ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[elevan]

I have been doing some hand exercises and it's been getting better. At least I haven't spilled any more milk all over DH

Boingo was prancing around earlier He's getting really good about what's going on with him...when I say "It's time for your fluids" he gets on the bed and goes to the proper corner (sometimes he needs some coaxing though), then lays down and waits. DH either holds his head or I tie a sock around his nose for a muzzle. I tried using a 20 gauge needle earlier and while it was more comfortable for him, it took longer and he started getting squirmy. The 18 gauge needle is a little bit more of a poke but it's over and done quickly.

I ordered 4 bags of Sodium Chloride from Drs Foster & Smith online pharmacy. My vet charges $15 / bag. F&S has them for $8.50 / bag or if you buy 4 bags you get them for $5.29 each. Well, that's a no brainer. I did have to buy the first few bags from the vet because we needed them desperately and all I had was Lactated Ringers.

Boingo gets a blood glucose check tomorrow at the vet at 10:30a. I hope that we see a minor improvement at least.

 

[autumnprairie]

I have been doing some hand exercises and it's been getting better. At least I haven't spilled any more milk all over DH

Boingo was prancing around earlier He's getting really good about what's going on with him...when I say "It's time for your fluids" he gets on the bed and goes to the proper corner (sometimes he needs some coaxing though), then lays down and waits. DH either holds his head or I tie a sock around his nose for a muzzle. I tried using a 20 gauge needle earlier and while it was more comfortable for him, it took longer and he started getting squirmy. The 18 gauge needle is a little bit more of a poke but it's over and done quickly.

I ordered 4 bags of Sodium Chloride from Drs Foster & Smith online pharmacy. My vet charges $15 / bag. F&S has them for $8.50 / bag or if you buy 4 bags you get them for $5.29 each. Well, that's a no brainer. I did have to buy the first few bags from the vet because we needed them desperately and all I had was Lactated Ringers.

Boingo gets a blood glucose check tomorrow at the vet at 10:30a. I hope that we see a minor improvement at least.

Glad you two are doing well.
Can we forget 2011 and the start of 2012 and start fresh from here? So you can have an AWESOME 2012 and no problems

 

[elevan]

Doggie update:

Boingo's blood glucose today was 500++. Not good despite the fact that he's acting a million times better. But his urine glucose has come down from 2% to 1.5%. This further solidifies the diagnosis as singular Diabetes without Fanconi complicating things.

After a long discussion with the vet we've decided that Boingo's care and testing is best done at home with me calling in to consult every 3 days. I'll check his blood glucose using a meter every 3 days. Daily his urine glucose is to be tested. I have a chart that will allow me to adjust his insulin dosages based on glucose readings and the vet may tell me to adjust further based on our conversations when I call in.

I just gave him 200ml of SQ fluids and he's resting.

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Farm Critter update:

Precious and Little Boy are doing GREAT! Little Boy may be able to go to a new home (if I can find one) sooner than expected.

Some more of my pullets have started laying. I had a variety of colorful eggs in the nest box this morning, along with one under the roosts. I've got 4 boxes open to them in the coop right now but they're only using the one. Then there are some nest boxes in the barn for them to use. I'm really excited about the pretty green eggs that we've been getting. Someone this morning laid a very deep brown egg...not sure who it was. :/

That calf eats a ton!!! Ok, I figured he'd eat quite a bit more than a goat. But I'm going through 7 times as much hay as I did last winter and the only thing different is the calf. He better be plenty tasty!

Ground is finally frozen but with that comes the frozen water

 

[jodief100]

Glad to hear everyone is doign well and improving. I hoep your hand heals up.

Good News about Boingo!

I have an almost full box of those tiny little insulin syringes. Do you want them? PM me and I will send them to you. I had just bought a new box when I lost my diabetic cat.

 

[elevan]

Thanks Jodie!


I made a decision on some rearranging...it's just gonna be a minor hassle.

We have a pen that has a converted Playskool Playhouse in in for housing. It worked great for the 2 turkeys. It was scrubbed and rebedded and now houses 2 young goats (Diva and Kingston). But it's just too small.

We have a small shed that our PBP lives in alone (she used to have a companion) and it's too big for her. So we're gonna swap the housing. Pig to the playhouse and goats to the shed. But the PBP is a pain in the rear to move.

We're also gonna kick the steer out of the goats housing and he will share space with the 2 horses. I'm sure that neither he nor the horses will like that situation but it's what is going to happen.

 

[elevan]

About this time normally over the past couple of months I go out to start letting the chickens in. And that would normally continue until March around here. But today, the sun isn't sitting on the horizon at this time...it's quite a bit higher in the sky.

Are the days starting to lengthen already???? It's also kind of warm today. ????? Some strange environmental things going on.

 

[daisychick]

My chickens won't go in at their regular time at night for the past week. They keep waiting longer each night and I swear it is darker in the mornings this week when I open my doors for the daycare kids??????? WEIRD!

 

[elevan]

UGH! SERIOUSLY underestimated how much hay that the calf would eat. I'm gonna have to order more hay

I'm kicking the calf out of the goat area of the barn later today and he'll share space with the horses for shelter. It'll also force him to eat some grass that's still growing in the field instead of standing in the barn eating all the hay.

I'm gonna order 2 round bales of hay to drop in the field for him along with square bales to get the goats / horses through the rest of the season.

 

[jodief100]

It is really warm here. 60 yesterday, 47 right now and getting warmer. I fed the girls 2 bales of hay in Sunday night and 80% of it is still in the rack. They are eating everything in the field. It is a good thing for the budget but I worry about the long term. Without a freeze thaw cycle the plants will not grow as well.

I am terrified that this isn't a late start to winter as much as it is a delayed winter. How do I plan for hay? I usually plan on feeding it exclusively through February and supplementaly until May but what if they is still snow in April and I am out of hay?

I will get that box in the mail on Monday. I forgot it Friday and I am not planning on going into town today.

What I am learning form you is maybe I don't want to raise a steer for the table. I don't have the equipment to handle round bales and it sounds like a steer will bankrupt me on square bales.

 

[elevan]

Jodie, I'm going through a minimum of 5-7 times more hay than I did last winter. Last winter was harsher weather and I had the same amount of critters...the only exception this year is that calf. He's only 8 months old!