Goats&moregoats: KickinUpDust Farm Journal

[Wehner Homestead]

Wonderful update!

 

[Latestarter]

Gotta say G&MGs... it's a REAL pleasure to read happy and upbeat posts from you! May it continue indefinitely!

 

[goats&moregoats]

I walked outside this am and said to myself, "well Spring you finally made it!". Early morning temp mid-30's, works for me. Hoping to get going on that main barn this afternoon. Suppose to be in the upper 40's. Great weather for working outside for me.

So I now full get bombarded by three hungry (I want my bottle first) kids. It's a beautiful greeting. I have even learned to manage to feed all three at the same time. I do want to purchase a small lumbar bucket for the future, just in case. I do not plan on bottle feeding and babies born here but you never know why you might need to. Any that certainly is a long ways off. These three are doing awesome! I still need someone to help me get weights once a week, but it's getting close to being to late to worry about it. Maybe Sunday when they come to help me with other chores. They look healthy and act very healthy. All three are eating pellets and hay. I have not witnessed any of them drinking water since that first time that Winchester drank a little. Tomorrow puts Winchester at 5 weeks and Rio & Nutmeg at 4 weeks.

Getting the main barn cleaned out this week so I can prepare for some relocating. Sunday my helpers are coming over so I can get Sage & Ginger's hooves trimmed, CDT vaccine and Copper bolus done. Then they will be turned out into the large pasture. I just need help with the gates as Sage & Ginger are not use to collars and leashes. So my hands will be full getting them to the milk stand. Not even sure Ginger will fit this stand. Sage will for sure. So then on the stand I need someone to make sure the goats don't side step over the edge while I work on their hooves & such. If Ginger doesn't fit on the stand then I will have to hope that Mike can be firm enough, but gentle as well to help hold Ginger well I work from the ground.

Need to trim the babies and CDT & copper bolus as well, but that may have to wait for another day. Hoping I can get it all done on the one day. Once the older does are in the larger pasture I will clean out the shelters in the buck pen then transfer the babies to that pen the following week. This will give them an opportunity to get use to the electric fence. Poor little ones. I do need to start getting them use to collars and leashes. Makes it so much easier for hoof trimming, shots, etc.

I am thinking I may want to purchase another doe around Nutmeg's age or a little younger. As in a few weeks she will need to be separated from the boys, but I don't believe will be big enough to go in with the older does by herself. I think she needs a pal around her age. I know it means a little more work for me, but much more comfort for her. I think I will contact Wendy and see if she has any younger does left. A week or so younger would be good, easier to get them on the bottle. Maybe I am crazy?

Also starting to warm up enough to get the yard furniture out & flower beds cleaned up so we can get them ready for flowers and greenery. Then Doreen has a couple dozen yard ornaments to put out. In a couple of weeks, around the first of May, I will need to uncover the pool and start preparing that for the summer. We usually have our first swim Memorial day weekend. I don't think it will be warm enough this year for that, but you never know. So it needs to be ready.

Ok, off of here to get some house cleaning done, before I can disappear outside. I absolutely hate housework! However, it has to be done.

Oh yeah, currently looking for young hens. Either already started laying or will be soon. About 10 I think. Nothing currently in my area. Need those eggs.

 

[goats&moregoats]

So I meant to post pictures when I was on this morning. Also sorry about the double post, not sure how that happened.


Going to look at two doelings tomorrow morning. I will pick one of them.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Cuties! So glad the bottle issues are better!

Excited for Nutmeg to have a buddy! Of course you know that we are all enablers anyway! Looking forward to more pics!

 

[goats&moregoats]

@Baymule @Hens and Roos @babsbag, maybe @Southern by choice as well. Hoping you can answer a question for me. I have found a sight that says these babies should be getting between 20-30 oz twice a day until they are readily eating hay & grain or pellets. They are 3- & 4 weeks of age. Now I don't want to over feed them, but I certainly don't want to under feed them either. The three I got about a week and a half ago are drinking 30 oz twice a day. They also get pellets in the am and fresh hay. Water is available as well. They do eat hay and the 1/2 cup of pellets is gone, not dumped by evening feeding. I have witnessed all three eating both. Question is: Is this an accurate feeding schedule for Alpine/Nubian mix for these ages? I have only dealt with Nigerians in the past. They have not developed scours and seem quite happy and active.

I brought home another doeling. She is the same mixed breeds. A day younger than Nutmeg. She had a good meal this morning and totally refused the bottle tonight. I figured she would, she should take some at am feeding. We have named her Juniper and she has no issue fitting in with the other babies. She was on a lumbar bucket so she should transition to my hand held bottle without to much difficulty. I may just purchase a lumbar bucket to finish out this round of kids. Not sure, I like to know they are each getting the amount they need and Nutmeg is a little pigger. She can suck down almost two whole bottles before the boys get half way through their 2nd one.

I noticed that Winchester is developing quite the stout body and Rio has some strength behind him. I can tell that they all have grown a bit since I have gotten them. The new girl is a bit bigger than Nutmeg, but raising them together they should pal up, which is what I would like.

Nasty weather kept me inside yesterday. Today I was inside most of the day as well. My fiance' had some shopping to do and Doreen can't be left alone. So nothing got done on the barn today either. I hear that tomorrow and Sunday are suppose to be really nice, so maybe tomorrow afternoon. I have a co-worker from the last couple of summers that I need to visit in the am. She has just recently found out she has cancer.

Juniper


Everyone getting to know one another.

 

[Southern by choice]

They look much older than 3-4 weeks. Looks like 2+ months! Wowser.

Yes that is fine as far as bottles... I would allow them free choice feed and hay. I know you are already giving hay but the feed I'd just leave out as long as they aren't gobbling it down too fast.
Congrats on the goats- Haven't been on much, I need to catch up with all your adventures.

 

[goats&moregoats]

@Southern by choice I am get baby weights this weekend.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Congrats on the new addition. Can't help you as far as the amount of milk needed- only have nigies and we have been dam raising!

 

[Baymule]

They sure look healthy, you must be doing it right! Congrats on the beautiful babies!