Friday Photos from the Farm #8

Welcome back from Fall Break! I hope you had a wonderful vacation.

We used our time to start getting ready for winter on the farm. We cleaned out the garden, raked leaves, and put up some shelter for the chickens.

Here is what we do with leaves after we rake them in a pile!

Guess what? I found the picture of me holding a chick!

The chicks look like little chickens now that they have all their feathers. They still 'peep' instead of clucking like an adult hen.

Can you hear them peeping? You can hear the turkeys gobbling because they are loud!

This is Stew, our lamb. His fleece is too long and needs to be clipped off. We call that 'shearing.' It might seem funny to be shearing a sheep in the fall. This breed is called "Navajo Churro" and they get sheared twice a year.

The stomach is always sheared first. Stew might look a little uncomfortable, but he's really taking a nap. When you put a sheep or a lamb on its tail like that he almost falls asleep!

Those shears look like giant scissors!
Dallan is very careful when he shears the sheep for us.

Doesn't Stew look nice!

He's happier, too. He doesn't have a heavy coat to carry around.

He's telling me to put down the camera and give his nose a pet!

I hope you got to see and feel some of Stew's wool. I sent some to your teacher so you could see what it looks like right after it's been sheared. I haven't washed it so it might have bits of leaves and grass in it. It will smell just like Stew. If you don't like the smell of sheep, don't open the bag!

Do you remember what I said a few weeks ago about the new hen sitting on eggs?

Did you remember that I said they might hatch while you were having your Fall Break?

Guess what!!!

Look very closely!

Now you can see them! I moved the mother hen out of the way. The chicks were born on Thursday. So far three chicks have hatched out. I'll let you know next week if there are any more.

The mother hen is so sweet that she doesn't mind me holding her chicks.

Can you hear the chicks peeping? Can you hear the mother hen clucking? These chicks are only a few hours old. Watch the mother hen closely. She is rolling one of the eggs underneath her to keep it warm.

Get excited for next weeks photos! We have another new animal to show you! I think you will be so happy to see our new addition to the farm!

Have a great week!

Cleaning Stalls and Other Spring Things

Friday we cleaned one stall. Since we've reduced the herd by almost half we could leave the stall empty and let it dry out for a day, but with all the rain I doubt we will be able to. We'll probably have to let the buck and the steer in for the night.

We also cleaned out the turkey brooder. We bought 5 turkeys on March 22. They are growing well. We started them on Game Bird Starter and they are now on 20% lay pellets. When the weather warms up a bit they will go out with the chickens.

We picked up and packed away the feed empty bags that were taking over the barn. They are great for when we are weeding and need to send the noxious weeds to the dump. They hold a lot and are much sturdier than the lawn and leaf bags we can buy at the store. Plus, these are free.... sort of. We had to pay for the feed, but we consider it recycling. The best kind of recycling because it doesn't use any resources to break down a finished product to turn it into something new.

Here's the little lamb we brought home from Lamb and Wool Festival on April 12th. He was about 3 weeks old in this picture.

The lamb (Vet2Be named him "Stew") is doing well and doesn't mind hanging out with the steer, Dinner. We keep him in a nice stall most of the time because he's so small he fits through all the fencing!

We Grow them Big

That's what Sheepy says... and after seeing the photo I understand.

The brown ram on the left is a year old. He's one of the bottle-lambs Sheepy gave to Vet2Be last year. The big one on the right is a ewe that Sheepy got from one of our friends who is moving. The rest are from Sheepy's flock.

Sheepy gives us a bummer lamb or two and we raise them on goat milk and pasture.

This year our freezer still has lamb in it, so we gave the brown ram back when she dropped off the new bummer lamb.

And they love to grow BIG here!

Spring Lamb

One of Sheepy's ewes is dumb. She had a lamb and didn't know what it was. It certainly wasn't hers. And she wasn't going to feed it.

So.....Vet2Be got a bummer lamb on Friday.

He can't stand because the ewe didn't clean it off or take care of him. By the time Taco found him he was pretty weak.

He's getting goat milk. And I'm pretty sure that he'll be up and walking around tomorrow afternoon :)

Sparky's Tail

We didn't dock Sparky's tail in the spring. She was a bit late as a lamb, and then the summer got away from us. Our friend, Sheepy, said she has docked tails on sheep that were as old as three years. Sheep are generally healthier, have an easier time breeding, and have an easier time lambing when their tail is docked.

We waited until fly season was over before docking her tail. Poor thing! If it wasn't best for them, we probably wouldn't do it.

I trimmed a little near the caudil fold of her tail. That's where her fleece is white.

Before banding, Sparky got a tetnus antitoxin shot just to be on the safe side. I also soaked the band in iodine for just a moment before I placed it on her tail. Vet2Be held her while I banded.

Sparky loves Vet2Be and is hiding between his legs even though he was the one that held her while I did the nasty part.

Sparky in front and Mandy in back. The two lambs that Vet2Be bottle-fed this spring.

Just in case you are wondering if Sparky got flighty after banding her tail. She didn't. She still comes running when Vet2Be calls her. Every evening she asks to come in the barn and get a petting from Vet2Be, sometimes she even gets a treat!

Bottle Drainer

I've been wanting something to drain bottles on for years. However, some things are not worth taking someone else's time to build, and Hubby's time is precious. He runs his own company and spends lots of time in another state. When he is here I appreciate all the 'big' work that I can't do, like trimming trees and running the tiller.

I finally decided that "I can build a bottle drainer!" And if I couldn't, then I would probably learn something along the way.

I used a 1" x 4" pine board that I cut to 11" with a small hand saw.

Next I used the highly scientific method of figuring out how much space I would need between the dowels-- I put some bottles on the board and marked where the middle of the bottle hit without the bottles touching. I came up with 3" on center between bottles.

I wasn't sure how tall to make the dowels, so I stuck the dowel into the bottle and added about an 1 1/2" to the end. I didn't want the bottle sitting on the wood or it wouldn't drain. And I had to remember to add about 3/4" for the dowel to fit into the wood.

I used a 3/8" dowel and cut it with...... the pruning shears! I thought the dowel was probably just like a small branch on a tree anyway, and I didn't want to use the saw if I didn't have to. The dowels for the bottles to sit on were cut to 8 1/2"

I also wanted a shorter dowel to put the nipples on. So I put a nipple and ring on the end of the dowel and added about an inch to the end I came up with a 3" length.

Next I pounded the dowels into the holes that I had drilled. Some went all the way to the bottom of the board, but some were a little short. I wasn't concerned about perfection, this is a serviceable tool and I don't plan on selling them.

It works! I use it every day. I even use it for drying plastic bags that I want to re-use.

You Are Dead Meat!

Blackie decided that he was going to start head-butting the dairy girls in their sides. I saw him do it one evening when I was out doing chores.

"If you do that again, you are dead meat!" I yelled.

Well, duh! I guess I figured out where that saying came from.

He continued to push the girls around for the next few days so Vet2Be decided to put him in with the buck and the wether. They pushed Blackie around for a few days, but he asked for it by starting every fight, so he really deserved it!

Blackie, who isn't really all black anymore.

He didn't calm down one bit! In fact, he got worse and started going after anyone that came in the pen.

We were planning on keeping him since he is wethered and he used to be really nice with people. Last Christmas he was one of the sheep in a live Nativity and everyone loved him.

But... the Number One Rule On the Farm is: "Be Nice, or Be Tasty."

So we found a neighbor who had room for Blackie.... in his freezer.

Some Surprises!

Yesterday I got a call from our Sheepy friend. She had another project for Vet2Be. Her 11 year old ewe had lambed with two lambs in the morning. She had no idea that her ewe was even bred. She didn't 'take' last year and had no lambs last spring. She left her ewe in with the ram because she thought the ewe was done and was just going to let her retire.

Surprise! Sheepy's father called her in the morning and said she had a lamb in the pasture. Sheepy said that wasn't possible, they were done lambing last month!

Well, there really was a lamb in the pasture! In fact there were two. But the old ewe is too tired to count past 'one' and didn't know that she had a second lamb. Vet2Be and Uncle Sam, the dog, are now raising another new little lamb. She is much more active than the lamb that Sheepy raised from the dead in early January. The weather is a bit warmer now, too, so she can spend the day outside in the grass with Uncle Sam and Mandy. We'll bring her into the house in the evening and keep her in the box for a few days.

Here's little Sparky with Uncle Sam, the dog.

Woops!! The tile floor is great for cleaning up spills, but not so great for new-born lambs who are trying to walk!

The other surprise we had last night was a new kid! I really wasn't sure if Kathy was pregnant. She was still very slender. Her vulva area was a little swollen and a small udder was forming, but she wasn't as big as Pearl (who still hasn't kidded.)

Last night when we went out to milk there was a cleaned off kid in the stall. And it belonged to Kathy! The little doeling was all cleaned off and almost dry. She had already had her first colostrum, we could tell because one side of her mouth was sticky. She was standing and active and following her mom around.

We locked Kathy and her kid in the stall, along with Pearl, just in case Pearl decided to kid during the night.

Two very nice surprises yesterday! A new lamb to raise and a new kid born to Kathy! 

And to make it an even sweeter day, Vet2Be got to spend two hours at a local veterinarian's office watching some surgeries. 

What a fun day!

Mandy's Crib

Just a photo of the crib that Hubby and Carpenter fixed up for the bummer lamb, Mandy.

 

 Hubby cut off the legs of a regular baby crib that I found on Freecycle.

  

  Carpenter used some corner brackets to hold the sides onto the crib ends. We used cement board to keep Mandy from jumping out. We happened to have some left over from the tile floor--and it is really heavy. We laid a tarp on the floor, then put the crib on top, then added the straw. We used a little dog crate covered with a few old towels so she could stay out of any drafts.

 

 Here she is eating her lamb crumbles. They are in an old sour cream container that I drilled holes in and then tied to the corner. 

She is quite cozy in her crib. She has room to move and she can stay warm at night in the little dog crate tucked at one end. 

Bone Tumors and Other Updates

Vet2Be has two osteochondromas on his leg. Those are benign bone tumors. One of them broke off and so he has been in lots of pain lately. The doctor will be removing them both next week. But in the meantime, he is supposed to take it easy so he doesn't have swelling in the soft tissue around the broken bone. This injury rode right on the heels of us finding out that he was being 'poisoned' while he slept in the basement because of the melting electrical wires! This kid has had a tough 10 months.

That means that I am doing most of the work on the farm. (Hubby and Son1 are away on a business trip, so everything has been up to me.) With all the work I haven't had time to update my blog!

We cleaned one stall today to get ready for the first  kidding due date: 8 March. Some of the neighbor children that are good friends of ours came by to help. It took two hours to shovel out the stall since it has been such a wet, sloggy month.

There are still two more stalls to clean, but I feel much better having one done. If Clover decides to kid a little early, we have a clean place for her. She looks as if she is going to pop! But she is still eating, and she hasn't bagged up yet, so I think we're okay for a few days.

There is still heavy work to be done, though! One of the other stalls is much worse than the one we cleaned, and the third isn't nearly as bad. We have about 5 hours of work left. Not too bad, but Vet2Be feels terrible that he can't help. I'm very grateful for neighborhood kids who like to be here and help and for good friends who have volunteered to come help clean the other stalls Monday night.

Other Updates:
Mandy the bummer lamb is doing great! She has outgrown the small and medium sized diapers I made for her. Last week I made six more large diapers. I have enough fabric to make a few more in a larger size and then she will be outside full time! She is 4 1/2 weeks old at this point and is in the process of being weaned to lamb starter feed from our local feed supply store as well as some alfalfa/grass mix hay.

Crib for Mandy Since Mandy outgrew her Rubbermaid tote, Carpenter cut off the legs of an old baby crib and used brackets to attach the sides to the ends. It makes a perfect pen for Mandy to sleep in at night or to be in when we don't want her in the yard or the house.

Hot Pads I've been crocheting a few hot pads for friends. I've never seen the pattern for these anywhere on the internet, so hopefully I will have time to post the pattern and some photos of how to do the stitch that Hubby's grandma showed to me.

Vet2Be's Eagle Court of Honor went very well last month! I just haven't had time to post pictures yet. But it was a wonderful evening and we are all very happy that he was able to earn the BSA Eagle Rank.

Lamb Diapers

Vet2Be named the little lamb Amanda Lynne (a mandolin) because he loves mandolin. She still loves running around with the dogs, but is definitely not house trained! I looked at preemie diapers the last time I was at the store. $9 for 30 diapers! Nope! Not spending that much money on diapers for a lamb.

I had some flannel on hand and decided to make some diapers for her.

 

Its a little hard to see in this photo, but there is a hole in the diaper for her tail!

A better photo with her tail coming through the diaper.

Here is the pattern I drafted. The instructions follow.

Click on the picture, it will come up full size. Then print to your printer. You may have to resize the pattern for your ewe lamb. Our lamb is very small.

 

Printable directions - click and print.

 Instructions for Ewe Lamb Diapers (This diaper will not work for a ram lamb)

1. Wash the flannel in hot water before you start to cut out or sew. Flannel will shrink. If you cut and sew before you wash the fabric, your diapers will shrink the first time you wash them,
2. Cut out both pattern pieces and overlap where indicated. Tape pieces together.
3. Cut out (2) diapers on fold.
4. Cut out (4) 3” x 3 ½” squares of flannel for the absorbent pad.
5. Zig-zag or serge around the edges of the absorbent pad.
6. Place absorbent pad on dotted lines on diaper and sew around the edge to attach it to the diaper.
7. Place other diaper piece on top of the one with the pad (the pad should be on the inside) then serge around the entire edge of the front and back of the diaper to make one diaper.
8. Mark placement for tail hole and sew a buttonhole there. Cut buttonhole open.
9. Pin velcro where indicated--strap pieces should be on one side, tummy pieces should be on the opposite side of the diaper. Before you sew, make sure that you can fold and the diaper and the velcro will come together to hold the diaper on.
10. Sew velcro onto diaper
11. Match dotted lines for darts. Serge or sew along dotted lines. You do not have to do this step, it makes the diaper fit better, but the diaper will still work if you don’t sew the dart. I serge the dart, you can also zig-zag at the dart and trim the excess.
    

These would probably fit doeling goat kids, as well. Hopefully we won't have any problems this year and have a 'house goat' as well as a 'house lamb'!

The diapers last about 2-3 hours before we have to change them. I need to make a few more to last us a few more weeks. They only take about 10 minutes to make. Finding the 10 minutes can be a problem some days!

New Lamb

Our friend started lambing season early. Not on purpose, the ram got in with a ewe early so there were early lambs! Our friend said the ewe didn't like this little ewe, so she asked if Vet2Be wanted to bottle raise her. Of course he said yes!

She came yesterday afternoon and stayed in a large plastic storage tote all night near the wood stove. Vet2Be slept by her, he has always thought that would be great fun. He decided it really wasn't any fun at all because the little lamb kept whining most of the night. Every two hours she cried until he fed her a little bit. Hopefully we will be able to get her out in the barn tonight. If she seems like she is eating well and staying warm today, then we will give it a try.

Sam and the new lamb

 

 Vet2Be trying to keep her a little quieter this morning :)

A few animals around the farm

We have such a fun life living on the farm!

This is Vet2Be's favorite doeling. Her name is Kathy and Vet2Be is keeping her :o) Kathy follows Vet2Be around like she is a puppy and will probably be leash trained by the end of the month. Don't you just love the snazzy sweater I knit for her! Purple is Vet2Be's favorite color :D


This is the ram that Vet2Be is raising for a friend. He is almost big enough for the freezer. He loves to play with the soccer ball that is out in the field.


Here is the orphaned lamb that Vet2Be got last Sunday night. He's really cute and sweet.

Here is the other orphaned lamb that Vet2B is raising. He's cute, too. This one's name is Lamb Chop (he's got a future, ya know what I mean?! So does his half-brother in the other photo, but we haven't got a good name for him yet) They are both being raised on goat milk.

Here is a photo of the beehive that Vet2Be and Dad put together. The bees will be here next week. Dad also ordered another hive so if we get a call about a swarm, we'll have a hive ready to go for them! Vet2Be won the hive in the Bee a Beekeeper Essay contest.

This is Vet2Be and Daisy. Daisy's mother is a llama and her father is an alpaca. That is why she looks like an alpaca. She is really sweet and will come up to most people--especially if they are new. She scares young kids because she loves to sniff them and they have no idea what this big fuzzy animal is doing coming over to them! When she is running around in the pasture, she looks like a live stuffed animal :o)