Busy Barn News

Wowza. Really, seriously, yesterday was a wearing day and...

Yeah nothing else to say except we have FIVE new goats. Yep, you heard me, FIVE.

First off, Birdie went into full on labor, I was never so happy to see Mom come home and I quickly shifted the Dude off to her and ran to the barn. No real issues with kidding, but there were two on the ground in short order and I figured she was passing the placenta and got ready to go in and get food. Then I saw she was going into labor again. All in all, THREE babies. All does.

But there was a slight snag. When Birdie was going into labor, Ellie, the monster mooch went and snuck snacks. So there was a lot of concern about not having enough clostrum for the babies. We got each hooked on for a drink and gave her hay and grain and molasses water and went inside.



Gotta love the kidpile here! From left to right, Lyla, Lucy and Lily.

So Mom came out, we settled everything down, figured that Stella wasn't going to drop til her actual due date (which was today) and went inside. Stella was sitting outside eating her hay quite contentedly no sign of imminent labor whatsoever.

About an hour later, I went back out to check on the babies to make sure they were getting enough milk. (because of the mooch Ellie taking nips off of every dairy bar in the barn we were a bit concerned ya know. And suddenly I looked out and saw what looked like Stella stringing! EEK!

Our barnyard is a metric ton of mud at the moment, so I had to run in and get boots and more old towels and call my cousin (who for some reason is attached to Stella, I'm not sure why) and get back outside. What I saw was surprising beyond compare.

Stella, the dolt had delivered BOTH babies beside the hay rack in the mud. I don't think she had even stopped eating except when they came out. The babies were utterly covered in mud and frankly Stella looked a bit shell shocked.

Huge sigh and pick up the babies and move them to the barn, chase Stella down and pull her into the barn. Show her the babies. Start toweling the mud off, and threaten her with dire consequences if she didn't take care of them. Stella did not take care of her kids last year - she actually butted them away right off the bat. Stella and Emma were both a pill about it (Emma is due next week) This time she was looking around at them kind of shell shocked but was nudging them a bit and was letting them nurse. (Above is doeling Jaina)

My cousin finally showed up and we dipped the cords and watched as Stella finally passed the placenta. She was showing more interest in the doeling (Jaina) than the buckling (Larry) - but by today they are both eating fine and all that. This buckling really is adorable - the pic does not do him justice! His color is more pale gray than white. He's darling!

I was never so happy to get to bed.

Today is much quieter. I got the monsters out to their run and checked on all the darling babies who are drinking and then dancing and then after that it's soo exhausting and they are deciding to nap in fluffy little kidpiles. Sooo adorable. I had said at least two in Birdie and I was right, but I thought Stella only had one. Seems I was wrong - so I'm not sure whether or not I should be confident on my twins estimate on Emma. :)

It's Farm Friends Friday!

Evicting the Monsters

So the days have gotten warm and happy and it was time.

The monsters went out yesterday, along with three of the mini monsters (the bantams were fully feathered).

The mystery chicks have been judged by a majority to be black sex-link pullets. They are supposed to be EXCELLENT producers of brown eggs, so if that's the case I won't complain. We did put them out in the dog crate for a bit on Tuesday so I could clean the brooder and made a discovery.

One of the buffs is a rather precocious cock. Yep a cock. He was trying to show off his elite skills to everyone. But he's a VERY good size and seems to be a good bird so we may keep him as the cock for the younger flock. We'll wait and see. (We also have a bantam cock, but he's a big fraidy cat. Mom said if he didn't behave his name was going to be pow wow fan. He's a gorgeous dark brown)

But the larger birds did go out to the hen palace, and hopefully soon the barred rocks too (I"m giving them a week to get the last of the feathers on their heads). However, we came in after Sunday night service and they hadn't come back INTO the coop from the run. So Dad and I went out and got them back into the coop and blocked them in. (Their Mom would teach them but I guess I'm Mom :) )

But in the shuffle, the cockerel bit at me. I wasn't sure what to think. But I did grab at him in the dark and he was gathering his ladies behind him. He bears watching - possibly as a definite breeder because of his size and his protective instincts. As long as he doesn't get aggressive to me we're good.

In goat news we may have Stella babies today or tomorrow. Birdie is due on Sunday. I gave up a chance to go to Bag Sale Day (Our local thrift store has a bag sale first Tues and Thurs of every month - fill a paper bag for $3) because of it so the dude and I are here - I take him out to check with me, but hopefully Mom will get home soon so I can put straw down. The barn lot is a bit muddy and it's hard to go back and forth to get straw with a small toddler.

Should be an interesting weekend! After we get all the chicks out I get to get turkeys and guineas!

Monsters, Mini Monsters and Peeps

We currently have three brooders in the kitchen. Plus a rabbit cage. It's a total of 21 chicks and each set has a nickname.

The Monsters are my buff orpingtons and what look like some kind of Wyandotte. This is a total of 5 chicks only they are getting HUGE. They will probably go out next week as they are down to just needing the heads to be fully feathered. They are also UGLY at this point.

The mini monsters are my three banties and four barred rocks. The banties are probably about the age of the monsters, at least they have the same feather development. The barred rocks are a few weeks younger. They are still getting feathers and are just now starting to get their stripes.

The peeps are last week's editions from Snoozin' Goose Ranch. They are two weeks old on Saturday and just cute. There are ten of them. They are starting to feather a bit at the wing and that is it.

So those are the youngest members of the hardworking flock.

Next week we have Stella and Birdie (our herd queen) due within three days of each other. Emma will be due a week after that. All three are uddering up and looking good!



Visit Farm Friend's Friday!

Goat in Coat

There was a bit of a drop in the temperature here and Miss Ellie was shivering so Mom had me take the goat coat out. Of course, we had to get pictures. I have to say I didn't realize that the whole experience to her would be soooo traumatic. Suffice to say she was not amused with the coat and went to drinking for solace.




Star was also unsure of the whole procedure and had to check to make sure that the entire sweater fit properly. To be honest, the first thing she did was to put her nose under the sweater and make sure it was still her baby under there! Ellie went from huddled in a corner to skipping all over the barnyard.

In other news we currently have two brooders in the kitchen (soon to be three) and our house is a zoo. At least Westley and Buttercup (the rabbits) are relatively calm. But the Dude thinks they are his. He is totally fascinated by them!

Happy Farm Friends Friday!

Meet Ellie!

Meet Elanor aka Ellie. Her Mother is Starsign, an alpine and her father was an obnoxious Boer that my mother called William Buckley and my cousin and I renamed Butthead.

He was actually so mean that we couldn't sell him so he became Brats. I'm not the world's biggest fan of chevon as a general rule but after some of the bruises I got from just feeding him?

Suffice to say that those brats are something I very cheerfully eat whenever they are served.


We are working on more of a dual purpose line here at the homestead - so breeding a boer to an Alpine is giving us more of a milk AND meat thing going. Ellie will be a milker.

My first time midwifing on my own and the first time I'd been in the birthing stall since I was 10 so I did ok. Mom came out once the dude went to sleep (the goats are hers).

We wondered about twins but it was just Ellie. So one down and three to go!

Crazy Spring Days...

Well, the doe in question (Starsign) decided that she was going to wait til today to have a baby. I've spent the afternoon outside being midwife and have to say...

IT'S A GIRL! *passes out chocolate cigars to the populace*

Her name is Elanor but we're calling her Ellie for the moment. She's a white baby with smudged eyes. Her face and build are somewhat boer but she does seem a bit more "dairy" to me. We'll put out pictures shortly. (I took some but not good ones and she was still a bit damp.) She is not as dainty as big sister Luna but she is still adorable.

We did loose one of the banty chicks. :( Did everything I could but nope, it passed away on Sunday morning.

THEN Dad brought home two more animals for our menagerie (Mom says we're stocking the ark) and we're going into rabbit raising for meats. We have two white baby rabbits, named Westley and Buttercup. They are quite sweet (and we can name the primary breeding pair that is the rule!).

We'll be getting ten more chicks this week from Snoozin Goose Ranch and should be done. At least til the 8th when the herd queen is due and will be demanding the royal treatment. :)

She's Gonna BLOW!

Well, I just went out and checked the does. Star is due about any time now and the top of her tail was goopy like she had sat it in something.

Have to check with Mom about the timing (they are in Indianapolis, EEK!) but it looks like we have imminent kidding!

WOOT!

Rural King

We love trips to Rural King. And today was no different - we got four bantams and two of what look like gold laced wyandottes.

And then there's massive doses of cuteness... It was raining so time for the duck raincoat, red boots and overalls!

Will put pics up of the chicks tomorrow. :)

Springtime!

I've been nastily anemic and sick for the better part of a week, so I apologize for no updates.... I've barely had enough energy to sit up, let alone blog. (And I've not been doing much of anything, Mom's been handling everything but the quail and that's just because my pretty darlings are so skittish!)

On the upside, I did venture out for a little bit to Rural King with Mom and she found that the best thing for my sick and very droopy self was to procure some chicks! (this was helped by the fact that they were selling out relatively quickly.) So we came home with a peeping box of three buff orpingtons and three barred rocks.

I bring them out before putting them in the brooder and the dude had one word for the baby buff in my hands.

"Egg!"

Yep, he's smart. Of course "Good Egg" is one of his fave videos. He also of late likes watching youtube videos of goats being born and eggs hatching. We're teaching him how to GENTLY pet the baby chicks and the chicks are exposed to him from day one.

Snoozin' Goose Ranch's eggs will hatch here next Sunday or so and we'll be getting a large quantity of those as well. His will be a barnyard mix, so more of a surprise in colors, etc but that is fun as well and his chickens are of healthy stock and good producers! Meanwhile, I just wanted a fair amount of genetic diversity. And we're saying a quick prayer that all the "straight run" chicks from Rural King are female.

(they are cute even if they do leave "presents" on your shirt)

Star is definitely getting ready to pop - I see an udder slowly forming, her mucus plug went out last week and her tail is being held at a very funny angle. Will keep everyone updated!

Preparing for Springtime on the Homestead

So within the course of the next two weeks or so the following will occur:

1. Starsign will be delivering the first of the boer-alpine cross spring babies. She might have two in there, but she's looking more deep than wide. There is a possibility that Birdie (our herd queen) could deliver too - she looks supremely wide but we're not sure if the breeding took place the first time and the second heat was false or not.
2. New chicks! Seth Eads from Snoozin' Goose Ranch is setting some mixed breed chicken eggs and we'll be getting some from him and some chicks from Rural King too. We're also going to be getting some of what Ohiofarmgirl terms "Creepy Meats"
3. Peas. We need to plant peas. The old farmer's say to plant peas on March 17 snow or rain or shine. This coincidentally is when Star is due and four days before the chicks get here.

So I've been spending my time doing small projects. I recently knitted a goat coat from this link and it's cute. We're putting together a birthing kit now.

Shoveling out raised beds and shoveling manure into them. Our pea bed is spaded and looking good and well fertilized with quail poop. The carrot bed has been fertilized as well. Due to the rather clayish nature of our soil certain crops absolutely HAVE to be placed in raised beds. Any root vegetable for instance. Most crops will do better in the raised beds in general.

There are however, some that do just fine wherever thank you very much. There is STILL family legend going on on the subject of the year my mother planted SIXTEEN hills of zucchini. Yes, SIXTEEN. Dad claims that people at church were locking their car doors to prevent the onslaught. No raised beds on those.

We also have pumpkins that came up volunteer this year. We did well enough with them that if we actually cultivate and take care of them? Probably have pumpkins coming out our ears!

Other than that, it's just the same routine until time two weeks from now when everything is going to go NUTS NUTS NUTS!!!!

Small Blessings from the Storm

Sunday night was an absolute DOOZY. I kid you not, rain, thunder, wind, our internet going on and off (on a raid night this is VERY VERY annoying because I'm our guild's MT).

I finally packed up and went to bed. Then came back out in the morning to what I thought was going to be near catastrophe. The top of the quail pen had literally been lifted off of its hinges and was across the yard.

I took off running and found all but my one lone boy. Upsetting, but I placed the top back on and weighted it down with two bricks (Until Dad and I can go fix it) and went in muttering.

Last night when I went for chores, I poked in and there was a white flash. Seems the boy (I'm pretty sure it's Cracker, he's an obnoxious little boy) had been hiding under a pile of brown quail gals.

Thank God, having to raise another boy would put us behind for meat production that's for sure!

To answer Chai Chai's question in open chat (though I did answer it already in comments), coturnix are raised for both eggs and meat. The eggs are supremely tiny - it takes five to equal one chicken egg but they are spotted and very pretty. Hard boil them and they are a great snack food.

Quail are also good meat producers, taking only about 6-8 weeks to reach full weight, however they are rather tiny. (Not even a pound) The feed-cost conversion is quite good on them. Plus they are darling and full of personality.

Many people feed them gamebird food, however the breeder I got them from feeds the Meatbird Crumbles from Rural King and they are doing quite well on it. They need a higher protein than your laying hens do.

We have ours currently from Snoozin' Goose Ranch and they are healthy specimens. If you are in Indiana then I heartily recommend Seth for your poultry needs. He's got amazing birds! We're getting chickens and turkeys from him when they start hatching.

Quail Links:

Smooth Quailing
Coturnix Colors

In other news, Star, one of our does is about two weeks out, and as I'm constantly checking ligaments, etc right now I'm NOT the most popular person in the barnyard believe me.

Everyone else survived the storm nicely and other than wearing wellies everywhere we're in good shape.

Moving the Quail...

So confession time: My coturnix were definitely an impulse purchase.

When I was a kid, Dad had a friend who raised coturnix and he'd send over hard boiled quail eggs and we'd eat them. Tasty and bite sized. I had many fond memories.

So after I had obtained chickens I started doing a bit of light lurking on the Backyard Chicken's quail boards. Started looking at hatcheries but I couldn't figure out what to get. Then Mom told me the magic word: Coturnix, the type of quail that my father's friend had.

Armed with this information, I looked up a bit of information in Carla Emry's Encyclopedia of Country Living (your reference for all things homesteading) and started to research more.

The next day though, a friend (Snoozin' Goose Ranch and Keester Eggs) advertised on facebook that he had three day old coturnix for sale. Me being me? I just packed up the money I had gotten babysitting and picked up 5 fluffy little TINY babies.

Long story short, that was November. When Christmas Eve hit, I got my first egg, a fact which so delighted me that Dad told me to call Seth and he would fund 10 more females for my bevy (a quail flock). We put them inside a chicken house that had been recently built - warm, and adequate but not enough light for egg production.

So I researched and day dreamed through the winter and found that a rabbit hutch was reccomended for coturnix. So, last week, Dad had one built and brought it home. And I moved all the quail into it.

A few hours later, disaster struck I ran outside after helping get hay to find feathers from two bodies and one brown female body laying outside of the hutch with all my other girls and one boy huddled terrified. Note to anyone with dogs NOT raised with poultry. Chicken wire is NOT secure and our Rottweiller and German Shepherd made short work of it. (I barely spoke to the dogs for the last week and I'm the one who feeds the critters!) So Mom and I moved them back into the coop with a few small mishaps.

Dad and I nailed hardware cloth all around the hutch yesterday - hardware cloth is tighter, harder and much more secure for this kind of thing. We had a few mishaps with Dad helping move the quail but he has faster hands than either one of us and it's the first time he had really messed with the quail since around Christmas eve and commented on their size and weights.

Hopefully we will soon be getting eggs, the weather is getting warmer and I"ll be procuring an incubator at that point. I told the one boy that I have left in no uncertain terms that he had a duty to perform and if he did not perform it he would be roast quail and I would replace him! He's an English marked quail (White with a few black spots). Most of the females are common brown (much much prettier) and I have one tuxedo. I want to get some other markings here shortly.

The white ones are also a bit more aggressive and it drives me bats.

Other than that, life on the homestead continues we're prepping for spring and got our seed order in - the Dude and I had a fun time sorting them into several piles.

Trying to Blog Again...

You know there's probably a plethora of blogs I've started and abandoned. I don't have a problem with them but when things change I feel I need one.

So where do I start?

After three years in Southeastern Idaho, I moved back to my childhood home. Did I want to? Nope. Am I still mentally kicking and screaming about it? Yes.

I loved Idaho, I still do, the Rocky Mountain Region has the largest place in my heart. But economic necessity moved me back with my parents. They have recently adopted a little boy (known here only as "the Dude") and were happy to have an extra set of hands to help with him and the various chores around the homestead.

My parents had goats when I got here, namely American Alpines. Within three months I had added in chickens (Brahmas, a Buff Orpington and an Ameracauna), Coturnix quail (for meat and eggs) and a couple of alpacas. Thankfully my father allows me to raise the animals here on their land and helps finance my critter raising habits (as I have still been unable to find a job).

We'll be getting more chickens and some turkeys in the spring. Plus baby goat season is coming so it will be busy even if I'm not working. Not to mention the gardening and other things.

The Dude himself takes a portion of attention. He's funny and loves the animals. I can take the egg basket out and he points at it and says "Egg? Egg!" It does feel odd at the age of 31 to have a "baby brother" but I'm adjusting quite well.

We are all active reenactors here - though with my current state of unemployment my SCA activities have been curtailed in the extreme. My parents are more into the Revolutionary war era but I prefer the middle ages. Call it rebellion or just call it what I like! I have my own set of plate armor although I haven't worn it in quite some time. I have been trained for heavy weapons fighting, however right now I'd get my rear end handed to me with an assortment of bruises because I am so far out of practice!

I'm also a hard core gamer geek - though my guildees may think it offputting when I say "I need to go do barn chores". I play World of Warcraft on Icecrown server. My main is a protection paladin and I love her. I have two other alts that I adore too, a shadow priest and an enhancement shaman. (all three of my characters have healing specs as well.)

That's me in a nutshell.