autumnprairie
Owned by the Rotten Heifers
Great pics and beautiful babies
LHF kidding 2012 PHOTOS AFTER THE STORM
- Thread starter 20kidsonhill
- Start date
TTs Chicks
Loving the herd life
Great pics and Mom and babies are beautiful
- Thread starter
- #643
20kidsonhill
True BYH Addict
Thanks everyone.
3 more does left for this group, and then I have 3 more that are due April May.
I was needing the bucks, but I don't think the runt will be good enough for the fair, But the one is really nice and has lots and lots of potential as a commercial herd sire, (1x1 teated) or a show wether.
I am so excited about our new website, It was well worth the time to get it going. I have had a few calls for kids, people wanting breeding does, sires and show wethers.
I had someone call a couple days ago, prepared to pick his kids out right away and send me money, so he didn't loose his spot, that was really cool.
the kids are all doing well, We need to find another source of alfalfa hay, my husband was suppose to order me 100 bales, but I guess he never communicated that with the farmer, and he only had 20 bales for us, and I still have 160 or so moldy bales of timothy sitting in my haystack needing to be returned, and replaced with better hay. The farmer is going to replace it. It is just a pain having to take it off the stack, load it back on a trailer, take it back, unload at his place(he will probably help at this point) and then bring all new hay home. We aren't getting any younger. Guess it is good exercise.
I am going through around 3 1/2, 50 lb, bales a day. And I am feeding a total of 55 to 60 lbs of grain a day. I need to order grain, probably next Saturday.
4 bucks are getting a total of 10 lbs a day
4 younger does not in the herd right now are getting a total of 5 lbs a day
and the main herd of 22 does is getting 40lbs a day at this point.
We started our creep feed area, but they aren't really eating much at this point, In the next couple weeks, we will start going through more grain from the kids munching.
When the kids are 5 to 6 weeks old, we will be at or highest point of grain consumption on the farm. Then when I wean, the does will be taken off of grain, and the kids will only get the grain.
We wean at 8 to 10 weeks.
We are planning on weaning in two batches, since we will have around a 5 week spread in age of the kids.
The kids will be weaned into dry lots and put on hay and free-choice grain. We will try to sell as many of the breeding stock and show wether kids with in two weeks of weaning. Anything not sold or good enough quality to sell, will be fed out to 60 to 70lbs. Although I have had kids, just not grow well and we we don't keep wasting time on them, we sell them lighter. By May I expect to only have a few doelings left, my keeper doelings and my son's show whethers.
My son's show wethers and any doeliings I may consider showing at the fair in open class, will be switched to a show feed, hopefully by May. Our first weigh-in for the fair is first week of June. We can way in 4 goats per child and then select down to 2 for the final weigh-in in August. Normally, we will just weigh in the top two picks for showing, and the 2 back-ups will be keeper doelings. That way we are putting the feed into does that we are keeping and not just into wethers.
Although last year, we let the kids pick who ever they wanted, and then after our weigh-in we had a child call us for their fair and their weigh-in is much later than ours. We were out of show kids, so we sold her two of our back-ups in July. It was a little risky, because at that point if something had happened to one of our kids show animals, they would have had only 1 to take to the fair.
The grain we are feeding is a 16% medicated pelleted grain, It is referred to as a goat developer or grower. So the calcium to phosphorus ratio in it is correct, and it has ammonia chloride in it. Although I have some extra AC on hand, just in case. It is a high fiber grain, designed to b the only source the goat gets, Although we don't use it that way.
However our show wethers, will get very little hay so their rumens don't get too big. They are allowed just a handful of hay a day, once they are separated out of the group.
Take care.
3 more does left for this group, and then I have 3 more that are due April May.
I was needing the bucks, but I don't think the runt will be good enough for the fair, But the one is really nice and has lots and lots of potential as a commercial herd sire, (1x1 teated) or a show wether.
I am so excited about our new website, It was well worth the time to get it going. I have had a few calls for kids, people wanting breeding does, sires and show wethers.
I had someone call a couple days ago, prepared to pick his kids out right away and send me money, so he didn't loose his spot, that was really cool.
the kids are all doing well, We need to find another source of alfalfa hay, my husband was suppose to order me 100 bales, but I guess he never communicated that with the farmer, and he only had 20 bales for us, and I still have 160 or so moldy bales of timothy sitting in my haystack needing to be returned, and replaced with better hay. The farmer is going to replace it. It is just a pain having to take it off the stack, load it back on a trailer, take it back, unload at his place(he will probably help at this point) and then bring all new hay home. We aren't getting any younger. Guess it is good exercise.
I am going through around 3 1/2, 50 lb, bales a day. And I am feeding a total of 55 to 60 lbs of grain a day. I need to order grain, probably next Saturday.
4 bucks are getting a total of 10 lbs a day
4 younger does not in the herd right now are getting a total of 5 lbs a day
and the main herd of 22 does is getting 40lbs a day at this point.
We started our creep feed area, but they aren't really eating much at this point, In the next couple weeks, we will start going through more grain from the kids munching.
When the kids are 5 to 6 weeks old, we will be at or highest point of grain consumption on the farm. Then when I wean, the does will be taken off of grain, and the kids will only get the grain.
We wean at 8 to 10 weeks.
We are planning on weaning in two batches, since we will have around a 5 week spread in age of the kids.
The kids will be weaned into dry lots and put on hay and free-choice grain. We will try to sell as many of the breeding stock and show wether kids with in two weeks of weaning. Anything not sold or good enough quality to sell, will be fed out to 60 to 70lbs. Although I have had kids, just not grow well and we we don't keep wasting time on them, we sell them lighter. By May I expect to only have a few doelings left, my keeper doelings and my son's show whethers.
My son's show wethers and any doeliings I may consider showing at the fair in open class, will be switched to a show feed, hopefully by May. Our first weigh-in for the fair is first week of June. We can way in 4 goats per child and then select down to 2 for the final weigh-in in August. Normally, we will just weigh in the top two picks for showing, and the 2 back-ups will be keeper doelings. That way we are putting the feed into does that we are keeping and not just into wethers.
Although last year, we let the kids pick who ever they wanted, and then after our weigh-in we had a child call us for their fair and their weigh-in is much later than ours. We were out of show kids, so we sold her two of our back-ups in July. It was a little risky, because at that point if something had happened to one of our kids show animals, they would have had only 1 to take to the fair.
The grain we are feeding is a 16% medicated pelleted grain, It is referred to as a goat developer or grower. So the calcium to phosphorus ratio in it is correct, and it has ammonia chloride in it. Although I have some extra AC on hand, just in case. It is a high fiber grain, designed to b the only source the goat gets, Although we don't use it that way.
However our show wethers, will get very little hay so their rumens don't get too big. They are allowed just a handful of hay a day, once they are separated out of the group.
Take care.
Mamaboid
Loving the herd life
Wow. I have trouble keeping track of who gets what, and I only have 9 goats, 3 of which are still nursing. I cannot imagine how you keep track of all that. I would be checking and double checking and drive myself nuts. Good luck with the fair kids, and all your goats. It sounds like you have a wonderful operation.
that's*satyrical
Loving the herd life
Very nice! Love the pics! 
jmsim93
Ridin' The Range
That was great! If I can't enjoy watching mine deliver...it is a nice distraction to watch yours!!! And such a beautiful day to deliver and take pictures...it is drizzly and nasty here 
- Thread starter
- #647
20kidsonhill
True BYH Addict
Today we have rain, and we are having a lightening storm right now. That is Crazy!!!! Just had lightening hit our yard. Hope the big does are letting the smaller does stay in the barn.
Tina, the big grey nubian, appears to be in early labor.
Tina, the big grey nubian, appears to be in early labor.
KinderKorner
Loving the herd life
Wow. 
Just reading your feeding schedule makes me confused. lol
I thought I was doing bad with the 75 - 100 pounds of hay I go through, and the 15 pounds of grain.
When they are your animals the feeding seems simple. I don't have trouble keeping who gets what straight, but if I need someone to feed the critters while I go on vacation or something it's just a mess.
I had 4 pages of instructions typed out last time, and had to label everything, and pay them a lot. lol
Just reading your feeding schedule makes me confused. lol
I thought I was doing bad with the 75 - 100 pounds of hay I go through, and the 15 pounds of grain.
When they are your animals the feeding seems simple. I don't have trouble keeping who gets what straight, but if I need someone to feed the critters while I go on vacation or something it's just a mess.
I had 4 pages of instructions typed out last time, and had to label everything, and pay them a lot. lol
- Thread starter
- #649
20kidsonhill
True BYH Addict
We do the same when we leave, We label all the cans and scoops, We write out all the instructions. Have them do a practice feeding with us. Have several emergency numbers available. And pay them plenty. But we wouldn't leave this time of year, with so many chores and newborn kids and does still having babies.KinderKorner said:Wow.
Just reading your feeding schedule makes me confused. lol
I thought I was doing bad with the 75 - 100 pounds of hay I go through, and the 15 pounds of grain.
When they are your animals the feeding seems simple. I don't have trouble keeping who gets what straight, but if I need someone to feed the critters while I go on vacation or something it's just a mess.
I had 4 pages of instructions typed out last time, and had to label everything, and pay them a lot. lol
neener92
Overrun with beasties
I hate leaving my feeding to someone else, nobody ever gets what they are supposed to, and I come back and the fat goat is fatter and the goat that was perfect weight is skinny cause fat goat ate it all! I can't tell the person (my darn sister) to feed them separate like I do cause heaven forbid she have to take time out of her sleeping all day to sit there and watch goats and sheep eat, you'd think I had just asked her to cut all her limbs off!KinderKorner said:Wow.
Just reading your feeding schedule makes me confused. lol
I thought I was doing bad with the 75 - 100 pounds of hay I go through, and the 15 pounds of grain.
When they are your animals the feeding seems simple. I don't have trouble keeping who gets what straight, but if I need someone to feed the critters while I go on vacation or something it's just a mess.
I had 4 pages of instructions typed out last time, and had to label everything, and pay them a lot. lol
I go threw maybe a 5 gallon bucket a day, with 2 one year old calves/10 sheep and two lambs, and then 6 goats.
I'm excited to see Tina's kid(s)!!
