Priscilla's Babies Turn 10 Weeks..

Priscilla & her babies

The babies are doing great.  They are getting so big.  They are being separated from mom at night now so I can milk Priscilla in the morning.  All of them are eating grain in the morning and evening also.

Cole's new owner was going to pick him up on June 6th but she is going on vacation for 2 weeks and has asked if we would be able to keep him until she gets back.  I have already received the deposit from her for him and I agreed to keep him the extra couple of weeks.  Cole will be staying with us till almost the end of June then he will be going to him new home.

Cole out in the pasture

The new home we had for Carter fell through.  The buyer said he wasn't able to come and to sell him to someone else.  I was not to happy about it, since 2 days prior I had a phone call for a buyer looking for a buckling but I told him mine were all taken.  So now we are back to square one and are trying to find a new home for Carter.

Carter out in the pasture

Chloe is still hanging out with us.  Lots of people are looking at the ads I've put up but still no calls or emails for a new home for Chloe.

Chloe out in the pasture

Claire is 6 Weeks Old

Claire turned 6 weeks old this past weekend and is doing great.

Claire being her cute self

She is as big as the other babies we have because she still gets all of her mama's milk. 

Claire's pretty face

I still can't believe I haven't had any interest in Claire for a new home.  That's okay though, Jamie and I have decided that the girls will just stay with us and we will breed them when they are old enough.  We will then decide if we want to keep them further or maybe try to sell them while they are in milk.

Claire coming to say hello



Calves - Week 5

Chuck & Tbone eating hay

Well this week is going good.  Both boys are doing great eating their bottles, grass and hay.

Chuck has started to have a little diarrhea again.  So we decided to try a suggestion to help get rid of it.  We are now adding a raw egg into his bottle for both feedings.  We also bought some ProBios which is a powder you mix into their bottles which helps with digestion.

Chuck has also developed a little bit of a cough.  So we went ahead and wormed both of the calves.  We are keeping a close on Chuck and if he is not doing any better we will call the vet after the holiday weekend to see what she suggests.

We still haven't tried anymore grain this week.  I did pick up a new type of grain that is called sweet feed and we will be trying it soon.  Keep your fingers crossed for us that they will at least taste it and want more.

Tbone smiling, not really I just caught him chewing

Chuck & Tbone coming for dinner time

Check back next week to see how they are doing and if Chuck is feeling any better.



Priscilla Turns 3 Years Old!!

Priscilla

I'm behind again with updates.  Priscilla turned 3 years old last Wednesday.  We gave her some raisins for a treat for her birthday.

We have been a little worried about Priscilla, because she decided to go off her grain a little bit.  Normally she eats 3-4 cups 2 times a day and she was only eating about 1 cup.  Without getting the extra grain and nutrients she had started loosing weight.  She also had lost a little weight with trying to keep up with producing milk to feed all 3 of her babies.

We went ahead and treated her for low calcium and she seems to be doing a little better each day.  She is now up to eating 2 cups of grain 2 times a day and even sometimes more than that.

Priscilla looking a little thin

Priscilla is such a great goat. Its funny, she is super friendly when she is pregnant but after she has her babies she would rather just rub her head on your leg for scratches instead of the hugs and goat kisses I used to get.

She is a super mom and we are hoping to breed her to Welker in the fall.  Both Priscilla and Welker are Purebred Nubian's, so their babies will be purebreds.

Priscilla eating in the pasture with her daughter Chloe

Priscilla's Babies are 9 Weeks Old

Carter, Chloe & Cole

I still call them babies but they really aren't babies anymore.  They do everything that an adult goat does but are just still little in size.

The love to go out in the pasture and eat.  They also love alfalfa hay and grain and are doing really well eating it. 

They still love to go off and play with each other now and they include Claire because she is big enough for her to keep up and play with them.

With the babies eating hay & grain really well now, the dreaded time has arrived of finding them new homes.  Last week I put up ads on the local Internet classifieds to find new homes for them.

The ads weren't up for 2 days and I got numerous calls on Cole.  It doesn't surprise me since he is such a handsome boy and also has the very unique coloring and spots.  I decided to go with a woman who has had goats for numerous years now.  She will be having Cole be her new herd sire and he will have 8 does (girls) to keep him company and busy. 

She is very excited to have him.  She will be picking him up June 6th.  His new name once registered will be Russell's Ridge Brad Paisley. 

I know that he needs to go to a new home because I already have 2 bucks and just don't have the room to keep him but this little boy will always have a special place in my heart.  He was the first kid born here on our farm.  He was also the first kid I helped deliver and helped catch his first breath.  I will miss him always.

Sweet Cole

Cole out in the pasture

Carter also has a new home.  I got a few inquiries on him, requests for more pictures and such.  Then the other day I got an email looking to see if he was still available.

Carter's new home is just starting their herd and was looking for a herd sire. Which will be wonderful for him to have his own girls too, like Cole.  His new owner is actually driving over 3 hours to come and get him.  Which of course, I think he is well worth it.

Carter will be going to his new home on Monday, May 28th, so he will be the first to go.  Carter is such a sweet boy and so gentle. I'm going to miss his little nudges he gives me when he wants pats.

I'm not sure what his new name will be yet but I'll be sure to let you all know.

Sweet Carter hanging with Chelsea

Carter hanging out in the pasture

Now this is the funny thing.  I thought I was going to have the hardest time getting new homes for my boys and that the girls would be the first to go.  Believe it or not ALL of the inquiries have been for the boys.  I have only heard from 1 person on the girls and she wanted to trade a horse for a goat.  I'm sure Hailey would love that but not so much for Jamie and I.

Our property can't handle a horse right now anyways since we have the goats and the calves that we will be moving into the big pasture soon.

So in the meantime, miss Chloe will be staying right here until we can find her a great new home like the boys.  She may even stay forever, we haven't decided on that yet.

Chloe

Chloe out in the pasture

Check back in a few days to see the last pictures of Carter before he goes off to his new home.



Claire is 5 Weeks Old.

Claire, 5 weeks old

Isn't she just beautiful?  Claire is getting so big. She just hangs out with everyone and follows the other babies where ever they go. 

Claire hanging with Cole

You know what is funny, Priscilla and Windy take turns watching each other's babies. Sometimes you will see all four babies with Priscilla and Windy will be off someone and vice versa. I think it's so cute that they share watching the kids and give each other a break.

Claire hanging out with the big kids, she's as big as them though :)

Claire loves eating pasture but really hasn't started eating any grain yet, which is fine because she is still young. She does nibble on the alfalfa hay but usually when I put the hay in the barn in the morning time that is her nap time. She just curls up in the corner while her mama eats.

Claire, I just love her.

How could anyone resist this face :)

We did have one mishap with Claire.  I didn't do her disbudding correctly, which of course I feel guilty about. Once her caps which are what cover the area that is healing from the disbudding came off she still had little horn nubs.

I called my vet and asked her what we could do and she said to bring her in and she would take a look at her.

The vet decided to pop off her little nubs with a very sharp scalpel and then redisbud the horn area again.  Little Claire screamed so hard that I was practically crying but I knew it had to be done.  If your a parent, its kinda like when you take your young baby to the Dr.s to get a shot.  They don't know its coming but you do.  She took it like a trooper of course and her new disbudding is healing well.

Claire with Auntie Whimsey

I have put Claire up on the local Internet classified ads and have not had any calls on her yet.  Which of course I think is crazy, who would not want to have this beautiful doeling.  Anyways she will be staying here until I can find her a good home and possibly she may be staying here anyway.  Since losing Abby I would really like to keep one of my girls but I haven't made my final decision if I am and if I did who would be staying.  We will wait and see what happens.

Check back next week and see how she is doing.

Calves, Week 4

Chuck & Tbone

Well the week has gone by with no luck of getting the boys to learn how to eat grain.  They want nothing to do with.  So instead of leaving it out for them and letting the naughty meat chickens that keep getting out and eating it.  We have decided to wait a little while longer and try again when they get a little older.  Right now we believe Chuck is about 6 weeks and Tbone is about 5 weeks.

On a better note.  Both calves are having normal poops.  They also love their bottles and are standing at the gate mooing waiting for us in the mornings and evenings now.  It's too cute.  They are also eating grass and hay.

Tbone hungry

They are both way to skinny for my liking but I really can't do much about that since they won't eat the grain yet and if I increase their milk amount I risk the chance of them having diarrhea again.  So we are feeding them the correct amount and hoping to see some weight gain.

We have noticed that they are a little bigger but we need to put some more weight on them and fill them out a bit before I feel that they are doing great.

Tbone hanging outside

Chuck eating some hay

I know that most of this post is a repeat of last week's. Calves grow really slow compared to our goats.



Drew Is One Smart Boy!!!

Drew finished up 6th grade this past week and of course is moving onto 7th grade next year.

Jamie, I & Hailey headed over to Drew's school on Wednesday afternoon to attend Drew's school's Awards Day.

Drew received two awards.  His first award was a certificate for achieving a 98 on the TCAP state wide testing for Social Studies.

Drew receiving his certificate.

He also received a plaque for achieving all A's for the year.

Drew along with the other 9 6th grade students who also received an all A's plaque

These are the two awards that Drew received on Awards Day.  After the ceremony we were able to get his report card. Of course we knew he had all A's again from the plaque that he received. We are super proud of him and so happy he got such great grades this year.

Along with the awards he got he also was invited into the Beta Club.  The Beta Club is a private club in school that invites students who achieve and keep a 95 or above grade average.

We all went to the Beta Club induction on Friday morning.

Drew being inducted into the Beta Club

Each member received a certificate, membership card and pin.  Drew will need to keep is grade level for all classes at a 95 or above in 7th grade or he will be asked to leave the club.

Beta Club inductees

We can't wait to get the newspaper as they were there taking pictures and it will be published in the local newspaper either next week or the following week after.



Hailey Graduates Elementary School!!!

Kayla, Hailey & Jade, best buds

Wednesday was Hailey's graduation from 3rd grade.  She will be moving on up to the middle school next year.

It was so cute.  It was planned just like a real graduation.  The kids had caps & gowns.  Walked in procession and performed a few songs for us.

Hailey's grade singing, I can't get the video to rotate

After all the sweet songs and poems, each child's name was called and they got to walk across the stage and receive a medallion from the school's principal for their graduation.

Hailey receiving her medallion

The ceremony was very sweet.  The kids were super excited AND they didn't have to finish out the school day or come back to school for the last 2 days of the school year.

All of the 3rd grade class

We went to Hailey's room and signed her out and got the actual paper diploma and her report card.  Once again she got all straight A's.

Hailey & Mrs. Donna

Hailey in front of her Elementary School sign

We are so proud of Hailey and all she has accomplished this year academically.  We know that moving up to the middle school is a big step but we are confident Hailey will be ready and do as well next year as she has this past year.

Way to Go Hailey!!!!  We Love You!!!!

Priscilla's Babies are 8 Weeks Old

Priscilla's babies, Cole, Carter & Chloe are now 8 weeks old.  They have been sleeping separated from Priscilla at night now so I can milk her in the morning.  They are doing great and eating lots of grain, hay and pasture.

Here are the cuties.

Carter out in the pasture

Chloe in the pasture

Cole in the pasture

Chloe in the barn

Carter & Cole in the barn.

Baby Claire Turns 4 Weeks Old

Baby Claire in the creep feeder, isn't she too cute?

Little miss Claire is getting so big.  She is getting all of her mama's milk since she doesn't have any siblings.  She sure does like to eat too.  Claire never leaves any milk for me.  That's okay though, she is still little and needs her mama's milk more than I do to grow big and strong.

Claire nursing from mama, Windy

Here are some great pictures of her.

Claire

Sweet Claire's face

Claire hanging out with her buddy Chloe

Baby Claire up close, she is so curious about the camera

Calves - Week 3

Tbone & Chuck

The beginning of the week didn't start off too well.  Tbone was still having diarrhea.  So off to the vet I went and got some more medication for him.  Thankfully it worked this time.  So now both Tbone & Chuck are having normal poops and hopefully will start gaining the much needed weight they need.

Chuck - Looking skinny

Tbone looking a little better

They have started eating some grass and hay also.

They have lots of energy and like to run around especially after they finish eating their bottles.

Our next step is to get them to eat a little grain.  We have been leaving a little out in 2 buckets with a little of the milk powder sprinkled on top to try to get them to eat it.  Once we get them to eat some grain and learn that it is yummy they will get to go out into the big pasture.

Cutie Tbone

Sweet Chuck, I just love those ears

Check back next week, hopefully they will be eating grain by then.