SA Farm's journal

[Mini Horses]

They're skirting the snow. Will Foxy tolerate her lambs with her? Even bottle feeding, they can learn to be sheep from moms.

 

[SA Farm]

They're skirting the snow. Will Foxy tolerate her lambs with her? Even bottle feeding, they can learn to be sheep from moms.

I haven’t tried it. When I pulled them, they were still pretty wet and I don’t have electricity in my barn for a heat lamp. Still pretty frozen here, so I had to bring them up to the brooder shed. I had them under a heat lamp for a few days and now I’m weaning them off it.
Hopefully I can figure out housing arrangements and get them in the barn by Monday. Foxy might tolerate them if they don’t try to nurse

 

[SA Farm]

Just the little boy bottle baby left. Girl went to her new home this afternoon. I advertised them right away since I didn’t plan to keep them, so that’s good. If the ram lamb doesn’t sell, he’ll be heading to freezer camp eventually, though I might have someone wanting him as a ram once he’s weaned if he doesn’t sell in the meantime. I was planning to band him, but now that his sister is gone…yeah, not going to bother.
We’ll see how it goes.

 

[SA Farm]

DH says that with Foxy taking a year off, keeping 2 ewe lambs is a bit much. Talking sense into me which is both appreciated and slightly annoying

So, yeah…going to have to make my choice. Of course, there isn’t any real choice when DS has fallen in love with one.
Meet Gila Monster - previously known as curly lol
DS can pick her out of a photo lineup and always asks to see *his* lamb when we go to the barn. He goes in and picks her up or plunks himself down in the straw to hold her.

Her ears are wild! I almost want to change my theme so I can call her Dobby

Ram lamb is doing good. Having him out to bop around a little more now. Good training for Katana too. No, you can’t eat him. No, his tail is not a rope toy. Yes, you may eat his poop as long as you don’t try to lick me after

 

[Bruce]

I almost want to change my theme so I can call her Dobby

But appropriate!

 

[Mini Horses]

Well, we all know some don't sell well -- maybe the 2nd ewe lamb will be one of those.

 

[Baymule]

Dobby fits her.

 

[SA Farm]

Okay. Fine! I’ll change my theme
I mean, with ears like that she just kind of has to be Dobby, right?
She also has a little spot on her lower lip which is cute and makes her even more goofy-looking


I heard from Kit’s new family. She had split twins yesterday. Of course, the boy is the spotty one and so adorable


Spent a good chunk of time with Foxy yesterday and got her one side completely shorn. Just a bit more on the far side and she’ll be all set for the year.

She’s slowly increasing her production for me. I spend a lot of my time just massaging her udder to convince her to produce as much as she can. Yesterday I milked her 4 times and she gave me 250mls, 250mls, 200mls, and 200mls. Almost a litre. I increased her ram lamb’s meal sizes to go with it, so he’s getting 1000mls a day over 4 feedings now. Almost completely fed by Foxy at this point. Maybe today will be the day she’ll give me enough to feed him and then some! She did give me 300mls this morning, so my strategy is working. I won’t be increasing his meals again today though. Not too much change at once!

I got a sharpener for my hand shears since one is dull and the other set is getting there (Haven’t been sharpened since I got them 3ish years ago). I almost have Foxy done completely by hand and I want to get Doll done by hand as well. I’ll probably use the electric shears on Dingo and Coy.

Oh, yeah! I have to lock down my next batch of chicks today. Another small batch this week—just 4 eggs last I checked.

Goodness, March is a busy month!

 

[Baymule]

She’s definitely a Dobby. That black spot matches her goofy ears!

 

[SA Farm]

Foxy is shorn now. I had to get a picture quick before she started itching and pulling the remaining wool up. She always sheds the majority of her wool, so even if I do a good job, she ends up looking patchy and awful for a while

But, for a few hours, she looks pretty good! I think she even looks pretty good for having quads.
I still have to do her hoof trimming, but think I’ll do that just before or just after they go out on pasture later on.

Doll is next on my list to get done. I’ll try to get her half done on the milk stand, then take her up front to the big stand to finish her up and do her feet. Probably, anyway.

She seems thrilled at the prospect

It’s annoyingly cold outside today. I don’t think it should be allowed to go from 6° and sunny to -6°, overcast, AND windy!
I agree with @farmerjan - seems like our Februarys are getting milder and our springs are lasting longer and staying colder lately. Not a fan of the change at all. Especially since it means no pasture for another few weeks to a month!

You know what else I’m not a fan of? My hay storage situation. I’m tired of wrestling with a huge tarp in the wind and still having to throw away a few layers of hay that has gotten wet and gross.
This year I absolutely HAVE TO build myself a decent hay barn. Probably out of pallets @Baymule style. I also want to deal only with small square bales, if possible.

As always, I’ve got work to do this year to improve things for myself and my animals!