Bridgemoof--Sheep & Wool festival

[Bridgemoof]

Hi everybody!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Our turkeys turned out good, whew!

I'm just checking in to say hi, not much new to report. Everybody is doing well at the moment. I've been working on felty projects and loading up my etsy store.

Have a good weekend everyone!

 

[elevan]

 

[Bridgemoof]

Hellllooo farmers!!!

WOOL
I've really been in creative mode lately, so I haven't had much time to write. I've been working on my wool stuff and am very happy to do it. I sold an angel tree topper that I had listed on my etsy store to someone in Hawaii! So my angel will be flying off to Hawaii today. I made a little sachet with rosemary, lavender and cedar shavings to ship with the angel. I'm hoping it will repel moths. I have no idea how these things will hold up in storage when they are not out on display for Christmas. And I have an order for another angel, so I've been working on that. I hope it turns out as good as the first. Still have to paint some more ornaments, then I have to make another Santa for the farmer's market in December. So much fun stuff to do!

HOOVES
Several goats and sheep have been having hoof troubles, so we've been trying to combat that. Here's our method which works pretty good. We clean and trim the hoof, especially any icky parts. Then we have a concoction we make of DMSO and LA200 which we paint right on the hoof and in between the toes. If the problem is minor it knocks it right out. If it's major, like in the case of Mikey, our boer buck, it take repeated applications. I hate seeing limping critters. Our dog, Inkabod, also has been limping, so I've been giving him Novox.

HORSE
Tim sold a horse! A good one! One of our stallion's 3-year olds. He sent two out on trial and one came back because it didn't pass the vet exam. They thought it might have a small fracture in it's hoof. But he sold the other one, and now he can pay off some debt. Yay! Of course he says with the money left over he is going to buy more goats. Ugh.

TURKEY
Then we have a turkey hen who is sick badly. Her face is all swollen and now she seems to be having trouble seeing. I have her in lock up now and will start treating her with an antibiotic. I noticed the other day the other female turkeys were picking on her, so not sure if she got beat up or if she is sick and that's why they are picking on her. Not sure what the problem is but I hope she gets better!

PIGS
The pet piggies are still here *sigh* But they are cute as the dickens! I really like them. They've gotten better about using the litter box. Yesterday, the funniest thing happened. The cat got into the litter box to pee, and one of the pigs jumped in with him and started peeing next to him. Then the other piggy wanted to pee too, but couldn't fit, so she just squatted and peed next to the cat litter box. Funny! I was really laughing at them all peeing together.

It's raining out today, yuck. I wish it was snow! That's all I have to report. Have a great day everyone!

Bridge

 

[Southern by choice]

Hi Bridge,

Your Turkey may have Swollen Head syndrome or SHS. If you see other respiratory issue it could also be MS or MG. These are yhe most common to turkeys. Turkeys are highly susceptible to disease. It is recommended to keep chickens and Turkeys separate because turkeys are so prone to illness.

Here is a great link on poultry diseases. If you scroll all the way to the bottom there is a 3 page chart that is great for identifying illness by symptoms. Unfortunately there are many that show the same symptoms and without a PCR test or blood sample they are indistinguishable. Many of these will produce the animal being a carrier for life.

www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Have a great day!

 

[Bridgemoof]

Thanks Southern, that page has a lot of good info on it. I am still not sure, however, about my turkey. It seems like Swollen Head, but it says "SHS does not presently occur in the United States, but is present in most countries of the world." So??? I don't know.

Could be MG, if so hopefully the antibiotics will help.

Don't think it's MS, the clinical signs just don't match.

I wonder if we decide to do away with her if she would be okay to eat. Hmmm.



Hey!!! I just sold my Woodland Santa on etsy!

 

[Southern by choice]

Yeah, more than likely it is MG, it is estimated that 70-90 % of all NON-Commercial poultry flocks have MG.
I saw a slideshow at a poultry disease class that showed SHS, sorry didn't know it wasn't here.

I am very familiar with MG/MS/LT. We Tylan dip hatching eggs to irradicate MG/MS. Now we do all strict bio-security protocal, and have a closed breeding flock. You can eat the Turkey but you would want to do it sooner rather han later. MG will effect the organs over time, and the carcass would be condemned.

So glad about your success with your etsy store!

 

[Pearce Pastures]

So cool about your store!

 

[CocoNUT]

CONGRATULATIONS Bridge on selling your Woodland Santa! I love him - that is so awesome! Now you'll have to get to felting like a madwoman to keep up with your "demand"...and your customers! Just think of all the fun you'll have now...felting and dyeing and creating and thinking....!!!! Ooooh...you could try Christmas Piggies for all those piggie people out there (inspired by your piggies). Ooh this is so exciting!

 

[Bridgemoof]

Thanks a bunch you guys! I am sooooo CHUFFED, as Royd Wood would say If I can sell a good amount of my wool products, it will totally justify keeping my sheepies alive! That's my goal

I've got so many ideas for projects to use all of my wool. So I've sold 2 Santas and 2 Angels so far. I started a new Santa today, and am finishing up Angel #2. And I've been constantly interrupted with real work from my regular clients. How dare they jeopardize the creative process!

I know this is the holiday season, and after Christmas sales will come to a halt. But that's okay. I can keep making stuff for the next holiday..Easter? Cute little bunnies and chicks?

 

[CocoNUT]

Absolutely! You can use the 'down time' to build up your inventory! Besides...you have all that wool you need to do SOMETHING with! Why not get it to help perpetuate your addiction...ooops...I meant hobby! I've got acorns if you need any to do any acorn people!