So I go out to feed the ladies and seen something light blue by the feet of an otherwise buff colored orpington. As I got closer....
Well, a stupid idea to place---fly paper--- real high up in the coop where I thought was impossible for the ladies to get to resulted in this site this morning.
I know it was a bad idea now, and after a quick trimming, I promise you she was not harmed other then retaining some sticky goo on her wing tip plus losing some of her pride & side feathers. A lesson learned without any major fatality.I am looking to buy a few baby turkeys. I would like to find a mating pair so I can have turkey in the freezer too. I think Imay check out the chicken forum to ask around for locals. Anyone raise them that can tell me any difference in their raising from chickens?
I will be tripping back to the Blueberry shack next week with my mother in law. I have a goal of 10 pounds so hopefully going without children means more focused picking. I made some muffins with 2 cups of berries from the other day. So yummy I ate 6 of them in 24 hours! Mine are made with yogurt, oatmeal, flax, & cinnamon added or altered to a recipe from the William Sonoma Blueberry muffin recipe in their Muffin book.
Changing subjects once again, but how do you know if a doe has been mated? I have had Cleo & buddy together now for a month at night due to pricey fencing problems but being I am not a pro on this, I can not even tell if what I think is a heat cycle is one. She gave off all the signs but refused to let Buddy become her "friend" while in my presence. So I do not know if in the nights together they have mated or not. They are both new to it all. He is very nice & sweet to her. Never rough play or anything. I would say the goats actually love & care for each other by their affectionate rubbing and cuddling. Buddy has become so calm towards me its like a whole new goat! No more jumping or trying to rear up on me. Well, I am rambling here and I need to trim some sunflower heads for winter chicken snacks. It looks to be a more weather enjoyable day but prefer to get the outside done before lunch.
~Tammie
4 comments:
Sounds like your goat-boy is much more relaxed and perhaps that is because he is going to be a daddy.
Your poor little biddie....at least she is not hurt. Your muffin recipe sounds so good, could you post the recipe with the changes? I love adding flax too...really cleans ya out!
Sorry so long since I've been online.......realllllly busy with the new job! I did post something on my blog today though.
Later,
Georgann
A friend gave us a book called "The Integral Urban House." It's old, but pretty cool and it talks about making a fly trap, sterilizing the flies and then feeding them to the chickens as supplemental protein. Might be more trouble than it's worth, but it would be nice to turn those nasty things into eggs, wouldn't it?
Hmm...good Q about your goats. We would always watch real close when the doe was in heat...seems like she would stand for him once she was ready, for about a day or something. And he would garantee that she would be preggers. You didn't see them get to that point? I forget how often they cycle...21 days or something? Just look for the next time around, maybe.
Beth
A friend gave us a book called "The Integral Urban House." It's old, but pretty cool and it talks about making a fly trap, sterilizing the flies and then feeding them to the chickens as supplemental protein. Might be more trouble than it's worth, but it would be nice to turn those nasty things into eggs, wouldn't it?
Hmm...good Q about your goats. We would always watch real close when the doe was in heat...seems like she would stand for him once she was ready, for about a day or something. And he would garantee that she would be preggers. You didn't see them get to that point? I forget how often they cycle...21 days or something? Just look for the next time around, maybe.
Beth
You can look at her nether regions if you think she was in heat. Well, when you thought she was. She would be swollen and may even have some discharge there which would indicate that she had been bred at. Goats do a bit of breeding at night, especially with this weather since it is coller at night.
I do hope she isn't bred yet though. It will put her a bit younger than one really wants. Some claim kidding them out at a year is too young, but we haven't had any issues there. I don't like much younger than kidding at 12 months of age. If she is settled (and since they have been together at night and she should be cycling by now as her peer mates are she likely is) she will be due in December.
Be sure to write down when you think you saw her in heat. If she was squatting and peeing for Buddy when he approached her she likely was in heat. If she didn't run from him immediately she also was probably coming into heat. Flagging her tail when he snorts and snuffles at her. Allowing him to approach her and do his show off things. Presenting herself to him. Watch her 18-21 days after you saw them spending more time together and him approaching her more.
Buddy calming down though, indicates she is already bred. I love when the last does are settled and the bucks go out of full rut. We have three mature bucks in full rut currently and the smell is overwhelming.
Post a Comment