Maine

[Widget]

Sad news at the Sinipso farm today. I had to put down My 14 year old goat, Hanna.

And by I I mean I. She had slipped on a patch of ice the other day and appeared fine but yesterday she was unable to get up. Perhaps not related to the slip and fall but I am sure it didnt help her any. She was able to eat and drink and was otherwise her old self but by late last night she was on her side and unable to keep her head up. I got her through the night but knew that it was her time. Of all the things I have had to do with animals over the years this was one of the most difficult. Makes culling a chicken seem very easy.

So now I have a dilemma. Trinket, the little dwarf goat I have, is now alone. She cant go in with the horses, the fence not being goat escape proof, but I also do not want her to be alone. So either I need to find her a home with other goats or find someone who is looking to re-home a Nigerian or African pygmy doe or whether.

 

[Widget]

Anyone near the Portland area need a fun and interesting part-time job that will last until mid-April. We really need people for de-icing airplanes. Pay is good. Work is fun. The people are great. The hours are usually 5-9 am with 1-10 pm evening shifts also available. During snowstorms the hours are longer but it is a very flexible schedule. Even if you can only work one or two days a week that is okay. We are going from having to staff up to 6 trucks to staffing 8 and need more people. Five of the trucks are enclosed buckets with heat so the work is not as uncomfortable as you may think. This is my 4th season and I love it.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

UGH...I found worms on the roost this morning! I should have just stayed in bed this morning! Found the worms then put too much wazine in the waterer, had to go back in the house to get more water. Left the map lights on in my car last night but saw them before I went to bed, apparently I didn't catch them in time--dead battery. DH was on the road for work the only vehicle left was the "big red truck" (Ford F350) which I have no problem driving even if it is 4 feet taller than me, grabbed the keys then saw the big yellow snow plow on the front of it.

Called DH because I thought you had to angle said plow a certain way while driving. Left message. Called my boss a) to say I'd be late & b) to ask about plow angle. Finally got to work was feeling a little under the weather when I "realized" I had a raging UTI. Called dr.'s office only to find out my dr. had her baby and had resigned from the practice, would I mind seeing Dr. X? Well, I really don't have a choice unless I want to tough this one out without antibiotics. Stopped at grocery store for cranberry juice on my way to dr.'s--left my wallet in the car...the one w/the dead battery! Made it home--opened coop door to be greeted by big whiff of ammonia. The girls had a field day scratching through the deep litter in the coop. Got that straightened up. DH went to pick up my Rx which was not ready a half hour before pharmacy was closing. I'm ready for bed!!

But first I have a ventilation question. My coop is 8' x 12'. I have two 6"x6" vents in each gable end--North & South. I have 2 sliding windows--a 2'x2' in the South end & a 2'x3' in the North end. Are the vents enough ventilation or should I leave one of the windows open and how much--a crack, halfway, wide open?

I leave all my windows wide open unless
1) it's going to snow AND blow or
2) the wind chill is significantly below zero and it's really windy.

Then I keep the cracked. As soon as the blowing is over, I open the windows back up.

Sad news at the Sinipso farm today. I had to put down My 14 year old goat, Hanna.

And by I I mean I. She had slipped on a patch of ice the other day and appeared fine but yesterday she was unable to get up. Perhaps not related to the slip and fall but I am sure it didnt help her any. She was able to eat and drink and was otherwise her old self but by late last night she was on her side and unable to keep her head up. I got her through the night but knew that it was her time. Of all the things I have had to do with animals over the years this was one of the most difficult. Makes culling a chicken seem very easy.

So now I have a dilemma. Trinket, the little dwarf goat I have, is now alone. She cant go in with the horses, the fence not being goat escape proof, but I also do not want her to be alone. So either I need to find her a home with other goats or find someone who is looking to re-home a Nigerian or African pygmy doe or whether.

I am so sorry. My doe died similar to that this spring. Was fine one day then the next day near death and couldn't walk. I'm sorry you had to put her down. My friend will be rehoming my nubian wether and a doe in milk. I can ask if they're still available if you'd like.

 

[Widget]

I leave all my windows wide open unless
1) it's going to snow AND blow or
2) the wind chill is significantly below zero and it's really windy.

Then I keep the cracked. As soon as the blowing is over, I open the windows back up.


I am so sorry. My doe died similar to that this spring. Was fine one day then the next day near death and couldn't walk. I'm sorry you had to put her down. My friend will be rehoming my nubian wether and a doe in milk. I can ask if they're still available if you'd like.

Not sure if I would like another Nubian. Not that I dont like them but the dwarf and pygmys are so much easier to deal with size wise especially since they can fit in a large dog crate whereas the Nubians would be a bit too big. Somehow I cant see two goats riding loose in the bed of my truck. Well I can see it I just would not want to try it.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Not sure if I would like another Nubian. Not that I dont like them but the dwarf and pygmys are so much easier to deal with size wise especially since they can fit in a large dog crate whereas the Nubians would be a bit too big. Somehow I cant see two goats riding loose in the bed of my truck. Well I can see it I just would not want to try it.

I've had all of my goats in the car.

Put down a tarp and a blanket, and bring some cookies.

 

[Jazor]

Is anyone ready to talk turkey? I know we just had Thanksgiving but I'm already thinking of raising a few turks for next year for the family. I think just three or four birds would suffice, but I'd really need some opinions and advice from anyone here who has raised their own for food. What breeds, what feeds, how to keep them, etc.

If there are an asinine amount of work, I probably won't get into it--but unless I'm mistaken they tend to do their own thing and aren't entirely too hard to manage. Maybe not.

Ideas?

 

[Widget]

Is anyone ready to talk turkey? I know we just had Thanksgiving but I'm already thinking of raising a few turks for next year for the family. I think just three or four birds would suffice, but I'd really need some opinions and advice from anyone here who has raised their own for food. What breeds, what feeds, how to keep them, etc.

If there are an asinine amount of work, I probably won't get into it--but unless I'm mistaken they tend to do their own thing and aren't entirely too hard to manage. Maybe not.

Ideas?

I purchased five poults in May (Bourbon Red and Royal Palm) and acquired three Midget Whites this summer. Three ( one midget white and two royal palms) went to freezer camp just over a week ago. The poults can be a bit stupid at first when it comes to water and food. Once they get the hang of it they generally thrive. While they were in the brooder I fed either Poulin or Blue Seal feed designed for young turkeys but once they were out with the ducks and chickens they were on layer pellets and all the free ranging food they could find.

Overall they are easy to manage. However they can easily get over an eight foot fence so an enclosed pen might be better. The birds I have left are very friendly (in some ways too friendly) and prefer to roost on the front porch. Pain to clean that this time of year but they are safe from predators. During the day they free range. They will go in the pen when I feed the ducks and geese but as soon as the food is gone they are back by the house. They know where the food is stored and are right there when I go to feed them. Mine still need to fill out more to get to a decent size for the table. The heritage breeds do tend to grow much slower than the broad breasted variety but in the long run tend to be a hardier bird.

I like having turkeys around. They are personable and fun to watch. Yes they can be a pain at feeding time but I would rather have friendly birds than mean ones. If all goes well I will have some fertile eggs this spring and hatch out some poults of my own.

 

[yankeehill]

I'm open for turkey talk! We've mulled over the idea of raising some for the freezer. I have some questions:
DO they really taste good? I don't care for store bought turkey at all (in fact, we had ribs for Thanksgiving).
Widget, what makes turkeys a pain at feeding time?
I hear they eat ALOT. Do they?
I've also been told you can't have turkeys in the same area as chickens.
Since ideally, they would be free ranged (as are our other poultry, except when the garden is really ripening), how will this affect our flower beds and garden? I keep telling hubby we just need to fence the garden, orchard, and flower beds in, but it is cheaper to fence the birds during gardening season.

 

[Widget]

I'm open for turkey talk! We've mulled over the idea of raising some for the freezer. I have some questions:
DO they really taste good? I don't care for store bought turkey at all (in fact, we had ribs for Thanksgiving).
Widget, what makes turkeys a pain at feeding time?
I hear they eat ALOT. Do they?
I've also been told you can't have turkeys in the same area as chickens.
Since ideally, they would be free ranged (as are our other poultry, except when the garden is really ripening), how will this affect our flower beds and garden? I keep telling hubby we just need to fence the garden, orchard, and flower beds in, but it is cheaper to fence the birds during gardening season.

They are a pain because they try to get in the feed bin while I am trying to get the feed out.

Mine live with the chickens with no issues for the past few years. There is a disease called blackhead that turkeys are more susceptible to than chickens. Chickens can be infected carriers of the disease and not show signs but still pass it on to turkeys.

Yes they taste good. I had one of the ones I raised for Thanksgiving. It was small and I thought that would make it come out dry as a bone but it was very juicy and flavorful. Of course I like turkey so your results may vary as far as how good they taste.

Mine free range. They decimated the tomatoes that were not fenced in but left the pumpkins alone until after the vines and leaves had died off. The pumpkins that were left became fair game for all the birds. The rest of the garden was fenced in so those plants were safe.

Mine always act like they are starving. But then again so do the ducks and chickens. They have decided that when they see me they will be fed. Sometimes I give in but other times I ignore them. They soon go back to foraging or snoozing in whatever spot they have picked out for themselves.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

The turkeys are not much different than chickens to raise. The biggest differences I've noticed are:

1. They are really, really, really dumb. They make my chickens look like MENSA birds.
2. They eat a lot.
3. They are a lot bigger. My roosts sag when their fat butts get on them.
4. They can fly a lot better than a chicken and are very disinclined to acquiesce to my request to go in the coop at night. (see also #1)
5. They are quite tasty but their legs have weird cartilage in it.
6. Occasionally they pick on my smaller chickens in the same coop. But generally everyone gets along pretty well.
7. See #1.

I have hatched them 2 years in a row for Cinco de Mayo and they were ready for Thanksgiving. My girl, who was smaller, dressed out at 9.6 lbs.
She was deeeeelicious.