It has been a long time

Please forgive my absence from blogging. 

We had several scares with medical issues and I have just really been out of the game for the last month or so.

There are a lot of new things going on at Cluck Acres.

We have added several new goats, as well as a bottle fed baby.

On March 2, 2013 we will be driving to Texas to add a new doggie to our farm. His name is Mac and he is a 4 year old English Bulldog. 

Later this evening I will update with some new photo's of all the beauties that are grazing in our pasture at the moment. With that being said I am heading out to clean the bard, feed the animals, and try to capture some photo's!

Baby Goats Have Arrived

So I wake up yesterday morning to the incubator making little chirping noises. I looked in to see 3 little baby chicks. I knew there were a lot more to hatch so I let them be and didn't disturb them.

We went to church and came home for our BBQ. Morgan's friend did meet us at church and then followed us home. The meat wasn't anywhere near done so we sat and visited while the rest of the meat cooked.

About 4 p.m. the ribs and asparagus were ready to be pulled off the smoker but the pork butt roast wasn't. We got our plates and ate and figured we would just send some of the roast home with the guy and he could make another meal out of it. 

 Morgan went to get the roast off the smoker and heard something crying. He looked out into the pasture and Hannah had one of her babies down by the pond in the mud. He hollered at me and I came running. Went and got the little baby. He was soaked in mud and had been struggling to stand for some time. He was cold. I got him all warmed up and into the barn. Hannah followed me closely. We got her into the barn area and she had baby #2. Twins was all we ended up with. 

So we ended up with 26 baby chicks and 2 goats at the end of the day. 

Jasper, the oldest goat, which was a male, is still having problems standing. Sunday, the second goat is a female and she is doing well.

Hannah never could get the babies to suckle last night so we brought them inside and bottle fed them. Every two hours we would go outside, milk Hannah, bring it in, put it  in a bottle, and feed babies. All night long. 

I got up at 7 yesterday morning and got to bed about 5 this morning. I slept for a few hours before having to take the babies out and reintroduce them to their mother. They spent all day outside but are now back in the house because it is suppose to get to 27 degrees tonight. With the male not being able to stand yet and them being so small we can't let them stay in the barn or they will freeze.
 The worst part is having to go out and milk Ms. Hannah in the cold. She isn't very happy when we take her babies and being locked in a small stable with her when she is angry at you and your trying to get milk can be a bit of a problem. She is only being aggressive because we have stolen what is rightfully hers. She is very pleased in the morning when we return her bundles of joy to her.

We are hoping the little man can start to walk tomorrow. 

I was so tired this morning  that I fell asleep, on the floor, in front of the wood stove, holding onto one of the goats.  I couldn't have been happier with where I fell asleep.

I am adding some photo's..with the hope that everyone realizes birthing goats is a dirty, nasty job and not something you show up for in your Sunday best or anything. 

I was so tired I fell asleep trying to get the goat calmed down. 

Hope everyone has a great week!

Rain On The Farm

Rain on the farm is almost always a wonderful thing to have. 

It helps to water animals, keep the dust down, moisten the ground for working, keeps flowers, gardens, and trees watered.

The smell of rain on a farm is just an amazing smell. Rain, hay, and grass smells mix together to bring about a tempting aroma for the nose chanting wildly for a person to come outside and enjoy the beauty and showers.

My Boer goats, normally happy and amusing creatures, are not near as fond of the rain as I am. That might be because it is 40 degrees outside verses the 70 degrees it is in the house.

Hannah just looks like she is aggravated at not being able to leave the barn. Holly is staring out at the hay manger as if she just can't muster the energy to get past the barn doors. Charleston is happy to have all the girls in the barn with him and would be happy if it rained all the time so he could keep them close. Daisy is trotting and playful in the barn, making the other goats a tad bit mystified. Sally...she is just Sally...whatever goes is fine with her. She is content searching the barn for new things to get into, eating her baking soda, smelling cabinets, and letting my chickens ride on her back.

The ducks, naturally, are completely okay with the drizzle and rain. They are prancing around the yard as if they own something special...making their way steadily around the side yard to see if they can find any insects to eat up before the evening is over with.

The chickens, unsure of the rain since this last year hasn't brought much, are trying to figure out just what to do and how to go about getting the wonderful worms that are moving about in the mud by the pond. The chickens are curious and pecking feverishly trying to get the little boogers in their mouths as quick as they can find them.

Oklahoma needed some rain. It appears we had the driest year in recorded history in 2012. Crops wouldn't grow, animals were dying on farms everywhere. The heat allowed for an extreme amount of mosquito's which brought fowl pox to farms across southern Oklahoma causing havoc for many of us as we watched our birds get weak and unhealthy. 

Tonight, on the farm, we are having Lemon-Garlic Chicken roasted in the oven, cheddar broccoli casserole, green beans, and some wonderful hot rolls. Cooking is one of the things I enjoy doing. It makes me happy to see my crew set down and devour what is for dinner. I find my heart is much happier when I know my family is happy.

I have started my grocery shopping list for this week. It will require me going to several stores to maximize my coupons and sale ads but that it will be a day where I am able to get away from the house, enjoy lunch out, and have some time to rest my mind. 

Since moving to the new farm, the snow, and obviously very low temperatures, and shorter days, we are not getting eggs. Well, I say that. If we are the chickens have found somewhere other than their coop to lay them in. I went on an egg hunting escapade yesterday but was unable to find any that were hidden strategically on the farm. It appears that we will have to barn them for a few days to get them used to the new area and then let them back out for the free range after we get our bearings straight again. Occasionally, I have had to do this, especially when we have added new flock members. 

We placed 4 dozen Buff Orpintgon eggs in the incubator on the 1st of January. They weren't eggs of our own hens but rather some we acquired from a friend. I tried to candle some last night but wasn't having much luck....my hubby is much better at this than I...so I eventually just gave up and figured he could do it.

We have a building we will be using as a brooder pen which will be climate controlled for the little ones. It is one of the many upgrades from the old farm. With the summers getting so hot and the winters being so cold we have decided it is better to have a controlled climate for the brooding area.

I receive my Murray McMurray catalog yesterday and I am excited to see what it is I will be ordering this year.I would like to have an order in by February so that I can make sure my juveniles are of laying age just as summer is ending and the weather is getting a little cooler and more enjoyable.

Dishes need done, chickens need closed in, and the goats need checked. It is getting dark so I suppose I better go do my chores.

What kinds of chickens do you enjoy keeping? Do you ever have problems with them wanting to lay eggs in places other than their nests?

 I was thinking last night, while I lay in bed, how money could change things. How a little extra might make things a tad bit easier. 

Having central heat and air might mean I didn't wake up to a chilled house with the need to make a fire in the wood stove while my coffee was brewing. I might also be able to wear a short sleeved shirt in the house instead of a sweat shirt. I wouldn't have to go gather eggs in the cold or feed animals in the cold. 

When I thought about that one statement...I realized...people with central heat/air who have their houses closed off and insulated so well often get sick. Their house has no draft and no fresh air comes in the ensure good, quality breathing air.

I would have the money to buy eggs. That would mean I wouldn't know what the chickens that laid my eggs had eaten...were they full of antibiotics and other harmful things?

It was a world wind of activity in my head that just kept swirling.

This morning I checked my facebook, like I often do, while waiting on my coffee to brew.

I came across this little story that someone had posted. Right there on my page...for me to stare at. 

POOR PEOPLE ?

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the trip?'

'It was great, Dad.'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.

'Oh yeah,' said the son.

'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.

The son answered:

'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

'Life is too short and friends are too few.

Thank Goodness from answers from God about the abundant blessings I have verses the small amount of wealth my family has acquired.

The true answer is that I am not poor...I may have little financial wealth...but I have the whole world at my fingertips. 

Farms Don't Stand Still When You Are Sick

Goats need hay.

Eggs need gathered.

Chicks need watered.

Ducks need feed.

Dog's need attention.

There is always something to do on a farm. Being sick doesn't keep the animals from needing the things that they need from their farm owners.

When you have kids in school and a spouse that works off the farm and you are the only one who takes care of the animals, the garden, the dishes, laundry, dinner, and other such things being sick is possibly an option but never an excuse for not getting things done.

There is always something to do and a person must answer the call to duty when you take care of animals. 

The joy of the whole situation is when you go outside and are coughing your head off, sporting some sponge bob pajama bottoms, hair unbrushed, coffee'd down breath and those animals come running to via for your attention. Pet me, rub my hair, play with my ears, feed me a cracker, share with me Ma...share with me....It makes the aches and pains of being sick just fall to the weigh side.

A farm has so many responsibilities. Sometimes it can be very overwhelming. I have never had such wonderful experiences as I have on this farm, though.

Animals love you. They do so without every expecting anything back. The NEED things from us but they will love us regardless of whether we provide those needs or not. Animals are loyal. They warm our hearts.

As I anticipate the baby goats being here in the next 4-6 weeks I realize the impact that will have on my responsibilities every day. Several hours worth of work will be added to an already hectic schedule. A schedule I would never change because I love it. 

Invariably I entertain the idea, almost daily, that my does will find the perfect time to have their little ones will be in the middle of the night, on the coldest night of the winter, when I am the most exhausted. I am hoping, by some miracle, that this isn't going to be what happens. However, I have never had much luck at things going in the way I "plan" or prepare for. It is usually the opposite for what I have planned. You would think that I would make the plan to be the opposite of the original plan so that when the plan got here it would be the correct one and not the one I had originally "wanted" to happen. I do not really have that much fore site (or common sense as my mother would say). With that being said I need to start getting a spot prepared in the barn for all the items that I might possibly need if complications are to arise. 

In the next two weeks I will be "stalling" the two older goats who are due in late January through early March. I do not, for one second, believe they will last until March. Putting them up at night, with a baby monitor so I can hear if they need me or start making a ruckus, is the perfect way to get as much sleep as possible while still making sure they are safe and that any babies born are not gotten by predators.

As the medications from the Chronic Bronchitis I was diagnosed with for the 2nd time already this winter kick in I am finding myself needing some serious sleep time. I will try to start daily taking pictures of the does to post so that we can see the difference of how much they grow from now until giving birth.

Happy Farming Everyone!

New Year...New Farm...New Experiences

The New Farm...

We finally were able to get all our animals and items moved to the new farm. Although we did not have far to move (about 1/2 a mile) it was quiet a chore with all the animals, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Years all packed into a 5 week period.

We have gotten two wonderful snows since we moved and that has slowed the process a lot but for the most part we have been able to enjoy the new place as we learn all the wonderful things there are to learn when you move into a different place. 

Our ducks now enjoy a large, constant pond rather than the homemade one we made at the other place. There is plenty of room for them to bob under the water, swim around, and be free.

The goats are settling in nicely. We are due to have babies sometime between the end of January and the first of March. Hannah and Holly (both are 7-9 years old) were not bred when they were with us. They were bought after breeding and so the previous owner isn't sure, when exactly, they were bred.

Sally was bred in November, after they were moved to the new property. She is filling out nicely. Daisy Mae was a slower breed and wasn't bred until the first part of December. 

We bought two more does to go with our girls. They are named Dorothy and Princess. We are excited to get them to our farm but won't be able to bring them here until the end of January. We believe both of them to be bred. The owner is unsure of their breed date so we will be surprised when they drop their babies as well. Dorothy is a 2 year old female who has never had a baby..she is pregnant for the first time. Princess just birthed a baby 5 months ago and had a single buckling. She is 3. 

This will give us 6 doe's for Charleston, our buck. We are hoping, of course that all the females drop triplets. If they did this that would mean we would have 18 babies inside of the next 4 months. What an interesting thing to endure. We are happy if we just have one baby per female but will welcome as many babies as we can. 

Herman, our little 13 year old Yorkie passed just shortly after we moved and we also lost our goat dog. We gained Cowboy, a Pyrenese mix and he is learning his job well. He is fond of every animal we have accept the kitten. It might have something to do with the kitten being fiercely aggressive.

This will our first time birthing baby goats so we excitedly await the new arrivals. I think the experience will be one to remember for all time.

The kids go back to school tomorrow and there are so many things to do so I will close with some photo's from the new farm.

Planned Turkey Arrival

Turkeys!

Plans were made today for the new additions to the farm to happen tomorrow.

Cluck Acres will be home to 8 turkeys, 5 Sumatra Chickens, and 10 Brahma Chickens tomorrow evening around 5 p.m. That will bring our total of "birds" up to 92. 

It is always exciting to make additions to any farm. We have never dealt with turkeys and this will be a new experience for each of us here at the farm.

I am curious to see how Sally, Daisy, and Charleston will react to the new additions. I hear goats normally get along well with chickens and other fowl so we are hoping for the best. As we learn new information and have that trial and error period we will keep everyone posted on what works, what doesn't, and how things are going.

I was able to get some photo's taken and uploaded today. Hope you enjoy them!