Losses, new arrivals, and soon to be's!

The past week has been very interesting.

As you all know we welcomed Hana Bean to our homestead the Wednesday before last.
She had a bit of a hard time adjusting to her new home, but now all is well. Getting used to The dogs is a slow prosses for her as she had never been around any and Baricad and be a bit excited at times, it is all coming along though. The baby boys have taken a liking to Hana but it is not a mutual thing yet, as I am sure it will be soon.

Losses,

Yesterday I was running late and in a hurry. Normaly when I go out to do all the feedings my dogs are out with me, but this morning they were in finishing up thier breakfast. As I walked into the yard to feed the baby boys, I saw this dog like thing zoom by the outer property gate opening where all the chickens hang out and forage. I knew exactly what it was........A damn Coyote! I dropped those bottles and ran out after him, all the while forgeting that I did not have my Mommy protecters (the dogs) with me. I ran as fast as I could tward where he was heading, I figured he just came out for a shot at an easy breakfast and that I had cought him in the act and ran him off. I called for my 9 yr old daughter Rylaya to "Let the boys out now, HURRY!" They came bounding out of the fence.

By the time we got to where I thought he was, he was gone. So I turned right around and ran the other way to the lower property. I stoped at the top of the hill before the decent down and there he was at the far end, he even turned and looked right at me when I yelled at him. Then he ran into the creek and was gone.

I was worried there might me another one because they sometimes run in pairs, not often though. But I thought sence my luck was good enough to have coyotes in the middle of the city in the first place that I better not chance weather or not one was still here. Better safe than sorry. So I again turned around and ran back the other way. I checked on the girls as I ran by, I saw most of them. But wait, where are the newest three? I stopped dead in my tracks with the dogs going crazy by my side..... Shit..... Those three girls never stayed with the group, they always ran out to the front pasture every morning. I began to run again, hopeing that they found shelter in the thick black berry bushes that they like to wander underneath.

Nope. As I walked into the tree line there was the first batch of strewn feathers from one of my new Silver Laced Wyndottes. This group consisted of two SLW and one Elvis looking cracked out Road Island Red. I walked a bit ferther and there was another struggle site. Leaves cleared from the battle, dirt turned up and feathers all around. But no bodies, no parts, no blood! In total I found four spots where this had occured so I imagine that they gave a bit of a struggle, I praised them for that! Still I have not found any sign of RIR feathers. Maybe that kill was taken very quick and easy then left with to eat else where.

The boys and I continued our rounds of the property to scare any remaining coyotes looking for the breakfast buffet. Also so that I may continue yelling and curseing out that damn coyote that did get my girls, and warning him that he better not come back or I will be useing his beautiful hide as a bed or couch cover!

My own reaction and feelings in this are funny to me. Why? Well because you see, I have this soft spot for animals, it is called my whole self. I love animals with every ounce of me, just a bit under the amount I love the Chief and our tribe. Normaly if any of my animals had died in anyway, I would have just broke down and cried, and cried, or and cried some more. But those ways have begon to change after I started out lil homestead thing here. I killed my first chicken on Saterday or Sunday ( but that is a story for another day, coming soon) At first it made my stomach a bit funny, but as I began gutting it, I got better and then the feeling was gone.  So when I realized this coyote had taken two, possibly three of my girls I was not sad. No, I was PISSED the FUCK OFF!!!! This bastard took food off of my table, and out of the mouths of our tribe! Those two (or three) chickens would have brought us not only eggs soon, as they were not yet laying, but two dinner each! That is four dinners. It took me at least half the day to cool down from this insident. I think the Chief was really getting tired of hearing about it, which in turn made him more mad that this had happend cause he had to listen to me rant.

Well, after contacting the local Fish and Wild life in our area, and finding out that there is nothing I can do about it in the city limits (if they were to find out) The Chief sugested that we go pick up a high powered pellet gun, if not for anything elts but to make him think real good and heard about coming back again after his next atempt.

This has happend at a really bad time for our homestead as we are getting some additions. Which brings me to.....

New arrivals,

After scouring Craigslist as I do every morning and at least a dozen more times threw out the day, I found a lady in Seatac with three hens and a rooster 8 months old. She was giving them away for free. Would have been nice if she had decided this last week as I drove right by her house on the hour drive to get Hana Bean, would have been convienent. So I got ahold of her and arranged to go pick them up. For those of you whom do not know my area at all, this is 45 min away. Our scheduals conflicted so much that she told me just to go to her house and get them out of her back yard.......Right.

Well today I packed up the car with a few boxes, chicken treats and Mommy treats as well as my Smith and Weston M&P 9mm. I love this thing. See I am a very petite girl/woman and allthough I can certainly carry twice my weight in gold (not literaly, but alot ;0) the Chief insisted that when going to do dealings with people from Craigslist (becaue of the killings and robberies) that I carry my gun. Expecialy when I can't take Jazz with me ( Mommy protector #1)

It did not dawn on me untill I got there that Roosters can be VERY protective of their girls...Shit! So here I am thinking I am going to get my ass handed to me by a pair of spirs, but I though hell I came all the way out here, I'll give this a shot. I went into the yard and was greeted by these two beautiful Black Cochin hens and a Gorgiouse BC Rooster. The roo did not run after me, just stared at me for the 5 seconds it took me to get a handful of scratch out of my bag and throw it for them. I looked for the third hena and she was nice and snug in the nesting box waiting for me to wisk her away.

As I took chase around the yard, I noticed that there were eggs all over. One here, one there and then a nest of about 10 under the porch. The chase of the girls ended very quickly with the great help of some very ong branches that had fallen off thier trees. Then I went one round with the roo threw the yard and in the coop he went. Oh damn, what a shame sir. Here just let me close that door for you. So I closed the coop door and opened the nest lid, grabed out the hen and then used a small lil broop to make the rooster walk right to me. I was very worried about what would happen when I grabed him, but I prepaird myself and carfuly grabed him by the neck and under his burly chest. No struggle, in the box he went and out to the car.

The only way I had to contact this woman was email. So I sent her one to say thank you and let her know I was  heading out. And as if free chickens was not enough I asked her if she was done with chickens and I could have the water container. I waited a few minutes and then headed on my way as I wanted to get home and let these beauties out so I could stare at them in my yard. Now I am wishing I was a bit more patiencent. Not even five minutes later as I just got on the freeway she emailed me back saying that the chickens where her ex husbands thing, he left them there months ago and she did not want to deal with them any more and that I was welcome to any of the suplies I wanted.....Are You Kidding me! She even said if I had drove a truck that I could take the chicken coop. I had been nice enough to collect the eggs for her and put them in the nest box so she did not have to hunt for them and she said I could have taken those too! CRAP!!!! Because I was already on the freeway and did not know this area at all, also cause I didn't drive a truck, I drove home happy and bumbed at the same time.

Now just so you know because of how she openly let me into her yard, and how we do not trust people I made sure to leave a note on the door with my contact info on it.

Also the breed of the chickens was a mystery, I was expecting just either some mutt chickens or just some of the few I already have, which for freee is just fine by me. But no I got these......

For some reason, I didn't really ever want chickens with feathery legs. But now that I have them, they are awsome! It reminds me of bell bottom pants.

Then there is,

Soon To Be's

While on one of my Craigslist searches I also found a pair of Heritage Turkeys for $75. I got ahold of the woman that owns them and she is holding them untill Saterday for me! I was planing on just letting them be where ever they wanted with a shelter to go to and not fence, just roosting in the trees. But now with this coyote thing I am worried that I may have to cancle on buying them for now. Which sucks really bad cause all the other turkeys I have seen for sale are about $100 for the pair. I would really rather not back out. These turks are already at laying age and will hatch their own babies.

Apparently all my goats think they belong in my house!

Today was Finlay Wednesday, the day I went to get my new goat momma Hana Bean!

She kept nibbling on my ear!

Look at her perty widdle face!


I drove an hour and a half away to go pick up our new goat.  Sadly she does not look as good as I wished her to, just as far as her hoofs not being trimmed in a long time! But I will learn to do that tomorrow and fix them for her.

She did not take to Jazz or Baricade as well as the baby boys did, she instantly began to butt heads with Jazz when he was just saying hi. That is OK she will get used to him. To bad that even if she got along with Baricade his time is almost up. But that is a sad post for another day.

I figured because I have been feeding the babies in the house that it had something to do with them always trying to get in the house. But as soon as I let Hana Bean into the yard and I went inside she walked right in behind me...... WTF? She walked in as if she had always been here and was always let in the house. Well, I don't have to worry to much as I will be moving the goats out to the main yard instead of being in the dog yard. I just had the babies there so they were safe, but now they have Hana Bean to hopefully protect them.

It is almost time for the last feeding of the night for the baby boys, so I just wanna add that I am very excited for the kidding part of this and the milk to come.

Today was defiantly a MONDAY, a Monday that had a happy ending. (The appropriate kind)

I was pleased with my self first thing this morning because I woke up 10 minutes earlier than normal. No, not really that big of a deal, but I figured it was a sign of a good day to come......

Got most of the kids off to school without a hitch, but when it came to our oldest, who just came back from vacation in Disney land, it started. He got a bit of a late start on his day, but we got out the door on time but the bus driver apparently did not read the date that Chase would be back to school. So as the bus got closer and he began to get out of the car.......the bus just drove on by.

Good thing we are not that far from the school, I got him there on time!

Now back home where the last of the five is waiting with Daddy for me to get back. Getting him off to school went just fine.

I did my morning online reading and quick browse threw Craigslist, after my morning chores of course, and I came across #1. a female Oberhaslis goat that has already been bred, due in May and they only want $100 for her. Of course she is an hour away but still a great deal. #2. Three "laying" we'll see about that, hens $15 for all of them only 2yrs old. Granted my luck with getting things off of Craigslist is not all that great. But I got really excited anyway hoping to get return phone calls and emails.

I needed to run some errands so I loaded up into my car and got to the end of our driveway, and stopped next to our dumpster to empty the car of garbage. Then I came to realize that some how the car doors got locked. It gets better, although you would think it was good because I was just in our driveway, still at home. We do not have any spare keys for this particular vehicle. Along with that, my purse with all my money was in the car as well as my house keys, and I was blocking the whole driveway. At this point I felt very smart (sarcasm) and my enthusiasm for the day was beginning to fade. The Chief came out and rescued me with some lil car tricks he knows and off I went.

There is hardly ever a day that we catch the first light on our street when it is green, so no surprise that I again today landed at it being very red. But then the four lights on the way to the freeway were apparently all against my today as well. Which is crap cause I always get mostly green lights.

About noon I did get am email regarding the chickens. The man said I could have them and to come get them around 5 or 6pm tonight. Well between chores, dinner, bath time and animals I don't leave my house really after 4. After a few more emails back and fourth it began to look like it just was not going to work, our schedules just were not lining up. So I told him this and thanked him for his time.

I still had not got a call back about the great deal goat, so I figured that she was already gone.

A few hours later, one on top of the other, I got a return call on the goat and now I pick her up on Wednesday, and the guy decided to just bring the chickens to me tonight.

On top of all that, one of my baby goats was not eating as much as I would like until this afternoon. Then he jumped right up and sucked down his full bottle!

All this I thought was going to just be one of those Mondays, but it turned into a happy ending after all!

Baby goats are here!!!!

My babies are here..... Or well, my mommy protector Jazz (great dane) has claimed them as his babies!

This is him licking this baby clean.

My Jazz normaly listens very well, but when I told him it was time to come in the house, he looked at me and said there was not way he was leaving these babies. I had to DEMAND that he come with me at least 4 times before he very slowly walked twards me with his big head almost draging on the ground.

Sir Bently found them very interesting, not only did they touch noses a few times as well as taking turns fallowing eachother. But Bently took to garding the babies while they slept in their new lil house. He sat on the corner of their porch for a while, just sitting and sitting.

I don't quite understand..... Are they dogs? They don't smell like dogs....

These goats are called Oberhaslis, they are rare in the United States. Originating in Switzerland, they are a winsome and affectionate breed- even the boys are docile and easy to manage.
So I bought the two boys that I helped with the birth, and had planned to also buy a baby doe. But with everything figured out it came up in my thoughts that it would be at least a year before we got milk from her. This is due to that fact that she would not be old enough to be bred untill August of this year, 6 months from now, then it is about 130 days of pregnancy. Lastly it would be another 2 months untill the babies would be weaned unless they were sold before that. Comes to about a year.

I talked to the breeder and she will have a few females in March or April that will be in milk and that she will be willing to sell. So I decided that even though it will be a bit more costly than was initally planning at least we will get milk alot sooner! There for instead of $100 for a bottle baby doeling and buy one get one free for the males at $25. I had to pay full price $25 each on the boys right now and then when one is ready $300 for the female.

At least this will give me time to collect the things I need for the milking prosses and storage!

I am so excited for all these new happinings at my house.

Chickens are an Obsession now!

I never knew what kind of love and interest I would have for these lil feathered puffs of personality.

Rain or shine, after I am done feeding everyone that needs to be fed and running through my morning routine, I sit and watch my chickens. Any were from 15min. to an hour if I have the time. I love to watch them scratch, forage and roll in the dry dusty dirt for a bath. I think it is so adorable when they shake and get all puffy for a minute until their feathers lay down again.

Then there are Roosters...... Them bad boys are so elegant and beautiful. Most of the ones I have seen just have such a presents about them, I can't wait to talk my husband into me having a Roo. But for now the only Rooster that I will have (when he comes in the mail) is a cute "Littlest Pet Shop" Rooster.

On another chicken note, my Americana girls still have not continued their laying. The two of them gave my a slow total of seven eggs over a two - three week span, then I changed the coop a bit and they stopped laying also I threw in the four new working girls, I know that sounds like a different profession but I thought it was funny and in my head that is all that matters ;0) but they still have not resumed production. It is a but upseting only cause I was really enjoying finding blue eggs in the boxes. But happy to say that I three possibly four hens laying now. Also Elmo (RIR that was called captin) has ended her molt and her beautiful feathers are all coming back with luster and shine. Can't wait untill she and the Judds (two Buff O's) begin to lay.

I am hoping that this dose not make my girls stop laying but I am once again going to have to make some changes to the coop. All my laying girls are laying in the same box. I have noticed that this is probably because this box is the darkest of the four. So not only am I going to make it so they are all darker but would like to add another four boxes under the existing four, just for more options and for future flock additions. The Chief thought it was funny and just like a woman to need 15 hours of light (hence the light in the coop) but want the nest boxes dark!

Speaking of the Chief, he built me a new lil house for my baby goats. It is a very simple yet great design. Sadly all I can do is think about how to alter it to work for more chickens ha ha ha. I am really excited to get our babies, who wouldn't be, but I can't help but think maybe I should hold off for a month and then see if our breeder has or will have an adult that is already bred that she will sell me. My reason for thinking this is simple, I will have to bottle feed these babies for at least 2 months, not really a prob other than just another expense. But on top of that the doe will not be ready to be bred until August and then we wont have milk until she has her kids about 120-130 days after she is bred. Even then we will still have to wait until the babies are either sold or weened. That is right around a year or more from now!

I am thinking about only buying the boys that I helped kid (just cause that really bonded me to them) witch is only going to be $50 so that I have the babies and then waiting untill next month and buying an adult....... That might just be the way to go.

Anyone elts have a chicken obsession?

It was a bloody mess, and then amazing lil baby goats in my hands!

So this is how my adventure into goats is starting....

Friday while the kids were in school I drove about 20 min away to a place called St. Johns Creamery, to buy some fresh goat milk for myself and my family to try. While I was there Marcia (owner) was showing me around. Telling me as much information as she possibly could with each breath, I love people like that. To me it truly shows their passion for what they have.

This tasted so good!


 She showed me the beautiful baby Oberhaslis that were for sale (which I am contemplating) and then brought me with her to check on one of her kidding pens. There was one perty girl pacing back and fourth breathing very heavily and giving a very understanding and yet distinctive yell every few minutes. Marcia explained that she was due to kid. I thought that meant at some point that day.... Nope, she meant any minute. This turned my quick stop for milk into an hour and a half long, goose bump filled tear jerk er!

Originally when I realized Garnet was in labor I figured Marcia would kindly ask me to leave so she could take care of her girl, it was just the opposite. I ended up watching and comforting this doe while Marcia ran around and grabbed what she needed. And through all the progress and each step Marcia explained to me exactly what was happening.  As things got closer and the bubble came I sat with more and more anticipation. Out pop these lil white hoofs and a lil face with the tongue sticking out. Marcia grabbed onto those feet and pulled this beautiful baby boy out, plop right out onto the ground. I was in a state of absolute happiness. There was a second lil boy that popped out about 15 minutes later.

 So needless to say, I not only want to buy a doe for our milking girl but I want one of those baby boys. I do not know if I should buy one or two girls.......

Wow eggs are good for a LONG time!

 Have you ever realized how long your eggs are good for?

Before I bought our first chickens, I looked on line trying to find out how long my eggs were going to be good for after they were gifted to me by my hens. It was not untill I was looking up breeds of chickens that I found this video, how to read egg cartons! It is amazing that the eggs most people buy in the store thinking they are fresh, are actually about 2-3 months old or at least it has been that long from the date they were boxed!

Funny thing is, I find myself checking a few of the egg cartons in the stores when I am out shopping! Yes, that is me, the one getting funny looks because I am checking all the boxes and not buying any.

You should watch the video and then run to your fridge (you know you will) and check your fresh eggs and see how old they really are!

My grandma Evelyn was shocked, not cause of the eggs but because I knew this information! Ha Ha I figured I would share this with you and I wanted to also because I just figured out how to put a link into the middle of my sentance. Yes, it is the little things that make me happy!

Good Night, happy egg gathering in the morning!

Is that really and egg? Well ok, if you say so.

  My lil Flock band, is doing great today.

  Yesterday when I got my new hens home I just put them in with the oldies. There were a few lil squables, but nothing big. I think it probably helps that they have 7 acres to rome on so they were not all in some small little area that they had to fight over. But it does seem that the new girls have began to rule the roost.

  This morning when I went out to check on them and do my morning chores, I was not expecting any eggs. Black Beard and Golden Eye have stoped laying sense I made the changes to the coop and then threw in some new roomates and just having brought the new girls home I did not think they would be laying for a few days. I check on my chickens quite a few times durring the day as I am new to this and I am still waiting for some of the oldies to start laying and don't know what time in the day they plan on doing so. When I went out just before noon I found miss no name (Black Astralorp) in one of the nest boxes. Now she should have been named Pecky Peckerton as she does snip at you when being bothered. As I shoved my cold hand under this poor warm hen in the box and she tried to keep me away I did not find an egg, darn. But I just figured that it was not time yet, come to find out I may have felt the egg and not even noticed. Come to think of it, I don't think she knew she had even laid one untill she turned to look as she left the box. Here's why........

The great blue egg on the left is from Black Beard, the middle is left over store bought egg, and that little itty bitty, tan grain of sand on the right is from no name! I would imagine it just felt like passing gass, she probably was startled to find that there was somthing under her when she moved.


 I don't think that I have ever seen an egg this small from a chicken, has anyone else had tiny tinies like this?

Hope you guys are getting nice weather like we are! Happy homesteading....