Canesister's 2025 journal - Bushel & Peck Farm

[canesisters]

Did you ever get the cow bred??? Can't remember....

She's only had 1 obvious heat since we've gotten past the August hot temps. I wasn't able to coordinate with my AI guy to catch that one.
Then, my hay guy said she looked very pregnant back in Nov... sooooo I crossed my fingers & 'hoped' for either a heat cycle or a calf. Today would've been the last day of 'calf watch' IF the March breeding had actually lasted.
So, now I have to look into what my options are.
Is she too old? Too fat? Just not going to have those loud, obvious cycles anymore?
She's got a forever home here either way. She's a beloved (expensive) pet. Perhaps I should look into the possibility of getting her a companion heifer to become the replacement 'beef making mama'.

 

[farmerjan]

You could get a companion heifer... and then it would make heat signs more obvious.... you could get a bigger steer for beef...800+ lbs.... keep it for 6-8 months... see more obvious heat signs; put him in the freezer after she is confirmed preg...
She could be too fat... she could be too old??? how old is she??? She could be having more silent heats...
You could talk to the AI guy... see about using a couple shots to get her to cycle... heat synchronizing... like they do on dairies... but just for her... getting her bred now/soon would give you a fall calf that would get some size before the coldest of winter weather too... Breeding anytime between now and Feb 1st would get a calf on the ground by Dec 1st.... I'd do a Lute synch.... lute shot now, again in 10 days... if she is going out of heat, this shot would not help her, in a week then she would have a follicle to shed... then she should come back in heat and have a mature follicle to get preg..... but it is getting her timing.... talk to the AI guy.... and if she comes in heat, breed her as soon as you see her,,,, and again 12-24 hours later... give yourself more leeway to catch the egg at the right time... questionable cows always got bred twice... especially the guernseys.... often they release the egg LATE and the semen may already have died... so a 2nd breeding would often catch them...

 

[SteepedInSheep]

I couldn't sleep last night for the life of me so I read this thread. I thought it was fun to see the mention of Smithfield pop up in August. I lived diagonally across the street from that farmer's market for years. We were the white Victorian house right next to the Methodist church. I don't remember the name of his place, but there's a guy that sold BBQ at the farmers market. We bought his ribs one time and they were the best we had ever had! I want to say it was Q Daddy's, or something like that.

 

[canesisters]

I couldn't sleep last night for the life of me so I read this thread. I thought it was fun to see the mention of Smithfield pop up in August. I lived diagonally across the street from that farmer's market for years. We were the white Victorian house right next to the Methodist church. I don't remember the name of his place, but there's a guy that sold BBQ at the farmers market. We bought his ribs one time and they were the best we had ever had! I want to say it was Q Daddy's, or something like that.

There was a guy selling out of a trailer the day we were there. It smelled amazing. But we were there early in the morning & had plans to go to the Virginia Diner for lunch so we passed.

 

[Mini Horses]

Smithfield & VA diner....that's my neck of the woods I'm about a hr from the diner, closer to downtown Smithfield.

 

[SteepedInSheep]

Smithfield & VA diner....that's my neck of the woods I'm about a hr from the diner, closer to downtown Smithfield.

Huh! I guess we were neighbors, once upon a time!

 

[canesisters]

Weather app is calling for snow all day tomorrow; starting around 8am. Possible accumulation of up to 3". Not all that much of a big deal in light of the few 'big' snows we've had over the years. But it's a good feeling to have all my bases covered to keep the critters well fed anyway.
Hay guy delivered 2 bales today. With the 1/2 bale still in the feeder, we're set for a good long while.
50lbs of pellets dropped in the chicken's feeder a few days ago plus a bag of cracked corn still in my car. So they're all set too.
I picked up a new bag of Chaos' Rx food on Fri that hasn't been opened yet.

A possum came up on the porch last night & was DETERMINED to get into the catio. Chaos takes his beloved catio very seriously.... he was NOT pleased. I chased it off a couple of times, it kept coming back. My fluffy void was losing his mind. Finally I spayed Ozium air freshener all around the bottom of the wire. It had a very strong lingering smell.
I didn't see it anymore, but he's been on very serious guard duty every since.

Did I ever update on the last batch of chicks? I'm fairly sure it's 3 males & 3 females. .... maybe 4 males & 2 females? I'll see if I can post some picks & get your opinions.

 

[canesisters]

1 Boy
2 Girl
3 Boy?
4 Girl
5 & 6(not pictured) twin boys

2 & 4 drinking
1 & 5 facing each other

 

[Mini Horses]

Agree with chickens.

As to snow I'm looking at a heavy dusting, probably. Covered with feed but not attitude. Too early for this crap!!

 

[farmerjan]

1 & 5 roosters, 2 & 4 pullets... can't see #3 well, but suspect a male... looks like primary sickle feathers are getting longer and curved. Does he have saddle feathers coming in more pointed??? Pullets do not have saddle feathers like a male.. just sorta flows right into the tail. Males have decided pointed saddle feathers directly in front of the tail base.... Except for Sebrights... they are what we call hen feathered... males and females feathered the same...
So what are these chicks? Americauna? Pretty colored....