overworked

[poorboys]

sometimes don't you feel you just dont have the energy to keep going??? this morning I milked 9 goats, 2 of which are hard to get on milking stand, and 1 that is so hard to milk cause she has turned teats... bottle fed 12 kids, and fed 4 dogs, washed dishes,clean bathroom, turn around to feed 3 more bore kids, took a 1/2hour break, and at 2:00 back out feeding the 12 kids, and doing a look around to make sure everyone has hay and water. just got done feeding 2 more goats, and i'm sitting here wondering how many I really need, I've been tromping thru muk and mud, praying everything will dry out, and trying to keep everyone healthy, which (so far so good) I look over my girls over and over trying to convince myself that I don't need so many, but which ones do you get rid of??I look at udders, I look at production, their health, what kind of kids they throw, their age, and still don't get anywhere. spoken by a true herd addict thanks for listening to my rant and rave. I think I'll go take a break.

 

[RabbleRoost Farm]

Phew! You tired ME out. I only have two goats and sometimes that's enough!
I'd get rid of the more difficult ones to milk first of all, but I realize that being attached wouldn't help any. :/
It'll get easier as they get older and off the bottle, right? Please tell me that's right... I wouldn't know! First year kidding, and I'm freaking out.

At least I have this site for help now.

Keep hanging in there!

 

[ksalvagno]

At least there is an end to the bottle feeding. I was feeling the same way you were. I am going to downsize my herd a bit. But, I still have 4 more does to kid. So the downsizing won't happen fast or soon.

 

[Ariel301]

I know the feeling! Today I got up, had a glass of juice and my pills, turned the water on in the garden sanitized milking stuff, first doe to milk takes extra long because she's a self-nurser and has to have her teats taped up so she can't get to them, so I have to untape, milk, tape again. Second doe is quick and easy. Third doe has some back leg troubles and cut her fetlock when she stumbled trying to get on the stand, and was bleeding everywhere, so I had to bandage her up, clean up the mess, then milk. Then bottle feed two kids and a lamb, drench five kids, a lamb, and a yearling buck with Di-Methox (messy!), give hay to all the goats, tote buckets of water from the house to the pens because the water hose to the pens is not hooked up yet. Then, turn the chickens out, look for eggs, clean and refill the water in the bird pen because the ducks got it nasty, fill the poultry feeders, turn the water off in the garden, breakfast, then do a bunch of dishes and laundry, feed the kids again, cook lunch for my husband, clean that up, chase the does around the yard because they opened the gate and went for a walk, get some bread dough rising, fix all the food we will need for tomorrow and Saturday, since I won't be able to cook tomorrow due to a funeral that will take all day, and never cook on Saturdays...then clean up from all of that, put laundry away, chase pain-in-the-rear self-nursing doe around again because she's loose again, feed hay and fill waters again, grain the kids, chase the chickens out of the kid pen because they are eating the grain, and in half an hour at midnight, time to go do the second milking and feed the kids again and lock the chickens in. Oh, and in between all that I'm making cheese.

I'm ready for bed. :/ Oh, and I need two more does. In milk. Now. And about 30 more hens.

No one ever said farming was easy!

 

[Roll farms]

My dh went back to work this week, after being layed off all winter.

It's a blessing financially, of course....but it sure is nice having the extra hands around here. Now I'm the 'lone ranger',

Last night I got home around 9, then had to heat treat some colostrum b/c Dallas' kid had finished off the last of what I had frozen. By the time I milked her, got it going, then waited the hour, it was well after 11pm.

I got in bed, closed my eyes...then realized I'd forgotten to feed her baby.

*slaps forehead*

Back up I went, fed her, back to bed....by now it's midnight.

I have all the milking, bottlefeeding, etc. and hatch chicks weekly, too...so there's the Sportsman incubators to clean / chick totes / feeders to worry about.
Then DH decided to get back into bunnies so I have 6 rabbits to babysit.

And...gardening season is almost here.

Some days it's a lot, but I always say to myself, "It beats having a real job."

I used to supervise 65 grumpy women stuck in a room together (factory) 6 days a week. The stress of that nearly drove me insane.

I do understand how discouraging it is day after muddy, rainy, icky day....

 

[jodief100]

About a year after getting my farm, one of my "city" frinds asked me how I liked having the farm. She asked with a smirk on her face.

I said I am working harder and sleeping less than I have in years....... and have never been happier.

Hasn't changed any.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Its hard work...less sleep...always worring about one of them!! But love every minute of it and would'nt trade it for the world!!!

Now that the good weathers coming and planting season begins, makes it all the better!!!

Im with Roll...beats a 9a-5p anyday!!!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

About a year after getting my farm, one of my "city" frinds asked me how I liked having the farm. She asked with a smirk on her face.

I said I am working harder and sleeping less than I have in years....... and have never been happier.

Hasn't changed any.

 

[poorboys]

I'M BETTER!!! PHEW, DH SAID HE WOULD SELL SOME OF THE PYGMY'S AND I DECIDED TO SELL MY HUGE GOAT GI-GI, AND A YEARLING FROM LAST YEAR. I GUESS I'M BOTTLE FEEDING 15 BABIES, 6 ARE FOR SALE, SO ONCE I MOVE THEM THAT WILL TAKE ME DOWN TO 9, FOUR OF THEM WILL START ON 2 BOTTLES A DAY TILL THE MID OF APRIL AND THEY''LL BE WEANED, SO I'LL HAVE 5 TO TAKE CARE OF. IT'S JUST ALL THIS RAIN I GUESS HAS GOTTEN ME DISCOURAGE SO MAYBE WE WILL FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO BRING GOATS IN, MAYBE CUT OUT A PLACE FOR A DOOR, AND DIFFERENT ENTRY, AND WE ARE GETTING A NEW METAL SHELTER, FOR ALL MY SWEETIES, THAT WILL BE PLENTY BIG ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE AND SPIT IT FOR ROOM FOR THE BABIES, AND THEIR PLAY YARD. AND YES IT'S BETTER THAN A JOB, I USE TO WORK IN A FACTORY!!!

 

[julieq]

Some days it's a lot, but I always say to myself, "It beats having a real job."

Exactly! We have three adults home full time and we're pretty much centered on our small herd. But, even so, it's overwhelming at times. DH is disabled with osteoporosis and during the cold times of the year he suffers and moves slowly. The mud this time of year is just horrid, but I guess it's better than snow...

Fifteen years ago I was managing a medical office full time. Given my druthers I'd choose my little goats, two horses and small flock of chickens again in a heartbeat!