Sunday, February 27, 2011

The little doe didn’t make it. It is interesting how God works to get my attention. I really liked this doe and because of that, did a necropsy to see why she died. It appears to have been White Muscle Disease which is a result of a selenium deficiency. If I had not liked the doe, I would not have researched any further and would have missed out that the whole herd may be affected by the selenium shortage. I have since put out an herb combination that should correct the shortage. Sometimes I have to learn the hard way and this was one of those times.

Posted by Traci in 02:08:50 | Permalink | Comments Off

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The little doe is still hanging in there. We have to hold her up to her mom several times a day to eat. She is only able to stand a short time. Trutti and Wisteria have been added to the milking routine. I will separate Trutti’s kids tonight for the first time. Wisteria doesn’t have any kids on her. She is a low producer and very disappointing. I had hoped she would have turned out to be a super milker with her lineage. It’s difficult having to wait so long to see how breedings turn out! I am not ready to sell her (yet), but we’ll see what happens.

Posted by Traci in 23:23:27 | Permalink | Comments Off

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Farm stuff

Checked on one of the kids today. She is 11 days old and being dam raised. She was sleeping in the “kid corner” and I nudged her to wake her up. She couldn’t stand up on her own and was very weak. I took her to her mom and she very excitedly began to eat. I had to hold her there. After eating, she was able to stand on her own, but still wobbly, like a newborn. After observing the goats for a while, I realized Trutti, the dominant goat in the herd, was preventing this mom from coming in to the kid corner to check on her baby and feed her. Sometimes I wonder how these goats survive! We have gone out 3 more times today to let the kid eat and we will keep a closer watch on her.

Posted by Traci in 00:35:45 | Permalink | Comments Off

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

A beautiful day!

Here we are on the verge of spring again. How time goes. The animals are all in spring fever mode! The horses are shedding, the goats are about to start kidding, the rabbits finally started breeding… yeah! We have 5 goat does due this month and 5 rabbit does due also. Chicks are coming Friday. I love this time of year with all of the babies!! It’s a great time to visit the farm with all of the babies, so give us a call or send an e-mail if you have time later this month or next.

Posted by Traci in 22:55:09 | Permalink | Comments Off

Monday, September 28, 2009

Black lab or Chocolate lab puppies anyone??

A fellow gardening friend has puppies, so send me an e-mail if you are interested! They are in the Graham, WA area. Cute, cute, cute!!!

Summer did a number on my rabbit bucks, so we have had a significant delay in litters. Trying again now with one of the Am Chins due Oct. 12th and two of the Rex does due late Oct.
Such great rabbits though! If you have a small area to work with (city living), rabbits are ideal. They are quiet, easy to clean up after and reproduce quickly. You can have year round fresh meat and work with pelts if you so desire. Have your kids show in 4-H or in the open shows. Or even show yourself. Showing rabbits has to be the easiest showing out there! You just let the rabbit do the work!

Goats are off to a good start with 5 of the 9 does being bred already! I am very happy with that. Now the last 4 need to cooperate. I hope to have all my kidding done in February and March. There will be a limited number of doe kids available this season as I will be keeping several, so get your requests in early!

Posted by Traci in 21:47:37 | Permalink | Comments Off

Sunday, December 21, 2008

current news

Goats: We now have 11 does bred! The first doe is due Feb 3rd. I had hoped to space out the breedings, but I ended up with several being bred this month. Maybe next year they will be better spaced out! I still have 5 more to breed. My buckling was not ready this year, so I have been using other’s bucks. I may get a chance to breed him to one or two of the last 5, but I am not counting on it.     
Rabbits: I have a litter of American Chinchillas! They are now 11 days old and doing great. They are in high demand right now and I already have some reserved. The doe took Best Opposite at the Evergreen Rabbit Breeders Association’s show in November. 16 Am Chins had been entered. She is an excellent mother as well. I am excited to be able to offer such nice rabbits for sale.
Zebu: She has been AI’d twice now and has not taken. I guess it’s time to look into purchasing a bull!
Dog sitting: Anna is doing so great with her business. She has been caring for repeat customers and adding a couple of new ones too. She is enjoying it and learning great life lessons! I couldn’t ask for more!
Milk: I hate having to tell people I don’t have any milk! I am often asked why I don’t charge more for the milk and it is because I want to be able to supply milk to all the local families I can. There are several families on our waiting list now and I am very much looking forward to providing them with nutritional and good tasting milk.
Healthy trails, Traci
Posted by Traci in 21:41:15 | Permalink | Comments Off

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Farming is a great way of life, but it does have it’s emotionally draining times. We lost two goats this year. The first was a doeling who somehow managed to break a leg and the second was another doeling already getting settled in her new home. We aren’t sure why she didn’t make it. It’s times likes these that we need to question how and what we are doing in providing for our animals. The question I ask is why? Why was the doeling who broke her leg not stronger? Why was the second doeling not thriving?
So, I am back to nutrition and trying to make sure the goats are getting 100% of the nutritional requirements they need each day. My thought is that if they are healthy, they won’t get sick and they won’t get injured in ways that are unnatural. A goat breaking a leg is a rarity, they are after all, natural climbers. There will always be circumstances that I can’t control, such as genetics. What I have control over is their diet.
I am testing a new mineral mix. It is made specifically for goats and does not have fillers. I am excited to see how well the goats do on it.
I also am giving a minimal amount of grain this year. The milking does get 1 cup at each milking. The mainstream amount is 4 cups. Yes, there is less milk produced, but is the doe now able to produce a natural amount of milk that will keep her bearing kids and milking for several years? And her overall health will be better as her body does not have to constantly work against itself.
Alfalfa, timothy, orchard grass, local grass???? I currently am at a 75/25% ratio with alfalfa and timothy. I am going to modify that to 70/30 for the next couple of months and see how that goes. I also will be using orchard grass in place of timothy as the supplier is now out.
It will be interesting to see how things change- if at all!!

Posted by Traci in 20:55:06 | Permalink | Comments Off

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

2008 kidding season is over!

Kidding season is always an exciting and busy time. I love it, but I am glad when it’s over! Indy ended the season with 2 males on Saturday. They are colorful! We will see how big they get and they may end up pulling the cart! Our final numbers are 7 males and 9 females! A great year! I had deposits for 8 doelings and was able to keep 1 myself. 5 of the males were spoken for and the final 2 are experiments, so I am happy to keep them and see how they turn out. I am already planning for the 2009 season. I will have 12 does kidding and will be using my new buckling on 10 of them. But back to now! Kids are still nursing, so I am not milking full time yet. I am looking forward to the kids all going to their new homes so I can have all the milk!!
Posted by Traci in 21:20:31 | Permalink | Comments Off

Friday, April 11, 2008

Spring Fever!

It’s spring around the farm and I am loving it! The plants are growing and flowers are blooming. Hyacinths are my favorite and they are in full bloom. Our tulips are just about ready to open. Lots of green everywhere! And babies! We have 4 litters of rabbits. At 2-3 weeks, the baby bunnies are absolutely adorable! My American Chinchilla is turning out to be a super mother. This is her second litter and she is doing well with 8 large fluff balls! First time litter for our Rex doe Chera. She had 7 on Tuesday and I am excited to see how they do.
We have 5 goat kids, 3 bucks and 2 does. Hoping for lots more doelings to be born. We have 8 doelings reserved so far and still have people asking! Next doe is due Monday.
I am going back outside now, you should too!
Posted by Traci in 23:11:28 | Permalink | Comments Off

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Kidding has started!

Lullaby delivered a doe and a buck and they are beautiful! Nice, long ears and refined head! She is a great mother and both kids are doing great.
Windy is the first to kid from the new group of 8 goats. She also had a doe and a buck. Her kids are colorful!! Big splashes of white on brown and the doeling has a pink nose! She is doing ok as a mother, feeding well, but could be keeping the babies a little cleaner! I wouldn’t like that job either though!!
Spade looks like she will be next, then Diamond and possibly Heather. The 4 youngest ones don’t look pregnant, so not sure yet.
Next month will be Trutti and Winona.
So far, a 50/50 ratio which is super! Lots of farms having high numbers of buck kids. I am thrilled with my two little girls! I will be keeping Lullaby’s and Windy’s is pending.
Posted by Traci in 17:07:07 | Permalink | Comments Off