Southern's (Southern By Choice) Journal- FLOODED!

Cute story-
Tiggs (Male Anatolian) is about 145-150 lbs now. He is a BIG boy. Him and "D" are in with the Kiko's in the woods. My kids had gone to the neighbors to the pool... the fastest way there is through the woods, we have lots of paths... On their return they were coming through, "D" knew it was them, Tiggs didn't (knucklehead) just went to run to the fenceline, barking... "D" took his mouth and grabbed Tiggs collar and held him there til the kids came down through the woods. Once Tiggy saw that it was the kids he got all happy, "D" released him... "D" is an awesome dog for sure. I love that big lug!

Such a good teacher

Southern by choice said:

Cute story-
Tiggs (Male Anatolian) is about 145-150 lbs now. He is a BIG boy. Him and "D" are in with the Kiko's in the woods. My kids had gone to the neighbors to the pool... the fastest way there is through the woods, we have lots of paths... On their return they were coming through, "D" knew it was them, Tiggs didn't (knucklehead) just went to run to the fenceline, barking... "D" took his mouth and grabbed Tiggs collar and held him there til the kids came down through the woods. Once Tiggy saw that it was the kids he got all happy, "D" released him... "D" is an awesome dog for sure. I love that big lug!

Click to expand...

Aww!! Total, complete cuteness!! Good boy "D"!!!

Have been pretty absent from here, only peeking my head in now and again.
It has been a crazy few weeks...
I will probably need to do a few posts as I have lots of pics.

POULTRY-
Chicks are coming out of the woods like crazy...
One momma hatched 15 we took a few from her and are raising them separate, another 11, another 5, and of course the Barred Rock that had 10 has left to the woods for another clutch. The chicks are 5 weeks now.
Just found a speckled sussex under a tree covered in vines.... yep... sitting on 17 eggs.

Turkey's eggs were taken up by my son (it is his Turkey Hen) he put the eggs in the bator but she decided to brood anyway... she is raising one chick! LOL A chick, not a poult.

The poults are still hatching but I think we are up to 8 now.

Barred Rockmix chicks at 5 weeks- They completely live off the land. 2 of 10

One of the nests on the edge of the woods

Momma w/brood (5)

Another momma with brood (11)

See the little feet


Turkey hen with her "Chick"


Some of the hatched poults-
They are 1/4 Heritage Chocolate 1/4 Heritage Black and 1/2 Narragansett.

Wow, your broodys love hatching. How many chickens do you estimate you have?

We use to have 250+ and bred 17 varieties but we have greatly reduced our numbers and breed 5 standard varieties and 2 bantam varieties now. I don't know how many we have now but my yearly NPIP testing is coming up so I will have an actual count in a few weeks. LOL maybe 75-100 now... or so... I think...

We have about 45 chicks or so running around right now... all mutts! LOL I did not breed this year because I had no time. These guys mostly are standard/bantam crosses. They will be going in the freezer for dog meat when big enough.

Part 2

The Geese!

Wow. It is amazing. Nancy our goose set up her nest and was only sitting on 2 eggs. Nanny Duck stayed by her side the whole month. Watching over her and the eggs when Nancy got off the nest which was hardly ever. One egg was not viable the other … so cute! The gosling hatched and daddy Ronny came to her side as well as Nanny Duck. I am amazed at their relationship. Duck is their family... the “Nanny”. It is always fun to see the gosling walk around with mom dad and nanny.
Can't figure out how to do video on here so I will put it on my FB page. But here are some pics!

Nanny duck is amazing! She will be with us forever.
Nancy brooding-


Duck always by her side-

Just hatched



1 day old


With parents and Nanny Duck




3 days old

Nancy, gosling and Nanny

Part- 3

Crazy laying hens!
This is nuts it includes a bunch of absolutely crazy hens and the LGD's (including 6 month pups).

We have a group of 1 year old hens we hatched out last year. These hens were raised in the area that is now where the new goat barn is. Silly chickens absolutely will not go to their own building. I guess it is so ingrained in them to stay where they were raised. Anyway- like I said they are one year old now and they have their spots in the barn... mostly the corners where they dig up the grit and lay. Here is the weird part... they will only lay if they are cuddled up to one of the dogs... usually a pup.


IT IS CRAZY! The pups get very annoyed as the chickens peck at them and their hair trying to make a nest in their coat. The pups and adults dogs will try just get up and move but of course the chickens find this rude and follow them insistent on them be their laying box.

Pups are so patient!

Eliza trying to catch some ZZZZ's


Bernard- He moved several times and finally just gave up... she cuddled under his leg. So weird!


Dog can't get a break


Annoying Welsummer


Mother and son I guess make the perfect nesting box

Part 4

BARN!
Making progress! Adding phase 2. Have roof up and supports. We put in the center isle walkway and the 2x4 no climb as well as gates. The added side will take time. Then phase 3 will begin.

Kind of stumped as to where to put my milkroom. May end up just taking out the buckling house and building a larger structure and dividing it into 2 buildings. That way the milkroom will not be in the barn but will be close to the apartment for milk handling.


Of course the apartment is filled and I mean filled with stuff. Furniture, pelts, wood working stuff, boxing equipment, goat stuff... crazy! That is a project in itself.

Putting in the walkway- impossible with goats

Phase 2 is being added, Phase 1 will be "redone" and then phase 3 is going to be added to the end.


Rails and no climb up one one side and the gate


The walkway is raised as you can see...


Inside Phase 1


Temporary shutter doors to lock them in from the loafing area

We took them off when we took the wall down.. we need to take off the handles

Yes they are not even... but they are temporary.

Looking good