Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[Britesea]

Oh Wow, what a nightmare! Thank GOD they were saved!

 

[hqueen13]

WHEW! So glad your disaster was averted!! Nothing like panic to help get you motivated! So glad you knew what to do, you may have lost some if you hadn't had ideas. I'm not sure I would have known to do as much!

 

[Mini Horses]

Lot of good work there to keep everyone stable. The vet would only do similar treatment as once they've indulged there is just so much you can do to help, initially -- and you did it.

It's mandatory that, if you have many animals, you learn to treat certain "emergencies" and do things to help the animals. Often extremely prompt treatment can lessen the harsh results of these overeating accidents and a vet isn't always available to get there in this short window of time.

So glad it has worked out well.

Bet that door is locked down now!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks for the support ya'll. I think it was one of the worst feelings I've ever had in all the decades of owning animals - just because it involved nearly every animal on the place and had the potential to be so devastating. My biggest fear now is that I kept telling DH how horrible this was and since it turned out so well he may think I was 'crying wolf'.

You are so right MH - no getting through that door now! Even if it gets left wide open no critter will be able to squeeze through the 2x4 inch panel that is now acting as a second door. DH installed large eye bolts and we use clips to keep the panel in place. I can then access the panel from either side of the door. Simple but totally effective.

I believe I'll have babies by the end of the month. Spooky is getting wider by the minute! She's delivered twins twice, but maybe trips this time? It's so funny to try and predict the number...I've had goats that hardly looked pregnant drop three and does that were huge have one. Eh...

I swear I'm going to start tomato plants this weekend. I should have already done it. What else is new? A day late and a dollar short - story of my life, lol!

Happy Tuesday, ya'll!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Got on Craigslist yesterday - bad idea, lol! I've been having a hankering for pigs again. It's been a couple of years since we had some and I'm missing that home grown pork! Sooooo, what to my wandering eyes should appear? American Guinea Hogs! I've been corresponding with a lady about 90 miles from here that has a litter. She doesn't have any unrelated ones, but I still may get a brother and sister pair. I could breed them and just know that the babies will be freezer fodder. And, that might give me the possibility of trading breeders with someone else who has some unrelated stock. Then I responded to another ad that had a pair of 'mini' pigs that were crossed with blue butt. They're small, but lean. Might pick those up too. OR - my DH might tell me I've lost my mind, who knows? Like I need anything else to take care of - right?

!

 

[hqueen13]

mmmmm Bacon! I want pigs just for bacon and sausage someday! The BF doesn't care much for the rest of the pig, but bacon and sausage are good!! I do like a really good ham bone for the soup pot though...

 

[Mini Horses]

OH, Craigslist!!!!!! I passed up two 1 y/o, female, AGHs & an adult mini (that was really one of the small, pet ones)...for $50!! All. she'd had them listed higher, didn't sell, needed them gone. But, 2 hr away and hey, straight to butcher as I already have 4. Didn't want babies in winter......whew. CL kills me. Did not buy them.

Such control! Now, looking at cuckoo marans & more Ameraucanas.....guess the control left. Truck needed water line repair, so didn't go get them yesterday. BUT....calling back today to be sure still available. It's all about egg color. I plan to get roos with each, pen from laying hens, then collect fertile eggs for the incubator. I swear....YOU caused this....with all your hatching reports. Only need to sell enough to pay for the purchases. Sounds good, right?
Ahhhh...build new pens....and follo-up on the Arkansas Blues. Trying to buy those. "Chicken math"

As to the pigs.... you know line breeding can be "ok". HEY, you bring me a male from your line & I'll give you that one I offered you. Trip back won't be bad....use the pick-up and you won't know they are there. I'm raising for meat, not working to make pig improvements in the breed.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I know, I know - I'm a chicken enabler, lol. But, you're not alone because I'm about to fill up the incubator AGAIN! Somebody just shoot me, lol.

I am ok with the line breeding...do it all the time with my goats. I just thought that if I had an opportunity to sell some piglets that folks might not want to buy brothers and sisters that had brothers and sisters for parents!

We might have to do that trade thing if I can't find any closer to home!

 

[Mini Horses]

More chicks?? Well, if they are selling and/or being used. It is OK !! (How's that for enabling??) Are you using own eggs?

I talked with a gal who expanded her chicken hatching & raising as she could sell enough to stay home & pay for that. She uses CL --- uuhhhh, how else would I find her? And she had a type I thought I wanted more of (is there any other type?). And since I am looking for the dark maran eggs & the blue eggs from a line (Ameraucanas/legbars/Arkansas blues), I called her.

Now, I am looking at expanding coops to keep breeder types from laying flock. But, chickens are not hard to handle. Plus we have a LOT of TSC's who have swap meets almost every wknd -- between them -- and chickens sell very fast. In our area most cities have allowed limited backyard chickens. Still not overloaded with breeders for the thousands of housing developments which limits ability to keep enough breeders to raise more than a handful "in town". Replacements wanted.

It seems you are in such an area, also.

 

[Denim Deb]

Just starting to get caught up w/everything. So glad you didn't lose anyone. That's one thing I'm glad about w/my new field. The horses have no access at all to the feed stall. Plus, w/the bolt on it, they wouldn't be able to get the door open even if they did manage to get into that area.