Surviving Minnesota!

[NathanZee]

well, my farm reported a -$1700 of income for our first year!

Worth every penny!

That's not too bad!

 

[KlopKlop]

That's not too bad!

my goal isnt to make money but next year i hope to be closer to break even.

I aim for my hobby to pay for itself

 

[ejb3810]

Jerryse where did the tail on that rooster come from? It appears to be from a hen feathering gene?

Klop, I would never want to know what the bottom line is on my hobby endeavors. You are to be commended for you goal to make it break even. Pigs can be very profitable if managed properly.
In my first professional career I ended up as a tax specialist working for one of the largest CPA firms in the U.S. I got out after 10+ years into a career which was much more enjoyable to me. It is a real pain to do my wife's business reports and taxes.

Holm, my wife hates snakes. My youngest son was a rather adventurous lad and was afraid of nothing not even his mother. When he was about 7 or 8 my wife came home from somewhere and saw this five gallon bucket on the sidewalk with a piece of plywood on top. Curiosity took over and she removed the plywood cover only to find about ten snakes in the bucket. She was not happy!
Later that summer she goes into my sons room and discovers that the empty aquarium has been converted into a home for a pet Garter snake. That caused all kinds of excitement!!

Ralphie, seems like you are right on top of it with those Chanteclers.

 

[duluthralphie]

Jerryse where did the tail on that rooster come from? It appears to be from a hen feathering gene?

Klop, I would never want to know what the bottom line is on my hobby endeavors. You are to be commended for you goal to make it break even. Pigs can be very profitable if managed properly.
In my first professional career I ended up as a tax specialist working for one of the largest CPA firms in the U.S. I got out after 10+ years into a career which was much more enjoyable to me. It is a real pain to do my wife's business reports and taxes.

Holm, my wife hates snakes. My youngest son was a rather adventurous lad and was afraid of nothing not even his mother. When he was about 7 or 8 my wife came home from somewhere and saw this five gallon bucket on the sidewalk with a piece of plywood on top. Curiosity took over and she removed the plywood cover only to find about ten snakes in the bucket. She was not happy!
Later that summer she goes into my sons room and discovers that the empty aquarium has been converted into a home for a pet Garter snake. That caused all kinds of excitement!!

Ralphie, seems like you are right on top of it with those Chanteclers.

I really like them. They are so easy going, and Of course, everyone knows how much I like Ed. I hope to have more PC in about 6 weeks! I do not care about egg size. I think the PC's do very well on feed conversion they do not seem to stuff their crops overly full like other birds do.

 

[Rhetts]

Big news here!! The calf made its entrance into the world around 5 am this morning!! Bad news is Momma does nothing to take care of it. It has been one absolutely long and hard day.

 

[holm25]

Woo hoo!! Has she licked it?? Has it nursed?

 

[Cebarmlds]

Big news here!! The calf made its entrance into the world around 5 am this morning!! Bad news is Momma does nothing to take care of it. It has been one absolutely long and hard day.

Oh no, hope the calf will make it. Do you have to bottle feed it?

 

[holm25]

Yeah. Rhetts if it has not nursed yet it needs a bottle of Colostrum asap! They dont do well without colostrum in the first few hours of life. Any pics yet?

 

[Rhetts]

Sorry I was trying to get a pic loaded and the computer froze up on me.

No she didn't lick it. We did not see it born. I heard mooing on the monitor so I checked the video feed and saw him there. She had done nothing. We placed the calf in front of her and she sorta licked him but with no real effort. We ended up after about 90 minutes decided to bring it in the house to dry it off completely and warm it. It was shivering pretty bad.

We were able to dry and warm it and we looked to see if it was a boy or girl. We have a boy!! He is adorable!!! We got him to stand in the house so we brought him back out. He was able to get up and down on his own and he tried to suckle her but she wouldn't let him. She kicks at it when he tries. After hours of trying to get him on her we decided to get the powder colostrum from the store.

She pays no attention to him at all. When she was lying down we managed to get him on to nurse some. She does kick still but I think she is too tired to actually get up and move. We have managed to get him to feed this way 3 times.

They have decided to build a stanchion to force her to stand still and we will try to get him to suckle her this way in the normal standing position. We are hoping to get his strength up and her to accept him nursing. They are building it now. We have a heat lamp over him. She literally does nothing with it. He looks like he gave up and is an orphan. He really doesn't try to connect with her any more.

So a roller coaster of emotions. Hooray baby is here safe and sound. But now the battle to keep him has begun.

 

[KlopKlop]

Big news here!! The calf made its entrance into the world around 5 am this morning!! Bad news is Momma does nothing to take care of it. It has been one absolutely long and hard day.

Yay and boo!!! I am sorry for the trouble. I hope she can come around and be a good mom. Is this the cow that didnt mother her last one? if so she sounds like she will make better steak than a mommy again.