ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[elevan]

Remember that round bale of hay that I put into the field on Sunday...this past Sunday...just a few days ago?

It's

almost

half

gone!



Between the horses and the calf.



I think we'll probably send the calf in this fall. I don't think we can afford to keep him through another winter to finish him out completely.

 

[autumnprairie]

I agree about STOP SOPA.


I sorry to hear that your calf is really a pig in disguise

 

[77Herford]

Wow, they eat good.

 

[elevan]

Snow snow snow. But not as much as they were predicting. At least the ground is frozen solid.

I was watching Jack (the shetland / mix cross) yesterday and thinking that we should build a cart and get a harness and give him a job...maybe a chore for the Spring.

Speaking of Spring...I'm considering getting some geese and of course I'm getting more Turkeys.

I think that I've made the decision to grow out "Little boy" and send him for processing in the Spring...we'll have some young roosters going in then as well.

I'm going to build a new quail coop so that DH can have quail again.

I've got a lot more plans formulating for this Spring...gonna be busy busy busy.

 

[autumnprairie]

Snow snow snow. But not as much as they were predicting. At least the ground is frozen solid.

I was watching Jack (the shetland / mix cross) yesterday and thinking that we should build a cart and get a harness and give him a job...maybe a chore for the Spring.

Speaking of Spring...I'm considering getting some geese and of course I'm getting more Turkeys.

I think that I've made the decision to grow out "Little boy" and send him for processing in the Spring...we'll have some young roosters going in then as well.

I'm going to build a new quail coop so that DH can have quail again.

I've got a lot more plans formulating for this Spring...gonna be busy busy busy.

I want to get turkeys too any recommendations?

 

[elevan]

I want to get turkeys too any recommendations?

The ones I raised last year (my first) were Blue Slate.

I'm thinking that I'll order a variety of heritage breeds and a couple of broad breasted so that I can decide what I like best.

The Blue Slate were fairly well mannered and were definitely good eating.

 

[Roll farms]

I like the Royal Palms best of the heritage breeds.

Not that anyone asked me....

How's Boingo?

 

[77Herford]

I like the Royal Palms best of the heritage breeds.

Not that anyone asked me....

How's Boingo?

Roll farms is right on with the Royal Palms. Mine are in their gangly stage but will still be beautiful.

And for Elevan hope everything is going good for ya,

 

[elevan]

How's Boingo?

Boingo is doing well. Gonna check his blood glucose as soon as DH comes back in from watering for the evening (it's a 2 man job)

 

[elevan]

How's Boingo?

Boingo is doing well. Gonna check his blood glucose as soon as DH comes back in from watering for the evening (it's a 2 man job)

This morning Boingo's urine glucose reading was 1/10% (only thing lower is Negative).

This evening's blood glucose reading was 201 (normal for dogs on insulin is 110-180). This is the lowest he's been since this all started!

I found that squeezing his pad in between my fingers and using a lancet (without the device), continuing to squeeze as I collect the blood is the best way to get the blood sample from him. It's the quickest way too.

I made a switch to Sodium Bicarbonate 10 grain tablets too and it has made a world of difference in ease of administration.

For those who remembered the equation for treatment with S.B. 1mEq / 1 kg. 1 mEq = 84 mg of Sodium Bicarbonate. Each item that is measured in a mEq is slightly different since it's a molecular weight. So Boingo needs 925 mg to equal 11.33 mEq. The tablets are 650 mg so we're going with 1 1/2 tablets for 975 mg. This turns out to be a slightly more accurate dose than using baking soda at the 1/4 tsp route.

Now that I'm acquainted with the S.B. 10 gr tablets I think I might keep them on hand for the goats as well. 9 tablets would be equal to the 2 Tbsp that we would normally use and they dissolve easily. I imagine they would be fairly easy to bolus a goat. Cost was $16.99 for 1,000 tablets. So it's a little more cost wise than baking soda but since it's medical grade it could be considered purer and imo easier to measure and dose.

I like the Royal Palms best of the heritage breeds.

What is it about the Royal Palm? I've often seen that they are smaller than most and therefore a lot less meat. Of course everything that I've read is just that...I've read. I'd really like to hear your experience and why you think that they are the best heritage breed. I often have read that the Bourbon Red are the best free rangers (a point that is important to me).

And for Elevan hope everything is going good for ya,

Thank you. I've been doing fine.


Sorry to all if you've missed me. The transition on BYC has had me spending a lot of time there. I want to make sure that I know the system inside and out for when we transition here on BYH.