rachels.haven's Journal

[Baymule]

I’m going to fortify the cow panel hoop shelter with pallets to help break the wind. I’ll put them on the sides and back. I didn’t get to it before surgery, but it’s on my radar. Hoop shelter went up for more shade in the summer heat.

Thanks. I hope we have a mild winter too. This is my set up, two night pens. One for Ringo and his girlfriend, one for the ewes. Big field behind the pens. It’s kinda bare bones, but the best I could do for now. The sheep actually like their little Quonset huts. I guess they have to, it’s all they’ve got. It’s right across the driveway from the house, at least location is convenient for me.

 

[Baymule]

There’s a cow panel hoop with tarp over the round bale too!

 

[rachels.haven]

Looks like a very secure setup. Perfect for breaking in a new piece of property. I wonder if the sheep like the huts because there is just enough space and no extra so they can feel like they are hiding and safe. I'm glad it's working for you and them. Shelter for animals is so hard when you're moving and settling in. So much up in the air and then you hit the ground running and you can't keep up with the move stuff AND building stuff and things. The last couple of places I found myself wishing we could just fast forward to "settled in" and the animals housed to my satisfaction. I hope you reach that soon.

 

[SageHill]

In England they have similar Quonset huts - but they are in the pig pastures. (true)
and now a joke...
Maybe your sheep think they are in "hog heaven" - sometimes I just can't help that off center sense of humor.

 

[farmerjan]

The type hoop houses that @Baymule has are actually used alot as huts for pastured pig operations. Make good farrowing huts and good shelters for pigs. They also are heavier so the pigs/hogs can't tear them up like some other stuff.

 

[rachels.haven]

Today I'm beginning the foray into registered guinea hogs. There's a guy 15 minutes away who began his pig adventure this year too and he brought me one of his boars and a sow from a lady he was trading pigs with...so he can have another semi related bloodline NOT 2 hours away. A little pricy and there's no market for registered stock, but if I like something and I want more of it there's a better chance I can reproduce it and add similar animals by following the pedigrees. These pigs are a lot like mom hog and her two offspring from my first batch. I think mom hog is probably pure bred yet unregistered. The barrow and his sisters from my second batch are not friendly and may wind up feeder pigs. Yay, eatie dogs!

Also, it got legit cold this morning. (And my shop flooded through the garage door because we got rain finally)

Feeding dry yearlings.

When recluse spiders take LMAO a little too seriously. The main spider in our cabin is...the brown recluse. Yay. They want to bite and so do their little pieces when you smash them. Smash with a tool quickly and concisely.

 

[Baymule]

Congratulations on the new pigs, I’m sure they will get friendly. Food is a motivator.

Flooded the shop? Bummer. Can y’all divert the water away from the door? Trench, ditch, concrete short wall?

Spiders in the house? Call the exterminator!

 

[rachels.haven]

Exterminator is on the list for next fall. They come in late and I may have missed our boat this year. Our exterior walls are all full of nooks and crannies for them, in and out and there's no way we could get them all. I did not know about these guys and was unprepared, but i'm ready now. I may still get someone to come out when the chicks are out of the house so nothing hurts them. We've been brooding naked necks and production chicks and they're almost ready to go outside.

The shop, at least at this point, is manageable. I installed a dehumidifier earlier and the puddle is just a damp spot on the concrete now. The thing is doing it's job. I'll work on the trench later. I may have clogged it.

Life is all in all pretty good. After all we've been through I can handle a little flooding and a little army of spiders. (Still dealing with son#1's anxiety issues, but his pediatrician has sent him to Vanderbilt to see a specialist or two so we should someday work through it)

 

[Mini Horses]

I almost bought a few young AGHs yesterday but, stopped myself!!

The ones I had a few yrs back were amazing! They had a large field area, with huts and a big carport for shelters. When it came close to farrowing, one used a hut and piled hay/straw unbelievably. The other made a cave under the carport with branches, straw, weeds, leaves....a real masterpiece! I was quite impressed.

Excellent mom's and adorable babes. . I had raised mom's from babies so they were tame and belly rub lovers. Those will tame. I started with scratches when feeding.

 

[rachels.haven]

I almost bought a few young AGHs yesterday but, stopped myself!!

The ones I had a few yrs back were amazing! They had a large field area, with huts and a big carport for shelters. When it came close to farrowing, one used a hut and piled hay/straw unbelievably. The other made a cave under the carport with branches, straw, weeds, leaves....a real masterpiece! I was quite impressed.

Excellent mom's and adorable babes. . I had raised mom's from babies so they were tame and belly rub lovers. Those will tame. I started with scratches when feeding.

That's a great idea!

I am hereby enabling you to get more AGH.

My dad wants to drive two hours and pick up a Mieshan/Kune cross gilt for crossbreeding purposes (they're in with the purebred moms and MAN, are they cool looking), but other than that, we're going to be AGH all the way. I really love these things.