A dog's life

Oh, to just be a dog for a day! What a life.

Just really discouraged right now.

The vet came after lunch today. He has helped me before. I like him. But today, for some reason, I felt like he really didn't know much. We saw Darla first. She's up front in a stall. He went in and felt her. She's a really big ewe. Part Suffolk and Finn. And her wool is at least 8" long right now, so that makes her look bigger. She is probably just skin, bones and wool. Bet she's always the first one to the feed bowls and pushes everyone else out of the way so she gets the most feed. He took her temp. 103. He gave her a shot of Dexamethasone, for pain and is supposed to make her hungry. They got a fecal too, to check for worms. He also said that where there are chickens there is Cocidiosis. I have 4 hens and a roo. They are all over the place. Gracie just had her lambs in the chicken coop, where there is a lot of chicken poop. (And now Gracie is not eating tonight.) I will be getting a bottle of that Dex from the vet.

Then off to see Abby and Zarah out back in the goat barn. First Abby. He took her temp. 97.9. way too cold. He drew blood for blood work. (He called later and her red blood cell count was 16. It would have been way lower but I've been giving her Red Cell.) Also gave her a shot of Dex. I did put a heat lamp on her and wind proofed some more. It's warm in her stall now. Just went out there to check on her. She was up eating hay. She also ate some grain with alfalfa pellets. She also ate an apple and 3 slices of wheat bread this afternoon.

Next was Zarah. He took a fecal from her and also gave her a shot of Dex. He called with her results and said she was loaded with worms. As was Darla. So I am guessing ALL the sheep and goats are loaded with worms now.He also said she has Cocidia. Hmm. He asked me if they got medicated feed. I said no. These are milk goats. We drink the milk. He said they need medicated feed. That this is an on going thing and that would be the best treatment for them. I will check around and see what the bags say about contaminating the milk.

When we were in with Darla, he asked me why I have sheep. It kind of took me by surprise. I couldn't really come up with a great answer then, other than I like them. And I like lamb meat. And I sell it. And I have wool sheep for wool. But it made me think. Why do I have sheep? Why do I have goats? I do ask myself that a lot when I am so busy with them that I don't have time for anything else. Or I can't go anywhere because I have to milk twice a day. Or they all start hollering as soon as I walk out the door. Or they get out and I have to chase them all over the yard. Or they get out and I can't find them. I really don't know why I have these animals. Sometimes I want to leave them all and run away. But then I go out there and sit with them. The sheep just make me happy. They calm me. They talk to me. They can be a little pushy when they are scared. But I think they trust me. They come running when I call them. They follow me. We have a routine. They know me. And I think they like me.

The goats are crazy. They drive me crazy. They do things that make me mad. A lot. I cuss at them sometimes. Yes I do. They are crazy neurotic animals. Totally opposite of the sheep. But I love them too. When they are all fed and milked and happy, then I can go in there and talk to them and pet them and love on them. And they let me. Except Zarah. I have no idea what I have done to that goat, but she will not let me get too close to her. But when she was in labor, she let me rub her back and belly. I was there to pull her big buck kid out for her. But now I have to give her shots and shove big ole syringes full of icky stuff down her throat.  We'll be ok though.

So yeah, he made me think. And sometimes I really couldn't tell you why I have sheep. Or goats. Or cats and dogs. Or even chickens. Because sometimes it's not fun. Or easy. Sometimes I really don't like any of them. But then I go out there and pick up a beautiful little goat kid or lamb. And the momma comes over looking for them and licks their little face. That right there makes it ALL worth it.

Gracie Belle and her sweet lambs

And here is Gracie with her new lambs! The red one is a ram lamb, #9. He looks a lot like her ram lamb from last year, Axel. And the black one is #10, a ewe lamb! She is adorable. And Gracie is such a good mother. Very protective. Every time I'd try to get a picture of both lambs together, she'd get in front of them.

She's doing good so far. I am proud of her. And the lambs are already bouncing around. She had to take the 3rd stall, which is the chicken coop. She had them around 6:30 this morning.

Now Fiona is going to have hers next, hopefully today. I let Leelah out of her stall, and Fiona went right in. So we shall see.

So far, 3 ram lambs and 2 ewe lambs! Not bad for 3 sheep lambing. I had just 5 last year from 5 ewes.

My morning, so far

The phone rang at 6:07. My daughter calls after she's left for work to get me up to get Kansas up and ready for the bus at 6:40. So did that. Came back up the driveway and turned right to go check on the sheep. As I thought she might, Gracie was in the 3rd stall and had just had 2 lambs. Ran to the house to grab more towels and water and feed. Got them both dried off. She had a red ram lamb first, #9. And a cute little ewe lamb that's kind of blackish gray, #10. So right now it stands at 3 ram lambs and 2 ewe lambs!

Went back to check on Darla and Leelah. Leelah is going crazy, baaaing really loud. While I was feeding hay to the others, I saw a white streak fly by. It was #6, out of the stall. Leelah was trying to find her. So got her back in and fed Leelah. Good there.

Looked in on Darla. She's moaning and groaning. Has a really messy rear end. Runny poop. Nasty. She hasn't eaten anything. Just standing there, moaning. So ran inside to the box of goat and sheep meds. Got the Sheep Nutridrench, Cydectin for worming, Pepto for the runs, B Complex shot, LA200 for antibiotic, and Red Cell. Gave her all that. And fresh hay and water too.

Hauled water to everyone else. Then fed the dogs and cats. Got  Penelope, Sandy and Zeeboo on the stanchions to feed them and milk Penelope. One of Abby's buck kids came in and helped himself to the milk bar. So I let him get his milk there and milked the other side. She did not like that at all. Took the milk in and put in a bottle for the other kid. Got them off the stands. Went to check on Abby and Zarah.

So Abby is standing there outside the barn against the wall, with white foamy froth on either side of her mouth. Good grief! Went and got the Red Cell. Gave her some. Took her to the milk room and milked her out. It's really yellow milk. Dumped it. Could be from all the Vitamin B and red cell?

Checked on Zarah. Still hasn't eaten a thing. No grain or hay. Or drank any water. Gave her more Red Cell, fresh water and hay. I had to give her all kinds of stuff yesterday when I saw she wasn't eating.

Then went back to the house and cried. And cried some more. Called the vet at 8:15. He called back in a few minutes. Told him what was going on and I wanted him to come out here as soon as he could. Which he said would be after lunch. Thanks. Hope Darla's not dead by then. More bottle babies for me. Cried some more. Balanced check book to see if I had money to pay him. Yes.

And now it's 9:15. I just had a cup of coffee. It's 58 in the house. Forgot to turn heat on last night, so just did that. I let Leelah and her lamb back out, since she wanted to get out. The other ewes sniffed around her for a few minutes, then went back to eating hay. She's just another one of the flock now. Took more pictures of Gracie's cuties. Will post on another post.

More lamb love

These are Darla's new ram lambs. Born this afternoon. I had to go to town again and when I got back, i noticed Darla in the stall. She was in there this morning too. But then back out in the field when I left. I didn't really think she'd have lambs this early. Anyway, #7 was still wet and covered in slime. So I ran to the house to grad some things. Got back out and was drying him off, when out flew another lamb. I think he came out backwards because he was facing Darla, who was standing up. Strange. So got them both dried off as much as possible. Got them over to the milk bar. They both had some think warm colostrum.

#7 was a little weak. He laid around a lot. I gave him a few squirts of Nutridrench. He looked a lot perkier later. I still had to rub them some more. They were still wet. It sure takes a long time for that wool to get dry.

They are both so cute. #7 is in front and #8 behind him. #8 had a lot more energy than 7 did. He was already trying to bounce.

SO far the 2 ewes to lamb are pretty consistent. Leelah had a single ewe lamb last year. Now Darla with twin ram lambs after a single ram lamb last year. I hope Gracie and Fiona have twins too. So far Leelah is the only animal to have a single. All goats have had twins so far. I have 2 more to kid. And 6 more ewes to go. But 4 will be May or June lambs.

And please remind me to never breed for so early. What was I thinking anyway? It's COLD out there!

So a pretty good weekend here at Outback Farm. With twin kids and a single ewe lamb and twin ram lambs. And we are at 4 bucklings and 4 doelings so far!!!!!!! But we have Sandy to go yet. And she usually has more bucks. Which this year, since I bred her to the Boer buck, I don't mind if she has bucks.

Good night, y'all!

Look at this beautiful sunset tonight! A perfect ending to a great day. 2 goat kids and a ewe lamb, all cute and healthy and raring to go! Good night, y'all! I am tired.

Lamb love

I had a feeling Miss Leelah Belle would have a lamb or 2 today. I remember that her and Zarah were bred the same day.

I had to go to town to get some more hay and when I got back, I counted the sheep, like I always do when I come home, and only saw 7. And Leelah was not one of them. Then I saw her in the middle stall with a little cutie in front of her! And it's a GIRL! Outback farm #6. It's a B year so need some cute B names. I am wanting to keep 2 ewe lambs and I have decided to name one of them Beatrix Belle. But I won't know which one til I see them all. #6 is mostly a hair breed. Leelah is half Katahdin and half Dorper. And she was bred to Alfie, who was Fiona's ram lamb. Fiona is the same as Leelah. Alfie's sire was Earl, who was Hampshire, Suffolk and Finn. So she's got a lot of sheep breeds in her. She's pretty big too. But only a single. Again. I was so hoping they would all have at least twins this time.

I am worn out. Having to go back to the goat barn, through all the slippery mud, hauling water and feed and hay to the new momma. Then up front to the sheep barn doing the same for a new sheep momma. Then loaded and unloaded 32 bales of hay and got them all put away. I am kind of tired.

SO here we go with lambs now! I can't wait to see more of them. Gracie and Fiona and Darla are next. So get ready for some lamb love!