A&M Gets to Saw Em Off

Mator our newest goat, a pygmy, has horns! And he knows how to use them! So we have an appointment with Dr. Hooper on Thursday to have them removed. I intend to use this post to chronicle his recovery as a learning tool.. So Mater has a long story...His story...he wandered to a friend's house, who kept him all afternoon trying to find his owner with no luck. He brought him to us knowing we would know how to care for him better.  Chad fell in love with the little guy, just adored him!! Almost as much as he loves Daisy (maybe a little more...he is a boy!) When it seemed like he had been dumped we decided we would keep him....well about 10 minutes after deciding to keep him we get a call from the friend that found him saying the owners called him and would be over shortly. Boo Hoo so we had to let him go...this was March 8th that they came to get him. About 3 weeks ago I was browsing craigslist when I saw a $100 Pygmy goat that looked like our little guy, so I called the lady and asked her if her goats name was Mater, she said yes, I asked where she was, she said Tomball. My heart dropped...I knew it was him, but I wasn't about to pay $100 for a Pygmy goat! She asked how I knew his name, so I told her the story of how we just loved the little booger. She asked if I wanted him...I told her I would have to discuss the price with my husband and she asked why...and said she would give him to us. She only put a price so he would get a home and not become food or neglected! So we got Mater back! Only problem he had horns! Last Thursday I took him to A&M to get them removed. $72 to dehorn a Pygmy and there are gaping holes in his head! Dr. Hooper is WONDERFUL.

1st pic. Mater when he visited us.


Mater when we got him as our own



Mater the day of surgery...poor baby cried the whole way home!


1 Week later....swelling has gone down, no bleeding. No discharge from his nose (like was warned) We were told to keep him away from other goats, but he just wouldn't crazy little bugger jumps every fence we have to get to his herd. Only had one issue...that was his first feeding time with a headache. He tried to butt Duke out of his food and cried as he did it. Hasn't butted anyone else! Go figure!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

baby pics

Elvis

Cassia and Duke (Cassia is Elvis' sister, they were born April 1st)

Duke thinks he can fly! 

Duke yet again

Scratch Scratch Scratch

First Kid of the Season

Lily kidded yesterday (3/6/09) a single buckling. AND I MISSED IT! LOL

Interesting Trip

Yesterday afternoon I set out to go to a friends house to pick up red top tubes to draw blood on the goats, then the bank and the grocery store. Routine stuff, so I thought! After seeing all the babies, it is kidding season afterall, my friend mentioned needing to disbud some of them, having never seen it I offered to help. I watched as they did two kids, I think I'll be paying to have mine done! While we werw disbudding, one of my friends two legged kids was checking a pregnant goat that appeared to be close to kidding, the determination was that this doe had an upside down kid and needed assistance! We were done disbudding despite the kids that hadn't been done yet! I observed as the oldest of my friend's kids went in an decided the kid was no longer upside down, the cervix wasn't quite open all the way, and mom should be fine on her own. After many pushes and much waiting, she went in again to find the cervix open and 2 feet with what felt like a HUGE head. After some medicine to help with momma's energy and contractions the baby, a huge buck, was delivered! It was decided that going back in to check for more babies was needed. My friend's oldest went back in and felt something "gross and creepy". It was bones, this momma had twins, but one had died very young.I got there in the afternoon and didn't leave until after 9PM!

And I didn't forget the tunes I went there to get!

Meet Cinnamon!

I am looking at buying this new doe....(Feb 16th) As of 4-5pm (2/17) she was paid for and in the truck on her way home! Around 7pm she decided she was comfortable and NOT getting out of the truck!! Took until almost 8pm to get her out and into her isolation pen.  Tomorrow she gets the joy of blood drawn, vaccines, worming, and hooves trimmed!! Poor girl! 

Her "pending" name is "Sun" Hill Acres Sassi's Cinnamon.

Her mom's name is "Sun" Hill Acres Sassifrass.....she will be added to the website in the not to distant future.

More info later

Who knew a broke down truck could get you a job...

My truck decided to hate me on Saturday (1/24) and later that evening I got a call from my neighbor offering me 4 hours a day milking her 10 goats and 4 cows, cleaning the equipment, and feeding the animals. (She has bad arthritis and just can't keep doing it by herself). She has a milk machine for the cows and the goats, so I pretty much get paid to wait! Wait for the milker to finish that cow (or pair of goats) until I am finished with all of them, then I filter the milk (which is waiting for the milk to strain through the filter!) I play the waiting game from 8am to around noon! I love it. I can't wait until my goats are back in milk...I need to save to buy my own milk machine...it is SOOOOOO nice! After using one for 4 days now I can't imagine milking with out one!!! 

Happy New Year

Welcome to the new year with the Laughter Herd.  My goals for this year are to have healthy, happy goat kids and mommas, a dozen eggs a day (laid in the coop, not the hay), have some Serama or banty babies, have the goat barn complete and maybe the horse stalls started on! We shall see!!! 

My main goal this year is to have 5 does in milk and to help with that we purchased a buckling in Dec. Four of the girls (Ginger, Rosey, Lily, and Chouli) were all bred in October, November, and maybe December to some lovely boys from Swede Farm. We decided Daisy hadn't quite grown enough to be bred, so are hoping when Luke is old enough, Daisy will be big enough.  In March, we should have registered 4th generation (tiny) Mini Lamancha kids and registered (recorded grade) Lamancha kids. In April, we should have registered (Purebred) Nubian kids. Ginger was taken to be bred in October, but looked like she didn't take so was taken back in December. She could be due in March or May...she will be having 3/4 Lamancha and 1/4 Nubian kids. These kids will not be able to be registered as Ginger and her daddy aren't.  

Chickens....the laying flock consists of 1 Golden Comet rooster, 3 Buff Orpington hens, 2 Barred Rock hens, 2 Ameraucan hens, 1 Rhode Island Red hen, 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte hen, 1 Golden Laced Polish hen (not laying yet), and 1 mixed breed hen that likes tp go broody far to often! I figure with 11 hens...I won't be getting a dozen eggs a day, but I can hope for eggs laid in the coop!! This spring I will order 10 replacement chicks to raise for next year's laying season.  The 3 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Barred Rock, and the mixed breed hen will all be looking for new homes or stew pots by the time the replacement chicks are old enough to lay. That will leave me with 6 hens and 10 chicks....Maybe I can get a dozen eggs a day out of 16 hens next year!!! 

The replacement chicks will consist of Ameraucanas for green eggs, brown egg layers, and maybe a white egg layer or 2.  

The dogs had a great year in 08 and I hope to get Jesse CGC tested (Canine Good Citizen) and get him tested through the Temperment Test Society.  

My NUMBER 1 goal for 2009 is to get the messy little buck out of my house...I am checking now to see if it is too cold to try to move him to the barn, he will have a stall next to the big girls with a hay floor to keep him warm......he pees forever!!!!!!!! He is the cutest thing until he chews on the computer cord or the couch pillows, or jumps on the couch, or pees!! lol

Hope you have a safe and happy 09!