Rebuilding my Farm

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Wow, that's great! When i saw the pic of that rooster I thought he was just so cool looking, then I read he had mg...boohoo. I too caught a virus last year, a computor virus and it took a long time to get back on line, and I notice you've been through quite a struggle.
And, I had to study up on this germ. Having worked in human microbiology for a little while I understand the basic of infection, and I'm leaning toward the egg as your source of infection, at least on the second go around. Sparrows may carry the disease but are they actively infected?
Anyway, you have cured me of ever getting mail order eggs, and I can't get two day shipping so live chicks are out. I guess I will just let my hens grow me new chickens and stay isolated. The new chicks I've gotten came from the farm supply store and stay inside till it got warm enough. Now I have 23 just hatched and a bunch more brooding. I hate to see new and interesting birds and think...I can't have those, but I will just have to be happy with what I've got. At least I have two real pretty game roosters and sure they'll make more.
It sure is tough to loose a critter you love and I guess it would be easiest to harden your heart against future losses, and i am glad you haven't done that. I tend to get attached to my critters and seems like the nicest ones get nabbed first...now I am left with only those that can run faster, fly higher, and hide better...go figure
Will continue to wish you the best and may God support your new farm.

 

[Farmerboy16]

I treated my flock today with permethrin for they had mites, and put all the hens in the pens with the right roosters. I will treat them with Denagard on Monday. On Tuesday, I will start saving the eggs to rebuild my flock. Let the rebuilding process begin!

Also had an exciting day yesterday!

My heifer had her first calf!
It was sorta unexpected. I knew that she was getting very close, and got the shed all cleaned out for the calf's arrival and was going to pick up 4 bales of straw from a farmer at 7 pm. I had got started scraping the bedding out of the Chicken Mansion at 3 pm, but went in the house to get something when my youngest sister ran in the house yelling that Bella had a calf! I grabbed my shoes and ran out of the door saying ''Where is she?!'' My sister said in the far corner of the 6 acre pasture right next to the woods!

Warning- picture and cuteness overload!

Days before birthing-




Yesterday-






See how close they are to the woods?




The calf trying to nurse.


Got it! YUM!!


The boys checking the calf out.



The weather condition, it rained hard later, and I was wet trying to get the calf to the shed, and it took us an hour to get Bella in the shed.



The calf is a girl!! We named her Maybelle as she was born in the last day of May and the mother's name is Bella.

Bella is very protective of the calf, she had charged at some of my siblings and me! When she had charged at me for the 3rd time, I gave her a firm smack on her face, now she does not go after me now but at my other siblings. I milked her for the first time this morning!! Got 3 1/2 pounds of very yellow milk. Gave the milk to the dog and the pigs, they went crazy for it. I am sure that Maybelle had a few pounds of milk for breakfast, so I am not sure how much she is producing, but will know in a few days when I keep the calf locked up at night, so I can milk Bella. But will let the calf nurse the rest of the day.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

How incredibly sweet and beautiful!!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

what a good looking calf! Can they not stay out on pasture? How are chicks chicks doing, any hatch from the rooster you had?

 

[Wynette]

Awe - congrats, Daron! Doesn't the calf need those first few days' worth of milk? With horses, the colostrum is in the milk for the first few days, and that's what gives the foals what they need to build their immune systems up. I was thinking maybe that's why her milk was so yellow at first?

Is the calf solid black? Looks like she has a tiny bit of white on her front/left hoof??

 

[Farmerboy16]

Bella is half Dairy breed, and she is producing more milk than Maybelle needs, and her udder was very full, and it was leaking milk. I will be locking Maybelle tonight, so Bella will have a full udder for our use, then I will let Maybelle will nurse Bella for the rest of the day, then repeat. I got about a gallon of milk today. Tomorrow, we will be able to drink her milk!

 

[Wynette]

Ah, I see! Interesting. And - is the calf all black?

 

[kuntrygirl]

LOVE THE PICS !!!!!!!!!

 

[Farmerboy16]

what a good looking calf! Can they not stay out on pasture? How are chicks doing, any hatch from the rooster you had?

There are coyotes around, esp in the woods, and my dad was afraid for the calf, and wanted me to lock Bella in the shed, so she can give birth in the shed. But, Bella has a mind of her own... lol I will be letting both of them out in the pasture when Bella gets the routine of milking time. I do not want to go to the far corner of the pasture at 5:30 in the morning to get her up for milking. lol

Which rooster? Today, I am starting to save the eggs from my flock!

Ah, I see!  Interesting.  And - is the calf all black?

Yes, Maybelle is ALL black! Just like her father, the Angus bull. Although I have never seen her father, for we brought Bella from a family who bought her from a farm. They had to move to a different state, and couldn't take her.