C&D Farming..oh what a life!

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Ivermecvtin will do next to nothing for barber pole worms so she could very well be wormy. I thought that just a little while back you wanted to cut down on the amount of milk she was making, and that was in part the reason behind the feed change.
If she is wormy, then stopping milking will do little for her to improve her condition.

Ok, I’ll get a fecal run!!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

@Xerocles ...first..I don’t want your ducks, so ship them...to @farmerjan !! So, sheep? You are that scared off by goats? I don’t think sheep are that much easier...we’ll perhaps...I don’t know a thing about them, yet...glad to hear your weather is so nice, and of course I’m jealous. I still need several layers, scarves, etc. getting snow this week. But, it’s not as bad as it was! Glad to hear your garden is coming along so nicely!! I’m jealous again! We can’t put anything in the ground until Memorial Day...hey, have you added pictures to you rabbit thread? I haven’t seen it moving along lately??

 

[lalabugs]

@Xerocles I love names that are not usually used. Our mini lamanchas bucks name is Satyr. Though my husband wanted to name him 8 ball. Here is a picture of him. Can you see why he wanted to name him 8 ball?

@Duckfarmerpa1 have you decided if you will be drying off Busty? I got a picture of Marie today. Her winter coat makes her look thicker in certain spots than she actually is. Her coat is also horrible. It will be amazing to see her healthy.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

I’m still milking her right now but not pushing her to make more by milking 3x a day. We went and bought an Alpine/Nubian, not in milk...and a French Alpine, in milk, with her buckling. I think I made a huge mistake. These goats are much bigger than I realized...I can barely stand over to trim hooves. Plus, the one in milk, is a bit...fiesty...if I try to walk her she can take me down... The other is gorgeous, and very friendly, and I’d love to keep her, but, I’m now afraid, because these gals are much bigger than...yes, I checked them out thoroughly when we bought. But seeing a goat stand for you is totally different than trying to work with it. i cried the whole day we bought them...Chris wants me to give it about two weeks. We’ll see... Plus, the doe in milk...we’ll, I did screw up on this one...I tested her tests, etc...but, he said she gave a good bit of milk, but still had her kid. Well, I’m not getting enough to make it worth it... As of this moment, right now...I just want my herd...no one new. We’ll see...

the 8 ball is amazing!! Chris would’ve gotten his choice on that!! Marie looks good? Busty isn’t tha5 thin at all.and in the last two days she’s given me a ton of milk...hmm?

 

[Bruce]

Seems like the Alpine should be a good milker based on breed, no?
I agree with Chris, give it a few weeks. I'm sure you and each goat need to learn one another and to trust each other. That won't happen overnight.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Right @Bruce ...that’s why I bought these breeds. The Alpine, it’s her FF, her bag is small..should’ve checked better...my fault on that. The guy assured me she gave a lot...not the case. We’ll see, not making any decisions for a week or sooo..we had a lot of changes going on, and it’s getting overwhelming. We were only going to get the one goat, but the; the two others fell into our lap....BUT...if my Busty gets hurt..all bets are off, and off away they go!! She is my girl and I will do whatever I need to keep her happy and healthy...forever if it’s up to me!

 

[lalabugs]

Do you have pictures of the new goats? Both Alpine and Nubian are huge goats. How old is the buckling that is on the milker? Depending on the age of her buckling, he may be drinking all her milk. Do you happen to have an udder picture?

The size difference should not be an issue. They will fight at first, to get pecking order established. Once the pecking order is established everything should be good. We introduced Marie into the herd now that the smaller goats are not pregnant. She was introduced to everyone at once. Nyx was the only one who challenged Marie. Nyx was herd queen. Marie is now herd queen. No one got hurt.

Marie is in horrible shape. I would much rather her have weight to her.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Are you separating the buckling before you milk? If you separate the baby at night and then milk her in the morning you'll get a better idea of how much milk she can really give.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Are you separating the buckling before you milk? If you separate the baby at night and then milk her in the morning you'll get a better idea of how much milk she can really give.

I had him separated when we first got him...she broke the door. Chris now put reinforced locks on it. But, I’ve been leaving him with her...because, I just think she’s too muc( goat for me. It’s a shame too, they are gorgeous...especially Brooke, with her white and black markings...she’s the calm one, but, still too big. Hard to tell in the pictures of their real size. They both come up to my (crotch)...their backs..which is why trimming hooves will be a struggle. I feel like I’m walking a lab on the leash. And, if they don’t want to move...nothing I can do..but if Maple wants to go...I can’t stay on my feet. At this point, I don’t care how much milk Maple makes...they are just too big, and it was a bad decision on my part. Like I said, when we bought them, they stood for me just great....but it wasn’t until real life did I know how truly big they are. Hard t9 really tell on the milk stan$ the size difference of them and my Busty, she’s in th3 last picture...if you look close you can see where their shoulders meet the stancion and Busty...big difference to a gal who’s 5’4” and 124 lbs on my fattest day...

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

I had him separated when we first got him...she broke the door. Chris now put reinforced locks on it. But, I’ve been leaving him with her...because, I just think she’s too muc( goat for me. It’s a shame too, they are gorgeous...especially Brooke, with her white and black markings...she’s the calm one, but, still too big. Hard to tell in the pictures of their real size. They both come up to my (crotch)...their backs..which is why trimming hooves will be a struggle. I feel like I’m walking a lab on the leash. And, if they don’t want to move...nothing I can do..but if Maple wants to go...I can’t stay on my feet. At this point, I don’t care how much milk Maple makes...they are just too big, and it was a bad decision on my part. Like I said, when we bought them, they stood for me just great....but it wasn’t until real life did I know how truly big they are. Hard t9 really tell on the milk stan$ the size difference of them and my Busty, she’s in th3 last picture...if you look close you can see where their shoulders meet the stancion and Busty...big difference to a gal who’s 5’4” and 124 lbs on my fattest day... View attachment 72472View attachment 72473View attachment 72474View attachment 72475View attachment 72476View attachment 72477

I also do realize that there will be a new pecking order to the herd. But, after seeing it..it’s hard on Busty. Which makes it hard on me. I love this goat so much, I’d rather have a small herd...both size and number, than upset her. I don’t know her age. I th8nk she’s only got one more breeding season in her, it was har$ on he4 at first because she made too much milk, and I ha$ to milk her down and hold th3 kids so she could nurse. It’s totally different now, and if they are out of site she bawls like crazy. I’m a bad goat mom, I can’t stand the bawling, breaks my heart to hear them sad. I’ll ge5 a picture of !apple’s bag this morning, if sh3 doesn’t trample me first! The6 probably only weigh...20 mor3 pounds than Busty, but it really makes a difference..,and, I can’t risk reinjury to my back or ankle after comin* so far in life. Today, at this moment, I’m still plannin*to sell them. It would be great if someone took them all, because they seem to have bonded pretty well. Chris put 5 bales of hay in the barn last night, because he now has one of the tractors in my garage. The goats love it!! They play king of the mountain!! It just s fills my heart with such happiness to see them all happy.

oh, did I mention tha5 w3 bough5 two more semi-trailers? I’m not thrilled that I can’t ge5 my barn, as I’d love. Chris points out, the barn I’d want would be at least $35,000....so, I suppose having th3 wayyyy back yard is go8n*bto look like a trailer park..ugh. but this first one, made very nice outside...painted, windows, beautiful door. The on3 will be another barn, just for goats. Kidding stalls, milk room..can’t wait! The other will be for storage, kiddin* boxes, wood, and hay. Our attic is ginormous. But, I don5 want Chris up and down th3 steps so much. Me either! That’s wher3 he has ‘the hardware store p’ that he bough5 out...it doesn’t even take a fraction of the attic...but, the steps...jus5 too many. We ar3 trying to mak3 th8ngs as easy as we can, since there is sooo much work.

my family heard how muc( th3 pigs sell for, and how many bunnies I sold..46. They don5 thin’ beeed8n* goats is very profitable. It’s true, not when you only ge5 a few kids per goat, and then 8 don’t want to sell any of them!