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Barnyard Buddies:  All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)  |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 27 2010 : 08:17:46 AM
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don't apologize Penny. This is why were here to help people and vice versa!! This is a great place to ask questions!
Hugs,
Channah
Friendship is not something that can be bought, it is earned. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2010 : 05:24:12 AM
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Penny, I was wondering the same thing. At this moment we don't have any horses here. I may see about cattle instead. It seems everyone of the grands want us to have horses, and when we do, they never ride them.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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peafarm
True Blue Farmgirl
182 Posts
Penny
South Dakota
182 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2010 : 05:45:41 AM
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Gena,
Kinda hijacking my own question, but...
Have you ever had mini horses? We have a couple of fullsize horses along with 2 minis. We will probably never replace the fullsize when they're gone, but it's hard for me to believe we won't ever have a couple of minis. We got our first one a year ago and the second arrived a couple of weeks ago as a Valentine's gift (awww...) I heart them very much. They are high on personality and luv bugs! Maybe that's why the minicattle interest me so much. (whew...back to the topic @ hand!)
Penny
www.peafarm.weebly.com |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2010 : 06:09:13 AM
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Penny, yes we had 2 mini horses. We didn't know what we were doing when we got the minis. That was our first experience with any type of horse. This was several years ago. One of them came from a mini horse farm, and I think that because he was a colt, they never tried to tame him. I should have known when the guy wanted to bring him to me, that their was something up. That little guy was so wild, I tried for months to just get my hands on him. Then we got another little guy, that the people had a halter on him when we got there. He seemed real skiddish, but we figured it was because he had never loaded before. Well, pretty much same thing. We ended up giving them away. I wish I didn't have such a bad experience with them. I know if we had been smarter, that it would have worked out.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2010 : 7:00:16 PM
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Hi Ladies, How are you all doing today? I am doing great! Today I cleaned my goats shed really, really good, defleaded them, played with them, and trimmed all there hooves. Tomorrow I am going to worm them. yay! lol Ebony is doing great and is so funny to watch! She loves to jump in the hair and run really fast at the same time. Her new thing is to jump on mom and nibble her ears. Sadie is so good and just stands there while she does that. :) Sadies is also doing really well and is a very proud mama! Joey is quite the dad and loves his baby! Esther is doing pretty good too. She's very quite and likes to be by herself most of the time. She loves to fall asleep in the sun. :) She's a sweetheart!
Well I guess that's all for now. I hope you all had a great day!
Hugs,
Channah
Friendship is not something that can be bought, it is earned. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 07:39:41 AM
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Sara had her baby. It is a girl!!!! Her name is Posie. She is white with black spots. I hope I hear from my friends that bought my Nubians. She had told me last week her first to freshen doe was due today. I told her I didn't know when Sara was due. I hope she has hers today too.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 08:04:04 AM
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Yeah, Gena! How sweet. I like that name. I bet she's adorable. I love the color.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 09:18:35 AM
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That is so neat Gena!!
Hugs,
Channah
Friendship is not something that can be bought, it is earned. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 09:23:25 AM
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Doggone it.
Iam going to have to figure out how to post pictures!
Thanks!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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farm~maid
True Blue Farmgirl
176 Posts
Christine
IN
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 11:33:28 AM
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Penny, we have Dexters and I'm not sure what guidelines or standards are appropriate to be considered "mini." We don't call ours minature, they are just smaller than most average breeds.
We chose Dexters because of all the good qualities and we found them so endearing when we visited with them. They truly have personalities and temperments that fit our barnyard. I do believe that all animals have their own personalities, but a good disposition is important to us. They do require less pasture, feed, and help with calving. They provide us with plenty of fresh milk and some meat.
Well, I suppose I've rambled and didn't answer your questions.LOL
This will be our 4th year working on breeding stock. It was slow going the first couple of years. We didn't do bad, but didn't sell the calves as quickly as we'd hoped. Now, we have repeat buyers and that's great. Makes us feel like we are doing something right when you already have buyers for this years calves. We are not big time breeders - we've had 5 calves a year to sell. But, we are growing and will have 6 this year. We've done the best selling with ads in an area farm paper that comes out once a week. We've had calls through our association membership, but no sales yet as we didn't have what they were looking for.
Hope I answered some of your questions.
Christine |
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farm~maid
True Blue Farmgirl
176 Posts
Christine
IN
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 11:35:09 AM
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Gina, what a sweet name. I love it. Glad all is well.
Christine |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 12:14:22 PM
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I have 11 nubian does and 2 bucks. Sparky is my old buck and Pluto in the new buck I purchased last year. He was an escape artist ( repeat offender) So I started kidding sooner than I wanted to and he bred does I didn't want pregnant. So some of the does I am guessing on their due date. I am so use to knowing when they are bred. Its kind of scary not knowing when. I have been doing this for 18 years and this is the first time I have had a buck this bad at getting out. He'a a really cute black buck with grey and brown spots but what a escape artist.
I had my first doe(Luna Bean) kid with triplets last tuesday. They are doing great. Two spotted bucks and a doe that looks like her mom. Light cream colored. I have two more does due the 5th of this month. They look like triplets also. I don't know why my does have to have litters.....lol. I have 3 more due after that and the rest I am waiting to see. Hopefully now that he is in the naughty barn with the naughty fenced run we can keep him in. We put up woven field fencing plus electric on the inside. I let him out with old Sparky today since no one appears to be in season.
Love all my girls like family. I have ages ranging from 10 months to 11 years old. The old ones thank god did not get bred. My girls names are : Luna Bean, Bean the Wean, Slyvia, Emma Bean, Cassandra Bean, Snack Cake, Little Debbie, Violet, Clover,Jolly Molly,Lil April(she was born on Aprils fool day).
Well I guess thats it. Cool thread.....glad you started it. I have enjoyed reading them all.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 3:58:22 PM
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Linda, so glad you joined us here. That's alotta goats. I love Nubians but just have 1 right now til she kids in a few weeks. I also have a black Nubian buck that looks like a Doberman a little. I can't wait to see Sandy's kids. Finally goat kids with EARS! And your girls have triplets? We had one set born last year. She did good with them all. Do you bottle feed them or dam raise? I love all the names, too. I am trying to think of a cute catagory for all my new kids. It'll come to me soon.
Gena, how's little Posie today?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 4:05:47 PM
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I have a question. 3 of my does were out front fighting each other today. I mean they were head butting and I could hear it from the house. Really hard and loud. And just all over each other. Making buckie sounds and rubbing all over each other like they're in heat. It's disgusting. And they are all just a few weeks away from kidding. I had to separate them tonight. They act like they want to kill each other. All except Said Mae Belle. She's like what are they doing? I don't want nothin' to do with that. ya'll. So she was off by herself watching the big dumbies.
So what is going on? Are they psycho or just losing it? They just act crazy mean. I don't want them to hurt the unborn kids. So they are all in different ares right now. But when I put them back together they'll just pick up where they started off. Trying to kill each other again.
What should I do? Just leave them alone and let them work it out?
Help! Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 4:44:56 PM
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Kris, Posie is doing great. I wish you could see her. She is sooo tiny.
I have always separated my does and kids, at first.
One of my Nubian does had 5 at one time! The last one born was dead though. Her name is Sassy. She lives at a friends house now, and is expecting any day. I told them not to be surprised if she has 4 or 5!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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farm~maid
True Blue Farmgirl
176 Posts
Christine
IN
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 03:05:24 AM
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Kris, I don't have goats so don't put much stock in my thoughts on your fighting does. Since they are nearing kidding time, could it just be their elevated hormones and body changes making them act crazy? I know I'm not any help.
Hopefully, they will behave better today. Silly goats.
Gena, 5 at one time! Poor Sassy. I've never heard of 5. Glad Posie is doing well.
I saw the bright moon last night and got a bit excited hoping that one of our expecting cows would do something. Nope. But, I do see signs of calving with a couple of them. That could still mean a couple of weeks.
Christine
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 05:06:22 AM
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Hey Kris.....yep, I agree with Christine.....hormones. They could also be fighting for the herd queen position. If you have the space you could separate them.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 05:22:20 AM
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God snowy morning, ya'll.Yep, in like a lion. So that means hopefully we'll have some nice weather soon. I am ready.
So last night Abby busted out of the stall I had her in. And I went ahead and put Faith back in when it got dark. All is well this morning. They were acting normal again. It's snowing and they won't be going out today so I hope they will get along in the barn. And I think ya'll are right about the hormones. I just don't remember this behavior before. I was just worried about the little ones.
Gena, I read in Dairy Goat Journal a few years back about a goat that had 6. I think they all lived. They were all bucks. That's a bunch of babies. I hope Sassy doesn't have that many this time.
What's it doing in your neck of the woods? Our weather man kind of missed the mark here for us. We already have over an inch and it's not stopping any time soon. It's wet heavy snow. It's pretty now but I hope it's gone quick.
I have about 10 hens that roost in a cedar tree. This morning I looked out and the whole limb they are on was practically on the ground with the weight of all those chickens and snow. It was so funny.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 05:23:40 AM
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Oh, and of course school's out today. So I have Kansas. She's outside playing in the snow. I just came in from feeding. I don't want to play in it.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 05:38:41 AM
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Christine, thanks on behalf of Posie.
Kris, so far we have missed the snow. It seems to be south of me. They did say it still could come tonight, but I think the most will be a dusting.
My siser-in law said that the almanac said we will get snow the first week of March (happened) and the last week of March (hope not).
Today I am going to try and incubate some of my chicken eggs. If they hatch, Mr. Roo is going bye[bye!!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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Daisy7896
Farmgirl in Training
16 Posts
Sarah
Douglas
MA
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 06:36:26 AM
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Well I am now starting my barn checks since my Lamancha rose is the size of a house and due in 7 days and counting! She always goes a little early though! Then I have the other to due on the same day next week!!!
I love my goats |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 06:49:21 AM
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Oh, I love Lamancha goat babies! I hope you can do pictures. That's so exciting for you. I am always a nervous mess when it gets closer. Feeling their tails and checking for goo. What fun looking at goat rears! I wish you (and her) luck for a safe delivery and lots of healthy pretty goat kiddies. Let us know.
The snow is still coming down out there. I'm trying not to look. It makes me cold. But it looks like there's about 4" on my car and a table out there. Way too too much if ya ask me. And I sure hope that Almanac is WRONG about snow at the end of March.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 07:46:13 AM
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Kris, OH NO! it is 10:00 am here and it started snowing! I hope it won't stick!
You and Kansas have fun in YOUR snow!
I have Ellett (3 months) today. He is to little to beg to go out.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 11:12:07 AM
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I would say definately hormones. I am having the same problem with my girls. Some of them are acting like bucks and they are ready to have babies the 5th of this month. I heard it through the baby monitor and thought Pluto my young buck was out and seen they were turning the barn upside down. I had a hard time breaking them up. Some of these girls are well over 200 lbs. By the time I got them broke up my feet had been stepped repeatedly.... and my husband wonders why I complain about my feet.........lol.Well he has found out the hard way and wears his hard boots when he goes to the barn now. I put some really choice hay out and that finally distracted them we'll see how long that last.
I do supplement the trips with bottles and leave them with their mother. I worry one of them will get pushed out when nursing and not get enough. I usually start 3 days after they are born or even sooner. I then give them 2 bottles a day if they want it. That way I know they are getting enough. Last year I had triplets and quads and I really got tired of bottling and went through a ton of powdered kid milk. It was quite awhile before I got to have milk. It would be nice to have just twins and be simpler. At first I thought it was cool to have triplets and quads about 17 years ago. Oh well I guess i have to count my blessing.
Good luck with those fiesty girls.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 2:59:19 PM
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Gena,has it quit yet? It finally did here and all the trees are bare again. Now just the yard it white. I hope it doesn't turn to ice overnight. But probably will. But it looks good out there. I had to go to town to deliver eggs today and it was just slushy on the roads.
Linda, they did fine today. They stayed in because of the snow and they are all 4 still alive and pregnant, too. One of mine had triplets last year. I didn't milk her but would put her on the stanchion and bring in all 3 kids for them to nurse where she wouldn't take off. So they'd get a good long drink twice a day. It was so cute to see them all nursing on her while she ate. They were all 3 reallt heathy. I tried a few times to bottle feed but they didn't want much to do with it. So I left them alone.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Barnyard Buddies: All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep) |
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All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)
