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!