Yeah for Stella!

On wednesday around 8:30pm Stella had her babies! She had two beautiful little girls! We are still working on their names. This year we are planning on naming all of our babies with "A" names!

One is a darker grey than the other and they both have waddles. I think one will end up looking just like mom and the other will end up looking like grandma Sadie! They are very cute and cuddly and like all baby goats fun to watch!

These past few weeks we have learned that we need a better fence than they electric! The girls have decided that they do not like being out of our backyard and would rather be in the neighbors field! It is crazy! I am not sure how we can fix this for now. In the future, once the barn is built and we establish the perimeter fence line we will use good horse fence to keep everyone in all the time (I hope! Misty is tricky!)

Another weekend behind us!

Chris and I both enjoyed a long weekend for Easter. We were both able to have Friday off and boy was it a HUGE help around the farm. Friday was the hottest day of the weekend reaching 87 degrees! On this really hot Good Friday we were out in the sun adding new gates and adjusting old fencing. Probably not the best day to do the task, but it needed to get done. Chris also began tilling the garden up for me. Everything was going so great until the tiller broke! At that point it was time to quit.

Saturday we got up early and got to work fixing the tiller at the shop. The bad news is that its still broken. The good news is that its fixable! Now we just need to get the parts and slap it all back together so we can get out there and finish tilling!

Sunday we sold 10 extra roosters! The house has gotten very quiet since then. I was sad to see some of them go. But we are now saving a bunch on our feed costs which is important, especially with the baby chicks that we have been hatching.

With the new pasture done and the goats locked out of the yard we now seem to have a problem more than ever with goats jumping the fence. It used to be just coco and misty romping around, but now its like 10 goats! I am guessing they are not liking the brushy pasture we set up and miss the fresh grass. I am not sure what we are going to do to rectify this problem, but we need to do something. I really do not like the goats outside the fence line. I would also really like to keep them out of my yard!

The pretty trees around the yard are now in bloom and i LOVE it! The dogwood starting flowering today and the pretty purple trees have been showing color for a few days now.

Well it sure is a pretty afternoon, I better get out and get some work done!

Welcome Spring!

We had a beautiful spring weekend, and took advantage of it! The new goat pasture is 100% complete! what a nice feeling. Now the goats can rotate OUT of my back yard! Chris also put the finishing touches on the boys fencing. He installed a large gate so we can get a tractor in to level the land and plant new grass. We moved Petunia and her girls, Anika and Annabelle out of the buck yard and in with the girls. They are not overly thrilled with the change but will get used to it eventually.

We lost a total of 2 chicks from our first hatch, one had leg problems and had a hard time getting around and the second just never grew. We called him peanut and he was like 1/4 the size of his siblings. He was one that I helped hatch, I feel like every time I help I get a runt who does not survive. I think I should just let the ones hatch that were meant to on their own! We have a total of 9 chicks and they are getting their adult feathers in nicely! I cannot wait until all their fuzz is gone! We also moved the youngest chickens outside in with the teenager chickens last night and will continue to do so until they get it on their own. The baby coop will be used for these new chicks when they are ready!

I transplanted all of my tomato seedlings into large containers. I have a total of 75 plants and 4 varieties. I am not planning on using all of the plants so will be selling the extras. I have also filled my tobacco flat with seeds. We have all kinds of good things planned for the garden this year. Now if I can only figure out where to put my corn this year.

We are beginning to sit down and discuss the location of the new barn and finalize plans for it. Hopefully construction will begin in a few weeks! This new barn will help make things so easy with more space for the animals and . . . STORAGE! Having on site hay storage will be wonderful and very convenient!

On a sad note, Chris needed to put down a doe last weekend. She was one of our rescues that was VERY sick. We did what we could to help her, but it was just too late for the little girl. Beth you will be missed, and I hope you enjoy your time on the other side of the rainbow bridge.

Hurray for Sunshine!

Had a busy weekend here on the farm! The sun was finally out and the temperature was great! So we grabbed our gloves and tools and got to work on another pasture for the goats. We were able to set posts, run fencing and hang the gates! There are some finishing touches that we need to take care of, but we should be open for grazing this week. Very exciting!

We discussed the plans for the new barn this weekend. Have two new ideas that we need to research and go over before we begin to break ground!

The chicks hatched this week, we ended up with 11 total, not a bad number. Boy are they little cuties! I have some more eggs setting now from a friend. They are buff orphingtons, and I look forward to them hatching.

Lela went to the vet this week and I was informed that at the age of 4.5 months she weighs in at 9 pounds and is healthy! The vet said that she will either be very small all her life (in which case, breeding would not be recommended) or she will take a long time to grow to her full size. I am relieved that there is nothing wrong with her and that she is just small!

The chickens are really getting on the ball with the eggs and we are slightly overwhelmed! We have experienced a great loss in chickens this winter so we are relieved that we are getting more than enough eggs for ourselves and our customers.

Oh, and I almost forgot . . . the gardening has begun! I planted 80 tomato seeds from 4 different types and have had most of them to sprout. I am very pleased with the results so far. I have also planted a bunch of strawberry seeds that have begun to sprout as well. I will soon be planting the remaining seeds so when the last frost happens I am ready to plant in the ground! I am planning on selling started plants this year since I cannot see wasting them.

Well the monkey bread is ready and I am hungry . . . off to dessert!

Eggs are incubating!

On wednesday a box containing 39 hatching eggs arrived! 1 was cracked, but the other 38 were in perfect condition! I set 5 under Itty Bitty, since she has gotten bit by the broody bug . . . again. I put the remainder eggs in the incubator where they are happily automatically turning in perfect temperature and humidity conditions! They are expected to hatch at or around March 3! I am very anxiously awaiting that day, and know that the next 21 days will go by slowly. Fingers are crossed on a great first hatch! I will be sure to keep you posted about the progress of the eggs as they are candled and hatch.

As far as goats, Lela is growing slowly but surely. At 4 months of age she weighs in at 8 pounds. She is about 1/3 of the size she should be at this stage in her life. (as perspective, I have two month old babies that already outweigh her!) Chris says she must be a slow grower, after all her mom is very petite. As long as she continues to gain weight and be an active baby I will remain hopeful for her to reach a normal size.

Pregnancy update:

Stella is getting rather large! It is due to my being unorganized that I cannot recall her breeding date. I have turned the house upside down and backwards looking for where I recorded the information. I am going to guess and say that she was bred in November 09, which would mean I should hopefully see babies around April. It would fit with the way she is getting wider and wider over the past week, and a teeny tiny udder seems to be poking out.

Coco is getting round, not sure if that is a sure fire sign that her breeding has led to a pregnancy or not. I am fairly confident that it has, she has also gotten more needy with me and demands constant attention when we are outside. Hoping for July babies.

Ava I do not see a change in at the moment. She is larger than Coco, so seeing changes in her body will take a little longer. I suspect that by the end of the month we should be able to see some growing in her tummy! Also hoping for July babies from her.

We are working on picking the next two does to breed in February. I hope that Donovan is ready for the task since I plan to breed one to him and one to george every month here on out. I am attempting to get breeding pairs to see this spring, since I have had plenty of people ask me about it in the past.

Hoping to get another pasture set up tomorrow since we have company this weekend. It is always nice to do daunting tasks with friends and family, ya know, let them truly share in the farming experience. I had better get myself to bed so I can get up early to make a hearty breakfast for the day of work!

oh, and PS . . . we just got back from Avatar, so good! Such a beautiful and moving movie.

Movin' on up!

Well this weekend we installed lights in the barn. It is so amazing to be able to see what you are doing! They are powered by a solar cell, which charges an old car battery! Very exciting!

We have dusted off the incubator and fired it up! I discovered that the egg turner I have does not seem to be functioning right now :( very frustrating. I have eggs on the way! I ordered 24 Mille Fleur D'Uccle! We are very excited about them, here is what they look like.

Hope we have a great first hatch! And that our birds are as beautiful as this one!

we have been doing some goat breeding, Stella, Coco and Ava are all pregnant. More will follow soon!

All the best to the babies!

We get to say goodbye to our Charlotte and Jackson today! It is always a bittersweet time for us. We know that these babies will have a wonderful time with the Orr family and their children!

I know that Sadie is sad to see them go. After they left the farm she kind of laid in the hay and pouted! I don't think I have ever seen her so sad over her babies leaving before. Poor lady! I will have to spend some quality time with her and give her some yummy treats tomorrow.