***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Avienda]

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Bless his heart, does he need a sweater made for this Fall?

Lol, i was going to say the same thing!! Hope someone can make him a few for those cold months!

 

[Poco Pollo]

Joe - Neat pictures of the naked rooster. Is he about the size of a Barred Rock rooster? I'm looking at my baby sweater patterns and wondering which might fit him. Could you make a diagram of his measurements showing where neck, wings, legs, chest, etc. are with distances between parts? This chicken sweater idea has got my brain spinning. I think I'm going to have to get out my knitting needles.

 

[nnbreeder]

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The LaManchas are wonderful goats and as with any critter do your research and get them from lines of good milkers. It has been my experiance that they are also quieter then many of the other breeds, we had them while living in town and the neighbors didn't know we had goats.

As far as the billies and their distinct odor. Get them dis-budded as kids, there are scent glands around the horns that will be destroyed when you use a dis-budding iron. During rut there will still be a smell but after the nannys are bred just take and wipe down the buck with a moist wash rag, goats don't like getting wet. It's very rare for a bottle raised buck to go after you, all that we have had were sweeties.

Never buy a horned goat, if they have them they will use them. Plus every now and then they have to be cut out of a woven wire fence.

And the top thing to remember is that it takes quality feed to get quality milk, we feed a lot of alfalfa and just a little bit of sweet stock. Too much grain can kill a goat. Always have grass hay available too, we have found blue stem hay to be great for both horses and goats.


Plus if you raise bottle calves raise them with goats. I have sent 800 pound calves to market that had never been wet. If a goat feels a drop of rain it's off to the barn and the calves will follow their buddies. Dry calves are healthy calves.

Oh and one more thing, I have a friend in Ind. that wanted to see just how long a goat would stay in milk with good feed and twice daily milking, she gave up the experiment after two years and dried her up.


And one more thing. I have never seen an enclosure strong enough to hold a goat but if you keep them happy they will stay in.

 

[tgperg]

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OMG! I have never seen or heard of such a thing before! How different! Is he a specific breed, or is this a variation?

Traci

 

[nnbreeder]

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Wonderful pens MJ.

With the roost it looks like the board is at an angle which puts an edge on top. You might put a wedge under the ends of the roost so a flat side is up. As the birds get heavier you could have some problems with bumblefoot in the future.

 

[mjgigax]

Quote:
Wonderful pens MJ.

With the roost it looks like the board is at an angle which puts an edge on top. You might put a wedge under the ends of the roost so a flat side is up. As the birds get heavier you could have some problems with bumblefoot in the future.

Thank you, I have been wondering about those boards.

 

[nnbreeder]

Here is another idea. Just take a 1x4 and lay on top of the board that is there with it slid forward enough to touch the roost poles. Screw it to the roost poles and then down to the roost that is there, much easier then making wedges.

 

[nnbreeder]

Haven't gotten around to trying this yet.

Through the years I have thought about making a roost for winter out of 3in PVC that is at least sch. 40, glue some carpet on it and then mount a 500 watt tank type block heater to it with at least 3 foot of heater hose. There would have to be a vent to keep it from building pressure once filled with water and the heater running. Most tank type block heaters are thermostated but as a precaution a thermostat could be added.

Should prevent frozen toes.

 

[Buckguy20]

Great idea Les. Started building those and I'll market and sell them for you.

But I get the first mone after you make yours.

 

[Greybear23]

Morning all, cool idea ther Les!!! Hope all has a blessed day, gotta go to work!!! Lynn