Loved this blog post today:
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
We Have New Kids!
Born on Friday, June 14, 2013 at 6:30 and 6:40. The first born is a Doeling and she is naturally polled (no horns) like her Mother. The second born is a Buckling and we aren't sure yet about whether he will have horns or not. I really hope he doesn't because I hate disbudding, but we will have to wait and see.
Here are some pictures that I took of Hazel kidding, so if you are squeamish about this sort of thing turn back now or just close your eyes.
Hazel needed a little help with the clean up process and Angel needed to make sure everything was alright and that anything that might draw in predators was cleaned up. She also needed some bonding time with her new charges.
Here are some pictures that I took of Hazel kidding, so if you are squeamish about this sort of thing turn back now or just close your eyes.
The Doeling has erect ears like her Saanen Daddy.
The Buckling has floppy ears like Mom.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Who Is Raising Your Children?
If the Government started informing us this week that they will be taking over the total education of your children within one month, how would you react?
This would include visual and audible teaching and training on what they should believe about all things. Not just their ABC’s, Reading and Math but about; morals, politics, spirituality, physical and mental health, sexuality, family, fantasy, imagination, how to control their emotions, appropriate and inappropriate emotions, eliminating fear, the modern idea of right and wrong, acceptance of things that make them uncomfortable, who the enemy is and who the enemy is not, how to do triage in their lives about what is important and what is at the bottom of the list, how they should feel about themselves and their own importance, etc...
This indoctrination would take place on a daily basis, every day of the week. While physical education would be taught and exercise would be encouraged, there would be no time set aside for these activities. Great things about nature, natural resources and our earth’s ecosystem would be taught and outdoor exploration would be idolized but there would be no time for that either. Some of you might think that this is a great idea and that the Government should have started doing this years ago, and if you think that way, then you have already been indoctrinated by this method yourself.
Actually this system is already in place and has been in place for several years. It is currently doing the job that it was, maybe unintentionally, meant to do. It is called Television, Movies, Video Games, Books and the Internet.
The problem is not with these devices in themselves but with the who that is behind them putting their opinions and ideas into your child's fertile and eager mind. It may not be the government who is producing this curriculum that is being poured into your child's brain everyday but who exactly are you letting educate and raise your children? If the government decided to do this we would be up in arms but because it is someone that we don’t see or know, that makes it safe?
Parents are too busy with their own lives to educate their children. They have jobs, TV shows, Facebook, YouTube, Movies, parties, games, friends, and of course they have to have their own “Me time”, as if they weren’t spending all of their time on themselves anyway. So, they park their kids in front of a TV, Video game, iPad, iPhone or Computer and they have a built-in babysitter. All the time not realizing what their children are learning from these hidden people who have all of their kid’s undivided attention.
Don’t think that you can stick a book in your child’s hand and feel better about yourself or buy them an eBook reader to get them away from the TV and Video games. Books are just as bad, if not worse. With the new digital books comes a new danger. Anyone and I do mean anyone can write a children’s or young adult book now. There are no editors or publishers needed. You can just stick your agenda into a children’s book and put it up on Amazon. Parents will download it because it’s free or cheap and without reading it themselves, put it on their kid’s Kindle or Nook.
So what can we do? Get your children out in the world and out into life. They need to learn things with you and from you! Spend time with them, teaching them things that you learned in your pleasant memories from childhood. Let your kids go outside, ride a bike, roller skate, horseback ride, jump rope, go barefoot, catch frogs, catch lightening bugs, swing, play in a creek, swim, fish, camp, get dirty. Spend hours each week with your children focusing on them and not on your smart phone.
Don’t let them read a book that you haven’t read first. Don’t let them play a video game without your supervision. Don’t let them watch anything that you haven’t watched first. Don’t trust the internet or TV with your child just because you need some “Me time”.
This would include visual and audible teaching and training on what they should believe about all things. Not just their ABC’s, Reading and Math but about; morals, politics, spirituality, physical and mental health, sexuality, family, fantasy, imagination, how to control their emotions, appropriate and inappropriate emotions, eliminating fear, the modern idea of right and wrong, acceptance of things that make them uncomfortable, who the enemy is and who the enemy is not, how to do triage in their lives about what is important and what is at the bottom of the list, how they should feel about themselves and their own importance, etc...
This indoctrination would take place on a daily basis, every day of the week. While physical education would be taught and exercise would be encouraged, there would be no time set aside for these activities. Great things about nature, natural resources and our earth’s ecosystem would be taught and outdoor exploration would be idolized but there would be no time for that either. Some of you might think that this is a great idea and that the Government should have started doing this years ago, and if you think that way, then you have already been indoctrinated by this method yourself.
Actually this system is already in place and has been in place for several years. It is currently doing the job that it was, maybe unintentionally, meant to do. It is called Television, Movies, Video Games, Books and the Internet.
The problem is not with these devices in themselves but with the who that is behind them putting their opinions and ideas into your child's fertile and eager mind. It may not be the government who is producing this curriculum that is being poured into your child's brain everyday but who exactly are you letting educate and raise your children? If the government decided to do this we would be up in arms but because it is someone that we don’t see or know, that makes it safe?
Parents are too busy with their own lives to educate their children. They have jobs, TV shows, Facebook, YouTube, Movies, parties, games, friends, and of course they have to have their own “Me time”, as if they weren’t spending all of their time on themselves anyway. So, they park their kids in front of a TV, Video game, iPad, iPhone or Computer and they have a built-in babysitter. All the time not realizing what their children are learning from these hidden people who have all of their kid’s undivided attention.
Don’t think that you can stick a book in your child’s hand and feel better about yourself or buy them an eBook reader to get them away from the TV and Video games. Books are just as bad, if not worse. With the new digital books comes a new danger. Anyone and I do mean anyone can write a children’s or young adult book now. There are no editors or publishers needed. You can just stick your agenda into a children’s book and put it up on Amazon. Parents will download it because it’s free or cheap and without reading it themselves, put it on their kid’s Kindle or Nook.
So what can we do? Get your children out in the world and out into life. They need to learn things with you and from you! Spend time with them, teaching them things that you learned in your pleasant memories from childhood. Let your kids go outside, ride a bike, roller skate, horseback ride, jump rope, go barefoot, catch frogs, catch lightening bugs, swing, play in a creek, swim, fish, camp, get dirty. Spend hours each week with your children focusing on them and not on your smart phone.
Don’t let them read a book that you haven’t read first. Don’t let them play a video game without your supervision. Don’t let them watch anything that you haven’t watched first. Don’t trust the internet or TV with your child just because you need some “Me time”.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
More Eggs, No Milk
It is Spring Break for some of our Grand-kids, so they have been taking turns staying overnight at Papaw and Mamaw's house. I have walked several miles with them around the farm and Papaw has walked several miles with them on Mr. Shorty. Poor Mr. Shorty has earned his keep this week.
Our hens are finally laying a decent amount of eggs. We are getting anywhere from 4 to 9 eggs a day. Then occasionally my DH goes into the loft and finds a nest, that makes our egg production number jump.
We haven't milked Calico for a week or so and she is about all dried up. Collette is still being Collette and I am still unsure of what is going on with her. Our neighbor and fellow goat herder said that she had a goat deliver a kid the other day without any signs at all. She thought that she was a long way from kidding. She had no udder, no puffiness or swelling. Goats are all different and they are always planning new ways of fooling you.
I was planning on selling my Buck as soon as both does kidded this Spring but now I will probably have to keep him until fall. Once I get both does in milk, I am going to keep milking them as long as they will produce milk or until I get tired of milking. No more breeding and kidding unless I get lonely for some new kids.
Our hens are finally laying a decent amount of eggs. We are getting anywhere from 4 to 9 eggs a day. Then occasionally my DH goes into the loft and finds a nest, that makes our egg production number jump.
We haven't milked Calico for a week or so and she is about all dried up. Collette is still being Collette and I am still unsure of what is going on with her. Our neighbor and fellow goat herder said that she had a goat deliver a kid the other day without any signs at all. She thought that she was a long way from kidding. She had no udder, no puffiness or swelling. Goats are all different and they are always planning new ways of fooling you.
I was planning on selling my Buck as soon as both does kidded this Spring but now I will probably have to keep him until fall. Once I get both does in milk, I am going to keep milking them as long as they will produce milk or until I get tired of milking. No more breeding and kidding unless I get lonely for some new kids.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Running Low On Milk
Calico's milk production has fallen 50% in the last six or seven days. She is just drying up on her own like she did last year. My plan was to dry her off in a couple of weeks but she got the jump on me.
I thought that I would look back through my blog to find out when she started weaning me last year because I remembered blogging about it. The date of that blog was March 2nd. She is very consistent, isn't she?
She was due on May 10th last year and she kidded on May 11th. She is due on May 15th this year, so she is on schedule. I am just not ready to give up the milk right now. This is going to mean having to drink store bought, watered down cow's milk.
I was hoping that Collette would have already kidded by now and I would be getting close to being able to steal a little milk from her babies but I am about to give up on her.
I have no idea when she is due and the experts who have looked at her have been wrong too. Maybe she is just really fat. She keeps getting bigger and is starting to lay around more. I need to turn both of them outside for some sun and exercise as soon as possible. Saturday is suppose to be sunny and 52 degrees.
I thought that I would look back through my blog to find out when she started weaning me last year because I remembered blogging about it. The date of that blog was March 2nd. She is very consistent, isn't she?
She was due on May 10th last year and she kidded on May 11th. She is due on May 15th this year, so she is on schedule. I am just not ready to give up the milk right now. This is going to mean having to drink store bought, watered down cow's milk.
I was hoping that Collette would have already kidded by now and I would be getting close to being able to steal a little milk from her babies but I am about to give up on her.
I have no idea when she is due and the experts who have looked at her have been wrong too. Maybe she is just really fat. She keeps getting bigger and is starting to lay around more. I need to turn both of them outside for some sun and exercise as soon as possible. Saturday is suppose to be sunny and 52 degrees.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Gnawing Guilt
Awhile back I posted a teaser of all of the things that I intended to blog about in the near future. I did post a couple of them but have had this terrible guilt about not being true to my word and blogging about the other things on that list.
Here is that post:
Here are the posts that will relieve me of all of my guilt:
1. I did post pictures of Calico and Paris before they kidded. So I can check this one off.
2. This one is a big one. My DH did bring home an orange Harley Davidson. All of my friends gasped and I wondered how long it would take our kids to call to get the details. They never did!! They just didn't really believe it because they know how their Dad is about money and they know how I am about motorcycles. My eldest Son did finally ask, "What is up with the Harley?" long after I had posted.
So here are the pictures for those who have waited with baited breath to find out whether my Husband has lost his mind or not.
When I mentioned to my neighbors that my Husband had bought an orange Harley, they both were disturbed but didn't lecture him. I had forgotten that she had told me about a dream that she had where my DH had a horrendous wreck on a motorcycle.
When the truth finally came out about the bike. She confessed to nearly dying with worry about the whole thing. This made me feel pretty bad beacuse I should have told them the truth sooner.
My neighbor is a bit eccentric and I hate that I worried her so. Yes, she does have lavender hair and an orange VW.
3. My Bantam hen who had the prolapse did not survive, that may have been the reason that I didn't post about it. I did learn a few things about prolapses though. If I ever have another one, I will clean it, cover it in Honey, put the hen in a clean environment, start her on antibiotics, then wait. I won't try pushing the prolapse back into place again.
4. My Doctor diagnosed me with hypertension on my last visit. I have never had high blood pressure before and they always comment on my great BP when I go in. I was a bit swollen that day and I am sure that with the stress of going to the Doctor in the first place, this was the reason that it was high. Well, it wasn't really even high 138 over 89 but this is high for me.
He slapped me on BP pills and wrote Hypertension on my chart. I took the pills for two days and got dizzy, so I quit taking them. I took my blood pressure for several days after that and it was never high again. I am still taking it occasionally and it remains low. As my Dear Husband likes to say, "Doctors are only practicing."
5. Here are more recent pictures of Sky:
6. I did post pictures of Calico's babies, so I can check that one off as well.
Now that this post is done all of my guilt is gone and I can hold my head up high again.
Here is that post:
Coming soon to this blog! Don't miss even one of these exciting posts.
* Updated Pictures of Calico and Paris (how many do you think they will have?)
* Husband brings home an Orange Harley Davidson (complete with photos)
* Bantam Hen Prolapses (and what I am doing about it)
* High Blood Pressure!? (Doctors are only practicing)
* Updated Photos of Sky
* Pictures of Calico's New Kids (hopefully arriving soon)
Here are the posts that will relieve me of all of my guilt:
1. I did post pictures of Calico and Paris before they kidded. So I can check this one off.
2. This one is a big one. My DH did bring home an orange Harley Davidson. All of my friends gasped and I wondered how long it would take our kids to call to get the details. They never did!! They just didn't really believe it because they know how their Dad is about money and they know how I am about motorcycles. My eldest Son did finally ask, "What is up with the Harley?" long after I had posted.
So here are the pictures for those who have waited with baited breath to find out whether my Husband has lost his mind or not.
When I mentioned to my neighbors that my Husband had bought an orange Harley, they both were disturbed but didn't lecture him. I had forgotten that she had told me about a dream that she had where my DH had a horrendous wreck on a motorcycle.
When the truth finally came out about the bike. She confessed to nearly dying with worry about the whole thing. This made me feel pretty bad beacuse I should have told them the truth sooner.
My neighbor is a bit eccentric and I hate that I worried her so. Yes, she does have lavender hair and an orange VW.3. My Bantam hen who had the prolapse did not survive, that may have been the reason that I didn't post about it. I did learn a few things about prolapses though. If I ever have another one, I will clean it, cover it in Honey, put the hen in a clean environment, start her on antibiotics, then wait. I won't try pushing the prolapse back into place again.
4. My Doctor diagnosed me with hypertension on my last visit. I have never had high blood pressure before and they always comment on my great BP when I go in. I was a bit swollen that day and I am sure that with the stress of going to the Doctor in the first place, this was the reason that it was high. Well, it wasn't really even high 138 over 89 but this is high for me.
He slapped me on BP pills and wrote Hypertension on my chart. I took the pills for two days and got dizzy, so I quit taking them. I took my blood pressure for several days after that and it was never high again. I am still taking it occasionally and it remains low. As my Dear Husband likes to say, "Doctors are only practicing."
5. Here are more recent pictures of Sky:
6. I did post pictures of Calico's babies, so I can check that one off as well.
Now that this post is done all of my guilt is gone and I can hold my head up high again.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Diarrhea in Goat Kids
OK, I am just going to have to admit it, Spring and Summer are just too busy for me to have the time to blog. I know that I blogged last Summer but this year has been crazy. I have too many irons in the fire.
After the worming, all of my goats have picked up weight and are looking good. I will be worming them all again tomorrow at 10 days after the first worming. I will not be tripling the dosage this time, just slightly over the regular horse dosage.
I had quite a time with my two little spotted Nubian bucklings, they were just weaned when I traded for them. Weaning should be a gradual thing. Kids shouldn't just be pulled off of the doe. They should be separated in gradually increasing time periods.
If they are just all of the sudden taken away from their mothers they don't get enough fluids to sustain them well, because they haven't learned to drink an adequate amount of water. So these two bucklings got diarrhea and started loosing weight, they got lethargic and didn't want to eat or drink.
I started drenching them with Nutri-Drench (For Beef Cattle because it is cheaper), Pepto-Bismol and Pedialyte. The drenching wasn't going too well because they fought me like wild cats. So I decided to teach them to take a bottle. This is very hard, if an animal has never seen a bottle before.
One of them finally decided that the Pedialyte was pretty good stuff so he started sucking it down. The other one would only chew on the nipple and wouldn't suck. It took him forever to empty the bottle by chewing. It has been so hot here and sitting out there for 30 minutes in the sun while he chewed, got old for both of us. Then yesterday after about 5 days of this, he started sucking and downed his bottle in no time.
I switched from the Pepto-Bismol to Slippery Elm Bark Powder after the first bottle of Pepto was gone in the first day and a half, they were getting a bottle every 3 - 4 hours. Their diarrhea was completely gone after the second day of the Slippery Elm Bark mixed with goat's milk, Pedialyte and a squirt of Nutri-Drench. I am down to just one bottle per day now that they are over the diarrhea. It is so hot that I think they still need the extra boost.
After the worming, all of my goats have picked up weight and are looking good. I will be worming them all again tomorrow at 10 days after the first worming. I will not be tripling the dosage this time, just slightly over the regular horse dosage.
I had quite a time with my two little spotted Nubian bucklings, they were just weaned when I traded for them. Weaning should be a gradual thing. Kids shouldn't just be pulled off of the doe. They should be separated in gradually increasing time periods.
If they are just all of the sudden taken away from their mothers they don't get enough fluids to sustain them well, because they haven't learned to drink an adequate amount of water. So these two bucklings got diarrhea and started loosing weight, they got lethargic and didn't want to eat or drink.
I started drenching them with Nutri-Drench (For Beef Cattle because it is cheaper), Pepto-Bismol and Pedialyte. The drenching wasn't going too well because they fought me like wild cats. So I decided to teach them to take a bottle. This is very hard, if an animal has never seen a bottle before.
One of them finally decided that the Pedialyte was pretty good stuff so he started sucking it down. The other one would only chew on the nipple and wouldn't suck. It took him forever to empty the bottle by chewing. It has been so hot here and sitting out there for 30 minutes in the sun while he chewed, got old for both of us. Then yesterday after about 5 days of this, he started sucking and downed his bottle in no time.
I switched from the Pepto-Bismol to Slippery Elm Bark Powder after the first bottle of Pepto was gone in the first day and a half, they were getting a bottle every 3 - 4 hours. Their diarrhea was completely gone after the second day of the Slippery Elm Bark mixed with goat's milk, Pedialyte and a squirt of Nutri-Drench. I am down to just one bottle per day now that they are over the diarrhea. It is so hot that I think they still need the extra boost.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bucks
First, I must confess that I have already messed up on my statement that I was going to blog everyday. I will try to do better but I am not promising anything.
Second, I must get this out of the way for those who thought that I would be talking about deer in this post. We did see two monster bucks with huge velvety antlers on our way home last night. They where standing picturesquely in a lush field of clover not far from our place as the crow flies. They were lovely. I longed for a camera.
Now, back to the subject of Bucks, as in Billy Goats. I still have not sold Collette but did trade her triplet doelings for three full blooded Nubian bucklings. I know that it doesn't make sense to trade doelings for bucklings but I just could not sell the doelings. Their color just was not right and they had not been disbudded (dehorned).
The bucklings that I traded for were all spotted and disbudded. Two of them are black and white spotted twins. The other was a roan, spotted and painted buckskin, I say "was" because I have already sold him.
It has been a tough decision and one that has broken my heart but I have decided to sell Cooter. He is just to big and strong for me to handle anymore. He isn't mean but because he is kept in a small area or tied up. He likes to kick up his heels when he gets a chance and when he gets a chance is when I lead him from one place to another.
When he walks on his hind feet he towers over me and that is fine. But when he hits the end of the rope at a dead run, I just can't get him stopped and he ends up dragging me until I yell at him.
So I thought that it might be nice to have a buck with no boer in him, Cooter is a Boer and Nubian cross. He is big and very muscled. One of these little Nubian bucks would fill the bill for me. They are full Nubian which would make them a little lighter framed.
I listed all of the bucks for sale but started leaning towards keeping the Buckskin and had pretty much made up my mind about him, he was the friendliest of the three. Well wouldn't you know, the first person to call and come to look wanted him. So now I have chosen the less wildly colored of the two left. I am not taking a chance this time and have removed the ads for him from the classified sites.
So without further ado, here is my new buck whom I have not named yet.
Second, I must get this out of the way for those who thought that I would be talking about deer in this post. We did see two monster bucks with huge velvety antlers on our way home last night. They where standing picturesquely in a lush field of clover not far from our place as the crow flies. They were lovely. I longed for a camera.
Now, back to the subject of Bucks, as in Billy Goats. I still have not sold Collette but did trade her triplet doelings for three full blooded Nubian bucklings. I know that it doesn't make sense to trade doelings for bucklings but I just could not sell the doelings. Their color just was not right and they had not been disbudded (dehorned).
The bucklings that I traded for were all spotted and disbudded. Two of them are black and white spotted twins. The other was a roan, spotted and painted buckskin, I say "was" because I have already sold him.
It has been a tough decision and one that has broken my heart but I have decided to sell Cooter. He is just to big and strong for me to handle anymore. He isn't mean but because he is kept in a small area or tied up. He likes to kick up his heels when he gets a chance and when he gets a chance is when I lead him from one place to another.
When he walks on his hind feet he towers over me and that is fine. But when he hits the end of the rope at a dead run, I just can't get him stopped and he ends up dragging me until I yell at him.
So I thought that it might be nice to have a buck with no boer in him, Cooter is a Boer and Nubian cross. He is big and very muscled. One of these little Nubian bucks would fill the bill for me. They are full Nubian which would make them a little lighter framed.
I listed all of the bucks for sale but started leaning towards keeping the Buckskin and had pretty much made up my mind about him, he was the friendliest of the three. Well wouldn't you know, the first person to call and come to look wanted him. So now I have chosen the less wildly colored of the two left. I am not taking a chance this time and have removed the ads for him from the classified sites.
So without further ado, here is my new buck whom I have not named yet.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Calico Kidded
It turns out that Amy over at Twelve Acres was right on target with her guess of large twins for Calico, hopefully she is right on Paris as well. She didn't guess the sex or color of the babies though.
Calico went into labor at 9:00 last night. It seemed to take her forever compared to the way her mother always kidded. We missed Calico kidding last year, so I didn't know what to expect. She didn't seem to be in any distress at all and was quite calm and relaxed about the whole thing. By 9:30 she had the first big buckling, he is brownish with no spots. She took her sweet time cleaning him up.
After she was convinced that she couldn't do anymore to make the first kid any more comfortable, she started on having the second kid. He was a little larger than the first and a buckling also. I am not sure of his color, neither has spots like their daddy.
Since it was dark and they were still damp last night, I haven't gotten a good look at them or good pictures. This morning they are all curled up together in a tight little ball with hay on top of them where their mommy has been eating.
At first I thought that they were identical but the second one is darker than the first.
Calico went into labor at 9:00 last night. It seemed to take her forever compared to the way her mother always kidded. We missed Calico kidding last year, so I didn't know what to expect. She didn't seem to be in any distress at all and was quite calm and relaxed about the whole thing. By 9:30 she had the first big buckling, he is brownish with no spots. She took her sweet time cleaning him up.
After she was convinced that she couldn't do anymore to make the first kid any more comfortable, she started on having the second kid. He was a little larger than the first and a buckling also. I am not sure of his color, neither has spots like their daddy.
Since it was dark and they were still damp last night, I haven't gotten a good look at them or good pictures. This morning they are all curled up together in a tight little ball with hay on top of them where their mommy has been eating.
At first I thought that they were identical but the second one is darker than the first.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Teaser
Coming soon to this blog! Don't miss even one of these exciting posts.
* Updated Pictures of Calico and Paris (how many do you think they will have?)
* Husband brings home an Orange Harley Davidson (complete with photos)
* Bantam Hen Prolapses (and what I am doing about it)
* High Blood Pressure!? (Doctors are only practicing)
* Updated Photos of Sky
* Pictures of Calico's New Kids (hopefully arriving soon)
* Updated Pictures of Calico and Paris (how many do you think they will have?)
* Husband brings home an Orange Harley Davidson (complete with photos)
* Bantam Hen Prolapses (and what I am doing about it)
* High Blood Pressure!? (Doctors are only practicing)
* Updated Photos of Sky
* Pictures of Calico's New Kids (hopefully arriving soon)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Due Dates
Everyone is having babies and I am getting a little jealous. At this time last year We already had one set of twin kids and a set of twin foals. I checked my due dates again just to make sure I was clear on when to expect some action and was surprised to find out that somehow I had my dates mixed up on when Calico got loose with Cooter.
After referring back in my blog archives, I realized that she got out with him in December instead of November. So her due date is May 10th instead of April 10th. Now that is even more disappointing. She is getting so big that I fear she might have triplets.
I checked our mare's foaling dates also and it looks like Jetta will be the first to foal. She is due on May 4th and is huge.
This is Dandee last year on the day before she foaled twins on her actual due date.
And this is Jetta last week. This picture really doesn't show how big she really is. But she sure looks bigger than Dandee did to me. She also looks like she is going to foal earlier than her foal date. Her hips are already hollowed out and her tailbone is pronounced. She isn't strutted yet but has a good start on a full udder.
The possibility of having another set of twins after having twin foals last year is nearly impossible to imagine and it is scaring me to death. My DH says not to worry that when the first one is born he will know whether it is a twin or not by its size and will try to get the next one out as quickly as possible, to avoid the problems of last year.
If this is a single foal, I am afraid that it will be a very large foal and that could also cause problems. Below is another picture of Jetta after we cleaned her up today.
For those who have goats and want to calculate due dates, if you will look at the bottom of the side bar on this page you will find a Goat Gestation or a Doe Due Date Calculator. All you have to do is put the last date your doe was bred in the first text box then click the Calculate button for the due date to appear.
After referring back in my blog archives, I realized that she got out with him in December instead of November. So her due date is May 10th instead of April 10th. Now that is even more disappointing. She is getting so big that I fear she might have triplets.
I checked our mare's foaling dates also and it looks like Jetta will be the first to foal. She is due on May 4th and is huge.
This is Dandee last year on the day before she foaled twins on her actual due date.
If this is a single foal, I am afraid that it will be a very large foal and that could also cause problems. Below is another picture of Jetta after we cleaned her up today.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Animal Cruelty
The warm weather is over for us. I brought Bootstrap back to the barn and put him in a cage with lots of straw. He just was not strong enough to deal with the cruelty of the rest of the chickens. I put him back in the goat/chicken shed and they ran him out, got him down and were trying to kill him when I rescued him. It wasn't only the roosters that attacked him but also the hens.
If you listen to those who say that humans are the only animal that kills for sport or that humans are more cruel than any other species, you can pretty well bet that they have not had much animal experience.
Dogs, Coyotes, Wolves and big Cats with go into a pen with animals that have no way of escape and kill everything there and not eat anything. The excuse that they are given is that they are teaching their young to kill, but that doesn't hold true when it is just one dog, coyote or wolf.
I have heard of a pen full of pigs being killed by a pack of adult dogs with nothing being eaten. The same thing happened to several Alpacas that I read about and I know of goats being attacked and severely injured by well fed neighborhood dogs.
Chickens have no compassion, they simply eliminate the weakest among them. A hen will peck another hen's chicks to death for no good reason.
Goats will injure each other with or without horns. Many does miscarry after being butted hard by another doe. A doe with newborn kids can be horribly vicious to another doe's newborn kids even injuring or killing them.
Horses are brutal to each other. We had a mare who was close to foaling kick another mare's newborn foal as hard as she could, the poor little guy went rolling head over heels but somehow was not injured. I even saw a friend's mare kick her own young foal after biting it several times, she kicked her so hard that it was a miracle that she didn't have broken bones, just because she tried to eat some grain with her mother.
If you are still not convinced that animals can be cruel, just watch your kitty cat with a mouse, bird, chipmunk, baby rabbit or squirrel. They love to torture before the kill.
If you listen to those who say that humans are the only animal that kills for sport or that humans are more cruel than any other species, you can pretty well bet that they have not had much animal experience.
Dogs, Coyotes, Wolves and big Cats with go into a pen with animals that have no way of escape and kill everything there and not eat anything. The excuse that they are given is that they are teaching their young to kill, but that doesn't hold true when it is just one dog, coyote or wolf.
I have heard of a pen full of pigs being killed by a pack of adult dogs with nothing being eaten. The same thing happened to several Alpacas that I read about and I know of goats being attacked and severely injured by well fed neighborhood dogs.
Chickens have no compassion, they simply eliminate the weakest among them. A hen will peck another hen's chicks to death for no good reason.
Goats will injure each other with or without horns. Many does miscarry after being butted hard by another doe. A doe with newborn kids can be horribly vicious to another doe's newborn kids even injuring or killing them.
Horses are brutal to each other. We had a mare who was close to foaling kick another mare's newborn foal as hard as she could, the poor little guy went rolling head over heels but somehow was not injured. I even saw a friend's mare kick her own young foal after biting it several times, she kicked her so hard that it was a miracle that she didn't have broken bones, just because she tried to eat some grain with her mother.
If you are still not convinced that animals can be cruel, just watch your kitty cat with a mouse, bird, chipmunk, baby rabbit or squirrel. They love to torture before the kill.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
I Have Returned
It has been nearly a week since my last post, I have gone though a very stressful time, it was called Christmas. We had Christmas early here to give our kids the freedom to keep other family obligations. Christmas should be enjoyable and I did have a good time after everyone arrived, it was the preparation that was stressful.
Having a two year old Granddaughter is just the best, that age is so much fun. The older kids were fun too but after they reach a certain age they tend to be a easily disappointed. Our oldest Grandson wanted expensive gifts this year, Nike Shocks, a Carhartt jacket and a Bible. He really liked them but there were no toys to play with. I remember that age and the disappointment, like something important is missing.
We had our Christmas on Monday evening, then yesterday I just relaxed and didn't spend much time on the computer. We went to town last night after the icy roads cleared up. We ended up at Wal-mart and the famous last words of my DH were; "Just go ahead, look around and I will find you." I wanted to set up a meeting spot but he thought that he wouldn't have a hard time locating me. Needless to say, we both spent hours looking for each other.
We met people that we both knew and they tried to help us out by telling us where they had last seen the other person but that didn't help much. We would run into the same people later and get directions from them again but to no avail. I finally just sat down on a bench in the middle of the store and waited. My feet and back were killing me from the miles that I had walked. He finally wondered by and sat down with me. I suppose if you lived a boring life and liked treasure hunts, you could make it into a healthy pursuit with lots of exercise.
After the 10 mile marathon, we went to McDonald's for an Eggnog Shake, my favorite. Of course, they didn't have them, for the last three weeks every time we have gone there they have told us that their machine was broken. Last night they told us that they had run out and wouldn't be getting anymore in, I was devastated. For the record, the McDonald's in Bedford, Indiana is poorly managed.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, it was very cold here over the weekend and with my Christmas preparations, my dear, sweet Husband took care of all of my animals while I stayed warm and comfortable inside the house.
He fought frozen water tanks and frozen hoses and on Monday morning he brought me a frozen Rooster. Poor Bootstrap was just about dead. He was weak and could hardly support his own head. I sat down and held him for awhile, pried his frozen beak open and rubbed his stiff legs and feet.
Because of his fluffy, new feathers, I couldn't tell that he had lost a lot of weight. He had been acting strange for awhile but he was molting and I thought that was his problem. I wormed and deloused him because he had some leg mites, I also coated his legs with vasoline and made him a straw bed with food and water in our back room. His comb turned blackish purple, but he is eating and drinking and slowly regaining his strength.
My one egg day was just that, one egg for one day. The next day I got five eggs and have gotten 4 to 5 eggs every day since then. The weather has been all over the place, freezing cold, warm and sunny, ice storms, snow flurries, strong winds and right now as I am typing this, I hear thunder and it is suppose to get up to near 60 degrees after an ice covered day yesterday.
Now that my Christmas stress is completely relieved (it feels so good), I will be blogging again. This blog is one year old, I started it on Christmas day last year, it has had over 10,000 views according to my hit counter and those are not page reloads.
I never dreamed that people would find my life interesting in the least, I have never understood this whole social networking business, like My Space or Facebook but I guess it has it's purpose. I know people who have nearly abandoned television altogether for My Space and connecting with their friends. All of their spare time is spent there. I do enjoy reading other people's blogs and finding that there are actually other people out there who live the same sorta life that I live.
Having a two year old Granddaughter is just the best, that age is so much fun. The older kids were fun too but after they reach a certain age they tend to be a easily disappointed. Our oldest Grandson wanted expensive gifts this year, Nike Shocks, a Carhartt jacket and a Bible. He really liked them but there were no toys to play with. I remember that age and the disappointment, like something important is missing.
We had our Christmas on Monday evening, then yesterday I just relaxed and didn't spend much time on the computer. We went to town last night after the icy roads cleared up. We ended up at Wal-mart and the famous last words of my DH were; "Just go ahead, look around and I will find you." I wanted to set up a meeting spot but he thought that he wouldn't have a hard time locating me. Needless to say, we both spent hours looking for each other.
We met people that we both knew and they tried to help us out by telling us where they had last seen the other person but that didn't help much. We would run into the same people later and get directions from them again but to no avail. I finally just sat down on a bench in the middle of the store and waited. My feet and back were killing me from the miles that I had walked. He finally wondered by and sat down with me. I suppose if you lived a boring life and liked treasure hunts, you could make it into a healthy pursuit with lots of exercise.
After the 10 mile marathon, we went to McDonald's for an Eggnog Shake, my favorite. Of course, they didn't have them, for the last three weeks every time we have gone there they have told us that their machine was broken. Last night they told us that they had run out and wouldn't be getting anymore in, I was devastated. For the record, the McDonald's in Bedford, Indiana is poorly managed.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, it was very cold here over the weekend and with my Christmas preparations, my dear, sweet Husband took care of all of my animals while I stayed warm and comfortable inside the house.
He fought frozen water tanks and frozen hoses and on Monday morning he brought me a frozen Rooster. Poor Bootstrap was just about dead. He was weak and could hardly support his own head. I sat down and held him for awhile, pried his frozen beak open and rubbed his stiff legs and feet.
Because of his fluffy, new feathers, I couldn't tell that he had lost a lot of weight. He had been acting strange for awhile but he was molting and I thought that was his problem. I wormed and deloused him because he had some leg mites, I also coated his legs with vasoline and made him a straw bed with food and water in our back room. His comb turned blackish purple, but he is eating and drinking and slowly regaining his strength.
My one egg day was just that, one egg for one day. The next day I got five eggs and have gotten 4 to 5 eggs every day since then. The weather has been all over the place, freezing cold, warm and sunny, ice storms, snow flurries, strong winds and right now as I am typing this, I hear thunder and it is suppose to get up to near 60 degrees after an ice covered day yesterday.
Now that my Christmas stress is completely relieved (it feels so good), I will be blogging again. This blog is one year old, I started it on Christmas day last year, it has had over 10,000 views according to my hit counter and those are not page reloads.
I never dreamed that people would find my life interesting in the least, I have never understood this whole social networking business, like My Space or Facebook but I guess it has it's purpose. I know people who have nearly abandoned television altogether for My Space and connecting with their friends. All of their spare time is spent there. I do enjoy reading other people's blogs and finding that there are actually other people out there who live the same sorta life that I live.
** Happy Birthday, Jackie!! **
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
No Turning Back
Well I made a decision yesterday and there is no turning back. I wanted to wait until December to breed Collette and Paris but Collette was obviously ready yesterday and so we put her with Cooter. The timing was perfect because she stood for him and he got the job done. If she conceives, she will be kidding in mid-March. I would like to have Paris kidding in mid-April. So I will put her in with him next month.
I plan to milk Calico all winter then breed her in the Spring. Putting Collette in with Cooter has also solved my wondering goats issue. Paris and Calico have not gotten out of the fence since Collette has not been there to lead them.
Angel and Abby have finally become friends, they were just tolerating each other but they are finally starting to play together. Abby is just a little more playful than Angel, you would think that she was the youngest.
We enjoyed another nice night under the full moon last night. My DH built a fire under the big Maple tree where our Grandchildren love to play. It is right next to the goat lot. The Grandkids have gathered sticks there for a couple of years and they are always going to the stick pile to play. Their mean old Papaw burnt all of their sticks last night. I told him that he was going to be in some serious big trouble.
The reason that he was burning the kid's stick pile was that we had bought new fence and was going to enlarge the lot to include the big Maple. But while burning the pile and sitting there watching the fire. We decided that losing their favorite spot might give them issues later in life, so we are going to preserve the area and fence the tree outside the goat lot.
We are even going to add a concrete bench to the spot under the tree. The only problem that I see with our plan is that they can no longer call it "The Stick Pile". Unless they get busy and gather a bunch more sticks.
I plan to milk Calico all winter then breed her in the Spring. Putting Collette in with Cooter has also solved my wondering goats issue. Paris and Calico have not gotten out of the fence since Collette has not been there to lead them.
Angel and Abby have finally become friends, they were just tolerating each other but they are finally starting to play together. Abby is just a little more playful than Angel, you would think that she was the youngest.
We enjoyed another nice night under the full moon last night. My DH built a fire under the big Maple tree where our Grandchildren love to play. It is right next to the goat lot. The Grandkids have gathered sticks there for a couple of years and they are always going to the stick pile to play. Their mean old Papaw burnt all of their sticks last night. I told him that he was going to be in some serious big trouble.
The reason that he was burning the kid's stick pile was that we had bought new fence and was going to enlarge the lot to include the big Maple. But while burning the pile and sitting there watching the fire. We decided that losing their favorite spot might give them issues later in life, so we are going to preserve the area and fence the tree outside the goat lot.
We are even going to add a concrete bench to the spot under the tree. The only problem that I see with our plan is that they can no longer call it "The Stick Pile". Unless they get busy and gather a bunch more sticks.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
No Loses
I didn't lose any chickens yesterday, this is an improvement. We are making progress. I did sell Copper yesterday evening, he went to a good home. He will be used as a buck. Angel didn't like it, she is still looking for him this morning. That is the sad part of selling my kids, it upsets Angel but his mother didn't seem to mind at all. I think she was ready to let him go.
We had storms all through the night and I have water in my living room this morning. I don't understand why sometimes the rain comes in and sometimes it doesn't. I wish some philanthropist would give me about $100,000, I could really put it to good use. I need a house.
Or better yet, it would be nice if a couple of people would retire from the Post Office and my Husband would get a regular postal route and become a full time employee instead of a substitute or RCA, no one wants to retire anymore. Another possibility is that we could sell all of our 30+ horses at reasonable prices. That would really help out, think of the money that we would save on feed alone.
We did sell a yearling filly, Biscuit is moving to Texas on Monday to become a broodmare. She will be raising spotted mule foals. We will really miss her, she has the sweetest disposition. You can sweet talk her into anything and once she learns something she retains it.
My orphan chicks are all doing well so far. The two barred rock chicks have taken up with another barred rock hen and they are roosting in the goat/chicken shed at night on the highest perch, next to the biggest rooster.
My three little banty chicks have tried to join the other banty chicks but the hen won't allow it. So they are on their own, they roost in the same nest that their mother always took them to at night, they have no protection at all. At least one of them is a rooster and he is trying to protect his little family but it is a big responsibility for such a young chick.
I was tempted to put them in a cage but the barred rock chicks were so unhappy in the cage that I hate to do it to the banties after they have been free all of their lives.
Well, that is the news for now, nothing very exciting, which is a good thing. If you are a philanthropist and have some money that you would like to put to good use contact me but please not from Nigeria.
We had storms all through the night and I have water in my living room this morning. I don't understand why sometimes the rain comes in and sometimes it doesn't. I wish some philanthropist would give me about $100,000, I could really put it to good use. I need a house.
Or better yet, it would be nice if a couple of people would retire from the Post Office and my Husband would get a regular postal route and become a full time employee instead of a substitute or RCA, no one wants to retire anymore. Another possibility is that we could sell all of our 30+ horses at reasonable prices. That would really help out, think of the money that we would save on feed alone.
We did sell a yearling filly, Biscuit is moving to Texas on Monday to become a broodmare. She will be raising spotted mule foals. We will really miss her, she has the sweetest disposition. You can sweet talk her into anything and once she learns something she retains it.
My orphan chicks are all doing well so far. The two barred rock chicks have taken up with another barred rock hen and they are roosting in the goat/chicken shed at night on the highest perch, next to the biggest rooster.
My three little banty chicks have tried to join the other banty chicks but the hen won't allow it. So they are on their own, they roost in the same nest that their mother always took them to at night, they have no protection at all. At least one of them is a rooster and he is trying to protect his little family but it is a big responsibility for such a young chick.
I was tempted to put them in a cage but the barred rock chicks were so unhappy in the cage that I hate to do it to the banties after they have been free all of their lives.
Well, that is the news for now, nothing very exciting, which is a good thing. If you are a philanthropist and have some money that you would like to put to good use contact me but please not from Nigeria.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Another Lovely Day
Before the clock reaches midnight tonight, I thought that I would blog about the day, it was lovely. It wasn't hot like it has been for the last several days, it was just right. I made Cooter a new colorful goat rope halter. He had outgrown his old one and since I am staking him out everyday, I wanted him to be comfortable. The bright colors won't last long with the way he will treat it.
When I went to get Cinder to milk her this morning, Angel ran out the gate while I was taking Cinder out. This was strange behavior for her, so I watched to see what she was doing. She went right straight to the truck and tried to get into the back, she sniffed all around and then went into the barn/house where our large dog crate is and sniffed it. I finally realized that she was looking for Zinc, the goat kid that we took to his new home yesterday. She takes her responsibility for every goat very seriously. She is a great livestock guardian dog.
My Husband thought that the grass was getting too deep in the goat lot, so he put Shorty our miniature horse in there to eat down the grass some. But as soon as his belly was full, he started chasing the goats and horsing around. The goats didn't want to play and Angel didn't want to play.
He was running them from one end of the lot to the other, so I rescued them by opening the gate, they all ran out past me in desperation. Shorty used to stay with them all of the time and they got along fine except when he would get the rips, like he did today.
I put halters and lead ropes on Cinder and Calico, then tied them up in a lush shady spot. Angel and the other goats will not leave them, so every one enjoyed the day and the change in diet.
My poor Husband was feeding some horses and moved a separation gate, then got stung by another red wasp. They seem to have nests everywhere we turn this year.
When I went to get Cinder to milk her this morning, Angel ran out the gate while I was taking Cinder out. This was strange behavior for her, so I watched to see what she was doing. She went right straight to the truck and tried to get into the back, she sniffed all around and then went into the barn/house where our large dog crate is and sniffed it. I finally realized that she was looking for Zinc, the goat kid that we took to his new home yesterday. She takes her responsibility for every goat very seriously. She is a great livestock guardian dog.
My Husband thought that the grass was getting too deep in the goat lot, so he put Shorty our miniature horse in there to eat down the grass some. But as soon as his belly was full, he started chasing the goats and horsing around. The goats didn't want to play and Angel didn't want to play.
He was running them from one end of the lot to the other, so I rescued them by opening the gate, they all ran out past me in desperation. Shorty used to stay with them all of the time and they got along fine except when he would get the rips, like he did today.
I put halters and lead ropes on Cinder and Calico, then tied them up in a lush shady spot. Angel and the other goats will not leave them, so every one enjoyed the day and the change in diet.
My poor Husband was feeding some horses and moved a separation gate, then got stung by another red wasp. They seem to have nests everywhere we turn this year.
Friday, July 18, 2008
First Milking
Calico did very well for her first milking. The kids also did well, they didn't complain at all. Calico was talking to them this morning but they didn't really act like they were missing her.
I milked Cinder first, then fed grain to the babies in the dog kennel and put a halter and lead rope on Calico. I led her to the barn and it only took a hand full of grain to get her to jump up on the milk stand. She buried her face in the grain and didn't care what I did to her.
I first tried hand milking her, she has perfect teats that are very easy to milk. She didn't stomp or kick even one time. She is nothing like her mother, Cinder. who still has to have hobbles after years of milking.
I did put the hobbles on Calico before I put the milker on her. She didn't even notice until all of her grain was gone, then she realized that her hind feet where tied together and she didn't like that at all. I will only be milking her once per day until the kids are completely weaned. Tomorrow morning I will try milking her without the hobbles.
After I finished milking her, I let her eat grass in the yard for awhile before turning the boys back in with her. They surprised me, they didn't even act that anxious to nurse after being away from her overnight. I guess they are getting old enough to handle adulthood and separation from their mother.
I milked Cinder first, then fed grain to the babies in the dog kennel and put a halter and lead rope on Calico. I led her to the barn and it only took a hand full of grain to get her to jump up on the milk stand. She buried her face in the grain and didn't care what I did to her.
I first tried hand milking her, she has perfect teats that are very easy to milk. She didn't stomp or kick even one time. She is nothing like her mother, Cinder. who still has to have hobbles after years of milking.
I did put the hobbles on Calico before I put the milker on her. She didn't even notice until all of her grain was gone, then she realized that her hind feet where tied together and she didn't like that at all. I will only be milking her once per day until the kids are completely weaned. Tomorrow morning I will try milking her without the hobbles.
After I finished milking her, I let her eat grass in the yard for awhile before turning the boys back in with her. They surprised me, they didn't even act that anxious to nurse after being away from her overnight. I guess they are getting old enough to handle adulthood and separation from their mother.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Weaning
I finally got around to starting the weaning process for Copper and Zinc today, it is way overdue. It isn't a complete weaning just a start. I put them in the dog kennel for tonight, then I will milk Calico for the very first time tomorrow morning. I will turn the kids back in with her after they have been fed grain in the morning. I thought that they would cry all evening but so far they haven't made a peep.
Our fox returned this evening. I was just getting ready to milk Cinder and had gone to the back of the barn/house to put grain in the feeder on the milk stand, I hadn't brought Cinder in yet. I looked out the back door and there was that sneaky fox sniffing around.
I went directly into the house and said, "FOX" to my DH who was on the computer at the time. I grabbed the .22 magnum rifle and as I went back out the door, I said, "FOX" again, still no response, so I yelled it at him. That time he heard me and jumped up and got my .22 rifle.
I just stood inside the back of the barn and waited on my Husband to shoot because I have missed him before and I thought that maybe the DH might be able to hit him. He waited until the fox came closer and he had a perfect shot, but he is just as bad as me. The fox jumped straight up in the air when he shot and took off to the woods.
Our fox returned this evening. I was just getting ready to milk Cinder and had gone to the back of the barn/house to put grain in the feeder on the milk stand, I hadn't brought Cinder in yet. I looked out the back door and there was that sneaky fox sniffing around.
I went directly into the house and said, "FOX" to my DH who was on the computer at the time. I grabbed the .22 magnum rifle and as I went back out the door, I said, "FOX" again, still no response, so I yelled it at him. That time he heard me and jumped up and got my .22 rifle.
I just stood inside the back of the barn and waited on my Husband to shoot because I have missed him before and I thought that maybe the DH might be able to hit him. He waited until the fox came closer and he had a perfect shot, but he is just as bad as me. The fox jumped straight up in the air when he shot and took off to the woods.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Rodeo
We attended a rodeo at our local fair on Friday night. It was expensive and nothing but a bunch of bull. I was disappointed that they had advertised barrel racing and didn't have any. It was mostly bull riding with just a few broncs that I think were just unbroke horses that they had picked up somewhere. They certainly had no bucking experience, all that they did was run and all that the cowboy had to do was hold on.
The bulls were good and loved to buck. The problem was that they were too good for the cowboys that were there and most of them hit the dirt as soon as they came out of the gate. Only one cowboy made it to 8 seconds and he won the whole pot.
The evening was kind of spoiled by the man that came out before the rodeo and started scratching on the bulls who were turned loose in the arena. That kind of spoiled the mean and ornery, bad bull image. Although we did see a couple of cowboys butted and stomped.
One cowboy walked past me after the rodeo was over and we were walking out. He caught my attention by the glazed look in his eyes and the paleness of his face. I think that maybe he was beyond pain. I worried about him because he was wondering around alone. I am sure that he needed medical attention but was too tough and proud to admit it.
The highlight of the evening was when the little 7 or 8 year old boy was trying to pet the bulls through the holding gates and barely got his arm out before the bull kicked at him and got his foot caught in the gate. We were a little surprised that they let the crowd walk out past the bulls with nothing or no one there to keep kids away. I guess they thought that maybe parents would take that responsibility, they must have been aliens from another planet if they believed that.
The bulls were good and loved to buck. The problem was that they were too good for the cowboys that were there and most of them hit the dirt as soon as they came out of the gate. Only one cowboy made it to 8 seconds and he won the whole pot.
The evening was kind of spoiled by the man that came out before the rodeo and started scratching on the bulls who were turned loose in the arena. That kind of spoiled the mean and ornery, bad bull image. Although we did see a couple of cowboys butted and stomped.
One cowboy walked past me after the rodeo was over and we were walking out. He caught my attention by the glazed look in his eyes and the paleness of his face. I think that maybe he was beyond pain. I worried about him because he was wondering around alone. I am sure that he needed medical attention but was too tough and proud to admit it.
The highlight of the evening was when the little 7 or 8 year old boy was trying to pet the bulls through the holding gates and barely got his arm out before the bull kicked at him and got his foot caught in the gate. We were a little surprised that they let the crowd walk out past the bulls with nothing or no one there to keep kids away. I guess they thought that maybe parents would take that responsibility, they must have been aliens from another planet if they believed that.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Disbudding Disaster
We finally got Copper and Zinc dehorned, but it was a very disturbing event. We have disbudded several kids, so this wasn't our first rodeo. This time it was totally different than what we have experienced in the past.
We got everything prepared on Friday evening, put Copper in the box first, he fought so hard that I was afraid that he would hurt himself. Both of us together couldn't hold him still even before we started the burning process. It was difficult but we finally got him finished, he was whimpering pitifully when we took him back to his mother.
Next it was Zinc's turn, he was ten times worse than Copper had been. He struggled so badly that the iron slipped a couple of times and we had to start all over again. When we were finished with him, he was bleeding from both sides, we had never had that happen before.
Both kids continually scratched the burns with their hind hooves, they whimpered and cried all night long, we had never seen this before either. Normally the kids just start playing and acting as if nothing had happened. Jasper and Onyx started running and chasing each other as soon as we released them back to the mother.
The next day Copper had recovered and was fine but Zinc still cried most of the day, he got under the goat/chicken shed and wouldn't come out. I don't understand what caused this and why this time was so different, we did everything the same as aways. We have done them younger than these two and older.
On Saturday a friend stopped in and helped me get Zinc out from under the shed and one of the burn sites was infected. We sprayed it with blue lotion and by Sunday he was starting to act some better. On Monday he was completely himself again.
I started this blog this morning but severe storms hit our area and I had to close the computer down. I was glad that I did because our electricity went out for quite awhile after that and then came back on long enough for me to wash some dishes then went out again. All is quiet at the moment but I think that we are still suppose to get more storms tonight.
We got everything prepared on Friday evening, put Copper in the box first, he fought so hard that I was afraid that he would hurt himself. Both of us together couldn't hold him still even before we started the burning process. It was difficult but we finally got him finished, he was whimpering pitifully when we took him back to his mother.
Next it was Zinc's turn, he was ten times worse than Copper had been. He struggled so badly that the iron slipped a couple of times and we had to start all over again. When we were finished with him, he was bleeding from both sides, we had never had that happen before.
Both kids continually scratched the burns with their hind hooves, they whimpered and cried all night long, we had never seen this before either. Normally the kids just start playing and acting as if nothing had happened. Jasper and Onyx started running and chasing each other as soon as we released them back to the mother.
The next day Copper had recovered and was fine but Zinc still cried most of the day, he got under the goat/chicken shed and wouldn't come out. I don't understand what caused this and why this time was so different, we did everything the same as aways. We have done them younger than these two and older.
On Saturday a friend stopped in and helped me get Zinc out from under the shed and one of the burn sites was infected. We sprayed it with blue lotion and by Sunday he was starting to act some better. On Monday he was completely himself again.
I started this blog this morning but severe storms hit our area and I had to close the computer down. I was glad that I did because our electricity went out for quite awhile after that and then came back on long enough for me to wash some dishes then went out again. All is quiet at the moment but I think that we are still suppose to get more storms tonight.
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