Ice

The temperature is dropping and the ice is forming.  I put together a little extra comfort of several hay bales stacked together in the goat house.  The new goat loves it, the others just munch on it.  The chickens didn't feel like producing much today, I guess because of all the clouds.  But I have been getting 4 eggs fairly consistently, and a peak of 7 one day.  I think the girls are well on their way to full production.  Rob will be taking some eggs to work to sell soon.

I also got in my meat grinder and cheese making kit.  I hope to get the last turkey processed soon and made some sausage from him.  I will make my milking stand and start milking Miss in the mornings and begin my attempts with cheese, butter, soap, and yogurt.  Very excited to get some goat milk for ourselves.

Miss is getting thinner though, so I may have to dry her off sooner than I would like.  I hope the new goat drops kids and can take over for her as she is in better condition.  I will make sure to get Miss in better condition before her next pregnancy.  I feel bad that I let her get so thin, but she is still up and alert and keeping her kids in great shape.  I know that sometimes with animals it is live and learn, especially with certain animals needing more feed or less as the case may be.  I am just disappointed in myself that I didn't catch on sooner.

I will correct my mistake though and move on.

The only thing I can't fix is Camo and I don't think I could have done anything more for him. The day after he came up lame I took him to the vet, and made sure to doctor him to the best of my ability.  What happened to him was a freak accident and I am still not entirely sure what he did to cause the leg injury.  He and Miss lived a whole year in the portable goat cage and never had a problem.  I hate to cull him, but I don't see him getting better.  However I wonder if her couldn't survive as a three-legged goat.  He was very interested in the new doe and runs around just fine on three legs.  He isn't in pain, except for when I doctor him and manipulate the leg.

I think I will talk to the vet again and see if there is something else that I can do for him.  He is a blue papered Nubian and a friendly buck, I would hate to lose him.  It seems I have talked myself into another vet bill.