CntryBoy777 - The Lazy A** Acres Adventures

[B&B Happy goats]

Fred, we are north of you about a hour and a half away, we have a river three miles form us, have vast vacant land and big huge oak tree in a pasture next to us that is a home for many hawks....our chickens.... all our neighbors chicken are free range....have only seen one swoop down and take a chick off, i have been working on our new chicken house and they are going into a fenced area to do as they want, i haven't had any problems with any predators ...so far...i have seen oak snakes eat my neighbors eggs BUT they don't keep the feed bags closed up well....gators like to eat dogs, and i have seen them eat big pits and other large breed, but the dogs were around the water, my goats are out whenever they want in a fenced area, we have had no problems...so far...if you are interested when you get set uo, i will bring you two weathered ND as a house warming gift. We keep "she devil" in the chicken yard with the chickens...that may deter hawks for you....just learn and watch your snakes, i have decapitated quite a few...and will continue to do so with the poisoness ones....it really hasn't been too bad....

 

[Bruce]

don't forget we already have a barn on the property, a metal carport that has 3 sides, and a storage building....this is Florida and chickens really only need a roost and protection

You are taking all the adventure out of getting chicks!

And digging post holes is going to be WAY too easy!

 

[CntryBoy777]

@B&B Happy goats thanks for the offer and advice!!.....it will be about a year before we venture into anything other than some poultry.....I loved my Boys, but am thinking of 2-4 sheep if anything....but, if I did gets goats it would be of the meat breeds.....I do like the boer/pygmy crosses and think the blend is really good....if I went with a FB, I'm partial to the boers, but they have problems with parasites as a breed, so unsure just how a FB would do here. I was smitten by the boer personality and just how comical they are.....I know NDs are great and wonderful, but just not my cup of tea....as they say......here is my #1 boy Comet..... ....and here is his sidekick.... ...sure did hate to leave them behind..........so, it will be difficult to replace them.....and I think that sheep would be of greater benefit and put a bigger dent in the freezer too. It will take me a bit, but the hardware cloth would be around the bottom of the fence to keep small gators and snakes from having access to the property from the marsh behind it and any other smaller vermin that inhabits the place. I really won't know much til I'm there for a bit and watch and listen to the activity. I'm looking forward to the challenge of a new place and the new territory to adjust to.....I was born here, tho much further south, lived in this area from '01-'06....then left to take care of Mom and Dad....now, I return and hopefully this is the last move that I'll ever make.....just ready to enjoy what time is left and have fun counting it down.....once things are settled a bit we'll have to meet up if nothing else and share a meal together.....somewhere twixt there and here....maybe later in the Spring....just have to see how it is going.....

 

[Mini Horses]

CONGRATULATIONS


It is so, so great to once again hear promise, planning and excitement in your voice. You are doing well, despite the setbacks and disappointments you have had to endure. Slow is good! Let yourself, DW & Gabbie settle in and "learn the turf", make plans and budgets before getting into several animals. That way stress will not be entering the picture for a while. Move and settle in first.

If you must rent a vehicle to move your things, consider a van. $$$ wise may not be a lot different. Hey -- remember, FL has all kinds of "discounts" for seniors, military, etc. Use them!

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Hey you get the critters that make you happy, love the pictures of your goats ....never had or ate sheep. I wasn't trying to push anything on you, you can live in any part of this state...and you're always going to have surprises....but one thing is for certian, we are living in paradise for parasites..... i forgot to mention the name of our place is "THE LAST STOP" we aren't going to move again .....

 

[CntryBoy777]

Hey you get the critters that make you happy, love the pictures of your goats ....never had or ate sheep. I wasn't trying to push anything on you, you can live in any part of this state...and you're always going to have surprises....but one thing is for certian, we are living in paradise for parasites..... i forgot to mention the name of our place is "THE LAST STOP" we aren't going to move again .....

Well, I didn't mean it in a ill way....but, was just letting ya know....I'm pretty much a straight forward person, but certainly not in a rude or crude way. I took no offense to your offer in anyway and, in fact, was a bit surprised by it. I used to drive trucks and when I lived here drove for a local company and delivered and picked up raws materials all in your area and my first heart attack took place in Palatka....that was back in '05 so names aren't recalled as easily as then, but went thru Gainesville quite often to head to several different spots.....what town is in your general area there?

 

[greybeard]

....especially panthers and gators.....

Well, the 2 WPAs are about 1 1/2 to 2 miles in either direction from your new place so the alligators shouldn't be too much of an issue, especially if the local private ponds are full. They tend to stay in or on the banks of waterways and not often wandering into people's yards tho it does occassionally happen.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

When we have to go to lowes or do hospital stuff for husband...it's off to Gainsville....but thoes trips eat up a day lol I didnt take any offense to anything...its all good

 

[Mike CHS]

When we lived in SC we often saw gators in the storm drain ponds all around the subdivision but we weren't far from a river and lake that was full of gators. If you want to see a gator appear to be trying to ring a door bell just google "alligator doorbell Moncks Corner". That was right around the corner from our old home. The gator in this picture left of center doesn't show up well as it wasn't very big (about 6').

 

[CntryBoy777]

They say around here to check every puddle of water....cause where there is a pocket of water, there is a gator....may be a small one, but best to make sure. When we lived here before and had 3 acres...it was dry when we bought it...it was during a drought....then the rain came and it was like a retention pond as the water from the highway collected there. When we left there was about a 4' gator in it and a bunch of snappers and soft shelled turtles. The neighbors had a larger water hole on their property and lost 2 or 3 dogs to gators in the 5yrs we lived there. I saw some rather large moccasins slithering around also.....