*CYGChickies' HWC Journal* I Want Goats!

[Ms. Research]

Hey everybody just putting up a teeny update. Still no how--I'm soooo eager but been busy enough to avoid insanity over the wait. Garden plans have been sketched, discussed and--after some reluctance and bee hysteria from my friend--approved. It's going to be huge, beautiful and just perfect. Even if all it does is turn green it'll be like my little paradise. To be able to walk through the gate and see the guineas picking through the rows, smell the Missouri spring breeze and hear my hive of Italians hard at work, to watch my turkey Rene dance for his ladies, hear Roosty crow and know that we did it, we made paradise for ourselves all while Wagon Wheel plays soft on my iPod? Well folks I'll have to check my pulse because there's nothing in the world that sounds more like Heaven to me.

Poetics aside, I've gathered about half of my seeds, peat pots and starter trays; I ordered a two-tier growlight shelf and I feel good about it. We're getting four trees, two apricot and two cherry that polinate eachother. It's gonna be so cool in a year to see the trees with fruit on them--and the smell of cherry blossoms! I also have to get someone to cut me some small oak trees for the ****ake and finally finish that crazy silkie pen. The silkie boys are losing their gentlemanly reputations with the Australorp ladies.

Put the nestbox in with Isis today and we're expecting baby Hotots Saturday, when we're out of town all morning--yikes! At least she's inside with heat and has been fed the customary raw bacon to avoid any unsightly complications as much as they can be avoided. She's quite ready to have them out and is either self-conscious about weight gain or the kick-happy fetuses have worn out their welcome because the poor girl is a little grouchy lately. Anubis (renamed from Thoth) the ever-nosy daddy has suffered no ill effects other than jealousy over Isis' big fancy box.

So that's it, my teeny update and my own little farm prose. Hope you enjoyed my hillbilly ramble!

CYG

Enjoyed it immensely. So thrilled about all your plans for you. Can't wait to hear the progress once Spring is here.

Hoping successful births for Isis. Beautiful Doe. Can't wait to see what she gives you. Don't blame her for being grumpy. lol.

So glad to hear Anubis (love the new name) is doing well and is an every-nosy daddy, proud to see what he help make.

K

 

[CYGChickies]

Our first snow came last night! Nothing much just a bit in the yards and stuff. It's pretty, and hopefully not an omen of approaching ice and blizzards like the past couple of years.

CYG

 

[CYGChickies]

Isis kindled and had four babies! All are alive so far though she had them out on the wood shavings instead of in the nest. She made a nest and all so we moved them inside under the fur. Four tiny babies about the size of a small thumb. She did well and they seem to have been fed at least once. They're squeaking up a storm so I'm sure she's gonna feed them again soon. The squeaks are the noise Steawberry's babies always made to get fed. Anyway, such exciting news! Four healthy early babies and she seems to be a decent mother.

CYG

 

[Ms. Research]

Isis kindled and had four babies! All are alive so far though she had them out on the wood shavings instead of in the nest. She made a nest and all so we moved them inside under the fur. Four tiny babies about the size of a small thumb. She did well and they seem to have been fed at least once. They're squeaking up a storm so I'm sure she's gonna feed them again soon. The squeaks are the noise Steawberry's babies always made to get fed. Anyway, such exciting news! Four healthy early babies and she seems to be a decent mother.

CYG

So thrilled for you. Wishing you all the luck with those four tiny babies. And that Isis is stepping up to the plate being a decent mother. YAY Isis.

Hopefully pics soon. Please oh Please!

Again Congratulations!

K

 

[jodief100]

I love babies!!!!!!!

 

[CYGChickies]

Whew! Lots of work! We did our "Spring" breeding today with about half of our does. One New Zealand, one French Angora and three Lionheads. All breedings went well and were successful as far as all the correct processes. Only time will tell if we get babies! We also spent a good two hours out with the chickens just observing and visiting on top of the coop work. We spread some sand on some muddy spots and replaced hay and cleaned some eggs off. One guinea hen was hanging around the nests and window-shopping. We'll see if they lay in the chicken nests or not.

A HUGE redtail Hawke was snooping around the farm today and tried to take one of the rabbits. Samwise was in an exercise pen and the Hawke swooped in and hit the wire before flying off and thoroughly disturbing the guineas. Stupid bird trying to steal from me, I'll be keeping an eye out for him from now on!

We took the two French Angoras to the pet groomers today for a special treat. They were brushed out and nails trimmed and the groomed wants one now. She saw the hardest part of owning an Angora so if she still wants one I'm betting she'll take care of it! I'm feeling pretty accomplished after today, but looking forward to Spring! I can't wait to get the ball rolling!

CYG

 

[CYGChickies]

As the title says, I want goats! I've decided on Nigerian Dwarfs since I want dairy goats that are easy to handle and not big enough to leap tall fences so easily. It will be a while before I can have them wince I want to have fencing and shelter 100% done before buying. I'm hoping to find an experienced milking doe that has kidded before. I want two does in all and at least one experienced doe since I'm totally new to goats. I don't want to keep a buck so I'm planning to just "lease" a buck when the does need to be bred. I know the Nigerian Dwarfs are noisy but my flock of guineas have proven that my neighbors--who love the screaming guineas--don't mind noise.

Anyone have comments or advice? I've been researching goats and they seem like they'd fit in at the farm with our noisy fluffy spoiled animals. I'm not sure if I like the blue eyes or not. They sure make the price jump! I was planning to build a fence four feet high of welded wire with a solar-powered electric wire on top.

In other news, Isis' four babies are out of the nest box! Their eyes are open and they're EVERYWHERE but mama Isis loves her babies. Only one kit is a mismark so far and all four are beautiful!

CYG