesn't have any punctures, but some ripped out feathers and was just laying there gasping. He recovered over night and was perky this morning and is back out today. 
It was scary, Foghorn is my favorite rooster by far, he's very friendly and gentle. One of the other roosters is a mean SOB and is going to be chicken pot pie this weekend. I've had enough of trying to move him and dealing with him.


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## Bruce (Jul 14, 2017)

Let the other one flog the dogs a bit before he gets put in the pot pie


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## Baymule (Jul 15, 2017)

What did you do to the dogs? I caught one of mine playing with a rooster one day and like to beat him to death--with a NEWSPAPER. I yelled at him for hours, because he hid under the deck and wouldn't come out. I beat the deck with NEWSPAPER and scolded him. When my husband came home, he went to the back yard and the dog ran to him, just glad to see someone that wasn't bent on murdering him with NEWSPAPER. My husband grabbed his collar, I shoved the rooster under his nose and beat him with that awful, terrible, scary NEWSPAPER. I put the rooster away and continued to beat the dog with NEWSPAPER, he almost dragged my husband off the deck. I put feathers under his nose and clobbered him with NEWSPAPER and yelled at him some more. That dog has never shown any interest in a chicken again.


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## animalmom (Jul 16, 2017)

@Baymule, remind me to never aggravate you.


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## Baymule (Jul 16, 2017)

animalmom said:


> @Baymule, remind me to never aggravate you.


As long as you don't bite my rooster, we'll be ok.


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## Bruce (Jul 16, 2017)

What if she bites one of your hens?


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## Baymule (Jul 16, 2017)

Bruce said:


> What if she bites one of your hens?


Then she might get smacked with the deadly NEWSPAPER.


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## animalmom (Jul 17, 2017)

Oh no, not the...... dreaded ...... deadly...... newspaper!  Oh the humanity!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 17, 2017)

I thought newspapers were extinct!  Glad you've given some of the remaining ones a job!!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 17, 2017)

They sure are rare these days and times.....no more "Routes" to throw for young guys to make some pocket change....


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 17, 2017)

Hope the tonsilectomy went well and wish ya a speedy recovery.....remember....Ice Cream!!.....


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## Bruce (Jul 18, 2017)

Yeah I imagine getting whipped with an eNewspaper wouldn't be quite the same.


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## AClark (Jul 21, 2017)

Oh lord, this was a bad idea for sure. The tonsil thing isn't so bad, but the splitting headache I've had for 4 days is bad. Worst headache of my life. It's from my neck all the way into my forehead, and my ears ache. It's day 5 of recovery for me. Of course my throat is sore, but that's really no worse than a case of strep throat, the ears and headache are bad...not even liquid hydrocodone touches it. 
I've found icecream isn't all that great. I'm lactose intolerant to begin with, but it just leaves my throat so slimy and thick that it isn't worth it. 

I whipped dog butt over that. It was their misfortune I was watering at the time, so I whipped them both with the garden hose. DH's dog still looks at me sideways, but I don't care. Skeeter still loves me. Foghorn recovered just fine and is back to being himself. 

We had a major disaster and DH and my boys are in Texas dealing with it. Long story short, DH's ex wife stopped paying on her storage unit. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, except the unit is in DH's name since she refused to switch it over. I got a call yesterday and they told me it was going to go to auction, and that the remaining balance for the unit would go to collections. So, I got stuck paying her $500 storage unit fee. That left us with either letting it get auctioned, or going to retrieve the stuff in it...well, the stuff in there is worth way more than $500 so the boys left this morning to go get it. DH called the ex yesterday and she said she didn't care that it was going she couldn't afford the payments anymore (at $120 a month, if that tells you how long it's been since she paid it). 
So, I get to enjoy going through all of that crap and getting rid of it. I already figured all her clothes and stuff are going to goodwill, and the rest I will just sell off. An entire dining room set, living room set, etc. I'm keeping the ATV in there. Since we were legally obligated to pay it, I dont even feel bad about selling and getting rid of "her" stuff. It's been in storage since February 2014, when DH and I put it in there after she left their house trashed, but threw this huge fit over wanting her stuff out of it. Some people, I swear.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 21, 2017)

Ooooo!!!....sorry bout the headache, but sure Glad ya are among the "Living".....didn't know ya was "Intolerant", just having a reflective moment from childhood....that's what we used to say to those getting their tonsils out when we were much younger.....
Good to hear Foghorn is fully recovered from his ordeal. There are some people that aren't worth wasting breath over cussing them out.....but, it sure makes ya feel Better when ya do.....


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## greybeard (Jul 21, 2017)

AClark said:


> We had a major disaster and DH and my boys are in Texas dealing with it. Long story short, DH's ex wife stopped paying on her storage unit. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, except the unit is in DH's name since she refused to switch it over. I got a call yesterday and they told me it was going to go to auction, and that the remaining balance for the unit would go to collections. So, I got stuck paying her $500 storage unit fee. That left us with either letting it get auctioned, or going to retrieve the stuff in it...well, the stuff in there is worth way more than $500 so the boys left this morning to go get it. DH called the ex yesterday and she said she didn't care that it was going she couldn't afford the payments anymore (at $120 a month, if that tells you how long it's been since she paid it).
> So, I get to enjoy going through all of that crap and getting rid of it. I already figured all her clothes and stuff are going to goodwill, and the rest I will just sell off. An entire dining room set, living room set, etc. I'm keeping the ATV in there. Since we were legally obligated to pay it, I dont even feel bad about selling and getting rid of "her" stuff. It's been in storage since February 2014, when DH and I put it in there after she left their house trashed, but threw this huge fit over wanting her stuff out of it. Some people, I swear.


I couldn't help but think of Storage Wars' "YUUUP! guy when I read that.

Also reminded me of when wife and I first got together...she had a storage rental in Odessa Texas I had been paying on for several months and she wanted to go retrieve the stuff out ofit, so one Sat morning we took off for West Texas. When I rolled the door up and looked, I thought..."I been paying rental and drove 1/2 way across Texas to keep this crap?"
Mostly kitchen stuff and my wife doesn't cook anyway. 
I could have replaced every bit of it new for less than $400 and we ended up throwing 1/2 of it away in the place's dumpster anyway.


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## Bruce (Jul 22, 2017)

Some people, like my wife, must keep everything even though it hasn't been looked at in years.


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## Baymule (Jul 22, 2017)

ex's


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## greybeard (Jul 22, 2017)

Bruce said:


> Some people, like my wife, must keep everything even though it hasn't been looked at in years.



I'm now trying to remember the last time my wife looked at me............


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 23, 2017)

Well, ya know @greybeard ......they say the memory is the first to go as we age....


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## greybeard (Jul 23, 2017)

I don't think so...From what I've read on this board, memory is far from being the first thing to go..


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## AClark (Jul 23, 2017)

Lord, when it rains, it pours. DH never made it to El Paso, my truck overheated and instantly shut off. Had to get a semi wrecker to tow it off the freeway outside of Van Horn, with the trailer.
Engine is blown. Best I can tell is the head gasket blew and it threw a rod through the cylinder, that's my guess. It didn't window the block, but something is majorly blown internally. The de-gas bottle was empty (and antifreeze blown everywhere) when they refilled the de-gas bottle, it all dumped into the block as fast as you could pour it in. So, my truck is done. I sold it to the shop it got towed to for $500. I couldn't afford to haul it back up here, and a new motor installed was quoted around $5000...truck was 17 years old, and the transmission was on it's way out anyway. The body was in beat shape, so basically the rear end was salvageable, some parts off the motor like the HPOP, and the actual motor and transmission are trashed. Transmission could have been rebuilt, it was just starting to shift hard, and I was planning for that expense. Never thought the motor would have gone though, water pump, sure, something else, yeah, but to actually blow the motor at 197500 miles...bummer. The interior was pristine, and DH took my nice new stereo out of it and my tools.
Had to get a trucking company to pick up my trailer and haul it back up here, cost me $600, it should be here tonight sometime. DH and my boys are on their way back, had a friend drive down to get them, since I can't drive. 
So, all that, and I have to pay another month on that storage and figure out how to empty it. I know what's in it, and it's worth more than what I've paid for the unit. I don't know what to do about a new truck, I can't really afford to start over with payments. 

@greybeard that's exactly what we were saying when we were hooking up the horse trailer for him to go get the stuff. Though, Dave is obnoxious. 

So, basically nothing got done except my savings account hemorrhaged and I need to get a new truck. The friend that went to get DH and the kids said his FIL has a 2002 Chevy 3500 he is looking to sell, but I did some reading on those and I'm not impressed. It's going to be a fun time getting a new truck with no down payment and no trade in.

If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 23, 2017)

Geeze!  If it weren't for bad luck - you'd have no luck at all!  That really sucks and I'm sorry you're having to deal with all that in addition to everything ELSE you're dealing with.  Hope things get better and that you find a great replacement truck!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 23, 2017)

That really sucks, AC.....and I do know the feeling....but, from a steep hill to a tall mountain are conquered 1 step at a time. Ya never know what the future holds....nor the opportunities that it may present. It is easy to just lay down and get steam-rolled, but it takes determination and fortitude to push thru a bad situation. It is a good "Teaching Moment" for the young ones there to learn what to do in the "Face of Adversity". It may take a bit, but I have faith in ya coming out of this in good fashion.....tho, it may take ya a little bit to do so.


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## Latestarter (Jul 23, 2017)

So sorry AC... sometimes life just plain sucks. Still better than the alternative I guess... Then again, maybe not depending on your personal/religious beliefs...


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## Bruce (Jul 24, 2017)

If that Chevy truck is in good shape but isn't ideal for you, what if the FIL might be willing to sell it with no down payment or trade in? Maybe it is closer to "acceptable" than you think barring other better options? You could use it as a trade in at a later date for a truck that is what you want/need.

Really sucks that it cost more to get the trailer hauled home than you got for the truck


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## Baymule (Jul 24, 2017)

It didn't rain on you, it hurricaned, tornadoed and flooded. I am sorry about your truck. I hate that it happened.


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## AClark (Jul 25, 2017)

It sucks, I have some good news. Called my bank, got approved for up to $26,000 with no down payment and no trade in - they're sending me a blank check. Sometimes arguing gets your way, they told me 10% interest, and I told them I wasn't interested at all and my credit is too good for that and I deserved better. We negotiated it down to 6. I have no plans on using all of that, maybe half, to keep my payments reasonable. But it gave me a lot of wiggle room and didn't restrict me to getting a junker. 

Looked at the Chevy, it's nice, been well maintained and has low mileage, but the friends FIL isn't "in any hurry" to sell it. I made a very fair offer on it so he has something to think about, more than he could get on a trade in, and cash. So, I'm still looking, and it only seats 5 and I need it to seat 6. I haven't found anything else I like at all.
I never considered how hard it would be to replace that truck. Everything I've seen either has in excess of 200,000 miles, has been lifted (which doesn't work well for towing it'll make my trailer ride weird, plus we have a lifted truck and they eat suspension parts up, are more expensive to maintain, and it just isn't worth it), or they want way more than it's even worth. A truck with 220,000 miles that is 15 years old is not worth $20,000. More like $12-13k if that. Most are beat to death or the interior is trashed. 
I already decided I didn't want another Ford. I want something a few model years newer, and I am not interested in the 6.0 or 6.4 motors whatsoever. I also decided that while I loved my Ford, I hated how it rode, it was so stiff it was borderline uncomfortable. I made the remark this morning that it rode like a HMWWV, and DH disagreed, he said they ride better. 

Maybe I'm too picky, I won't even look at anything that is silver. I've had 3 silver Ford's in a row and I think they are just bad luck for me. I traded in a silver mustang for the silver F350, the mustang didn't even have 100k miles and I had replaced all the steering already, the rack and pinion went out at around 70k miles. The power steering pump was going when I traded it in. I bought that car brand new, but my ex drove it and he can't be bothered to check fluids or air up tires, so the last 50k miles on it weren't nice miles.
There was a Dodge 3500 I was going to look at but it was white (yuck) and a base model. I'd have had to put a tow package and everything on it. I don't feel like downgrading off a SuperDuty XLT to a base model I have to put a ton of crap into so I can use it.
Eh, I have 60 days to find something on this loan before I have to start over on it. I figure I'll wait until I find something I really like, regardless of the fact I don't even have a vehicle right now. I have my 1984 Dodge, but I can only really go to the gas station and the hay farm with it, I have running lights but no blinkers and no brake lights and can't figure out why. It's not a fuse, it's not the bulbs. I think maybe I"ll go put the stereo in it (someone ripped the original tape deck out of it years ago, lol but I have a nice kenwood to stick in it) and maybe try to figure out what's up with the lights so if I need to go anywhere, I can drive it. It's a bit sketchy, it needs new belts and hoses, but for really short trips it should survive. I have to pop the hood to start and shut it off too, the windshield is cracked from a hailstorm, but the motor in it is good, 125k original miles, and has a brand new transmission in it. Also, the speedometer doesn't work, the cable wouldn't screw in when we changed out the transmission. IT's a piece of work for sure, but it has plates and insurance!

I'm only out $100 between what I got for the truck and what I paid to get my trailer back - it's worth it though. My trailer was delivered yesterday morning so it's safe and sound at home. The last thing I needed was to lose my big trailer along with the truck, I think at that point my sanity might have gone with it.


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## Bruce (Jul 25, 2017)

Have DH tell everyone at work that he's looking for a truck with the specs you need and have all those people tell everyone they know. Your truck is out there, you just need to find it.


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## Baymule (Jul 25, 2017)

dodge does have that Cummins engine........


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## AClark (Jul 28, 2017)

Bank screwed up my loan and never actually finished it. I called and raised some hell, they dropped me to 5%. I have the check in hand now.

Still haven't found anything, at all. DH wants me to look at a 2002 2500 (Dodge) with the Cummins...but I told him he can go look at it. First, it's 2WD, second it's an extended cab. Seriously, he's driving a 09 Dodge 1500 crew cab 4x4 on a 6 inch lift with 20 inch XD rims and 35 inch tires, but I'm downgrading to an extended cab? Because lets face it, who really has all the kids in the car all the time, hint, it isn't him. I'm not getting out to go look at that when I know it doesn't meet my needs. He can't buy anything without me since the loan is in my name so basically, it's not happening. That's what happened with the truck, he had already negotiated to sell it without even asking me. I told him that's funny because I had the title for it here in Oklahoma and it required my signature for him to do anything.

The whole thing sucks. I'm beyond pissed off at my husband for this whole thing. Sure, my truck probably would have blown up (or would it, I mean I don't drive like a jerk and check my gauges) up here, but I wouldn't be so totally screwed if it had happened here. The fact that my truck was even down there because of his ex boils my blood.

Wonder if a dealership will take a trade in on the husband? 1970 model, well used but in good shape.


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## Bruce (Jul 28, 2017)

47? Gee, past the halfway point already. And we older people ALL know that we get less done as we age so as far as productivity is concerned, he's headed for the downside. Not sure you can get much for him.

However, you could take the keys to the '09 Dodge and let him drive that "new" '02 Dodge he wants you to buy.


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## Baymule (Jul 28, 2017)

AClark said:


> Wonder if a dealership will take a trade in on the husband? 1970 model, well used but in good shape.



Not old enough to be an antique, maybe you could pass him off as a classic.


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## greybeard (Jul 28, 2017)

Trade in for two 23 yr olds......


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 29, 2017)

greybeard said:


> Trade in for two 23 yr olds......


Sounds good to me!!


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## Bruce (Jul 29, 2017)

greybeard said:


> Trade in for two 23 yr olds......


She'd have to throw in some cash though


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## AClark (Jul 31, 2017)

Lol. I didn't want to drive his, because it's lifted, it feels funny to me, like unstable and I don't trust it. It was professionally done with sway bars and all, but yeah I don't care for his truck.

I ended up finding a 2009 Dodge 2500 (6.7 I6) 4x4 that runs real nice on Saturday. Mileage is a little higher than I'd like, but it rides nice, and the motor is clean, no drips, no leaks, lol. I won't know what to do when I don't have to fill the oil every time I fill the fuel tank. Of course, it's not a bad habit to be in to check it every time though. 

Price? $1500 more than the 2002. Happy I can finally get back to my regularly scheduled life where I don't have to remind my husband of appointments and be driven around like Miss Daisy.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 31, 2017)

Sure hope is serves ya Well.....sure looks Good....and I know ya just can't wait to get a ding or 2 in it just to break it in to being a Farm truck....
Some how I just can't "Picture" ya as Miss Daisy....


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## Bruce (Jul 31, 2017)

Yeah I don't get the impression @AClark is the "sit in the back and be catered to" type.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 31, 2017)

Yeh....she'd just open the door, snatch ya out from behind the wheel , and drive herself....as she peels out, and leaves ya eatin' Dust.....


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## Baymule (Jul 31, 2017)

Nice truck! Nothing like having your own ride again. I am glad that you found one that suits your needs. A 2009!! 

I totaled my Ford Focus wagon in Houston on the 610 Loop freeway one time. Nothing like being on the side of the road, afoot, with a totaled car, miles from home. It took weeks to get settled with the insurance and get another car.


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## AClark (Aug 1, 2017)

I honestly hate being driven around, especially by my husband. His driving scares me, I'm hitting my imaginary brake pedal from the passenger seat constantly, and it's hard to keep my mouth shut when he doesn't pay attention. 

Truck update, it started leaking tranny juice. Took it to my shop I trust and it has a cracked transmission, not a big crack. It's either going back to the dealership or getting a new tranny. They are working on a new tranny now - and having my shop do it instead of theirs due to the distance I am from theirs. 
I don't blame the place I bought it, they offered right away to fix the issue either way, reverse the purchase or put a transmission in it. No doubt they didn't notice it, even my shop had a hard time finding the crack, it's a hairline and looks like it's from the casting. It looks like this happens to the 68RFE if the driveline in the front has any play in it. The transfer case is brand new, so I imagine it had some play, got replaced, and nobody noticed the crack. It was barely a drip.

So, we'll see whether I keep it or not. I haven't heard back from the shop yet on what they are charging the place I bought it for the tranny and labor.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 1, 2017)

Glad ya caught it so quickly....and it sounds like the parties are willing to make good on the issue.


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## Bruce (Aug 1, 2017)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Glad ya caught it so quickly....and it sounds like the parties are willing to make good on the issue.


Yeah that is kind of amazing. Everything is always "not our fault" these days.


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## AClark (Aug 2, 2017)

Oklahoma has some seriously strict lemon laws. That said, they are taking the truck back. They didn't want to compromise on what kind of transmission was going to go into it. They wanted to put a junkyard transmission on it (used not rebuilt, from LKQ) and the warranty was 6 months/6000 miles. I said no way was I going to go for a used transmission with that kind of warranty.

I found at least 10 rebuilt transmissions on Ebay for the same price with a 3 year/100000 warranty but they didn't want to go that route. The thing about OK lemon laws is if they had put the used tranny in it (not a rebuild) and it failed, it was going to be on them again to replace it, not me.  However, I don't feel like dealing with the down time and mess of all of that all over again, or them coming back saying that I "abused" it and that's the reason it went out and it isn't covered.

So, since we couldn't come to a compromise on that, I told them they can have it back and unwind my contract. I called the bank also, who said that if they fail to do so my bank will handle it since I will no longer be in possession of the truck. The sucky part is that now I'm going to have to wait even longer to try to find something that will work, again. It wasn't easy before. 

As Baymule said, tornado, hurricane, and then flooded. Now it's like FEMA stepped in to "help".


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## greybeard (Aug 2, 2017)

Probably the right decision. That's a lot of $$$$$ to have tied up in a 'maybe'..

More than anything else in a vehicle (or equipment) I want fairly long term reliability and peace of mind when I get on the road with it. Little crap I can put up with, but drive train issues..no.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 2, 2017)

I certainly agree with GB on that note. It is a situation of being thankful that ya got it resolved quickly, even tho it comes with a bit of a price....patience is usually rewarded and not a detriment....


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## Latestarter (Aug 2, 2017)

Hope you find an even better deal quickly.


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## Bruce (Aug 2, 2017)

Sorry about this pothole in your life @AClark. But it is good it was found ASAP not in a few months. As you said, they could lay it all on you then. Hope the right truck comes by soon!


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## Baymule (Aug 2, 2017)

Your truck is out there waiting on you........somewhere......over the rainbow.....


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## AClark (Aug 3, 2017)

GB, that's exactly it. I don't sweat the small stuff, but drive-train...that's a no go. I need reliability, and though my F350 was a "nickle and dime" for parts, it never had any major work that put me off the road for extended periods...well until it threw a rod. The oil cooler only put me down for a couple of weeks due to how extremely hard it was to put back in. 

Silver lining, I called the bank and explained what happened. They reissued my loan, same amount, same terms and said to just pay back the other amount when the dealership gives me the check. The check hasn't cleared on their end yet so they are waiting on it, wish the bank would just put a stop on it all together and save the entire headache, but oh well. Navy Fed is workable for sure, they are on my side of it.

Saw a couple of trucks in TX, Dallas area. Kind of leary after this about buying a truck out of state due to the taxes involved and the fact that TX lemon laws only apply to new vehicles under warranty. OK covers used and new alike, without warranty. I'd rather deal with something up here, but scared of doing a private seller too.


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## AClark (Aug 3, 2017)

Bruce said:


> Sorry about this pothole in your life @AClark. But it is good it was found ASAP not in a few months. As you said, they could lay it all on you then. Hope the right truck comes by soon!



After reading up on it, I actually think "I" broke it. It didn't leak a drop at the dealership, nothing at all. However, they are in the city (OKC) and had nowhere to test the 4WD. When I got home, I shifted it into the 4WD in my driveway, since it's all dirt and will slip. 
It had a new transfer case on it, so I'm going to assume, since that model is prone to this, the driveshaft wasn't in quite right or was wobbly, that's what broke the transmission. The entire bell housing was cracked. 
So, that makes sense on why it didn't leak a drop, ran fine all the way home, and then crapped out in my driveway. Not like I abused it, I simply shifted it into 4 high, creeped it up the driveway (all dirt and sand) to make sure it was functional, shifted out, and parked it. That or it shifted in incorrectly, it's a "4 on the fly" style with the dial on the dash. Our other 09 has the same thing, so I know I used it right because I've used the other one a dozen times without any issues. 

Maybe have something to look at down near Dallas, if this dude at the stealership will get back to me on it, he said he'd call me back with the price because they had just got it in, I called this morning and got his voicemail. Older, a 06 3500 dually with the 5.9L, 4x4 also. I'm not too worried it's going to fly off the lot though, it's a stick shift. Every stick shift I've seen looking has sat forever and the prices are lower. Doesn't matter to me if it's a stick or automatic though. I'd prefer the stick.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 3, 2017)

I agree with ya, especially if ya are pulling something...I'd rather be in control of the shift points that have it shift on its own....given terrain and conditions considerations....instead of RPMs dictating when it changes.


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## AClark (Aug 3, 2017)

Exactly, a stick sucks in traffic, but I don't deal with traffic that much. They are beautiful for pulling. I learned to drive on a stick, then used to haul with my parents 93 F250 which is a stick shift. It's easier to negotiate hills and you don't have to ride the brakes down them since you can downshift and force it to slow down. I prefer them by far, just it's hard to find them anymore.


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## Baymule (Aug 3, 2017)

I have to admit that I am spoiled to automatic trannys. I can drive a manual shift, that's all I had for many, many years. But I don't want to anymore.


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## Latestarter (Aug 3, 2017)

All I drove when younger was manual trannys... My first vehicle (hand me down from parents) had 3 on the column. After that one, my first vehicle purchase and all subsequent have been 4x4 pickup trucks. Wasn't happy when I was "forced" to switch to automatic, but there were no standards available. Wouldn't mind going back to one again, especially on a work truck that would primarily be used for towing. Indeed, they are difficult to find anymore.


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## AClark (Aug 7, 2017)

Well, I found a new truck. New is subjective, obviously, but new to me, and like new condition. It's a 2003 Dodge 3500 (single rear wheel) with the 5.9L cummins. Nice truck, 92,000 original miles (not 192k lol) It is an automatic, the stick shift I was going to look at was a short bed, I was bummed when they sent me pictures because it was about everything I wanted except the color, and then when I saw it was a short bed, big bummer. 

We drove to Amarillo to get the new one, over 200 miles. So, my first real test drive on it was the 200+ mile trip home. It did great, no leaks, didn't use any oil. I'm not used to that, my F350 I had to keep a gallon of oil with me and keep it topped up because it leaked. This one was full on the stick when we got home. This one had all the maintenance records in the carfax since they had it serviced at the dealership, it's also had all the common failure parts replaced. 

There's no block heater, so the real test will be a cold winter morning. Maybe it does have one and I haven't found the cord yet, but it may start without it, which would be thrilling to me to not have to plug the truck in every night. I'm a bit baffled with the 5.9L cummins, since I'm used to the 7.3L Powerstroke, it's night and day difference. Nice thing is, no stupid glow plugs, those things are a royal pain to change out and I won't miss that at all.

So all in all, it worked out. I got something nice for a good price. The biggest downside was the tires were really old and dry rotted so I had to replace them right off, and I have to find someone to put a gooseneck ball in for me since it had a 5th wheel rail system that someone literally cut the bolts out of.

Back to regularly scheduled farm stuff. We are working on our big chicken coop, converting the horse shed since they never use it. It's slow going since I'm not fully healed up from the tonsil surgery. My ENT told me to take it easy since I wasn't healed up, but that it was looking ok. That is a beast, you see kids recover in a week, but it's been 3 weeks for me and I'm still in fairly rough shape. I've lost 20 lbs from not wanting to eat since it's uncomfortable, not that I couldn't stand to lose it or anything but it's been a big drop. 

We're still working on the mower. The stupid thing caught fire (dead short I'm assuming) so I replaced the whole wiring harness, but it still won't start from the key. I told DH I had enough of it's BS and wasn't going to "mess" with it anymore - language redacted for family friendly forum lol. I think it's the seat switch, I'm going to attempt to bypass it and if it will start, I'll replace that. I don't really want to take it to a mechanic since we hemorrhaged money last month over the truck/trailer incident. 

My 9 year old daughter and 14 year old son got into an argument yesterday. She threw a shoe at him, he went to throw it back and she ran and hit her head on a bookcase, or so I'm told because I was outside when it happened. It split her forehead open right between her eyes so we spent 4 hours at the ER for them to stitch her head up. She looked awful, blood all in her hair and all over her shirt, hands, face. So she has 2 stitches in her forehead and was not thrilled I had to wash her waist length hair in the kitchen sink since she can't get the stitches wet. 

I'm so glad school is starting back at the end of the month, they need the mental stimulation big time.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 7, 2017)

Nice looking truck!.....the kids here started this past Fri and sure thankful that a couple of stitches was all that happened....oh the joys of raising children. Glad to hear the tonsil surgery is healing up, and ya sure don't want to over do things for sure. There's no need for a bldg to go to waste, if the horses don't use it, the chickens sure will. Maybe things will remain calm for a little bit for ya......no need for so much Excitement all the time.....


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## Hens and Roos (Aug 7, 2017)

ouch-hope your daughter heals up quick and you feel better soon as well!


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## AClark (Aug 7, 2017)

I'm definitely not one for excitement. I've had enough in the last month to last me for the rest of the year. I thought I was going to have some more with the truck, because when I picked it up the tires were from 2012 and the dry rot was visible, like white patches on the side walls, and they were bald. Dealership cut me a break on the tires but wouldn't replace them, so I drove home on those rotten suckers. They had changed out one they said was bad and put the spare on for me. Funny, it was the original spare from 2003 and was better than the rest. By God's grace I made it home on those without any problems, though I drove slow and didn't have any kids in the truck with me since I was anticipating it. I called my insurance before I left to make sure I had roadside too. 

I don't know why the horses won't use the shelter, they'd rather stand out in the rain or get under the trees. I figure in the winter they might miss it, but if it's that cold, I'll blanket them. The chickens already pick around in it and hang out in there, so I will just finish the last side and put a door and wire on and be done. I free range them in my yard now and they are happy as clams to peck around and eat all the bugs under the porch, and it makes me happy to not have a million bugs too.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 7, 2017)

I hate riding on "May Pops", so don't blame ya a bit. Well, ya have been having excitement pop up since a few mnths before the move, so yeh.....it is time for some settling down and getting a bit bored with a "Routine".....tho, you'll do something to change it up, I'm afraid.....


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## AClark (Aug 7, 2017)

I doubt it, I love routine. Anything that gets out of my routine really messes me up. I'm a busy person, and I plan ahead for projects, so doing my normal stuff on my normal days and keeping up really makes me happy. That almost sounds like a disorder, because I really flip out when things are all wonky.

ETA: Today is a good day. I finally fixed the mower, now the battery is low and it doesn't start, but it cranks, from the key. It only took a little duct tape. I feel accomplished.


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## Latestarter (Aug 7, 2017)

That's gotta feel like you just solved a rubic's cube... finally got the key to start the mower


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 7, 2017)

Mine was like that once....a dobber had started to build a nest in the key slot, so I had to clean it out....and now I just leave the key in it....


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## Baymule (Aug 7, 2017)

That is a nice truck. After all that has happened to you, you really, really need some boring time.


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## AClark (Aug 8, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> That's gotta feel like you just solved a rubic's cube... finally got the key to start the mower



It does, I've been having to jump it off the solenoid for the last 2 months.


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## greybeard (Aug 8, 2017)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Mine was like that once....a dobber had started to build a nest in the key slot, so I had to clean it out....and now I just leave the key in it....


Spray a little lubricant into the key slot every couple months and most everything will stay away from and out of it. WD-40 or PB Blaster both will work.


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## Bruce (Aug 8, 2017)

No key on my mower, it has a push button start, just like my car


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## AClark (Aug 18, 2017)

So, weird thing. Last night we had a young LGD type puppy show up in our yard. No collar or tags, but had a bandanna on. She is maybe 4-5 months old and is huge! She's very friendly, loves my kids, and well behaved.
She had a fishing lure completely through the front of her lips under her nose, she was hooked twice with a treble hook and dragging 2 or so inches of a spinner and lure. She came right up to me when I called her, and I was able to get some wire cutters and clip the barbs off and pull it out. It was in a weird place, usually dogs will eat lures and get them on the tongue or in the throat, this was like someone went "fishing" for a dog.
I put up a found ad, nobody has called yet. I'm taking her in to scan for a chip as soon as the vet opens this morning.
Now, I don't know anything about LGD's, she appears to be a Great Pyrenees or mix of that and something else big, she's twice the size of our cattle dog already, but she seemed really out of place in the house, like she'd never been in before. Also, I don't think anyone has ever put a leash on her, because she seems confused. She is really smart though, and is picking up on being on a leash really fast.
Maybe I'm ruining someones LGD by treating her like a house pet, but I don't have anywhere else to keep her. My friend thinks someone probably dumped her, since we're pretty far out in the country, but I don't know. She's well fed, doesn't have any ticks on her (not that were there long, barely embedded so I removed them), only a couple of burrs that I combed out, so either she was just dumped when we found her or she lives close by.

Anyway, cute dog, and great temperament. If nobody claims her/I can't find her owners, I'm going to keep her. I know if she was my dog, I'd be looking for her.

I'm not sure what the mark on her nose is, it isn't active ringworm or anything. Maybe an old case of ringworm, because the hair is growing back.

Other than that, we've been swamped. We have a lot going on this month, luckily, nothing insane like the last month. Kids are going back to school, lots of projects to finish, and I haven't had time to be on BYH.


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2017)

Good looking pup, I know if she was mine, I'd be sick with worry. I hope you find her owner. If she was dumped, then you just got lucky!


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 18, 2017)

Hopefully things will workout for ya and it will be a good fit....she is darling....but, the story is sad, thinking about the lures stuck in her mouth. There certainly aren't enough hrs in the day with so much going on around ya and the many different "Hats" that ya wear during it....I'd be wore slap-dab out just changing the "Hats", much less accomplishing the work that goes along with it....


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## AClark (Aug 18, 2017)

As long as nobody claims her, she's going to be a great fit. She is really mellow, slept right next to my bed last night, and the only time she moved was to go lay by the baby's crib. She really likes the kids, and the baby squeals and smiles just looking at her, lol. I'm trying to not get attached in case someone calls, but my friend is fairly convinced someone dumped her. Kind of sad that I hope someone did dump her in my driveway, Merry Christmas to me!


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## AClark (Aug 18, 2017)

Swung the dog down to the vet, no microchip. Vet gave me a sample of some tick/flea killer since she had ticks. I gave her a bath in flea/tick shampoo too. I found a couple of wounds on her, puncture marks, that I couldn't see for all the fur. She did not enjoy the bath at all.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 18, 2017)

It doesn't sound like she was well took care of....so, she is much better off and you are too....a Win-Win...
If it is that kind of situation she was in, I sure wouldn't be looking too hard for an owner.....cause I'd be the owner....


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## Latestarter (Aug 18, 2017)

The rub mark on her snout appears to be... well... a rub mark. Like she stuck her nose through a fence and it rubbed the hair off. I've seen that sort of thing before and one of my goats has one on the back of her neck. She REALLY pushes hard against the fence when her head is through it. What a sweet looking little girl.   As you were going along I was hoping you were going to ask if anyone wanted her if she wasn't claimed... I had my arm up waving my hand saying "ME... ME!" the whole time I was reading 

If she is pyr and maybe crossed with toli, if she's anything like mine, he HATES to be wet. I haven't even considered trying to give him a bath as just washing mud off him was like a 3 ring circus. If someone had her as an LGD and she wasn't working out, it's quite possible that she was dumped, but that doesn't explain to me why she had a bandana on... If someone were going to dump and animal I'd think they'd remove all items first. Like someone else said, if she were mine and gone missing, I'd be frantic!

Hope you get to keep her! Great luck on your part!


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## Bruce (Aug 18, 2017)

Kinda short haired for a GP isn't she? Might be part GP?

Good luck with your new dog.


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## AClark (Aug 19, 2017)

She's some kind of mix for sure. She looks pretty nice after a bath. The vet said she looks like an Anatolian shepherd. I don't know much about LGD breeds, I never had any interest in them. She is a giant though. She likes our cattle dogs bed (he doesn't , he crawls under the bed) but she's almost too big to fit in it.

Bath time was a 3 ring circus. I was drenched. I had to get in the bath tub with her to keep her in, and she was pretty water proof so it was hard to get her actually wet and lathered. Unfortunately, that was the fastest way to get all the ticks and mud off her. I didn't see the ticks before because they were in creases in the ears and under her armpits. The vet said she was covered but most of those were little sand burs and not actually ticks. 

I wonder about the bandanna too, though it's pretty old and grimy. I just took it off when I bathed her yesterday. She has definitely never been leashed before, she tripped out about that, but learned really fast. She also does not enjoy riding in the truck very much. I had to pick her up to get her in and she was backing away fast. Not bad once she was in the truck, but kept trying to get on the front seat. That's a no-go from me, they can sit or lay on the back floorboard or seat, but not in the front. I was not thrilled to have dog hair all over my new truck either lol.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 19, 2017)

If she is guarding livestock, then she won't need to ride around too much.....


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2017)

By all means, socialize this dog. Leash train her. Take her to TSC and let her pick out dog treats. She NEEDS to know how to ride in the truck, or getting her to the vet will always be a fight. She will only grow bigger, so train her now, you will be glad that you did. Load her in the truck, give her a treat,  drive her around, stop, give her a treat, drive a little more, go home and give another treat. We have 2 Great Pyrenees, both will load, walk on a leash, and can be taken to the vet. The male is better socialized, and loves to go to TSC.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 19, 2017)

My dogs are not treat motivated... 

However, Cowboy is Gracie motivated, lol.  If she gets in the truck he's more inclined to do so.  If he gets out of the fence, I turn Gracie out to go 'fetch' him -- works every time, lol!


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## Latestarter (Aug 19, 2017)

Mel wasn't all that gung ho about the truck either at first. Mostly because he was unfamiliar and didn't know what I wanted. After taking him on cross country drives and out and about he now has no issues at all and will jump right up into the back seat. He also is not allowed in the front seat and doesn't even try. Initially I wouldn't put the rear windows down at all either for fear he would bust one out either leaning against it or pushing trying to get out. But now he has learned that he can stick his head out but that he can't try to get out. He doesn't push against them at all anymore.


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## AClark (Aug 22, 2017)

Nobody has called to claim her, so I started calling her Sadie. She now thinks she belongs on furniture. Not so much! 
I mostly teach my dogs to ride in the bed of the truck. They usually learn from the school of hard knocks. I'll tie them in first, and eventually drive around slowly without them tied up. If they jump, they might get a little road rash, which is usually a good deterrent from them jumping out again.

It's been a busy week. My kids are going back to school this week and we have all these "meet and greet" things to go to. Yuck. Tomorrow is official "Mother's Liberation Day". I think me and DH are going to go out for an early lunch, lol.


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## Bruce (Aug 22, 2017)

Don't forget the baby!! 

Sadie is a nice name, is she responding to it?


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## Baymule (Aug 22, 2017)

Looks like you got yourself a good dog! enjoy that lunch, we just got a bunch of Burger King coupons in the mail, be glad to share with you! You could get 2 bacon cheeseburgers, 1 small fries and 1 small drink for only $4!!! Just get 2 straws and enjoy your lunch!


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 22, 2017)

Like the name and ya need to Enjoy yourself....ya sure deserve it!!


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## AClark (Aug 23, 2017)

You know what I did today? Nothing at all. I sent my kids off to school, went back to bed, watched TV and played with the baby. I was also very pleased to get a shower without anyone flushing the toilet or turning on the sink to dump ice cold water all over me and suck all the pressure. 

Tomorrow, back to normal schedule. It sure felt great to do nothing today though, I needed the down time.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 23, 2017)

Yeh.....even the "Everyready Bunny" has to recharge every so often....it is good to "Catch" your breath, before the legs start "Running" again....


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## HomeOnTheRange (Aug 23, 2017)

Glad you got to take a Day!  Plus I bet it was fun to spend some quality time with your baby...


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## Baymule (Aug 23, 2017)

We have to do that here from time to time. We work outside, we run all over the place, we keep the 3 grand daughters, sometimes the oldest brings a friend or two. We don't know how we ever worked outside jobs-we're busy all the time. A rainy weekend almost drove me nuts, but I cleaned out a closet, purged a filing cabinet and cleaned off my drop front desk. Time off is a luxury, glad you got some down time.


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## AClark (Aug 24, 2017)

Funny you bring up the filing cabinet. Filing is one of my most hated chores. I hated it when I had an outside job, and I still hate it. My filing cabinet is an unholy mess right now, and nothing is organized. I mean "I" can find stuff in it, but if I died tomorrow, everyone else would be lost. 
My desk was clean until I pulled out the last 2 months of receipts and put them on my desk...yikes. I'll get through them though and file them away in their special binder. I keep originals and I make a copy of each one, by quarter, just in the event one goes missing. I also mark the copied page the receipt is on in my workbook so if I ever need to reference it, I have the receipt # and what page to find it on. 
Why do that much extra? Because I have been audited by the IRS before. My ex husband "forgot" to give me the tax form for a Roth IRA (that he had and I didn't know about) so it never got claimed, and 5 years later, slapped with an audit and a huge interest charge. 

So, since I had a lazy day I had to play catch up this morning. Ran to the feed store, post office, and NAPA, and it only took me less than an hour to get everything done. That's a first. Considering at least 15-20 minutes of that is drive time each way, I feel accomplished.

Now to sit and do some accounting. Since I'm filing schedule F this year and have tax exemption, I've made a workbook to ease the process. Of course, I have to input all my receipts and whatnot, but it's going to make it easier. I'm starting to read into how to file Schedule F so I don't have to take it to a CPA. I've been filing my taxes on my own for years so I think I'm going to be capable of doing it, but I do need a little professional assistance because I have questions. I was actually in college to become a CPA, but I found it too confusing with credits and debits the way they explained it and I couldn't comprehend. I have since learned it on my own, but I was never going to be able to hack college for it and I knew it after 1 semester. 
I can do basic accounting no problem, without Quickbooks, but handwritten books baffled me. The saying "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS" comes to mind.

Of course, if anyone else ever needs an Excel workbook for these kind of things, I am more than happy to make templates and share. I find it a lot easier to make it auto total everything I need, and of course I can offer support on how to function things. 

Hopefully we are going to finish the big chicken coop tonight. They have seriously outgrown their little one, but still cram up in there, so they need more space. They should start laying any time now. My quail were laying well for awhile and just suddenly stopped, so I'm going to move them into the smaller chicken coop after we get the new one built and give them more ground space as well.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 24, 2017)

I got in trouble with the IRS, so I will sit idle on this and keep my..........I took several accounting courses, but that was back in the 70s and the laws have surely changed since then, so I will just wish ya luck with it....


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## AClark (Aug 24, 2017)

That's exactly why I'm ultra meticulous now. A $1600 IRA cost us around $4000 all said and done with interest, and that was after I called and negotiated the interest down. 

I've looked at the forms, and the instructions. It's not that hard, of course they'll change for next year when I file 2017 taxes but it's mostly understandable. If I feel like it's too much for me, I have no shame in taking the whole mess to a CPA to figure out. I don't trust H&R block or any of the "cheap" tax services to do something like this, they are good for the very basics, but I feel that is all. Anyone that can read and type can do a 1040EZ or 1040A.


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## Bruce (Aug 24, 2017)

The only time I was contacted by the IRS (the real IRS, not the phone scammers  ) was the ONE time I paid a CPA to do my taxes. Of course the audit was a couple of years later. No penalties but this was back when interest rates were 18.5%. The CPA would have gone to the audit with me, for MONEY. The IRS wanted something that the CPA decided was capital gains to be ordinary income. This was with respect to a reconveyed timeshare. Guess what was in all the paperwork I gave the CPA? A letter saying that the money should be treated as ORDINARY INCOME!!!!!  That was 30 years ago, been doing my own taxes ever since.


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## Latestarter (Aug 24, 2017)

Never been audited, not "valuable" enough... But I did "not file" 2 years in a row and they caught up to me years later. That was a 10 grand mistake. The thing is, I was do for a 2 grand refund the first year I didn't file and owed less than that the second. 

Well, that's when I found out that good old Billy boy clinton passed a rule that the federal govt could legally steal money from us citizens. You see, if you're due a refund and don't claim it after two years, the govt figures they are entitled to just go ahead and keep it. Obviously if you really wanted/needed it, then you would have filed to get it in a timely fashion. For some strange reason my using that against them didn't hold water. I countered with the fact that it took them more than two years to come at me for the money I owed them so I didn't feel they really wanted or needed it so I didn't think I should have to pay it. silly me.   Just one of many reasons I despise the govt that exists today that isn't even a shadow of what our forefathers set up for us. Better stop now before the rant gets out of hand.


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## Baymule (Aug 24, 2017)

We always use a CPA and have for years. No way I'm going to tackle all those forms, especially when they change the rules/laws every year.


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## Mike CHS (Aug 24, 2017)

We used a CPA last year for the first time.  I have ran a business but not a farm and building infrastructure has resulted in many thousands of dollars that I wouldn't know how to deduct or not.  She did good by us and we will use her again.


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## AClark (Aug 28, 2017)

Not to take away from Hurricane Harvey and the folks suffering that, but we flooded on Friday. I'm still working on clean up. We got 5 inches of rain in the matter of 3 hours or so? Everything in my barn is wet, my house is on a hill and raised up so it doesn't get it, but everything else is drenched. Really glad we put down plastic pallets in the feed shed, so everything in there stayed dry, but it was getting close to the top of those.
Water runs across my yard, but mostly down into the pasture. It's a muddy mess.

Amazing that the horses have shelter, yet stand out in the rain. It doesn't seem to bother them at all.
I happened to be out running errands, got the flood alert on the freeway...while doing 45 MPH (see photo) with the windshield wipers on high and low visibility...I found it ironic, like "No $#!t flood warning". Bright side, DMV was empty and I didn't have to wait in line, and getting $200+ back for over paying on taxes and plates.

My thoughts and prayers for folks on the coast, I've been following the weather and I'm just in awe over all of it.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 28, 2017)

It's good ya didn't have anything ruined by the gully-washer there....and the $200+ ya got back had to ease the discomfort some..........the horses probably were wanting to enjoy the cool down with a shower.


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## Bruce (Aug 28, 2017)

Yeah it is UGLY down there. Saw a video that said one place got 20" of rain in just 3 hours. I can't even imagine that.


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## AClark (Aug 28, 2017)

Me either. I saw 2 wrecks on the freeway on my way home Friday, both had spun out in the rain and ended up in the ditch, one was totaled. I just can't imagine that kind of rain, 5 inches in 3 hours was hard, heavy rain. There is no way you could drive in more than that. We had streets closed off and the radio blaring the "turn around, don't drown" mantra. 
That part of the freeway is where the wrecks were, and it wasn't even bad there. Further down near the city exits the water was deep on the freeway. Then of course, the folks that pass you like you're sitting still, and you know they can't see any better than you can. 
The DMV was a perk, I'm just putting it back on my new truck payment, it's $200 less I'll pay in the l ong run and on interest.


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## Baymule (Aug 28, 2017)

Silly horses. During hurricane Ike, mine had the choice of deep woods, the neighbor's barn, or wide open. Neighbors said they stood out in the howling winds and rain during the hurricane. Something hit one of them in the face because her eye was swelled shut. Other than that, there was no injuries.

It was a smart thing to do to stack your feed on pallets. Hmmmm... you might want to double stack them!


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

I could stand to lose the feed and not take much of a hit, I usually only have an extra week supply in there. However, I have all 6 saddles in there because that building has a good roof and my barn doesn't. Some a-hole shot holes through my barn and roof before we moved here so it tends to leak. Though being on the flood plain part is what usually gets the barn wet more than the roof leaking.


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## Latestarter (Aug 29, 2017)

So what kind of idjit shoots holes in a roof? Maybe some dumb kid shooting at bats inside the barn?


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

An idiot, that's who. I've patched the ones on the sides, but the roof...think it's probably a good 30 feet up there, and I'm deathly afraid of heights.


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## Latestarter (Aug 29, 2017)

Can DH get up there and maybe apply some roofing tar over the holes? I never used to be afraid of heights, but I'm now a bit uncomfortable with them depending on what I'm standing on. Stood on the edge of the grand canyon looking down and it made me queezy... something about a mile drop, with no parachute and concern about accidentally slipping/sliding or the ledge giving way...


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## Baymule (Aug 29, 2017)

I should come see you with a bucket of roof goop. I don't have sense enough to be afraid of heights.


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## Mini Horses (Aug 29, 2017)

I've always loved to climb....trees were fun!   So getting onto a roof isn't an issue as far as height.   I find myself being more careful with footing on some surfaces.   The ground has become far harder over the years than it was many years ago!!!! 

I was up on a run-in barn last week fixing a loose & flipped up panel of metal roofing.   Just try to remember to carry my phone, in case.   

Love the dog -- have you still got her?


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

Yeah I'm terrified of heights, even getting on a folding ladder makes me nauseous and shaky. We went to this place in PA that has a bridge with a glass floor - Kinzua sky walk. I was there for my friends mothers funeral and they dragged me out on this thing. I cried. Actually, that whole thing was weird, I grew up with my friend, her mother passed from cancer and they had the funeral up in PA. I drove 5 hours down from NY or so to go...which turned from a funeral, to a hike over that bridge (in full funeral attire), to a BBQ.

DH isn't afraid of heights, we don't have a ladder tall enough to get up there (and I'd suggest at least a harness!) but he's away at school for a month and won't be back until October. It's a tin barn with a tin roof, I know those are slick. My parents have one, but it's not nearly as tall, you could easily pull a semi through this barn.
I don't mind patching, even though we are renting. If it was mine I'd probably have the whole roof redone. Of course, I'd put stalls and a tack room in there instead of equipment though. It has a tack room but it's not accessible. My landlord lives next door and is using half the barn for storing some stuff. I didn't really "need" the whole thing, but I would have liked it.

Mini, I do still have the dog. Nobody has claimed her, or even called to see if she was theirs. No dogs like her reported missing or anything.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 29, 2017)

I just can't believe ya'd climb up on the back of a big horse and ride at a gallop, but climbing a step ladder makes ya queezy....go figure....
As I have gotten older I'm not as enthusiastic about climbing above 20ft....of course the knee and foot don't really help any either....


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

Well in light of some behavior on this forum, I'm taking an extended break, and in all likelihood, probably not coming back. My thoughts are with those experiencing the Harvey flooding.

Fred, you keep on doing it and enjoy your goats and grandkids! Latestarter, enjoy your upcoming BBQ and your critters! Greybeard, I hope all comes out well for your home and your herd! 
Everyone else, thanks for the comments and discussion, it was enjoyed.


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## CntryBoy777 (Aug 29, 2017)

Oh My!!.....not sure what facilitated such, but what a Blow that surely is.....you will certainly be missed and will always be in my thoughts, heart, and Prayers.


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## Baymule (Aug 29, 2017)

Oh no! We don't want you to leave! You are a valued member here and I always enjoy your posts. Please stay.


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## Bruce (Aug 29, 2017)

What did we do??? Maybe I'm not reading all the forums/threads where @AClark participates?? I don't recall seeing anyone posting "objectionable" things. At least not as far as I could tell


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## Latestarter (Aug 29, 2017)

I must admit I came close to doing the same thing back when NHH's husband started trying to start a popularity contest. I understand. Shame to see you go though and hope you do have a change of heart and stay (or come back after your break). There is an "ignore" function, just so you know... Been a pleasure chatting with you and reading your posts. Whatever your choice/decision, I (we all I'm sure) wish you nothing but the best.


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 29, 2017)

AClark said:


> Well in light of some behavior on this forum, I'm taking an extended break, and in all likelihood, probably not coming back. My thoughts are with those experiencing the Harvey flooding.
> 
> Fred, you keep on doing it and enjoy your goats and grandkids! Latestarter, enjoy your upcoming BBQ and your critters! Greybeard, I hope all comes out well for your home and your herd!
> Everyone else, thanks for the comments and discussion, it was enjoyed.


@Sumi @Nifty 
There you go


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 29, 2017)

@BrendaMNgri 
Ran another off
Thanks for your contribution to our community


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 29, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> I must admit I came close to doing the same thing back when NHH's husband started trying to start a popularity contest. I understand. Shame to see you go though and hope you do have a change of heart and stay (or come back after your break). There is an "ignore" function, just so you know... Been a pleasure chatting with you and reading your posts. Whatever your choice/decision, I (we all I'm sure) wish you nothing but the best.




So what does it smell like up there where your heads at ?
I bet you edit this one


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## Latestarter (Aug 29, 2017)

May I ask how I became the bad guy? 

Up here on top of my neck, where my head is located, presently looking at the computer screen, it smells a bit like ice cream... I just finished a bowl. 

Now discussing moderation in the open forum is against the rules. What part of that do you not understand? Moderators do not answer to you. Obviously that confuses you as well. Discussing moderation of anyone else's posts with you is also none of your business. Questions? Now, how would you like a little time out?


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 29, 2017)

@AClark if you happen to come here again would you PM me? You can send your email address if you want to take it off BYH. 

Not really related to this exactly…


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## babsbag (Aug 29, 2017)

@OneFineAcre  Perhaps @Latestarter wasn't the moderator that edited the post ???

I feel a little guilty as I defended the post that @BrendaMNgri made. Her advice, as I read it, was sound. She even prefaced it with stating that she was the devils advocate and I just didn't take the post as being rude.


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## Latestarter (Aug 29, 2017)

Whether it was me or not is a moot point going forward. I have resigned as a moderator. I don't like having my hands tied behind my back and being gagged when I feel I'm being attacked.


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## Bruce (Aug 30, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> I must admit I came close to doing the same thing back when NHH's husband started trying to start a popularity contest.


I guess that sort of answers why she left. I missed whatever went on when it happened. 

And now I am still clueless as to what happened with regard to @AClark 

I know, not my business.


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## babsbag (Aug 30, 2017)

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/where-to-start.36650/#post-517696

It all started with a dog.


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## Bruce (Aug 30, 2017)

babsbag said:


> https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/where-to-start.36650/#post-517696
> 
> It all started with a dog.


Thanks @babsbag


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## AClark (Oct 19, 2017)

Actually, that wasn't the reason why, but it isn't worth mentioning.

I enjoyed my break, got a lot done really! 
Updates:
Buckshot (cattle dog) has been sickly. He's been to the vet, $300 worth of tests and they aren't sure what's wrong with him. CBC showed high calcium levels (14, which is way high) heartworm negative, lyme negative, parathyroid within normal limits. He has lost 12 lbs and is down to 23 lbs. No diarrhea but it's not solid either. No food changes other than an increase in the amount, which is about double what a dog his size should eat, no access to anti-freeze or other chemicals. Just stumped. We're going to have him neutered, the vet thinks that it could be hormonal and that testosterone can cause a high calcium. Plus might calm him a bit. We just never bothered because I have spayed our female dog so I wasn't going to end up with unwanted puppies, and I keep my male home. 

Sadie: Sadie was spayed yesterday. She is 60 lbs and just about 6 months old according to her teeth. She is an awesome dog. She decided she is going to live out with the goats and doesn't want to be in the house. She's a great guard dog, and we haven't had any more chicken losses since she has taken up residence in the pasture. She lays out with the goats all day and only really comes up to be petted and fed when I go out to feed. Her only vice is she collects toys out of the yard to bring out to play with in her pasture, so I'm collecting goodies out of the pasture constantly. 

Goats: Goat math happened. Two does turned into 5 does. I bought two covered pygmy does in September. My friend bought 4 (two does and two doelings). One of her does is bullying her others (this doe has horns, the others don't) so she's being dropped off here tonight. 

Chickens: Oh what a mess this was. So I have my laying chickens, who are laying about 10 eggs a day now out of the 12 hens. I gave a rooster away to my friend with the goat. I'm down to 3 adult roosters and 2 young ones - of which 1 adult and both young ones are destined to freezer camp. Then came the meat chicks. Long story on those, but my son worked the state fair for FFA and brought them home because they were unwanted. There were 63 to start with but he gave chicks away to anyone who would take them and we ended up with 8. I also found a big clutch of eggs hidden behind an old gate and incubated them, but only 3 out of the 20 actually hatched out. So I have 3 chicks in the office right now.

Horses: All doing well, my kids horse isn't going to foal. It ended up being a worm load and malnutrition, now that she's a healthy weight the big pregnant looking belly went away.

I'll post new goat pics later, I have some chores to do.


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## Mini Horses (Oct 19, 2017)

Glad to see you back!   I enjoy your inputs......


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 19, 2017)

It is so Good to have ya back!!....
Sure have missed ya and think of ya often. Just like water in the commode...once it is flushed, there isn't any need in plunging it back up to sniff again....
Sorry that Buckshot is having such difficulties, sure hope it straightens out for him and y'all too. Glad Sadie is lending a hand in tending to things. The goats situation is interesting and we are looking to add a couple of pygmy does next Spring, hopefully. Glad the horses are fine, but know the absence of a foal was a letdown for ya....but at least the problem has been found and solved. The chicken stuff sounds like quite the fiasco. Hope all the kids are doing Well....and knew ya was Busy...ya always are....


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## Baymule (Oct 19, 2017)

What CntryBoy777 said...... 
Glad you are back, I enjoy visiting with you. I admire your "tackle anything" spirit and you are my hero on all things mechanical. Hey! We need new pictures of the baby, I bet she has grown so much!


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## AClark (Oct 19, 2017)

I should have some "kinder goat" kids come February, I'm pretty excited to see how that comes out. So out of the 5 does, all 5 are bred but only my two Nubians to my actual buck. No idea what the one that is getting dropped off tonight is bred to, and the other two were bred to a pygmy buck for sure. 
Honestly not sure Dahlia is full pygmy, she's good sized and longer legged by far. Not sure how old they are, but Buttercup (the little dun colored one) I'm pretty sure is the mama to the doeling they couldn't catch. Dahlia hasn't kidded before as far as I can tell. The one we're getting tonight is older and had a kid on her when she was bought and is bred back to who knows what lol. 
Winter is going to be busy. DH is working out plans for a milking room and stand for our barn. I'm graduating college in the spring so I've been super busy finishing up these courses as well.


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## AClark (Oct 19, 2017)

And most recent pic of the baby - she's walking now.


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## Baymule (Oct 19, 2017)

ADORABLE!!  Our one year old grand daughter is just starting to toddle around. It is so cute to watch her put her arms out for balance and lurch around. 

Graduating college in the spring? Congrats! What are you studying?


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 19, 2017)

Goats look Good....but, the daughter is just Adorable!!...


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## AClark (Oct 19, 2017)

I went back to school for an Associates in Science Medical billing and coding. I needed something I could do from home. I have 5 courses left, only two of which are any part of difficult (actual coding courses, I've done 2 already and all the ethics, law, anatomy, etc ones). I'll be glad to be finished. Once I'm done I'm going to work on my certifications, but I'm definitely taking a nice break from learning before I do. 

Lena started walking in the beginning of September, she's just now going to be 9 months on Halloween. She's quite the character. It just reminds you once they start walking of how much crap is a hazard to them that you'd never think of otherwise.


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## Baymule (Oct 19, 2017)

Our house isn't so baby proof, so I have to watch the babies. We don't have child locks on the cabinets and the little one loves to open them up. Mamaw says no and little one shakes her head no, and does it anyway. Mamaw smacks the little hand, NO! and picks her up and sets her down somewhere else while she howls like a banshee. Mamaw has to hide a smile.......


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## HomeOnTheRange (Oct 19, 2017)

AClark said:


> I went back to school for an Associates in Science Medical billing and coding.


Great field to be in.  The hospital I work at is always looking for coders (but they have to work on site )!
Great pic of your daughter.  Glad to have you back!!


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## Bruce (Oct 19, 2017)

Sounds like Sadie, whatever breed(s) she is, is a natural born LGD  Congratulations! 

And your son did REAL well getting rid of most of those meat chickens, I can't imagine finding enough people to take 55!

And Lena started walking at 7 months! Wow, I thought DD1 was pretty early at 9 months. She crawled ... once, decided it wasn't for her. DD2 crawled for quite a time, I don't think she started walking until about 15 months. And she didn't talk for a really long time, DD1 decided on her own that she should tell us what DD2 was thinking. Still does it and they are 22 & 24 now. I don't think we always get a good "translation" though and probably didn't 21 years ago either 

Oh yeah, and  (back), I do like hearing about all the goings on at your place.


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## Latestarter (Oct 19, 2017)

Good to see you back. Animals look great/sound great except for your one dog and I hope that all works out. Your daughter is beautiful.


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## sadieml (Oct 20, 2017)

Adorable goats, beautiful baby!  You certainly have your hands full.  Med transcription seems to be a rapidly growing field.  One of my sisters did it for several years; but I don't think she does anymore. It's definitely great for working from home.

All 3 of my kids walked around 9 or 10 months. Once they're mobile, you have to be constantly on your guard.  We never did "child-proof" our house.  My dear Mama said that child-proofing was just lazy parenting, but I'm not convinced you can really child-proof anyway.  Kids, especially toddlers, will find something to get into regardless of what you lock away.  The big thing is just to make sure you put the "dangerous stuff" (ie- chemicals, etc) up high, not under the sink, and stay alert.  The earlier they learn "NO!", the better, imho, and if that needs a little pop to reinforce it, so be it.  I'd love to hear tips on that from @Southern by choice, given all the experience with little ones AND training(LGDs).


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## AClark (Oct 23, 2017)

I don't child proof my house either. I will lock cabinets and stuff (like under the sink where I store chemicals etc) just in the event that I'm not paying enough attention, but other than that, no. 

We had a tornado on Saturday, and then it rained all night, we must have gotten 4-5 inches of rain since the wheel barrow was full and all the horse feeders had overflowed. The tornado was west of me, I got some pictures but it had already dissipated by then, I took that picture from my front door. I also snagged a picture of Athena (new goat) but it isn't very good. She's in poor body condition, which isn't my friends fault as she only had her at most 2 weeks. You can feel all her bones (spine, hips, ribs) and she has clumps of hair. I already dewormed her though so she'll be on her way to being fat in no time. I hate to see her going in to winter lean.
And a pic of Sadie. She recovered great from being spayed, even though I can't seem to get her to have quiet time.


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 23, 2017)

That storm front weakened greatly before it got to us, we only got a quarter of an inch and it took all day to get it. The temps have dropped behind the front's passing and suppose to have a cooler week here. I'm sure Athena will bulk up some in your care...your animals always look good. Just remember the horses and how they looked when ya got them. Sadie is sure growing, too....


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## Bruce (Oct 23, 2017)

AClark said:


> She recovered great from being spayed, even though I can't seem to get her to have quiet time.


She has a job to do! No slacking for her. Hopefully she won't overdo, she does need a bit of recuperation time.


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## AClark (Oct 23, 2017)

We got all that over night, it started up around 7-8 PM with the rain. It was cold here this morning and is stated to be really cold all day on Friday. I hate the cold! I think it's going to be a really cold winter, the horses are already getting shaggy winter coats.

Some more pics of Athena and the rest of the crew


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 23, 2017)

Everything is looking good....love the colors on your buck and Athena doesn't appear as thin as ya described, but a pic is hard to see everything....love the ducks, are the tan ones Buffs?


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## AClark (Oct 23, 2017)

I have no idea what they are, they came from the feedstore in a mixed batch lol.
Athena doesn't look as bad as she feels. Her coat is dry feeling and she's bony. She doesn't look all that bad since her hair is longer though. You can really see it in her neck,  she's very ewe necked. Horses look like that when they are underweight, seems like the neck is the last to fill out.

Time to feed, seems like I just fed everyone but it's that time again! Buttercup is getting big in the belly fast. Supposedly bred in August, along with Dahlia. Hopefully she doesn't have problems, she's so tiny compared to the other two pygmy does.


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## Bruce (Oct 23, 2017)

Athena looks pretty hollowed out behind the ribcage. I bet she starts looking and "feeling" better in short order with you at the helm. 

Your place and animals look very nice


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## Baymule (Oct 23, 2017)

We got 2 inches of much needed rain from that storm. Our place was powder and the rain was much appreciated. Your horses look awesome, so much better than when you got them. I look at the Facebook slaughter sites and marvel at the really nice horses that are sent to slaughter. I am at capacity with my 3, but I drool over some of those horses! There is a kill pen in Kentucky that is almost half Tennessee Walkers! (my favorite)


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## AClark (Oct 24, 2017)

The one I got 2/3 of these guys from almost always has nice horses going through, and for decent prices. There's an OK one but their prices are insane and the horses aren't the same quality at all. The one in AR has a really nice looking buckskin mare right now I'd take home if I had more space, but 3 is also my limit and about as much as the pasture can support without being completely scalped. Also, a nice paint gaited mare that is really pretty but a bit stiff in a hip. Some day I'll have more room and probably pick up a couple more horses.

Thanks for the compliments, I take a lot of pride in having well fed animals, along with keeping a mostly tidy appearance. Don't get me wrong, I have my junk piles, but they are hidden from plain view (and full of goodies when I need to scrounge up parts or pieces for projects!). I have a brush pile in the middle of the pasture right now, but the goats are eating down the branches (Cedar tree) and it's too windy to burn it. As soon as we have a nice calm day I will light it up and burn it down to nothing.

So, today's chores: Got up and fed, and ran to town. I needed canning lids and some chicken feed. Now that I'm home, I roasted all the leftover green tomatoes and tomatillos in the oven. We are expecting our first frost on Friday so it was time to get all of that in, green or not. I made salsa verde on the stove and man that stuff is hot! I used some Tabasco peppers that grew reasonably well from the garden. I still have to can it, but it tastes pretty good. I made the mistake of taking a big bite for my taste test and regretted it instantly. I love hot food, but I wasn't prepared for that.

So, I will can that, and then make a run to the grocery store probably tomorrow to determine what kind of jam I'm going to can away. I have vine peaches from the garden to add to it so I should have some good flavors. That just depends on what is on sale since i didn't get fruit this year. 
I also have okra I have frozen to be fried up. You can can it as pickled okra, which is great, but there really is only enough for 1 meal so I figured I'd just freeze and use it. I only got 1 plant to come up but it was a good one and got about 4 ft tall. 

Once all that is done, we will till up the garden. I am putting weed barrier down for next spring, we just couldn't keep up with the grass this year and everything suffered for it. That should help retain some moisture too, between a month of getting zero rain and the grass, I'm surprised anything grew at all! 

We are still picking up pecans from our lonely pecan tree. It made a bunch of them though and they are good! 

Feels like the season is coming to an end, with a morning temp of 42 degrees I'm sad to see it go. Then it's just a lull in everything until January when I should have my kidding season start. Well, a lull in those kind of chores, to be replaced with some building chores. 
Obviously, Buttercup is going to kid, and Dahlia should too. I'm not sure about Athena, though I know she has been exposed before she got here. My two Nubians have been exposed too but only more recently so I'm going to have kids staggered out from January through March I believe.


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## Baymule (Oct 24, 2017)

I like the fall of the year. I wish I had a pecan tree! You can shell them, vacuum seal and freeze, they will last for several years. 

My Grandmother's Roasted Pecans

1 stick of butter in heavy iron skillet, melted on medium low heat.
Half fill skillet with pecans.
Stir. Stir. Stir. Stir some more. LOL
When roasted, remove from skillet and salt while still hot. Delicious!

I also sprinkle with cayenne powder or garlic to make flavored pecans.


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## AClark (Oct 25, 2017)

I usually candy pecans, same theory with the butter and stirring, except with sugar in the butter and cinnamon. Man they are good! I love cayenne and garlic though, that sounds good!

I'm not a fan of fall, because it means winter is coming (GoT reference anyone?) and I hate the cold with a passion. I froze so bad yesterday, and it was 60 something when it warmed up. Even with boots, heavy socks, long pants and a thermal type shirt.


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 25, 2017)

I asked my brother yesterday evening why it was that when temps get cooler, it seems the intensity of pain doubles? The only thing I enjoy from temps in the 30s is the extra hot shower, but I'd prefer the regular shower and temps between 50 and 70....that's ideal in my book. Having grown up in Az could have something to do with your dislike of cold temps, too......


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## AClark (Oct 25, 2017)

I have no doubt growing up in the desert is why I hate the cold so much. I had to soak in the shower to thaw out yesterday, I spent the day with my feet so cold they hurt. It's not even actually cold here yet! 

So this morning I became a member of the ADGA, getting Betty and Bonnie registered NOA now that I figured it out and have someone local who can give me a hand. i have to figure out their tattoo system and tattoo the girls (sounds fun, not!)


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 25, 2017)

Right after I made that post I had to feed the goats their morning snack and on the way to their house, Joyce let the ducks out....it was 37° here....and the ducks made a bee-line to the pool, lined up, and jumped in....it made me shiver to think about it. Congrats on the membership!!....I know nothing about the tatooing, tho I do have one....


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## AClark (Oct 25, 2017)

I have lots of personal tattoos, and the equipment to do the goats, I just need the numbers I'm allowed to use from the ADGA and I'll knock it out. 

No kidding about the ducks, I watch my goose and ducks jump right in the pool no matter how cold and nasty it is out. I'll pass, they can have their icy water! I have errands to run later on and need to get a shower so I don't have crazy homeless hair, but I'll wait until I'm done feeding so I don't have to go out the door with wet hair!


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## Bruce (Oct 25, 2017)

AClark said:


> No kidding about the ducks, I watch my goose and ducks jump right in the pool no matter how cold and nasty it is out. I'll pass, they can have their icy water!


Hmm, another reason for me to not get ducks, they would probably all fly into the swimming pool with great frequency! Though the "snacks" in the pond would be more enticing I suppose. 



AClark said:


> I have no doubt growing up in the desert is why I hate the cold so much.


I grew up in So. Cal. "Cold" was like 50° and it was 115° 3 days the week I moved to Vermont. I'm not all that excited about very cold temps, but I didn't care for the hot ones either and you can only take off so much clothing to cool off. Guess I'm a "middle of the road" kinda guy.


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## AClark (Oct 25, 2017)

Exactly Bruce, thats the kind of weather I shine in. I'm more than happy to go outside and work (in jeans and boots) in 100+ temps. But if it's under about 70, nope!!! I can only put so much on to stay warm, and I'm one of those "always cold" people. Right now I'm in sweats with thick socks, I've been baking all day, and my feet are icy cold. It's like 75 in the house because I canned up my salsa and made 3 loaves of bread, but I still feel cold. 

So, all my tomatillos and green tomatoes came up to 3 1/2 pints. The 1/2 went in the fridge in an open jar of green salsa. It's pretty good, nice and spicy with a lot of flavor though!


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## Bruce (Oct 25, 2017)

75° is shorts and T-shirt weather! I suggest you get your body's thermostat checked, maybe it is stuck open and they can replace it with a new one


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## AClark (Oct 25, 2017)

That might be. DH doesn't get cold like that at all, I'm still acclimating him to southern weather though. He suffers in the heat way more than I do.
My landlord does too, that poor guy sweats profusely if it's over 90, I don't even start to sweat unless the humidity is really high until it's around 95 or so. DH keeps telling me I'll get used to it and to stop bundling up as much as I do when it's slightly chilly, but even after 4 years in upstate NY all I did was freeze from September through May there.

So, I have about 4 lbs of apples I have to use up, time now! My daughter had a fall party and we got tasked with bringing two large containers of sliced apples. I don't think my idea of a large container and theirs were the same because they sent one of them home. There's 28 students in her class, so I cut up a bunch and sent about 8 qts of apples with her. 
So, apple muffins, carrot apple bread, and maybe fritter bread if I don't run low. I love baking days, gets the house nice and warm!


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## babsbag (Oct 25, 2017)

Our CA weather is just about perfect...for me... but more than the temps it is the rain that I hate. I HATE mud, period. No rain, no mud so having the dry summers fits me to a "t". 

I had a couple of goats this last year that had horrible coats, flaky skin, and bald patches; they were also skinny.  Barber pole worms are not an issue at my place but I did see some tape worm segments so I went with a three prong approach and no idea which one worked but they look amazingly better.  I wormed them with valbazen (they were not bred) for tapes, used Cylence pour on in case there were lice or mites, and give them a Multi-min 90 (zinc, selenium, copper, magnesium) injection. Within a few weekks their coats were filling in, they had some shine to them, and they started to gain weight. Hopefully your new doe just needed wormed and some extra nutrition. You can always make her a coat for winter.


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## AClark (Oct 25, 2017)

@babsbag  I used Ivermectin, since it's relatively safe for anything pregnant - actually it was a tube of horse dewormer, since I buy that by the case. I have SafeGuard too but it's "too safe" and requires catching her up 3 days in a row and she still kind of looks at me like I'm sketchy. I really like Ivermectin, it takes a LOT of it to overdose with. 
I dusted her with some pour on too. I didn't see any lice on her, but you never know. She's really enjoying being well fed twice a day and getting to graze from after breakfast until dinner time. 
She has a bag, but no milk. She doesn't strike me as pregnant looking and I know she had a doeling on her a month ago or so, my friend kept the doeling. Athena was the bully there and she's at the bottom of the pecking order here. Funny how that works, she's the biggest pygmy I have.


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## AClark (Oct 26, 2017)

DH decided to make a sign at work that we had eggs for sale. I expected maybe a dozen or two would get picked up, DH hadn't even posted the sign up yet but was talking to a co-worker and then he texts me at 5 PM and tells me "I need 5 dozen eggs tomorrow". Wait, what? I had my baking day yesterday and used up a dozen already...
I ended up with 2 eggs left, good thing I don't need any. Then when he gets home he says "I think we need more chickens" - music to my ears! He's finally seeing what I was suggesting all along. The chickens almost paid for their feed this month in 1 day. 

Maybe it's because I found DH a Dewalt miter saw the other day. Someone was giving it away because they were moving, and while it's a really old one, it came iwth it's own table and all we had to do was pick it up. I tested it out and it works great!


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 26, 2017)

It's really nice when things workout like that....we have a hard time just giving them away....and some only want them if they are chicken eggs....it's bad when people are picky over free eggs...


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## AClark (Oct 26, 2017)

Really? I love duck eggs, they are the best for baking. I definitely wouldn't turn down free eggs either! 
You know the market for duck eggs works better with the Asian folks. I'm told they use them in some kind of holiday meals or something. Sorry I can't be more specific, I can't remember which Asians used them, I want to say it was Vietnamese.


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## Baymule (Oct 26, 2017)

Will you use a needle or clamp type to tattoo your goats? Do you tattoo them in the ear like rabbits? A long time ago, I raised show rabbits and I used both the needle and clamp type.


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## AClark (Oct 26, 2017)

Clamp type in the ear, I read that LaMancha's (the ones with the weird little ears) get tattooed in the tail webbing. I already have a clamp type, just need new ink and I'm good to go.


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## babsbag (Oct 26, 2017)

I just did a one eat tattoo on 30 goats last week before the TB testing. I didn't do my herd tattoo, we only need an official identification one for my herd in case one showed up positive for TB. It was a lot of fun doing 30 goats by myself...I did them on the milk stand and now I have 5 or 6 that don't want to come in and get milked. Are they really elephants that never forget?  

I have used Ivermectin when worming for barber pole but since they don't like my dry pastures I never have that problem and haven't had to treat for those in years.  I chose Valbazen specifically because I saw tape worm segments and Ivermectin won't work on those.  

Good deal with the eggs. When I worked at a school I had customers, now I have one. I am hoping that when I start selling milk I will pick up some egg customers too.


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## Bruce (Oct 26, 2017)

AClark said:


> DH decided to make a sign at work that we had eggs for sale. I expected maybe a dozen or two would get picked up, DH hadn't even posted the sign up yet but was talking to a co-worker and then he texts me at 5 PM and tells me "I need 5 dozen eggs tomorrow". Wait, what? I had my baking day yesterday and used up a dozen already...
> I ended up with 2 eggs left, good thing I don't need any. Then when he gets home he says "I think we need more chickens" - music to my ears! He's finally seeing what I was suggesting all along. The chickens almost paid for their feed this month in 1 day.
> 
> Maybe it's because I found DH a Dewalt miter saw the other day. Someone was giving it away because they were moving, and while it's a really old one, it came iwth it's own table and all we had to do was pick it up. I tested it out and it works great!


Great deal on the miter saw! Mine is a Makita sliding compound, 25 years old. Still works fine. Wouldn't mind one of the newer ones with the light that shows where the cut will be though 

Will DH's workmates wait 6 months for those eggs?


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## AClark (Oct 27, 2017)

Lol Bruce, I get 7-10 eggs a day right now. I just told him they need to put in orders ahead of time so I know how many to save back. We are looking at buying some already mature pullets locally, along with some chicks. I have 12 hens that are grown now. I also have 3 of their babies I hatched out a couple of weeks ago, two black copper maran x buff orpingtons and a buff orpington x white leghorn. 

babs, yeah Ivermectin is great for most except tape worms. Not sure what Valbazen is, but I'll look it up later. Panacur gets tape worms I know but I've only ever used it on dogs. 
It's cold here today, that front got us. I have some outside work to do and I'm not looking forward to it at all.


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## AClark (Oct 27, 2017)

Six dozen eggs out the door and I'm tapped out at the moment! DH got pecked big time by one of our easter egger hens (she's a barred rock ameracana? cross? Stripes like a barred rock but she's gray and has feathery cheeks and lays the biggest rose colored eggs!) and then she followed him up to the back door, loudly complaining at him, while he's cussing her the whole way. She drew blood. He doesn't usually gather eggs, so they aren't really used to him. I told him that one and the buff orp. that is like half and half colored aren't very nice! 
I'll have probably half a dozen more by the time I feed tonight though. 
I could up my price if I wanted to buy organic feed, but I don't and I'm a bit cheaper than most places here. I'm still in the red but I'm projecting being in the black within a couple of months. Not bad really!


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## Bruce (Oct 27, 2017)

Yeah, organic feed price is 2X the non organic here. One would really have to focus on the super layer breeds to have any hope of making that back. There is a reason the cheap eggs from cage farms come from only a couple of breeds. No interesting colors, boring inside those cartons 

The only time my girls get fussy is if they are broody, guess I'm lucky. I've read of many people who have to be careful when collecting. Of course it is rare that I am taking eggs out from under a hen. I go out whenever and collect what I see. At roost time, any that may have been under a hen when I was out earlier are easily picked up.


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## Baymule (Oct 27, 2017)

I buy Texas Naturals non GMO layer pellets for my girls. It is $26.95 per 50 pound bag-terrible price. I charge $4 a dozen and can sell more than the girls produce. People around here want the grass fed meat and non GMO and they are willing to pay for it.


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## AClark (Oct 29, 2017)

What a day.
Went out to feed this morning and hmmm, I'm a horse short! Of course I feared the worst, that she was down in the field and colicked. Nope, she walked over a piece of fence in the back and was over in the neighbors hay farm. So, catch the horse and realize the fence is so bent out of shape it isn't worth putting back up (cattle panels). Run to the store for new cattle panels, DH hangs out so the horses don't get out.
Come home, put the fence all back up, pound some new posts and get it all wired up. DH had trimmed trees (and trimmed 2 of them all the way to the ground since they were dead) so we dragged all of that into a big pile.
Moved the rabbits into a more secure pen, put hinges on the chicken coop door...just endless chores today and I still didn't get some of them done. i still need to clean the barn out and do some repairs on the goat shelter.

I am sooooo tired.

Oh and for your entertainment, I give you a goat in the bathtub! My friend gave me this 400 lb cast iron tub for a feeder, it's awesome now that I washed the mud out!


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 29, 2017)

Glad ya found your horse and all was okay....except for the fence that is....one thing is for sure...the tub was dry or the goat wouldn't have gotten in....
Sounds like y'all did some whittlin' on that "To Do" list...


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## Bruce (Oct 29, 2017)

AClark said:


> Oh and for your entertainment, I give you a goat in the bathtub! My friend gave me this 400 lb cast iron tub for a feeder, it's awesome now that I washed the mud out!
> 
> View attachment 39770


So now that the goat is in the feeder, what are you going to feed it to??


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## Baymule (Oct 29, 2017)

Chores. Just when you think you can take a breath, a horse lets you know the fence is down and you gotta fix it. LOL


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## AClark (Oct 30, 2017)

No kidding Bay...just when you have this list of to-do's and you plan on knocking out 90%, a horse will say "LOL, that's what you think!". She walked over it and then wouldn't walk back over. DH goes "well how are we going to get her back on this side?" and I said "worst case scenario I'll hop on and ride her around the front." But he managed to get it apart so we led her through. It's a lot safer than riding her through their property (which would be no biggie other than they have heavy machinery going 90% of the time so I'd have to be careful they saw me) then down the road and around.

It does get to me that I didn't finish a couple of chores that were big on my to-do list. Just we had so many and between me and DH it was more work that we could possibly do after wasting 2 hours on the fence. We finished up around 5 and then it was feeding time, and DH had to run to his buddies house to drop off a desk that was sitting on our trailer. His buddy was having a family emergency last week, wanted the desk, so we snagged it up for him and were storing it, but we don't have anywhere dry we could really store it.

I'm sucking today. We stayed up really late watching Live PD, I don't know how I managed to stay awake that long at all.

Bruce, LOL, can't eat the milk makers. Though it worked great as a feeder and saves me some time now because two of my horses will eat together nicely, so I was able to take 2 feeders out of the pasture and use them for the goats since they bully they smaller ones out of the food. Now I can split it up easier for the littles.


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## Baymule (Oct 30, 2017)

Juggling animals is not a circus act.......it's called FARMING.


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## Latestarter (Oct 30, 2017)

Still a circus act, just not done for pay, crowds, or in public


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## AClark (Oct 31, 2017)

It's definitely a Benny Hill act some days! Today is going to be one of those days, Lena has a dr appt this morning plus eye exams for me and two of the kids. I had LASIK a couple of years ago so I have to go sit through these things every year anyway but two of my kids failed their school eye exams. My oldest has glasses but won't wear them, so no wonder he failed his. Not like I was surprised but if he wouldn't wear them i didn't see the point in sitting through the exams when he has a pair that are collecting dust.


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## Baymule (Oct 31, 2017)

How old is your oldest? Maybe contacts would be an option? My sister in law was nick named Fatty Four Eyes in school and tormented over being overweight and wearing glasses. As soon as she turned 18 and had the legal right to get contacts with approval of her parents, she went for it. Maybe your son has been made fun of for wearing glasses, or maybe he just doesn't like them. Kids. Go figure.


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## AClark (Nov 1, 2017)

He's 14, but I have concerns with him wearing contacts. Hygiene is important with them, I wore them for years, and he's not the most hygienic when it comes to washing hands. I told him if he would actually wear glasses and take care of them, we can talk about contacts later on. He has dry eyes like I do and it also makes them difficult to wear because they always feel gritty. 
Also, we have sucky vision insurance, it really only covers the exam for glasses, contact lens exams, contacts, or glasses I have to pay full price for. 
My 9 year old is getting her first pair of glasses, and 14 year old found some he can live with (frameless). 
I passed mine, though I have some minor deterioration of 1 eye but not enough to warrant needing to correct it. That eye was worse than the other to begin with, at least the astigmatism is gone.

I never understood how people picked on others for glasses. I've worn them since I was maybe 8 or 9 and never had anyone pick on me about it, other things sure, but not because I wore glasses. Seems like it's a trend these days because I see non prescription regular glasses - not sure why anyone would wear them if they didn't need them.


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## AClark (Nov 1, 2017)

In other news...

Got our fridge for the barn, it's a mini fridge they were throwing out at DH's work because the freezer is out of control and keeps icing up. They said it was a fire hazard if the power ever went out since it gets so much ice and it would melt everywhere...I have a good draining area in the barn it's going to. It will be our milk fridge.
One of DH's friends replaced his dishwasher and gave us the old one, so I have a dedicated dishwasher for my mason jars now. There was nothing wrong with it other than the filter needed cleaning and they were replacing appliances. It's been difficult trying to wash them in the house dishwasher because it seems like I can't ever get that sucker empty to do canning jars. I don't expect that is much of a stretch of the imagination with the size of our family, lol. 
We are going up to the city on Friday to pick up my new batch of chickens. Almost fully grown pullets, 20 of them. Should be an interesting trip with that many chickens in the truck. I'm having a hard time keeping up with egg orders so hopefully this will give me some relief, or you know, I'll probably be in the same position with a higher volume. 
Today is errands and grocery shopping. I hate grocery shopping.


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2017)

Groceries.........You work hard, you take your money, spend your time shopping for groceries, spend your hard earned money, take groceries home,spend more time to put them up, drag groceries back out, spend an hour or two cooking, the family descends upon the food, it is gone in 3 minutes or less, you spend another hour cleaning up all the mess and _then_ what do they do?? They flush it all down the toilet!


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## AClark (Nov 1, 2017)

@Baymule You must be related to me, you sure think just like I do! Or, grocery shop, put it all up, too tired to cook, order out/eat frozen pizza. 

I made chicken nest boxes today. Hopefully they will use them. I got those cheap plastic totes and cut holes out for them to get in and put the lids on. I now have 8 nesting boxes, and made roosters to go inbetween. it came out not too shabby. 
I'm making some for the rabbits, we have to wire the bottom of their pen completely due to their digging habits though. We lost one of our does that had kits (she dug into our dog pen way away from them and he ate her), luckily I only had to bottle feed for 2 days before another doe kindled and took them as hers. They're now about 6 weeks old.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 1, 2017)

That's a great idea with the totes....sorry about the rabbit, but glad the other adopted them in....I wouldn't have thought about them digging and tunneling. I knew wild ones did, but just didn't think that tame ones had the desire....that could sure be a problem. What kind of chickens are ya looking to get?....


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## AClark (Nov 1, 2017)

They're all easter eggers. My friend also is giving me 11 duck eggs tonight to incubate! I love ducks lol.
Also Fred, I wish I could take credit for that brilliant idea, but I found it on Pinterest.

I will be incubating the duck eggs with a couple of easter egger and a nice dark brown barred rock mix (daddy could be a black copper maran or my white leghorn) can't wait!

So, 11/21/17 should be day 21 and hatch day for chicks!

11/28/17 for ducklings!


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2017)

I have a broody Muscovy, now that they have stopped laying.   too bad that you are so far away or I'd put your duck eggs under her.


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## AClark (Nov 2, 2017)

Oh no kidding! I don't have anyone that's broody, or I'd let them take care of it. However, my incubator is humming away nicely.

I have some doubts about these, they were kinda dirty and we had to wash the chunks off in the sink, but maybe that's how duck eggs are? Ducks are pretty messy critters. 

So, ladies topic here, anyone have a Nexplanon? I got one today, and OMG the nurse didn't numb it enough and yikes! Dr couldn't apologize enough and man that was full of suck. My arm looks like a horse bit me.

I now know how it feels to be "microchipped" like the dogs are. I have a lot more sympathy for them now.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 2, 2017)

Yes duck eggs are a bit dirty, but if ya wash them the protective bloom is washed off....if they are going in the fridge it no big deal....however, a dry paper towel will allow ya to remove the clumps and specks without damaging the bloom.....


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## AClark (Nov 2, 2017)

I just rinsed them under cool water to melt off the chunks, no soap. 

So, more goat math. Picking up my ADGA nubian buck tomorrow, when I go to pick up the 20 chickens lol. I think I'll be selling my pygmy buck, he's not bad but all my pygmy does are bred already, and not by him, and I can borrow a small buck if need be, I know someone with one. Poor dude just cant manage with the big does and they came back in heat again, he's pretty miserable with trying and getting nowhere. Doesn't get the hint that I backed her up to something he could stand on. He'll do better with more pygmy does.


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## Bruce (Nov 2, 2017)

AClark said:


> 14 year old found some he can live with (frameless).


And in a year or so he'll be more willing anyway. Can't get that driver's permit if you can't pass the test


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## AClark (Nov 5, 2017)

I don't know about a drivers permit, I've let him drive around here twice, once was yesterday. He hit the bush in front of my parking spot with my truck (although he did manage to miss dad's truck so that's a plus). I'm scared.

Got my new little Nubian buck and boy is he cute! He does have a scur, but it's pretty tiny, I might see if the vet can take it off. He's a friendly little guy.
He doesn't have a name yet, they said they called him Blackberry but I have no idea what to put on his papers. I'll figure it out I'm sure.
I'm going to be really sad when he gets rutty and stinks, I love how sweet he is.

We also have 20 new EE pullets. That was a trip for sure, that lady lived in BFE!


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 5, 2017)

He sure is a Cutie!!....and I didn't know that BFE was in Oklahoma....I've never been there, but have heard about it all my life....I even thought I'd found it a time or 2, but wasn't in Okie at the time.... ....but gald ya got the EEs....


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## Baymule (Nov 5, 2017)

Congrats on the EE's! I like the pretty eggs. I bought 4 Wellsummer pullets and 2 roosters at a poultry sale. I'm going to put one of the Wellie roos in with 3 EE hens I have for some olive eggers!


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## Bruce (Nov 5, 2017)

Love the big brown ears and cheeks on the black face, very pretty boy.

OK, I give up, what/where is BFE??
Nevermind, @CntryBoy777 PMed me the answer. Never heard of BFE before.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 5, 2017)

He is a handsome lad.


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## AClark (Nov 6, 2017)

So, he's the first goat that is really super friendly. The one in my avatar is friendly as long as you have food, my nubian does are too...but him, omg it's like having a dog. He follows me, and just generally hangs out with me. He's a doll. Plus, who doesn't love those huge floppy ears?
ETA: added in a pedigree if anyone is interested in that. 




We have an issue with some reddish orange paper wasps. They are aggressive, and made a nest in our attic, which we finally went up and checked out after it was dark. We actually have a big attic, you can stand and walk in it. I was afraid of going up there, our landlord said he'd never been in it as long as he owned the place. It has one of those drop down ladders from the ceiling, and that sucker is sketchy, but it did hold me and DH to go up there. I only went up as far as standing on the ladder, since we knew we had those little demons up there and I am allergic to bees.
The exterminator is coming to exorcise the little demons today. I hope he doesn't get nailed, they are super mean and chase you, stung my son in the head just walking by with a couple of tools about 10 feet away. Also hoping he doesn't piss them off and they come flooding out of the attic into the house.

I will probably get some olive eggers out of my incubator. Not sure, the blue eggs don't candle well, I can't see through them at all, but the dad is either the black copper maran rooster or our white leghorn.

Not even going to lie, DST has me messed up. Growing up in AZ and not dealing with it was awesome. I woke up this morning at 5, (normally don't get up until 5:30) and while I feel rested, something seems just wrong.
At least it will be light out when the kids catch the bus, but losing the afternoon hours sucks!


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## Baymule (Nov 6, 2017)

BFE


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## AClark (Nov 6, 2017)

Baymule said:


> BFE



That was my thought while I was driving, the lady goes "GPS to this intersection and then use these directions" and sent me directions, apparently GPS won't get her home address. 
So here I am, turning on this tiny dirt road, with the big horse trailer for miles and miles just hoping I don't have anyone coming the opposite direction because it's narrow and raining so if I get off in the shoulder I might sink...when I finally came to the end and had to turn right, I noticed I had hit the ditch with the trailer when I turned, even though I turned as wide as I could, I had tire tracks down in the ditch lol. 
I am glad I brought the horse trailer, kept chickens and little goat nice and dry for the 2 hour trip home.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 6, 2017)

Our roads used to be gravel, but then they covered with what is known as "Improved" road material....they drip tar and cover it with very small lime rock....locally it is called "Drip and Drop Pavement"....the big planting and harvesting equipment just eats it up and when they do get around to patching it, they use coldpatch....so there are many uneven surfaces...they train highway road repair guys back here when they do actually run a stretch of asphalt, but never a long stretch just a dump truck or 2 at a time....I guess it is better to keep down the dust and such, but it was a much better ride on gravel than this "Improved Pavement".....


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## AClark (Nov 6, 2017)

This wasn't graveled, just red clay dirt road. My horse trailer is covered in spatter from the truck, so white trailer with red splashes of mud. I'm re-painting it this winter anyway so I'm not going to worry too much about washing it off right now, I know that it will eat the paint but not a big deal since I"m going to prime and paint it anyway.
I plan on using farm implement paint, probably gray. You can see from my pic of the goat that the inside has some rust and stuff so the whole thing is getting a new coat. The floor is good so I'll just leave it and spray, I put non-slip mats over it anyway.


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## Bruce (Nov 6, 2017)

I presume the exterminator knows what he is doing and you will be rid of the beasties without incident!


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## AClark (Nov 6, 2017)

Oh yeah, it was impressive. They were falling out of the eaves by the hundreds. They aren't actually nested in the attic, just chose that for a warm spot, he went up and sprayed it all, but they nested in the siding. 
It was raining demons!


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 6, 2017)

Glad he got em...I truly hate those dad-gum things....I actually smile when they die....
 ...here is one that I won't have to deal with next Spring....


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## AClark (Nov 7, 2017)

Those are what we had, and they are straight from Hell. There were also regular yellow jackets as well but they hadn't presented as a problem and are nowhere near as aggressive as those kind.


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## greybeard (Nov 7, 2017)

we call that a red wasp around here. I'd be very interested to know exactly what pesticide the exterminator used to kill them.



> Our roads used to be gravel, but then they covered with what is known as "Improved" road material....they drip tar and cover it with very small lime rock....locally it is called "Drip and Drop Pavement"....the big planting and harvesting equipment just eats it up and when they do get around to patching it, they use coldpatch....so there are many uneven surfaces...they train highway road repair guys back here when they do actually run a stretch of asphalt, but never a long stretch just a dump truck or 2 at a time....I guess it is better to keep down the dust and such, but it was a much better ride on gravel than this "Improved Pavement"


Uhh..uhhh.uhh, Call on me teacher, I know the answer to this!!
Many years ago, when the dept of transportation was rebuilding a road in front of my house, I asked the on-site engineer why they were using chips instead of gravel, and he took the time to explain it to me.
It's called chip and tar here, and we have nearly 50,000 miles of it--all the Farm/Ranch-to Market (FM) roads and most other Texas Dept of Transportation (TxDot) maintained roads are now made with it.
Those same roads used to be made as your state roads were, with pea gravel instead of limestone chips.  The improved part refers to 3 things, in order of importance to the State.
1. Traction. The term gravel can mean several things, but most real gravel is round, more or less, and the part of the gravel that sticks out of the tar gave very little tire adherence. Gravel is just small igneous (fire/volcanic formed rock that has been eroded down over the eons by erosion or tumbling around in river or ocean current. It was very easy for tires to lose traction, especially in wet  conditions. The tread just slid from pebble to pebble. Chips on the other hand, are always sharp edged, comes from breaking up large pieces of limestone in impact mills..something similar to a feed hammermill.
2. Cost. What anything costs is always determined by availability and there is a heck of a lot more limestone in the world than there is gravel. Pea gravel is almost always solely found in river and stream bottoms, tho in the NE US, there's lots of it left over from the last ice age and where the glaciers stopped even far from any river or stream bed. Those glaciers also account for the boulders and not so big rocks found all over New England.
Almost all the world was once covered in oceans, and limestone is generally formed on the ocean floor..an eon old process of skeletal and exoskeleton remains of dead sea creatures. Mostly calcium, mixed with sand and highly compressed by the many thousands of lbs/sq in of pressure created by the tons of water on top of it. As the oceans receded after the last ice age, the limestone layers that made up the land surface were eventually covered with clay and soil formed by rotting vegetation, but the limestone is still down there..somewhere.  With cities ever expanding, concrete slabs being poured everywhere, and pea gravel being a major portion of concrete, and a finite volume of pea gravel being available only near rivers, most gravel is now earmarked for concrete use. Go buy a pickup load of pea gravel and you'll find the price of it has now skyrocketed. There are several gravel pits near me and the big dump trucks leave daily, headed for Houston and the readymix plants.  The biggest cost for crushed limestone here is transportation/trucking, but go 100 miles north of here, it's dirt cheap because there is a lot more of it near the surface.
3. Adherence to the tar. Crushed limestone is multi faceted, with irregular shapes, sharp edges and not uniform in size sometimes. The same quality that makes tires grip better on limestone chips also makes the chips stay in the tar better. Remember when you were a kid and walked down a tar and gravel road, there was always loose gravel near the edges of the road? You may even have seen signs warning "Loose Gravel!" That happened because the round pebbles were so easily dislodged, especially near stops signs and in curves. Throw on the brakes or accelerate hard and the tires pop them little round pebbles right out of the tar--chips..not so easily.

Downsides?
1.  Tire wear. The sharp edges wear tires out much faster than the gravel/tar mix did, even tho tire manufacturers supposedly reformulated their rubber compounds to make them do better. Motorcycle riders hate to come to Texas--their softer tires really wear quick on our chipNtar roads.
2. Road noise, internal and external noise. When they 1st started going to chips, everyone noticed more tire noise inside their cars and you noticed more noise from the roads while in your yard or even inside your house. With gravel, I hardly ever heard a car pass by, but now, I hear every one of them, and I can certainly tell the difference when driving on a chipNtar road when transitioning off a concrete or gravelNtar road. Much noisier on the chipped roads.
(and thats all I know about that...... )


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## babsbag (Nov 7, 2017)

They call it "chip seal" here and they use it to resurface a lot of county roads, even ones that have blacktop. But instead of limestone they use ground up "recycled" blacktop.


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## greybeard (Nov 7, 2017)

babsbag said:


> They call it "chip seal" here and they use it to resurface a lot of county roads, even ones that have blacktop. But instead of limestone they use ground up "recycled" blacktop.



The 'groundup blacktop' contains the chips of limestone or other aggregate, but almost always a crushed stone of some kind, which is why it's called 'chip seal'. You can see some pics of the aggregate here at cali DoT webpage:
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/MTAGChapter7-ChipSeals.pdf

If you can't open the pdf file, here's what it looks like when it's first put down and right before the roller pushes the chips down into the tar. Might be crushed granite instead of limestone, since there is lots of granite out west, but it serves the same purpose as crushed limestone.
(cropped photo from the above Ca Dept of Trans website)


 
The reground stuff just mixes everything together when the big grinder pulls it off another roadway, which is why it looks black when it's reapplied elsewhere. 
ChipNtar is the same thing and it too is often reused. I see huge piles of it in places where the highway dept stores it along side the roadways in preparation for fixing roads after construction or repair. In summer, they may not have to re-heat the re-used stuff but in winter, it has to be in order to make the asphaltic part of it pliable enough to spread.


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## AClark (Nov 7, 2017)

@greybeard I did ask what he was using to melt the little beasties. It is a .60 Permethrin based pesticide (honestly had a discussion on how safe it was, since the fly spray I use on the horses, Absorbine EX is .50 permethrin, so pretty comfortable using that around livestock), that was a truck mounted sprayer so probably a concentrate mixed with water. The other stuff he had was in a can, I didn't get the label off it but another permethrin based one, white can, blue writing, think it said 88 something. It sprayed almost a mist of stuff, didn't smell, that's what he soaked the attic with, then went out with the truck and drenched the eaves. They are an environmentally friendly company thing - I don't know, I didn't pick them out but they seemed effective. 
I still have those little red f'ers falling out of the eaves, they're getting the residual coming in and out now.


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## Bruce (Nov 7, 2017)

greybeard said:


> That happened because the round pebbles were so easily dislodged, especially near stops signs and in curves.


Which I guess is why our dirt road reverts to a seriously potholed road not long after the grader does it's thing. We have no "binding additives". I would imagine it MIGHT last a bit longer if they followed the grader with a roller but they don't. And people just can't slow down so they start "new" potholes almost immediately. Road is posted at 35, some of us do follow that or less, might have less road rip up if they would do 25. And not gun the engine when they crest the hill just before my house. That doesn't even make sense, they are on LESS upslope, they should be throttling back but NO, gotta get down the road.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 7, 2017)

Sure glad it worked well for ya and the family AC, we sure don't have a shortage here either.


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## AClark (Nov 14, 2017)

Friday night was chaos. I should just call our farm Chaos acres because when it rains, it pours.
So, DH's dog broke out of his pen, jumped into the goat pen and wreaked complete havoc. He attacked our new little buck and tore him up pretty bad.
I'm in the market for a new vet now. I called at 5:15, they weren't even closed as they don't close for another 15 minutes - I live less than 10 minutes from them. The receptionist told me "He's gone home for the day and isn't coming back, call" and gave me another vets number, this is after I told her I had an emergency and that our dog had torn up my goats face and neck badly. Seriously? Same vet as the horse incident except we are now clients of theirs and have been for months, and always paid on time. The other vet in town was out of town, but they called around FOR me and got me in to a vet 40 minutes away and told me they will always come in for emergencies unless their vet is out of town. He was great, He dropped what he was doing to come into his office and help, 2 hours after he was closed. 
I'll be going down there today to talk to the actual vet and let him know what kind of BS this is.

So, here's me, my 14 year old son, and this poor 60-70 lb goat. My son and I are just covered in blood, back seat of my truck is covered in it since we just picked him up and sat him on the backseat and my son held him while I drove. I had wrapped JD's neck with a combat bandage (I have a full Army medic bag) with quick clot to stop some of it. Our vet knew not to sedate him, just doped him up with some painkillers and numbed it all up, flushed and stitched, while I held JD down and my son sat with his head between his knees in a chair. JD also got some steroids to help with the swelling in his poor little neck. 


Like I told the vet that did help us, what good is a vet when they'll only do the easy stuff during business hours? He agreed and said it's part of the job to be called in from doing other things for emergencies.
We no longer have DH's dog. I don't know what got into him at all, he has never done anything like that, but it's not acceptable at all. Maybe it's been because he was sick (and over $300 in vet bills and they didn't know what was wrong with him still) but since he was sick and then decided that instead of herding he was going to destroy livestock, he was put down. Two of the punctures on JD's face were deep, all the way to the bone (vet put his finger in it all the way up to the knuckle, and my oldest son almost passed out), and he has bites on his back legs, one on the front leg and was having a hard time breathing. 
One of my Nubian does has a chunk out of one of her ears, but nobody else is any worse for the wear.


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## AClark (Nov 14, 2017)

We also acquired 2 pigs on Sunday. Pictures to come later. No back info on them at all, guessing they are under 6 months. One is pretty friendly now they have had a little settle in time and comes up to me for treats, the other won't come as close but neither are aggressive. 
I dewormed them for good measure. Twinkies with horse ivermectin is the way to go, they like twinkies. Both seem to be under-weight, though I know nothing of pigs they just look lean to me. DH knows more about pigs, having had them growing up, and they're his project.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 14, 2017)

Oh my AC, so sorry things exploded on ya like that....sure hope your buck heals okay and I would've done the same thing with the dog....I wouldn't stand for it either. That's a shame about the vet too and certainly wouldn't go back to a "Fair Weather" jerk like that either.....40mins is a bit away, but would be inclined to stay with that one or maybe he could refer one a bit closer to ya.
The pigs sound good and hope that works out...and will go a long way in filling the freezer for ya and the family....for a little while anyway.....


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 14, 2017)

Sorry about your buck getting hurt, hope his recovery goes smoothly.


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## AClark (Nov 14, 2017)

It is a bummer, poor JD didn't have any way to defend himself. I wish the dog had gotten after the horses instead, because they'd just kick the crap out of him and that would be it. It's probably why he's the only one that really got hurt, my two other Nubian does are big, and the pygmy's all have horns.
He is doing well though, once he is healed up he can go back out with the rest. I have 2 of the does in with him that are due to pop sometime? soon...I'm not sure when because they were already bred, but both are huge and have some discharge going on, so they're in the barn with him to keep him company. Likely that they have a month to go still, but I'd rather have them in the barn if we have a surprise rather than outside.

Let's talk about scurs for a moment. JD has them, and they don't affect his pedigree or anything, mostly cosmetic, but when at the vet and he thrashed before he got some drugs, that little nub sure did a number on my neck. I pulled him up close so he couldn't thrash and he swung his head and caught that nub all the way from my shoulder to the front of my neck. Didn't break the skin but left quite a bruise! It's not much of a scur either so I was pretty surprised.

Pig pictures, Colt is the black one (and male) and Petunia is the pink female.




 

 

 



Then some of the new chickens.





The pigs are awesome tillers. They've done all that since Sunday, which is fine there's nothing they can hurt there. I'm really debating grabbing some cattle panels and putting them where our garden was and letting them dig it all up around there for me, just to ease my back with the tiller come spring.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 14, 2017)

No need bustin' a hump when ya have animals that'll do the job for ya....and fertilize it for ya to boot....


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## Baymule (Nov 14, 2017)

Wow! Poor JD. Glad you caught it before the dog killed him. That sucks about the vet, so far we've been real happy with ours. 

What breed are the pigs? By all means, PUT THEM IN THE GARDEN! We did that with 3 feeder pigs, taking them out in March. We had reclaimed the area from green briars and brush, so several times a week, I picked up a bucket of roots. They really helped clean it up. Ley your pigs do the work for you!


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## Latestarter (Nov 14, 2017)

Sorry about your buck and dog. Hope the buck recovers with no complications. Grats on the bacon (said as I sit here eating reheated pork shoulder).


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## AClark (Nov 14, 2017)

No idea what breed the pigs are. This guy caught them off a property that bred pigs and moved away, but left the pigs. We got them both very cheap. They've obviously been handled, as I have no trouble with them coming right up to me, they're just a bit spooky yet. The male has a face like a bulldog, it's so ugly it's kinda cute. The female is more friendly and willing to come up to check things out. I don't blame them for being spooky, we kind of man-handled them to get them in the pen (DH had them roped around the neck and I grabbed the back legs and carried them), so I have no doubt that didn't help "trust issues", but I think they forgave me after I gave them twinkies and a bunch of expired dairy stuff out of our fridge.

Friday was just a rough day for all of us, my son and I cried almost the whole way to the vet, for JD, I was pissed at my vet, and knowing that our dog was going to have to go.

I may just stay with the vet that's 38 miles away. It's a long haul, but he was really nice and available when I needed a vet the most.


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## Bruce (Nov 14, 2017)

@AClark, looks like things worked out as best could be hoped for. Really sorry it happened at all. And yeah, seems like that vet wants a 9-5 job, with time out to play golf during work hours most likely.


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## Baymule (Nov 14, 2017)

Your son got a hard dose of reality. Covered in blood, worried over the goat and grieving for the dog, watching the vet stitch up the wound--that's a lot for an adult to process, mush less a 14 year old. Tell him his Aunt Baymule said he done good. He stepped up, did what had to be done and helped you where you needed it most.


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## AClark (Nov 15, 2017)

We decided to go with the vet that is 38 miles away. I did some calling around yesterday, and as far as goat vets, he's it other than the one we were going to. Every office I called said "oh goats, well we can do vaccines, or order them for you since you probably do them yourself, and little routine things like blood draws, but for surgery or emergencies call...(vet that is 38 miles away). 
The other one close to me will do routine stuff for goats, but refers out to the one way out for big stuff, and won't touch horses. The other one does horses, but said they can order me the stuff for goats to do myself because they don't do it and send it out to...you guessed it, vet that's 38 miles away.  That's it for the large livestock vets near me, the rest do small animals. 
Good thing is, the one that's way out does all large livestock, and has another vet in the office that does dogs and cats. He also told me if I had an emergency I couldn't bring down they will do house calls day or night, even though I live so far away. 

38 miles doesn't sound like a lot, and it isn't, but the drive is slow, only about 5 miles of freeway until it's down county roads, which is fairly slow going. It took me almost an hour to get there.

So, all that craziness behind me, I need to shampoo the back seat of my truck. It's an unholy mess, I'd be scared to be pulled over because it looks like someone was murdered back there, and I'm not sure explaining to a cop that "it's goat blood, I swear" even sounds sane. I was hoping I wouldn't on the trip out because as soaked as we were it was going to look bad initially. Imagine the cops reaction looking in the back seat, with a bloody teenager with a bleeding goat on his lap? 

My son is tough. He felt bad that once the vet opened up the big wound and he could see bone and tendons that he got woozy. I saw him get pale and start to wobble and told him he needed to sit down, and he tried to argue it but then said he felt sick. He also said "being a vet isn't for me!" Something about that huge hole just did him in, he was fine with all the blood, or just running on adrenaline because we were both really upset. I told him I was proud of him for stepping up when I needed another adult sized person, since DH had to stay home with the rest of the kids. My son carried JD in to the vet and out after I got him off the table and held him for the whole ride home. He even offered to sleep in the barn with him that night, just said to pull out the army cot and he'd be good. Of course not necessary and like I told him, we did all we could already. Good kid, just no gross open wounds for him. 

JD is recovering well, I think I'll let him out of the barn for a bit today so he can get some fresh air and sunshine and I can clean the stall without a friend pestering me the whole time. I've been cleaning it, but trying to pitchfork out used up straw and every time I turn I'm bumping into a goat is just time consuming.


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## Bruce (Nov 15, 2017)

Maybe you need to move about 38 miles from your current place

I know 

Tell your son there is nothing to feel bad about. He held up the whole time IT WAS IMPORTANT that he do so. LOTS of people get woozy shock from things they see.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Nov 15, 2017)

Great to hear he’s recovering!  And sorry your vet closest to you wasn’t much help, some folks just don’t get that animals are going to need help at random hours, and I can’t imagine how a large animal vet can be that way and stay in business.  I’d say the 38 miles is worth it even if it’s just for the peace of mind that  you have someone who you know will help in an emergency.  Tell your boy he did good, that’s nothing to be ashamed about.  I’ve done a lot of open wound treatment and necropsies for work and at school and seen a number of grown men get faint.  I remember one time at school we were doing a necropsy on a horse and this big feller (I’m 6’4 and saying big mind you) saw the intestines and he passed right out.  What matters is your boy did all he could to help.  He gets an A+ in my book


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 15, 2017)

It does your heart good when one of your own steps up to the task at hand and sees it thru....it does take a special mindset to deal with trauma and sure don't fault him for that. Ya can tell that it made him closer to JD if he was willing to bunk down with him in the barn overnite....there is a part of me that would've pulled the cot out for him, and a part that would've said it'd be okay to be left for the nite.....sometimes it is good to allow them to sacrifice to see it thru....builds character, and makes them feel better, helpful, and important....


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## AClark (Nov 15, 2017)

Had it been summer time, I would have let him for the peace of mind. However, it's been cold, and our barn is no part of insulated or warm lol. He'd have froze!
I grew up doing necropsies with my parents, especially when horses colicked. Always had to know whether it was impacted or twisted that did them in. I don't blame my son a bit for getting woozy, that hole was really gross. It has never bothered me, but I also think that's the first time he ever saw any kind of really traumatic wound too. No shame in feeling woozy, it's not like you can control it.
I think the only time I can remember feeling woozy was when I broke my pinky finger. I was putting down grated ramps to a trailer, caught my finger and dropped the ramp - backhoe ramp, so heavy. It snapped my finger and cut it pretty good.
It wasn't the cut, or the snapping sound, but the disgusting angle my finger was at that did me in (it was bent back and sticking out weird)...I had to sit down for that and not look at it. Actually, it still sticks up and out but not like it was.

Definitely proud of my boy though. He's really shown his true colors lately. First with the chickens at the state fair, and his concern over JD. I raised an animal lover for sure.

Who was it that had a poem about goats kidding? I'm feeling that way now, seems like the more I watch them, the less they look like they're ready. First we had some discharge, now that's gone, no udders, just huge bellies. Confusing critters! I wasn't thinking they were due until January or so, the lady I got them from said she thought they were bred in August...

Then, the doe I got from a friend that was supposed to have been bred came in heat. She may have been bred but her body condition is poor and I don't know if she didn't take or what...

So now I have kidding scattered everywhere. Dec/Jan/now? For 2, April maybe for 1, and not sure on the Nubians. JD isn't "buckish" yet, he's a bit slow to mature.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 15, 2017)

Oh, I totally agree with ya AC....he did Great!!....my first witness of trauma sure left me shaken for sure....15yr old kid was skiing and his dad was driving the boat....the kid went down skiing and was climbing in the rear of the boat by the motor....his dad started the motor too soon and the propeller cut both his legs.
I wouldn't have let him stay the nite in cold temps either, he'll always remember the incident and hope he continues with his love for animals....but, with you as his Mom, how could he not?


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## Bruce (Nov 15, 2017)

AClark said:


> Had it been summer time, I would have let him for the peace of mind. However, it's been cold, and our barn is no part of insulated or warm lol. He'd have froze!


Just because he suggested only the cot, doesn't mean you couldn't have added a sleeping bag to the request. Maybe even a pillow too!


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## AClark (Nov 16, 2017)

While I do have sleeping bags, I don't know where they are, which means they are probably stacked up in the huge tuff boxes full of Army crap. I'm not digging through those unless 100% necessary, lol.

We had 7 kits born sometime yesterday. All of them are the same uniform color. Mom is a cinnamon mix, dad is a cinnamon. I think we'll get another litter here shortly out of this ones sister, same father. Our white rabbit only had 2 the last time she kindled, so she's on thin ice, she isn't old or anything. Hopefully she has a big litter the next time around and we can scrap the freezer idea.


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## Baymule (Nov 16, 2017)

Congrats on the litter. Rabbit is very tasty.


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## AClark (Nov 20, 2017)

Weekend adventure...went and bought 4 turkey poults. They are black spanish x bourbon red. Very cute, 2 male 2 female. Derp will have new friends.

Grand total - 51 chickens, 5 turkeys, 5 ducks (10 eggs in bator), 2 guineas, 1 goose. Bo will have to wait because I'm having a hard time finding "it" a friend.

We've been unsucessful in selling our pygmy buck, so we are going to wether him. He has become so destructive to our fences that it just isn't going to fly.


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## Baymule (Nov 20, 2017)

Next year you can have your own turkey for Thanksgiving! Why don't you just give the pigmy buck away? Let him go be somebody else's problem.


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## AClark (Nov 21, 2017)

We're going to wether him and after he stops being "nasty" he's destined for the freezer. I'd send him packing for free except with the amount of feed I have into him, I may as well get some kind of return out of it. He's young enough that he shouldn't be particularly tough and I'm not particularly attached to him either, especially after all the fence damage. 

Yes, we'll have our own turkeys for T-day. Derp was originally purchased for T-day festivities, but ended up being DH's pet. She literally runs over to us and lays down to be petted. Call me soft, but if it's a "pet" I'm not eating it. Derp is a good 45 lbs now too, I learned you have to butcher them WAY younger if you want something you can reasonably fit in a fryer. 

That said, we are smoking our turkey this year. I have it brining right now.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 21, 2017)

Brining gives an ok meat the WOW factor.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 21, 2017)

I agree with ya AC.....no need to give food away for free when ya have $$ into the animal....it just makes the butchering much better when the sentiment isn't present. I agree with Mike too....brining is the only way to go....sure hope it turns out to be Delicious!!.....


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## Bruce (Nov 21, 2017)

I brined once at my sister's suggestion. Wow was that salty and naturally the gravy was even worse. Not doing it again. I think I did read that it is better done with previously frozen than fresh free range turkeys.


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## AClark (Nov 22, 2017)

I use 1 cup of salt per gallon, and I rinse them after they've brined. I LOVE salt though, but never had one be too salty. I don't want to run the risk of it drying out being on the smoker (it's going in tonight!) I'll put a rub on it and smoke it low for about 15 hours. I'm going to treat it like a brisket, should come out great! Plus, saves me time in the oven and heating the house up, or the fryer and buying oil. Normally we fry them, and they are good like that, really good, but this year I thought we'd do something different.

I won't butcher him myself, we have a place fairly close that does sheep and goats. I'll send him down there and pick it up when he's done. I'm about to have another arm surgery and I have too much other stuff to do to be bothered with it, plus by the time he doesn't stink anymore, I might have had surgery and won't be able to do it.
I have a MRI for my elbow today, and then an appt at the neurosurgeon right after to read it. If it comes out normal, then it's surgery on my elbow for the nerve, if it doesn't, he's going to send me back to orthopedics and have them work on it. Pretty much just ruling out bone problems in the arm, as the x-rays are all normal, because he's pretty certain my first surgery wasn't done right. He said the scar is a LOT bigger than it should be and it's probably still pinched somewhat. Either way, it's surgery on my elbow. I want this crap done before spring and the rodeo season starts up for me so I can go this year. Hard to ride the horse when my dominant hand and arm are too messed up to have the right "feel" going on. Plus I'm tired of taking gabapentin 3x a day and it's not helping.

Yeah I have a "pet" problem. If they become pets, I can't butcher them. Derp went from Thanksgiving guest of honor to "hmm we'll just hatch her eggs" lol.


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## Bruce (Nov 22, 2017)

AClark said:


> Plus, saves me time in the oven and heating the house up


Gee that is never a problem this time of year for us  I bet that smoked turkey is going to be 

I rinsed the one I brined but maybe not enough. The bacon was similar though we either got used to it or the one end was saltier than the rest. Only 3 slices left. Kinda hard to know when enough salt has been rinsed out!


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 22, 2017)

Either way I hope ya can get some relief from the elbow paining ya....and get back to riding like ya like to....


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## Latestarter (Nov 22, 2017)

Good luck with the elbow and the whole process. Hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving. That smoked turkey sounds delish.


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2017)

I am brining my turkey too. I spatchcocked it and mashed it flat. What I read on the internet, it shouldn't take long for it to cook on the pit, 3-4 hours. Tonight I'm going to take it out of the brine and leave it in the fridge to dry the skin so it will be crunchy. At least, that  is what the directions say.... And in the morning I'll put a rub on it. So we'll see. I'm looking forward to the carcass bones so I can make broth. LOL Smoked turkey.....


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## Bruce (Nov 22, 2017)

Baymule said:


> I am brining my turkey too. I spatchcocked it and mashed it flat. What I read on the internet, it shouldn't take long for it to cook on the pit, 3-4 hours. Tonight I'm going to take it out of the brine and leave it in the fridge to dry the skin so it will be crunchy. At least, that  is what the directions say.... And in the morning I'll put a rub on it. So we'll see. I'm looking forward to the carcass bones so I can make broth. LOL Smoked turkey.....


I had to look up "spatchcock". Looks interesting! But I don't have the kitchen "shears" nor do I have a big enough pan with a rack even for my small 13 pound turkey. Maybe next year.


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2017)

I didn't use kitchen shears. I sawed it outa there with a serrated steak knife.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 23, 2017)

We do chicken on the grill like that all the time.  It's quicker and tastes better than doing a whole chicken intact.  We cut out the back bone piece and make a bit of broth with that and the giblets and neck.


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## AClark (Nov 27, 2017)

Turkey take 2...
DH decided, against my advice I might add, to mess with the smoker Thanksgiving morning. It was slowly climbing back up after being left to cool in the early morning hours. Well, someone got a little overzealous with the wood and started a turkey fat fire. Let's just say the pigs thoroughly enjoyed all the work I put into the turkey before it caught on fire. 
It looked and smelled great before that. We ended up frying Turkey 2.0 due to time constraints. 

I pulled JD's stitches on Friday. It's still a mess, he developed an infection in the hole, so when I pulled the stitches, it was rather gross. Poor guy is back on antibiotics and being sprayed with blu-kote. It looks like it's going ok since it has now drained out considerably. That smell was pretty off putting. He was on antibiotics initially for 3 days, but I guess they didn't knock it out - that was Enrofloxacin. We went back to basics with Pen G as it appears to be staph infection from the signs of it.
 I'm glad I thought to give him a tetanus shot after we got home that night, since we had just gotten him he hadn't gotten hit with a CDT yet. I was pretty surprised that the stitches held that infection in and I hadn't seen any oozing or anything prior to stitch removal (at 14 days). He hasn't shown any signs of infection either, eats fine, acts fine. I did debride it as well to help it drain. He's a tough little guy. I planned on taking him back to the vet this week if it wasn't clearing but it appears to be getting way better. 

My ducks are starting to hatch out. I had 3 chicks hatch out over Thanksgiving; out of 5 eggs, two were developed but turned funny and never made it out.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 27, 2017)

Dealing with infection is never a pleasent thing, but sure glad ya caught it and improvement is marked. Burnt turkey is certainly not tasty....I know that had to be disappointing to say the least, but fried sure isn't bad either. I know the hatchings are exciting....I just love peepers....


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## AClark (Nov 27, 2017)

It looks pretty much normal (now that the sun is up and I can see) today other than some plasma ooze from where I debrided it. Of course the poor guy is tired of me constantly poking, prodding, and sticking him with antibiotics already. I may soak the scab off when the kids get home and I can get another set of hands to hold him for me to look better, depends on whether I see any fresh purulent drainage or not. I've avoided flushing it out because I don't want to damage the healing areas that look normal, it was super  deep to begin with, and I'm not keen on sticking anything even sterile in it to find out depth and risking introducing anything else to it. 
JD really isn't keen on me covering his eye with my hand to spray blu-kote. The wound is so close though that's about all I can do to avoid getting it in his eye. I love my new purple hands, very stylish.

We have chicks set to hatch on the 7th and the 11th. The 11th will be Silkie eggs from show quality parents. I'm excited, they are out of blue splash colored stock so they should be really wild.


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## AClark (Nov 27, 2017)

We have a quacker... and like 4-5 more that are pipped, you can see one next to quacker #1. Not sure about the rest that haven't pipped yet, I don't see movement or hear peeping. Fingers crossed they are just late to the party.

The other eggs name is "Bill". I told DH it had pipped enough I could see a beak...bill? and his smart@ss reply was "Bill? Did you just assume it's gender?" - so, regardless of gender, it's name is now Bill.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 27, 2017)

So Cute!!.....if it is a hen ya can just add an "ie" at the end of it....


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## AClark (Nov 27, 2017)

Exactly, can be Billie Jean instead of "Bill. Kind of like the goose, Bo. It's Bohannon if it's a he, and Bo Derek if it's a she, lol.


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## Bruce (Nov 27, 2017)

Geez, the only good thing about the turkey fiasco is that you had a second one you COULD cook. If that smoker fire crispy turkey happened here I think the options would have been frozen: pizza, ravioli, egg rolls, shrimp or tilapia. Just NOT what most want on Thanksgiving day!



AClark said:


> Did you just assume it's gender?" - so, regardless of gender, it's name is now Bill.


My grandparents and aunt called my mother Billie. She was (obviously) not a boy so instead of naming her WIlliam, they named her Wilma. No one other than those 3 ever called her Billie.


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## AClark (Nov 27, 2017)

Bruce, we didn't...very fortunate for us (and unfortunate for the employees) that Walmart is open on Thanksgiving and had ones already thawed out.


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## greybeard (Nov 27, 2017)

AClark said:


> Turkey take 2...
> DH decided, against my advice I might add, to mess with the smoker Thanksgiving morning. It was slowly climbing back up after being left to cool in the early morning hours. Well, someone got a little overzealous with the wood and started a turkey fat fire. Let's just say the pigs thoroughly enjoyed all the work I put into the turkey before it caught on fire.



People pay good $$$ for blackened red snapper and blackened shrimp...blackened poultry not so much...


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## Bruce (Nov 27, 2017)

Might depend on just HOW black!


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## AClark (Nov 28, 2017)

It had caught pretty good, it was a charcoal turkey lol.

So, apparently, these are Ancona ducklings! Two out of the 4 that have hatched are bright black and yellow with black spotted beaks and feet. I'll post pictures later, my brain isn't quite functional yet. "Bill" is an Ancona. Two are white, two are black and white so far, and one is mostly unzipped. 
I did have one pip at the wrong end. It was pipped yesterday morning and hadn't made progress this morning. I did end up helping it and I'm glad I decided to. Poor thing was so tangled up that it couldn't turn. Wing and a leg over it's head. Lucky for it it had pipped a big hole and could breathe. As soon as I cracked enough that it could straighten out, it tumbled out immediately. It was ready to be out for sure.


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## CntryBoy777 (Nov 28, 2017)

I bet they are just adorable and put a smile on your face just looking at them....


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## AClark (Nov 28, 2017)

3/5 are black and white. The smell in the incubator is pretty blech. I can't wait for them to dry out and finish hatching so I can move the little stinkers.


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## Bruce (Nov 29, 2017)

Why can't you move those that are already dry to a Mama Heating Pad brooder?


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## AClark (Nov 29, 2017)

I believe 5 is our grand total. I lied, 2 are black and whites, one is blue and white, and two white ones. I couldn't tel lthe one was blue until it was dry and it's light gray instead of black.

Today is pre-op, surgery is next week. They are doing something different and I shouldn't have a huge scar, but they don't want to give me much of a time line on going back to "work" due to the nature of the work.
So I have the 5 inch scar on the back and will have a new 1-2" on the side, since this one will be arthroscopic. So all but the outside of my elbow will be scarred (I have one directly on top from an accident that required a bunch of stitches).
What I don't like is from the MRI, my neurosurgeon couldn't find my ulnar nerve at all, since it has been previously transpositioned and isn't where it was originally...but also isn't where it should be after a transposition. Kind of weird. The thought process is that somehow it either slipped, which it shouldn't be able to, or something is pinching it again.
The neurosurgeon thinks I may get some feeling back in my fingers. Personally, and as I told him, I don't care as much about that and I'll call it a success if the constant pain stops. He may be right about the feeling, the position they had me in for the MRI did elicit feeling in my fingers...pain, but feeling all the same. I haven't even felt pain in those fingers in years. I snapped my pinky a couple of years ago and all I really felt was pressure from it. I knew it was broke since it sat at a 90 degree angle to my hand, but it didn't really hurt.

Anyway...I gotta get out and feed so I can leave in an hour or so.

@Bruce I didn'tw ant to drop the humidity by opening it to remove the 2 dry ones. I think the rest are failed though, I don't see movement on candling when I removed all 5, two were wet, but I dried them with a towel and put them under the lamp, didn't seem to bother them.


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## Latestarter (Nov 29, 2017)

Good luck with pre-op and I hope the surgery is a success.


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## AClark (Dec 7, 2017)

Short update.
Surgery went well, it looks awful and feels really awful but so far so good. 13 staples in the surgical incision.
Day 1 post surgery.




Day 3 post surgery, please excuse my carpet, apparently I'm the only person i the house that knows how to function a vacuum.


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## CntryBoy777 (Dec 7, 2017)

Big difference there....sure hope the insides are much better for ya too. Those staples just look very uncomfortable, but probably not. Glad it is going well....except for the assistance with the vacuum....


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## Latestarter (Dec 7, 2017)

Hope the healing goes well and you find improvement over how it was.


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## Bruce (Dec 7, 2017)

Yeah that just doesn't look comfortable.


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## Baymule (Dec 8, 2017)

Glad the surgery went well, hope you have the recovery that you need and want.


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## AClark (Dec 11, 2017)

It's an improvement in that I don't have searing nerve pain all the way to my fingers all day and night, that part is gone. Last night was the first night I went without painkillers and I didn't sleep very well at all, it's very tender and achy. 
The nerve had slipped out of place from the original surgery due to scar tissue and was rubbing on the bone, that's why it was constantly irritated and bothering me, I'll find out more at my follow up because that's the second hand explanation from my husband. I was too out of it to to remember anything from that whole day and a couple of days after. I didn't come out of the anesthesia for crap, I was dry heaving when I woke up and still really out of it when I went home. 
The bruising spread out quite a bit and isn't as dark, just in a larger area. I'm still really tired and don't have any energy at all.


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## Bruce (Dec 11, 2017)

Glad there is at least noticeable improvement, sorry you are still feeling poorly over all. DD2 doesn't come out of anesthesia well either. They have to give her lots of antinausea drugs.


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## Latestarter (Dec 11, 2017)

Hope you're getting a chance to actually rest and recuperate. I know you're normally a ball of fire doing one thing after another, non stop. Sorry the surgery was a bad experience, but then I guess there aren't many folks who consider surgery a fun vacation... Glad to hear you're feeling a little better.


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## AClark (Dec 18, 2017)

Bruce said:


> Glad there is at least noticeable improvement, sorry you are still feeling poorly over all. DD2 doesn't come out of anesthesia well either. They have to give her lots of antinausea drugs.



Yeah, I had zofran to go home with, and a sticky thing behind my ear that ultimately ended up tangled in my hair.

My staples are out. I still have some swelling but it's going down and isn't from armpit to wrist now. I got a pic the day they took them out and it is pretty puffy, normally I don't have a "fat roll" at my armpit lol.
Surgeon said that it was trapped slightly above the elbow with scar tissue that had changed where it was supposed to sit after surgery #1, and that he did the best he could with removing it. I have numbness in the elbow and down the arm, but I do not have searing nerve pain at all. I may or may not get the feeling back in my fingers, but I think it looks good for that. I'm using a squeeze ball to strengthen my hand and I can feel the muscles getting tired from doing it in that part of my hand, so that is encouraging!

That said, I'm back to "normal" but taking it a little easy. We put new collars on the goats yesterday since for whatever reason I keep finding them destroyed in their dry lot. This brings us to a funny experience.
My oldest son is helping me with measuring necks so I can put the right collars on that we made. I grab up Betty, one of my Nubian does, and I straddle her shoulders. My goats aren't wild, but they aren't in your pocket either. Betty decided to take off, with me straddling her, let's add in the visual that to straddle her, I'm standing on my tip toes. Since I'm in this awkward position, when she takes off, it takes me off my feet. She started bucking and running across the pen - no collar, no grip for me other than a small sewing tape measure. I ended up riding my Nubian across the pen while she bucked and ran. My oldest boy got quite a kick out of that, and I didn't fall off her. Oddly enough it was really fun, and funny.
Afterward, to catch the others that would much rather I not catch them, I ended up roping them. Athena is buck wild until you catch her, and apparently, even with an arm that looks like that, I can still rope and only missed twice out of catching 3, one wasn't even a real miss, just made too big of a loop and she hopped through it, caught around her legs and kicked it off. 

Critter update:
Pigs are doing well and really packing on weight nicely. We may or may not have piglets in the future, hard to tell but the male isn't cut and she should be old enough to have come in heat. 
Buttercup and Dahlia are due between Dec 24 and Jan 8th as best I can tell. Dahlia has some discharge, but she's a FF.
We had a litter of bunnies born on Dec 7th? or so - not sure exact date without looking it up, there are 7 and they are starting to get out of the nest box. We had another litter of 6 born yesterday morning, but 1 didn't make it. 
I also had 3 chicks born a week or so ago...again, not sure on the date without looking that up either. I'm bad with dates with this many critters, but I do write it down so I have a reference point. One of the chicks is all black, which I'm not entirely sure how that happened considering I know the mother is my all white EE, and the father could be only 1 of two choices, a Black Copper Maran, and Foghorn the white leghorn. The other two chicks came out white. *shrug*
Horses are all shaggy with winter coats and absolutely obese. I haven't ridden due to the arm surgery and not sure it can hold me to pull myself up, and definitely don't want to get dumped on it. 
One of the ducklings wasn't thriving and passed, it seemed fine that night and woke up and it had passed. It was smaller than the others, not sure what happened there. The rest are getting big though!

So, we are on kidding watch starting next week, I'm putting in new stalls in the barn today - slowly I might add, since while my arm is "ok" it does tell me when I'm doing too much.


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## Baymule (Dec 18, 2017)

Glad your arm is improving and hope you get the feeling back in your hand. You are wise to be careful with it. 

Do your kids realize what a great Mom you are? You will tackle anything and you don't back down. You have an over the top attitude and you get things done. You give your children a wonderful example to follow. What a fantastic gift you are to your family.


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## greybeard (Dec 18, 2017)

The bruising.....
I'm convinced, that during surgery, they handle ya like you were a big sack of potatoes, bending & contorting you this way and that, and grabbing & pulling on skin and muscle no less severely than they did the cadavers they trained on in med school...


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## AClark (Dec 18, 2017)

@greybeard my surgeon openly admitted just that. He said that while he had it all open he sat and functioned my arm to make sure the nerve wouldn't catch on anything or slip anymore. Just the description he gave me was kind of that knot in your stomach feeling. Kind of creeps me out since I had no idea they "played" with my arm while I was out. I could have done without knowing that! lol
That bruising is nothing, it looks 100% better than it did.


So, today's task, cleaning up and re-arranging to make new stalls in the barn. I also need to put a new turbo on my truck as mine ate it on the freeway before I had surgery and I just haven't had time to do it. It made a big whizz sound, puffed a little white smoke, and I pulled over. I couldn't figure out what had happened, I thought I ran something over or blew a tire at first but no, tires are all fine. When I went to limp it home, it ran really doggy, and after about 5 minutes I thought "gee, I don't hear my turbo spooling" - ya know since I can hear it in the cab. Yeah...it's toast. Hopefully it comes off ok, I have the new one sitting in my office. Those Holstet(sp?) ones are trash, I don't know why they don't put a Garrett or something decent on it from the factory. 95,000 original miles is all that one lasted, but bright side is the low mileage and lack of rust should make the manifold bolts not too bad to get off...*fingers crossed*

I don't know if I'll get to the turbo today or not, it's cold, and as long as it isn't windy I might get there. I have to go out and feed now, waiting on my "ninja suit" (older type Army silks) to get out of warming up in the dryer.


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## greybeard (Dec 18, 2017)

Well, they probably turn in excess of 5000rpms, (300,000 revolutions per hour) so at an average of 50mph over 95,000 miles, it's rotated 'about' 570,000,000 (570 million) times...more or less.


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## AClark (Dec 18, 2017)

Good math, I think I read somewhere that they run around 200,000 RPM - I'm assuming that's when full out; I was surprised by that number, came off a diesel site that sells turbos. Apparently a common failure on the 5.9L though. My 7.3 had the original turbo in it at 198k miles, but I'll take burning out the turbo over throwing a rod any day.
I didn't get all excited and throw in anything bigger, just a different brand of a stock turbo with a warranty for 2 years, no mileage clause. I'm looking at it now and debating whether or not I'm feeling up to that chore today. Not even sure if it's going to start, it's cold and hasn't been started in weeks now, and really need to move it over to the barn for tool access. The turbo is over 20 lbs by itself. I might start taking it apart and see how that goes, and if I can't get it in by myself I'll have help this afternoon. I'm 99% more likely to have help if the hard part of taking all that crap off is already done.

So, dressed to impress today with a full set of cold weather silks under my regular clothes, gloves, and a heavy jacket it wasn't too bad. My ears got cold fast though and I can't find my headband to save my life. Normally I'd leave my hair down to protect my ears but not when I'm thinking about working on the truck. I've found hair tends to not only get in the way but is definitely a risk around anything running. 
Some years ago, my mom was working on her truck and leaned over to reach something, caught her hair and it literally just ripped it right out. Lucky I suppose that it tore out and didn't suck her head down to the belt that caught it.


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## Bruce (Dec 18, 2017)

AClark said:


> Yeah, I had zofran to go home with, and a sticky thing behind my ear that ultimately ended up tangled in my hair.
> 
> My staples are out. I still have some swelling but it's going down and isn't from armpit to wrist now. I got a pic the day they took them out and it is pretty puffy, normally I don't have a "fat roll" at my armpit lol.
> Surgeon said that it was trapped slightly above the elbow with scar tissue that had changed where it was supposed to sit after surgery #1, and that he did the best he could with removing it. I have numbness in the elbow and down the arm, but I do not have searing nerve pain at all. I may or may not get the feeling back in my fingers, but I think it looks good for that. I'm using a squeeze ball to strengthen my hand and I can feel the muscles getting tired from doing it in that part of my hand, so that is encouraging!
> ...


DD had the patch as well. Nice the searing pain is gone!! That must make life a lot more bearable. Hopefully you will get feeling back in your fingers as the swelling goes away.

Too bad your son didn't have a video camera handy, that "bronco" riding would be fun to see - since you didn't fall off and hurt your arm.

You are taking it easy?  That means only working on stuff 25 hours a day, right?


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## AClark (Dec 18, 2017)

Basically!
Got the truck half torn apart. I looked at the turbo guts and thought "oh man, that doesn't look messed up" put my hand in it and no play at all...tried to spin it and NOPE, it's seized up big time. Double checked that with a brick on the gas pedal and got out to look and it didn't budge. 
But I'm back inside now, I need a 15mm wrench that I either have and can't find, or just don't have (found a 14 and 16 so assuming I own one and can't find it) so waiting on DH because he's borrowing one from a buddy. That's for manifold bolts, the rest is cracking loose easy, but I can't get a socket and ratchet in on the manifold. Ya know, plus the baby woke up and wanted breakfast and changed, so I'll get on it again when she takes a nap.


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## CntryBoy777 (Dec 18, 2017)

Glad it has all went so well for ya so far....and hope it continues to improve. I agree with Bruce that some roping and bustin' video would be rather entertaining....tho, the vision in my head was anyway.....hope the truck goes well too....


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## Baymule (Dec 19, 2017)

When my husband had shoulder replacement surgery, while he was out, the surgeon tried to move his arm, but it was too locked up. The surgeon was disappointed that he didn't restore more range of motion. But DH went to therapy 3 times a week for months and the therapist worked him HARD. He went from not being able to raise his arm to even shoulder height, to being to raise his arm all the way over his head, he can reach behind his back and even turn off the light on his nightstand because he can reach it now. The surgeon was amazed at the difference. So yeah, the surgeons do try to see what kind of movement you have after they "fix" things for you. You're knocked out and don't know it.....


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## AClark (Jan 4, 2018)

I had full range of motion before, it was more to make sure the nerve wasn't still getting caught up...just kind of made me think of Biology class and dead frogs making their legs jump with electricity. I still don't have to do physical therapy, which is basically torture anyway with nerve damage, and I'm not sure how well it's coming along. I am getting tingling in the fingers that were numb, so that's a good sign, but the surgical site is still so tender that even a minor bump to it is like being socked in the stomach. Hopefully that eases up with time - arm works fine, I'm having issues with using my hand to grip and open things, but I think it's coming along.

Needless to say, we've been busy. I'm still waiting on goats to kid...not very patiently either, I keep waiting to go out one morning and have babies and all I have are fat goats still, though one is bagged up and puffy on her back end so hopefully soon. I'm selling 2 goats, trying to get a couple of boer or kiko or spanish does instead, better market.
I have baby bunnies, a litter of 7 right now, and all 3 does bred for January babies. I decided on a plan, since it gets so hot here in the summer they don't end up conceiving due to the buck being sterile, we are back to back breeding for the winter and giving the summer off. I know there are a lot of different ways of doing it, some say not to breed back to back because it's hard on the doe, but by May it'll be hot and back to sterile for the buck so may as well and let the girls have their break until October.

The truck...yeah. So it's been down in the single digits and it took longer than expected for sure. Manifold bolts...HAHAHAHAHA. Sprayed them for 3 days with PB blaster and wouldn't budge. My neighbor gave me a can of Sili Kroil and said it will do it. Two days of spraying them and they finally broke free. But, someone put the down pipe clamps on backwards from the factory or they do that on purpose, and they were spun where you couldn't get on them, so the whole down pipe had to come off with it...that's fun to put back together, NOT. We did put it all back together correctly so if it ever has to come back off it won't be a nightmare, but man, I could kick a Dodge engineer in the head right about now. Truck started up after sitting for 3 weeks in the low teens first crank, which I was hoping it would have bee ncold enough not to start right away to prime it, but just had to do the bump and shut off prime. Runs great, tons of power and quiet turbo.

I finally invested in the best, most comfortable clothing ever. I'm so stylish, in my mens Carhartt lined overalls. Seriously these things are cute on me and I love being warm. My oldest boy won't stop razzing me about them though, I got 30 length and they are super long on me, pulled the suspenders up as tight as they go and still dragging the floor - some oompa loompa comments have been made, but my butt is nice and warm out feeding!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 4, 2018)

Glad things are healing up for ya and the feeling is better in the fingers. The sensitivity at the incision sight could be from subcutaneous stitches that haven't yet abosrbed or dissolved...I've had some like that and it seemed to take a while for it to subside, but eventually did, hope yours does too. The scar tissue can be annoying....my kidney bothered me until I quit growing. Glad the truck is back in running order and hopefully will give ya yrs of service now.....


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## Bruce (Jan 4, 2018)

Glad the truck is fixed, any such work in those temps is brutal even without seized nuts and bolts. 

I have the Carhartt insulated coveralls. Yep, good product though I wish they would have "wear patches" on the knees. Mine aren't wearing out but kneeling on frozen ground or snow can yield wet knees. Another layer of thick fabric would help with that.


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## AClark (Jan 4, 2018)

Bruce, the extreme arctic's are water repellent so would probably work better for your application. Like these ones https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carhartt-R33-Extreme-Arctic-Zip-Front-Bib-Overall-Quilt-Lined-Black-32-x-30/302585730309?_trkparms=aid=888007&algoISC.MBE&ao=1&asc=47301&meid=8486370c6d9d4e0b9075a3cf551fb4ae&pid=100009&rk=2&rkt=2&sd=253334556539&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

It was 20 degrees when the turbo finally went in, and something like 3 with the windchill, 25 mph winds at 20 degrees...it makes busting your knuckles 100x more painful for sure.


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## Bruce (Jan 4, 2018)

I'll keep those in mind when I wear these out, thanks!


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## Baymule (Jan 4, 2018)

My son gave me his Carhartt bib overalls that he outgrew. LOL They are too long on me, but I just roll them up twice. I love them! I have been wearing my flannel lined jeans, the carhartts, a long sleeve tshirt with a sweat shirt over it, then my hooded parka. I have been toasty warm as I slogged from the kitchen to the animals with boiling water, breaking ice and giving them a warm drink. Tonight low of 25, tomorrow night low of 30F, then we'll be done with freezes for awhile! 

@Bruce, make a patch for your knees with duct tape. it's water proof and will keep your knees dry.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 5, 2018)

Bruce -- you can also add a patch onto those pants.  Some are iron on.  Waterproofing can be bought in a can and sprayed on, also.  Plus the Duct tape.  I just find I need to place that since there's "play" in the fabric.   I love my Carhart jacket for warmth but, the fabric is a little stiff.

I've got some old ski pants that are lightweight, toasty warm and slick, so most things slide right off....even splashed water to an extent.    Up North those ought to be readily available at 2nd hand shops.  Here they are scarce.


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## AClark (Jan 5, 2018)

Mini, that stiff texture comes out in the wash if you use a little fabric softener. DH, me, and my oldest boy all have Carhartts and I just washed DH's for the first time last week since they get worn pretty infrequently because we don't usually have this obnoxiously cold weather; Tide pods and some cheap fabric softener on a cold wash then a medium dry and it is nice and flexible now. So my son gave me his brand new one to wash for him to get the stiff out of it. Worked like a charm. My Carhartt isn't the same material and has been washed way more frequently and it's nice and soft, but I wear mine daily since I'm cold blooded.
With that in mind, fabric softener has a way of making fabrics water repellent as well, that's why they tell you not to use it on bath mats and towels because it reduces the absorbency. I prefer my towels to be nice and soft though so I don't abide by it, but I do for bathroom rugs.


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## Bruce (Jan 5, 2018)

I have ski pants, use those with the winter coat when going "off property". Also have a ski coverall. Haven't skied for years though. Those would be OK when I'm blowing snow but it doesn't have a hood like the Carhartt's do (add on, not integrated). The gap between hat (with integrated face cover) and collar is a REAL cold spot in the wind. I guess they could be for "good weather" snow blowing. Sounds a bit of an oxymoron!


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## AClark (Jan 8, 2018)

We had a productive weekend, and I will have a very busy morning today!
Went to the auction on Saturday, sold both Athena and Wee-man and a couple of rabbits. Came home with 3 Boer/kiko does (I don't really see the kiko in them, they look mostly Boer), a new doe bunny, and 3 chickens, lol. Then went on Sunday to pick up a new Nubian doe, who came with a buddy.

I couldn't really pass the buddy up, she's an older Boer doe, they wanted $25 for her (got the Nubian for $25 also because she's 8 years old). This poor Boer does hooves are so bad she walks on her knees which are thick with callous and her brisket is thickened from rubbing the ground. If you've ever seen a pony with neglected hooves that got "elf shoes" for hooves, this is what this Boer does look like. DH literally had to carry her to get her in the trailer, unfortunately we got home so late it was almost dark so I didn't have enough daylight to start taking a whack at those monsters. I will get pictures before I start cutting them down today. The guy said he bought her with long feet and said he just wasn't confident in cutting them off - I'm confident that even if I knick the quick it'll be better than walking on her knees. I'm going to have to use horse nippers to get the toes off.

Boer is bred to a Saanen buck possibly because they couldn't keep him in, they said she's 10-11 years old and kidded over the summer. I'm not so sure she's quite that old, her teeth are a bit gapped but in perfect shape, no missing ones and not extremely worn. A little "long in the tooth" perhaps, but she's in excellent weight. Her and the Nubian have rough coats so I already dewormed them and have mineral out. Both are extremely gentle and the Nubian was a purchase for the kids to get into showing with something they can handle, honestly just felt bad for the Boer doe who my husband affectionately called "knuckles" but the kids named Ruby since she's all red. Both of these older does are just darlings and sweet as can be.

The Boer/kiko does that came from auction are all young, and pretty thin and scroungy looking. That said, I paid less than $100 a piece for them.

I tried to find a video of really badly over-grown goat hooves on Youtube to reference, as I'm skilled in trimming, have done horses with "elf shoes" but not goats. Nothing on the YT had anything as extreme as this, even the neglected sheep cases they made this huge deal over the hooves was nowhere near as bad as poor Ruby. Her back feet aren't any better, but I'm a bit afraid to trim on them since her front feet are so extremely bad and will be uncomfortable to stand on while I do them, I may wait on the back until my boys get home from school so they can help me lay her down to do them more comfortably.

So, that makes 10 goats now. I still have two of the nice pygmy does that are ready to pop any day (may have over night, I haven't been out to the barn yet, fingers crossed) 3 Nubian does and 4 Boer does and my Nubian buck. It sure changed the feeding dynamics to remove the two bullies out of the group, and they aren't missed.

Pictures coming after the sun comes up and the kids are off to school!


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## AClark (Jan 8, 2018)

Got her's hacked down some, it's going to be a work in progress but it's a LOT better. I didn't even hit pink on the front but they're so underslung I figured I'd give her time to adjust to her "new shoes" and then rasp them down more in a week or two. I had to use the good GE (horse) hoof nippers to even get through them enough to use pruning shears. We did most of it with her laying down, which is great because I was afraid of working on the back feet with her front ones being tender, but she decided she'd just rather lay down. It makes it hard to work the big horse nippers, but we got 'er done.




 



Now for the fun pictures:

 Ruby (10+ year old Boer doe with the bad feet)


 



Clara - Nubian doe, who also got a pedicure:



 



The 3 Boer/kiko does I got at auction, no names yet, just 11, 12, and 14 tag #'s


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## Bruce (Jan 8, 2018)

AClark said:


>




That girl's life improved a billion percent the minute you decided to bring her home!


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## AClark (Jan 8, 2018)

She's a sweet girl, she has the weirdest fur, it's soft and curly in spots. All 5 of the new ones feel rough, I have copper bolus on it's way to add to the deworming. It was time to bolus everybody anyway, just for good measure. She's well fed, by someone with good intentions, but they didn't have time or the inclination to hack those feet off. I think it took me less than an hour and a half to get through hers and the other does.
Ruby is up and walking around on her new shoes no problem, no more walking on her knees. That was rather pathetic to watch.

My next endeavor is a hay rack so they lose less of it. I bought a round bale feeder for the horses since a lot was being wasted with them stepping and pooping in it - good investment. I need something like that for the goats but will probably just make something, I have a couple of old cattle panels that are really messed up on an end so can cut those.

I also picked up a welder at the auction. It's an oldie for sure! It's a Twentieth Century 260 amp arc welder with a cutting torch setting. Never used a carbon cutter, at least I think that's what it is, and those leads are gone but it was said to work and I got it super cheap. It's on wheels and it's a big sucker, I read that Lincoln bought out Twentieth Century a long time back but have no guess on the age of it.
I learned on an old Lincoln, but I need to do some reading on this one before I fire it up.


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## Bruce (Jan 8, 2018)

Have fun with the "new" welder


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## TAH (Jan 8, 2018)

Omg, glad you got her hooves trimmed. 

I believe @Southern by choice made a round bale feeder from CP's...


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## AClark (Jan 8, 2018)

Im thinking the V style feeder maybe - I'm not sure how I want to do it yet, but I'm on pinterest looking for ideas. As long as I can tackle it with a light duty welder, I'm good - I have MIG welder but it isn't heavy duty so I can only do so much with it.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 8, 2018)

Sounds like the arm operation has not caused much discomfort cause you are sure raging onward!     You go girl!

Nice job on those goat feet.  I'm certain Ruby appreciates your work.  I use my horse nippers sometimes, especially on the buck who's got big, tough hooves.  But since I have mini horses, the nippers are specialized, smaller ones.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 8, 2018)

Great job on those hooves!  

Oh the hay! Ugh, yes we have tried everything. Finally we made one that has zero hay wasted! It has been great.  Our round bale is now going 10-14 days!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 8, 2018)

Sounds like ya made-out-like-a-bandit at that auction. Hope the goats and equipment serve ya well. If we stay here and stay at it, I'd like to get a couple of young Kiko does....we'll have to wait tho and see what the outcome is.


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## Baymule (Jan 8, 2018)

Southern by choice said:


> Great job on those hooves!
> 
> Oh the hay! Ugh, yes we have tried everything. Finally we made one that has zero hay wasted! It has been great.  Our round bale is now going 10-14 days!


What about a picture of this miracle hay feeder?


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## Baymule (Jan 8, 2018)

Wow! Those hooves! You are a good person to take pity on her and take her home and make the ol' girl right again.

We once bought a donkey with curled up hooves. Poor thing had rain rot and could barely walk. We just couldn't leave him there.


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## Latestarter (Jan 8, 2018)

Nice repair job on the hooves. That HAD to be painful for her being that way. Sounds like you're feeling a lot better and more "mobile" with the arm. Hope so anyway. Grats on the new animals.


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## AClark (Jan 9, 2018)

Mini Horses said:


> Sounds like the arm operation has not caused much discomfort cause you are sure raging onward!     You go girl!
> 
> Nice job on those goat feet.  I'm certain Ruby appreciates your work.  I use my horse nippers sometimes, especially on the buck who's got big, tough hooves.  But since I have mini horses, the nippers are specialized, smaller ones.


Honestly, I paid for it with the arm last night, but I was so tired I wiped out early. There are definitely some limitations. I have found that I can't swing a hammer, my arm fatigues too fast and then I can barely lift it, but other things aren't a problem like using nippers or hand tools that I don't have to swing.

The horse nippers are awkward for doing goat feet, since they are nearly impossible to handle 1 handed. I ended up putting the handle on my shoulder and doing it that way so I could hold her foot at the same time.

I'm using these hoof nippers though: http://geforge.com/tools/#hoof-nippers   the 15" Classics. I'd venture to say they are about the best horse nippers on the market for durability. They stay sharp for a very long time and you can send them back to be sharpened for $100. This pair is 10+ years old, well used, and still extremely sharp.
The Boer/kiko does aren't all that wild, I can pet them at feeding time no problem. I prefer tag #14, she's thicker bodied but I also think she's older too. Ruby and Clara are dolls. Ruby is getting around 100% better, even last night she was moving around great and off her knees entirely, though she's a bit tender but I expected that since I cut so much off and completely re-angled her hooves.
@Southern by choice  we need pictures of the no mess hay feeder!


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## greybeard (Jan 9, 2018)

AClark said:


> lso picked up a welder at the auction. It's an oldie for sure! It's a Twentieth Century 260 amp arc welder with a cutting torch setting. Never used a carbon cutter, at least I think that's what it is, and those leads are gone but it was said to work and I got it super cheap. It's on wheels and it's a big sucker, I read that Lincoln bought out Twentieth Century a long time back but have no guess on the age of it.
> I learned on an old Lincoln, but I need to do some reading on this one before I fire it up.


There's several ways to use the cutting option on a stick welder. Carbon rod by itself--makes a heck of mess to clean up..carbon rod with air blast (you need the cac leads and holder) , and .........cutting with any 1/8 mild steel rod like 2010 or 2011. You'll want to put the  2010--2011 rod in water for a few minutes.  Use +ground, crank the machine up to a high setting (200a+/-) Lay the rod down at a shallow angle and cut moving forward. It's gonna smoke like the dickens but the wet flux creates steam to help dislodge the molten steel, and keeps you from burning thru rods like mad. 
Should be some videos on youtube. 
They do have some specialized rods just for cutting without air with a stick welder nowadays..I never bothered with any of them. 

With the CAC holder and rod, make sure you do it away from anything combustible. The air jet is going to blow molten stuff about 4' away.


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## AClark (Jan 9, 2018)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Sounds like ya made-out-like-a-bandit at that auction. Hope the goats and equipment serve ya well. If we stay here and stay at it, I'd like to get a couple of young Kiko does....we'll have to wait tho and see what the outcome is.


These guys went for $87 each, that was the reserve. Not bad in an area where most go around $200, even mixed. Of course, cheap livestock isn't cheap, since you have to dump feed and care into them.

@greybeard I was hoping you'd chime in about the welder. Thanks for the tip on the 4 ft of blowing hot crap. I've never used that kind of cutter at all, I've used a plasma cutter plenty, but it doesn't look like it works the same at all. I did read that it is messy cutting and not pretty, so if I get the lead and all for it I'll reserve it for stuff I just can't hack with an angle grinder or reciprocal saw. Really just wanted a heavy duty arc welder, my stock trailer needs some spots fixed and I'm a lot better with an arc welder than a mig. I really think if I want a cutting tool I'll just do oxy-acetalyne and call it a day, I at least know how to work those.


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## Bruce (Jan 9, 2018)

AClark said:


> They stay sharp for a very long time and you can send them back to be sharpened for $100.


$100 to SHARPEN them? How much do they cost?!?!



AClark said:


> Ruby is getting around 100% better, even last night she was moving around great and off her knees entirely, though she's a bit tender but I expected that since I cut so much off and completely re-angled her hooves.


Poor thing has to learn how to walk again. But she clearly knew you had fixed her up when she started walking on her feet as soon as you were done.


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## AClark (Jan 9, 2018)

@Bruce about $260 a pair. You can use and resharpen them for a long time as long as you don't gouge them and it takes a lot to gouge those. Horse hooves can be very hard and tough to cut, you can get cheaper ones for around $70 a pair, and I have an old set of cheapie Diamond nippers. The diamonds are now used for pulling horse shoes because they are gapped and gouged so badly that they are trash, but good enough to use like a big set of pliers.


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## Bruce (Jan 9, 2018)

Why so much to sharpen them??


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## AClark (Jan 10, 2018)

I'm not sure, they have a specific place that is authorized to sharpen them, probably something with the warranty on them. It's well worth it, and if you only have to do it once in a great while, like this pair has never been sharpened since the factory, they're well worth it. When you send them in for sharpening you basically get what looks like a brand new pair back, they completely recondition them and they are sharp enough to shave with. Definitely have to watch even sliding it across a finger or hand for a long time because they'll knick you up good.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 10, 2018)

Generally, things like these have heat involved -- forget what it's called now, too early.  But it makes the edge almost scalpel sharp & it holds.  First pair I used felt like you were just cutting butter, not tough hoof.


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## AClark (Jan 10, 2018)

Exactly, they come from the factory as sharp as a razor blade. 
Way back in the day, when I was a small child, we had a stud that reared up during a storm and caught his neck between two panels that were connected with a pretty sturdy chain. He hung from his neck like that for quite awhile, was even "dead" (required resuscitation after being cut down). When we saw him, my grandmother grabbed a pair of these nippers since it was the only thing around and cut a steel chain with them. Oh it gouged the edge up pretty good but they actually cut through the chain. She kept the pair as a reminder, since they're pretty wrecked. The stud lived another 7 or 8 years and died at a ripe old age of 28. They are no joke at all when it comes to being sharp and sturdy.


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## AClark (Jan 10, 2018)

The wait is still on with my two does that could have been due the day before Christmas, all the way up to Jan 28th. One is wider than she is tall.

Figured we could do something fun, anyone want to take a guess at how many they each have? I'm betting on at least twins on each. Or take bets on due dates? They were bred in August - sometime. Latest date I expect is the end of the month.


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## Bruce (Jan 10, 2018)

Move aside, wide load coming through!

I guess something between 1 and 4 per doe. How's that for improving the odds to about 100%?


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 10, 2018)

It's "Doe Code" time....hurry Up and wait.........they are great looking girls, bet their kids are cute as buttons....


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## AClark (Jan 11, 2018)

It is, I keep hoping every morning I'm going to go out and there will have done like Gremlins and multiplied. DH is calling them freeloaders, since they're in the barn all cozy and doing nothing but eating and sleeping.
Both are puffy and have discharge, we had a storm last night so maybe this morning when I go out. Seems like that's when everything has it's babies, during storms or bad weather, lol.

Finally named the Boer/kiko girls. We have Josette, Sarah, and Maggie. Extra points if you get the reference.


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## greybeard (Jan 11, 2018)

Vampires and ghosts and werewolves oh my!


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## AClark (Jan 11, 2018)

Nailed it! We're re-watching it on Amazon. I LOVED that show as a kid, and I appreciate it even more as an adult.

I can see babies kicking in Dahlia and she's fidgety. The weather sucks today so maybe!


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## Bruce (Jan 11, 2018)

Glad @greybeard got it because I STILL don't know the reference.


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## greybeard (Jan 11, 2018)

Only reason I knew it was because my kids watched it when they were younger..they were pretty easily entertained at that stage.. Some kind of dark soap opera with 'monsters' in it.


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## Latestarter (Jan 12, 2018)

Barnabas Collins and Dark Shadows? My older sister was addicted to it... I watched a couple of shows and meh...


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## Bruce (Jan 12, 2018)

Meh pretty much sums up my opinion of soap operas. My sister used to watch some in HS. No idea which ones but it seemed like they all had the same characters (bitchy woman, being taken advantage of woman, sleazy guy, etc). And it seemed like you could miss 2 weeks of the show and not miss anything at all, still seemed to be in the same plot.


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## AClark (Jan 16, 2018)

Kind of a soap opera but kind of not. It is from Dark Shadows, which has a really interesting story line. I don't watch soaps, can't really stand it, but this doesn't hit that category for me. I watched the re-runs when I was little in the late 80's/early 90's. But it is good clean entertainment, and what DH and I do while we are thawing out at bed time. 

We had a busy long weekend. We built a goat hay feeder. It came out good considering we only had a picture of one to go on and scrap wood, pallets, and some old fencing. I'll get a picture later, I'm currently dreading going out. I overslept this morning, I woke up around 2 AM with a bad backache, laid in bed until 3, finally got up and took tylenol then and got back to sleep around 3:30ish. I got up an hour late at 6:30 to see my kids were up, ate breakfast, and already dressed so I went back to bed since the baby was still sleeping. 
To finish the goat feeder, DH got me a nail gun that runs off the air compressor. I LOVE that thing. So far, my arm isn't in shape to swing a hammer, I tried, and made about 4 pathetic swings before I couldn't lift the hammer anymore. The nail gun negates this and sped it up so much! I plan on making pallet and scrap rabbit hutches next since now I can do it without hurting my arm.
Our tools were kind of rag tag. I use a reciprocal saw to cut up pallets, DH used the chainsaw to make all the lop sided boards the same length, a nail gun and a stapler and some ten penny nails and fence staples. It came out really good, fits an entire bale of hay, and loses a LOT less.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 16, 2018)

My theory is whatever gets the job done, is what really matters. I have and will again use the chainsaw to clear brush, briars and vines from the ditch bank....lay it down, pile it up, and set fire to it.....saves all the physical work and clears out large patches quickly and with less effort than ditch blade, ax, and physical labor....
The ducks were dust bathing in the 2.25" we got here and the goats are out actually looking for acorns in it....while standing in the sunshine at 19°.....have a low tonite of 9°.....


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## AClark (Jan 16, 2018)

It's 24 here right now, with a low of 6. We didn't get any snow though, just bitter cold. Tomorrow is supposed to be 38 and Thursday up to 53, ending the weekend in the high 60's. I'm glad we didn't get snow, because even after living in NY for 4 years, I never got the hang of driving in snow/ice at all. 
Can y'all keep your fingers crossed for my sons hen, Mother Clucker? She's one that came from the fair, a cornish cross hen that's super friendly and sweet. She wandered in the goat lot this morning and Sadie got her. She's fairly torn up but is alert, one wing is pretty bad but I stopped the bleeding and she has some torn skin. Probably the worst thing dealing with Sadie is that she "plays" with chickens too rough. She's kept away from them, but if they wander in, she hurts them. Mother Clucker being a heavy breed, doesn't fly or move very fast.  
I've tended the worst of it and have her in the house. My son doesn't know yet but I know he's going to be upset, so we're really praying she'll pull through. She got lucky that my husband went out to break the ice off the waterers better than I could and caught Sadie in the act.


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## Bruce (Jan 16, 2018)

BAD Sadie!!


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 16, 2018)

Hope she pulls through for you


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## AClark (Jan 16, 2018)

That's quick clot bandage on the wing, you can see it's pretty bad. Probably broken, but the bleeding was priority. The purple is blu-kote which I haven't put under the quick clot. Once I'm sure the bleeding has subsided, I'll pull the quick clot off and rebandage the wing. It's pretty gross under that, there's no skin left, tendons and muscle all exposed and some damaged. I didn't inspect for broken bones initially but pretty sure I saw some fragments further down. I'll assess that when we re-bandage.  

She's very alert, drinking water from a mason jelly jar and curious what I'm doing. She's in a tote on my kitchen table. Poor girl is a favorite around here.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 16, 2018)

Sure hope she pulls thru.........that situation is a tough one to handle for sure....hope the son isn't too traumatized by it, or the hen either.


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## Baymule (Jan 16, 2018)

I hope she makes it!


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## AClark (Jan 16, 2018)

Us too Bay. She's really alert and enjoyed attention fro mthe kids when they got home. My boy (oldest) is really pissed at the dog. He's going to help me re-assess her wing after dinner tonight. It bled through the quick clot some but looks like it has stopped, so we'll check it out and doctor as need be. The fact that she's alert and not acting "shocky" is good, I think she'll pull through it.


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## Latestarter (Jan 16, 2018)

Really happy you got her before the dog finished playing with her. Hope she recovers, sounds good from what you described. It's amazing the injuries these birds can recover from. I've read countless stories over on BYC. If you have some Popsicle sticks of the like, you might be able to splint her wing if it is broken and it may heal as well. Grats on the nail gun! I'm sure that makes your labors so much easier and less painful. Good hubby!  Pictures of your feeder are anticipated... I need to get off my duff and make one as well. @Southern by choice posted on another thread someplace that they built one that's basically zero waste... Many have asked for pics and I'm waiting for those as well  So far, I'm kinda leaning toward the Premier One style...


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## AClark (Jan 17, 2018)

@Latestarter this is what we had in the way of plans for building ours. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ee/4c/6e/ee4c6e6dda1ec7c42ca66cba5886cd91.jpg

That said, I modified ours slightly from this. I wired the bottom pallet because I had wider gaps between boards, and I also put another board on each side on the feeding sides to retain the hay on the bottom, it isn't high, just a maybe 2" lip on either side. Also, instead of wiring just up to the edge we cut ours a bit longer to wrap completely over the top 2x4. 
So far, a whole bale was put in ours and there's basically no waste. 

Pallet busting, some people use a pallet buster or crow bar. I rip through them with a reciprocal saw with hacksaw blade and just cut the nails, most of the time they are spiral nails and they don't back out even when cut. it's 100x faster than busting them and 9 times out of 10 the boards don't split this way. 

Mother Clucker is alive and perky this morning. She ate well when I fed her last night and has been drinking well. 

The wing doesn't look broken, but it is mangled very badly. All I could really do was put non-stick pads on it and tape it up to keep the exposed bone protected.
Before :


 

After:


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## Latestarter (Jan 17, 2018)

Thanks for sharing the feeder pick. I LIKE that and glad you mentioned adding the edge lips to keep the fallen stuff in on the platform. Was one of the first things I noticed and thought about. Did you use the real small opening (no climb horse fence?) style fencing in yours? Can the goats get their mouths far enough through to grab some and pull it out? I have some cut up cattle panel pieces I was going to use, but they can fit their whole heads through and pull out huge chunks, dropping most of it as they chew what's actually in their mouth. What hits the ground rarely gets eaten...

I've never had a bird wounded quite that bad, but did have one with some seriously torn flesh. I used a product called EMT Gel. I guess it's collagen based and hospitals are using something similar on burn victims to help them regrow skin. It worked really well for me and I've recommended it to others over on BYC and they've reported really good results with it. It's VERY thick and "sticky" so it can make a bit of a mess spreading it on, but is seals the area and keeps it from drying out as well.




Hope she continues to do well and recovers.


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## AClark (Jan 17, 2018)

Goat mouths fit well in the no climb horse wire - which is exactly what we used. It's about as close to perfect as it could get. I thought about using cattle panels as well, but this smaller square wire seems to work perfectly and the hay stays in very well -I had the same thoughts since their whole head fits in a cattle panel square. There's barely any on the platform, which I also covered with the same horse fence wire. The cheap welded kind - nothing fancy. 
They can only get about a mouthful this way, I really have very little on the ground, and like you, once it's on the ground they don't touch it and it ends up in the compost pile since it's usually soiled.

I found the inspiring picture on pinterest - that's all the instructions that were with it, just the photo. Ours looks very similar, other than our little tweaks. I'll get a picture when I go out here shortly.


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## Latestarter (Jan 17, 2018)

I'm gonna have to chat up @Baymule and see if she has a 4' or so piece of no climb horse fence she can "loan" me.   I don't use it and really don't want to buy a whole roll just to make a single hay feeder. Out of curiosity (since I can't see) did you attach the bottom of the fencing to the collection tray, or is it free swinging, like a hammock? Also, my goats LOVE to climb and eat down in from the top... Are you covering yours (also for some weather protection) or did you adjust the height to keep the climbers out? Mine actually climb the cattle panels so they can get their heads down into the hay rack I have hung on the fence.

Thanks for your input! Greatly appreciated.


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2018)

Yes, @Latestarter, we have a open roll and will be glad to let you have a piece of it.


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## AClark (Jan 17, 2018)

Here's mine. I made mine a bit taller to discourage climbing. Mine really only climb on the gate at feeding time.
The wire is not secured to the bottom, so it has room to drop onto the "tray" - it easily holds a 50-60 lb bale. Pretty sure you can see the daylight under mine. I do have to break the bale into flakes to fit that much. I figure if I need weather protection I can cover it with a tarp, right now it's so super dry it's not a concern. 

That said, I saw one of the Boer nannies on her knees picking pieces off the bottom out of the tray when I went out to get this picture. You can see how little is actually spilled, most of what is on the ground is stuff I haven't raked up from before putting this bad boy in.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 17, 2018)

Nice job!   Anything that can save hay!!!!


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## AClark (Jan 18, 2018)

Ok, how this works with climbing, we found out tonight.
Yes the goats can stand on the edge and eat out of the top of it. Only the Nubians can really reach, because they are giraffe necked, lol. It didn't seem to be a problem with dropping more hay, and you could easily deter that with a piece of plywood or something if you really wanted to. 
I put an entire compressed bale of prairie hay in it broken into flakes. That's the first climbing I've seen, and I think it was only because they were interested in the fresh hay I was putting in. I was talking to the hay farm owner yesterday (as they were giving Lena some of the office managers birthday cake, lol) and he was asking how well my goats ate the prairie hay because he had someone complaining that theirs wouldn't eat it and preferred bermuda over it. Mine love it, and won't touch the horses coastal bermuda. The horses would prefer the prairie hay as well, but they don't have any left in the round bales. I don't "hoard" hay for the winter since I live next to a big hay broker and it's easier to buy as I go since we don't have the means of handling the big bales, but maybe I should this summer.


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## Baymule (Jan 18, 2018)

We don't have a tractor big enough to handle the round bales, but our hay guy lives a mile away, stores them in his barn and brings them to us as needed. We pay him $10 a bale extra for this. It is well worth it. We pay him for the winter's hay when he cuts it and not one at a time. That way we KNOW we have our hay reserved. 

Maybe since you live next to a hay broker, he would deliver a round bale for you. Get a horse hay ring and you're all set!


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## AClark (Jan 18, 2018)

I did get a round bale feeder, and they drop them over the fence for me with their tractor - just I'm paying winter hay prices now. They're also out of the prairie hay the horses like in the round bales, and the small ones are too expensive to feed out - fine for the goats because they don't eat like horses lol. An entire bale lasts the goats at least a week, whereas it would last maybe 2 days with the horses. Right now, a big round bale is lasting 18 days between 3 horses with no other pasture - free choice. I'm just musing about saving up some round bales over the summer so I can roll them out as need be. I don't really have the space to store a bunch of them, but maybe can work it out with the broker to store ours outdoors by the back fence. 
I spiked the last one with a piece of pipe and dragged it with the truck, so it gave me some ideas on how else i could maneuver them without a spike or a tractor. Most folks around here have hydraulic spikes on flatbed trucks, but I need the bed on my truck. Between 3 of us we can roll them by hand, they aren't too bad once you get them going.

It's supposed to get to 50 today, thank God. I tried busting the horse water this morning and only got a hole big enough to drink out of. There's dirt and stuff in there where they've tried pounding on it. They actually managed to break the plug off so all the water under the ice leaked out yesterday, but we had thawed the hose out and were able to replace the plug and fill it. The ice is at least 3 inches thick, we had to bucket water over to the goats since the longer hose was still frozen, and I used an ice fishing auger on the pig water last night. DH has had that since he lived in NY years ago, and I've been using it for a feed mixer, but it did come in handy. I stood on the ice on their waterer to auger it and I was kind of expecting to cut through and have it all split with me ending up in it, but no, it's that thick. That's from just the day time temp, I had busted it up that morning too. 

I'm over winter, have been since November.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 18, 2018)

AClark said:


> I'm over winter, have been since November.



ME TOO !!!     At least the snow we got yesterday was met we 50 today, so melted a lot.  Roads are clear....28-35 nights and 55 days.  I can do that if forced.    Ice isn't toooo thick this way.


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## Bruce (Jan 18, 2018)

If we got sick of winter in mid January we'd all be in the funny farm. Yeah -20°F is cold but if you want to hear DW whine about the weather, give her anything over 80°F and humid.


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## AClark (Jan 19, 2018)

Bruce, yeah I remember upstate NY, y'all still have 4 more months of winter up there, maybe 5. I remember one year I was planting my garden on June 1st, and it snowed. I can't do that short growing season, though I had a really nice garden. 
You'll hear no whining from me with the heat, I love it. The humidity, not so much, but I get used to it. Growing up in Arizona, triple digit temps don't scare me, but 80% humidity with a triple digit temp sure makes me pour sweat. I have a phrase for it when it's that hot - sweating like a wh--- in church. 

Daisy (broken colored meat bunny) kindled last night. She has 4 or 5, not sure I could only feel in so will have to check later with a flashlight, but I felt 4 for sure. I swear she wasn't due until the 23rd, but we found little bits of fur in the pen last night and moved her where she'd have a box. I had it written down to move her and Chocolate tomorrow, but I'm going to move Chocolate today since they were both put in at the same time. 

We are doing away with our colony for space reasons. There's just so much digging and fence repair with it, since we can't put in a cement slab, and no, I'm making big hutches with built in boxes. I have room for hutches in a nice shaded area that stays cool all summer (north side of the barn, has trees covering it so it doesn't even grow grass). If i could drop a cement slab I'd keep the colony set up, but that's just not something I can do here. Also having problems with two of the does not playing nice together, so I had to remove one from the colony anyway. 
Not sure I mentioned it but we bought a nice big meat breed doe at the auction for $10. She's big, all black, and her name is Eclipse. So we have one big Cinnamon buck (Ozzy), and 4 does. Chocolate isn't a great doe, she's smaller, but she has nice babies and is a good mom. We have her full sister Bella, and she just raised a litter of 7. Daisy is larger but she's not the best mom and doesn't make a great nest, she lost her entire last litter to the cold, in the barn, they were born the same week as Bella's 7. She also doesn't have big litters, whereas Chocolate and Bella do. 

I have the pigs in the old colony pen now, it'll be a nice space for the summer since it stays cool. We have a lot of moving stuff around to do this weekend - neverending chores! At least my new nail gun will get a good workout. I really love that thing, talk about so much faster and easier on the arm.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 19, 2018)

With that nail gun you'll be turning out projects left and right, maybe even enough to sell a few....
Hope the rabbits do well for ya....and it sounds like the healing is going well too....


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## Mike CHS (Jan 19, 2018)

I love my nail guns (and air tools in general) enough to load the compressor and the generator on my trailer to do projects out in the field.


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## AClark (Jan 22, 2018)

Haha, I was thinking that yesterday, that I should put the inverter in my truck so I can use the compressor and nail gun anywhere. I have a good sized inverter in the barn, found it while we were cleaning yesterday.
It was over 60 on Saturday and 70 here yesterday, so we got a lot of clean up done on Saturday, for it to blow at 40 mph winds yesterday and cover the fence with trash blown from the road again. However, we managed to get 4 lawn trash bags full of garbage between the yard, our back porch, and the barn. Porch and barn were neglected severely from the cold weather and being dumping grounds of all things shoes and tools.

Dahlia hasn't kidded as of last night, but she's definitely close to it. She's uncomfortable and not super interested in eating, and eating is her favorite thing. She and Dahlia got "poodle cuts" on their hind ends. More than likely the first time either has been clipped, but they did well. Dahlia is much more "leave me alone"'ish the last couple of days and has taken to hiding under the milk stand in the barn rather than being her usual "feed me" self. 
My birthday is tomorrow, maybe I'll have birthday babies.


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## Baymule (Jan 22, 2018)

Happy Birthday tomorrow! Hoping you have Birthday Babies, that would be a wonderful present!


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## Latestarter (Jan 22, 2018)

Happy birthday and congrats on successfully getting through another year! Hopefully the one beginning tomorrow will be better than the last one.


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## Bruce (Jan 23, 2018)

Happy birthday @AClark !!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 23, 2018)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!......  
Sure hope ya have a Great and Wonderful Day!!!


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## AClark (Jan 24, 2018)

I got my birthday kids! They were born between 5 and 6 yesterday evening. I came in from feeding at 5, she hadn't really had any noticeable progress, went back out at 6 to check on her and they were all already born. They must have all popped right out because all three were still wet and she was cleaning them off frantically. I gave her a hand with that with a couple of old towels, babies were up and nursing in a few minutes. 
Two bucklings, one doeling. Whole family is doing well. They have some really pretty wild markings. Doeling is on the far left. Dahlia is being a good mom. Normally she can be a little standoffish, but she was more than happy for me to sit with her and feed her goodies and dry and play with babies. 
Weights:
Doeling: 1 lb 6 oz
Buckling 1(facing camera): 1 lb 8 oz
Buckling 2: 1 lb 8 oz


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## Mini Horses (Jan 24, 2018)

Love the babies!!   A real Happy B'day!!  Wasn't she nice to wait for that celebration date???   

We share a birthday week...mine was Sunday.   Think FEM is about "our" time.   My girls didn't get bred early enough to honor me this year.     It's OK. There will will be Spring babes here.

I have a mom/dtr team of mini Nubians that have ALWAYS had trips each.  They have been all buclings until this year and one girl.  That's 1 in 15....   But GREAT moms, both.  They are my "pay the feed bill" girls.


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## AClark (Jan 24, 2018)

I didn't breed Dahlia or Buttercup, they came already bred. I would not have chosen January kidding. It's too cold at night here and they have a heat lamp on them. Once Buttercup has hers, I don't have any planned until April, and that's just Ruby who was already bred, and the rest will kid in June. Next year, I'm planning all April/May kidding. It's reasonable weather right now, but we do risk cold snaps and freezing temps all the way until April.

We had a hassle last night. My kids managed to break my heat lamp bulb off in the balast. We got it out, but then I had to dig through the house for "cheap" light bulbs that put off heat, instead of these CFL crap or LED's. I finally found one 100 watt tucked away in my closet after digging through all of our storage cabinets - I have 5, with livestock stuff, cleaners, paper towels and TP (DH says I hoard paper towels I have at least 12 rolls at any given time) egg cartons - it was a digging adventure. My closet is small so it's pretty packed, I'm surprised we even found one. I was ready to take them out of light fixtures for a quick fix, but all my fixtures have LED's or CFL's in them - and I mean all of them, I checked, lol.

Buttercup will probably be sold after she kids, the kids too. Pygmy's are cute, but they don't fit our farm plan since they don't get enough weight on them. She's not very friendly either, whereas Dahlia (Dolly for short and because my younger kids can't say Dahlia) is pretty friendly, and will probably milk well.

ETA, I made a kidding thread so nobody has to dig through this mess to just see babies. I'll post more pics of them over there.


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 24, 2018)

very neat colors!


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## Latestarter (Jan 24, 2018)

Congrats! So cute!


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## Bruce (Jan 24, 2018)

Clearly stealth mama didn't want you to have extra activities and worries on your birthday.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 24, 2018)

Glad it all went well and they are really Cute...Love the markings!!.....


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## Baymule (Jan 24, 2018)

What a great birthday present! What are their names?


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## AClark (Jan 25, 2018)

I don't want to name them, for obvious reasons on the boys, and the girl is being picked up on Saturday as a bottle baby pet. I may wether and keep one of the boys, but I'm not sure. I've been selling out of the little goats, but decided I'll probably keep their mama since she's a good mom and did well as a FF.


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## AClark (Jan 25, 2018)

Frustration for the day - so here I am gathering milking supplies to sanitize in the dishwasher in the house, I haven't set up my barn dishwasher yet (hose conversion issue) and I open it up to find that my son packed the dishes in so tight that nothing was actually clean. He doesn't rinse dishes or scrape them before they go in the dishwasher - why I don't know, we have a pig bucket in the kitchen you can scrape right into! 
So, here I am, washing dishes so I can run the stuff I need through, and hand-washing breakfast dishes. 
We split the kitchen up into sections and all the kids help. Every week it switches, so this week, my oldest has to load the dishwasher, my younger son has to unload it and put dishes up, and my older girl has to wipe the counters, stove, and table off, while the youngest sweeps. The youngest always sweeps since she's 6 and not tall enough to do the other jobs, especially not unloading and putting dishes away, and needs a step-stool to reach the counters. Lena tries to help by standing on the dishwasher door and unloading the silverware onto the floor. 
I do the pots and pans by hand myself, or anything that really gets stuck like the crockpot. 
Second frustration - I finished my daughters laundry this morning - they'll put it up when they get home. I thought I'd be nice and do the boys, as they are responsible for doing their own, but I'm not really doing anything else. So I go in their rooms to get it and NOPE, it's thrown all over both the closets, and I'm Mom, not maid, and I'm not picking it up. They know I'll do it if it's in a laundry hamper and I don't have to scrounge for it, same goes for their rooms, I'll vacuum and tidy up if it isn't a disaster. I won't pick up stuff off their floors to vacuum, so they have to vacuum themselves if they leave it a mess. 

Mother Clucker is still in the house recovering, but it's looking really good. No infection set in at all, it's healing up fast, and she's spry and perky. She clucks at me when I walk by and enjoys being pet. She is still purple from the blu-kote, but it's all filling in. She's a pretty hardy little chicken to have survived that kind of dog attack. Her wing seems functional, there weren't broken bones, so while I'm not sure it will ever feather back out, (not that it matters, she's a Cornish X and couldn't fly due to her weight anyway) it's not completely crippled.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 25, 2018)

Sorry about the frustration, but glad to hear about the hen recovering. I don't blame ya for making the boys accountable....I was raised that way and it pays dividends in the future....our daughters have had to correct bad behavior of their husbands for the lack of it in their upbringing....tho, my Mom wouldn't have allowed me to use the dishwasher until I proved I knew how to clean them by hand....


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## AClark (Jan 25, 2018)

That's what I usually do, if they half-@ss it with the dishwasher, they get to handwash them. Unfortunately, everyone is at school and I need to use the dishwasher for my stuff, so I washed the over packed stuff and ran it back through. I hate doing dishes. 

That's my thing with the laundry is that they are accountable. My ex husband wouldn't do his own laundry, despite being in the Army and having to do his own when he was single. No way are my boys dumping that chore off on future girlfriends/wives. Especially throwing clothes on the floor when they have hampers in their closets that were empty, with a pile of clothes next to them. I don't mind doing their laundry if I can just go pick up the hamper and do it, but they are old enough to do it themselves and it's a courtesy if I do.


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## Bruce (Jan 25, 2018)

AClark said:


> so here I am gathering milking supplies to sanitize in the dishwasher in the house


You do know that dishwashers don't get hot enough to actually sanitize (no matter what the setting on the dial/button is labeled) right?



AClark said:


> Lena tries to help by standing on the dishwasher door and unloading the silverware onto the floor.






AClark said:


> Especially throwing clothes on the floor when they have hampers in their closets that were empty, with a pile of clothes next to them. I don't mind doing their laundry if I can just go pick up the hamper and do it, but they are old enough to do it themselves and it's a courtesy if I do.


Our hampers are all in the laundry room which is next to the kitchen. Everyone in the family goes through the kitchen at least several times a day so dropping clothes off isn't exactly onerous. You want your clothes washed, they better be in the laundry room. DD2's floor looks like the dirty laundry burial ground. I figure kids are old enough to run a vacuum at a reasonably young age. Any that are old enough to run the washing machine can run a vacuum at least in their own room.


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## Latestarter (Jan 25, 2018)

I read this and realize how great my first wife had it. Unless breast feeding was required, it was always me that got up with the kids during the night, and I was active duty w/2nd job. I did all the cooking when I was there. I did most of the cleaning inside as well as all the outside yard work. I did at least 1/2 the laundry. I was over worked! 

ETA she was a crappy wife and a crappy mother but she improved 100% after the separation and divorce... she was no longer a crappy wife.


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## Bruce (Jan 25, 2018)

Gee @Latestarter, I just can't imagine why you didn't want to be married anymore.


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## Baymule (Jan 25, 2018)

@Latestarter I bet she missed you!

@AClark you reminded me of a friend I had-when she could no longer stand the mess her kids made in their rooms, she "tornadoed" their rooms. She took ALL the clothes out of the closets and dumped them in the floor. She dumped ALL the clothes out of the chests. She dragged their mattresses off in the floor. She would not let them pick up a thing, wouldn't let them clean it up for weeks. By that time they were begging to clean up their rooms. When they started sliding into messy again, all she had to do was to threaten to "tornado" their rooms again and they cleaned them right up!


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## Latestarter (Jan 25, 2018)

Baymule said:


> I bet she missed you!


 Funny you mention that. Kids involved so had to do 6 month sep prior to final div. Had legal sep agreement, I had full custody of kids (she wanted freedom from responsibility... IOW freedom to party). As part of the sep requirements, we couldn't be "alone" together at any time or would have to start the 6 mos over. 4 mos in, she comes over cause she wants to have a serious talk (not to see her kids) and starts to go in the house. I called her back out and reminded her we couldn't be alone together. She was NOT happy... Then before she could say anything, I told her that I hoped what she wanted to talk about was getting back together so I could have the pleasure of telling her to go F&^% herself. She didn't stay long and the talk she wanted never happened. Wonder what she wanted to talk about?  

I'll post this but if you want me to delete it @AClark just let me know and I will...


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## AClark (Jan 26, 2018)

You're fine Late - if either of my ex husbands has been like that and helped out, they may not be exes. One person shouldn't have to carry the entire workload for a family. That said, DH is good about chores, I do the late hours because he is active duty and has to be up at 5 to go do PT and doesn't get home until at least 5 something. He does a lot of the hard labor I'm not capable of, and he will cook and clean if hinted at that I don't have time to do it. I don't think either person in a marriage should have to work all day and come home and work more if their spouse stays home. In exchange, DH lets me sleep in on the weekend, makes me a cup of coffee, and tries not to talk to me until I'm human - which is best for all parties involved. Works for me. Sounds kind of wrong since he's up early all week but he can't sleep in, and I certainly can until about 8.

Baymule, funny thing, we call it "Drill Sergeant Hurricane" - modeled after what a DS will do if they find your stuff unsecure during basic training. I've done it, but only when I'm finding garbage and crap in dresser drawers - I just pull them out and dump in the middle of the floor and close the door on my way out so I don't have to look at it.

Bruce, yes I do realize it doesn't get hot enough to actually sanitize, however, I used to have a friend that was a biologist at Auburn University and she said a capful of bleach sanitizes the whole load. She always washed hers with a little bleach - and that's how I sanitize ours. I'm no germaphobe though, and I only do it when I need stuff to be extra clean. Unfortunately, she passed away some years ago from lyme disease. That was before they just treated you for Lyme disease and waited for a positive test, by the time hers came back positive, it had already affected her lungs severely.
I don't have room in my laundry room for that many hampers, so everyone has one in their room - literally it only has to make it in the hamper, but I find that sucker empty and a closet full of dirty clothes.

Ah, first days of milking. Dolly decided laying down would get her out of it about halfway through - uh nope. She kicked the milking bucket out of my hand and I spilled quite a bit, but not all, and ended up with 14 oz (weight) from this morning - it filled a pint jar without foam. She developed a nice sized udder, and it was easier to milk this morning than last night.
Her lack of patience may be my fault, as though I'm getting better at it, I am still slow, and achy morning hands today - we got rain last night, so I'm feeling arthritic. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and actually feels like good physical therapy for my hand after the December arm surgery.
Babies are all doing well and figured out the bottle, they enjoy sleeping on a heating pad in my guest bathroom. Dragging my butt out of bed at 2 AM was not fun though, just to get up in a few more hours.


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## Bruce (Jan 26, 2018)

Ah, bleach. Yep that would assist in "sanitizing". Not sure how one adds that to the "wash" though.


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## AClark (Jan 26, 2018)

You toss it in the bottom when you start it, pre-wash setting. So everything gets a good bleach rinse before the soap dispenser opens up and dumps the soap out, and plenty of time to rinse the bleach smell off. 
I'm a Bleach Queen, it's my most used cleaner by far, floors, toilets, counters, whatever - I have many bleach stained cleaning clothes. I also love 409 for the kitchen and the compressed cans of glass cleaner for windows and mirrors, I think it's SprayWay - idk, but it's cheap and works great. That's pretty much all I use in my house, aside from the dreaded Tide Pods for clothing, not consumption, and dryer sheets.


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## AClark (Jan 29, 2018)

Weekend fun, I posted about Buttercup and the nightmare kidding ordeal on my kidding thread. We also went out and took the ear tags off our auction Boer does. That was gross! I had no problem cutting them, but their ears were all infected underneath the tags. So now I have 3 does walking around with purple ears from Blu-Kote. Sarah busted DH in the mouth with her horn, accident, but he has a split lip. 

I also fixed my big camera, I guess it had dust down in it, and got pictures of the Boer/Kiko does. 
I think Josette, the one with the black head, is the poorest of them.
Maggie has a lighter colored head, and Sarah is the dark red head - I think she's the best out of them.
Then just a picture of Ruby,Clara, and JD lazing around. Ruby is a happy camper about her feet, though they still need some work.

Also, a picture of Petunia, just because. She has put on weight very well, so has Colt.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 29, 2018)

They are all looking much better and Ruby is happy to have a brighter future ahead than dealing with those painful feet. JD sure looks happy too. Sorry bout the DH's busted lip, but hey....after what ya have been thru and are healing from it is just peanuts in comparison.....


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## Bruce (Jan 29, 2018)

I bet Ruby is super happy to just be able to walk again.


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## AClark (Jan 29, 2018)

I'm sure she is, she's such a sweetheart, she's always looking for attention. She drives me a bit crazy though with her "cow bawling" voice lol.


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## AClark (Jan 30, 2018)

You ever have a morning where you just stop and say "I effed up, I effed up bad"? Ok, so it's not that bad. I have my wheelbarrow completely full of dirt and compost for planting. Did I consider filling the hay feeder before I did this? Of course not. I'm about to head out carrying an entire bale of hay and being mobbed by goats, it's bad enough in the wheelbarrow, but this should be interesting.

Milking is increasing in ease and productivity. Dolly is making it a breeze, she now runs over and hops up on her own, stands to be milked, then hops down and goes back to her pen. Smart little creature. I thought I was in for it the second day when she decided she was going to sit down and give me a bad time by kicking my bucket out of my hand (she was aiming at me) but she had a change of heart I guess. She doesn't like the head-catch, so I wrapped a dog leash around the top and clip it to her collar instead. It does give room for her to move around more, but she doesn't. 
We're just a bit over 2 lbs a day @ 6 days in. I'm feeding prairie hay 24/7 and also keep alfalfa cubes out, along with the regular ration of pellets. I guess the only complaint I have right now is the weather is too chilly to body clip her and I've only clipped her back end and udder and she looks funny. 

Back to building a "better mousetrap" as always with the farm. We are working on big hutches for the rabbits, but have moved our grow-outs to the big heavy duty pen. 
Since I'm feeding alfalfa cubes, I am having a small issue. The big goats can eat them without much fuss, but Dolly struggles since they are so big she can't get her tiny mouth on them. I have to smash them up into smaller chunks with a hammer. This is inconvenient, and I'm working on making a "mill" of some sort to ease the process. Feeding baled alfalfa is a choice, but not the choice I want, there's too much waste and it's too expensive for them to waste. The cubes are more affordable, locally made, and they basically have zero waste. I don't mind wasting grass hay as much due to the cheap cost, but at $12 a bale I might have a coronary with alfalfa.


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## animalmom (Jan 30, 2018)

I was using Hay-Rite mini cubes for my Nigerians and rabbits and found even the mini cubes were big for the goats' mouths.  The rabbits loved the cubes and would gnaw on them all day.

UPERIOR GRADE PREMIUM ALFALFA MINI CUBES
APPROVED FOR ALL CLASSES OF LIVESTOCK







GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
CRUDE PROTEIN NO LESS THAN 16%
CRUDE FAT NO LESS THAN 1.4%
CRUDE FIBER NO MORE THAN 30%
MOISTURE NO MORE THAN 12%

INGREDIENTS:
SUN-CURED ALFALFA HAY,
BENTONITE MINERALS ADDED

ALL NATURAL - NO CHEMICALS - NO DYES

FEEDING GUIDELINES
RECOMMENDED FEEDING AMOUNTS ARE 1% TO 2% OF THE ANIMAL’S TOTAL BODY WEIGHT, FED DAILY.

FEEDING AT GROUND LEVEL IS RECOMMENDED FOR HORSES. CUBES MAY BE SOFTENED WITH WATER FOR SENIORS OR ANIMALS WITH DENTAL PROBLEMS.

HAY-RITE ALFALFA CUBES CAN BE USED AS A COMPLETE SOURCE OF PROTEIN AND ROUGHAGE FOR MOST HORSES AND OTHER LIVESTOCK.


I then switched farm stores and the new store had another alfalfa product called Alfa Pro.
50 LBS. (22.68) NET WEIGHT HI-PRO #11515 ALFA-PRO

2/16

GROUND ALFALFA CUBE FOR MATURE HORSES GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Crude Protein Lysine
Crude Fat Crude Fiber Calcium Calcium Phosphorus Copper Selenium

Minimum 14.0% Minimum 0.4% Minimum 2.5% Maximum 25.0% Minimum 1.0% Maximum 1.5%

Zinc Minimum

Vitamin A Vitamin 0 Vitamin E

Minimum Minimum Minimum

INGREDIENTS

Minimum Minimum Minimum

0.4% 20.0 ppm 0.3 ppm 70.0 ppm 4,000 IU/LB 500 IU/LB 70 IU/LB

Alfalfa hay, cracked corn, molasses products, vegetable oil, monocalcium phosphate, salt, calcium carbonate, saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, roughage products, Vitamin E supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A supplement, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), mineral oil, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, copper chloride, ferrous sulfate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, cobalt sulfate, magnesium oxide, propionic acid (preservative), natural and artificial flavoring.

FEEDING DIRECTIONS

Feed horses at the rate of 1.5 to 2.0% of body weight depending on condition, physical activity andlor production stage of the horse. It is suggested to provide feed at a minimum of twice-a-day in equal portion. Also, provide fresh, clean water at all times.

CAUTION: This feed contains added copper. Do not feed to sheep or other related species. Keep feed fresh in cool, dry storage. Do not use feed that is old, molded or insect contaminated.

HI-PRO

MANUFACTUREDBY

Hi-Pro Feeds Inc. Home Office P.O. Box 519 Friona, Texas 79035 

This product is much smaller, about 1/2" ish round, extruded tubular, and the goats seem to like it more... easier for them to eat and I don't have to break up the pieces.  Rabbits still get their share to gnaw on so everyone is happy.

Some goats don't seem to care for the Alfa Pro, but then they are probably the same that wouldn't touch the Hay-Rite stuff either and then there are the few who deign to only eat "real" alfalfa.

I don't remember off hand what I was paying for the Hay-Rite, but the Alfa Pro is $25.50 for 50 lbs.  It sounds pricy, but there is no waste.  Anyway, it works for me as I don't have to do anything but open the bag and scoop out some for the goaties.


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## AClark (Jan 30, 2018)

The bowl you posted are the size I am getting. Though they are made literally next door to me at the hay broker - they are guaranteed 17% - owner said they run about 20-21% protein most of the time. The goats like them, just they are ridiculously big for a tiny goat (Dolly is probably a Nigerian/Pygmy mix - looks like a slightly stockier Nigerian). The owner was telling me that they should do some that are quarter sized and maybe hit more of a goat market - so maybe. 
The bags I'm buying are $9 for 50 lbs. Can't beat the price on them. The pellets I feed are these:
*-Guaranteed Analysis-*
Crude Protein, not less than 14.00%
Crude Fat, not less than 2.50%
Crude Fiber, not more than 9.00%
Calcium, not less than 0.50%
Calcium, not more than 1.00%
Phosphorus, not less than 0.70%
Salt, not less than 0.75%
Salt, not more than 1.25%
Potassium, not less than 1.20%
Vitamin A, not less than 4,800 IU/LB

*-Feeding Directions-*

For weaned beef cattle on pasture, feed 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight every day.   Provide adequate roughage and fresh water.
Availability:  3/4" cubes or 3/8" pellets, sacked or bulk.

Plus sweet feed on the milk stand, and the rest get some because I have some that are on the lean side that I picked up earlier this month.

*-Guaranteed Analysis-*

Crude Protein, not less than 9.00%
Crude Fat, not less than 3.00%
Crude Fiber, not more than 10.00%
Calcium, not less than 0.25%
Calcium, not more than 0.75%
Phosphorus, not less than 0.30%
Salt, not less than 0.70%
Salt, not more than 1.20%
Potassium, not less than 0.45%
*-Feeding Directions-*

To be fed as a growing ration (1-2% of body weight) or a fattening ration (2-3% of body weight).  It can also be fed as a basic grain ration for weaned cattle.   Provide fresh water and adequate roughage.
Availability:  Sacked or bulk.

I've been debating trying for a higher protein feed - this mill doesn't have unmedicated goat feed. This is what they carry for goat feed:
http://www.stillwatermill.com/index.cfm?show=10&mid=83

Now I do have the option to go to Tractor Supply, but it's over 15 miles from me and overpriced IMHO. My local co-op carries the A&M products and is a lot closer and more affordable, but they don't carry goat products. Goats aren't huge in my area like they are up by OKC and Tulsa.


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## animalmom (Jan 30, 2018)

I try not to buy feed at Tractor as they are usually much higher.  The 18% stillwatermill product looks good with its calcium to phosphorus ratio and I like the 18% protein... but you couldn't feed that to your milkers if you are drinking the milk.  But you know that.

Yes getting unmedicated goat feed is challenging... and the goats don't like getting jerked around with different feed... not that my goats are set in their ways, or god forbid spoiled.  

Count your blessings I'm paying $17.00 for 3-strand alfalfa and am happy for it.  Only the milkers get the real flakes, the others get the Alfa Pro.  They will give me grey hair!


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## Bruce (Jan 30, 2018)

Maybe you could make a small guillotine to cut those (not) cubes in half??


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 30, 2018)

I know what ya mean about the pounding with a hammer, I'm trying to think of something to do a similar thing, but with a standard alfalfa pellet and an alfalfa/oat pellet for my old girl. She has teeth problems and can't grind her feed or grass properly and it hangs in her throat and causes her to throw her head trying to get it back out....slinging froth everywhere. It isn't as bad since I started crushing the pellets smaller and to dust that she just licks, but I'm thinking it may become a tough decision that is fixing to have to be faced so she won't suffer and continue to lose weight.


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## AClark (Jan 31, 2018)

See that's my idea, I saw on YouTube where a guy made a home made pecan cracker - something like that might just have enough breaking and grinding action. In your case, what about a small flour mill, like the kind that crack and grind wheat? Would she eat it if you soaked it first? Mine turned their nose up at soaked cubes, but it's a thought. Don't worry, it wasn't wasted, horses like soggy food, even if goats are primadonnas. I hate to have to make that decision over bad teeth

Here's another option from that same mill @animalmom - it's their "foal" ration. I'm not sure if my co-op carries this one though, they have mostly cattle products. They have around 20 different cattle feeds but like 4 or 5 horse feeds and only the 1 goat ration. TS is way expensive, and we have Atwoods, but they are around the same price, $14-$16 (I can't remember) for a 50 lb bag - feasible if you're only feeding a handful of goats or smaller goats, not so much when you have big chow hounds. 
*-Guaranteed Analysis-*

Crude Protein, not less than 16.00%
Lysine, not less than 1.00%
Crude Fat, not less than 4.00%
Crude Fiber, not more than 8.50%
Calcium, not less than 0.75%
Calcium, not more than 1.25%
Phosphorus, not less than 0.50%
Copper, not less than 40 ppm
Selenium, not less than 0.50 ppm
Zinc, not less than 220 ppm
Vitamin A, not less than 3,000 IU/LB
Vitamin D3, not less than 400 IU/LB
Vitamin E, not less than 50 IU/LB


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## animalmom (Jan 31, 2018)

It is difficult to get the perfect feed, period.  We all make decisions as to what would work for our situation.  In the feed you last listed, the copper/phosphorus ratio is not great... but it would work. 

 I truly understand the frustration of trying to find the right feed for each animal having recently changed feed stores twice... not move across country, just changed feed stores in the same town.  The first changed store was all Purina, not a favorite of mine, but it was what it was... except the girls would not eat the pellets.  Not for love or money.  The second store, a bit more of a drive out for me,  and the owner understood that I felt I needed a different feed for the boys and the girls and went through all his suppliers looking for non-medicated feed.  Fortunately he found one, got it and the girls eat it.  They don't love it like their old feed which I can't get anymore, but they eat it.

Now watch, after all the work you've done your little divas will hike their noses at it.  Ungrateful little beasties.


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## AClark (Jan 31, 2018)

I don't have any problem with pickiness over the 14% cattle creeper pellets - they scarf them right down. The only thing is, there is no copper, no selenium in them. I have a cool worksheet from OSU meat goat department on feed ratios, and according to it, my CA and P levels are fine for what I have now. I do have free choice mineral out and bolus + selenium paste as need be. Our area isn't particularly deficient in either and the hay I buy comes from the guy across the road from me, I know he sprays it because I watch him do it lol. 

Atwoods and TS are down "in town" which is more of a drive - not sure if you have an Atwoods Animalmom, but it's like TS, but cheaper. I prefer to go to the co-op, price-wise, customer service wise (most of the time) but they just don't carry as much variety. Atwoods only carries one or two types of goat feed at all, and one is a show pellet I think made by Dumor. My son is getting into showing, and we'll get a show ration then for his show goats (Boers) but not as a general feed.  My younger son prefers the dairy goats, and we'll see what we get in the way of a kid crop this year and pick him out a nice doeling.

It definitely is something you can spend hours researching and driving yourself crazy over. I can find all sorts of different horse feeds, for performance, mares, foals, you name it - goats? Well, as you see, I'm using cattle pellets and supplementing what it lacks. That could be just my area though, goats are way more popular north of me. 

Today is Lena's birthday, a whole year old. I'm currently baking a butter pecan cake that will have maple cream cheese frosting. I also made some super decadent goat milk ice cream custard that will go in the churn tonight - nothing special flavored there, just vanilla. 

Birthday girl  not really awake yet.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jan 31, 2018)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!....she is such a little sweetie!!...


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## Bruce (Jan 31, 2018)

A year old already!!!


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 31, 2018)

wow time flies so fast!  Happy Birthday!


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## Latestarter (Jan 31, 2018)

The time slips by faster and faster. Congrats on a beautiful daughter. Happy birthday to her. Posted before and it posted twice. I deleted the dup and it deleted both... Grrr. Hopefully this one works.


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## Bruce (Jan 31, 2018)

It worked


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## AClark (Feb 1, 2018)

Lena had a good birthday, she didn't make it to opening presents last night, she was in a food coma from the cake and ice cream and just wanted to be cleaned off and go to bed. She can open them when she wakes up this morning. 
She thoroughly enjoyed her spaghetti and meatball dinner (a favorite of hers) and the cake.



 
We are going through a bit of a rough time with goats this week. JD has managed to catch a case of Soremouth. Just him though, nobody else has anything like that. How fun, so glad I didn't know what it was when I examined and touched it bare handed. So far, no outbreak on me yet so maybe I'll get lucky. I'm glad I wash my hands as soon as I come in the house - told the kids not to pet him until it's gone too. That's hard to do since he's such a friendly soul and just wants to be loved on when he sees anyone.

Clara (new Nubian doe)...I just don't know. She was thin when I got her, though pictures hide it well since her hair is long. I dewormed her (Ivermectin paste), gave her a copper bolus, and selenium. Her eyelids are nice and pink. No outward indications of illness, she's energetic, no diarrhea or anything. Her teeth look good, there's no way she's 8 years old, maybe like 4-5, no wear on the teeth. 
I don't think it's feed quantity/quality related. I separate off my other two Nubian does because they are the boss and will eat all the food, and both are over weight. Maybe Ivermectin didn't get worms. Or maybe I'm just not being patient enough, which is probably the case.


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## Latestarter (Feb 1, 2018)

Lena looks to be enjoying herself immensely.   Sorry to hear you've got sore mouth. Hope it clears up quickly and that you don't get it.

I have sister does, Bang and Dot. Dot looks (and feels - along her spine and on ribs) great, and Bang has always been ultra "dairy" skinny (to my way of thinking). They have both been wormed, supplemented (copper bolus, selenium paste, etc), both eat the exact same pellets and are fed free choice alfalfa hay.  I don't get it either, but she just remains skinny. Maybe like some people, some get the skinny gene and others get the fat gene (that would be me ) Even now being pregnant, Dot you can see bulges on both sides (indicating growing kids inside) while Bang seems to be growing down/round vice out and only now is beginning to not look "skinny" to me. But she still has very little padding on her ribs and along her spine.


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## Bruce (Feb 1, 2018)

Sorry about the goat problems.

No issue with Lena not getting to the presents. At that age, the paper is as interesting as what might be inside. Wait until next year, she'll be all over the presents.


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## AClark (Feb 1, 2018)

That's what it looks like to me too "dairy skinny". Little to no covering on the ribs, spine or hips - by feel, she looks fine, poops fine, eats fine. My other two Nubian does are fat, like a 6 out of 5 on the condition scale. I made a catch pen in the dry lot to move the fatties to so the new goats can eat in peace. 
I may just put her up in the barn to see if I can get some weight on her, she looks the worst even out of the auction goats, they're putting on weight. 

Lena had a blast opening presents, nothing but smiles and squealing.


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## AClark (Feb 5, 2018)

I can't wait for Spring. First, it was the flu making it's rounds, and now, I have a cold, that has already struck some of the family.
I'm burned out on cold weather, illnesses, and drought. It's cold today and will be tomorrow, but they are calling for rain and I have my fingers and toes crossed we get it. The fire hazard is ridiculously high and we're under a burn ban. 

That said, I had a productive weekend even though I felt like crap. We went to the city to get a hitch for DH's truck, the guy had a tailgate that fit my truck (I had a 5th wheel style that I HATED) and though it's bright red and my truck is blue, it was a great price and couldn't pass it up - in good shape too. I also came back with a pair of geese, 4 new chickens, and 2 new meat bunnies (Flemish Giant's) to cross on my Cinnamon and NZ crosses for truly "meat mutt" bunnies. Geese are a white Embden with an African mate, 2 wyandotte hens, 2 cinnamon queen hens. I already have goose eggs I'll put in the incubator this weekend. 
We have projects that didn't get finished, I am just run down, but they'll still be here next weekend and hopefully with warmer weather.


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## Bruce (Feb 5, 2018)

AClark said:


> though it's bright red and my truck is blue


You could always add some blue and white paint on the new tailgate, it might end up looking like an American flag


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## AClark (Feb 5, 2018)

Funny you mention that, I was thinking about "skinning" the tailgate instead of going through stripping, sanding, and painting it to the body color, which is "patriot blue". 'Merica!

Oddly enough, it's badged, just not for that vehicle, it's badged for a 4x4 SLT - on a 2WD ST model, but it's in good shape and has all the wiring and brake light on the gate already to just plug in. I need new pins so it will latch right, my other ones - well, one is bent and loose, the other is missing completely.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 5, 2018)

Sounds like a productive wknd there and can't wait to see pics of the birds and bunnies!!.....don't feel it necessary to damage the fender to get that re, white, and blue truck tho....just paint some of it.....


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## AClark (Feb 5, 2018)

I'm looking at decals that just cover the original paint, if I can find something that isn't totally obnoxious.

Shopping for DH's birthday which is Friday. He mentioned the other night he wanted a new tackle box while we skimmed the Bass Pro catalog - I think it may have been a hint at what to get him for his birthday. So, I got him a Field and Stream box with inserts, and I'm looking for tackle "lots" on ebay to at least put a good start on filling it. The kids have rat-effed our tackle box so bad we are giving it to them and keeping an adult box for DH. 
I got a tailgate for mine, so why not? My parents sent me money and I bought a new bridle for my horse. Yes, at 33 my parents still send me money for my birthday, perks of being an only child, lol.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 5, 2018)

Well if ya need any suggestions on filling the box just let me know and I will gladly share some of my most productive lures "List" for ya....I know soft plastics, stick baits, and catfish rigs fairly well....know some about crankbaits, but less about spinners.....


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## AClark (Feb 5, 2018)

Sure I'd love some ideas! I know Bass and Catfish are mainly what we go after around here, not sure what else there is other than those paddlefish but I don't think they're in our local area. Catfish I usually have good luck with snagging up, bass not as much. We also eat bluegill/sunfish.


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## Bruce (Feb 5, 2018)

I have some old lures and a belt bait box like the one below (that was my grandfathers I think) I'd be happy to donate, just PM an address  Haven't fished for decades and not likely to pick it up again. I also have a deep sea rod and reel, free for the asking.










AClark said:


> I'm looking at decals that just cover the original paint, if I can find something that isn't totally obnoxious.


You can get a ton of "my kid was on the honor roll" bumper stickers and plaster them all over the tail gate.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 5, 2018)

I'll get the easiest out of the way 1st....for bream, crappie, and smaller bass I use either a 1/32nd or 1/16th ounce lead jig head and use a colored skirt on it....if it is stained or murky water the combo of blk/chartreuse skirt has out produced any other color combo....and if it is clear anything with white or red in the combo does well. I fish mainly stained water so can't say a #1 on that one.....but blue/white works well for me and is the first color that I use in clear water.
Catfish is a double rig with the weight clipped on the end of the line to a swivel....I use a swivel all the time as it is much quicker to change baits and rigs....then, about 12" from the weight I put a hook....I generally use a 1/0 or 2/0 hook and the 2nd hook about 18" above that. If ya pinched the line between the index finger and thumb the push that thru the eye of the hook and bring the hook thru the loop in the line, the line will tighten to the hook and be easily moved to adjust depth or remove the hook. I always use a jig to catch small bream or bass and then use them for bait for cats....ya can cut the head off and if guts are with it all the better...hook it thru the eyes or the lips....thru the eyes casts easier and harder to sling off.
Now Bass are and can be pretty finnicky, especially big ones, but the smaller they are....less than 2lbs....the less finnicky they are and will usually readily bite.
My A#1 bait for bass large or small...that is size, not mouth...is a plastic worm. It is a special kind of worm and they don't sell it at very many store these days, but ya can order them online from mannsbait.com they are called augertailed plastic worms and they come in many shades and patterns. My top producers are Motor Oil, Electric Grape, and Tequila Sunrise....they come in different sizes too...I prefer and like the 6" and 8" worms. They also have another kind of worm that is really good too...it is a Jelly worm. The blackberry jelly worm in a 6" size has landed my 2 biggest fish....one was 12lbs and the other a little over 11....I have caught many all the way down to 1/4 and 1/2 lb....imo...those below 2# are the best eating, but haven't thrown any of the big ones away for not being good to eat. Another bait I will always have in my box is a 3" and 5" Rapala original minnow in both the blk/silver and blk/gold colors. Ya can fish them in many different ways and produce very well. I always have a crawfish patterned crankbait too....it doesn't have to look like a crawfish, but the colors...an orange/red/brown patttern has been a good producer. The excitement of topwater is hard to beat and I use the Zara Spook and Zara Spook Jr....I have several patterns of them, but a brown one has been the top producer on top water....I can't find a replacement for mine and the fish have hit it so hard that they have ripped the trebles out of the body and I may have to try to glue some into it.....
Sorry for the long post, but there is plenty more I could tell ya. If ya need pics just say so and I'll get ya some and post them for ya.


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## AClark (Feb 6, 2018)

Bruce said:


> You can get a ton of "my kid was on the honor roll" bumper stickers and plaster them all over the tail gate.



I'm not THAT parent, though my kids are all honor roll lol. 
I think something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/T191-AMERI...w43hZ9I9S:sc:USPSPriority!73507!US!-1&vxp=mtr

or this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Americ...ash=item51ef0ca8a7:g:4yUAAOSwWfFXjpES&vxp=mtr

Fred, thanks for the suggestions. I kind of picked out some similar items last night in lots off Ebay before DH got home. Frogs/crawfish, some jigs and colored things. The water is murky where we fish, I've waded in knee deep and can't see my feet. 

Bruce I really appreciate the offer, but something like that ought to stay in the family? I have a couple of deep sea fishing set ups (why I have no idea, I've never seen the ocean but picked them up somewhere!) and they collect dust in the barn, lol.


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## Bruce (Feb 6, 2018)

AClark said:


> but something like that ought to stay in the family?


It is just clutter, no one in the family fishes.


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## AClark (Feb 20, 2018)

It's been a long last week. I'm in the 2nd to last course to graduate, finally. This course is more strict than those in the past and requires a bit more attention, along with busy with farm stuff. 
Milking is going well, little Dolly is earning her keep for sure. We're at about 2 qts a day, not 30 days in yet but close to it. From what I gather, that isn't half bad for a FF. 
For Valentines Day, DH got me an Alpine doe, that is probably due to kid in the next 30 days or so. She's a doll, and was just unwanted and neglected. She definitely needs some weight on her and I vaccinated, bolused, etc etc already. He named her Swiss Miss. She has some filling in her udder and I checked that out - wasn't sure if she had recently had kids or was going to, and only got a squirt of colostrum out so I stopped. 

We had 9 kits born to my sons bunny yesterday. Nice to finally see a big healthy litter. Our average litters are 6 or 7 so finding 9 was really awesome. DH's pig farrowed as well, she had 5 but being a new momma and us finding out a bit late 2 had been stepped on. She has 3 pretty healthy little piglets now, 2 boys and a girl and she's being a good momma. She has let me in with her and the babies and hasn't eaten me, so that's a plus.

I have both incubators at capacity and running. One is full of goose and duck eggs (8 goose eggs, the rest are ducks) and candling out to be viable. The other has 48 chicken eggs in it. I got a batch of hatching eggs at the auction, 36 of them of black laced Orpingtons. The duck eggs are from my ducks so they are Pekin/Rouen with Orpington moms. Geese will be Embden/ African and maybe some Toulouse/African, not sure we got rid of the Embden gander because he was a giant jerk. 

I also planted 30 something Mortgage Lifter tomatoes, another 30 something Watermelon tomatoes, Habaneros, Ghost peppers, and Jalapenos. I still have more to do today but that was about all I could finish yesterday while I was cooking dinner. It's also raining right now, that cold front came early. It was so weird, I went out and it was balmy and humid around 68 F, really nice out, rocking out an old wife-beater T and sweat pants. As soon as I got to the chicken coop to open it up I got a gust of icy wind, and then it got instantly cold out. 
 I also planted somewhere along the lines of 200 strawberry seeds, so we'll see with that. We are expanding the garden, and we got a tiller at the auction. It starts and runs but needs a new throttle spring - I'll just wirei t with some baling wire and call it a day. 

So, pic time! Everybody loves baby pictures.

Piglets - the two boys are the black and white.


 



Momma while she was having them, we pulled them away after the first two got stepped on - she had them at feeding time. Funny thing was, we had ordered pizza (and actually get delivery out here in the back 40) and he showed up with pizza while I was picking up piglets. I had my oldest son sign my credit card receipt and here I am, all soaked in goop holding a slimy piglet - dude said he didn't need a tip but I had the kids go grab cash. I think he didn't want me to touch it and hand it to him, lol. 




 

Swiss Miss. She's gimpy, they trimmed her feet before we got her and they're too short but she's moving around a lot better now. I dusted her for lice as well.



 

Zoidberg (for you Futurama fans) the Tom turkey we got for a boyfriend for Derp. Derp started laying so we figured she might as well have fertile eggs. She's a broad-breasted white, he's a Royal Palm.



 

And last but not least, Mei. Bohannon's (our Toulouse gander) girlfriend.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 20, 2018)

And I was here wondering how the shoulder was coming along....I should've known ya wouldn't slow down enough to find out.........glad things are moving along quite well for ya....and Congrats on the new babies...and additions!! It is good to hear from ya and know ya will be glad to get finished with the schooling....


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## AClark (Feb 20, 2018)

My elbow has problems. It's numb around the entire elbow and the surgical site actually hurts. However, I no longer have burning nerve pain from elbow to finger and it's mildly uncomfortable instead of extremely painful. Of course, being a nerve surgery it can take awhile to completely heal and this may not be how it feels in a few months, which is encouraging. The dr said it healed up well, the scar really does look good, and to just use common sense while using it until I get the muscle back in it.
That said, milking has really improved my grip and muscle in my hand which was atrophied from not being able to use it. I still can't quite feel my last two fingers, but my grip has improved and I can feel that, and they actually function. I can't say anything bad about the surgery, it has improved it a lot.


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## Latestarter (Feb 20, 2018)

Glad you got a little rain. Looks like the main flow is going to be well east of you though for the coming rain party. Glad the surgery did some good and it's "healing". I'm sure it's nice to have some grip back in the hand. Thanks for the pics. Grats on the new additions. Are you going to be selling chicks? Just curious as that's a lot of chickens coming.


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## greybeard (Feb 20, 2018)

Bruce said:


> You can get a ton of "my kid was on the honor roll" bumper stickers and plaster them all over the tail gate.


I have the "My kid beat up your honor roll kid' sticker...


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## AClark (Feb 20, 2018)

Yes I'll be selling chicks and ducklings, maybe goslings as well, depending on how many hatch out. I might as well fill the incubator, it takes as much electricity to run it with 1 egg or 48 lol.
My arm is improving overall. I can swing a hammer and do most anything I need to. Opening jars is still a challenge but most of the time I get them. I really can't complain.


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## AClark (Feb 23, 2018)

Wow, so ok we had ice storms on Wednesday and Thursday. Kids had no school, DH went to work very briefly on Wednesday before they sent everyone home and closed post. It's been super cold and nasty with freezing rain, but it warmed up today and now it's just raining, and supposed to rain tomorrow.

Something I never considered before, but I thought about it today and have considered it many times now is that while I enjoy milking, I do not enjoy the hideous smelling goat gas. I'm not kidding, Dolly could clear a room!
JD broke his little scur off. It wasn't much of one, but really thin and deformed. It didn't even bleed much. I'm curious if it will grow back or not? It broke off right as his skull, it would be nice if it stayed gone. 

On a sad note, Petunia killed all her piglets - I think she laid on them, even though they had rails. Both of the pigs are headed to be processed as soon as I can get an appointment. I need the space and I don't particularly enjoy the pigs and that was the intent all along. DH is all for sending them off so we can have that pen back.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 23, 2018)

Ice is never fun to deal with and glad ya came thru it without damage. Sure sorry to hear about the piglets and tho I really enjoy eating pork, I could never raise them...they just are not my kind of animal. I'm not suppose to eat much pork anyway. Hope the eggs hatch for ya and ya have a bunch of peepers to sell and harvest. It won't be long before seeds will be getting in the ground and veggies will be growing....


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## Bruce (Feb 23, 2018)

Really sad about the little piggies! I gather it isn't all that uncommon.


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## Latestarter (Feb 23, 2018)

Glad you got some moisture. Sorry it was in the form of ice. Too bad about loosing the piglets... That's a financial loss as well. You could have sold them vice raise them.

Goat gas!  Mine burp and fart up a storm while they eat their pellets. I have to agree, it's pretty rank. Maybe worse than buck stink? Luckily, I milk outside and the girl I milked this past season didn't really have a gas problem. My fat goat, April, on the other hand... gaseous could be her middle name! If she moves faster than a walk, she gets to jiggling and the fumes are rampant.


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## Mike CHS (Feb 23, 2018)

The more I read about goat habits, the less I'm likely to get any.  

Sheep have gas and you can constantly hear them letting go in the catch pen but you never smell anything.


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## BoboFarm (Feb 23, 2018)

Not sure it can be any worse than my dogs' farts. They can peel paint off the walls  I guess I'll find out when we get goats then I'll report back


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 23, 2018)

The air being foul to smell, it sure means that the fermentation chamber is working okay and there's nothing to be concerned with.....as far as digestion goes....and if they didn't touch that release valve every know and then....it might not be a good outcome....next time ya smell it...just tell yourself that ya done good and they are good....it only smells a little while....just don't sit and milk with a "Tail Wind" and the breeze will disipate the smell before it reaches the nostril...and don't hold your mouth open either.....


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## Baymule (Feb 23, 2018)

That is too bad about the piglets. They sure were cute. I don't want to breed pigs either. I like to raise them up to slaughter, that's it. Stock the freezer. Pigs are great to raise because there is a large rate of return for what you feed them.


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## Bruce (Feb 24, 2018)

BoboFarm said:


> Not sure it can be any worse than my dogs' farts. They can peel paint off the walls


We have a cat like that. If she takes off FAST for no apparent reason, don't inhale.


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## BoboFarm (Feb 24, 2018)

@Bruce Our cats did that when they ate one particular food. Their ears would go back then they'd run away as fast as possible. You knew to evacuate!


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## AClark (Feb 26, 2018)

Bay, that was the intent with these two, feed out and to slaughter. Then she dropped piglets. From my calculation she was bred just prior to us getting them. They are headed for the processor as soon as I can get them in now. I didn't want to raise them either, but when she started looking like she was pregnant I held off on processing. I processed some wild hogs and found babies when I gutted them and it makes me sad, even though they are a nuisance. 
The pigs broke out after all the rain and we chased them for over an hour. I caught the girl by her back leg and dragged her, but there was no catching the male. Ended up roping him, and roping a pig is not easy, they have no neck or hocks that give a good catch. I got it over his front legs and around his withers after DH cornered him, and it was a rodeo. Both of my hands are rope burned and I slid on a piece of plastic in the mud and road rashed my knee really good. It's comical now, but at the time I suggested a Glock to rectify the situation. I can't believe how strong they are, he was able to drag me and run my rope through my hands, even with me set back and heeled in. You can see in my driveway where my feet slid, after I got my hands burned I wrapped the rope up my forearm for leverage. 

Late, I'm milking in my barn, so there is no escape from the foul odors emanating from her. I will milk outside when the weather warms up and we're out of the pouring rain season. That's something I noticed here, we'll go through a drought for months and then suddenly, it will play "catch up" on the rain all within a week. It's a swamp right now with ankle deep mud in the low places, but it's starting to dry out a bit. They are calling for more rain tomorrow so I may as well get on tilling the garden while that area isn't too bad.
 Burps aren't any better either, they are pretty noxious. I guess that just means they are well fed and their rumens are working well. I got them some calf manna for the thinner looking does (mostly Clara and Swiss Miss "Missy"). They really love that stuff, and it's a good thing a little goes a long ways because man that stuff is expensive. 

I swear you can't make some of this craziness up. I guess it wouldn't be our farm if something insane didn't happen at least once a week.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 26, 2018)

Glad your skills came in handy for ya, but sorry for the minor injuries....I'd have opted for the glock and saved the processing fee on 1 at least.


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## Latestarter (Feb 26, 2018)

wow... now roping a pig... THAT takes some REAL talent!  Even more so to hold on while being dragged around the homestead.  and you with a not so new elbow/arm... Glad the damage to you wasn't worse. Hope the rope burns, scrapes and such heal up quick. Sorry it worked out the way it did with the sow being pregnant and the piglets and all. I say all that while sitting here eating sausage gravy and biscuits   Hope you can get your garden prepped before the next deluge. We're supposed to get more tomorrow and Wednesday then sun again for a few. Plan to get started on that hay feeder today as I went and got the 2x4 no climb fencing from Bay yesterday. Gotta run to the bank and pick up a couple of newer pallets to use. I think I'm going to look for an old 20" bike and put an axle and the wheels from the bike on one end for ease of movement. Just lift one end and roll it. We'll see how that goes.


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## Bruce (Feb 26, 2018)

Seems like @Baymule's method of feeding the slaughter pigs in a trailer for a few days before they need to be caught up is a good one!

Maybe all you goat milkers (now we find out they stink while getting milked!) need big fans blowing from tail to nose on those girls, blow the stink out!


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## Baymule (Feb 26, 2018)

Roping a pig! Oh WHERE was the video camera?  That would be a sure winner on America's Funniest Home Videos!! Wish I could have seen that one! Pig Drama!! 

We're building a pig pen. Instead of using existing fence, we are building another fence so if they get out, they won't be totally OUT. I give my pigs treats too, they adore boiled eggs and probably would chase me back into their pen if I had some to lure them with.


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## AClark (Feb 27, 2018)

I don't think I would have made AFV...too many "bleeps" for family TV, lol. Pretty sure I hit a record for how many times I said the "F" word in an hour. 
I did end up locking them up in my stock trailer that night, to save on any more drama. I KNOW they aren't getting out of that. I'll hook onto it tonight because tomorrow morning they are headed to the processor. Unfortunately, their pen flooded with all the rain and it made it so soggy they were able to push the gate support over and that's how they got out. We had to trench it out to drain it. I'm not really happy about having pig crap in my stock trailer, but it is what it is. DH threw some big cardboard boxes in there a couple of weeks ago and luckily they used that, so I can just haul it into the dumpster. Next time, it's going to be a pen within a pen so I'm not chasing them all over God's green acres. 
 The local car wash isn't a fan of cleaning stock trailers with their high pressure hoses for some reason... I can't imagine why, though I shovel out the big stuff first. 

I did not get the garden tilled and it's raining again already. I got a couple of rows but the tiller was running really ragged, and I had to keep it choked for it to run (and slowly) - I figure the carb is clogged, so I ordered a new carb. I already tried Seafoam. I went through the process of checking the air filter and all and it was like new, the spark plug IS new...so yeah, carb. It was $15, faster than rebuilding and like $5 more. It must be carburetor season for us, the ATV, auger, and tiller all needed new carbs this year. Probably speaks to the quality of fuel we put in them. I think I'll stick with a higher octane from now on. 


I think Missy is going to pop soon. She has a little discharge going on and is bagging up. Poor thing is so skinny. She's weird, she doesn't like the pelleted feed like the others at all, but loves the alfalfa cubes. The rest of mine will eat the cubes but prefer the pellets. Of course she is happy to eat calf-manna and grain, but I'm not feeding a ton of that. She leaves the pellets in the feeder, but I figure if she gets hungry she'll eat them. 

Chicks should hatch this weekend, I'm excited to see how many hatch out!


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 27, 2018)

Ya could always keep the boys busy for a bit with a hose and scrub brush....I'd give em a little extra for the service and inspiration....
Hope the kidding and hatching goes great for ya....


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## Baymule (Feb 27, 2018)

I get you on the pigs in the trailer, mine are still in the trailer and it's freaking me out. I desperately NEED some sunny days so we can get outside and get to work! We need to build the pig pen, good thing about that is once we build one, we can use it over and over. We had a beautiful sunny day yesterday, but daughter called at 6:50 AM, her babysitter was sick, so we watched the 3 and 1 1/2 year old grands. NO pig pen building! 

I clean the trailer every morning. When we finally get them out of there, I'll wash and scrub it out good before we take it to the carwash. Carwash is the first place DH stops after taking animals to slaughter. 

I have so much to do in the garden it ain't even funny. I guess you and I will finally get our gardens done......someday.

still would have loved to see you rope that pig.....LOL LOL


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## AClark (Feb 28, 2018)

See, I don't mind the stock trailer after the horses or goats have been in it, I let it dry and sweep it out, but there's a big difference between their poop and the pig poop. Our water pressure here at the house is so poor it isn't worth trying to hose out the trailer, I can't even wash my truck with it, but even swept out I got complained at for pulling the trailer through the bay at the car wash, and it wasn't even nasty. I mean, I was standing in there spraying it, and I keep the cab of my truck immaculate so you know I'm not getting in it covered in gross.
Our pressure is so bad that if you're in the shower and someone turns on the sink or flushes the toilet, it takes about 5 minutes before you get enough water pressure back to finish your shower. 
I'll push the pigs up into the first cut gate this morning, pull out the soiled cardboard boxes, and then push them to the rear for the ride. 

I'm sure my pig roping was comical. I got a couple of good throws in that he managed to escape before I could rip the slack out - have to throw a big loop when you can't catch a neck. It basically comes down to managing to get the neck and 1 leg through to have a good catch they can't back out of. I had regrets after I actually caught him, one of those moments where you stop and say "Ok I caught it, now what?!"
Honestly, I'm not much of a header to begin with, I'm a decent heeler, but their legs don't catch that well, a softer rope would have probably worked better. 

My new carb should be here next week, it shouldn't take me long to put it on, and I'll be able to knock the garden area out really fast. I got the one for the ATV, and will work on that soon and try to get it started. It needs tires though so even once it runs it's not going anywhere, as they are too dry rotted to even hold with fix a flat to limp it out of the barn. I'll be happy to have it running, our neighbor traded me a lawn dump bed trailer for some reloading supplies I had left over and it holds at least 4x what my wheel barrow does, so it will speed up some projects for sure.
So, garden plan is till once to remove grass/weeds, till it deep, add compost, re-till, and cover with weed barrier.

It's raining right now, it's going to be a soggy slow ride down this morning.


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## Bruce (Feb 28, 2018)

AClark said:


> Our pressure is so bad that if you're in the shower and someone turns on the sink or flushes the toilet, it takes about 5 minutes before you get enough water pressure back to finish your shower.


Sounds like it is time for a (new) (bigger) pressure tank.


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## AClark (Feb 28, 2018)

We are on rural water, not a well, or I'd go out and pressurize a tank myself. I've done that many times back home, but here i have to pay for water use and it's "you get what you get" pressure wise. They said I get 23 lbs at the road when they tested it and that's all they are required to give me. You can get a shower in it, as long as nobody flushes the toilet, turns a sink or hose on, and you turn off the washer and dishwasher. Forget washing the mud off your truck or a trailer out though. 

Pigs are gone. It was dry enough on the roads to travel easily, backed the trailer up and in the chute. They weren't that big, not like the two show hogs that were there, but it is what it is and they are out of my hair. It's soggy out and I haven't cleaned the trailer out yet, man it smells in there and I'm not looking forward to it. I think I'll just burn the cardboard and try to scrape it, but things came up. Lena isn't feeling well, when she woke up this morning her eyes were all stuck together, so I got her a dr appt at 1. I still need to run to the feed store but I figured "f it" - I'll do that tomorrow and bring the trailer up to the car wash there and hope the owner isn't there, lol. If he is, I'll pretend I'm hosing the outside because it's muddy and then run through the inside real fast. I mean really what is he going to say as long as I"m not flushing hay down the drain to clog it - I'm paying for it.


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## Bruce (Feb 28, 2018)

AClark said:


> I mean really what is he going to say as long as I"m not flushing hay down the drain to clog it - I'm paying for it.


Is the used water sent down the sewer?



AClark said:


> I get 23 lbs at the road when they tested it and that's all they are required to give me.


But you COULD have better pressure if you wanted, right? You COULD put in a tank and a 30-50 regulator?? For the washing of vehicles, maybe you need a pressure washer?

Is the lack of ability to shower at the same time someone turns another faucet on possibly linked to the size of the pipes in the house? ASSUMING you have a 1" or greater pipe coming in from the meter, you can run 3/4" pipe instead of 1/2", at least for cold water, and you should (I think) still have that whopping 23 PSI at all "end users".

In my prior house I ran a 1" pipe from where the "neighborhood water *" came into the house to where it branched off to "use locations" and ran 3/4" from there to each end point. Dropped to 1/2" at each "last split". 25 PSI everywhere and flushing a toilet didn't scald someone showering. The bathroom sink and shower fixtures were designed to be "low flow" so "full pressure" didn't mean lots of wasted water.

* The neighborhood has a well and the water was originally pumped up to a tower that was at about the high point of the neighborhood. People at the same level as the base of the tower had pressure tanks. People at the bottom of the hill, > 1/2 mile distant and ~150' vertically, had better pressure. We were down hill only about 40' from the tower. Eventually that tower was replaced with in ground tanks, pumps and auto chlorinators (no more having someone climb up the tower with a couple of gallons of bleach). Pressure went to 70 PSI. Sure glad I had all pretty new plumbing! I can imagine a jump like that could flush out a lot of weak joints/pipes in old plumbing.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 28, 2018)

Hope Lena gets better and it is just a cold or something simple. I doubt that I'd burn the cardboard, I'd let it decompose in the garden and use it for weed control around the edge if nothing else....might as well use what ya have and not smell it in the air burning.....


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## AClark (Mar 1, 2018)

There's no tank at all to pressurize it, I guess I *could* put one in, but really that's more money than I'm willing to fork out for more pressure to shower with - as long as everything else is off you don't get froze/scalded and there's plenty of pressure to shower with. It's like city water, and our tower is several miles away. I'm at the end of the line really (it ends 2 houses down from mine) and me and both neighbors have crappy water pressure. 
It's an old system, it isn't uncommon for us to go with just a trickle over the weekend if a pipe up the line has broken - they don't work on weekends and won't go out and fix it as long as you still get *some* water, even if it takes 3 hours to fill a stock tank. It's useless trying to argue with them as well, been there, done that. I thought at first it was just mine and a plumbing issue, except I have all new PEX plumbing under this house and it's completely dry under there. After talking to the folks across the street and next door, it's the water companies issue. 

I'm not sure where the used water goes to that car wash, or what they do for sewer in the small town closest to me, but I imagine if you can wash trucks covered in cow manure and mud, hosing out a stock trailer with a little manure in it shouldn't be much different. I think it's more of a concern of having big particles that will clog their drains up - which I don't, I knock all the big stuff out first.

We did end up burning that cardboard, I'm not sure if it was that that smelled so bad or the pampas grass I threw in there, but it reeked like cat pee. It was so wet and nasty I wouldn't use it in my garden, I won't compost pig manure either due to what they eat and the risk of pathogens. I have composted chicken manure but it's pretty well near the bottom and nothing but black dirt at this point. 

The doctor thinks Lena has allergies, but she did have a case of conjunctivitis and got antibiotic drops. Poor kid has been nothing but slimy since it warmed up. 

I just took the turner out of the incubator, chicks should hatch on Sunday. I have 23 viable eggs left after removing quitters, yolkers, and blood ringed ones. So about half of what I started with, but still a good number of chicks. Then geese and ducklings on the 11th through...??? I've been adding the goose eggs in as I get them so multiple dates on those.


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## AClark (Mar 6, 2018)

I have baby chicks, 7 so far, another pipped and late to the party. So far, so good. 

Yesterday was just full of total suck. My favorite little hen fell in the horse trough and drowned, all within 20 minutes or so between when I let them out and finished milking. 

Then Ruby "bloated". Except it wasn't bloat. I wrote another post on it because it's so wild and looked like bloat all the way around but it was a much bigger issue. I didn't have any luck googling the symptoms and coming up with what it was, hydrops uteri, so figured for everyones educational sake I'd write about it. Ruby will lose her pregnancy, she has been given meds to abort them, but there wasn't a choice in it. Either abort them or lose her and them. I feel pretty crappy about that but that's the option and know my vet was on point with treating her. He went all out, and is totally worth the almost hour drive out.


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## Bruce (Mar 6, 2018)

Well I "liked" that based on the chicks, then got to Ruby and "unliked". Sure hope she comes through OK.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 6, 2018)

That was a hard choice but no choice after all.  I hope she comes through all of this.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 6, 2018)

I liked it...not for the problem, but for your willingness to share with us the problem....that does take courage and I support that.....


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## Hens and Roos (Mar 6, 2018)

that she comes through for you!


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## AClark (Mar 6, 2018)

Thanks. I figured I'd share because it's such an oddball thing to have happen, and honestly if you hadn't heard about it, you'd think they're bloated bad and go through all the tricks (we did) with zero result. If you didn't have a vet handy, it wouldn't take long to lose one. She went from lethargic to nearly dead in less than 6 hours.  I really thought she was a goner last night, just limp and groaning, and I fully expected her to be dead when I got up at 4:30 this morning - the vet did too. 
I'm a bit bummed about her baby(ies) but I'd rather abort them than lose her, she's my buddy and my enforcer with the other goats (even if all the horn bruises on my legs are from her), and if she has to spend the rest of her life enjoying everyone elses babies, then that's fine. It's a good bet her fetus(es) aren't normal anyway and probably what caused it.


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## AClark (Mar 7, 2018)

With all the crazy this week, I've neglected some new arrivals, other than the chicks.

This is Crusader, He's a 9 month old fullblood Boer buck. He's a doll, very friendly and sweet.



 

Here's his new girlfriend, Spoiled. She's a 3 year old show doe I picked up for a song.



 

We have been doing some evaluation and are letting a couple go, ones I don't care as much for looks-wise. Dolly will be sold unless I find some cheap orphaned lambs for her to feed, and Josette is being picked up this weekend. 
I may also sell Bonnie and Betty after they kid depending on how well they milk and what their kids turn out like, and if I get does. One or both, I haven't decided, but what I have decided is that the less friendly ones are more work than I'm willing to deal with on a regular basis, and I don't care for having to chase them down.


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## BoboFarm (Mar 7, 2018)

Congrats on the new additions! Crusader is a handsome fellow and Spoiled looks very happy. The difficult ones are seldomly worth the time and effort. Sometimes culling decisions can be difficult but are worth it down the road.


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## AClark (Mar 7, 2018)

That's where I'm debating on Bonnie and Betty the twin Nubians. They are both nice looking, but neither is keen on letting me catch them, and they are bullies. Josette isn't the nicest built doe and I have no problem with letting her go. Dolly is a b----- and I get tired of her crap. She throws tantrums when I'm milking and will throw herself down. She's currently in time out right now for exactly that. Time out being that she's still on the stand and can get out when she stops acting up, every time I go near her she throws herself down dramatically. She actually kicked me the other day, which she's never done. Rotten little monster isn't worth the 1/2 a gallon a day she produces. 

Basically, as awful as it sounds, but Bonnie and Betty will get to kid out, and we'll see if I'd rather keep daughters if I get any.


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## AClark (Mar 7, 2018)

Spoiled has a funny story.
I had not intended on buying a goat at the auction...at all. So I did not come equipped to transport one. I had actually left some stuff at the auction and went to pick it up because it didn't sell. 
Well, my items actually sold. The auctioneer keeps a look out for nice Boer goats for me and showed me her. Had I read my text messages instead of being swamped busy all day I would have seen where he text me a picture and would have brought something.
 So, here I am with no containment and I bought a goat. Yes auction goat, but I know where she came from, a well known Boer breeder in the area had sold her to a show family, how she ended up at the auction I have no idea - she still has the breeders ear tag in. The auctioneer helped us wire down a cattle panel in the bed of the truck that should have kept her in.

So I'm 5 miles away, I hit my cargo light and she's under her cattle panel laying down. No problem. Another 20 minutes goes by and I hit the cargo light and I have a goat riding like a dog in the bed of the truck - on the freeway. 
I generally have no problem letting goats ride on the back seat of the truck. However, I have 3 children back there and the only room is the floorboard.
So, Spoiled got to ride on the floor board for the rest of the hour and a half trip. 

This is why I prefer dog gentle, had she not been, I can't imagine what would have happened. She was more than happy to be picked up and put in the cab and laid down and enjoyed being petted the whole trip home.


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## Latestarter (Mar 7, 2018)

I had a flying pig, you could have had a flying goat. Great save!


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 7, 2018)

Crusader is a really nice looking buck and should give ya some really nice young'uns....I really like the boers and would lean towards them if we lived in a better area for them. They seem to have a great disposition quite the characters. Spoiled looks really good to and I know they will be good performers for ya....just stay on top of the parasites cause they are suseptable to them.....


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## Baymule (Mar 7, 2018)

I agree on hard culling or selling what isn't working for you. We have our animals for our enjoyment and if they are absolute little ^(^$#@% then we are not having any fun with them at all. Your new buck and doe look like lovely goats, glad that you have them. I love the moonspots!


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## AClark (Mar 9, 2018)

Definitely, Josette was picked up last night. 
You're right Baymule, heavy culling of animals that make you dread dealing with them is the way to go.


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## Baymule (Mar 10, 2018)

I finally caved in and sold my mule last year. She stalked the dogs up and down the fence, I lived in dread that DD's little dog would slip under the fence and be reduced to a pancake. She pawed the fences, did damage, and hated everything that wasn't a horse, with a vengeance. I finally faced up to what a PITA she was and sold her on Craigslist within 15 minutes.


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## AClark (Mar 12, 2018)

I'm down to only 1 obnoxious goat that will be heading out of here next month. We decided to get a couple of orphan lambs since I have 2 does in milk and am tired of Dolly's crap with milking. She's still obnoxious and slams herself down, but it's harder whe nI've tethered a leg to the fence. She's better about letting the lambs nurse than she is milking, and when they are weaned she's gone. 
Ruby is taking well after losing her babies to the new lambs, I just have to feed her and she lets them nurse. We gave each doe a pair. One lamb is stunted but he's my 7 year olds birthday present, she really wanted a lamb and that's how we ended up with 4. It seemed like a waste to have her have all that milk and no babies, I milked out the colostrum too. These lambs are 3 weeks old - hair sheep mixed breeds, all rams. Of course they'll be wethered here shortly.


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## Baymule (Mar 12, 2018)

I'm not wethering my ram lambs this time. One is exceptionally nice and I'm keeping him for my ram for at least one or two breedings. The others I'll have to keep separate from the flock until sold. It may be more trouble than it's worth, but we'll see. Sounds like you will be enjoying some lamb chops. Your 7 year old has her priorities in order-don't want silly stuff for her Birthday-she wanted a lamb! It will make a nice pet for her and might spark an interest in getting some ewes.....LOL


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## AClark (Mar 12, 2018)

I'm wethering for grow outs, I don't have ewes and not sure I have any interest in raising "meadow maggots". They are darling little guys though. I figure wethering the pet stunted one will keep him being a better pet though. I don't know anything about sheep other than they can't have copper, and that they don't mind nursing off goats. "Close enough" I guess.
We were actually going to get her a different little lamb, but the lady said they had named the stunted one "Goober", which is my 7 year olds nickname so it was meant to be. She was so surprised to get home from school and have a little 3 week old lamb to love all over. Once he's bigger we'll teach him to lead and she wants to take him out to eat grass and play in the yard.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 12, 2018)

My only experience with wethered sheep is the 3 we have here.  They are tamer than any of our ewes and actually come up for contact. They may have gotten that way though from watching our ram getting all of his scratches and animal crackers. 

They act 'pet like' but will still be going to someones freezer soon.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 12, 2018)

How exciting!!....especially for the young'uns to have their own farm animals....hope they enjoy them and ya never know...they may just grow on ya too.....


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## AClark (Mar 12, 2018)

Oh I'm not gonna lie, the little lambs are cute and I like them. I just know they'll grow into big sheep and won't be cute and cuddly anymore. Maybe her's will, he's been a bottle baby and they all come right up like I"m going to feed them, and to be cuddled and pet, then go attack my poor momma goats for food, lol.


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## Baymule (Mar 12, 2018)

I enjoy my sheep. I have a wether destined for freezer camp and he is so friendly and sweet. Your daughter will have a wonderful pet that wants to be loved on.


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## greybeard (Mar 12, 2018)

AClark said:


> not sure I have any interest in raising "meadow maggots".


That's what they were called in W. Texas too...'pasture maggots'.
All you could see was the top 1/2 big white blobs with a dark nose bobbing up and down in the Klien and Bluestem looked like big  maggots from the road. You had to be really careful at night as there were forever bunches of em out on the highway..they were way worse than deer south of San Angelo out near Wall, Vancourt and Eldorado.


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## AClark (Mar 13, 2018)

Must be a western term, that's what we called them back home. Most were like that too, dark headed wool sheep. These are hair sheep, but all the same.
My girls are nursing them when I'm not there now. I left them 12 hours, where the does should have had very full udders, and they were squishy and empty, so I know they are nursing them on the sly now. I don't think they've really "adopted" them, as all 4 will nurse the same doe, but they do switch back and forth between does. Their little bellies are full and they are growing like crazy. It only took about 3 days for the does to take to the lambs, so I can't complain.


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## AClark (Mar 13, 2018)

Ok, went and picked up our pigs today. Total live weight was 170 (for both, small pigs) return was 121 lbs. Not bad. My freezer is so full I had to remove the shelves. I need a bigger freezer. This is a big chest freezer, and I have a smaller standing one next to it that is equally full. 

That said, this is packaged a little weird. It's all in butcher paper, no problems there, but WTH - I have some marked "kidneys" and one marked "fries". I'm assuming they mean the same thing as when you say calf fries, and that I have a package with testicles in it?! 

Not sure what to do with pig testicles here...other than feeding them, and the kidneys, to my dogs.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 13, 2018)

Some people do eat them, but I would do the same thing as you....I've never been that hungry to find out what they taste like....


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## AClark (Mar 13, 2018)

Yeah I don't think I'm about to find out any time soon. I have no problem with calf fries, but from a pig? Pass!


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## Bruce (Mar 13, 2018)

Um, what would be the difference? Just a different animal right?


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## Baymule (Mar 13, 2018)

I've had "Rocky Mountain Oysters" before and there wasn't a lot of taste to them. Meh.

I always get the offal from animals we take to slaughter. I can it with 1/2 cup COOKED rice in quart jars for the dogs. They love it!


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## greybeard (Mar 13, 2018)

Baymule said:


> I've had "Rocky Mountain Oysters" before and there wasn't a lot of taste to them. Meh.
> 
> I always get the offal from animals we take to slaughter. I can it with 1/2 cup COOKED rice in quart jars for the dogs. They love it!


They are kinda like eating fried snake. The only real taste is an acquired one and it's mostly whatever they are breaded and/or seasoned with.


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## Baymule (Mar 13, 2018)

I have fried rattlesnake before. Since I use a lot of seasoning, it was pretty good! LOL


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## greybeard (Mar 13, 2018)

The kids and I used to make every rattlesnake roundup in Texas..for several years straight. I've eaten 9 gondola car loads of fried rattlesnake. Taylor, Freer, Sweetwater and a couple trips to one in Oklahoma.


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## AClark (Mar 15, 2018)

Hey nice reminder, the Rattlesnake festival is coming up, it's only about 10-15 miles from the house and something to do, lol.
I don't know what it is but I am a bit more picky about what parts I'll eat off a pig. I draw the line at chitterlings, feet, jowls. Chitterlings mainly because I can't stand the smell of them, and due to that, I've never tried them. I figure any food I can't get past the smell of, I probably shouldn't eat.


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## Bruce (Mar 15, 2018)

AClark said:


> I figure any food I can't get past the smell of, I probably shouldn't eat.



Sounds reasonable to me!


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## AClark (Mar 24, 2018)

The fresh pig meat is amazing. DH cut a loin into medallions and seared it while I made a garlic and onion cream sauce. It was very tender with great flavor.

On an unrelated note I am in the hospital. I had a minor outpatient surgery yesterday morning and it didn’t go very well so I was admitted last night and probably get to go home tomorrow morning. I spent my first 12 hours on a no food or drink diet. By this morning I was so thirsty my mouth was sticky. I have 2 IV lines since the ER one they ran wasn’t working well. 

Anyway, we are now the proud owners of a Lamancha doe. She had a sad story to her really. She was at the auction with her twin bucklings. She was down and had frothy bloat. They pulled and sold her twins who were maybe a few days to a week old and left her in a holding pen.
So I waited until the auction was over and caught up with the auctioneer and talked him into letting me take her, he said she was going to die anyway.
Her name is Velvet now (think the song black velvet lol) I treated her for bloat and an infection and while she took 4 days she has perked up and is digging into my feed bucket when I bring it to her. She was a bit sunken in from dehydration but is eating and drinking well now after a week of being touch and go. No clue where her babies ended up but I hope they’re doing ok.


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## Latestarter (Mar 24, 2018)

Hope YOU'RE doing OK... Heal up there... Good save on the mancha doe. Hope she works out well for you.


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## Baymule (Mar 24, 2018)

I love the way you barely mention that you are in the hospital, while gushing over a goat! LOL LOL LOL

I hope you are ok and can go home tomorrow. The household runs smooth no matter what calamity befalls it. But let MOM go down and it falls apart pretty darn fast! 

Nice goat, she owes her life to you. She not only has a life, but she has a good life with you and your family.


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## Bruce (Mar 25, 2018)

2/3 "like" on the post?? Just can't like that you ended up in the hospital, especially due to what should have been a minor surgery then go home.


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## Hens and Roos (Mar 25, 2018)

for speedy recovery!


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## AClark (Mar 26, 2018)

I did get to go home on Sunday.
So, this may be a TMI moment for the guys, and I suggest you don't read further if you don't want to know about "girl parts", lol.
I had a tubal done, because I'm done having kids (about time, right?). I woke up to them removing the trach tube, coughing and gagging, and it went down hill from there. Just extreme pain without relief and a nasty rude nurse. The nurse said I was just being "emotional" because I was in tears from the pain and couldn't choke out any words because my throat was swollen - even though when she asked if I was in pain I nodded my head yes and gave her 10 fingers for intensity.
She ignored me and said it was just emotion and gave me Ativan...and still no pain relief since Ativan is an anti-anxiety med, after several hours of suffering with what felt like being gut shot with a large caliber rifle, I squeaked out that I wanted to go home - mostly to get away from the nurse because she wasn't getting the hint that the tears are purely from intense pain and her not getting the picture that I'm suffering. I went back to the ER a few hours later because the pain was unbearable even after taking the percoset, and doubling the dose advised by the on-call doctor from my office.
So they pulled me back and put me on a morphine pump which instantly relieved it, then they kept me for observation all day Saturday and Sunday to make sure it wasn't a problem with bleeding or any other issues. For whatever reason, apparently my tubes did not like being banded at all and that's all it was. I have zero bleeding at the two tiny incisions and only a normal amount of bleeding anywhere else. I feel fine, although a bit tender, today.

Of course I'd gush over a new goat, that's a lot more fun to talk about than how your ovaries are throwing a fit over you not wanting anymore children, lol!

DH is happy I'm home I think, other than the discomfort and being up and down a lot last night. He didn't have a good weekend, lots of "farm stress" and not knowing who/what/where. We lost one of our doe rabbits, she had a big litter and he was lost with what to do (she had 12 that are a week or so old) and he was unprepared to bottle feed them. One of our others had lost her litter the day before, they were all deformed and still born, so I suggested giving them all to her.
So, DH is sending me pics in the hospital of rabbits because he doesn't know which one to give them to. Luckily, Daisy decided she wants those babies and is caring for them. Then of course I'm worried about my alpine doe dropping babies while I'm gone because she's bagging up massively, I ask DH if Missy looks any closer and the reply is "which one is that?". I tell him "The alpine"...he says "what's she look like?". I tell him "the black and white one that looks like a cow" - oh ok, yeah her udder is huge....dude I know it is, now go look at her backside and tell me if she's got discharge, lol.


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## Bruce (Mar 26, 2018)

I'm sure he is useful in other ways. Could have saved you some pain by getting tied off himself.


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## Latestarter (Mar 26, 2018)

I would write a very succinct letter to the hospital detailing out the behavior of the nurse. That is simply unacceptable. Sorry you once again had to deal with pain... Hope you're back "good as new" quickly. The farm and family obviously need you.


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## AClark (Mar 26, 2018)

I told the other nurse in the pre-op area what happened when I was trying to escape and she went and printed out grievance forms and said when I felt better to write it all down and submit it because it was BS. She was very nice to me and treated me well and said that behavior was not acceptable at all and that I needed to report it. i will when I am sure I can clearly put it all together coherently. Of course, it's that other nurses word against mine and with me being drugged she has the upper hand, but my best friend here is a nurse and is pulling the records for me to look for anything out of the ordinary as well. I'm going to hang that wicked witch out to dry.

ETA: I did tell the on call dr from my office what happened and he said he was wondering why I went home if I was still feeling so bad and that the nurse had said I felt fine, and that after I told him what PACU nurse was up to it made sense on why I wanted out of there and he didn't blame me for leaving, and also I should report it. I do remember parts very clearly, and others are fuzzy.


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## Bruce (Mar 26, 2018)

AClark said:


> Of course, it's that other nurses word against mine and with me being drugged she has the upper hand, but my best friend here is a nurse and is pulling the records for me to look for anything out of the ordinary as well. I'm going to hang that wicked witch out to dry.


I suspect you could describe the events to any number of people at the hospital and they could name the nurse. Bad pennies don't go unnoticed. Your grievance might save quite a few people from similar "care".


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## Wehner Homestead (Mar 26, 2018)

I’d started your journal some time ago and just finished it. I find your adventures entertaining and interesting. You are definitely much more self-sufficient than I am. Maybe I’ll learn a small retain something along the way. 

As a nurse, your treatment was entirely unacceptable. Please make it clear that you called the on-call doctor and also went to the ER in your grievance. They’ll probably gather whatever records possible to validate your story. 

That’s awesome that you rescued that doe, Velvet! I’m sure she will do well for you. The rescues always seem to know. 

How many children do you have? You mentioned something about it being “about time” and I don’t recall.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 26, 2018)

So sorry to hear of your troubles AC....
If ya really want action with that nurse, be sure to approach a hospital administrator with your complaint....that way hospital politics can't come into play....the system avoids the administrators office being informed, because they have the power to squeeze ya where it hurts....I've had a few run-ins with several myself, and when ya get the administrator involved it takes on a whole different meaning. Sure hope ya heal up well and quickly.....and it sounds like it was a real wake-up call for DH as to all that ya handle and just how Amazing a lady he has by his side.....he is a very lucky man....


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## Baymule (Mar 26, 2018)

I had to laugh at you texting back and forth with your husband over farm chores. Funny to me, probably not to your husband. Glad you are home, now do what you need to do to heal up and get back to your very own level of crazy.


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## AClark (Mar 27, 2018)

@Wehner Homestead I have 5 children, DH has 3 more so we have a total of 8, ranging from 20 to 1 year old. "About time" is right, lol. 

I got the nurses notes from my visit from my friend (signed a release so she could print it all off) I knew something was wrong with the whole Ativan thing, the nurses notes show that after giving me Ativan, against my will as I remember telling her no, my O2 stats dropped to 46% and I got the good ole chin tilt. I don't remember that, but I do remember telling her I didn't want Ativan. I went to school to be a pharmacy technician, so I was well aware of what Ativan is and why I didn't need it as I was not experiencing anxiety, just severe pain. I had REAL anxiety after telling her no and getting it anyway. I do find it amusing she wrote my demeanor is pleasant and cooperative...after I flat out told her no and argued with her about wanting my husband there since they said I'm not "competent" to make those decisions so I insisted on DH being there to make them, they released me after that. 
I've never had problems with surgery before. I just had a major open arm surgery in December and that wasn't bad at all, slightly painful but not like this, and the only real interaction I remember with that PACU nurse was her telling me "I'm taking your heater away, I know you're cold, but you won't stay awake" - lol. I have a lot of respect for nurses and do my best to treat them that way, I had no problems with any other nurses for my weekend "getaway" and the housekeeper told my husband how nice and sweet I was (she must have mistaken me for someone else!).


DH did not find our texting amusing, he just doesn't know all the animals by name so when I tell him "ok give those babies to Daisy she just lost her litter the day before" I got "which one is Daisy?" Then pictures of the rabbits so I could pick out which one was her. Or "hey check on Missy for me, I know she was bagging up" - Missy is the Alpine...yeah, no horns, black and white, looks like a cow...yes I know her udder is huge, now go look at her butt. I kind of wish I could have seen his facial expression for that one, probably a mixture of WTF and "did she really just tell me to go look at the goats butt?"
I did like the "how much do you feed these guys" question yesterday...DH helps me feed every night but I usually scoop all the buckets, he has been over feeding everyone, but like I told him, i'd rather he over-fed them than skimped them on food anyway. 

One of my friends made the joke that the animals and kids must have missed me, and then said "oh and your poor husband, with all the animals to feed and a house to clean and kids to feed...he missed you the most!" I did come home to a nice clean house though. Maybe he'll be a bit more appreciative of what kind of crap I do all day. 

I'm moving goats around today. Nothing crazy, just the ones that lead easily. I got complained at for moving Missy yesterday since the weather is crap and I wanted her in the barn because I don't know when she's due but her udder is huge, but no discharge. Better safe than sorry, and she leads better than my dog walks. DH said "oh you feel bad but you're out there messing with goats!" but walking helps relieve the CO2 build up from the surgery and it isn't like I'm wrestling them to the ground. 
Velvet is doing great, I finally moved her out of "sick bay" aka the horse trailer. She's perky and obviously feeling pretty good.


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## promiseacres (Mar 27, 2018)

Wow, not fun stuff. Gad you're home and feeling better. My DH is the same but thankful he's willing.


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## Latestarter (Mar 27, 2018)

Glad your mobility is up and I'm guessing you feel at least a little better. I'm kinda surprised you didn't ask him to take a pic of the goat's butt and send it to you for evaluation...   I mean, would he have known what to look for or what he was seeing? Just asking, no implications... Glad everyone made it through your absence.


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## AClark (Mar 27, 2018)

Lol, that thought did cross my mind but I also thought that might be a bit much to ask. I just told him to look for any slime and if there wasn't any, good deal. I'm sure everyone wants to go out to look for slime on the rear end of a goat!


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## Baymule (Mar 27, 2018)

The things we do to our husbands......mine recoiled when helping me slaughter chickens. I offered to let him stick his hand up a chicken's butt and drag the guts out. For some reason he refused.....


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## Wehner Homestead (Mar 27, 2018)

My DH is terrified of chickens. We have 58(?). He will take care of them if he has to but they are mine. He isn’t a cat person either and only pets 3 of our 8 cats. Oscar gets evicted from the house every chance DH gets. The first time he worked cattle with us, we were still teenagers and I was in charge of shots, tagging, dehorning with scoops, and castrating. Papaw made DH hold the first bull calf that went through while I cut it. DH flinched every time the calf tensed up as he lost his manhood. Dad then told DH to never p*** me off or I’d castrate him!  I still drag him into various things around here that I need his help with - like catching chickens. He can’t catch them to save his life! I have to and hand them over.


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## Baymule (Mar 28, 2018)

Wehner Homestead said:


> My DH is terrified of chickens. We have 58(?). He will take care of them if he has to but they are mine. He isn’t a cat person either and only pets 3 of our 8 cats. Oscar gets evicted from the house every chance DH gets. The first time he worked cattle with us, we were still teenagers and I was in charge of shots, tagging, dehorning with scoops, and castrating. Papaw made DH hold the first bull calf that went through while I cut it. DH flinched every time the calf tensed up as he lost his manhood. Dad then told DH to never p*** me off or I’d castrate him!  I still drag him into various things around here that I need his help with - like catching chickens. He can’t catch them to save his life! I have to and hand them over.


I had my husband hold the ram lambs last year when I cut them. It grossed him out, but he held them tight. He is a pretty good sport about things, he will hold the chicken feet while I peel the skin off, but no dragging the guts out! He mostly watched last summer when we slaughtered 3 hogs, on the last one, he tried skinning-a little.


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## Bruce (Mar 28, 2018)

He'll get there Bay!


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## Mike CHS (Mar 28, 2018)

Baymule said:


> He mostly watched last summer when we slaughtered 3 hogs, on the last one, he tried skinning-a little.



You have to take into consideration about how soft hearted all of us men are.


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## AClark (Mar 29, 2018)

Now that's something I don't have to deal with, DH will help me gut and skin and all that. He doesn't give shots, that's on me, but as far as processing animals he's good with it. He's actually really handy with the gross things, including changing nasty diapers. 
But, remembering how much to feed everyone...yeah no. Or having to dispatch animals either, he will do it, but most of the time I end up doing it. Of course, nobody likes to have to do that, but I have more experience with it.


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## AClark (Mar 29, 2018)

I haven't done a photo dump in awhile. It's overcast so not the best photos, but eh...

First is "Spoiled" a 3 year old commercial Boer doe. She's a real peachy, very friendly and nice. She is bred to Crusader, our PB Boer buck and should kid in August. Last one of the year.



 

Betty in the bathtub. For some reason they love to lay in that thing, Spoiled in the background because she can't not be an attention hog. Betty is due in June.


 

Sadie now that she's grown up.



 

Our orphan lambs that are nursing goat Momma's.


 

Missy the Alpine. She's hanging in the barn since I don't trust her not to pop out babies any day.



 

Ruby, chilling in the barn still because she's nursing the orphan lambs.


 

Misc chickens...doing chicken things and thinking I'm going to feed them so they all rushed me.


 

Dixie with Spoiled and Velvet in the background


 

Ducks and a few young pullets


 

My geese trio. Bo is in the front, his two girlfriends behind him. One is a Sebastapol.


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## CntryBoy777 (Mar 29, 2018)

It seems ya have quite the variety happening there, and they all seem to be doing really well. Ya have really come a long way in a very short period of time.....I just wish I had a fourth of your spunk....


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## AClark (Apr 18, 2018)

So we have recently decided to change our goals at the farm. We've narrowed it down to two breeds of goat, Boers and Nubians - I still have one oddball Alpine doe though, but I'll be keeping her until she goes from old age, she's a nice doe with a huge udder and still hasn't kidded so I have no idea when she will, but eventually I suppose. Our Lamancha girl recovered from the bloat and problems, just to go downhill 3 weeks later and was gone within a couple of hours. I still don't know what did it, but I have suspicion it was Listeriosis that finally got her. We really tried though and she went as comfortably as she could have. We also lost one of our orphan lambs to abosamal bloat; we tried there too but that's a swift killer.

We've added a new commercial Boer doe, Eclipse. She's cute, and has waddles. We also added another Nubian doe, Raven. Raven is a nice girl but skittish, since she was an only goat and was used for goat tying and roping practice. She's seriously attached to horses and is getting used to the other goats, but still prefers to hang around with my horses all day. She's actually gentle once you catch her though and leads well. 

I have been so busy this spring I haven't had a lot of time to get on here, between finishing up school and all the crazy things that happen on a farm in the spring, I'm just finding there aren't enough hours in the day.  Mother Nature can also calm down a little, it was 92 yesterday, and like 60 something today. We had a hard freeze on April 7th, with snow. We haven't gotten rain so it's super dry and the grass is non-existent so far, though they are calling for rain on Saturday and I hope it's a nice soaking all day storm. This time last year I had knee deep grass, this year, I'm still feeding round bales. 

June kiddings will be:
JD (reg. Nubian buck) x Bonnie (Nubian)
JD x Betty (Bonnies twin)
JD x Clara (Nubian) - will retain any doe kids, Clara is up in years
JD x Sarah (commercial Boer) - keeping doe kid(s) maybe and selling Sarah for sure
JD x Maggie (comm. Boer) - retaining doe kid(s) and possibly selling Maggie
Boer x Missy (Alpine - not sure when she's due, probably before June) - not sure if I want to keep anything here.

August/September
Crusader (reg FB Boer buck) x Spoiled (comm. Boer)
Crusader x Eclipse (comm Boer)
JD x Raven (Nubian)

Eclipse:



 

Raven:


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## Latestarter (Apr 18, 2018)

Love the new signature. Glad to hear you have clarity on the future direction.


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 18, 2018)

Sorry ya are sooo busy....but, sure Glad that it is making the turn for the better....the new additions look well and so does the possibilities of colors and markings in all of the offspring ya got coming....


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## Baymule (Apr 19, 2018)

If you are going to be feeding animals, you might as well feed registered stock or commercial with value, so you can sell them. You were pretty scattered on your breeds, maybe you just had to sample different breeds to figure out what you really wanted. 

I really like Eclipse's color!


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## AClark (Apr 19, 2018)

That's pretty much it, I started out with the pygmy/Nigerians but they don't produce enough in meat or milk to be worth the trouble for my family, they did sell well though, lots of folks like little cute goats instead of the big ones. Actually, started out more for the milk part, but DH, after spending a lot of time in the Middle East, insists that goat is very tasty, lol. I have never had goat that I know of, but I'm a big fan of lamb and mutton, so I'll give it a shot. 
I know I like making cheese out of goat milk, so higher milk production was important to me. Aside from that, having a freezer full of meat helps a lot on the grocery bill.
We had "Pulled Petunia" for dinner last night, it was really good. I used a shoulder roast, bone in, cooked it down in the crockpot all day and shredded it. 
The biggest money sink is feeding horses, they cost about as much as all the goats and chickens cost to feed. 

Fred, I should get some neat colors out of the Nubians. Our bucks parents are both spotted, but he isn't, and two of my does are spotted, one is a paint, and the other two are just solid. Out of the Boers, our buck is spotted, but all the does are traditionally marked except Ruby and she's a solid red. Not sure what I'll get there, probably more traditionals, and maybe some spots.

The chickens are good and productive and I like that. I also went to a poultry auction and picked up cheap roosters ($0.50-2 each) for the freezer. It works out well, I butcher my excess ones, and people try to sell theirs but they don't sell for more than a couple dollars each anyway so they are worth more in meat than that.


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## Baymule (Apr 19, 2018)

Horses are a hole in my pocket that I dump money in. And I torture myself looking at kill pen sites, thanks to you! I can't justify another horse, guess I'll have to wait on my two old seniors to go to that great pasture in the sky. 

You should get some good colors with those genetics on your goats. I love moon spots!

We are raising 50-something Cornish Cross at the moment. I ordered 30,  a week before they arrived, we walked into TSC. The manager said she had more chicks coming in and had to get rid of the Cornish Cross chicks that she had-a week old. Take all you want! We got 25. I need my head examined. We'll see how it goes. 

Do you can any of the chicken meat or can broth? I simmer the bony back pieces, can the broth, then can the back pieces with a cup of cooked rice per quart, for dog food. They love it. I also can leg and thigh meat, it makes almost instant chicken soup, chicken salad, chicken mole' ............


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## AClark (Apr 20, 2018)

I haven't canned chicken yet. I'm not sure I want to, lol. It kind of reminds me of those whole chicken in a can things, lol. I have some leftover parts from the processor that is going to go in with rice for dog food though.

Missy the Alpine kidded yesterday afternoon. Twin doelings, both are Alpine marked (they have a Boer father).


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 20, 2018)

Congrats!


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 20, 2018)

Congrats on a healthy delivery with cute doelings!


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## Bruce (Apr 20, 2018)

Baymule said:


> I need my head examined. We'll see how it goes.


25 for your freezer, 25 for @Devonviolet's and 25 for @Latestarter's


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## Latestarter (Apr 20, 2018)

As long as they come to me all processed and frozen/canned, I'm all in favor! Otherwise, nah... Think I'll pass for right now. But thanks for thinking of me!   Congrats on the two new doelings!


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## Baymule (Apr 20, 2018)

Bruce said:


> 25 for your freezer, 25 for @Devonviolet's and 25 for @Latestarter's


Your math is off......I only have 50!


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## Bruce (Apr 22, 2018)

Oh sorry, I saw the 50 then the +25 from TSC and added. But I guess 25 for you and 25 for @Devonviolet because @Latestarter doesn't want the work right now.


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## Latestarter (Sep 26, 2018)

I can't post a note to your profile, nor can I send you a message. Just wanted you to know that you're thought about often and missed here at BYH. Hope you see this post and that it finds you and yours well and happy.


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## HomeOnTheRange (Oct 8, 2018)

Latestarter said:


> I can't post a note to your profile, nor can I send you a message. Just wanted you to know that you're thought about often and missed here at BYH. Hope you see this post and that it finds you and yours well and happy.


X2


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