rachels.haven's Journal

[rachels.haven]

I also found a hay man 15 minutes away who delivers and the hay is dry, the bales are heavy, and the grass is leafy and smells beautiful. And $7/nice 55 lbs bale is cheap for around here. 5 of his bales are in my barn now, waiting for their lineup to be fed.

 

[Baymule]

I hope you can secure your chickens from the hawk. Build a hoop run!

 

[Bruce]

I think you are going to need to wire the top over the run onto the sides with something thick enough the hawks can't bite through. Besides hawks, a coon could easily get through twine. Twine no good, thin wire, no good. Try some 14 gauge wire.

It's not brilliant to get new chicks every spring and end up with none in the fall, they won't ever get to the age of laying. Waste of time, money and the birds' lives.

Sorry you've missed out on the dogs but glad you found good hay locally. And thanks for the offer but I'm not dog hunting, DW would not be happy if I brought home another LGD.

 

[rachels.haven]

My goodness.
The Great Pyrenees female is driving up on Friday. The man got back to me eventually. He's got a friend in Pepperell, and he's coming up for the weekend, so he'll just bring her. He's not asking much at all for her so I'm not sure what to expect, but he is okay with doing a 30 day trial period, so I'm less uneasy.

I kind of cut a door in the wall between the buck pen and the spare stall and switched the bucks and the does so the does could have a double wide stall with the option of closing a door between the two halves for kidding and spare stall usage, but I haven't put a door up, so I guess I'd better get on that. Unless I decide to keep her in the house at first. Not sure, we'll see how she handles crating at night.

The hawk has not been caught trotting around on the top of the run since I put up the bird netting, so I think he can see it. The problem is, I think we've got a mink or weasel killing and dragging off birds too, so I've set a trap baited with a little fresh salmon and I'm praying and crossing my fingers as I build a giant (but not giant enough) chicken cube.

My chicken saga has been really stupid. Just saying.

We are getting blue eggs now too, so my one adult whiting true blue is laying. They are all such beautiful birds, I wish they'd quit getting eaten.

 

[rachels.haven]

Also, this is what a gallon of milk looks like when I run out of fridge room. It's chevre and according to the critics, it's great. Too bad we can't sell cheese.

 

[rachels.haven]

 

[B&B Happy goats]

So happy you are doing the trial with the GP.....I know that's a big step for you, you just got to talk to her like you would a friend, they are diffrent than a dog...once she gets comfortable, you will wonder how you managed without her congratulations on trying her out.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

congratulations on trying her out.

Amen to that! Is anyone in your household a light sleeper? I hope not.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

I never have liked a dog barking at night, ....drove me crazy. ....Now it is music to my ears, Mel has three barks, when he goes for the deep growl...I get up because I know something is outside....not that he can't handle it, I just am there for back up
When he first arrived he barked alot to warn everything / body that he was the new guy claiming his territory, ...now it mostly to let a racoon or another dog know to move out of his territory .... By the way, his property consists of every place he can see ...because HE is protecting everything. ... his animals and humans.
So barking is now a good thing, I sleep so much better with this amazing creature guarding us.
When your girl arrives friday, start getting her poo and put it outside the chicken run..it will let the pesty predators know the big girl is around !

 

[Bruce]

She may not, likely WILL not, accept being crated in the house at night. She's a working dog and most of the threats are at night, she'll want to be out with her charges.

When do I pick up the chevre?