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- #1,521
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Aw, thanks. The barfing was 3ish weeks ago though. I feel for that poor emoji.
rachels.haven's Journal
- Thread starter rachels.haven
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Baymule
Herd Master
Being sick is no fun. Passing it around the family is worse than no fun!
thistlebloom
Herd Master
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2019
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Not laughing that you were sick, (poor you) just at your emoji empathy.
Bruce
Herd Master
But I thought "sharing is caring"!!
Baymule
Herd Master
Only at work to someone you don’t like. Hahaha
- Thread starter
- #1,526
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Today I drove up to TSC in Pelham, NEW HAMPSHIRE and got myself 7 pekins, so now I officially have ducks. Hmm, fancy that...
I also got the kids $7 worth of dairy cows and deer with little action figure guys for them to break. Christmas clearance toys in almost March are the best. Ultra clearanced. Also some conversation hearts on clearance from the Hannaford grocery store next door. I guess today was shopping the holiday clearances Saturday.
19 days.
There might be a new bred nigerian doe coming to live here in the next week. Something Promiseland, Old Mountain Farm, Twin Creeks-ish might be coming into our nigerian genetic mix. The buck she was bred to is in the "Beau" line of Promisedland goats, so this should be an interesting breeding. The doe will be a 3rd freshener, has a collapsible udder, cow sized teats, good orifices, and good udder texture, and milks around half a gallon/day. Next breeding time I'm thinking of crossing her to Durango, and having my two Mustang Meadows goats be kind of the start of my herd line, but Patrick or Buckeye wouldn't be a terrible crossing because she already HAS the teats and milking equipment. They would help in the conformation department in her offspring and I think she has a few little flaws in her linear appraisal. I think she'll fit in well here. Her owner says she's friendly but not obnoxious, near the top of the pecking order but not overbearing important traits for nigerians I've discovered.
I also got the kids $7 worth of dairy cows and deer with little action figure guys for them to break. Christmas clearance toys in almost March are the best. Ultra clearanced. Also some conversation hearts on clearance from the Hannaford grocery store next door. I guess today was shopping the holiday clearances Saturday.
19 days.
There might be a new bred nigerian doe coming to live here in the next week. Something Promiseland, Old Mountain Farm, Twin Creeks-ish might be coming into our nigerian genetic mix. The buck she was bred to is in the "Beau" line of Promisedland goats, so this should be an interesting breeding. The doe will be a 3rd freshener, has a collapsible udder, cow sized teats, good orifices, and good udder texture, and milks around half a gallon/day. Next breeding time I'm thinking of crossing her to Durango, and having my two Mustang Meadows goats be kind of the start of my herd line, but Patrick or Buckeye wouldn't be a terrible crossing because she already HAS the teats and milking equipment. They would help in the conformation department in her offspring and I think she has a few little flaws in her linear appraisal. I think she'll fit in well here. Her owner says she's friendly but not obnoxious, near the top of the pecking order but not overbearing important traits for nigerians I've discovered.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #1,527
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Forgot the picture. DAY ONE!
Duckfarmerpa1
Herd Master
How many goats do you have? They are beautiful!! So, I have two bucklings. My hubby thinks we need to sell one, that we don’t need a wether. How do I convince him that my buck needs company?? He thinks if he’s next to the girls...he’ll be ok. Plus, my does are free range....I think it will make him cry!! The thought of selling him breaks my heart! But, we definitely don’t need two bucks with the exact same looks and genes. Ugh
so, are these your first ducks? Do they have a heat lamp or just the pad? Do you happen to know how warm it keeps it in there? If you need any tips, I’d be more than happy to help...after all..I am..@Duckfarmerpa1...
Who just sold her ducks!!
so, are these your first ducks? Do they have a heat lamp or just the pad? Do you happen to know how warm it keeps it in there? If you need any tips, I’d be more than happy to help...after all..I am..@Duckfarmerpa1...
Who just sold her ducks!!- Thread starter
- #1,529
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Thank you!
I've had ducks for a long time. These guys will join my other "soggy chicks" outside when they're about 3-6 weeks, depending on the weather and how their down growth is doing. They need that white fluff. Yes, they will use the heat pad. The heat pad hovers around 100+ish degrees and only heats what is touching it. The ducks heat up and then have to walk around and cool off. The room is about 66 degrees. They don't normally cluster, but my tsc ducklings are afraid of people and I've kind of chased them into the corner for the picture. Chicks will use my $15 walmart heat pad too, usually crafted into a tunnel. I like the pad because of the reduced fire risk and because babies brooded with natural dark/light seem to be calmer and more relaxed. It's good as long as the inside temps are normal. They just need a little boost.
I have 13 goats presently. Too many/5 bucks, and 8 does. The new goat will make 14.
My husband mostly leaves me alone to manage the animals, so I don't have to convince him of much. I know what I can handle while keeping everything in the condition I like. We're going to try to break even or make a profit this year (lol).
In regards to convincing your husband, I know I've heard that having a lonely goat will make them break out to find company, in your case it may be on the other side of that fence with those desperately seductive does. That may be compelling to your husband. If you can swing it with him you can always keep both bucks until you decide what you want to do-or indefinitely. It is your herd, and it has been done before. I can't judge. Just be aware that selling goats is very difficult in the winter, bucks especially, so if you are going to sell one, sell before or after winter before the hay for the year has stopped coming in. Your one buck MIGHT be okay next to the girls with no pen mates, but mine would get desperate to get them, not just for mating, but because he's a goat too and is desperate for the head smashing and bullying and alliance forming and snoozing with the BFF's in the sun that goats do.
Then there is the issue of uncontrolled fence breeding out there, but my guys aren't exceedingly talented at wooing and luring the right end of the goat to the fence for that so I can't say much about it besides the issue existing. B&B would know more about fence breeding. I think she dealt with the results of an incident if my memory serves. A hot wire or two might prevent this issue.
I don't think a buck eats that much more than a wether, if he's willing to let you keep a wether with your guy, so by the slippery slope fallacy a second buck would be okay too???
Convincing one's spouse of anything is difficult. Mine is a remarkably stubborn man, but he respects my space and my little "kingdom" outside so I don't have to convince him of much. I wish you luck is the most I can say. Worst case scenario, you will still have your one buck. (may or may not worth mentioning, a buck apron might be an option for occasional romps here and there might be appropriate, but I'm not sure I'd want to rely on them to control breeding long term).
All that being said, we on here tend to be enablers and you know your situation and spouse better than us. I hope you guys can work out what you want to do. (secretly I hope you get your goat dreams here)
I've had ducks for a long time. These guys will join my other "soggy chicks" outside when they're about 3-6 weeks, depending on the weather and how their down growth is doing. They need that white fluff. Yes, they will use the heat pad. The heat pad hovers around 100+ish degrees and only heats what is touching it. The ducks heat up and then have to walk around and cool off. The room is about 66 degrees. They don't normally cluster, but my tsc ducklings are afraid of people and I've kind of chased them into the corner for the picture. Chicks will use my $15 walmart heat pad too, usually crafted into a tunnel. I like the pad because of the reduced fire risk and because babies brooded with natural dark/light seem to be calmer and more relaxed. It's good as long as the inside temps are normal. They just need a little boost.
I have 13 goats presently. Too many/5 bucks, and 8 does. The new goat will make 14.
My husband mostly leaves me alone to manage the animals, so I don't have to convince him of much. I know what I can handle while keeping everything in the condition I like. We're going to try to break even or make a profit this year (lol).
In regards to convincing your husband, I know I've heard that having a lonely goat will make them break out to find company, in your case it may be on the other side of that fence with those desperately seductive does. That may be compelling to your husband. If you can swing it with him you can always keep both bucks until you decide what you want to do-or indefinitely. It is your herd, and it has been done before. I can't judge. Just be aware that selling goats is very difficult in the winter, bucks especially, so if you are going to sell one, sell before or after winter before the hay for the year has stopped coming in. Your one buck MIGHT be okay next to the girls with no pen mates, but mine would get desperate to get them, not just for mating, but because he's a goat too and is desperate for the head smashing and bullying and alliance forming and snoozing with the BFF's in the sun that goats do.
Then there is the issue of uncontrolled fence breeding out there, but my guys aren't exceedingly talented at wooing and luring the right end of the goat to the fence for that so I can't say much about it besides the issue existing. B&B would know more about fence breeding. I think she dealt with the results of an incident if my memory serves. A hot wire or two might prevent this issue.
I don't think a buck eats that much more than a wether, if he's willing to let you keep a wether with your guy, so by the slippery slope fallacy a second buck would be okay too???
Convincing one's spouse of anything is difficult. Mine is a remarkably stubborn man, but he respects my space and my little "kingdom" outside so I don't have to convince him of much. I wish you luck is the most I can say. Worst case scenario, you will still have your one buck. (may or may not worth mentioning, a buck apron might be an option for occasional romps here and there might be appropriate, but I'm not sure I'd want to rely on them to control breeding long term).
All that being said, we on here tend to be enablers and you know your situation and spouse better than us. I hope you guys can work out what you want to do. (secretly I hope you get your goat dreams here)
B&B Happy goats
Herd Master
Fence breeding happened here and next door....where theirs a will, there's a way !.....
