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blessedfarmgirl
True BYH Addict
He is!
Blessedfarmgirl's Journal
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- #292
blessedfarmgirl
True BYH Addict
It is such a gorgeous day today!! Sheep are enjoying the last of the green pasture before a possible frost this week. I'm enjoying them enjoying it.
Moses started barking at the guys clearing the right of way across the road. Just doing his job!
One of my best ewes. Never needed help lambing, has never given me a ram lamb, maintains weight well during lactation, sheds off fully. Definitely a keeper!
Moses started barking at the guys clearing the right of way across the road. Just doing his job!
One of my best ewes. Never needed help lambing, has never given me a ram lamb, maintains weight well during lactation, sheds off fully. Definitely a keeper!
Baymule
Herd Master
Beautiful pictures! What a gorgeous day!
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blessedfarmgirl
True BYH Addict
I've been penning the goats in the barn for a few months, but now that the winter rye is coming in I decided to set up a net fence for them. 2 have been in it before here, and my newest girl had been trained to it at her previous home. So I only had 2 to train. Easy, right? Not.
Raven and Boaz have never been good at trying new things, especially Raven because of the way they were brought up. So I was expecting them to be a little slow in the uptake. But Raven surpassed my expectations. In the first hour, she got herself shocked at least seven times. And she kept going back for more. Then, as if she wasn't already traumatized enough, she ran forward, got stuck in the fence and knocked down a section. She got unstuck before I could even turn the fence off, thankfully. So I gave up for the day and locked them back in the barn. Today was better, but she still has a bad memory and also can't seem to figure out what is shocking her. She keeps getting shocked, then acting surprised like she doesn't know what happened. Boaz got shocked twice yesterday and once today and he was done. Raven got shocked again when I let them out this afternoon, then decided that the outdoors was bad and scary and painful and hid in the barn for the rest of the time. Oh well. I think she'll figure it out eventually.
I'm also about to build a milk room and second milk stand next to the goat pen, and I'm hoping to take pics of the process as well as before and after. Hopefully it turns out like I envision it. I already have 4-5 individuals and families interested in milk, so I'm very excited for that! It's a good start.
Raven and Boaz have never been good at trying new things, especially Raven because of the way they were brought up. So I was expecting them to be a little slow in the uptake. But Raven surpassed my expectations. In the first hour, she got herself shocked at least seven times. And she kept going back for more. Then, as if she wasn't already traumatized enough, she ran forward, got stuck in the fence and knocked down a section. She got unstuck before I could even turn the fence off, thankfully. So I gave up for the day and locked them back in the barn. Today was better, but she still has a bad memory and also can't seem to figure out what is shocking her. She keeps getting shocked, then acting surprised like she doesn't know what happened. Boaz got shocked twice yesterday and once today and he was done. Raven got shocked again when I let them out this afternoon, then decided that the outdoors was bad and scary and painful and hid in the barn for the rest of the time. Oh well. I think she'll figure it out eventually.
I'm also about to build a milk room and second milk stand next to the goat pen, and I'm hoping to take pics of the process as well as before and after. Hopefully it turns out like I envision it. I already have 4-5 individuals and families interested in milk, so I'm very excited for that! It's a good start.
Baymule
Herd Master
One of the brothers that own the feed store where I trade at likes to talk sheep with me. He and his brother have a sheep operation, and they just added goats. They use their own land, plus lease land. They use hot wire, move often like y'all are doing. They use the netting for the goats. He explained how they trained the goats and I’ll pass that on to you.
They angled the netting towards the inside. Then they put feed under the angle so the goats could get to it, but had to crawl under the netting towards avoid getting shocked. Of course, the goats got shocked. Greed for feed taught them to crawl, stretch out their necks and tongue the feed. After a few weeks, the brothers moved them to another net pen with straight posts and the goats wouldn’t get near the netting.
They angled the netting towards the inside. Then they put feed under the angle so the goats could get to it, but had to crawl under the netting towards avoid getting shocked. Of course, the goats got shocked. Greed for feed taught them to crawl, stretch out their necks and tongue the feed. After a few weeks, the brothers moved them to another net pen with straight posts and the goats wouldn’t get near the netting.
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Actually, 99%of mine respect the hot wire -- really hot not a tingle -- once trained! But temptation exists if something tasty is on other side, especially with athletic jumpers. 
If they learn how to run thru, jump over, open gate, they're out. Great memories and very smart!!!
So perimeter fence here, reinforced with hot. I also used both wire & white tape -- visual but hot. That proved a good choice as I have added the white tape at top of fence that was low or h grown with vine on inner fences, and they were averted because it was associated with hot.
Believe me -- experience! -- they remember for months, not days. If there WAS an escape, they'll go straight there to check on fix or not.
If they learn how to run thru, jump over, open gate, they're out. Great memories and very smart!!! So perimeter fence here, reinforced with hot. I also used both wire & white tape -- visual but hot. That proved a good choice as I have added the white tape at top of fence that was low or h grown with vine on inner fences, and they were averted because it was associated with hot.
Believe me -- experience! -- they remember for months, not days. If there WAS an escape, they'll go straight there to check on fix or not.
Baymule
Herd Master
My sheep are so laid back……
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- #298
blessedfarmgirl
True BYH Addict
The fence is HOT, very certainly. It always reads above 10k volts no matter where I check, and my meter maxes out. That's why I was so surprised. It has never taken this long before, lol. Raven finally figured it out today, I think! No more shocks and she's not hiding any more.
That's a good trick with the feed, I might do that next time. I have done that some with the sheep already to force them to eat in a straight line in order to not get shocked.
I'm hoping none of them ever figure out they can jump it! I know they can, but they don't know that. Boaz has gotten a bit frisky a few times but hopefully he'll stay on the ground. We don't need any goat gymnastics!
Yes!! The sheep are so laid back compared to the goaties. And yet I keep getting more.
That's a good trick with the feed, I might do that next time. I have done that some with the sheep already to force them to eat in a straight line in order to not get shocked.
I'm hoping none of them ever figure out they can jump it! I know they can, but they don't know that. Boaz has gotten a bit frisky a few times but hopefully he'll stay on the ground. We don't need any goat gymnastics!
Yes!! The sheep are so laid back compared to the goaties. And yet I keep getting more.
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- #299
blessedfarmgirl
True BYH Addict
Raven finally enjoying some nibbles.
Hi! Do you have cookies?
~Annie and Avon
Hi! Do you have cookies?
~Annie and Avon
Baymule
Herd Master
They look happy now!
