New and could use lots of tips!

[Vkp23]

Holy Batman woman, that mineral is $42.99 for 10 measly pounds?????

The copper is good, but I (in my most regal opinion ) think the calcium/phosphorus ratio is not the best. It should be 2 to 1 cal to phos.

Here's the mineral I use, you pay for shipping https://www.newcountryorganics.com/healthy-organic-minerals-for-goats-50-lb-bag.html

$36 for a 50 lb bag. Shipping is another 22 which brings it up to $55 for 50 lbs which is still a better deal.

These folks have a shipping location in VA so the shipping charge may be different.

Just trying to be helpful. Don't get mad, please.

Oh no! Not mad at all! I need al, the help I can get! What is the selenium levels in it? With 6 children things are always constant and I don’t want any absent mindedness or business to cause horrible lapses in nutrition. I’m hoping to have something with enough in it to make sure they stay in the nutrients they need.

 

[Baymule]

I echo what the others said about complete honesty with your children. I have 3 granddaughters, ages 14, 6 and about to be 5 years old. We raised a steer last winter, named Goldie. The little girls loved Goldie but understood that he was to be steaks, roast and hamburger. My daughter bought a freezer and had it delivered. The 4 year old got excited and told the delivery men, "That's my MEAT freezer! We're going to put a COW in my freezer!"

They have always understood that the pigs were sausage and porkchops. They name the pigs. This year, they named Sir Hogsworth, Starchild and Bootie Face. They will get some of Bootie Face in their freezer. One year, the now 6 year old (she was 3) named the pigs Piper and Poodle. Our son came to visit and they went to go see the pigs. He asked if she wanted to go see Bacon and Pork Chop.
She-They are named Piper and Poodle
He-No, they are Bacon and Pork Chop
She-Piper and Poodle!
He-Bacon and Pork Chop!
She-That's what they'll be when they DIE! Right NOW they are Piper and Poodle!

I don't remember who it was, but they named their chickens. When they were slaughtered, their name went on the bag. The children were always told "who" they were having for supper.

Kids are a lot more resilient than you think. You have plenty of time to think this through and to explain to your children that Some goats are pets and will be kept, some will be sold to make another family happy and some will be meat for the family.

 

[Vkp23]

I echo what the others said about complete honesty with your children. I have 3 granddaughters, ages 14, 6 and about to be 5 years old. We raised a steer last winter, named Goldie. The little girls loved Goldie but understood that he was to be steaks, roast and hamburger. My daughter bought a freezer and had it delivered. The 4 year old got excited and told the delivery men, "That's my MEAT freezer! We're going to put a COW in my freezer!"

They have always understood that the pigs were sausage and porkchops. They name the pigs. This year, they named Sir Hogsworth, Starchild and Bootie Face. They will get some of Bootie Face in their freezer. One year, the now 6 year old (she was 3) named the pigs Piper and Poodle. Our son came to visit and they went to go see the pigs. He asked if she wanted to go see Bacon and Pork Chop.
She-They are named Piper and Poodle
He-No, they are Bacon and Pork Chop
She-Piper and Poodle!
He-Bacon and Pork Chop!
She-That's what they'll be when they DIE! Right NOW they are Piper and Poodle!

I don't remember who it was, but they named their chickens. When they were slaughtered, their name went on the bag. The children were always told "who" they were having for supper.

Kids are a lot more resilient than you think. You have plenty of time to think this through and to explain to your children that Some goats are pets and will be kept, some will be sold to make another family happy and some will be meat for the family.

When we did chickens we said all of them their name was dinner. Lol. I did test the waters a little bit tonight with the 13yr old and 8yr old. She made an evil face and was all “come here little goat, I’m gonna eat you”. Then said she was more concerned that goat meat would be nasty and that it might be a bit weird to raise it ourselves. Was a little put off thinking we would butcher it but was like “oh ok” when I said we would get someone else to do it. The 8yr old…idk…it’s gonna take a lot of talking to him to get him to cope with it more. He seemed somewhere between about to cry and just concerned like Marlee was. I’m thinking what we may have to do is just limit their exposure to any we decide to eat. At least until it becomes more ”normal” to them. They don’t have any issue knowing that what they eat was once alive, it’s just the having “known“ the animal personally I think. This is something that would be a good year to year and a half before we’d really have to worry about anyway. Within that time we might would have already done some chickens and I think that might would soften the blow for other more personable animals.