Orchid Update

Orchid has come into her own. Unfortunately she still isn't being accepted by the herd and probably will never be. I've been penning Her up at night with Ethels kids in an effort to form a new herd. Another unfortunate the only goat she has bonded even just a little bit with wont be around much longer.
I tried getting some big girl pics but if I'm near then she's trying to get in my lap so the pics kind of suck.

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learning through experience

My khaki Campbell ducks haven't laid in awhile. I asked around andwas told its probably too hot. So I have several choices : A. Butcher them. This isn't what I wantto do. They were $40 plus the cost of feed. So that's not going to happen. B. Sell the flock. Not something I could do in good conscious. They generally are prolific layers, but not in our climate apparently. C. Let them have the sumer off, and provide heat during our short winter. Most bird don't lay during t winter, I would be reversing their cycle.

I've decided to go with option C. I had intended and not interfering, but it just wont work under my circumstances. And since I'm not going to make them lay all year through excessive climate control And hormones, I don't Have guilt about allowingthem to lay during the winter instead of summer.

My chicken have been laying steadily for about two weeks. Well, at least one of them has. She's been broody an not too happy that o keep taking her eggs away. I love how they just hang out and make nests in the shrubs and bushes - or in Her case under a small upside down kiddy pool propped up on one side with rocks. It actually got blown over that way when the water was dumped And they liked it so I left it.

Now if I could just figure out why my rabbits aren't breeding. . .

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roosters don't really care what time it is

Most people use alarm clocks. I use Jagger, my rooster. Jagger starts crowing about 5:30. Most of the time. But not today. This morning he felt 4am was as goof a time as any. And of be lying if I didn't tell you that in that moment, I was thinking Jagger Soup was a great idea for dinner. Especially since none of my chicken eggs were fertile.

Once upon a time the chickens were on the other side of the yard so it wasn't that bad
Now however, we share a wall . HUGE difference. .

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struggling, but still hanging in there

The past few weeks have been challenging. Ethel has a deformed udder which Makes her inappropriate for. Milker. Fortunately, she is producing enough milk to provide for her two surviving kids, as I've stopped supplementing.

Ethel's third kid dies, which always sucks.

My rabbits WONT BREED! Unheard of, right? I've been trying for a month with no luck.

My ducks and chickens aren't laying. I've been told perhaps its just too hot. I know people close by Have chickens so I'm Not sure how true that is right Now. One of the ducks has been sitting on a nest of apparently unfertilized eggs.

Lucys milk supply has dropped because of several mixed milking out of my control. I didn't just leave her. I gave her a kid back when I knew I couldn't get to it. Now instead on my little over one quart, I'm only getting about three cups. And my stand got busted somehow. Probably when all the goats escaped when I forgot to latch the pen.

The yield of my.beginning crop wasn't all the great either. Though the animals sure did enjoy the plants.

All of this is very discouraging and it was very easy for me to fall into old patterns: when things get hard or do work right, quit.

After teeing and throwing in the towel, I pondered my situation and picked my towel back up. What I was trying didn't work. So I'll. Try something else.

As some of you know we've been looking to move for about 4 months and so far nothing has worked out. I'm also rltrying to get pregnant.

What This means for me is downsizing. I want to cut my goat herd in half. Some of those goats will make their way to the dinner table, some will be sold or traded.

The fowl get to the end of the year. They may start laying again when the weather cools off. Bitthey eat A TON to keep around when they aren't providing anything. So if they don't start laying again, they too are destined for the table.

If the rabbits don't breed? They're too expensive to slaughter, so they'll be sold or traded.

Instead of a beginning garden next season ( fall in the desert) I want to plant fruit and nut trees instead ( but only if we actually buy a home).

So there is a little bit of reality check the the beginner hobby farmer/ micro farmer.

But I'm not going to give up, but chose to try a different path. After all, its not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.

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Rest in Peace Little Bit.

Ethel's third baby, little bit, was struggling from the beginning. When the other two were running about shortly after birth , Little Bit was laying on her side panting.

She did walk a and stand for the first two days, but she went down hill from there. I did the same routine I did with Orchid but she just never thrived. She developed bloat, which is quite painful. I did the treatments and hoped she would be better This morning.

She cried most of the night, not the happy goat bloat, but The scared, lost bleat. I assume she was in pain. I got up wrapped her in a blanket and pet her until she fell back asleep. This went on all night long.

She started crying again this morning around 5 am. She was dish rag limp, unable to even hold up Her head. Her tummy was was still full of air.

I gave her 6 days to recover and made the decision to humanely euthanize her. She as put down at 6 am and for the first time in 24 hours She looked peaceful and pain free.

I held her until her heart stopped beating. She's laying in a shoebox. I'm waiting for the boys to wake up so we can bury her.

On a happy note, the other two are doing great. While Ethel only has HALF of an udder, her milk has come in on that one side and her kids are nursing. I'm still supplementing them 4 ounces a day with the bottle because I don't know how much they are actually getting from mom.

Three babes and only Half a developed udder. Nature had a way of evening out the odds. Little Bit was the sacrifice to keep Marigold and Nanobyte with us.
Her life was not in vain.

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Ethel kids right on time, however. . .

Ethel gave birth to TRIPLETS!! On the positive side, they all lived, two girls and one boys. The runt is incredibly tiny.

Ethel, unfortunately, never developed an udder so the kids are nursing and nothings coming. What does that mean to me? Three more bottle fed babies.

I'm not sure of the little runt will live. I need to have a goat sale!! I want to name them but I'm scared!! Lisa wants to replace Chunk with his new son because she likes his coloring better. I want to replace Ethel with Her daughter. That gives me a doe am two bucks to hopefully sell before they end up on the dinner table ( or organic raw dog food). That's the ugly side of raising animals ,I guess.

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