Goats&moregoats: KickinUpDust Farm Journal

[goats&moregoats]

Well the addition of the wether and the pup is off. This lady has canceled on me 6 times in the last month. So I declined making any further arrangements. I can only rearrange my schedule so many times...get excited then disappointed. So I decided I had enough of that. I will just move forward with my small herd for the winter and enjoy having them around again.

Need to order the rest of the hay today..he will most likely deliver in a couple of days. Goats are doing very well with it. I am also going to get the heated water bucket set up...frost on the ground this morning and below freezing temps tonight. I think they were last night too, but bucket in the barn was good. Heat from the animals inside the barn will most likely keep that from freezing right away.

BB came up to me today of his own free will. He is very calm and gentle. This week I am going to attempt getting them on the milk stand (one at a time of course) Do some hoof trimming and pull the burdocks from BB, copper bolus & CDT.

 

[Hens and Roos]

I have syringes & needles (kept them), lube, blue kote, a coccidiosis treatment/prevention not the same as the one listed above, nutria drench, Selenium gel, gloves, towels, benadryl & bag balm. What is epinephrine & bac? First I have heard of it.

epinephrine is used is there is a reaction to a shot given(much the same a people who carry epi pens for bee stings). Fight bac is a teat disinfectant that we use after milking.

 

[Bruce]

Sorry about the wether and the pup!! SIX times? Pretty hard to have that many priority 1 interruptions.

It was 22° this morning, frost on the cars, grass and alpacas.

 

[goats&moregoats]

So I actually got a lot accomplished today on the buck pen & their two shelters. I need to weather proof a couple of boards, but extended the protection a bit to cut down even more on wind. The buck pen itself is more than half way done with the pallets. Running some hot wire on it though to keep them off the pallets. Gate is hung, though I am adding one more lock on the bottom. Also working on a weather protected outside hay feeder for winter use. Need to add a roof and cover the side pallets on that.Forgot to get a picture of the entrance on the first one. So here are some pictures. I know it's not up to par for everyone, but it protects them and that is what is important. One shelter I need to work on the roof. The shelter that looks cream colored is actually an extra shelter in the doe area. Just showing where the buck pen starts on that side. The goats all hung out near me most of the afternoon. I put them in the barn for the night when I came in at 4 pm. All this is done with pallets and re-purposed wood. Never claimed to be a carpenter but think I did ok with what I had. The pallets on top of shelters are just extra pallets for repairs.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Sure looks fine to me and I never go for astounding looking structures....just functional....and when the snow gets to falling and sticking and piling up...ya will never see the pallets. I think ya did an excellent job!!....
And I can assure you....the goats will never complain one single bit....

 

[Bruce]

And I can assure you....the goats will never complain one single bit....

Unless, apparently, it is raining. Why are goats such wusses?

 

[CntryBoy777]

When it rains, do you go stand in the middle of it Bruce?...

 

[Bruce]

No (*) but my chickens and alpacas do!

* I am a wuss!

 

[goats&moregoats]

I love the rain, just not thunder storms. I finally got all the pallets around the buck pen, roof on hay outside hay feeder, additional latch on gate and reinforced the gate as well. So I put the buck, buckling and wether in there, enticed with a bit of buck healthy grain. Got the two girls in the barn with there grain, reached out for their hay, and low and behold came face to face with Gully ( the wether). Hear a noise around the corner of the barn, look it's BB(the buck). The buckling is screaming for his mother as he stands alone in the buck pen. So I am currently trying to get hot wire about 2 inches up from the top of the pallet. I also want to run another about half way up the sides. However, currently not getting a whole lot of help with the elderly lady I am looking after, so my time is limited for the fence work. I think I will throw a party when it is complete! Disgusted that it is taking so long to get the buck & buckling separated.

I am currently thankful that we have not gotten but a spit of snow in my neck of the woods. These leaves a good deal of foraging for the 5 goats. That means right now just hay for the night along with a bit of grain. The longer this goes on the better off I am for saving the haying 24/7 for later in the season.
Currently having to close them in the barn at night, I would rather have the open door policy, but that will have to wait until I get a guardian dog again.

Storm has reach 17 weeks and is currently 23.6 lbs and seems to be all legs.He has sit & no down pat, stay & down for the most part, currently added lay into the mix. Will add leave it in a couple of weeks. Comes every time you call him and response to my not so healthy whistle. Loves to play fetch and returns with the ball every time...getting the hang of release it so we can do it again.
Still has occasional potty mistakes when I am present and unfortunately more if someone else is (not) watching him. Has learned to scratch at the door to go out, but does not do it every time.
Bed time 8 pm sharp, right after last potty break. Both him and Willow go straight to their crates and wait for their bed time snack. Up at 6:15 on the dot and ready for outside followed immediately by breakfast and outside again. He is my buddy!

Chain link in second to last picture is a kennel that will be used for a kidding pen lined up with the old chicken coop that will be the kidding barn. Still have much to do there. I will have to get the granddaughter to come over and sit with gramma so I can get in a full days work on that.

Thank you all for the love and support for this ole hobby farmer much for all of you.

 

[CntryBoy777]

I think ya have done very well considering the disstractions that ya have to deal with........and you certainly are making progress with the time ya do have. Working with a puppy is certainly trying, but rewarding at the same time...and we all wish we could get things done just a bit faster and better.....tho, it seems that "Life" always is putting wrenches and screwdrivers in the cogs preventing and delaying things just a tad bit....