Eggs

I think it is now safe to say that we won't have to go back to store bought eggs any time soon.  Provided nothing happens to the chickens.  Got five eggs today and I think the ladies are well on their way to all laying.

Thanks for the basket Mom!  It comes in handy with this many eggs.

Building and fixing and maintenance.

Rob changed the oil in the vehicles today.  We stopped at the auto part store on the way home last night so he wouldn't have to go anywhere today.  Perhaps that was our first mistake.

While he was changing oil I went to look at the battery on the big tractor since it wasn't turning over even after being charged.  I took of the cables and found that the lead connector on one was broken.  Not sure if I did it when I was taking it off or if it had happened at some earlier point.  Either way it was busted.

So off Rob went to the auto part store for a new one.

I replaced the connector and while waiting for the battery to charge again I worked on building my milk stand for the goats.

Then Rob ran into an issue with my truck's oil filter.  Wrong size.  Which was annoying since we told the guy at the counter the year and make and engine for my truck.  So back he goes to the auto part store.  After arguing with the guy at the counter that we never said my truck is a diesel (cause its not) and that we never said it was 4x4 (cause its not) he finally got home with the correct filter.

While he was gone a did a small repair on the hoop house for the goats.

We got the battery back in the tractor and Rob finished the oil change for my truck.  The tractor fired right up - much happier now with a fully connected battery.  And we dragged the telephone pole, that the Ameren guys left for me, back to the garage.

The new goat is settling in. She is behind Camo with her head over his back, sleeping.

 And pictures of the kids, cause why not?

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.

New Doe

Her previous owners called her Twilight but her registered name is Astrids Godiva Truffle.  So I may call he Godiva (snicker snort) or Truffle.

Fence is up

Got the fence up last weekend with some help from friends and family.

And the goats are happy in their new digs.

Also gathered to yard carts of wood from the neighbor's and cleaned up the garage.

We're still getting some orders for cookies and rolls and such but it has slowed down a bit.

Hope I can get the two kids sold when I wean them and start getting milk off of Miss.

kid video

Better video

still spinning but you get the idea