rachels.haven 2026 kidding,lactation&farm journal

[Ridgetop]

She's looking more and more like our wether or the bucks. Looks like I may get to add losing money on a hermie to my list of things i've done.

Hermaphrodites happen. We had two show up in 20 years - both Nubians - about 5 yar apart, different parents. One was in our herd, the other belonged to a project member. After neither kidded, and both started looking less feminine, I checked them. In each case when I spread open the vulva with pressure I found what looked like a miniscule penis inside the vulva. Both Hermies had buried testicles in the groin area. Palpation of the groin areas discovered one testicle in the first Hermie, while the second had two testicles. The testicles were small but unmistakeable laying up against the body inside the groin.

In the case of the purchased doe, I would have it confirmed by a vet in writing, and then ask about a replacement doe. Most breeders will replace a Hermaphrodite goat that was sold as a breeding doe. It is not a secret that these oddities occasionally turn up in a herd. Breeders who say they have never had one probably didn't know what it was. Either they sold it on because it did not breed, or in the case of a show herd because it was not feminine enough to show. In fact, if the doe was sold as a bred doe and turns out to be a Hermaphrodite the breeder must replace it or the sale might be considered fraud.

In any event, Hermaphrodites are not that uncommon in goats. By the way, the goat belonging to the project member was replaced with a good doe kid.

 

[Baymule]

Chicken camera is a good idea. Identify the egg eater and put her in the stew pot.

 

[rachels.haven]

After sitting and watching for a while I'm worried it's most of the houdans. Lots of bald faces and they like to follow hens into the nest box and be nosey and not laying.

Also worried about what's coming from an hour away in DC this morning. Oh boy, are things about to get expensive. We sure FAFO'ed alright, just like they were saying we should. Going to be a hard year.

 

[fuzzi]

What's coming?

 

[rachels.haven]

Drama with Iran is going to cause gas, diesel, and fertilizer prices to go up significantly. I don't know all the details but I'm hearing that people worried about fertilizer shortages altogether (that's a big deal here because our soil is stripped and poor and people fertilizer their corn up to 12 ft tall and a yield, not much manure used). This will cause our hay and grain prices to go up and eventually grocery. A miracle would be nice...or maybe it not being as bad as it's looking like. But the agricultural people are getting thrown under the bus first on diesel and fertilizer prices first. I'm seeing $4.50-5.50/gallon today just for gas and $6 for diesel. Prices like that make the world bigger and our influence smaller.

 

[rachels.haven]

By way of farm stuff I bagged a FF distraction goat up to see what she looked like. She's still not all the way full, but this is what she's got.

The local economy is not great for goat selling right now, but she's one I wouldn't send to auction. She's paternal half sister to the goat next to her.

 

[Mini Horses]

You're right with all the detriments -- gas, diesel, fertilizer, it's affecting all agriculture. People think groc are high now, just wait! Growing & transport is affected.

Those of us with in home eggs, dairy & meat -- ahead of the game. Add a few garden plants, top of the pile! Goat poo is a "cool" type, like rabbit, for fertilizer.

Feel better? we family crazies will be fine.

 

[rachels.haven]

I hope you're right. Even our grass hay is fertlizer'ed into softness here.

Oh, other farm thing, on Monday we get a big old hay delivery. That will make me feel a little better until fall.

 

[RR Homestead]

Mark thinks we should get a chicken camera. I am wondering if my egg pecker is the Houdan that I've caught doing "something" in the nestbox that she didn't want to be removed during that also has all the beard feathers picked off, because if she got messy from eating a bunch of gooey, yummy eggs and it covered her beard the other hens would rip her feathers out trying to eat it.

I'm also suspicious of at least one of the broody Cochin bantams because their feet feathers were covered in stinky rotten egg stink and if they were being brought breakfast in bed they 100% would foul themselves to stay sitting.

We have a camera in our coop. Helps a lot finding egg eaters and keeping the flock safer. I've caught rats trying to drag chickens off their roosts at night and down holes. They were eating part of the heads and necks and leaving the rest. It was horrible. Started listening for squawking at night and was able to shoot the rats in the act and save the chickens.

 

[rachels.haven]

We have a camera in our coop. Helps a lot finding egg eaters and keeping the flock safer. I've caught rats trying to drag chickens off their roosts at night and down holes. They were eating part of the heads and necks and leaving the rest. It was horrible. Started listening for squawking at night and was able to shoot the rats in the act and save the chickens.

Ooo, that reminds me of our Detroit chapters. They'd be the size of tomcats and would jump out of tunnels under the coop and grab ducklings as I let them out, right under my feet, and they were too big for the traps so we got them with "Just One Bite" . I'd put the poison out, go do dishes, watch them eat it and then I'd shovel them into the trash...all because of the business behind us allowing dumping in their dumpster with no emptying (and if we complained the city would go after us because gardening and chickens and ducks fed only what they ate twice a day and no more attracts rats, but not tax paying business' full dumpsters). Best of luck in YOUR rat war. It really is war.