Goats

Blackberry kidded with two doelings on March 2. Carmel had two bucklings on March 18th. I allowed both does to raise their own kids. The kids have all been weaned and sold to good homes. That means I am milking three goats now - Blackberry, Carmel and Lollipop. I milked Lollipop all through the winter, and she is still giving me over a gallon of milk each day. That is about the amount that I get from the older goats also. Most of the milk goes to the lambs. I keep about a gallon a day and I use it in cooking or eating and to make cheese with. I got a cheese press for Christmas that allows me to make cheddar cheese now.

2009 lambs

I have eight lambs that are being raised on goat milk. Ivanna is the oldest one. She is huge and old enough to be weaned, but I have too much goat milk not to feed her. Ivanna lives in the pen with the milk goat, Lollipop. Ivanna gets to roam the back yard and eat weeds. She does a good job of it too. The other seven lambs are now in a big pen where the horse used to live. The drink their milk from a bucket (yellow that had laundry detergent in it) that has eight nipples and tubes that go down to the milk. They are a motley bunch. They were given to me by a neighbor and all had problems. Ivanna's mom didn't have enough milk for her. Nogie had white muscle disease and a dislocated shoulder (that is fine now). Bielie and Yamyen were premature. I am not sure on the others now - but all are growing and eager to eat. They sure can make a big racket when they see or hear me.

the New Chickens

Just over a month ago someone from RedCliff Ascent gave me six Rhode Island Red pullets. Their coloring is so much alike that it is hard to tell them apart. Three of the pullets will allow me to touch them, and three will not. They remind me of my brother Warren's chicken, Chipper. I haven't named them yet, but one will soon have a name - she always attack my shoe strings of the tie at the bottom of my pants. These chickens are penned behind the big cargo box. It will be at least another month before they will start laying eggs. Anyone want to come over for an omlet?