Honey We Need A Nursery

After years of living in bliss with my small herd of small goats inside a field fence, along come Cora Belle and Filbert. Experts in the art of fence flaw finding. They can't help it, it comes naturally. Descendants of a long line of fence flaw finders. They can squeeze through the openings in the fence and tend to do it when the horse farmer next door is feeding his horses. They run crying to him like he is their long lost owner. Filbert is even smart enough to squeeze his way back when he's done. So I have been trying to get Hubby to find the time in his busy schedule (motorcycle riding!) to help me build a nursery pen. This will have the proper 2x4 inch openings that are made for small baby goats with big ideas. We started it this weekend. So far we have the holes dug for the posts. It is slow going because we also burned and mowed........and hubby rode motorcycles.

We will need about 150 feet of fencing. I know this because hubby walked it off. Now two of the sides are already fenced with field fence. So hubby starts out and walks the other two sides then he looks at me and calls out a number. I say"Keep going, we need to do the other sides too." He says, "What" and looks at me, with mouth hanging open, pretending he didn't hear me but really he did but is just hoping the answer will change in the meantime. I say "Keep going we need to do all the sides in 2x4 fencing." He gives me a pained look and counts on. 150 feet. When all is said and done the nursery will have a nice stall with a door that opens into the pen and there will be a gate to the main pasture.

Should be done next weekend.......as long as there isn't another motorcycle ride. I'll be screening his calls.

Fence Etiquette

Somewhere it must be written, the rules of a fence. Like this one- If you go through a gate, close it.
Or- No climbing the fences, it tears them down. What every farmer knows. Rules to live by.
There is nothing I like better, and I mean nothing, than a good fence. I have been known to ask for fence posts for a gift. My hubby knows the way to my heart involves a post hole digger.
Just the other day I about swooned when I went by my neighbor's new fence. 40 acres worth. Notice the beautiful rails and the no-climb fencing on the inside. To die for!
So let it be known I take my fences seriously.
Almost 20 years ago we fenced our property with a fairly nice fence. It was a little like the Red Hen story. None of the neighbors at the time wanted to help or share in the expense. So we did all the work and bought all the materials and worked our you know whats off fencing the property for our animals. But that hasn't stopped all the neighbors over the years from enjoying the fruits of our labor. The neighbors on one side have used the fence as their own. They have tacked their electric fence to it not to mention various fencing and gates, only to run through those gates and tear the fence down. They plant rose bushes to crawl along it even after I explained why that is not a good idea. And do I have to go tell someone not to hang Christmas lights on a fence that keeps horses and goats in?

On the back side of the property I have chose to ignore the rope and buoys that adorn my farm fence. And all the junk that lines it.

That leaves one more side that has a neighbor. This neighbor graded their property so far down and so close to my fence that now my poor fence has a permanent lean. Then said neighbor asked me if we wanted to redo our fence because it wasn't looking so good. They too have tacked on their electric fences and various gates etc......and without even asking. Not to long ago I noticed some plants dying only to discover that they over sprayed their weedkiller into my pasture of weeds. One person's weeds are another person's goat food. But the last straw was when I went down to feed and I could hear the distinct popping of an electric fence grounding on something. I walked over to the fence and saw that they had grounded their fence on the wire of my field fence. Actually taped it to the fence. Electrifying the whole thing for me to innocently come along and touch. So once again do I have to tell reasonably bright people to take their electricity off my fence? Yes I do...and did.

In a nice way.

I think if you put a fence around your property that it's your fence. If the neighbors want a fence to use and not just look at then they need to put up their own and not use mine. Don't tie, lean, paint, hammer or electrify anything on my fence. I am very territorial.

But maybe I'm wrong.....it's been known to happen.

My Nature's Recipe Boy

He once sang to goats..........
Then traded a goat for a guitar. Now he plays "Stairway to Heaven" for his aunt.......

They grow up way too fast. Love Ya D.

Saturday

Here are a few pictures I took this morning while doing chores. I have been letting the hens out to peck around while I am out there to chase off anyone that fancies a chicken dinner.

I have one hen that has a deformed beak. She leans her head to the side to pick up goodies on the ground. Chickens are smarter than they look.

Here is a picture of her back. She is very pretty and sweet with her crooked smile.

Ramona the Brave is first to come out the door and first to come running if one of the other hens has a problem. She is my favorite.

One of the Light Brahma chicks. I have moved them into the chicken coop with the big girls but due to the age difference I put them in a cage so everyone can get used to each other. The hen with the crooked beak loves to hang out with them. The Speckled Sussex chicks are still in the chicken tractor. I may leave them there, I may not.

One of "The Ladies" after she laid an egg in the goat stall and is telling the neighborhood all about it.

This is huge for Koo. He use to be deathly afraid of the pigs and would not get anywhere near them and now is not so bothered by them. It makes things a lot easier.

Passing out carrots.

Not Dinner Yet

I was wondering what was happening at Pavel's grandmother's house with the roosters. At school yesterday Pavel filled me in. Apparently Pavel's grandmother was happy with the roosters but they were a bit smaller than they thought they would be even though I had said they were babies. It must have gotten lost in the translation. So the baby roosters were plunked down into the chicken coop where they became the victims of a rather bullying crowd of hens. Grandfather quickly intervened and has built them their own pen where they will grow until they, according to Pavel, will be able to show those hens whose boss.

Spring Cleaning

Time for a little spring cleaning. Stalls get cleaned out and a fresh layer of shavings down. Cobwebs are swept away. And Koo gets a haircut.

Here he is before

And here he is after

Our only goal is comfort so he looks a bit ragged. This is the first round of haircuts. When it gets a little warmer we will do round 2. I managed to save a nice bunch of it for the gal that gave me the pigs. Although Koo's fiber is no where near the quality of Penne's. Penne's cut will come another day.

Here are some other shots I took around the place

Cora Belle Adorable

Penne's favorite spot to relax

The girls checking out the dog

The Dog


Light Brahma chicks

Speckled Sussex chicks....see the first speckle

Goat doing what goats do best.

Is It Against The Law To Butcher Chickens?

I ended up with 2 roosters out of my bunch of chicks so I had to find a home for them. I am sure my neighbors won't want roosters crowing. I have pretty good neighbors so don't want to put them out....and a rooster crowing at 4:30 am is putting them out a bit. I must admit I hate it too. I have always been bothered by a crowing rooster. It would be fine if they stuck to a 9-5 schedule but they sometimes get in a crowing jag in the middle of the night and I'm rarely wanting to get up at 5 in the morning. So I wanted to give mine away before they got too big. I asked a boy at school, Pavel, if he thought his grandmother would like them. Now I know that they do eat some of their chickens and if this was the fate of mine I could live with that but I didn't say that to Pavel. The next day he comes with a note from his mother that said they would like the roosters. I told him I would deliver them after school. He was very excited. As he walked back to class with a teacher he said to her, "Is it against the law to butcher chickens?" She didn't know so she told me what he said. I knew he was worried that his family might eat one of my chickens so when he ran by to go to recess I called him over and told him it wasn't against the law to butcher chickens and if his family wanted to eat the roosters I was OK with that He let out a deep breath, visibly relaxed, smiled and went on his merry way.
That afternoon I drove the two roosters over feeling very guilty. I really have no problem with them eating them. I eat chicken. I can't be a hypocrite. It is the act of catching them and putting them in a box and driving them over. Kind of like Dead Man Walking. When I got to the street I was greeted by a gaggle of children excited to see me in their neighborhood. They escorted me to Pavel's house where I gave a startled Russian man a box full of rooster. Pavel spoke to him in Russian and they headed on down the road to Grandmother's house. Pavel wanted to surprise Grandmother. As I drove by her house I saw a lovely yard with a very nice chicken coop in the back.
I would like to think that the roosters will live a long life with a large flock of hens.

How It's Made

On the Discovery Channel is a show called "How It's Made". Usually I find it very interesting, how they make the most ordinary object but tonight they had a very disturbing story on hatchery chicks. They are actually moved all through a conveyor belt system that has no dignity or regard for life. They are thrown and tossed along a belt, thrown through chutes, shook through screens and sprayed with antibiotics. I was appalled and Hubby was too, as he wandered through the room. I sure hope Murray McMurry doesn't handle the chicks that way.

One interesting thing I did learn was that when they sex the chicks they pull out one wing and if the two sets of feathers are uneven it's a pullet if they are even it's a rooster. I watched several people do it and wish I had baby chicks to test it out. I wrote it down so I would remember next year. I wish I knew that a few months ago when I picked out my chicks.

Maybe I wouldn't have gotten two Roo's.

Nature's Recipe

After work on Friday I took a journey across the bay to a farm of two students at my school. It was really only a car ride around the bay. Their mom and dad had ordered chicks for me and then brooded them while I was gone. What a beautiful farm. I drove up a long drive with pastures full of sheep on either side. On one side of the drive was the original log cabin and on the other was a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wrightish house. I wanted to live there. When they told me their cabin was for rent I had to think twice about going home.

I had ordered 3 Light Brahmas and 3 Speckled Sussex. The Brahma chicks were easy enough to spot but the Speckled Sussex blended into the Americanas. So I would say to the little girl, "See that small one with the specks and white legs? Get that one." And she would dive into this flock of about 50 chicks and come out with one every time. She is normally shy but around the farm she opened right up. Now at school we share a special bond. Funny how animals do that.

On Saturday Cora Belle and Filbert's goatfarmer came by to drop off her papers and see the herd. I was anxious to have her look at my little bitty buck that is no bigger than a minute.
Ruckus has hardly grown. He is smaller than the two new babies and he is 9 months old.
Well she thought he was the cutest little thing, but there is something not quite right with him. He doesn't seem to be developing into much of a buck. He appears to be a bit light in the loafers.....not that there's anything wrong with that. I call him my micro buck. Trust the does!!!! They never did liked him, in that way.

Saturday afternoon my mom came out with my nephew, who is 8. He wanted to spend the night. I would like to think it was the farm but really it's the motorcycles. He loves to ride with his uncle. He only does the farm stuff with me when we have to give hubby a rest. We had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and made smores. He was thrilled to have farm fresh eggs in the morning and even more thrilled when he found one in the nest. I let him dissect it. He's a city boy. He needed convincing that it was the same thing that he bought at the store. He also wore me out. What a smart, capable little boy that loves to talk......about everything. We went to get our tomato plants from Farmer Dick and planted them with potatoes. One thing that kept him really busy was a sprayer filled with vinegar. His job was to spray the weeds in the driveway. I taught him how to pump it up. It kept him busy for ever and the weeds are dying as we speak.

It reminds me of another nephew that loved to come stay. He would get a feed pan and fill it full of all the things a goat loves and called it Nature's Recipe. While the goat ate he would brush its coat and sing.
So the weekend was a little of every thing I love. A Nature's Recipe

Here's to Family and Friends.......Especially If They Will Feed The Animals

hey, down in front

We have just returned from a long weekend in Los Angeles where my son's girlfriend graduated with a ton of honors from Loyola Marymount University. We are so proud of this smart, funny wonderful young lady that has entered our lives. We got to meet and spend time with her family. I felt like I had known them forever. The brothers are a bonus for my "only child" son. I told him that I love his girlfriend and he agreed and said he loved the whole package. Family and all. What a blessing.
We stayed at a very strange hotel that was right next door to my son's apartment and the university. It is brand new and considered a "boutique hotel" but I think it was just strange right down to the contents in the mini bar. Here is an example.......pink duct tape, radish seeds, red socks, a balsam airplane, and a large dog show rosette. We did have a lot of fun trying to figure out what the pink duct tape was for. But radish seeds? What the heck is that all about? That is taking the "eating local" a bit too far.
We had a great dinner at Downtown Disney on Mother's Day. I hadn't spent a Mother's Day with my boy in 4 years so enjoyed every minute. We toasted new beginnings as these two are off to the University of Colorado, Boulder for their graduate work in molecular biology. If everything goes as planned I will be calling them Doctor in about 5-6 years.
Meanwhile back at the farm, my neighbors had tag team animal care game going on. My neighbor fed in the evenings and on weekends and my friend had mornings. The friend was a bit scared of the llamas so they had to be locked up only to be let out later when the neighbor came over. The pigs got a bit bored with their confinement so tipped their water over every day so they could watch the neighbor fill it up again. They never do this when I'm home. Then the neighbor accidentally fed the pigs some beet pulp I had left over from my horse days. She thought it was the pig food. She was on her way with an armful of hay for the goats when she heard an awful choking sound. Running back she saw the pigs , what appeared to her, getting sick, so the dedicated farm girl jumped in the middle of Fiona and Daphne and scooped up all the remaining food. I said, "Weren't you scared?" She said, "Not really, but it's hard to do with a new French manicure."
She had a baby goat jump over the wall of her stall and get into the feed room. Hmmmm I wonder who that could be, Cora Belle? She had the whole herd let themselves out when she didn't tighten the chain enough. Luckily my good friends and neighbors know what my motto is......
As Long As They Are Still Breathing When I Get Home I'm Good......Takes a lot of the pressure off.
We arrived home to happy healthy animals and many fond memories of graduations, a university that was a home to my boy and his girl, laughing with new friends.......and pink duct tape.

What a Tragedy

My friend is a big horse racing fan. She worked at a local track during college and has followed racing ever since. But two years ago she watched Barbaro give his life for the sport. She watched greedy men use animals for their entertainment and was disillusioned. So last year she had no interest in the Kentucky Derby. But today when I stopped by her house on my way home she was watching the run for the roses again. She held her breath as all the horses got out of the gate. She worried as all the horses ran in such a large pack. She breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that all made it across the finish line safely. She had her favorites but I was rooting for the lone filly, Eight Belles. Eight Belles finished second. Quite an accomplishment. Then she fell down with both ankles broken only to be euthanized minutes later. While the winners celebrated their victory she lay on the track shielded by two ambulances so the crowd would not have to witness the downside of racing. What a tragedy.

When will man stop using animals, pushing them beyond the limits of their bodies, for their entertainment? And when will people say "Enough"

You Can Take The Boy Out Of The Farm, But You Can't Take The Farm Out Of The Boy, And He Brings His Girl Right Along With Him.

We had a very busy weekend with the arrival of our son and his lovely girlfriend.
Along with feeding baby goats

and convincing a llama it wants to be petted,


we got down to some serious hoof trimming. We decided to take advantage of the extra sets of hands and try out our pig flipping technique. My son practiced a few times on the dogs with good results so was ready to give the pigs a try. My hubby and I stood outside the pen trying to come up with a plan of action. Our son just jumped right in and flipped Daphne gently on her back. She screamed her head off but held very still while I trimmed her hooves. The tin snips I bought wouldn't touch it but my horse nippers worked just fine. Before she knew it she was upright again with a mouthful of wormer. Fiona was not so easy. She heard one squeal from Daphne and shoved past me and out into the pasture. It took a fair amount of convincing and a bit of pig food to coax her back in the pen. Her flip was much more difficult. She gave it a good fight and a few times struggled on her back, which according to what I read rarely happens, but we sent her on her way with a spring in her step.......and a mouthful of wormer.


Our Family Portrait

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

I am totally in love. Cora Belle and Filbert are the most darling pair of baby goats. They have settled in quite nicely. Cora Belle has been taking the bottle from day one but Filbert put up such a fuss I stopped trying. The other day I gave Cora Belle her bottle and then thought I'd try Filbert one last time. They had spent their first night in their stall and he was feeling a bit sorry for himself. I put the nipple in his mouth. He didn't protest, thought about it a second, took a sip and has never looked back. He loves his bottle and now he is putty in my hands. He loves me. Bottle babies are great. While they are drinking I pet them all over to get them used to being handled, everywhere. Besides there is nothing cuter than a baby goat, tail wagging, and drinking out of a bottle. I purposely wanted them to bottle feed. My son and his girlfriend are coming home for the weekend. I think part of the farm experience has to be bottle feeding a baby goat, don't you think? And I have noticed that it comforts them to have a bit of milk.

I let the kids out with the big goats yesterday and much to my surprise the herd was quite nice to the babies. It is fascinating watching animals respect the babies of the herd. Cora Belle and Filbert were very comfortable with the big goats. Semi Sweet acts like they might even be hers, she just can't remember.

When I get home from school I let all the critters out in the common pasture. Not Cora Belle and Filbert though. They are just too little yet. So imagine my surprise when I went to put everyone away tonight and meeting me at the gate is Filbert and Cora Belle. I couldn't imagine how they got out.But when you put two Belles together it means TROUBLE. They put their two Belle heads together and pushed the dog crate across the stall and jumped on that into the other goat stall that was open to the pasture. So they were free to join in the herd fun. Out came the dog crate and Hubby swears there is no way a baby goat can get over that wall. I don't think he has heard the stories. I told him that these are not ordinary goats. These are super athletic goats. The likes of which we have never seen. He looked a little concerned.

Now if I could just get him to stop calling her Clara Belle.

Filbert and Cora Belle's Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day

Taking babies away from their mommas is traumatic any way you go about it. Cora Belle and Filbert have spent the first full day away from their mom and they don't like it. Filbert has been trying all day to get back to her. He is sure he is late and needs to get back before he gets into trouble. Cora Belle is pretty much content to stand by my side and be adored, she is in no rush to get back. Cora Belle will climb right in your lap for a snuggle. Filbert will climb in your lap too but only because he has noticed that your head is closer to the top of the stall wall and that is where he wants to be. I feel bad for him and tell him that some day, very soon, he will be happy at our small farm but right now my words fall on deaf ears. He has fought me on everything. No way on the bottle! You want to put WHAT around my neck! He has spent the day giving the fencing a good look over. Body slammed it a few times to check for weaknesses. This is one smart goat. It's in his genes. I have read all the stories about his family's talent of escape artistry but didn't quite believe it until I experienced it for myself. I have been content all these years with my not-so-bright herd that only could get out in the usual ways. Filbert has raised the bar. He is now known as Herron Hill Don't Fence Me In.

He just can't go anywhere with out his beloved Cora Belle. She is his strength.

Penne takes a look.....
Penne likes the babies and Koo admires from afar.

New Kids on the Block

In between April snowstorms we brought Cora Belle and Filbert home, along with some milk and a bottle. I am going to bottle feed them for awhile so that we can bond. Now they have never had a bottle but we decided to give it a shot. Cora Belle took right to it but Filbert acted like we were fattening him up for the kill. He has heard stories in the goat yard about what happens to some wethers. Eventually he decided that he was a bit hungry so he gave it a sip. Cora Belle sucked hers down in nothing flat. But these two are as different as can be. Cora Belle will let me touch her all over, Filbert won't let me touch him anywhere. He is very cautious. She is very curious.

Filbert was kind of overlooked by me. I only had eyes for the lovely Cora Belle. Now that I have been able to spend some time with him I can see he is a very pretty boy. He looks just like a miniature French Alpine. So it is my mission to get him as comfortable in his own skin as possible. I will do the TTellington Touch on him. It is a series of movements that you do, with your fingers, on their little bodies while they lie on your lap. I have done it before on babies that are just a little shy and it gets them very comfortable with being touched.

We have them in a dog crate in the "old" bathroom/mudroom because we are having some freakishly cold weather and they were cold. They are all snuggled in getting lots of attention......and I don't have to go outside. Now I just have to get Hubby to stop calling her Clara Belle.

And because I still think I need another doe, I put an order in for a MiniMancha doeling.

Saturday

Saturday morning I will climb the hill to Herron Hill Dairy and bring home Cora Belle,and her brother Filbert!

Celebrity Spotting on the Key Peninsula

About a year ago I was surfing the web for Nigerian Dwarf breeders when I came upon a website for Herron Hill Dairy which led me to the blog of Baby Belle, a Nigerian with an interesting point of view. It is creatively written with a quirkish sense of humor. I do think Baby Belle has a book in this, not unlike James Herriot who happens to be one of my favorites. The great thing is is that Herron Hill Dairy is 20 minutes away from me. So this morning I set off to look at baby goats and to find the famous Baby Belle.

I have been wanting to add a doe or two to my herd and I love the pictures of Herron Hill's goats, especially Boxcar Betty and the Minimanchas. Low and behold but a twin to Boxcar Betty was born this year and that is the one I've set my sights on. Trouble is the goatfarmer doesn't know if she wants to part with the lovely Cora Belle. That's okay, I understand, she is scrumptious.

Herron Hill Dairy sits up on a hill. It has a beautiful big white farmhouse and a big white barn that over looks a lovely valley. It is one of those classic barns you drive by and say to yourself, "I want a barn like that." Well, at least I do. I saw baby goats galore. Darling Nigerians and cuter than cute Minimanchas. I met all the goats but was on the lookout for Baby Belle. I still hadn't seen her. The goatfarmer left me to look at goats when another lady stopped by to pick up her new babies. I wandered around and recognized a few faces but I didn't see Baby Belle anywhere. Then I heard a noise in the manger in front of me and peeked in...

This is what I saw.

Baby Belle is that you?

She wouldn't answer but I think it is........what do you think? I told her she should write a book, that really she already had a book. Her postings being publish worthy. She just kept silently picking the alfalfa out of the grass hay. This goat does not talk with her mouth full.

What an enjoyable outing. A beautiful old farm that is being preserved, the goatfarmer is extremely funny to chat with and the goats are just as Baby Belle tells it.

My first choice is Cora Belle. I have some arm twisting to do here. I even said she could bring her brother, Filbert. Now Cora Belle comes with the stipulation that she is to be shown. I can do that. I used to show goats as a kid and most recently showed dogs for many years. I just got tired of showing dogs because it is a lot of work and traveling. I think it would be great to get back into goats but being that I am competitive and would like to think I have a good eye for conformation I want a really nice goat and Cora Belle is that.

Here is Cora Belle and her brother Filbert.

My second choice is this lovely little MiniMancha, I think her name is Augustine. She is Cora Belle without ears.

Or I will take both!

Twelve Good Looking Chicks

My biddies are growing by leaps and bounds. I swear one day I was taken aback on how they had changed overnight. I had to do a double take. I am very pleased with my choice of hens. Ramona the Brave, the Red Star, remains my favorite. She and I have a bond. The Black Star, whom I call Black Star, is proving to be very friendly too. The Americaunas are quite a colorful bunch. Beautiful sable browns and golds with one a powdery gray color. They aren't as social as the other girls so I haven't really named them yet but that will come. The Wyandottes are now hard to tell apart. So my special chick is a Wyandotte, like fellow blogger DCV said, just with more white.

I can't wait to get them out of the brooder. Hubby too. He keeps asking when we can put them outside. You see he has flashbacks of a first grade class he was in that raised chicks but never cleaned the brooder and he said the smell was terrible. Every day he had to sit in that class and smell chicken smell. So he is a bit paranoid about chicken smell. I am here to tell you I clean out my brooder. But it is time. This weekend it is suppose to be nice so out into the coop they go, ready or not. No really, they are ready. All feathered out and no heat on them anymore.

Here are some pictures of the girls...

A few green legged gals and a Wyandotte

Ramona the Brave, the Red Star future egg laying machine

Powdery gray Americauna

Three's a crowd.......
No modeling hands available. Had to use my old farmer girl's hand.