Chicks

Hurray for newborn chicks! As of this post, we've got around 25 chicks out of thirty eggs. Pretty darn good! Looks like a couple more might hatch as well.

I tell you, if it doesn't hatch in a Brisnea, it wasn't going to hatch at all!

These are just little mutt layer chickens. The breeds were Road Island Red, Black Astralop, Leghorn, Americana, and a few others I didn't quite recognize or remember. Sure made some cute little chicks though. Can't wait to see how they feather out.

Today, Steven was outside while the goats were on graze, and Indy ran up to him crying. He petted her and goes "Hi Mini-Hope!" before going back inside. I admit, she does look like a miniature-Hope!

So I wonder, does this count for the bet? I never expected him to acknowledge her without asking me where she came from! I know he's probably put two and two together though and just figures no point in asking, but now I'm pondering if this closes the betting or if we have to wait until he asks. Which might be never!

Indiana

Today my friend dropped off a little doeling named Indy, in exchange for a future kid.

Sweetest little doeling you ever laid eyes on. She freshened her first time with triplets, so I'm really looking forward to putting her with Roadhouse Blue and seeing what she produces.

But the really interesting part of this is that I didn't tell hubby! Hahaha!

I know, it's bad of me, but I'm doing a sort of experiment here. I want to see how long it takes Steven to notice there is an extra goat in the pen!
Steven does go out from time to time to pet the goats and give them treats, so I guess it just depends on how much he's paying attention.

A few friends of mine and I have a betting pool going on how long it takes him. I was very pessimistic and locked in at a week or more! What do you guys think?

On a very positive note, I will be bringing home a dream next month. It's taken some searching and some working, but I will be bringing home a Welsh pony on May 8th. A pony of my very own. What a joy.

I hope and plan to share this joy with some young girls in the neighborhood, daughters of my friends, who are at that age where they really could use someone they can confide in. When I was their age, I would have given anything for a friend who had a pony I could love on, so I will be doing my best to share this gift with them.

Keep checking back for more updates on this situation, and to hear when Steven notices Indy's in the pen!

Disbudding

So I disbudded for the first time yesterday. My friend and neighbor bought an iron we could share (we share a lot of things!) and so I went over there and we did Romeo and her two new bucklings.

It really wasn't that bad. Sure, it stunk pretty bad, and sure they screamed and squirmed, but wouldn't you?

We think we did a pretty good job of it our first time around. At least we didn't fry any brains. We'll keep an eye on them, especially Romeo, to see how well it took. Romeo at least might need to be done again, as his horns were just starting to come over the hair.

I felt bad for them, but really, there's so many things we do when it comes to keeping animals. Some (most) of them are things that need to be done for their own good. So you just have to suck it up and do it.

Case in point, today I went to my friend's house. She had to leave for an important appointment, but one of her goats was stuck somewhere in the underbrush. I found him stuck in the fence wire. Why? Because he couldn't manuveour his head to get out.

My friend has had problems with stray dogs. She has two Great Pyrenees who do an awesome job, but it would have just taken moments for those dogs to take advantage of the poor stuck goat.

His horns are in the process of being banded off, not just for his safety, but because he's begun to use them on the other goats.

It's no secret I like horns, some of my goats are horned. But from now on I will be disbudding kids. They sell easier without the horns, are safer around children, and don't generally get stuck in fences.

And now, I must fetch my own goats back in; they're enjoying their time out on the pasture but I must start work soon.

Apologies

I apologize for the long hiatus! Things have just been really busy and I hadn't had a chance to update.

The trip to North Texas went really awesome! I had a great time. New pictures of Romeo can of course be seen on the website, and there is a short video of me riding Uncle Dan on my youtube.

I have since brought home the two Harlequin Nigerian Dwarves, a dam and her January daughter, home. They are both blue eyed and just stunning. The doe has a magnificent udder, which I will be letting fill tonight.

My neighbor has gotten a new buck, blue-eyed and moonspotted. Can hardly wait to use him at the end of the year.

Keep an eye on the website for a major update, adding the new does, changing some breeding information, and just a general clean up.

Rudy may or may not be pregnant, still not for sure on her. She doesn't seem to be growing an udder and has me a bit frustrated. I want to wring her precious little neck.

Chicken eggs in the incubator, and they are due around April 26th. I candled and saw some definite growth and movement, so check back to see the chicks.

All else is well, I apologize again for the long delay in posts and will be making an effort to keep up better.