Mystang's Homesteading Circus

[Baymule]

Your 9 year old daughter crawled through that tiny hole and worked on plumbing? I think that is awesome. And your 11 year old drove the tractor? Totally awesome. Your kids are getting an upbringing that sadly, very few children will even come close to. You are a good Dad.

 

[mystang89]

Is it twisting/kinking while being raised such that it won't go through the pulley?

While the center pulley is being lowered or raised the rope twists around itself. You may be able to sort of see the rope twisting around itself in the video when I'm raising the load.

EDIT: I just looked at both videos and the failed attempt sort of shows what I mean. The ropes are wound around each other as I lift it up.

 

[Bruce]

While the center pulley is being lowered or raised the rope twists around itself. You may be able to sort of see the rope twisting around itself in the video when I'm raising the load.

EDIT: I just looked at both videos and the failed attempt sort of shows what I mean. The ropes are wound around each other as I lift it up.

User error!!!!!

Notice in the first video how the lower pulley is 180° to the upper pulley, the ropes are already crossed. Nothing to do with the type of rope but the position of the lower pulley and hooks as they were put into the bales. That isn't the case in the second video. The load couldn't rotate as it rose up until it got to the opening but didn't have time to do that. Had you known to look for that and could have stopped pulling while the twist undid itself (possibly with assistance from the hay stackers) it wouldn't have been twisted when it hit the upper pulley.

Hopefully that will save you the cost of a very long length of new rope.

 

[mystang89]

It's 5:30am so this won't be long.
One of the lambs from this year died half unexpectedly. She was good one day, next day she would graze away from the herd, next day dead. Another of it ewes from original stock lost tons of weight and can't seem to get it back. Still alive but I might have to put her down.
Garden did well this year. Still need to harvest sweet potatoes. Will try no dig method next year.
Wife quit working at the VA because the world is full of stupid people and she didn't want to catch what they had - a case of stupidity. This was with my full support. At the same time I came upon a job working construction with a couple of Amish so now I'm working full time and she the stay at home, teaching homeschooling etc. She works more now than she ever for before. I feel like I go on vacation everyday especially since I don't have to deal too much with the stupidity virus going around. When I do find myself around it I normally let out my opinion which, as they say, are like farts - everyone does it but noone wants to smell it. They smell my opinion and leave. Win win.

In search of a new truck right now so I can carry the trailers around but finding time to go check out what there is seems the problem. I'm working 6 says a week at the moment from 6 - 6, then come home and try to get something done here so we've been using the family can to haul work trailers. Hopefully I'll find something soon enough.

I've put one of the ram in with 3 of my ewes for mating. Since I'm not good with telling when they are ready to be mated I'm just going to leave then together for a couple of months. Take THAT nature! My other ram has a very severe case of footrot made worse because of the boots we put on him. These were supposed to be boots you put on sheep hooves to allow them time to start clean and dry; time to heal. You can do a search for them if you don't know what I'm talking about. I didn't even know something like this existed before. These boots held moister which got in somehow then the entire foot, flesh, hair and all, started to rot. When I took those shoes off it was like I had walked into a morgue which had lost electricity. He's now in a make shift dry lot. When he's all better I'll put him in with the other girls for a couple of months.
Our hens are defective. 9 hens and for 3 months we've been getting 0 - 2 eggs a day. Now we are getting up to 3! That's right, you read that correctly. Woohoo..... Useless chickens. They are a year old and completely useless. Haven't killed and eaten them yet because we at least get something and I haven't had time to find any other chickens.

Ducks are great. Fun little things. Turns out we have 2 girls and a drake. Thanks for telling us how to figure out who was a male. They lay 1 to 2 eggs a day. 1/2 of the ducks are laying eggs.....1/4 of the chickens are laying. Stupid chickens.

Think that's all, at least all I can think of. I posted something on here a couple days ago about something. Can't remember what it was about: too early still.

 

[farmerjan]

WOW, sounds like your world and your wife's both did the 180..... glad that it is working out for both overall....

Did the chickens go through a molt???? If so they will not lay for 4-10 weeks during that losing feathers and getting new ones in. Plus you can tell which ones are laying.... first off they will have a nice redder comb than the others as theirs will sort of get pale and shrivel up a bit while molting. Then you can pick up the chicken.... hold her so that your hand is under her body with a couple of your fingers between her legs, squeezing a little so you can hold her securely, head like under your arm(towards your body.) Then take your other hand and, then feel the 2 pelvic bones right at her vent hole (egg laying and poop hole). If you lay your hand basically flat against her , see how many fingers will fit between the bones... If you only have the width of one finger, she is not laying. If it is 2 or more, most often 3 fingers for laying hens, then she is laying. If you do a couple, you will find the one or 2 laying and feel the big difference between them and the non-laying ones. Also, sometimes a fat hen will not lay either.... great soup.....

Glad that you posted and to know that you are okay if crazy busy. And I don't blame your wife one bit for not wanting to catch "stupid".... there's a lot of that going around these days.

 

[Bruce]

I'm working 6 says a week at the moment from 6 - 6, then come home and try to get something done here

Bad time of year for outdoor work at home after working 6-6!!! Sun isn't coming up here until after 6 and the chickens have all gone to roost by 6:45.

 

[Baymule]

You and your wife always do what is best for the family, neither one of you is selfish and concern and love for each other is at the top of the list. There is so much stupid going on, it may be awhile before your wife can go back to work, Work that is away from home! Keep us updated!

 

[mystang89]

Nothing new really happening still working. However I will be putting down Clara Bell tomorrow. She's been the one acting strange for a while now.

 

[Baymule]

What is that?

 

[Mini Horses]

Sorry about the sheep. Agree on moulting hens. I have about 25 or more molting. They eat and not laying. It's annual. Hard to get used to feathers everywhere! You start to look for a fatality at first. Also,. They will loose feathers enough to be bald in spots then you see the pin feathers and finally all new feathers -- then red combs and eggs!!

Your family has some adjustments but, I'm sure you will all work through it! Glad u found a few minutes to connect. We miss your posts.