update!

I know, sorry everyone - I have been a cheezer on updating this blog, we've been busy (but isn't that normal?!)!

Let's see. . .

Friday afternoon we shaved around the bases of the new does' horns, and then banded them. For the first few hours they were not very happy, but got over it and now are no worse for wear. We'll see how this goes, I hope it works and goes well! From all I've read, it should. . .

It's been getting really cold - the low tonight is 6 degrees, yikes!! All the animals seem to be fairing well with the cold though so far. We've been feeding out a lot of hay, but then again - we have about 80 sheep and goats, so what should I expect. Right now we are finally, almost, down to milking 10 does twice a day. There are just 2 does that I'll probably only milk one or two more times (been milking them once a day), so we're pretty much just at 10. Very nice, in a way. Last year this time we were milking 7 does or less.

And guess what? Our first doe could have kids in a little over 2 weeks, yay!! Our friend got a 3 day old kid (looks like a Kiko) the other day and put it on a bottle - snuggling her makes me miss having baby goats, but not for long Lord willing.

On the other hand (not animal related, in other words), the other day we took an Irish dance class and then danced and stayed up late as usual for a Saturday night, so I am very tired right now and better get myself to bed!

Here's a few random pictures.

This is "Grandma" sporting her winter coat - which I think she really likes! She's such a sweet old goat. . .

Goodnight!

Suriyah

new goats!

Well guess what, we got some new goats. 4 beautiful Alpine/Nubian cross doe kids that were born early this year. Yes, they all have horns - but, they were just given to us (along with about 30 chickens) and they are really nice does so they are going to be a "project." I plan on using the banding method to remove their horns. Somebody did a study on it, very interesting and it was very successful. I know of a couple of very knowledgeable goat ladies that have done it many times with success. If anyway wants the study, just email me.

SO, here are some pictures of them! They are all very friendly, which is nice!!

Anne,

Buttercup,

Cleopatra,

and Friendly,

So that's always fun and such a blessing.

Here's a quick picture of Miss Rhia. She's due early January. The first doe that is due is Rosie, and she is due January 2nd - that means we have less than a month till we should have kids - yikes!!!

Have a good day!

Suriyah

Friday's Featured Farmer!

Today I am Friday's Featured Farmer on T. Cupp Miniatures and Family Farm Blog. Thank you, Tammy!

You can click here to read the article.

If you would like to write an article up for her, you can go to her blog and contact her for more info.

Have a great weekend!

Suriyah

adventure!

We sure had a busy day yesterday! In the morning we went and picked up some Yaks (click here to find out what a yak is!) - 2 Royal bulls (a Royal Yak is a yak with white). We then toured this guy's place - very interesting! He had bison, white bison, tons of yaks, zebras, a Watusi bull, a camel. Then over in the zoo area he had giraffes, lions, tigers - all kinds of stuff. So, we loaded the Yaks (who are mean, by the way) and went home.

At home we had this huge boar hog who we've been keeping for a guy named Steve. Steve runs a big ranch in Oklahoma. It is called Triple S Wildlife Ranch and Resort. It is the largest exotics ranch in Oklahoma.

So we loaded the hog, loaded everyone and headed a few hours south to Steve's place. When we got there, we unloaded the hog - ours was the brown one in the photo below.

Then we unloaded the crazy Yaks,

After that, we went out the gate and down to another little place and loaded 20 ewes. So now we have 35 sheep. We hung out in the lodge (very cool!) for a bit and then headed back home - didn't get home till late, the goaties weren't too happy about that but they're fine ;)!

Here are a few random pictures that have been taken the past few days. . . sorry, didn't get any goat pictures ;).

Some of my sister's little bunnies,

That is one wide sheep! Supposedly she is not due till January some time, but I just think she might "pop" before that!

A bunch of little piggies!

Canuck and Caleb,

This is a new sheep that we got the other day - traded one of our ewes. This is a Tunis sheep. I think they're pretty neat looking!

Well, I better go. Have a good day!

Suriyah

It's officially COLD!!

Well, I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! We did!

This past week has been incredibly busy, and I really wasn't expecting it to be this busy but it's been great and we've had a good time with everyone!

Wednesday it was warm, in the 70's. Then yesterday morning we woke up to ICE on everything. . . BRR!!! It's all melting today though. But with the first cold front here, I want to dry more does off. . . 14 is too many, LOL! In a week or two we'll see what I can get down to.

All the animals are doing pretty well. Except for Dancer, the Alpine buck that has had so many issues. We are sending him back to the breeder we got him from. I really hope they can help him, I have done everything I can think of and he is just SO thin. He gets grain, free-feed hay, etc. etc. Anyway. . .

I don't have any pictures - sorry! I don't think anyone got any pics of everything encased in ice, but that's alright because I'm sure we'll get another ice storm later this year. It's not too fun, but everything is so pretty afterwards - it looks like there are crystals everywhere!

Well, I better get off of here and get to cleaning the house and let the "girls" out to pasture before more it gets too busy around here.

Have a great weekend!

Suriyah

Fall on the Farm

Really, I have been meaning to do a blog post for the past day or two but just haven't gotten around to doing it.

Let's see. . . about 2 weeks ago our friend's 6 goats that we were "baby sitting" for 13 (?) days or something went home. Then yesterday another friend went out of town, so we have to watch her goats/animals too. . . thankfully she is just next door, so it makes things easier.

Things have been going pretty good here. Not much to "report" really I don't think. Just had another load of hay delivered today... it's going fast!

The pictures below are by my little sister - thanks!

Can you believe it - Thanksgiving is less than a week away??!? Time flies!

Have a great weekend!

Suriyah

Saturday morning photos

Sorry everyone, I haven't been updating my blog much. . . but I can get away with it now that October is over ;). It is so cold this morning, feels like winter!

Right now we are milking 15 does... still. This time last year we were only milking 7!! Knowing that, it makes me feel better when I dry a doe up ;). I just dropped another doe to once a day milking too.

Not a whole lot has been going on. We've been selling a lot of hay though. . . already half way through the load that just came earlier this week! Winter's coming, and I think everyone is finally remembering!!

Mom was out with the camera this morning, so I thought I'd post some of the pictures.

We've been putting Buddy and his "crew" out with everyone else in the morning when we feed. . . he is so protective of his 2 little sheep and 2 goats, it's so cute!

Some chickens,

This little lamb was born last Saturday... pretty cute, huh? You can see more by clicking here.

Still lots of stuff from the garden!

A few of the pigs my brother got last night. . . these are the small ones (I think he got 14 or 15?). . .

Sugar the donkey, (isn't she just adorable?),

another one of the pigs my brother got last night. . . this is the BIG one. . .

Have a good weekend!

Suriyah

What's New. . .

. . . not much! I counted it up and we have 17 does bred, finally! The not so exciting news I guess is that there are 17 MORE does that still have to be bred! But of the last 17, several are doe kids that are to be bred end of December-January, and then some meat goats, and about 5 of the 17 are does that I am going to milk through until hopefully January/February. So not bad I guess. The first doe is due January 2nd, and we only have 2 due in January (not normal, but a nice break) and then a ton in February and March.

The donkey girls are doing great and getting along with everyone. My little sister came up with names. . . I guess they are better than Jenny and Janet - it's "Candy" (the bigger one) and "Sugar" (the smaller one). They are so sweet and friendly. . . I never would have thought I would like a donkey very much at all, LOL!

Candy,

Sugar,

It totally feels like winter now. It is getting cold, and we had our first frost a few days ago, but it's warmed up since then. All the leaves are falling, it's breezy out and it is getting dark (or "dwark", according to Osiyyah) early. Winter is coming. . .

Have a good day!

Suriyah

p.s. - what do you think of my crazy pink boots my Grandma got me :)!??

Mini Donks!

I guess we can't go long without adding something more to the ranch! Yesterday I saw an ad for this exotic animal rescue place, and they had a bunch of animals to adopt out. There was a llama, but she was already taken, and then there were these 2 female Mini Donkeys! So, we went today and picked them up. They are SO cute, and totally sweet! We don't know how old they are, but they don't look really old to me.

When we were there, the guy told us that they were both housed with a stallion Zebra for 6 months, so we need to watch for ZeDonk babies!! Yikes. . . the littler one really does look pregnant, but he said it probably wouldn't be till Spring.

Mom is saying we should name then Jenny and Janet. . . very original, but it'll probably stick.

the little one. . . she is so friendly and was just following me around.

the below two pictures are the bigger one. She is very sweet, and isn't as "mouthy" as the other one ;).

Gotta go milk. . .

Suriyah

Breeding does

Last night there were probably about 7-8 does along the fence line, all in heat. So at 10:30pm, Mom convinced me to go out and breed a few of them. I bred Vanilla (Nubian) to the new LaMancha buck, Ranger. Grandma Maggie (Nubian) to our Nigerian Dwarf buck, Berry - he did it, whoohoo! And I totally cheesed out on this one - I was suppose to breed little Maggie (2nd gen Mini Nubian doe) to my 3rd gen buck, Topaz. But I forgot to bring my breeding chart out with me, and totally forgot I even had Topaz as a breeding buck, so I bred to her Parker - a 1st gen buck. When I got back in the house, I remembered and was kicking myself (okay, not really...). SO, either I'll leave her and just have 2nd gen kids born, or lute her and breed her to Topaz for 3rd gen kids. We'll see. . . not that big of a deal I guess.

So now, we have 13 does bred. A little slower/later than usual this season, but it's getting done, finally. There's 2 due in January, 6 in February, and 7 in March.

It's already November, can you believe it?? It totally feels like Fall here. . . cool, breezy, the leaves are falling. I really need to get outside with a camera and take some pictures.

For those of you who can vote - remember to go vote today!!

Suriyah