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

Today I was pretty busy with the gardens and washing clothes.  It's so nice to be able to hang clothes on the line again.

I thought I'd share some pictures today.  Our 2 crested blue swedish ducks have been missing for a while.  I figured a hawk got them or something but this afternoon, Madison started hollaring at me from the barn.  I couldn't understand her and since we have a couple goats close to kidding, I thought I best leave the garden and head for the barn.

Low and behold, there is Flo (duck) with 4 ducklings in tow.

When we did chores this evening, she had 5 ducklings.  I'm not sure where the 5th one was earlier.  It sure was cute.  She was scolding the pot belly pigs for getting to close to her brood.  LOL  Madison has also discovered the nest of the other blue swedish so I guess we'll see a few more ducklings running around here soon.

I mentioned our Barbados sheep a couple days back and thought I'd share a picture of them as well.

They are just beautiful and today we saw Cooper hanging with the ewes.  I'm hoping they are not to old for breeding.  I guess we'll know in a few months.

We also have a turkey poult and chick in the house as our turkey hen thought a nest on top of the straw in the barn was a good idea.  She hatched them and we removed them as we were sure they would be lost when she decided to take them out of the nest.

She is now sitting a nest of chicken eggs on top of a higher bale..  ok, so she's not the smartest bird we have here but at least she is setting. 

And last we have Wyoming, my more then pregnant Saanen doe.  The earliest she is due is June 2nd.

She seems perfectly miserable.  The highlight of her day is getting on the milk stand for some grain.  Tonight, she had a bit of trouble getting on the stand so I figure it won't be too much longer before she kids.

Well, I think that's all the news for today.  GoodNight!
Carol

I received a call from Farmer Mike today.  He said he was coming over to pick up his tractor and was wondering if Madison would be interested in a calf.   He had one bull calf that was a bit on the "runty" side and thought Madison might enjoy raising it.  I barely got the question out of my mouth and Madison was yelling "yes!!!"

So here is Chuck, our little Ayrshire bull calf:

He's a bit shy but I'm sure Madison will warm him up.  She had to have dad's help giving Chuck his first feeding tonight but says she can handle it tomorrow morning and I got my orders that I need to wake her early enough so she can feed him before school.

We'll see how long that lasts, lol.
Carol

Rich tilled garden plot...  it's ready for my vine planting.  Now I need to find the time to go and plant it.

Ellie and Duncan found a skunk and are spending the night outside!  Oh man, do they stink, UGH!  I'll decided tomorrow if they really got hit and need a bath or not.

I managed to find a home for our last mini rex doe with a 4Her.  She was looking for a mini lop.  The only ones we have are not old enough to leave yet so she decided to get the mini rex.  I need to tatoo the rabbit tonight and she will go to her new home tomorrow after church.

I researched the problem I'm having with my little goat kid. I've decided she has a bacteria in her gut and started her on LA200 today.  I also gave her Vit B and E just to cover a couple extra bases.

Well, it's late.  I better get to bed.  GoodNight!
Carol

I moved our ducks from the brooder house to the barn.  They are doing m ore playingin the water then drinking it.  Since the brooder house has a wood floor, I decided it was time for the "players" to head to the barn.

Here they are all tucked in their new home:

I also managed to snap a picture of our little lamb, Dottie.  She's the one I helped deliver last week.   She looks like she's wearing eyeliner, lol.

My baby goats are looking tough.  I'm not sure what's wrong but I decided to add some electrolytes to their feedings.  They don't have much energy so still seem to want to take a bottle.  I'm afraid the little buckling isn't going to make it but I will do my best to save him.

Well, it's time to feed to babies.  GoodNight!
Carol