Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Lucy is Kinder.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Thought so. I'll bet kinder/kiko crosses are a magical thing made for Texas mud. Can't wait to find out!

 

[Mini Horses]

That udder will clean off some with those lovely shavings. She's one you milk, right? Seems she'd be ok with wiping off BUT -- she's had a stressful night with the noises and you to looksee and then kid!

Lotta white there.... any spots from mom? Hope Conan had more girl sperm for his other gals. Wouldn't that be GREAT!!?

Happy New Year, for real.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That udder will clean off some with those lovely shavings

Wanted her to look good for the photos!

Both babies seem to be basically solid colored except one of them has a white spot on her head... really hard to see back in the barn. Need to get them out in the sunlight to be sure - that that's not likely to happen for a couple of days. I'm guessing that Conan's babies are gonna be pretty boring. Cameo should be due in a few weeks and she's got stronger coloring than Lucy does - so maybe she'll pass on some of her spots. Cameo is the doe I milked most of last year.

Lucy was milked as a FF - not last year though. She's a lovely milker and will definitely be in the rotation this year despite the fact that I don't like her udder. I'm afraid I'm going to have to accept less than gorgeous udders with the Kiko influence - but I don't know that for a fact. I really hope I'm wrong. I do have an ace in the hole though because Dusty passes beautiful does on to his daughters. The plan will be to eventually do a 3-way cross with Dusty, Kinder and Conan.

I'll bet kinder/kiko crosses are a magical thing made for Texas mud.

I sure hope so! They are very laid back and don't fuss when I pick them up...they just go in for the snuggle. I like that. Lucy is kind of...let's say...high strung and bossy so I hope they don't take after HER! She might be on the short list to be sold... time will tell.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

And today we've had 3/4's of an inch of rain - so far. Supposed to get more. You'd think that less than an inch of rain wouldn't be a big deal - but when there's absolutely ZERO water absorption it simply makes a bad situation much worse.

Speaking of bad situation... termite inspection today. Yep - seems that we've been invaded. Sigh... Haven't decided exactly what to do about it yet and not going to think about it until I get another estimate. So - ugh.

Babies are still being babies. Lucy's udder is ridiculously huge - mostly on one side. I milked some out of the fuller side today thinking maybe it was congested - but it's not. I need to keep it milked out cuz I can't have it shutting down. I didn't get home until after dark so didn't really feel like looking for all the mastitis testing stuff - but it looked good. No blood, lumps, bumps, clots or stringy stuff - I think they are both just nursing one side. Watch me tape off that other one if they don't figure this out real quick! Have to work late tomorrow night so I might take time off mid-afternoon and come home for a couple hours. Hate to do that cuz it means I'll have to go outside - do stuff - and then shower and all that crap before I go back to work. Oh well, gotta do whatcha gotta do I guess.

Figured out Cameo's day 150 will be on Jan. 21. Just happens that it's a holiday and I'll be off so I hope she is as compliant as Lucy was and will do it when I'm home.

Then there's little PIA...can't find where I wrote down any due date for her sooooo she will bear close watching. She's little and a FF and I don't have a date - what could be more nerve wracking than that?

 

[NH Homesteader]

PIA is on your cull list right? Is she bred to Chester? Do you still have a Nigerian buck? (I won't ask how many bucks you have , lol!)

Sorry about the rain, and the termites. I don't think we have termites here, they must not like the snow either!

Hey how's your brother? Wasn't he in the hospital?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

My plan is to move all 4 of the Nigi's outta here. But, I won't sell PIA until she kids. I'm afraid she might have a problem and someone wouldn't know how to help her. And, this is why I have so many goats lol.

Truth be known I should move Chester out too - but I probably won't - like ever, lol. But I'm down to 5 bucks! I sold one back in the summer. When the Nigi's go I'll be down to 4: Chester, Dusty, Kinder and Conan. I'd like to use the Kinder guy on Conan's daughters and Conan on the Kinder's daughters. After that we'll probably need help in the udder department and that's Dusty's specialty. Conan and the Kinder have awesome parasite resistance and Dusty isn't bad. Honestly it's Red and her daughter's that are the most prone to issues. But - breeding those daughters to either Conan or Kinder should improve their kids. This is a very long term issue!

My brother is much improved. They never really had an answer other than he was sick - a viral issue of some sort. He's still somewhat low energy but definitely better. Thanks for asking.

 

[perchie.girl]

I have no idea where you are located or the lay of your land. Later on when the weather is better Is it possible for you to dig a french drain under the areas that are problems mud or standing water wise.

They are simply a trench as deep as neeeded to drain away the water some place more convenient... Then filled with Gravel.... And topped off with a thin layer of topsoil... Chickens cant dig in it too far and to make it pretty again just smooth the dirt back over.

I have seen people use this for areas where horses stand and simply make holes by swatting flies with their front feet. Which is usually by a gate.... My horse weighs two thousand pounds she makes big holes....big holes.... Did i mention BIG holes....

Another thing I have done for those pesky holes is smooth them over again with dirt and pack it down then place a stall mat in that spot. For goats you could use Cinder blocks layed on their side. Be a great aid in helping keep their feet worn down as well as they are water permeable so water goes right through them.



deb

 

[NH Homesteader]

Hey 4 bucks isn't so bad! I think it's a good plan keeping PIA until she kids, as long as you sell her after she kids!

Glad your brother is ok!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@perchie.girl I'm south of Houston...the land of perpetual rain and mud. We've basically been wet for over a year now - since Hurricane Harvey in August '17. We got over 50 inches of rain in a few days. Since then I think we might've dried out a couple of times in between when I didn't have to wear mud boots. We had above average rainfall for 11 of the past 12 months. I've lived in this house for over 30 years and it's never been this bad. But, I hear that same story just about every day from people from here all the way to the east coast. Our new normal?

All of your ideas are good ones - but it has to dry out before I can implement ANY idea! Last summer my neighbor and I took out a line of trash trees between us so we could literally dig a ditch to direct run off from both of our properties toward the drainage ditches the county maintains along our road.

I am thankful that my barns are high and dry so the critters at least have a refuge. Even more I'm thankful that the house is also high and we've never been flooded - even though I was worried a bit during H. Harvey.

You definitely have a BIG horse! Where do you keep her since you aren't on your property?

I think it's a good plan keeping PIA until she kids, as long as you sell her after she kids!

I agree, lol! I rarely ever sell a pregnant goat. It just makes me crazy wondering if they'll be ok - especially a FF - and even more especially if it's a little gal like PIA.