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@Duckfarmerpa1 I am right there with you! My kids are 8 weeks and I’m realizing I really didn’t research the weaning process - I figured moms just do it! My kids do like grain and hay, so that’s good. I think I’m going to set up a creep-feeding situation so the babies can have free access...

So, so true! I worked in Katy during Rita: cars just sat on I-10 for hours... I remember how terrible it was after Katrina, too: so many people were nothing but appreciative, but there were also many people who just completely ceased to behave with any rationality. Clearly, I agree with you...

I believe it! My observation: The most affluent areas (Katy, parts of Austin, etc) get the most aggressive about hoarding. Smaller towns: people are more reasonable and more likely to “leave some for their neighbor”. I, too, have a couple friends in Katy: everything is sold out (paper...

Awww, fun!!!

There is a more in-depth explanation in an earlier post, but I think the key is to add varied, non-pine material. I was using compressed pine pellets and shavings and the smell was strong, even adding more each day ($$!). I raked up multiple wheelbarrows’ worth of dried leaves along with small...

The stink of bucks is real! (I learned that this yearo_O). It’s no fun to love on your “pets” and come back smelling of buck. He’ll also stink up the doe and her milk. id look at the two-pair idea.

Welcome! I started on BYC, too. If you have the interest/option, consider an LGD. My 3yr pyr/AS cross has prevented me from ever losing a chicken or duck to coyotes, raccoons, etc or even predatory birds. It’s an investment, for sure, getting them through the first couple years, but so valuable...

Welcome from a fellow Texan! I’m new to sheep, too. I got three (now former) bottle baby Barbados ewes in January. I have goats, kunekune and pot belly pigs, chickens, Muscovy ducks, and 3 LGDs. I’m a former city girl, learning to love the herd life in the country for the past couple years...

I spoke to the feed store: per the rep, they have a note on the product “as they get that question a lot”. There is NO ADDED COPPER. Their analysis lists the copper that is simply found naturally occurring in the ingredients. This coop is in the backyard of Texas A&M, so I couldn’t believe they...

Quick clarification: now that I have my nice heterogeneous bedding, do I still “flip it” to manually aerate? It didn’t smell at all, til I mixed things around. Should I just leave it be? I was mixing just a bit each day, but then had newborn twins I was about worried about and skipped a couple...

Since I have expanded into the world of sheep as well as goats, I’m researching a feed for both. I copper-bolus my goats anyway, so I’ll just likely do that more often, depending on condition. Everyone will have access to all-stock mineral, salt block, and cobalt block. I give replamin-plus at...

Nope. She dropped the kids between breakfast and my midday checking. She’s very skittish (I couldn’t check ligaments unless I restrained her which would have caused hysterics!). I knew she was close, but no obvious signs even a couple hours before. I walked in to twins half-cleaned, the bigger...

I have been sitting in the barn, just staring as they slept. The little one just jerked awake, cried, marched over to mom and latched on! She actively suckled, took a break, then went back for more! Dang, these little guys know how to tug out heartstrings!!!! Either the vitamin gel just kicked...

I have an 18hr doeling (one of twins to FF). Mom has milk and is attentive, but I haven’t seen this baby express much interest in nursing. Weighed 3#4oz a few hours after birth. I’ve syringe fed a few ounces of colostrum (little bits at a time. She doesn’t seem hungry!). I’ve tried to put her...

Welcome, neighbor, and congrats! I’m new to the sheep world myself - got three bottle baby barbado ewes Jan 1st. Sheep are fabulous...almost as great as everyone at BYH!

Well, my barn is already smelling better! I managed to rake up enough wheelbarrows’ worth of leaves (and lots of small twigs!) to completely cover the barn floor. I then pitchforked the whole mess to mix in the shavings/pellets, waste hay, and the leaves/twigs. Now, 48 hrs later, zero smell...

My thoughts are with all of you! I’ve come to greatly respect your ability to balance your love of animals with the realities of life. This thread is going to help so many people. I gave my own pups a little extra lovin’ this evening, in honor of Sentry!

ok, this helps. So much of what you said is exactly what I’m doing “wrong”. In the original goat barn, I had great DL going with leaves, wasted hay, little bit of pine shavings, and twigs. I was out of all the goodies by the time I moved everyone to the “baby barn” so I just used the bagged pine...

Not really - with our “frigid” lows in the 30s, I’ve kept it relatively closed up due to the 1 month old babies. I throw everything open during the day though. Their hay feeder is in the shelter, so they have that “extra” bedding added continuously, too.

Ok, I need insight. 5 of 7 does have kidded, so I have 15 goats living in the area without DL. I’ve been using a layer of compressed pine pellets under pine shavings (no more leaves). The smell of urine is strong after just a week, even with trying to spot-clean. I know they’re pretty...