- Thread starter
- #91
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
Thank you Jodie.
Precious lived the life of a chicken princess for her very short life.
Precious lived the life of a chicken princess for her very short life.
ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal
- Thread starter elevan
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #92
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
The plan this morning was to take Cinnamon's chicks and brood them ourselves so that she would continue to set on those four duck eggs.
Well she decided that she had different plans. When we got to the coop she already had the chicks out of the nest pecking around and meeting the other chickens.
The duck eggs were very cold...
Ah, well - lesson learned - don't mix egg types under the hen. There was also another chicken egg in the nest...odd. We counted the chicks again...6. Well yesterday was a sort of rush and I just went with there were 7 brown eggs and since they were "no more brown eggs in the nest" she has 7 chicks. :/ Wrong...she must have had that brown egg tucked into a wing or something.
We removed the eggs for disposal since it was obvious she wasn't going back to them. DH decided to crack the chicken egg to check it and it was a mostly formed chick One of the duck eggs had started to pip before she abandoned it (shell was dented outward in a vee), if only we'd had a few more days of her sitting on them
Anyway, Cinnamon is being a great mama hen. Teaching her chicks about getting water and finding food. Tucking everyone into her wings when it's needed. It's kind of funny to see a little chick face sticking out from under her armpit and another poking out from under her butt!
eta:
It's not a great photo but here is Cinnamon and her chicks
Well she decided that she had different plans. When we got to the coop she already had the chicks out of the nest pecking around and meeting the other chickens.
The duck eggs were very cold...
Ah, well - lesson learned - don't mix egg types under the hen. There was also another chicken egg in the nest...odd. We counted the chicks again...6. Well yesterday was a sort of rush and I just went with there were 7 brown eggs and since they were "no more brown eggs in the nest" she has 7 chicks. :/ Wrong...she must have had that brown egg tucked into a wing or something.We removed the eggs for disposal since it was obvious she wasn't going back to them. DH decided to crack the chicken egg to check it and it was a mostly formed chick
One of the duck eggs had started to pip before she abandoned it (shell was dented outward in a vee), if only we'd had a few more days of her sitting on them Anyway, Cinnamon is being a great mama hen. Teaching her chicks about getting water and finding food. Tucking everyone into her wings when it's needed. It's kind of funny to see a little chick face sticking out from under her armpit and another poking out from under her butt!
eta:
It's not a great photo but here is Cinnamon and her chicks
- Thread starter
- #93
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
I've always been mildly worried about the cats and the chickens. Our tom cats will cross the field heading out to hunt. Usually our llama will keep an eye on them, but this morning he wasn't outside yet.
I had just let the chickens out of the coop when I noticed Papa Kitty crossing the field fairly close to them. I just watched for a minute when I noticed that Susie (Hamburg hen) one of our smaller girls had just noticed him. She watched him for a few seconds and then took off running...AT him. Papa Kitty took one look at her charging at him and took off running! What a sight - that little hen chasing a cat bigger than her!
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Unless something super exciting happens I won't be updating the journal for a few days. I'm battling a summer cold and feeling miserable, so DH is going to be doing chores for me. The friend who gave us the fertile eggs for Cinnamon to hatch is coming to visit tomorrow...I think I'm going to send her home with the single yellow chick with the feathery legs. She likes feathery legs and that chick doesn't seem to be learning from Cinnamon as well as the others. And on Tuesday I've got some more medical testing to be done. I'll update you again later in the week.
I had just let the chickens out of the coop when I noticed Papa Kitty crossing the field fairly close to them. I just watched for a minute when I noticed that Susie (Hamburg hen) one of our smaller girls had just noticed him. She watched him for a few seconds and then took off running...AT him. Papa Kitty took one look at her charging at him and took off running! What a sight - that little hen chasing a cat bigger than her!
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Unless something super exciting happens I won't be updating the journal for a few days. I'm battling a summer cold and feeling miserable, so DH is going to be doing chores for me. The friend who gave us the fertile eggs for Cinnamon to hatch is coming to visit tomorrow...I think I'm going to send her home with the single yellow chick with the feathery legs. She likes feathery legs and that chick doesn't seem to be learning from Cinnamon as well as the others. And on Tuesday I've got some more medical testing to be done. I'll update you again later in the week.
- Thread starter
- #94
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
Went out to let the chickens and turkeys out of their coops this morning prior to going in for my medical testing...and when I opened the chicken coop, Cinnamon charged out first with her chicks hot on her heels :/ Given that the cats frequently cross through the field, I did not want those chicks out and about...so I rounded them up and back into the coop they went.
Then it was off to the clinic for testing...which thankfully I don't remember any of (was out like a light) I'll get the official results next week. All the recovery nurse would tell me was that the dr believes he found the cause of the pain I've been having.
And then it was time for FOOD!!!!!!!!!! I hadn't eaten in 36+ hours and was starved!!
Came home and rested a little while then it was out to check on the critters.
Look at what I found:
Maggie is such a PRINCESS! She thinks she must lay on or in something...never should she be forced to lay on the ground!
Jerry was being lazy...laying down and munching while keeping an eye on the goats.
I decided to grab a pail and take a walk around the perimeter fence and look for raspberries. Walked around 3 acres and came back with 5 (FIVE) raspberries!! :/ I think the goats must have ate all the bushes (yummy for them) because there were definitely more bushes last year. They are (so far) leaving the blackberry bushes alone and I saw plenty of berries that will be ready soon Found some wild asparagus too! We've made a pretty good effort to protect the elderberry bushes from the goats and as long as I can beat the birds and my youngest boy I should be able to get those soon as well. My youngest boy just loves elderberries (raw) and always ends up with black hands and face from them
I decided to clean out the coop next...opened the door and walked to the barn to get a shovel and broom...came back and had to chase the calf out!
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Though the day is not yet over it has been a trying day in more ways than I can say on here. I want to thank everyone who posted their support when I posted my rant the other day. I also want to thank everyone who follows this journal and those who choose to participate are especially dear to me. Thank you all.
I feel that I need to say that I love this forum and the great group of members that it has. There is such a diversity of people and farm management styles that we can all learn from. Everyone's experience brings something to the table whether they are new to their animals or have the experience of a lifetime with them. The ability to debate topics in a civilized manner greatly increases my knowledge and everyone else's as well. I am always open to try new things or new animals and am one of those types of people who needs to know the what and why of almost everything. I have a great large livestock vet clinic who has 4 vets on staff...one of which raises goats himself and one who majored in poultry science. I feel blessed in that. Many of my "opinions" come from discussions that I have had with those vets and / or my own experience. Life on everyone's farm is different though some fundamentals may be the same. I am an expert of nothing and a student of everything. If you learned something new from me today that's awesome because I know that I've learned something new from one of you as well.
Then it was off to the clinic for testing...which thankfully I don't remember any of (was out like a light)
I'll get the official results next week. All the recovery nurse would tell me was that the dr believes he found the cause of the pain I've been having.And then it was time for FOOD!!!!!!!!!! I hadn't eaten in 36+ hours and was starved!!
Came home and rested a little while then it was out to check on the critters.
Look at what I found:
Maggie is such a PRINCESS! She thinks she must lay on or in something...never should she be forced to lay on the ground!
Jerry was being lazy...laying down and munching while keeping an eye on the goats.
I decided to grab a pail and take a walk around the perimeter fence and look for raspberries. Walked around 3 acres and came back with 5 (FIVE) raspberries!! :/ I think the goats must have ate all the bushes (yummy for them) because there were definitely more bushes last year. They are (so far) leaving the blackberry bushes alone and I saw plenty of berries that will be ready soon
Found some wild asparagus too! We've made a pretty good effort to protect the elderberry bushes from the goats and as long as I can beat the birds and my youngest boy I should be able to get those soon as well. My youngest boy just loves elderberries (raw) and always ends up with black hands and face from them I decided to clean out the coop next...opened the door and walked to the barn to get a shovel and broom...came back and had to chase the calf out!
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Though the day is not yet over it has been a trying day in more ways than I can say on here. I want to thank everyone who posted their support when I posted my rant the other day. I also want to thank everyone who follows this journal and those who choose to participate are especially dear to me. Thank you all.
I feel that I need to say that I love this forum and the great group of members that it has. There is such a diversity of people and farm management styles that we can all learn from. Everyone's experience brings something to the table whether they are new to their animals or have the experience of a lifetime with them. The ability to debate topics in a civilized manner greatly increases my knowledge and everyone else's as well. I am always open to try new things or new animals and am one of those types of people who needs to know the what and why of almost everything. I have a great large livestock vet clinic who has 4 vets on staff...one of which raises goats himself and one who majored in poultry science. I feel blessed in that. Many of my "opinions" come from discussions that I have had with those vets and / or my own experience. Life on everyone's farm is different though some fundamentals may be the same. I am an expert of nothing and a student of everything. If you learned something new from me today that's awesome because I know that I've learned something new from one of you as well.
ksalvagno
Alpaca Master
That goat is too funny. The alpacas are enjoying the nice sun just like your llama. Cute little chicks too. Almost makes me want to have a rooster and hatch out some of my own chicks, almost.
I hope you get all the answers you hope on your medical problem. I hate going to doctors more than I have to. My biggest problem is that I have to travel a distance to get to the doctor. Then all that waiting around to be served. I keep thinking that my time is just as important as the doctors time.
I hope your cold gets better quick.
I hope you get all the answers you hope on your medical problem. I hate going to doctors more than I have to. My biggest problem is that I have to travel a distance to get to the doctor. Then all that waiting around to be served. I keep thinking that my time is just as important as the doctors time.
I hope your cold gets better quick.
- Thread starter
- #96
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
I banded our bull calf this morning. Really it's no different than banding a goat. My calf is approximately 60 days old. I would have done this task sooner but he started out life not so well.
Decided to go about this in the same fashion we do our dwarf goats...DH put calf in a headlock and I grabbed the sack, making sure both testicles were pulled down and place the bander and released. What I didn't expect was the calf to shoot out of DH's arms and go running across the field with the bander flopping against his leg lau roll tongue Chased him down and it was just the bander caught on his testicles just below the band. Band was firmly and properly in place. Boy was he not happy with me.
He's doing great though. Occasionally does a little "kick out" because he feels tight back there.
This afternoon he wandered over to me to "say hello" - I guess he forgives me for this morning
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Today was about getting little stuff down.
Checked off my To Do list was:
Install wall feeder in Turkey Coop
Replace main gate latch and buck barn latch
Install permanent latch on quail pen
Replace and install fly catchers / traps
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We had a visit from our neighbor to let us know that one of our goats was in their yard...what?!! Run over there and it was Snickers...just happily munching on her weeds. She said she was more than happy to let him weed for her but didn't want him to get hurt. Silly boy found a spot he could slip under the fence and decided the weeds were better on the other side. Speedy was screaming his fool head off when he realized that Snickers was next door So we put up a temporary fence in the back yard where we want some more weeding done and let the boys have at it.
The chickens, ducks and horses got a great treat this evening since we had watermelon...they LOVE watermelon rinds...especially our chicken, Miss Flufferbottom.
Speaking of chicken treats - I finally have a chicken (or in this case 2) who like to eat ants! Yay!! Noticed Blue and Miss Frizz, our EE and EE/Frizzle, on one of the large ant hills in the field just decimating it Go girls, there are plenty more!!
Here's some video of Cinnamon and her chicks
A video of our other chicks - sorry about the poor quality. The chicks were also a little freaked out by the camera
DH has a seriously awful work schedule for the next week...don't know how we're gonna find the time to work on the big coop All of those chicks are starting to test their wings and wanna practice flying...or as it is now - zooming around the temporary brooder. I want to get them brooding in the big coop before they really start trying to fly. Sometimes I wish I could just wave a magic wand and get everything done
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Decided to go about this in the same fashion we do our dwarf goats...DH put calf in a headlock and I grabbed the sack, making sure both testicles were pulled down and place the bander and released. What I didn't expect was the calf to shoot out of DH's arms and go running across the field with the bander flopping against his leg lau roll tongue Chased him down and it was just the bander caught on his testicles just below the band. Band was firmly and properly in place. Boy was he not happy with me.
He's doing great though. Occasionally does a little "kick out" because he feels tight back there.
This afternoon he wandered over to me to "say hello" - I guess he forgives me for this morning
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Today was about getting little stuff down.
Checked off my To Do list was:
Install wall feeder in Turkey Coop
Replace main gate latch and buck barn latch
Install permanent latch on quail pen
Replace and install fly catchers / traps
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
We had a visit from our neighbor to let us know that one of our goats was in their yard...what?!! Run over there and it was Snickers...just happily munching on her weeds. She said she was more than happy to let him weed for her but didn't want him to get hurt. Silly boy found a spot he could slip under the fence and decided the weeds were better on the other side. Speedy was screaming his fool head off when he realized that Snickers was next door
So we put up a temporary fence in the back yard where we want some more weeding done and let the boys have at it.The chickens, ducks and horses got a great treat this evening since we had watermelon...they LOVE watermelon rinds...especially our chicken, Miss Flufferbottom.
Speaking of chicken treats - I finally have a chicken (or in this case 2) who like to eat ants! Yay!! Noticed Blue and Miss Frizz, our EE and EE/Frizzle, on one of the large ant hills in the field just decimating it
Go girls, there are plenty more!!Here's some video of Cinnamon and her chicks
A video of our other chicks - sorry about the poor quality. The chicks were also a little freaked out by the camera
DH has a seriously awful work schedule for the next week...don't know how we're gonna find the time to work on the big coop
All of those chicks are starting to test their wings and wanna practice flying...or as it is now - zooming around the temporary brooder. I want to get them brooding in the big coop before they really start trying to fly. Sometimes I wish I could just wave a magic wand and get everything done `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Dreaming Of Goats
Overrun with beasties
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2010
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- 84
Cinnamon is ADORABLE!!! Except she freaked out all the chicks when she flapped her wings
- Thread starter
- #98
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
She does that ALL the time. She's either freaking them out like that or she'll half burying them in litter when she's showing them how to scratchDreaming Of Goats said:Cinnamon is ADORABLE!!! Except she freaked out all the chicks when she flapped her wings
- Thread starter
- #99
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
Ok, I've really learned my lesson about wearing flip flops in the barn yard today...
First I'm visiting with the goats and while I'm standing there petting our wether, Rocky...he starts to pee - ON MY FOOT!!!
Then after I wash the flip flops and my foot, I go out to feed T-Bone (calf) his milk bucket...he comes up and steps on my foot and he had apparently just stepped in poo!!!
Same foot both times
DH thought this was hilarious...me? Not so much...
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Not much to tell today, so here's some pictures I took while visiting the critters today:
I call these 2, The Little Girls...our Frizzle/EE and EE:
The turkeys are getting antsy and want to free range. They really don't think their run is big enough when they can see that awesome field out there
I'm keeping them in the coop / run for 2 weeks so that *hopefully* they will know where home is and return at night without us having to hunt them down to put them to bed.
Susie, our Hamburg hen, is still working on the watermelon rinds from yesterday:
Miss Flufferbottom (or Fluffy) is such a big sweetheart
She's the only one of the girls that allows the boys to pick her up. She follows you around everywhere. But she's having some serious issues getting her eggs under control. I've had thin shells, hairline cracks, odd shapes, tiny and huge eggs from this girl. She's a pet, so I'd never cull her. I'm hoping she works it out. Poor girl has had a rough time. First the rooster that we had ripped her neck open. The the mini horse stepped on her. She seems to recover from one thing only to have something else happen. So, I'm hoping that it's stress that's affecting her eggs.
Here she is:
The goats playing on Jerry, the llama:
Diva and Kingston:
I have such a hard time getting a good face shot of Diva. This one's not bad but it doesn't show her full beauty.
Here's Diva leading the way with Kingston right behind:
Hope you enjoyed the pics!
First I'm visiting with the goats and while I'm standing there petting our wether, Rocky...he starts to pee - ON MY FOOT!!!
Then after I wash the flip flops and my foot, I go out to feed T-Bone (calf) his milk bucket...he comes up and steps on my foot and he had apparently just stepped in poo!!!
Same foot both times
DH thought this was hilarious...me? Not so much...
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Not much to tell today, so here's some pictures I took while visiting the critters today:
I call these 2, The Little Girls...our Frizzle/EE and EE:
The turkeys are getting antsy and want to free range. They really don't think their run is big enough when they can see that awesome field out there
I'm keeping them in the coop / run for 2 weeks so that *hopefully* they will know where home is and return at night without us having to hunt them down to put them to bed.
Susie, our Hamburg hen, is still working on the watermelon rinds from yesterday:
Miss Flufferbottom (or Fluffy) is such a big sweetheart
She's the only one of the girls that allows the boys to pick her up. She follows you around everywhere. But she's having some serious issues getting her eggs under control. I've had thin shells, hairline cracks, odd shapes, tiny and huge eggs from this girl. She's a pet, so I'd never cull her. I'm hoping she works it out. Poor girl has had a rough time. First the rooster that we had ripped her neck open. The the mini horse stepped on her. She seems to recover from one thing only to have something else happen. So, I'm hoping that it's stress that's affecting her eggs.Here she is:
The goats playing on Jerry, the llama:
Diva and Kingston:
I have such a hard time getting a good face shot of Diva. This one's not bad but it doesn't show her full beauty.
Here's Diva leading the way with Kingston right behind:
Hope you enjoyed the pics!
- Thread starter
- #100
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
My day in smilies:
Well.......not exactly that, but close
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First thing I do every morning really doesn't change...run out to let the turkeys and the chickens out of their respective coops.
This morning the ducks were hanging out around the chicken coop (they sleep outside at night) and Cinnamon (brood hen) decided to come out the coop with her chicks in tow. Every thing was fine until one of the ducks decided to find out what the chicks were and came closer for a better look. She craned her head toward one of the chicks and
Cinnamon was all over her! Poor duck didn't know what hit her or what to do. Cinnamon finally calmed down, ducks went about their business and Cinnamon took her chicks back into the coop.
About that time it started to rain, so I ran into the house. Up next, start the laundry. Then out to the garage to feed and check on our hatchery chicks. They are doing quite well but have started "scratching" and are throwing shavings into their water. I got a cement block and put the waterer on it...of course that's too high for them so I made them steps with bricks. They loved it. I always add "enrichment" items to my brooders but it's usually small tree limbs...guess a homemade "water tower" works too
Came out of the garage just in time to see one of the female cats sneaking into the plants around the small "garden pond". I thought she had a rat until I heard it meow. Well Lips (this cat's name) wasn't pregnant and those weren't her babies...Mama Kitty just had a litter last night. Went after lips and found that she had stolen Mama Kitty's litter and took the one into the planting, one was under a bench and the other 2 were just outside the cat house where Mama Kitty had had them. Now, let me tell you that Lips in a PITA type of cat. She's had multiple litters and manages to kill or abandon every single one of them. She's just a really stupid cat. She moved a litter that she had a month ago and abandoned them...by the time we found them they were dead. Under no circumstances do we want Lips trying to steal and raise Mama's babies. Gathered them up and put them back in the cat house...put Mama in there too and hopefully all remains well.
I dewormed the calf with Safeguard and also gave him a bolus of copper. Since he's drinking a bucket of milk, I just added it to the milk and it was easy peasy.
About 8:00pm I got the idea to try the turkeys out on free ranging since it was so close to turn in time. DH and I kept with them just in case anything went amiss. Sure enough the tom turkey decided to charge after our 2 EE chickens...he walked right by all the others but decided he didn't like these 2 little gals. That's not going to work. We'll try again tomorrow night allowing them to go into the buck's field instead.
Cinnamon brought the chicks out for about 15 minutes before bed. Those chicks are doing so well. I'm really proud of Cinnamon for being such a young hen.
Our EE girls are a little crazy. I'm almost afraid that the one is actually a roo that would be Blue...I really hope not but the comb is very pronounced and the legs are nice and thick. The other is a frizzle mix and she is a spaz...(spastic). She won't go anywhere without Blue. If Blue gets out of Miss Frizz's sight she runs in circles and screams. When they tuck themselves in to roost at night Miss Frizz tries to sleep UNDER Blue on the roost. I sure hope she outgrows her spastic tendencies.... 
Goldie (goat) is spending a lot of time with Rocky (wether) in the barn lately. We're almost positive that she is pregnant. She was bred for a 9/2 kidding date. She never came back into heat and we would have known...she's a VERY vocal girl when in heat Plus the fact that she's being lazy and Rocky being by her side constantly are good indicators. Rocky seems to be our midwife. He becomes the best buddy of who ever is pregnant...he's such a sweetie Gave everybody a quick once over. Gonna have to make time this week to do some hoof trimming.
Then it was off to the garage again to check on the little chicks for the last time of the day. They are doing great...it's a shame that we lost 3 of them. But, from everything that I hear and read most people expect a 25% loss and therefore account for that in what they order. So 3 losses out of 47 is pretty fair imo. I don't like to lose anyone but I know it cannot be avoided...life and death go hand in hand after all.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Well.......not exactly that, but close
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First thing I do every morning really doesn't change...run out to let the turkeys and the chickens out of their respective coops.
This morning the ducks were hanging out around the chicken coop (they sleep outside at night) and Cinnamon (brood hen) decided to come out the coop with her chicks in tow. Every thing was fine until one of the ducks decided to find out what the chicks were and came closer for a better look. She craned her head toward one of the chicks and
Cinnamon was all over her! Poor duck didn't know what hit her or what to do. Cinnamon finally calmed down, ducks went about their business and Cinnamon took her chicks back into the coop.About that time it started to rain, so I ran into the house. Up next, start the laundry. Then out to the garage to feed and check on our hatchery chicks. They are doing quite well but have started "scratching" and are throwing shavings into their water. I got a cement block and put the waterer on it...of course that's too high for them so I made them steps with bricks. They loved it. I always add "enrichment" items to my brooders but it's usually small tree limbs...guess a homemade "water tower" works too
Came out of the garage just in time to see one of the female cats sneaking into the plants around the small "garden pond". I thought she had a rat until I heard it meow. Well Lips (this cat's name) wasn't pregnant and those weren't her babies...Mama Kitty just had a litter last night. Went after lips and found that she had stolen Mama Kitty's litter and took the one into the planting, one was under a bench and the other 2 were just outside the cat house where Mama Kitty had had them. Now, let me tell you that Lips in a PITA type of cat. She's had multiple litters and manages to kill or abandon every single one of them. She's just a really stupid cat. She moved a litter that she had a month ago and abandoned them...by the time we found them they were dead. Under no circumstances do we want Lips trying to steal and raise Mama's babies. Gathered them up and put them back in the cat house...put Mama in there too and hopefully all remains well.
I dewormed the calf with Safeguard and also gave him a bolus of copper. Since he's drinking a bucket of milk, I just added it to the milk and it was easy peasy.
About 8:00pm I got the idea to try the turkeys out on free ranging since it was so close to turn in time. DH and I kept with them just in case anything went amiss. Sure enough the tom turkey decided to charge after our 2 EE chickens...he walked right by all the others but decided he didn't like these 2 little gals. That's not going to work. We'll try again tomorrow night allowing them to go into the buck's field instead.
Cinnamon brought the chicks out for about 15 minutes before bed. Those chicks are doing so well. I'm really proud of Cinnamon for being such a young hen.
Our EE girls are a little crazy. I'm almost afraid that the one is actually a roo
that would be Blue...I really hope not but the comb is very pronounced and the legs are nice and thick. The other is a frizzle mix and she is a spaz...(spastic). She won't go anywhere without Blue. If Blue gets out of Miss Frizz's sight she runs in circles and screams. When they tuck themselves in to roost at night Miss Frizz tries to sleep UNDER Blue on the roost. I sure hope she outgrows her spastic tendencies.... Goldie (goat) is spending a lot of time with Rocky (wether) in the barn lately. We're almost positive that she is pregnant. She was bred for a 9/2 kidding date. She never came back into heat and we would have known...she's a VERY vocal girl when in heat
Plus the fact that she's being lazy and Rocky being by her side constantly are good indicators. Rocky seems to be our midwife. He becomes the best buddy of who ever is pregnant...he's such a sweetie Gave everybody a quick once over. Gonna have to make time this week to do some hoof trimming.Then it was off to the garage again to check on the little chicks for the last time of the day. They are doing great...it's a shame that we lost 3 of them. But, from everything that I hear and read most people expect a 25% loss and therefore account for that in what they order. So 3 losses out of 47 is pretty fair imo. I don't like to lose anyone but I know it cannot be avoided...life and death go hand in hand after all.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
