Well, I have been having alot of fun since my last post. I have been looking at many different breeds of geese and have decided that I LOVE Sebastopols! They are incredible! Some people say they are “geese with a perm”. I just think they are beautiful to look at and they have awesome personalities.
The girls have laid several eggs. I have a couple in the incubator and then decided to let them sit on their own eggs. 9 eggs and counting. The captain built this cute little goose nesting house.
They are pretty expensive birds, too. So, I have the incubators in full gear trying to hatch eggs. I have some that should arrive tomorrow that I ordered through Metzer Farms. I can’t wait until they get here.
Speaking of incubators. Here is my setup. This big monster is a Leahy Favorite Incubator. It is likely a 1950s or 1960s model, but I don’t know for sure. It is really beautiful and quite the antique. It works great and everyone who has one says they are the BEST to use even as old as it is. We will see in about 30 days!
Here are the geese that were shipped from Ideal Poultry
We have also had more kids! The captain assisted our first buckling into the world. His name is Bernard. His mom is “Bernard’s Mom”. Original, I know.
We also had another set of twin girls. The Bearded Lady had Bonnie and Blue (from Bonnie Blue in the Gone with the Wind) two nights ago. They are so CUTE!
About 6 weeks ago we acquired 5 angora goats. They are really neat too. I haven’t named them yet.
The fun is really going to begin soon. We have just acquired a 163 acre farm and are going to be moving this herd to the new location. The captain has fencing to put up and a barn to build. I will be sure to chronicle that on this blog!
You have been asking for more pictures, so here they are. Of course, there will be more to come!
The Captain built me this AWESOME brooder for Valentine’s Day. The geese totally needed the space, now they don’t know what to do with it all. Take a look!
My New Brooder
The geese are very happy in their new home. Ideal Poultry is having another special on day old geese, so I have ordered another 8! Thank goodness the Captain doesn’t mind.
We had a tragedy on the farm this week. One of our goats aborted triplets. We are not sure why, but she is doing well.
It has also been immunization week. The goats are all getting CD&T and tommorrow everyone is getting Bo-Se. Our goat count is 26. 5 of them are angora goats. I’ll post pictures of them in my next blog. They are so CUTE!
Until next time…
GEESE!
I can’t pass up a bargain and the weekly special at Ideal Poultry was a good one. Variety of geese only $6.25 each. So, as I sit in St. Croix, relaxing, I ordered them. They arrived very quickly–a day earlier than I anticipated. Thankfully, my wonderful husband and daughter got them squared away.
Sorry the pictures are a little grainy but they came from my daughter’s cell phone. Here’s more:
I think I have a mix of Chinese White, Toulouse, and this bottom picture looks like a Tufted Roman. Exciting isn’t it?
Once I get home, I have more to show you…stay tuned.
Well, just about an hour ago another set of twins was born. Twin girls. My family doesn’t know how to have anything else, why not my goats? Meet Beatrice and Tater:
Beatrice (left) and Tater (right)
Victoria is looking at the new kids
Fries is a good momma
Tater is trying out the heat barrell
Bubbles wants to see what all the excitement is about
This has been a very busy day. I pulled both of these girls out. Fries was a first time momma and Beatrice wasn’t budging. These two made my fifth delivery today–3 humans and 2 goats!
We should be done kidding for a while. All the others, if pregnant, shouldn’t be due until about April. I bet this makes you want some huh? Until next time…
Pippy had twins today. Pippy came from the same person I got Tot and Fries from. I also got Cher and her doeling, Flower. I don’t have a picture of Cher to post yet. Pippy and Cher are Nigerian Dwarfs, miniature milk goats. By looking at their kids, they were obviously bred to a Nubian a full sized milk goat. You can tell by looking at their ears. Miniature Nubians are pretty sought after because of their size.
These are from my iPhone taken today.
Annabelle
Duchess
Pippy and her kids
Flower is up on the feed bunk and Moo is underneath.
Flower
Aren’t they sweet?? Still waiting on Fries to deliver. Wonder how many she will have?
Moo
It’s official. I am a grandmother. I have a grand-goat. I helped her come into the world last night. Meet Moo.
Moo’s mom is Tot. They are pygmy goats. Tot is 3 years old and is also the mother to Fries.
Fries
Tot with Moo
Fries is due any day. I really thought Tot had twins or triplets but nope just Moo.
Tot was sneaky about having Moo. I had just fed them, checked their bottoms to see if I could tell if they were doing anything. I have a baby monitor in their hut. I had just sat down, breathed a sigh of relief that the day was over, and I heard Tot being just a little weird. She was making a funny noise. It wasn’t distress or crying, but it was different. I threw on my coveralls, grabbed my delivery kit and headed to the shed. I found Moo half delivered, then plop, delivered. I helped Tot dry her off then waited to see if Moo would nurse. I finally had to wrestle Tot to hold still long enough for Moo to nurse and things have been great ever since. It was the coldest night we have had so far. I was out their for two hours. Brrr…
The Captain was good enough to make me this warming barrel–and in the nick of time. We just got it put in the day before.
Warming barrel with Moo inside
She comes out, eats, jumps around then heads back into the barrel. It has a 250 watt infra-red heat lamp inside and keeps her toasty warm. Here is a link for where I got the plans: http://www.vkvboers.com/Barrel.pdf Thank goodness I got the Captain a jigsaw for Christmas!
Ok, now, I think we officially qualify as a farm. Chickens, cows, goats, and I haven’t mentioned all the dogs and cats yet. What’s next? Probably a pig.
Call me crazy. The Captain decided he wanted a “springer” (a bred heifer) and a Jersey cross for beef. We found one of each. He drove three hours each way to pick up these cows, and instead of coming home with two, he got three. Now we have two bred heifers, due to calve in about 3-5 months and a Jersey cross bull calf that needs to become a steer and quickly!
Princess with Blondie (butt shot)
Poppie and Dinner (the new Jersey/cross bull calf)
Bessie isn’t feeling well, so I’ll post a picture of her when she agrees to a photo shoot. Now for the chickens…They went outside again today, and they found their own way out of the pop-door. I think they are having fun.
My new chickens that weren’t supposed to be here until after Christmas, well, they arrived today! They are so cute. I’ll post pictures another time.
The other animals I need to discuss are here:
Our new Livestock Guardian Dogs!
Greta
Kate in the background
Greta and Kate are Livestock Guardian Dogs–Great Pyrenees. I was given these dogs by a friend who bred her dog, but then had trouble selling them. We are really happy with them. Greta regularly patrols around the fence. Kate on the other hand has been caught spooning with Stinger at night!
More animals to come…
