North Carolina

[TarheelBirdy]

I HAVE A PIP!! First pip of the season!!

 

[CricketR4]

minis are way too expensive and are too prone to health issues if u cant handle alot of milk just get a cow thats not for milk productions like a black angus, charlet(sp) hereford ect...or give the extra milk to animals that will cut down on feed costs

Ok, hubby and I have done a lot of research on minis. Yes they are expensive, but not all breeds are "too prone to health issues", especially the mini Jerseys. The "full size" Jerseys were originally bred from the "minis" to make them produce more milk. The heritage Jerseys are quite expensive at around $2500 for a bred cow. There are many people who believe the minis are more hardy than the larger cows. If I can get a mini that doesn't exactly fit breed standards, i.e. too tall or wrong color (like NH said), then it would be the perfect amount of milk for my family. We don't have any animals that can drink the extra milk from a larger beast, and it is technically illegal to give the extra milk away, or even sell it, since we won't have a pasteurization machine. And like I said, if we can't find a mini we can afford, we'll "go in" on a full size with someone else, and they will get a portion of the milk. Since it will be partially their cow, there is no legal issue.

 

[LukesCityHens]

My garden literally jumped after introducing the hive last year... Doubled the production... Are you a member of the Local Beekeepers Association in Cumberland?

no, the guy I'm dealing with is on the board of directors for the assoc. Good thing is he's an old family friend and has been extremely helpful

 

[Cox28358]

no, the guy I'm dealing with is on the board of directors for the assoc. Good thing is he's an old family friend and has been extremely helpful

I tried attending with the local... Just not enough time in the day... Would love to check out your tbh once they were established...

 

[moomoodiddy]

Ok, hubby and I have done a lot of research on minis. Yes they are expensive, but not all breeds are "too prone to health issues", especially the mini Jerseys. The "full size" Jerseys were originally bred from the "minis" to make them produce more milk. The heritage Jerseys are quite expensive at around $2500 for a bred cow. There are many people who believe the minis are more hardy than the larger cows. If I can get a mini that doesn't exactly fit breed standards, i.e. too tall or wrong color (like NH said), then it would be the perfect amount of milk for my family. We don't have any animals that can drink the extra milk from a larger beast, and it is technically illegal to give the extra milk away, or even sell it, since we won't have a pasteurization machine. And like I said, if we can't find a mini we can afford, we'll "go in" on a full size with someone else, and they will get a portion of the milk. Since it will be partially their cow, there is no legal issue.

k sounds good to me

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

The girls have started to lay more and I am
expecting the POL pullets to add to the egg
count soon......I may just have a few more
eggs than I need but it's ok......just means
more to share or sell

sunshine for today and that will feel good

hope your day is a good one

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good Morning, Happy Chicken People!

I'm getting five-six pullet eggs a day now from the birds Daddy got for me when we went into quarantine last fall. The next set are a couple months behind.

I think I'll be able to find a window this summer to get my NPIP. Just have to shut the incubators down for a while.....

Today is Jakes recheck. Cross your crossables!

And have a great day!

 

[nursebecky99]

I HAVE A PIP!! First pip of the season!!

SOOOO exciting! I cant wait to incubate and hatch some...next year....

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Good morning everyone, have a great RAINLESS day!

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Ok, hubby and I have done a lot of research on minis. Yes they are expensive, but not all breeds are "too prone to health issues", especially the mini Jerseys. The "full size" Jerseys were originally bred from the "minis" to make them produce more milk. The heritage Jerseys are quite expensive at around $2500 for a bred cow. There are many people who believe the minis are more hardy than the larger cows. If I can get a mini that doesn't exactly fit breed standards, i.e. too tall or wrong color (like NH said), then it would be the perfect amount of milk for my family. We don't have any animals that can drink the extra milk from a larger beast, and it is technically illegal to give the extra milk away, or even sell it, since we won't have a pasteurization machine. And like I said, if we can't find a mini we can afford, we'll "go in" on a full size with someone else, and they will get a portion of the milk. Since it will be partially their cow, there is no legal issue.

That is EXACTLY what we want to do. With our daughter's allergies, she MUST have soy-free everything (including milk) and we pay a fortune out of pocket each month to get milk (we technically purchased a part of a cow so it's legal for us to get the raw milk! Our fortune each month is for room/board/upkeep on the cow, but still I think it works out to over $10/gal!!). We have roughly 3 acres (of non-wooded, more if you include the woods...lol) which is why we want a mini - easier to deal with on a smaller plot and we're not sure if our neighbor is going to sell us his land or not, so we're looking at mini's just in case! We haven't done nearly enough research yet, but still working on it. Also, I was wrong, I thought the guy was in TN but it's actually GA (I knew it was somewhere "near" here...LOL, http://www.miniaturejerseysforyou.com/home) - the BEST place I have found is in Utah!! ACK!! If I trusted shipping and such, I'd seriously consider dealing with them, only because they are a large scale farm, so their prices are more reasonable! I found a place in VA but they wanted $7500 for a mini!!

Still, at 3 gallons of milk/day we'll have an abundance of leftover - even after I make cheese/yogurt/cream/butter etc...so we will either give some to the chickens, the demon cat (haha...poor Snickers) or something! The family in GA has a waiting list, so I don't think anything will be available for a few years, but I plan on emailing them to see if they have anything that would be available in the near future (not YEARS away). I still may contact the farm in UT (http://www.minicattlepros.com/holstein.html) just to see - they have a NICE farm and really nice stock (from what this inexperienced eye can see...LOL). Either way, it'll help to have contacts with a few farms to get semen (ewee) to keep the cow in production!! Where are you at? If push comes to shove, we could always go "in" together maybe (I have no idea where Mebane is...I'm sure its nowhere close though...boo)??!!


Such a quiet morning here!

So far, I do not miss our guineas, and I am excited to see if their absence will lessen the stress felt around the farm and get these girls laying! When it comes to RED combs, these girls have it!! I am tempted to keep them under lock and key for 2 weeks to see if anything is happening, but my ducks really REALLY go crazy if they are not let out, so we will have to see. LOL I hope everyone has a great day!!