I cannot believe how the year is flying past!
All seems to be back to normal on the farm, including the hens again not laying in the hen house.
One day I got 11 eggs, of 12 potentially laying hens, and since then it's between 1-4. Ridiculous! Don't they know that the non-layers awaits a rather cold and minced future??!!
I have found a home for two of the billy goats: once they are old enough to be weaned, in a fortnight, they will go to a neighbour's place down the road. The children, Mr.11 especially, are not too happy about it, but we're keeping the cuddliest kid, Moritz, as long as he behaves himself.
The ducks still haven't molted enough to identify the boys from the girls, properly, so they are all still alive and eating. At least I managed last weekend to put a gate up and fix part of the fence which had been destroyed by the kid goats and the windy weather. So I don't have to shepherd them back into the run every morning now. Grateful for small mercies.
A month ago I had mated two of the bunny girls, with the large white boy, Werner, and I'm hoping that today they'll pop a dozen or two!
And once the goat kids are sorted, the paddock properly fenced with an electric wire at the bottom, I'll get a couple of girl piglets!!! The neighbour's sows had a tiny girl each, officially they're called runts, but they look so cute, it seems rude to call them that. Hopefully with a bit of more time they will still grow to a decent size. The neighbour's not too sure what to do with them, so once she has to make a decision we'll talk with her. As pigs are very destructive once they're older, I have to think very carefully about where to put them!
But, as I'm finding out now, there's not a lot of meat on dairy goats, so keeping them for meat is not really feasible. So, I'd rather use any paddock space for another animal.
Tomorrow I shall be starting milking the girls again, the withholding period after their drench is finished today. Again I will have to lock the kid goats away for the night so I have a chance of getting some milk!
Today we were supposed to go a beach with the school, for Water Safety training, but Mr.11 complained of a queasy tummy, AND the weather forecast is cold winds for mid morning. It's a three hour round trip, so we decided not to take the risk: I'm not keen on a potentially vomiting kid in the car in bad weather! We had gone the last time it was run, so I will just make the kids have a look again at some of the safety measures on the net.
TTFN
off to feed my menagerie.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
First Post of Two Thousand and Twelve
So, the first year has been already for 10 days and of course heaps has happened again. Somehow my wish for a quiet and slow year has not been registered.
So, where to start?
The animals of course:
in the last 6 weeks I have had a lot of bunnies die from the RabbitCaliciVirus, and for a while I was worried about keeping enough for future breeding. Fortunately both my future breeding buck and doe, Werner and Wanda ( large NZ White look alikes), and our original pets, Silver and Brownie (which had been vaccinated, but the revax had been due 6 months ago) survived. In total I lost 9 out of 24. One doe intended for the freezer is getting a second chance, and I've got 5 other boys who will go to the freezer this and next week.
Then Poppy was just not looking right.
I had been milking them, getting approximately 500ml each every day and Kara was really enjoying our own fresh milk.
Despite me feeding her heaps she was looking tired and quite overwhelmed by the boys' constant feeding.
A lot of other people had their animals literally drop dead over night. So I decided to get a FEC (fecal egg count) done, and lo and behold it came back with astronomical numbers: Tui 2500 and Poppy 3200. Anything up to 400 is manageable.
I gave the vet the samples on Tuesday morning and by Thursday lunch time had the result!
I had the drench, but I didn't know their weight. Giving them too much will kill them, not enough and it won't kill the worms. We have a hanging meat scale up to 100kg, and I borrowed a block&chain set from the neighbours, but still needed a sling to lift them up in. So, I spent the better part of Thursday afternoon making, trying out and adjusting a makeshift sling. And in the end it worked. Well, I won't know it worked til I know that the dose I gave had killed most. But anyway, weighed them, Tui 58kg and Poppy 63kg and gave them the appropriate dose.
Another item on my to-do list was ringing the billy goats. I had hired an elastrator and the vaccination gun from the vet. On Tuesday I grabbed the boys and gave them their first 5in1 shots,which includes a tetanus shot, and in 4 weeks the follow up.
And today I just had our very nice and helpful neighbour around and, at 5 weeks old, the goat boy kids have been ringed.
And here they are in their still youthful innocence.
And as for the rest of the menagerie?
The chickens are all still there, all 30 of them! I will isolating some of the pullets, to see who is laying and who is not, and then decide whether to sell or butcher the rest.
And the ducks are still growing. They had started to moult, but I still can't say for sure who's a boy and who's a girl. Except for one. So I will have to wait til the boys have their adult plumage, I don't want to accidentally butcher a girl!
The weather has been very changeable, hot and wet, which has been blamed for the recent outbreaks of all sorts of nasties-related diseases in livestock, and I'm hoping it'll settle again, and we can get on with properly managing the animals.
To tired to have to deal with any more emergencies, but I suppose I will if I have to.
TTFN
peace and sleep and out.
So, where to start?
The animals of course:
in the last 6 weeks I have had a lot of bunnies die from the RabbitCaliciVirus, and for a while I was worried about keeping enough for future breeding. Fortunately both my future breeding buck and doe, Werner and Wanda ( large NZ White look alikes), and our original pets, Silver and Brownie (which had been vaccinated, but the revax had been due 6 months ago) survived. In total I lost 9 out of 24. One doe intended for the freezer is getting a second chance, and I've got 5 other boys who will go to the freezer this and next week.
Then Poppy was just not looking right.
I had been milking them, getting approximately 500ml each every day and Kara was really enjoying our own fresh milk.
Despite me feeding her heaps she was looking tired and quite overwhelmed by the boys' constant feeding.
A lot of other people had their animals literally drop dead over night. So I decided to get a FEC (fecal egg count) done, and lo and behold it came back with astronomical numbers: Tui 2500 and Poppy 3200. Anything up to 400 is manageable.
I gave the vet the samples on Tuesday morning and by Thursday lunch time had the result!
I had the drench, but I didn't know their weight. Giving them too much will kill them, not enough and it won't kill the worms. We have a hanging meat scale up to 100kg, and I borrowed a block&chain set from the neighbours, but still needed a sling to lift them up in. So, I spent the better part of Thursday afternoon making, trying out and adjusting a makeshift sling. And in the end it worked. Well, I won't know it worked til I know that the dose I gave had killed most. But anyway, weighed them, Tui 58kg and Poppy 63kg and gave them the appropriate dose.
Another item on my to-do list was ringing the billy goats. I had hired an elastrator and the vaccination gun from the vet. On Tuesday I grabbed the boys and gave them their first 5in1 shots,which includes a tetanus shot, and in 4 weeks the follow up.
And today I just had our very nice and helpful neighbour around and, at 5 weeks old, the goat boy kids have been ringed.
And here they are in their still youthful innocence.
The chickens are all still there, all 30 of them! I will isolating some of the pullets, to see who is laying and who is not, and then decide whether to sell or butcher the rest.
And the ducks are still growing. They had started to moult, but I still can't say for sure who's a boy and who's a girl. Except for one. So I will have to wait til the boys have their adult plumage, I don't want to accidentally butcher a girl!
The weather has been very changeable, hot and wet, which has been blamed for the recent outbreaks of all sorts of nasties-related diseases in livestock, and I'm hoping it'll settle again, and we can get on with properly managing the animals.
To tired to have to deal with any more emergencies, but I suppose I will if I have to.
TTFN
peace and sleep and out.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Pt 2 of last post!
and then the goat milking saga:
Today:
Hi all,
day three in my saga to get milk of my goats.
Every night I have been locking up the kids around 8pm and taken the girls to the milking stand, giving them nibbles and trying to milk them.
Up to the part of the getting the milk out of the teats it's all been good.
Tui, who had had mastitis in one teat, is giving about a tablespoon each day!!!
Poppy, a drop or two.
Their udders are not bursting full, but I can definitely feel some milk in there, and once I let out the kids they seem to be getting what they want with no problems.
Now, as we all are first timers I'm fully aware that my technique might be lacking.
I have tried you tube, but all the goats seem to have way bigger teats than my girls: I can place only three of my fingers around them, which is impossible for me to work.
One thing I can't sort is breaking the tiny plug that seems to develop over night at the tip of the teat.
Maybe I'm way to gentle, but I'd rather be too gentle than the other way around and freak the girls out by pulling/squeezing too hard.
Any tips, videos hints highly appreciated.
Today, 30 mins later:
kind of what I did just now.
And success!
I took a container with hot water and a flannel with me,
gave the teat a gentle rub down and soaked the plug bit.
And then I worked them, a bit firmer than the previous times, and lo and behold, the milk flowed!
Squirted more likely. I was trying to remember the rhythm I had to get into when using a breastpump myself and it worked.
I still have to sort out the milking and locking out arrangement, as the other goat was running around like mad wanting her share of nibbles. A second gate to the barn entrance should fix that!
So pleased!!!
Next thing, there were skin bits from the teat floating in the milk, so I filtered it through an 8 layer cheese cloth. Is that enough?
It looks clean and is sitting now in the fridge.
oh, and here's the proof, it's a large jam jar:
So, finally pretty much exactly a year after we got our goats Poppy and Tui I finally got my first milk.
And after I've strained and chilled it we had a wee taste and it tastes good.
"Nice in a sweet kinda way" according to Ms.8
Win some, lose some.
As long as the winning outdoes the losing I'll be fine and continuing in my persuits.
A very Merry and Peaceful Christmas and a good start to the New Year
love and peace,
Petra
Today:
Hi all,
day three in my saga to get milk of my goats.
Every night I have been locking up the kids around 8pm and taken the girls to the milking stand, giving them nibbles and trying to milk them.
Up to the part of the getting the milk out of the teats it's all been good.
Tui, who had had mastitis in one teat, is giving about a tablespoon each day!!!
Poppy, a drop or two.
Their udders are not bursting full, but I can definitely feel some milk in there, and once I let out the kids they seem to be getting what they want with no problems.
Now, as we all are first timers I'm fully aware that my technique might be lacking.
I have tried you tube, but all the goats seem to have way bigger teats than my girls: I can place only three of my fingers around them, which is impossible for me to work.
One thing I can't sort is breaking the tiny plug that seems to develop over night at the tip of the teat.
Maybe I'm way to gentle, but I'd rather be too gentle than the other way around and freak the girls out by pulling/squeezing too hard.
Any tips, videos hints highly appreciated.
Today, 30 mins later:
kind of what I did just now.
And success!
I took a container with hot water and a flannel with me,
gave the teat a gentle rub down and soaked the plug bit.
And then I worked them, a bit firmer than the previous times, and lo and behold, the milk flowed!
Squirted more likely. I was trying to remember the rhythm I had to get into when using a breastpump myself and it worked.
I still have to sort out the milking and locking out arrangement, as the other goat was running around like mad wanting her share of nibbles. A second gate to the barn entrance should fix that!
So pleased!!!
Next thing, there were skin bits from the teat floating in the milk, so I filtered it through an 8 layer cheese cloth. Is that enough?
It looks clean and is sitting now in the fridge.
oh, and here's the proof, it's a large jam jar:
So, finally pretty much exactly a year after we got our goats Poppy and Tui I finally got my first milk.
And after I've strained and chilled it we had a wee taste and it tastes good.
"Nice in a sweet kinda way" according to Ms.8
Win some, lose some.
As long as the winning outdoes the losing I'll be fine and continuing in my persuits.
A very Merry and Peaceful Christmas and a good start to the New Year
love and peace,
Petra
One more post for the year?
I've been rushed of my feet in the past weeks, again!
I'll copy and paste the relevant conversations from my lifestyle block posts.
Suffice it to say, I'm looking forward to a quiet end of the year, and an even quieter start of the next one!!
First bunny saga:
15.12
I'll copy and paste the relevant conversations from my lifestyle block posts.
Suffice it to say, I'm looking forward to a quiet end of the year, and an even quieter start of the next one!!
First bunny saga:
15.12
Sudden bunny death
..again. 
This time one of the young ones due for slaughter in a fortnight!
Rigor mortis hasn't set in yet, I think. How long does it normally last? The nose is grey and cold, but the body is about as cold when I have finished prepping them, meaning not colder than me, to my touch.
Anyway, this one had plenty of room to run around, was getting pellets and grass ad lib.
The boys were only now starting to get obnoxious with each other.
Could he have died of a sudden fright? No obvious wounds or marks anywhere, so no fight with predator.
I haven't done the post mortem yet, got to look after the goats and kids first.
Back later with my findings.
This time one of the young ones due for slaughter in a fortnight!
Rigor mortis hasn't set in yet, I think. How long does it normally last? The nose is grey and cold, but the body is about as cold when I have finished prepping them, meaning not colder than me, to my touch.
Anyway, this one had plenty of room to run around, was getting pellets and grass ad lib.
The boys were only now starting to get obnoxious with each other.
Could he have died of a sudden fright? No obvious wounds or marks anywhere, so no fight with predator.
I haven't done the post mortem yet, got to look after the goats and kids first.
Back later with my findings.
16.12
Wow, I just googled and found a very interesting and informative article on RCD.
It's a PDF but nevertheless:
http://www.csiro.au/files/files/plep.pdf
I suppose if I keep them isolated for the next fortnight, and on pellets, and they all stay alive, they should be safe to eat!
Better evaluate my breeding stock and get it vaccinated too! So far we've only done the pet ones.
It's a PDF but nevertheless:
http://www.csiro.au/files/files/plep.pdf
I suppose if I keep them isolated for the next fortnight, and on pellets, and they all stay alive, they should be safe to eat!
Better evaluate my breeding stock and get it vaccinated too! So far we've only done the pet ones.
17.12
Another one this morning, and this time I went straight in.
BUT, it looks all normal. Well, it looks like the other ones that I had butchered for eating.
No discernible spots anywhere, definitely no blackening on any of the organs, no frothy mucus around the cavity.
So far the two dead have been plain white ones, looking the closest like NZ White.
Yesterday I had noticed one being a bit quieter than the others, but can't tell whether that was todays's corpse. When feeding today I noticed one of the coloured ones sitting a bit behind. Also, it's only in the outside boys pen. So far nothing has happened in the girls pen, which is in our courtyard. Let's wait and see.
What is an appropriate way of disposing of the bodies? I had intended of burying them. We do have a drum I could burn them in, but burying would be easier.
BUT, it looks all normal. Well, it looks like the other ones that I had butchered for eating.
No discernible spots anywhere, definitely no blackening on any of the organs, no frothy mucus around the cavity.
So far the two dead have been plain white ones, looking the closest like NZ White.
Yesterday I had noticed one being a bit quieter than the others, but can't tell whether that was todays's corpse. When feeding today I noticed one of the coloured ones sitting a bit behind. Also, it's only in the outside boys pen. So far nothing has happened in the girls pen, which is in our courtyard. Let's wait and see.
What is an appropriate way of disposing of the bodies? I had intended of burying them. We do have a drum I could burn them in, but burying would be easier.
18.12.
and another one.
This one has been dead a while, stiff as a board. So no PM.
I suppose it's like with tummy bugs etc.: a week after the last corpse I can assume the rest will be fine?
I'm tempted to cull the lot, except for the intended stud boy and a couple of mates to keep him company.
This one has been dead a while, stiff as a board. So no PM.
I suppose it's like with tummy bugs etc.: a week after the last corpse I can assume the rest will be fine?
I'm tempted to cull the lot, except for the intended stud boy and a couple of mates to keep him company.
19.12.
Unfortunately I had to euthanize another one last night, but today the ones that were looking a bit on the dopey side seem to be perking up.
Spoken to the vet, he said burying is fine, and he's going to find something out for me regarding vaccinations.
As he wouldn't eat any, I will not cull them, but wait and see who will survive. I'm doing hourly checks now, to be able to put any out of their misery.
Anybody out there in a similar situation who has eaten bunnies?
And what about hunted ones? They might be infected but not showing signs?
On the up side, I can get my animal cuddles from the goat kids, one of them is positively cuddly and always tries to snuggle up on my lap. But, boy do they have ants in their pants!
Spoken to the vet, he said burying is fine, and he's going to find something out for me regarding vaccinations.
As he wouldn't eat any, I will not cull them, but wait and see who will survive. I'm doing hourly checks now, to be able to put any out of their misery.
Anybody out there in a similar situation who has eaten bunnies?
And what about hunted ones? They might be infected but not showing signs?
On the up side, I can get my animal cuddles from the goat kids, one of them is positively cuddly and always tries to snuggle up on my lap. But, boy do they have ants in their pants!
and another one today, 20.12.11
If my tally is correct that's 5 out of 14.
Not happy but I can only wait and see.
BUT, today I butchered three of the girls, no rabbit in the separate girl run has shown any signs of infection, so I thought I'd get in there before anything happens to them too.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Times like these...
...make me very happy about my choices.
Bed time was approaching and the kids were kind of cooperating. Closing their doors I was wondering if I could get away with taking the goats in straight away or whether all hell would break loose once I had left the building?
Well, went and did it anyway.
Got the pellets for bribery, glass jar for milk, the Phytolacca and got Tui first. Cooperating all the way and stripping done in minimum time ( milk still stringy and ever so lightly pinkish). Got Poppy: she was fully into the idea of having little tidbits while walking back to the paddock! That distance normally takes her 20 minutes, if I keep pushing and pulling. Today, I think it would have been less than 5!
Next the ducks to be locked back into their hut.
First, a cuddle with the heaving mass of bunnies and grabbing a few handfuls of fresh grass for them.
Went towards the hut, quietly because I had seen some movement inside and found they had taken themselves to bed already! I upset them a bit by actually looking closer in to count, but not too close: they've been in there only for 3 days and already the pong is too much to bear!
To counter that I decided to pick on of my pink roses that had opened over the last few days and it is smelling heavenly.
On my way back I checked and the kids doors were still shut and it was peacefully quiet.
Tomorrow will be most probably the day from hell, so I thought I'd better write this down to remind myself when it gets too bad, that it will get good again too!
TTFN
Bed time was approaching and the kids were kind of cooperating. Closing their doors I was wondering if I could get away with taking the goats in straight away or whether all hell would break loose once I had left the building?
Well, went and did it anyway.
Got the pellets for bribery, glass jar for milk, the Phytolacca and got Tui first. Cooperating all the way and stripping done in minimum time ( milk still stringy and ever so lightly pinkish). Got Poppy: she was fully into the idea of having little tidbits while walking back to the paddock! That distance normally takes her 20 minutes, if I keep pushing and pulling. Today, I think it would have been less than 5!
Next the ducks to be locked back into their hut.
First, a cuddle with the heaving mass of bunnies and grabbing a few handfuls of fresh grass for them.
Went towards the hut, quietly because I had seen some movement inside and found they had taken themselves to bed already! I upset them a bit by actually looking closer in to count, but not too close: they've been in there only for 3 days and already the pong is too much to bear!
To counter that I decided to pick on of my pink roses that had opened over the last few days and it is smelling heavenly.
On my way back I checked and the kids doors were still shut and it was peacefully quiet.
Tomorrow will be most probably the day from hell, so I thought I'd better write this down to remind myself when it gets too bad, that it will get good again too!
TTFN
Duck run up and running
After the last couple of weeks of building, ramming warratahs in the ground and putting mesh up it's finally done.
On Sunday evening I moved the ducklings into their new enclosure. Complete with 'shower-tray' bath feature. It took them a while to get into it, but once they did there was no stopping. They splashed and paddled til they all were absolutely soggy wet.
We all went to bed completely shattered and then the storm started. I thought I could leave them out and not worry about chasing them to lock them up in the hut. I was wrong: I was tossing and turning so badly that in the end I gave up and went out in my PJ's and gumboots, torch in hand and chased them, 2x2x2, until I had them all safely locked up in the hut. And just as well I had gone down, the roof had blown open and was hanging of the hinges. Fortunately nothing had broken and a few more bricks on the top of it secured it for the night.
Here now the pics of the whole process:
And as a final touch, a couple of images of the resident wild pheasant that came to visit a couple of times in the past weeks.
That's all folks,
Peace and out!
On Sunday evening I moved the ducklings into their new enclosure. Complete with 'shower-tray' bath feature. It took them a while to get into it, but once they did there was no stopping. They splashed and paddled til they all were absolutely soggy wet.
We all went to bed completely shattered and then the storm started. I thought I could leave them out and not worry about chasing them to lock them up in the hut. I was wrong: I was tossing and turning so badly that in the end I gave up and went out in my PJ's and gumboots, torch in hand and chased them, 2x2x2, until I had them all safely locked up in the hut. And just as well I had gone down, the roof had blown open and was hanging of the hinges. Fortunately nothing had broken and a few more bricks on the top of it secured it for the night.
Here now the pics of the whole process:
And as a final touch, a couple of images of the resident wild pheasant that came to visit a couple of times in the past weeks.
That's all folks,
Peace and out!
Monday, November 21, 2011
The Countdown has started!
As of Sunday, 20.11.11 I am counting down the days until the goats will definitely have had something!
On Sunday it was T - 40. I won't be reporting daily, but if you see a number it pretty much means nothing has happened and so many more to go!
Tui's still suffering from mastitis, but at least she's getting used to being handled on the milking stand. And that stand has been a blessing in disguise: having to handle her and administer the medication is so much easier with it. Hopefully the mastitis won't be of a problem anymore once she has kidded!
Until then I've got Project duck to keep me occupied. As they are literally growing over night I have to make a new home for them. After having learned from the first failure I am now making a decent large house and will make a properly fenced-in run. At night I will lock them into house and during the day will let them out into the run; and once they are big enough into the orchard. But even the orchard will get fenced in eventually.
Anyway, on Saturday I started making the house and put the finishing touches on today. Ross gave me technical advise and recommendations regarding materials to use. But the actual sawing, drilling etc was done by me.
I was going to post some pics, but the uploader is having a hissy fit. I will try at another time.
That's it for now, a short and sweet update on the general state of things. Well not quite, I don't think I've mentioned the chicks, chickens, hens AWOL and that female bunny who's decided 3 days ago to make a nest and pull out all her fur, even though I don't think she could be pregnant. But I haven't sat down with the calender and checked when all the boys got moved. I'll leave her be, not much I can do about it either way anyway!
Peace and out.
On Sunday it was T - 40. I won't be reporting daily, but if you see a number it pretty much means nothing has happened and so many more to go!
Tui's still suffering from mastitis, but at least she's getting used to being handled on the milking stand. And that stand has been a blessing in disguise: having to handle her and administer the medication is so much easier with it. Hopefully the mastitis won't be of a problem anymore once she has kidded!
Until then I've got Project duck to keep me occupied. As they are literally growing over night I have to make a new home for them. After having learned from the first failure I am now making a decent large house and will make a properly fenced-in run. At night I will lock them into house and during the day will let them out into the run; and once they are big enough into the orchard. But even the orchard will get fenced in eventually.
Anyway, on Saturday I started making the house and put the finishing touches on today. Ross gave me technical advise and recommendations regarding materials to use. But the actual sawing, drilling etc was done by me.
I was going to post some pics, but the uploader is having a hissy fit. I will try at another time.
That's it for now, a short and sweet update on the general state of things. Well not quite, I don't think I've mentioned the chicks, chickens, hens AWOL and that female bunny who's decided 3 days ago to make a nest and pull out all her fur, even though I don't think she could be pregnant. But I haven't sat down with the calender and checked when all the boys got moved. I'll leave her be, not much I can do about it either way anyway!
Peace and out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)