rachels.haven's Journal

[rachels.haven]

Today the bucks got their hay feeder put in their pen and the does got ALL the basket feeders and they all got topped off.
Out of all the 21 bale bundles we got last year one nasty, baled wet, 100+lbs/bale bundle and today I got all but 5 moved out into the garden area. Also the Fat Boy AGH has a dog house waiting for him now. I need to get his pen up. His fence will be wired up to the garden area.

Inlaws in town. I should find a goat to buy. I always seem to do that when they're here. That or delivering goat kids.

 

[rachels.haven]

Cidrs in. Pull day is the 11th for the 6 standards and the 16th for Eri the dwarf due to shorter average gestation length to put them all kidding around the target date of January 8th. Going to be a heck of a day if they all go on time, but that tends not to happen...plus, kidding is one of the things that is hardest on the family because I'm outside for hours. Best to get it over within the 14 day window of that (goats can go a week early or a week late typically and disregard due dates).

 

[rachels.haven]

I also coppered and began giving a course of replamin, as well as making sure every adult doe had a microchip. Onto babies and bucks at some point.
Emmi the lamancha and Iris the mini saanen are on the docket to milk through and not be bred this year.

 

[rachels.haven]

Nasty hay all moved out of the camper port (why would I want a huge camper anyway? **instant hay port**)

Back to hot weather

 

[rachels.haven]

I had to pull a cidr on one of the young lamancha does in milk. She wound up covered in what I assume was pee all down her udder and leg and it was getting steadily worse and I did not want her to go the full 11 days. So if she cycles I'll breed her, and if not, we'll get her a date at first natural heat. Her mother also has a little staining yet I didn't do them anywhere near the same time so I think there may be something different about them internally. The dam, so far is taking it better so she keeps hers for now.

Riker came to me and put his head against my hand while I wasn't paying attention yesterday and showed me that he had some very tight mats causing him some pain behind his ears. He then let me go get my stuff to cut them out and get rid of them. Our truce didn't last and he went back to don't touch me afterward, but he doesn't have matting anymore. He got a quick once over and his coat is doing fine with the no care schedule he's imposing.

 

[farmerjan]

Riker knows that you are a part of his circle. He also just feels that he doesn't need you on a constant basis. He will ask for help when he needs it, other than that, let him alone to do his job. Just his way, I guess you can either accept that and work with him, or do something different.
I admire that you are accepting who/what he is and working with him... LGD's seem to be very independent and in many cases it seems to be a good thing. Be glad he stays put, doesn't want to roam, and does the job you have him for. I think he will be more tolerant as time goes on and you don't "crowd his space". But he will most likely always be a "hands off unless I ask you" kind of dog.

 

[farmerjan]

Are you in any of the area that got so much of the rain/weather lately?

 

[rachels.haven]

Are you in any of the area that got so much of the rain/weather lately?

No, we missed that, thank goodness. The weather is very localized here. The next town over can get pounded with sheets of rain for hours and we get nothing or vise versa and the flooding with all the death is about 4 hours away. For some reason Kentucky is always the place that nature wants to kill people and even though we're only about 15 minutes from the border, our area on this side of the border seems to always do okay **knock on wood very hard**
...soo don't live in Kentucky, I guess?
It's really beautiful there though. Feels like the midwest.

 

[Baymule]

Riker has it figured out. When there is a problem, see the boss lady. Otherwise he doesn’t feel the need to bother you.

 

[rachels.haven]

We left Thursday for the Reelfoot Lake cabins for an end of summer celebration vacation weekend as part of the proper care and feeding of husbands regimen. I've been taking breaks watching the kids staring at the lake wishing for a fishing. DH picked this location for his last break this summer to let me fish, kids willing, but the kids...are having fun being tourists and we have to prevent accidental swimming lessons instead when we are back at the lake. Yesterday was spent at a children's museum with a tractor show (and a bbq food truck with friend oreos). This is my favorite picture so far. There was only one real tantrum that day and it was from the oldest, which is bad, but could be worse.
Fried Oreos and an attempted tantrum from the youngest because he was hot, tired, and done. He's trying to make it so I can't take his brothers' picture by squishing them with his massive toddler bulk. He was simply not massive enough and just contributed to the general ambiance instead. He wants you to know that fried oreos and powdered sugar in general look like a stupid idea. Apparently powdered sugar is toddler repellent.