Bruce
Herd Master
rachels.haven's Journal
- Thread starter rachels.haven
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #282
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Got a hay analysis done on the hay I bought so I could get a rough idea of what I would need to feed for a ration. Looks like I'll need to keep feeding a little alfalfa pellets to keep calcium and phosphorus in balance, but I was surprised at the protein. It's 13.9%. I thought grass hay was always under 12%, more like 10% or less. The grass should be awesome with alfalfa pellets.
Waiting on Angel to kid. She's poofy, ligs almost gone, udder filled but not hard, and keeps moving her kids around and grunting. I can still find a ligament on one side if I have her stand a certain way. She smells strongly like the does do when they go into heat-reminds me of tide laundry detergent and the smell is kind of clingy and it seems to be making the bucks go crazy in their stall next door. I'm glad she's in her own pen or Ava or the bucks would probably be riding her sluggish self and Angel is a lap goat, not a party goat. She wouldn't want that. She just wants to sit around, chew cud, be given cheerios, and be uncomfy. I shaved her udder and rear zone today too. That was something else she didn't want, btw. Took a lot of cheerios to come back from that one.
Waiting on Angel to kid. She's poofy, ligs almost gone, udder filled but not hard, and keeps moving her kids around and grunting. I can still find a ligament on one side if I have her stand a certain way. She smells strongly like the does do when they go into heat-reminds me of tide laundry detergent and the smell is kind of clingy and it seems to be making the bucks go crazy in their stall next door. I'm glad she's in her own pen or Ava or the bucks would probably be riding her sluggish self and Angel is a lap goat, not a party goat. She wouldn't want that. She just wants to sit around, chew cud, be given cheerios, and be uncomfy. I shaved her udder and rear zone today too. That was something else she didn't want, btw. Took a lot of cheerios to come back from that one.
Bruce
Herd Master
Hey, at least she can be bribed
- Thread starter
- #284
rachels.haven
Herd Master
This morning Angel kidded three black bucks.
The first is undersized and lacks teeth, which I find odd. Nothing's erupted yet. Both others had sharp teeth already. He was dried completely but got chilled anyway, so he had to come in for a while and I gave him some colostrum a few times today. Angel is ignoring him, so he might be a bottle baby if he lives. I'm worried about him. He still hasn't pooped and it's 6pm and he was born around 7am. The plumbing might not be right.
The second was huge and is hard to deliver. I had to help. He's doing fine.
The third was DOA and appeared to have passed a day or two ago. It wasn't stinky yet, but it hadn't just died that morning.
Angel is doing great. Everything happened that needed to happen. I collected and froze some colostrum for emergencies and for the weak one after the healthy buck ate.
I'll put pictures up later. It's a little hectic now. I wasn't around the house all morning so now I have to make up for it so I'm kind of busy. Plus now kids are out playing in the nice weather in the mud, so as soon as they come in there will be even more to do.
The first is undersized and lacks teeth, which I find odd. Nothing's erupted yet. Both others had sharp teeth already. He was dried completely but got chilled anyway, so he had to come in for a while and I gave him some colostrum a few times today. Angel is ignoring him, so he might be a bottle baby if he lives. I'm worried about him. He still hasn't pooped and it's 6pm and he was born around 7am. The plumbing might not be right.
The second was huge and is hard to deliver. I had to help. He's doing fine.
The third was DOA and appeared to have passed a day or two ago. It wasn't stinky yet, but it hadn't just died that morning.
Angel is doing great. Everything happened that needed to happen. I collected and froze some colostrum for emergencies and for the weak one after the healthy buck ate.
I'll put pictures up later. It's a little hectic now. I wasn't around the house all morning so now I have to make up for it so I'm kind of busy. Plus now kids are out playing in the nice weather in the mud, so as soon as they come in there will be even more to do.
RollingAcres
Herd Master
Congrats on the bucklings!
- Thread starter
- #286
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Thank you!
We lost the tiny buckling last night. It did get cold. I think something was off about him. He was nursing and he got quite round, but nothing ever came out the other side. I don't think there was much I could have done in the long run to make him work. Yeah, I could have taken him in over night and his mom would have taken him back (she was still guarding him this morning too, that was sad), but he probably would have just died in here, maybe a few hours later. The remaining one is doing great-very robust, active and happy.
Saturday evening the buck's fence lost enough fence staples a panel fell off-I think as the barn wood warms up the staples fall out since they're not really fence pushers. So the bucks ran away-one ran away to the barn to raid the milk stand, and the other ran away to the doe pen to pee on his face. Not sure how long they did this, but my son spotted them, so I shook a cheerios can and they booked it back to their pen for the promised treat, which I gave them. Conditioning is great.
Buckeye's behavior when loose makes me think my two does are still open. They were enjoying the show a little too much. I'll probably try again this late fall if they are. I wouldn't mind a warmer kidding season. Fall kids would have been nice, but everyone is healthy and alive so I'm happy.
I'm thinking warm thoughts so the ground thaws around the pens. I have to go pound some posts in and put up my more permanent barn pens! Those staples are not staying in even in places they don't get stress-I probably should have gotten bigger ones, but they were supposed to be temporary and held when it was frozen at least.
I'm also excited for the future. If I can learn how to stretch and put up 2x4 woven wire in a solid enough way to hold in 50 lbs goats long term I've got a lot of wooded pasture land to fence in for grazing and brush management-a goat's favorite thing to do. Less purchased food, happier goats, should be a win-win as long as the tick thing works out okay.
We lost the tiny buckling last night. It did get cold. I think something was off about him. He was nursing and he got quite round, but nothing ever came out the other side. I don't think there was much I could have done in the long run to make him work. Yeah, I could have taken him in over night and his mom would have taken him back (she was still guarding him this morning too, that was sad), but he probably would have just died in here, maybe a few hours later. The remaining one is doing great-very robust, active and happy.
Saturday evening the buck's fence lost enough fence staples a panel fell off-I think as the barn wood warms up the staples fall out since they're not really fence pushers. So the bucks ran away-one ran away to the barn to raid the milk stand, and the other ran away to the doe pen to pee on his face. Not sure how long they did this, but my son spotted them, so I shook a cheerios can and they booked it back to their pen for the promised treat, which I gave them. Conditioning is great.
Buckeye's behavior when loose makes me think my two does are still open. They were enjoying the show a little too much. I'll probably try again this late fall if they are. I wouldn't mind a warmer kidding season. Fall kids would have been nice, but everyone is healthy and alive so I'm happy.
I'm thinking warm thoughts so the ground thaws around the pens. I have to go pound some posts in and put up my more permanent barn pens! Those staples are not staying in even in places they don't get stress-I probably should have gotten bigger ones, but they were supposed to be temporary and held when it was frozen at least.
I'm also excited for the future. If I can learn how to stretch and put up 2x4 woven wire in a solid enough way to hold in 50 lbs goats long term I've got a lot of wooded pasture land to fence in for grazing and brush management-a goat's favorite thing to do. Less purchased food, happier goats, should be a win-win as long as the tick thing works out okay.
- Thread starter
- #287
rachels.haven
Herd Master
I got my home depot order earlier last week. Today I am starting building the chicken coop, starting with a perfectly square and level 8x8 platform. Gotta get my barred rocks and the Whitings out of my house. I think it's warm enough for my muscles to not cause me grief. I will be satisfied today if I get the platform leveled and square and overjoyed if I get the two plywoods put on to make it a floor. I will still be happy if I do none of this.
Here's one buckling picture.
Here's one buckling picture.
- Thread starter
- #288
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Looks like I'd better locate tarps before putting the plywood on the floor platform. It's square and level. Might stop there for today.
- Thread starter
- #289
rachels.haven
Herd Master
Project report. Yesterday I was feeling good and things got out of control so BAM, goat pens appeared. Now I'm locking the goats out of their stalls for the day to keep the bedding clean. They have lean-to s after all.
- Thread starter
- #290
rachels.haven
Herd Master
When I can close my hands again I will run "goat baby saver" around the doe pen so Angel can come out.
And here is the chicken shed progress. No more barred rocks, btw. As four inch chicks the kids had become terrified of them, so I decided to just stick to Easter eggers for now. Fewer eggs, but maybe we'll all get bit fewer times.
And here is the chicken shed progress. No more barred rocks, btw. As four inch chicks the kids had become terrified of them, so I decided to just stick to Easter eggers for now. Fewer eggs, but maybe we'll all get bit fewer times.
