SA Farm's journal

[SA Farm]

I had ordered some hatching eggs for April or so, but the lady had a cancellation and asked if I wanted them now...sure, why not? So I have a dozen Ameraucana eggs in the bator along with a half a dozen of my Cochin eggs. I’m not holding my breath with the Cochins, but since the bator is running anyway, it seemed like the thing to do.

I started shearing Woolfie on the weekend as planned, but soon ran out of steam. My back really can’t handle that much bending. Gonna have to figure something else out. Supposed to be nice this week - it’s already melting - so I’m going to try to make myself a stand of some sort. I got Woolfie’s back done (lol) but getting her up off the ground would definitely make my life easier! I’m sure she won’t mind looking ridiculous for a few more days.
Got the wool I collected washed and dried. Started picking, carding, and turning it into rolags already. It’s fun, but I’m taking a break now. I find I really don’t like picking in the evenings even when I’m feeling good. I need natural light to find all the bits of VM (vegetation matter) without giving myself eye strain. (I’m not old, but I feel like I am 😕)

Tomorrow I will hopefully have some news regarding my “back attacks”. After another few hospital trips, I was finally prescribed a slightly better and still baby safe pain killer. My doc actually called me and got me scheduled for a CT scan, so I have an appointment to get the results and whatnot tomorrow. Too bad it wasn’t today since I spent about three hours in agony again 😑
🤞They have a final diagnosis for me and we can figure out a treatment/prevention plan and whatnot.

Even with all that, I still feel very positive about this year in general. I’m clinging to faith and hope with all my might 💕
(No, those are not the names of any of my animals 😂)

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I had ordered some hatching eggs for April or so, but the lady had a cancellation and asked if I wanted them now...sure, why not? So I have a dozen Ameraucana eggs in the bator along with a half a dozen of my Cochin eggs. I’m not holding my breath with the Cochins, but since the bator is running anyway, it seemed like the thing to do.

I started shearing Woolfie on the weekend as planned, but soon ran out of steam. My back really can’t handle that much bending. Gonna have to figure something else out. Supposed to be nice this week - it’s already melting - so I’m going to try to make myself a stand of some sort. I got Woolfie’s back done (lol) but getting her up off the ground would definitely make my life easier! I’m sure she won’t mind looking ridiculous for a few more days.
Got the wool I collected washed and dried. Started picking, carding, and turning it into rolags already. It’s fun, but I’m taking a break now. I find I really don’t like picking in the evenings even when I’m feeling good. I need natural light to find all the bits of VM (vegetation matter) without giving myself eye strain. (I’m not old, but I feel like I am 😕)

Tomorrow I will hopefully have some news regarding my “back attacks”. After another few hospital trips, I was finally prescribed a slightly better and still baby safe pain killer. My doc actually called me and got me scheduled for a CT scan, so I have an appointment to get the results and whatnot tomorrow. Too bad it wasn’t today since I spent about three hours in agony again 😑
🤞They have a final diagnosis for me and we can figure out a treatment/prevention plan and whatnot.

Even with all that, I still feel very positive about this year in general. I’m clinging to faith and hope with all my might 💕
(No, those are not the names of any of my animals 😂)

Have you looked into a stand for shearing? Like a milking or grooming stand, something that will get the sheep a few feet off the ground so you don't have to bend as much?

 

[SA Farm]

Have you looked into a stand for shearing? Like a milking or grooming stand, something that will get the sheep a few feet off the ground so you don't have to bend as much?

My plan is to make one or get DH to build me one 😊

 

[Ridgetop]

By using a stand with a head stall (not a neck stanchion like for goat milking) you can train the sheep to stand for shearing. You won't have to wrestle with the sheep or crouch on the ground and it will be easier for your back. Sheep fitting stands are about 12" off the ground. You can also get stands that drop down on the ground and then crank up into position. These are useful for larger sheep and big rams. If you can train the sheep to get onto the stand using grain, you can do one sheep every few days, making it easier to do your whole flock over a month or so. That is how I used to do our 4-H sheep flock twice a year. We are in so CA so shearing 2x a year was not a health problem. I used to shear just before lambing, and again before breeding to clean up the ewes.

 

[SA Farm]

I’m thinking about something that gives me options for a stanchion for grain while milking and a head stall or something similar for shearing. Maybe just using a halter with a support or something 🤔 I’ll look up some pics of both and run the ideas past DH.
There is a manufacturer for the head stall ones not far that I need to call and see what their prices are.

Doc is back to thinking it’s kidney stones 🤦‍♀️ He’s referring me to a urologist. Until then, I get to wait and endure. I’m to go to the hospital if it gets bad enough.

Animals are doing good 😊

 

[Baymule]

I think they can bust kidney tones with a lazer so that they can be passed. I hope this is something that can be easily dealt with and doesn't require surgery.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Any old wooden roller coasters near you? Supposedly the vibrations and shaking from the old wooden roller coasters can help break up kidney stones.

 

[Baymule]

Or you can saddle up a wind turbine-as long as it isn’t frozen still. LOL

 

[thistlebloom]

We have a theme park 5 miles from us and it has an old wooden roller coaster! I would be happy to host your kidney stone therapy, but you'll have to wait until it opens in May. 😄

I know it's very painful, but stones sound a lot easier to deal with, and less disabling then many other alternatives. I hope they ease off until you get a definitive diagnosis.

 

[SA Farm]

Spent Wednesday and Thursday in the ER. It’s officially gall stones!
Got lots of spinning done the second day since I was mostly waiting around for about 6 hours. (Waiting for results, mostly.)
Glad I brought my spindle and a purse full of rolags 😁

Probably going to have to have my gallbladder removed at some point. Seems the stones have been getting stuck and blocking the bile duct, causing bile to back up which has been really annoying my liver and causing major pain...good times.
Finally got it figured out! I’m not happy, but I’m happy, if you know what I mean 😝

I got my chickens cleaned out yesterday and am looking forward to warm temps this week to get more stuff done. I did a candle check on a few of the hatching eggs I bought and saw veining! So, gotta get DH moving on my brooder shed. Planning to get one of our moms to watch baby so we can get some serious stuff done together one day this week 😁