Lorihadams-- hi guys...been busy!

[TanksHill]

Hey Lori,

Just reading up a bit around here. I had to make a comment about the hay vs straw. I hope your goats and bunnies feel ok. Did it give them stomach issues?

g

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Maybe time to educate the neighbor, and put signs up indicating which is which.

 

[lorihadams]

I put hay in the feeder in front of her and told her that she probably wouldn't even need to bother with the straw at all and even showed her where I cut a new bale of hay for her cause she should have finished the bale I had already started for them. When I went to lock up everyone last night there was straw all packed in the bottom of the hay rack and in the tray where they had pulled it out and it looked like the 1/3 bale that they should have easily finished in 4 days time hadn't even been touched. When I got to the bunnies they also had straw all over the bottom of their cages, which means she pulled it from under the hay rack and gave it to them.

I'm just upset cause 2 of my 3 girls are pregnant and need the hay. I loaded up the feeder last night after I got all the straw out. The good news is that she was feeding them alfalfa pellets mixed with BOSS every morning as per my instructions so at least they got something every day. I haven't noticed any clumpy poo so they should be okay. I made sure to correct everything this morning that she managed to screw up over the weekend. She had put one of the rabbit waterers on top of the feeder so that any that dripped out went into the food bin and got the feed all wet and clumpy. I had to clean it out and move the waterer. She had put the wrong tops on some of the waterers so they were leaking. She hadn't properly installed some of the waterers either so they were falling out of the holders. She isn't the brightest bulb in the box but her husband was supposed to be helping her. I have a feeling she let their 14 yr old daughter help too, which doesn't bother me and she was here for the walk through before we left.

I'm just glad that I typed up the instructions for her or I would have really been in trouble. She texted me the first morning and asked me if I left the door to the goat barn open for the goats all day long. Seriously. Their food and water is in the barn so yeah. DUH. Why would I lock them out of their barn all day?

Then she texted me that one of my roosters was out one afternoon. I only have one rooster. I just told her to give them another scoop of food in the afternoons and that should keep them in their enclosure until I can clip wings again.

It just makes me not want to go anywhere again. We have another friend that can come over and watch everyone for us and he is used to farming stuff so I may get him to come do it next time we have to go somewhere. I will have to teach him to milk the girls though cause hubby wants to go to the beach with his dad in August for a week. I will have a coronary just worrying about everyone.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Uhm...wow. She must be seriously unfamiliar with farm life.

 

[hqueen13]

This is why a group of people farming really appeals to me.... LOL. If there is more than one "family" or group on the farm, then it makes it a little easier to get away once in a while, which I also think is needed.

SO sorry she messed everything up. Hope it isn't too tough to straighten out!!

 

[keljonma]

It is always difficult to find someone to fill in while you are away. Even farm-knowledgeable people don't always get it right or do things differently than you would in your normal routine. I have never found an animal that does well for extended periods of time when the routine isn't constant.

We found it really helpful to post complete written instructions in the barn and posted signs above the items. We stored the hay and straw in separate areas of the barn, but we color-coded the signs for the straw and hay to match the baling on it, and the same with the feed, oats, and BOSS. It made things a lot easier, imo, and the people stepping in during our absence were glad of the written postings. Just a thought.....

Glad to hear your new girls are laying! We went to the Austin zoo and animal sanctuary this past week-end. The roosters had the run of the place, but all the pullets and hens were in large pens. It looked like a couple of the young pullets must be laying, because we say a couple eggs in the pens. http://www.austinzoo.org/

 

[Denim Deb]

Even w/complete instructions, and people who know what they're doing, it doesn't mean that things will be done as they should be. It all depends on the person doing the care for you. You get some that will do everything to the letter, and then those that do the minimum. :/

 

[lorihadams]

Well, I wrote everything down, labeled everything, did everything in front of her and she still screwed it up. I just won't let her watch them again.

I even put individual measuring cups in each bin so she only had to reach in and scoop. I did it with her, her husband, and 14 yr old daughter in tow. I figured that at least somebody would have gotten it right. She just doesn't have a lot of common sense, it seems.

She also gets really nervous. That is why she will not milk my goats again. I tried to teach her how and she was so nervous that Aliana wouldn't stand still for her. That and she kept pulling on her teats even though I told her not to. She just doesn't take instructions well.

She got bees this past summer and I'm anxious to see how they do cause she doesn't even look at her hive very often. She doesn't know what to look for and what to feed them or anything and now she wants to get another nuc. She has to plan some in advance. She doesn't seem like much of a planner. She asked me last week if I could ask our bee club president if he had any more nucs. She doesn't get that you have to order them in like November. She thinks she can just go down and pick one up whenever she's ready for it. I had to tell her that she needed to put another hive body on her hive. It kills me.

I'm not an expert by any means but at least I try to learn about something before I jump in. We researched goats for 2 yrs before we got them, I went to beekeeping meetings for a year before getting them, same with ducks, the chickens we just got thrown at us but at least I tried to research about them after they were given to us. I try to prepare for stuff but she just flies by the seat of her pants most times and when you are taking care of animals you just can't do that.

Live and learn. We have a friend that will probably come over and take care of them for us if need be. He just got some pigs and has had experience farming before so it should be easier for him. He also will know when to call us and ask us if something appears out of the ordinary.

 

[BarredBuff]

Well, its hard for me to be gone and I always find fault with whomever does my feeding. They wont listen, and it makes me mad! But hopefully that wont hurt the goats and rabbits to much.

 

[lorihadams]

Well...still no babies so I either wrote the date down wrong (totally possible) or she isn't pregnant. I dunno.

I put the red doe in with the black buck yesterday afternoon and since they are used to being together I just left them in together overnight. She's the one that had 7 the day before xmas. I'll check her in a week to see if she feels pregnant but we all know how good I am at palpating.

I am thinking I will wait a week and then put the speckled doe in with the speckled buck. I also want to put the black buck in with my white doe again to see if she lets him breed her in a couple of days. I think she was just digging the nesting box and was keeping warm. I don't know. I will give it until Sunday and if there are no babies then I'm putting them back together.

Hubby looked at the Meyer Hatchery catalog and okayed my picks for chickens. I did ask him if he could ask around at work and see if anyone wanted chickens so I could order the meaties with the others if need be.

Got up yesterday and Aliana has discharge. I'm letting it warm up a bit and once I get the kids started on their schoolwork I'm gonna run out and check her again with the buck rag. She had better be pregnant. With her having discharge though I'm thinking it didn't take. Now I don't know what to do. If I breed her again then she won't give birth until June. I just don't know if I want to fool with it but then again if I don't breed her again until the fall then I have another mouth to feed with nothing in return. I have spent so much money on gas just going back and forth to the breeder it is ridiculous.

I know that Bethoron is pregnant but I don't know how she is gonna milk, it's her first pregnancy so I don't know what her capacity is going to be or how she will be on the stand. I think she'll do okay but you never know. Once her milk comes in she could go bonkers on me.