Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[CntryBoy777]

We have found that even in storms it is cheap prep to grab a couple of bags of ice...we have a cooler and a 5gal thermos jug....makes it easier if ya lose power for a few hrs or more. The water doesn't go to waste, and a few buckets of water to flush the toilet with sure beats finding a tree in the rain....even if ya are "Commando"......

 

[OneFineAcre]

LS
I don't know exactly where you are in relation to the storm path but if you could get 8 inches of rain and 30 mph winds please make some arrangements for your goats other than the hoop house and some pallets
Do like SBC said and get cattle panels and put them in the garage

I mean how long have you had them now?

 

[Alaskan]

I wonder how much it would cost to buy a 2' square block of ice here in TX... Hmmmm Don't think it would last very long with the weather here anyway. Without the electricity, how do you figure to keep that big old block of ice, ice? You're from TX, you know this sort of stuff!

I walked through the Ice House in Kingsville. It was double wall brick. Then they used lots of sawdust and filled it with ice blocks. They said they could keep the ice about 6 months.

My dad grew up in Houston. The ice in their ice box lasted a full week. Of course it was more fridge than freezer. With the great insulation we have now a days I am sure it would work well.

I think today...like with a beer cooler, those ice chunks are just so small, lots of surface area, so faster melting.

The key would be to get a giant ice cube.

Up here we make giant ice cubes all winter (frozen water tub). We toss out the ice cube and refill every morning. By spring there is a field full of giant ice cubes...they take way longer to melt than the snow, and can even sit on bare ground for a week before they are gone.

 

[Alaskan]

We have found that even in storms it is cheap prep to grab a couple of bags of ice...we have a cooler and a 5gal thermos jug....makes it easier if ya lose power for a few hrs or more. The water doesn't go to waste, and a few buckets of water to flush the toilet with sure beats finding a tree in the rain....even if ya are "Commando"......

go outside?

you just crack a window on a non wind side and aim.

 

[goatgurl]

not because i'm the worrying kind or anything but we all know that I am, joe I hope that if you don't want to take the goats into the garage then at least put them in the 3 sided building that you have out back, put some pallets on the floor for them to sleep on to keep them off the wet floor, a tub of water for them to drink, some hay to eat and cattle panels across the front of it to keep them in and critters out. having them laying in a soggy dripping hoop house is a sure way to get them sick. I know hope you will try to keep them dry. i'd hate for you to loose any of them to something that you could prevent. I know you've been thru worse storms and that you and mel will be fine but a wet goat can easily be a sick goat. even as far up from youall as I am I still prepare for some wind and rain.

 

[Southern by choice]

Yeah, keep in mind- we all want that "barn" but reality is for many of us that "barn" may be out of our price-range but that doesn't mean there aren't other options.
Some people we know have some of the best goats in the nation right now... they just built a barn this year! Proir to that they used homebuilt structures that were simple but solid, some calf huts as well. They kidded and milked in their garage.

One farm we know uses and old bus! Yep a bus!

Most of our structures have come from reclaimed wood or from the mill as rough cur boards that weren't good enough to do something with.
6" wide 1" thick and 16feet long for $1 a board.
A client gave us roofing from an old barn that came down.... some things we bought new of course.

We have all been with you on your journey from way back when... so we all want to see you succeed.
Many have tried to gently nudge you in a good direction.
Storm or not you need shelter for your goats. It is not good husbandry to allow them to be on damp ground.
Your goats are going to end up with hoof rot, fungal infections, and respiratory issues.

There are many experienced goat owners here trying to help you succeed.

This is about your animals.
Right now you have one species- goats.
Learn how to care for them, build proper shelter, learn their management, build a milkstand, equip your goat cabinet, etc before you go any further.
There is a reason experienced goat owners get a bit freaky when severe storms are coming... we all know what this means for our animals.

 

[OneFineAcre]

not because i'm the worrying kind or anything but we all know that I am, joe I hope that if you don't want to take the goats into the garage then at least put them in the 3 sided building that you have out back, put some pallets on the floor for them to sleep on to keep them off the wet floor, a tub of water for them to drink, some hay to eat and cattle panels across the front of it to keep them in and critters out. having them laying in a soggy dripping hoop house is a sure way to get them sick. I know hope you will try to keep them dry. i'd hate for you to loose any of them to something that you could prevent. I know you've been thru worse storms and that you and mel will be fine but a wet goat can easily be a sick goat. even as far up from youall as I am I still prepare for some wind and rain.

A wet goat is a dead goat

 

[CntryBoy777]

go outside?

you just crack a window on a non window side and aim.

Well, down here it is warm enough that ya don't have to shoot "Icicles" either.....

 

[OneFineAcre]

Well, down here it is warm enough that ya don't have to shoot "Icicles" either.....

Most of the time you are funny
Not now

 

[Latestarter]

I don't have a garage. I have 2 sheds. One used to store yard work equipment, mowers, gas, etc, and the other like an unfinished guest house with no facilities. The three sided run in faces into the weather so is of virtually no help regarding keeping anything inside dry. An animal inside might be out from major direct rain impact, but would still get wet, no different than the hoop shelter. In fact, it is far larger and more open than the hoop shelter. In addition, the drainage and ground slopes into the shelter so water would run off through it. It was used for cows to offer them a wind break. It is also located under very large trees that have already dropped limbs. The hoop shelter is located on a "rise" or "ridge" of ground where any water run off goes down either side and not through it. It is placed so prevailing winds hit it from the side, not through it like a tunnel. I have had the goats since mid April, a little over 4 months. CC was born here in early May so her a little over 3 months.

I am in the far north east corner of TX, 450 +/- miles from expected landfall, & we are not forecast to have any effects from Harvey... none... at all... no 8" of rain, no 30 MPH sustained winds. Right now the highest percent chance of rain forecast here through Tuesday is 30% (chance for showers), on one day and no higher than 20% any other time (slight chance for T-storms). The same as just about every other day all summer long. I understand storms change course, I understand things can change. I've been through a number of hurricanes, all living by the coast. I get it. We've had severe t-storms here multiple times since I got the goats and I don't expect anything worse than what we've already experienced. None of the goats are presently suffering hoof rot, fungal infections, pneumonia, or any other ailments uncommon to goats living in a normal outdoor environment. Goats in the wild don't even have a hoop house.

I am caring for my animals the best I can. I know that goats don't like to be wet. I understand the issues you've all brought to my attention. My land slopes and the water runs off and the bare/groomed ground dries out relatively fast. The goats are not, and will not be in standing water... at all... inside their shelter or anywhere in their pen. A decent portion of their present pen is down to dirt with no vegetation and it is generally dry within hours after rainfall. That is where they normally lay down and rest. Should the circumstances arise that I must bring them inside a building, I will bring them into the big shed. The only time they are in the shelter in any case is when it is actually raining, or during the hottest period of the day when sunny. Other than that, they prefer to stay outside. As soon as the rain stops, they come back out. Once the sun is past its zenith they have shade from the trees over the dirt area where they normally lay down. Their choice, not forced.

I do appreciate the recommendations & y'all's concern for me and my animals and assure you your worries are needless & unfounded. Now, those living down near Houston & on down to Corpus Christi and southwest, or inland to the north and northwest of there, are in totally different circumstances right now, even if they have a proper barn. Those folks and their animals sure are going to need some help and well wishes and maybe even prayers.