*CYGChickies' HWC Journal* I Want Goats!

CYGChickies

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Well I read a few of these Journals and wanted to start one of my own. We started our farm in the middle of June 2011, and now almost four months later I'm amazed at how much it has changed.

The farm all started with a desire to keep a few chickens. I researched in catalogs and books and online. I wanted exotic chickens but my mother kept prodding me to get Layers and my friend/farm co-owner just wanted rabbits. I decided on 15 Australorps, 15 Guinea Fowl and 5 Silkies--to raise the Guinea keets. I placed my order that would arrive about a month later and basically got into planning stage.

By the time mid-June rolled around we couldn't wait any longer. My friend wanted rabbits and I told her meat rabbits were the way to go. We found a Rabbitry and bought three 2-month-old New Zealand Reds, a big tall hitch for outside and a smaller inside cage. The next morning we found one of the kits dead. The day after we went to the weekly market/swap where I found three Narragansett turkey poults--the breed I'd decided on for the future. I knew they had to be off the ground and since the rabbit hutch was empty, my month-old babies went there. We found another of our kits sick and rushed the remaining two to the vet. A fecal smear revealed the worst case of Coccidiosis the vet had ever seen--in fifty years he said. We had to go everywhere to find a sulfa med for them and began treatment. Another kit died, leaving us with one who soon recovered with no more signs of the parasite.

After the scare with our baby rabbits was over, we went looking for babies to build up our very depleted stock. Since the illness was gone and three different vets confirmed it was no longer contagious, we brought home two 6-week-old Lionheads--not meat rabbits but yes I caved. They were named the Twins and were supposed to be two females. They were hilariously tiny compared to the New Zealand and we fell instantly in love.

Noticing our hutch space was dwindling we purchased two more large outdoor hutches. One with three holes and one gigantic pen that my friend and I could both fit into easily and could have fit another person. Into this larger pen the turkey poults went, and they seemed pretty pleased. After this we added three more Lionheads, BigWig, Clover and Angel. Shortly after this the chicks arrived and we kept them in a big horse trough with a heat lamp and bedding and all the amenities of home.

A month and more went by with nothing of huge interest coming to pass except for the addition of our friendly New Zealand white doe Strawberry. That is until we found a wonderful Breeder nearby who sold us our first pedigree rabbits. Samwise, Frodo and Maggie May were Lionheads and Cleopatra was a Dwarf Hotot. The Dwarf Hotots were my idea--not meat rabbits either I know. These rabbits stayed inside in indoor hutches until another outdoor was purchased and the Lionheads went out. Sadly, little Maggie May died of something similar to Bloat in dogs but called enteritis. We were heartbroken when such a beautiful and sweet little rabbit died, and we still are. Clover was revoked--since she and Maggie were the same color and Maggie was breed/show quality, and so we were down to three bucks and three does we thought.

We travelled six hours to the State Fair to find three awesome Dwarf Hotots and the chickens and guineas moved out into their pen. The twins turned out to be males and so we are down to five bucks and ONE doe, Angel. We took two Australorps, two Silkies, two guineas and two of the turkeys to the county fair along with Samwise, BigWig, Hazel, Strawberry, Isis and Cleopatra and ended up with five blue ribbons and four red ribbons!

Right now we're just starting our breeding program with Angel our Lionhead. She is bred to BigWig and we are hoping for beautiful babies! Our current huge project is a new pen for the Turkeys and one for the Silkies next to the exhisting coop. We have ripped tin off of the barn, set up posts and moved sand in. All that is left is the wire for the coop and run and we'll be finished.

Coming up next for us is building the rabbit hutches into the unused stalls of the barn as well as moving the current hutches inside. All the while we're looking for Lionhead does that aren't kits--tough to find! Wish us luck!

Whoo a long post hopefully I won't have to cover so much next time!

CYG
 

CYGChickies

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To say the least! It sounds like we just flew by the seat of our pants but I'm an obsessive researcher and knew about the birds and rabbits before we selected them. It's hard to write in a lot of details without getting longwinded. We make sure to be prepared and aware long before we dive into things. Out of our many many rabbits and birds only a handful have passed and we get constant compliments on the condition of our animals. I think our proudest farming achievement is the three fat, happy and healthy Narragansett turkeys we raised from fragile babies. We're preparing to hunker down for the Midwest winter and have big Honeybee and garden plans for Spring.

CYG
 

CYGChickies

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I wanted to answer the "getting started" questions because they looked fun!

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?

Missouri, area 5/6. It's humid and swampy and sometimes our ice storms and floods become "states of emergency"

2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?

Counting my mother and my best friend there are three of us. Counting the farm just the friend and I. We're both single.

3. How would you define your farm?

A hobby farm built on optimism?

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?

Farm and get back to my writing

5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?

We're building the coops onto the barn and I dare you to tell me 6 24"x24" wire cages don't count.

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?

Not yet

7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?

A conversation with my cousin about childhood memories, both of us grew up on farms.

8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?

Hobby for now

9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?

I research constantly so I know a good deal about this and that. Always wanna know more!

10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?

Anything commercial where I can't handfeed and handraise my animals or my crops. I doubt I'll have camelids but I'm not opposed to anything new on the farm.

11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?

Absolutely!

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?

My writing

13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?

Toss me a manual and I will!

14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?

We make jewelry, soap, lipgloss and candles. Would like to learn more!

15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?

We are rural zoned I believe any livestock is ok

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?

Let me read up on it then I will! I'm 100% farming self taught!

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?

We will be starting a huge garden in spring with tomatoes, corn, peppers, pumpkins, watermelons, centrioles, squash-two types, onions, garlic, blackberries, loofa, beans, and so on!

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?

I love to fish but nobody will go with me! I dont think I should handle explosives haha!

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?

We have about two acres I think. We're only using about half of one so far. We're in the country.

20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?

Well I have a Bachelors Degree in English:Writing with a minor in Art (digital manipulation and photography digital and film) but not in anything farm-related

21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?

Poultry and Rabbits now, soon we'll have Honeybees and Produce as well

22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?

I want to get an AA in Animal Husbandry if possible. As far as I know I'd have to make that up in the universities in my area. I want a class in rabbit and poultry breeding genetics! Haven't found a good book on that yet!

23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?

We build nestboxes

24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?

Have some in place already! It is so great

25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?

On my farm away from the world

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?

No

27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?

Anyone from the X-men. I'm a Marvel nut!

28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?

My best friend works the farm with me. The family like to come play with the rabbits and chickens

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?

We bake constantly and I love fresh eggs!

30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?

Best experience: Walking into the chicken pen and having thirty+ birds run to you for love and attention. They said it couldn't be done but we tamed a whole flock!

31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?

I don't know if I could hunt but I used to accompany my dad when I was very little. We are going to be foraging during Morel season! Mushroom hunting is going to be so much fun!

32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?

I have old experienced relatives and I have a very encyclopedic memory for things I've researched. I don't have to recheck reference books and sites to find solutions

33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?

We will process some rabbits and I plan to can like crazy when the garden comes

34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?

Not yet and yes I would love to

35 What is on your to do list?

Turkey pen, silkie pen, rabbit area of barn

36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?

Not yet but would be fun

37. In what do you trust?

Myself and my friend, our perseverance and dedication to the farm


38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?

Short answer: all the time


39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?

Yes! I'm a lot less freaked out about getting dirty and instead of High Fructose magazine I subscribe to Hobby Farm. I spend hours I used to play Xbox working on the farm and researching.
 

CYGChickies

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Today was a busy day! We got a bale of hay and finished the nest box. Can't wait to see Angel building her nest! She's a REW Lionhead, bred with BigWig our BEW Lionhead. She's due Sunday or Monday and we're putting it in her hutch tomorrow. I'm still not 100% the breeding took even though we witnessed it and he mounted three times. I guess since it's the first time we're just crazy paranoid that it didn't take or she's gonna eat em. Hopefully she just has a moderately successful birth and we get at least one baby. I'll update as soon as the nest box is in and she's had time to react to it.

Also gonna try some recipes I found here and on BYC, and we're taking some rabbits to the market just to show off beside our table. Hopefully people take interest.

CYG
 

Ms. Research

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Enjoyed reading your journal.

Wishing you luck with Angel. Hoping to read on your journal the pitter-patter of little Angel kit feet soon. :fl
 

CYGChickies

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Mini Update! I attended my first Beekeeper's meeting and it was great! Everyone was so nice and so informative! I got a ton of advice and made friends. I'm glad I went and I feel a lot more confident knowing there are other people to give advice if I need it--and I'm sure I will! No updates on Angel just yet.

CYG
 

redtailgal

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I am allergic to bees and the thought of bunches of them makes my spine tremble, lol

I dont know anything about beekeeping, but would love to hear more and learn.........
 

CYGChickies

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Honeybees--especially Italian Honeybees--are a lot more docile than even a bumblebee. If they swarm or leave the hive to find another, they will almost never attack without a hive. Swarms are what people see when there's a huge ball of bees landed on a tree etc. I read "Honeybees for Dummies" and it has so much information about their behavior and after I learned I just couldn't stay away and i researched more and more until it was decided. They're amazingly smart, clean their own house and fight their own parasites. I will be doing my best to keep Organic bees and I should be able to; even with most disease organic treatment is successful. I can't wait to see my little hive pollinating the garden! Spring can't come soon enough!

CYG
 

Ms. Research

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CYGChickies said:
Honeybees--especially Italian Honeybees--are a lot more docile than even a bumblebee. If they swarm or leave the hive to find another, they will almost never attack without a hive. Swarms are what people see when there's a huge ball of bees landed on a tree etc. I read "Honeybees for Dummies" and it has so much information about their behavior and after I learned I just couldn't stay away and i researched more and more until it was decided. They're amazingly smart, clean their own house and fight their own parasites. I will be doing my best to keep Organic bees and I should be able to; even with most disease organic treatment is successful. I can't wait to see my little hive pollinating the garden! Spring can't come soon enough!

CYG
Wishing you luck with your venture with Bees. Glad to hear you found a group that will help you be successful. Looking forward to reading about your venture.

Honeybees, are they the big, fat bees I see sometimes? Love to see the bees around my garden and flowers. But you can have the wasps. They hurt when they sting. And you don't have to give them any reason for them to. :(
 

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