When ya have an answer, then there are options to choose from, but when ya are left to just wondering and guessing ya are just turning in circles. At least ya know your options and can head in a positive direction.
It is really nice to be surrounded by so much Love, figuratively and litterally. Your "Boys" are sure happy to share some with ya, and you really do miss Callie....you are a much better person having been so close to her, than ya would've been without knowing her at all. Cherish the memories and embrace them, otherwise they will only haunt ya and will become unpleasant to ponder.
My "Little Man" got to the head pressing stage with infection and I had to put him down, so I understand just how difficult it is to do. Now, I smile when I look out and imagine him walking around marking his "Spots"....and yes, I do still talk to him.
Don't you just love big hairy dog hugs? I know I do! I don't care what you look like, just knowing that you now have a diagnosis and can find a solution is cause for celebration. And what better way to celebrate than with your beloved dogs and goats? Big hugs! from a non-hairy non-dog........
Busy busy busy here!
The whole fam and a few of their friends showed up today! It was awesome.
Lots of food made, lots of food sent home... and in between got to see all my babies!
I also was waiting on a doe! Not mine- but a doe we sold several years ago, we picked the buck she was bred to and are getting a doeling out of her! SO happy!
We knew she was having multiples and was so large she would be high risk... she was going to come here for delivery but that ended up changing. Yesterday we suggested they call their vet and see if the vet wanted to induce... explained why and that they needed to make sure their vet was on call because high probability of jumbled kids and wrong presentation.
Vet did induce but doe was so close anyway that it didn't rake the 3 days. She went today, after talking with the owner I was glad to hear she was in contact with the vet... as predicted... kids not presented correctly and a bit tangled. Vet delivered all the kids and all are fine! Giving the doe CMPK as well.
Was suppose to try to do some clipping today but just too tired.
We have done their rough clips but they all need their finish clips.
Ruby is due so I will be home for the first show of the spring season.
GoatWhisperer and my DH and littlest DD will be going.
I like to watch the shows and see all the different breeds... always fun.
BUT
Some of this, like the clipping, going off site, having to quarantine and even planning breeding and kidding for show schedules is definitely taking some of the fun and enjoyment out of what I love about raising goats. Little DD enjoys it, so I am a bit "stuck" in the middle. Dh seems to like it too... so for now it is what it is.
We have two due during the two shows they are going to... I like to watch so I am disappointed I will miss it but I also lose my "team" for kidding.
I also like to slow grow my goats and at least with standards that is not what most do. I don't need mine to get big and grow fast I rather wait til they are in their following season (18-24 months) to breed them. Ahhhh well... time will tell what I end up doing.
It has been a LONG week.
They all got home from the show, they Ruby kidded, up all night... then the week flew by and everyone was still exhausted.
Now prepping for Jane to kid.
The show I guess went ok, I really didn't get updates or pics. Apparently my DH was so busy running goats back and forth and "Little Bit" (DD) and Goat Whisperer were also running back and forth and helping show others goats that they didn't have time to take pics. What is funnier is they didn't remember where they placed. They gpt their "ribbons" fom the first part of the show and they wrote down some stuff and then that was it.
They had a good time. OFA is fun to hang with.
The number of animals for the classes we were in weren't great. The dry yearlings I guess was ok but the juniors (baby classes) were not. Win or lose not a great way to gauge how the animals are doing. Yet babies it isn't about that anyway. It is just to get them use to it.
They prettty much only wrote down the first day stuff- the 2nd day they said they were so tired they don't remember a thing. I guess it wasn't that memorable
Charlotte & Raina got 1st and 2nd in all 3 rings no GCH or Reserve though (Lamanchas) Classes too small to consider this any kind of accomplishment IMO
These classes were pretty large-
Clover was 2nd in One ring- GW cannot remember what she did in the other two rings
CG was 5th and Foxy 6th? they think
GW says they didn't do too good in the other two rings.
All 3 does are bred and very heavy. Comments were made about "fleshy" goats- This is the first time I have not heard the judge ask if they were bred.
The babies-
All 3 rings had Lemon and Red (Peanut) they were second and third. OFA's doeling was first. She was a bit bigger and very nice!
Both these doelings are Isaac Isaac is from OFA) babies- Red (peanut) was not cooperating lol
Thes little ones- lol Dot was 1st, Brown Eyed Girl 2nd, Splash 4th Splash was handled by her future owner. She has never shown a goat before.
The judges remarks are exactly what I have said about each one so that was a good confirmation of what I see in them.
2nd ring- Dot 2nd, BEG3rd, Splash 4th third ring same maybe splash 5th one of those times. Apparently Splash would not walk. LOL
Little Bit never went to get her ribbons from 2nd 3rd rings. She is a little disappointed about that.
The bucks- we only took the bucks so the breeders that bred them could see them, they are young and are not ever going to win Grand or Reserve at a year not up against the big boys.
Isaac was 5th in his class- I don't know how many were in that class but his brother(s) were over him. We are happy with Isaac and think he will "leanout" the Ruthie, Carolina Girl, and Clovers kids.
We will see as Ruthie's kids this year were more dainty and Carolina Girl and Clover were bred to Isaac already.
Olaf the 1 year old Nubian was the only one in his class. LOL The judge still had nice things to say about him and thinks he will be something by 2-3 years. It was GREAT that we took him though because he ended up being the goat that made it "official" so a buck earned his leg! We were so happy that it worked out that way. A few Nubian breeders were surprised to hear he was 15 months.
He is a big boy.
a pic my DH got- it is funny I told OFA all the pics I have are when DH wasn't running our goats so Little Bit is with his (OFA's goats) Love this pic
After all the craziness we decided NOT to go to the 2nd show on the 10th- We just felt the numbers weren't there and kind of expensive.
After all the discussion and we were settled to not go.... um ... that all changed and now they are going.
It is this particular clubs first show so we do want to support it.
There were 3 shows in a row and I think it is just tough for alot to go to all 3. We knew we weren't going to the second one it was just too far away.
Meantime this afternoon was crazy - for the first time ever we had 3 Nigerians get their heads all through the same part in the hay feeder. Thankfully GW was out filling waters as Boots was not breathing. My son comes in the house hollering somethings wrong with a goat. I go running out through the gate through the field. Meanwhile GW is trying to adjust their heads so Boots can breathe. Of course we now have 20 goats all wanting to know what we are doing and pushing in on the trapped goats... we are shooing them away and another son is running for the drill so we can take the screws out. We build everything with screws. Of course the one bit we need is MISSING! I go running up to the porch because I thought I saw the bit on the sink... the whole time!
I do not understand why we cannot put things back where they go.
Nope- not there.
We have no time here... I run back down and we find a bit that may work (star bits) BOOM we get the screw out! All is well!
Boots head is the is at the bottom- Clover is under her and Carolina Girl is kind of centered (emmy is at the top but not stuck) If you look you can see how jammed Boots is. My DS took this while I was getting the screw out.
Can I just say with my health issues I was running as fast as I could but I could picture it looking like slow motion. The worst part is that I wan to run but the legs feel like 300 lbs each and so it is a lot of effort to try to run and I am still moving at a snails pace. This stinks!
So later I start grooming goats for the show- clipping down one... I take a break and then decide hey lets get some pics.
I go outside and step on the first step out on the porch and SOMEONE left their shoes right in front of the door.. I never saw them... boom.
I now have an enormously swollen, black and blue broken toe.
I held off on pics til later after a nap and motrin!
I tried to tell myself- so your toe is broke, so... I decide greybeards idea may be right but at the same time pain receptors tell you something is wrong. I am sticking with Motrin for now.
Sweet Pea was ok for her rough in grooming (i'll finish tomorrow) but terrible for pics.
Kenji was also terrible for pics.
I swear they look like brother and sister! But they aren't. They have different mommas and are 2 days apart! So cute I just love these two! They just turned 3 months old yesterday and two days before.
Kenji-