It was been a rough couple of days here.  One of Rich's barbadoes ewes went into labor yesterday.  Sarah, had a very rough time.  She was in labor a very long time when we finally saw something... unfortunately, it was a tail not a hoof.  So after a long stuggle, Madison and I were able to deliver a lamb but it was too late, he was already gone.  I think his umbilical cord severed before he was delivered.

I went it and checked for any other lamb and there was onemore but it was still in the sack so we decided to wait until she started in hard labor again.  Meanwhile, Rich did some research and we soon learned that Sarah would probably deliver a stillborn again due to her age and first time being bred.

Today, Sarah just slowly continued to go down hill.  I was sure she was dying and after I checked her temp and found it at 95.8, I decided to go in after the lamb I thought I had felt yesterday.  I knew the stress of that would kill Sarah but she was dying anyway so in I went.  I deleivered a dead lamb ewe and Sarah died less then 2 hours later. Lesson learned with these sheep.. if they have trouble with the first we deliver all lambs immediately.

GoodNight!
Carol

Henry doesn't look good.  He is unsteady on his feet and just doesn't look right.  He less then a 1 week old and I'm afraid he's suffering from floppy kid sydrome.  So I started treatment for that tonight.  Grannie is a good mom but I wonder with her age, maybe he didn't get enough nutrients while in the womb.  Henry will get another dose in the morning and I'll go from there.

I started one of our other young dairy doelings on penicillin as she is suffering from something.  She was a freebie from another farm and I have been trying to nurse her back to health.  She seemed to be doing better but now is going down hill.  The ATB is my last resort before I ask Rich to put her down.

I guess that covers today.. nothing too exciting.  GoodNight!
Carol

Very early this morning, shortly after midnight, Grannie kidded.  Twin bucklings but she lost the second one.  She's an excellent mama and seems to be doing well.  It took a few tries but I finally got Henry to nurse but he's a bit slow.  I hope Grannie's age hasn't a affected him negatively.

I'm really tired tonight as I was up with Grannie for several hours kidding.  So I'm going to bed early. GoodNight!
Carol

Snickers had a set of twins today.  She was due tomorrow so she's right on time.  Twix (buckling) and Skittles (doeling) are doing well and so is mama.

Here they are with Mama:

It was pretty cool out so we did set up a light just to make sure the babies didn't catch a chill.  Rich also closed the north door of the barn to help with the draft. 

Time to check on the babies again.  GoodNight!
Carol

Last evening, I received a call regarding some dairy kids needing a new home.  So off we went this morning after chores to pick up some new kids.  We brought home 5 doelings and 9 bucklings.

I want to add a couple of the doelings to my dairy herd and hopefully find a few homes for the bucklings after we band them.  They sure are a cute bunch :).

So I get to add 4 bootle feedings into my schedule... LOL  Like I'm not busy enough!  Oh well, I love bottle babies are really don't mind at all.

It looks like Snickers (goat doe) is expecting.  I'm not sure if she will go this month or next.  We are also still waiting on Granny (goat doe) who seems to be growing bigger day by day.  She's an old goat and I really didn't think she be fertile any longer but it sure looks like she's expecting.

Well, I'm off to shower.  GoodNight!
Carol

Today we headed out after chores this morning to get our newest addition to the homestead, a donkey named Mickey.

That's Madison with her new friend who she wants to call "Donkey" (like Donkey from the movie Shrek).   He really loves Madison.  He's a mini donkey and should fit in well with our goat herd.  Our llama, Dolly, will now stay with the flock of sheep.  And hopefully all the coyotes will stay far away!

Carol

Madison went out to the pasture this afternoon  to check on the goat and here is what she found:

Ginger had her kid, a buckling, while we were in town. 

Madison brought them both from the pasture to make sure everything was "OK" and both passed Madison's test so we let them back with the herd.

Carol

I thought I'd share a picture of the 3M's now that the babies are clean and dry.  So here's Madison, Maggie and Mollie:

Madison milked Lucy this morning.  Looks like she's going to give us plenty of milk.

Otherwise, it's been a quiet day here.  I'm off to prepare supper.

Carol

We had all kinds of excitement here at the farm today.  As Tiff and Amber and their families got ready to leave, Erick came into thehouse, completely out of breath, stating that he was checking on Lucy and saw her push.  WOW!  That was 1 excited kid! 

So off to the barn we headed.  As we worked on milking the goats, the kids took turns watching Lucy.  We managed to get 4 goats milked (Verona was left and Erick and I had just started on her) before Madison announced a bubble was appearing with hoofs and a nose.  We quit milking Verona and off we went to see the arrival of the new baby.  Erick headed out to announce to everyone who wanted to watch that they best come quickly.

Madison delivered the first kid, a beautiful doeling, easily.  No complications which was nice with so many eyes on Lucy. 

Shortly there after, Lucy gave another push and before Madison could break the bubble, she had a second doeling in her arms.  Once again, easy without complications.  PHEW~!

There are my nephews with eyes glued to the festivities!

With the new kids on the ground and the coousins all happy they got to see the birth of Maggie and Mollie,  both families left the farm for green pastures, lol.

The rest of the day was pretty quiet.  Until Kristine stopped by inviting us over for supper.  She thought someone should cook for us after hosting for a week.  Now, you all know I love to host and it doesn't bother me a bit to do so.  But how could I refuse such a wonderful gesture.  

With chores done early, we headed over to Kristine's for supper and roasting marshmellows over a fire.  It was a very nice evening and a great way to end the day.

Before I forget, I want to mention that our neighbors are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and please keep them in your prayers.

GoodNight!
Carol

After an uneventful overnight in the barn, we decided to butcher a few chickens.  It will be nice to finally have these 50 some birds frozen.  We still have more to go but it's nice to have a few out of the way.  We got to use the chicken plucker on chickens for the first time and how slick that machine is!  I love it!

I also started mulching the potato garden.  I had way too many green spots on the potatoes last year so I decided to heavily mulch the potatoes this year with hilling to hopefully avoid.  We have a huge stack of bad straw that I'm using.  It will also go on the rest of the gardens but the potatoes are first as some willb e ready for harvest around July 4th.

Verona didn't have any more kids.  She seems tired but is doing fairly well considering the awful time she had last night.  I started her on antibotics.  She is my heavy milker so I really don't want to lose her.

So we have Montana and Lucy next to kid.  Montana could go at anytime but Lucy should not go before July 1st.  We have out of state family coming the week after July 4th so maybe they will experience a goat kidding.. who knows!  LOL

Well it's time for chores.  GoodNight!
Carol

Most of my day was spent helping Madison prepare for her 4H livestock demostration.  She gave her demo om Preparing a rabbit for a show and did very well for her first time.  You could tell she was super nervous.  She took Bugsy to "show."  Poor guy, she was flipping him around and monkeying with him due to her nerves.  But he sat there like show rabbit should.  The judge was impressed with how tolerant the Bugsy was.

Madison got a blue ribbon and will do her demostration again at the county fair.  Tonight, the demostrations were done in an assisted living facility in a nearby town.  Here's Madison showing the crowd Bugsy.

After we got home, which was around 9:30 pm,  Madison and Austin headed down to start chores only to find Verona in labor.  After Chas was asleep, Austin joined us in the barn as Verona was having complications. 

My beloved dairy goat was in hard labor and Rich said he was sure something was wrong.  Finally, I saw something but not what I wanted to see, it was either a tail or an ear.  I soon figured out that it was a tail and after a quick read on the internet, I was back in the barn, doing what I needed to do which involved repositioning the kid and delivering it.

I delivered the first doeling but it was dead.  I think the umbilical cord was cut when I "helped."  No sooner was the first kid out and Verona delivered the head of the next kid but it was stuck.  This time Madison assisted and delivered a doeling.  This one was very much alive and after all that, Verona was busy cleaning and caring for the baby.

All that happened just a few minutes ago and I'm pretty sure she is done kidding but will need to be checked a couple more times before I head to bed.

So I'm very tired and need a shower!  GoodNight!
Carol

I realize I already have an entry for today but I thought I'd blog about the rest of our day.  It has been full of events to say the lest.

Farmer Mike had (yes, had) 12 dairy heifers pasturing on our land until this a.m. when we receive a call informing us they were no longer in the fence and on the run at least a 1/2 mile from us.  So I woke the kids and had them on alert should we need their help.  Plus, they could do chores while we were out cattle catching.

To make a looong story short, after 9 hours of looking/chasing and involving about 15 friends/neighbors, here are the results:

~ I got charged by one of the heifers injuring my ankle and I have a few bruises
~ Farmer Mike's son also was injuried but not bad 
~ 15 very sore and tired helpers
~ 5 of the 12 heifers were found and "secured"

The look for the heifers ended at 4:30 p.m. as that is chore time in the dairy country we live in.  That's when Rich returned home to find Madison and I in the barn with Wyoming who was in labor.

I did not like the way Wyoming's labor was progressing and I was sure something was wrong.  Madison was not happy when she had to leave for vacation bible school with dad but she went.  Around 6 pm, Wyoming presented a hoof and I assisted in the delivery of a doeling.  Georgia was stuck, having her leg bent back but it wasn't too bad to correct so I could deliver her. 

So Rich and I waited.  Wyoming was busy cleaning and being a good mama and finally Georgia stood up and nursed so we headed to the house to get some supper.  Around 8ish, Austin headed down to work on chores while I rested my ankle.  He was to check on Wyoming first, which he did and found a hoof presenting.  So off we went to the barn and sure enough, I could see a hoof and ear.

I had to "go in" and help the baby who was very stuck but alive.  After several attempts, I told Austin to get Madison from VBS.  About 10 minutes later, Madison was in the pen (good clothes on) trying to find the leg that was bent backward... she found it but couldn't move it so, once again, I tried.  Madison must have moved it just enough with her little hand that I was able to deliver a bloody but alive buckling.  I won't share a picture of him as it's not pretty.  I will share one later when he isn't so messy.

Poor Wyoming, I hope I didn't do any damage.. I've never had to "go in" and I've very nervous that I may have done some damage.  So I had Madison milk Wyoming so we had colostrum should she not make it.  I'm starting her on antibotics and giving her molasses water.  Rich brought her some alfalfa.  She was busy cleaning and nursing her babies when I left the barn.

And I thought I would be butchering chickens today, lol.
Carol

I need help!  My Saanen goat, Wymoing, kidded this evening.  She had a beautiful doeling and then almost 3 hours later, along came a handsome buckling.  Unfortunately, he was stuck.  Wyoming delivered 1 leg and an ear before I could step in.  When I did step in, she delivered the rest of the head.

I was able after several attempts and Madison's help, deliver a live baby.  My question is, what do I need to watch for IF I possibly injuried her uterus?  I know she needs antibotics.  I read the oxytetracycline is the drug of choice.  Am I right using this?

As I write this she appears to be passing the afterbirth and seems normal.  She's busy cleaning off the last kid.  The doeling is healthy and the buckling is stained with blood but seems to be ok.

Any advice would be welcomed!  Thanks in advance!
Carol

I can't believe it but Rich managed to sell 9 hogs today leaving us with one.  Here is Harry:

I just love his floppy ears.  He's not real friendly but Rich believes he will tame down the more time he spends with Harry.  We'll see.   Rich was pretty attached to Ham and it was a bit hard for him to send her in for processing.  We'll see what happens this time around.

Well, it's time for chores.  I'm still waiting for Wyoming and Verona to kid.  I can't believe Cricket went first.

GoodNight!
Carol

Today was a busy one here on the farm.  I headed out to help Madison with chores and discovered her walking around the goat pen with towels.  She proudly announced to me "I think Cricket's in labor."  "WHO!?" was my reply.  Cricket is a yearling doe who barely looked pregnant but sure enough after watching her for a few minutes, I decided Madison was correct.  We quickly finished chores as we had to get a lamb over to the butcher for processing.  Madison stayed home with Cricket to "assist" if needed. 

After we returned, Rich readied a pen for Cricket.  As we were finishing up, the EQUIP ppl arrived to look at our pastures and help Rich with the ton of questions he has.  Madison and I finished up and put Cricket in her new temporary home.  She was happy to clean the bowl of feed we offered her.

Madison then took up her post in Cricket's pen to wait.  She had all her towels ready to go.  I left to complete the filtering of the milk and get some stuff done in the house.  Around 11:30 am, I headed back to the barn after Rich returned from the pasture.  And here is what I found:

Yep, a new baby, a happy mama and a very excited Madison.  "Mom, you just missed it.  I delivered a baby girl."  The kid was stuck and Madison had to help.  Madsion named her LadyBug.  I can't believe how tiny she is.  She can't weigh more then a couple pounds.

Over the course of the day, we had 3 visitors to the farm and sold a couple rabbits and some eggs.  Rich and Madison brought home 10 hogs just a bit ago.  We will be keeping one and the rest will go up for sale.  Madison's mini rex, Merry, kindled 3 kits today as well.

It was a busy day but a good day.  I better hit the shower.  GoodNight!
Carol