Jodief100--- random stuff and BIG news

[jodief100]

We have poults! Despite the fluctuating weather, my Midget White hen has at least 4 poults. She sat on them, outside through 2 snowstorms, the pouring rain, temps down to the teens and up to the 60's and all kinds of craziness. She has been nesting up against the woodshed. I tried to get pictures but she is hiding them. Maybe later....

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

I love your pics!!!!!! Yay for Trouble taking your orphan, any goat or sheep that will take orphans are awesome to have around!!!!

Too funny that the wild turkey tom is trying to steal your hens!!! And congrats on the poults!!!!! I want to get into trukeys! Do you find that the hens like to set alot, or is it just everyonce in a while you come across a hen that will?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Congrats on the poults. We just got our first ever turkeys and they are so cute!

 

[jodief100]

Nilla had triplets on Monday. She is my doe who had a bout with meningeal worm two summers ago and has a wag in her hind end because of it. She went open last year and I wasn't sure she could breed. She took three tries to get her bred this year. I guess she figured she had better do something great to get off the cull list so she had 2 boys and a girl. No trouble, they were dry and nursing when I found them.

One of my yet unnamed PB kiko does I bought at the Appalcian sale last year kidded yesterday with a baby girl. Very cute, up and nursing when I got home.

Pictures on the kidding thread.

And here are the poults with their momma..... I really hated too but I took them away from her..... She is a free range hen and I didn't want them disappearing. She looked for them for a day but now seems to have forgotten them.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

So cute!

 

[autumnprairie]

Congrats on the new kids and the poults are adorable

 

[autumnprairie]

Miss hearing from you

 

[jodief100]

I haven't been here for weeks. Things have been really crazy at home and work. I just haven't had the time. I do miss y'all and hopefully will be back regularly, though not as much as in the past.

We sent 4 boys to the buck test last week. The competition is going to be more difficult this year. There are 85 bucks on test and some of the top farms in the country are represented. I hope at least one of my boys makes the sale. The sale this year is going to be at the Mid-Atlantic Small Ruminant Extravaganza. It is going to be the top bucks from the test and does from performance tested farms, no breed or registration requirements. Just the best meat goats based purely on performance. They are asking us to consign 5 does to the test but I am not sure I have enough available. We are consigning at the Appalachian Kiko Invitational sale and I have reservations to fill.

There is one goat left to kid. She went open and had to be rebred in January. She can go any day now. All the goats have been moved to the woods for now. They are enjoying munching on trees and weeds. Last night the dogs were cooling off in the pond. I shaved Snowey. She was a big fluffball. She is much happier now. Jack needs a shave too. Not as badly as Snowy did but he has some mats. He got skunked last week so the shave will have to wait. I do not want to get up close and personal with skunky dog.

I bought some poults and they are growing well. I need to replace my Narragansett Tom. He was very mean. He attacked me every time I went in the pen. I had to carry a stick to fend him off with. I would hit him hard enough to knock him on the ground and with his head bleeding, he would charge me again. He got out last week and attacked my Midget White Tommy. So I shot him. I hate to do it but a 40 pound turkey that charges you, jumps on you, beats you with his wings and tries to peck your face is too dangerous. I am certain he would not have stopped beating Tommy until he killed him.

I have 7 does in with Quantum to see if we can get some early kids. He is solid black so I hope for some colorful kids.

The purebreds will be bred to Bullet to get February kids for buck test consignments.

I am going over this years records to determine which kids get kept, which go to the kiko sales and which go to the sale barn. I need to cull a few does and I hate making those choices.

I am finalizing the breeding schedule, making plans for a new field shelter and figuring out where I want to go with the turkeys.

Now that I have two unrelated, registered kiko bucks I am thinking of offering Starter Herd Packages.

There are turkey eggs in the incubator.

90 keets I ordered from Guinea farm will be delivered next week. I got "hatchery choice, at least 4 colors" They have over 40 colors available. This will be fun.

I want to get Katahdin sheep but hubby will kill me. I don't really have a place for them anyways.

 

[autumnprairie]

Thanks for the update. Lots of decisions in the making everywhere it seems. It was so good to hear from you

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Wow, sorry about your mean Tom. That would be scary to have a bird that big take after you.

Hope hubby will let you get your lambs. How could he say no to such a good wife.