tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31874383749322499872024-03-05T10:04:57.322-08:00The Adventures of Noodleville* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-62930759452611942552014-02-23T18:22:00.001-08:002014-10-23T22:15:46.289-07:00A Noodleville How To: Goat Blood Draws <br />
Y’all remember when I did that <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/01/noodleville-how-to-copper-bolusing.html">"How to Copper Bolus"</a> post? At that time, I stated I was going to *try* to put up a series of “How To” post….. Well, here I am, almost 2 years later, finally getting around to another one. Sorry for the procrastination, but I wanted to be able to post LOTS of pictures and thanks to some wonderful helpers & fantastic goat models, I finally have a series of pictures to share. <br />
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Anywho….. To spare those who don’t like tons of extra reading, I’m going to outline the “How” first, and then below I’ll share my thoughts on the “WHY”. Do note, I’m not an expert, I am not a vet, and I am very well aware that my way is not the only way to do things, nor are my opinions shared by all. That’s fabulous, diversity makes the world go ‘round.. And on that nifty lil note of a disclaimer, I’ll share the Noodleville way draw blood on goats. <br />
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First, round up your supplies and get your paper work in order. For this series of blood draws, I was testing for CAE through <a href="http://biotracking.com/">Biotracking</a> & a genetic disorder in Nubians called G6S through <a href="http://tvmdl.tamu.edu/">TVMDL</a>. Gather & label your blood draw tubes. For most test, a <a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/blood-collection-tubes/camid/LIV/cp/0041297/cn/31070/">red top tube</a> is required and I like to use tubes that hold at least 3cc. For G6S, a <a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/blood-collection-tubes/camid/LIV/cp/0041297/cn/31070/">purple/lavender top tube</a> is required. Sample required is 2cc, but I always send 3cc “just in case”… I truly can’t tell you what the “just in case” is… It’s not like lil gremlins will be stealing bits of blood from my tubes leaving me short for testing once they hit the lab….. But I still feel this compulsive need to send that extra cc of blood… ANYWHO.. Let’s start with supplies… <br />
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<strong><u>Supply List:</u></strong> </div>
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-m-Eti3u_awY/UxPEvAyxG3I/AAAAAAAAA5Y/nD2icGxo2V0/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_134657_5629.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_134657_562" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1fa6Ks3ccjExrjT3qqOyGc1n6lX1KGXzqXNcSTMI9INsU2hyPiBwZdfU4MCqrHk7WpCSEVyFgTlMDY3GRFy_el9Gq1E7U7LWYZsOKL7DoKQWvX1e0Nr7ig0PFTDmxBNntYHkGp7Ftj1I/?imgmax=800" height="263" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_134657_562" width="406" /></a> </div>
~ Clippers to buzz down the area prior to drawing blood- Not a necessity, but makes it easier for me. <br />
~ Alcohol <br />
~ <a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/luer-lock-syringe-with-needle/camid/LIV/cp/11555/cn/31070/">3cc-6cc syringes</a> <br />
~ <a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/poly-hub-needles/camid/LIV/cp/0029535/cn/31070/">20g needles. I prefer ½” – ¾” in length</a>. <br />
~ <a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/blood-collection-tubes/camid/LIV/cp/0041297/cn/31070/">Blood Collection Tubes</a>. <br />
~ A helper or 2 <br />
~ Goats with blood in their veins. <br />
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<u><strong>Getting Down to Business:</strong></u> </div>
~ Shave your goat’s neck on the left of the windpipe area. <br />
~ Clean area well with alcohol. <br />
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For my bigger girls, or when I only have the children to help me, I place them on the milk stand and have my helper stand up there behind the head gate and hold their head up and slightly to the right. Don’t pull their head too far up, nor do you want their head jerked all the way to the right… I said “slightly” as too much of either can make getting the jugular vein a lil harder. If you have a strong helper, they can simply straddle the goat and hold head in proper position. If you don’t have a goatie helper handy, place goat on stand, put on a rope sheep halter, then tie their head slightly up, in the proper position to the head gate of the milk stand. And to those awesome folks who do your blood draws all by yourself, with no milk stand, halter or helper… You’re my hero and I sooooo wanna be like you when I grow up. <br />
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Now that the goat is restrained, neck shaved and injection site cleaned VERY well with alcohol we’re ready to get down to the poking bits. Please wash your hands or wear gloves. <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EOfOdcK02g8/UxPEwO8UdfI/AAAAAAAAA5o/8a80b93nccY/s1600-h/IV%252520medication%252520diagram%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IV medication diagram" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RyVGQB-_XTk/UxPEwtGx1LI/AAAAAAAAA5w/5Cu2GncaGpg/IV%252520medication%252520diagram_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="267" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IV medication diagram" width="356" /></a> <br />
You’ll feel grooves along the windpipe and just to the left of that is where the jugular vein is located. Press down very firmly with your thumb and just watch. <br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eVEVg0XWJPQ/UxPExcs8cxI/AAAAAAAAA54/1GIDT51kRsU/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_151656_83656.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_151656_836" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ggU7estNvas/UxPEx5Pi87I/AAAAAAAAA6A/GbxR0BD5Czw/IMG_20140104_151656_836_thumb58.jpg?imgmax=800" height="409" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_151656_836" width="333" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WhFelc_a_KY/UxPEyJBLbiI/AAAAAAAAA6I/l0fA79iQItc/s1600-h/blood57.jpg"><img alt="blood" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vU2VP7_-BI0/UxPEy1M0F2I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/Cr6nQzt5Xy8/blood_thumb59.jpg?imgmax=800" height="409" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="blood" width="322" /></a> <br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Honestly, I’m NOT “flipping the bird” to anyone, lol .. Pay attention to the vein popping up, and not profane gesture look-a-likes</span></em> </div>
It won’t take long if you have your thumb in the right place and apply enough pressure… Soon you’ll start to see a ropey vein popping up. I tap it quite a few times with my middle finger while holding pressure below with my thumb and once I get a good, firm “bounce” on the vein, I’m ready to draw. <br />
Use a NEW NEEDLE & SYRINGE on every goat. Make sure there is NO AIR what so ever in your syringe. <br />
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Place needle almost parallel to the neck and go UP into the vein. Do not stab “in” as you’ll go through the vein. <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hZbmWUu99tU/UxPEzPf0NOI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/dx0ce251YB4/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_151717_551.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_151717_551" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRgA6BdLvZlnseBO3tN_8dsTG1d2xR0ASTqjZq7VSCL9BskzckvAm85xp0rFe3P_fHQxaOs0spy3pUSXfdDENNL0EghVqWpDugNJW-HHerAjmbwJH8m_hGVh3fDC3y5CXOIQmDPJI3M9i/?imgmax=800" height="576" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_151717_551" width="406" /></a> <br />
Once in place, draw back on the plunger. <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Vqyt0JO0I6o/UxPE0Qot_bI/AAAAAAAAA6o/lVeM-N8Hers/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_151720_827.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_151720_827" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dLIOBjkK3WQ/UxPE03E9RxI/AAAAAAAAA6w/H17VRF-CDkM/IMG_20140104_151720_827_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="553" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_151720_827" width="406" /></a> <br />
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You’ll be surprised at how fast and easy the syringe fills up if you’re in the right place. It should be effortless to draw back and get a syringe full of blood…. If you’re pulling and barely getting blood, you’re in the wrong place. <br />
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Once your syringe is full, pull needle down and out at the same angle in which you inserted it and press down on the injection site for a minute or so to stop any bleeding. <br />
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Most stop bleeding very fast, so don’t have images of blood and gore running amuck in your head. If they don’t stop fast, just hold it for a lil longer and I promise it will stop soon. <br />
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Give the goat a treat, a good scratching and apology for the poking and grab the next goat. <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BsrfBQuJhfY/UxPE1ST5mYI/AAAAAAAAA64/UCgt44cF7bQ/s1600-h/IMG_20130828_192933_044%25255B25%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130828_192933_044" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ksnWwetypY4/UxPE152LMaI/AAAAAAAAA7A/nGy0zOwZmSQ/IMG_20130828_192933_044_thumb%25255B24%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="221" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130828_192933_044" width="335" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMB2XX7CvhYVdaaROjG5j56zZnkK-xpvvZfO-r0rtfAJ0CrICWzpaBtZehX_PV-7owcYtnProVhtnF4RX0TmnvQ2DXALEOk8T4c_tD69rdOthjDVyldfaCYS0_guwPtFsz3qND1X2daH6/s1600-h/IMG_20130828_192840_156%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130828_192840_156" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0R2GMKtdung-WhkIMlSxpAed0DG4KEyFfYPJl9vV8Zh8tpgCT4W50LqzEpAQe0VYnCKYIVTMHbn31ZoK313NY7n-aQEgBIORvQ3buUbi4bhqZioAgOGUxs-NwlcPqg4zL_idmLcBdkiqm/?imgmax=800" height="220" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130828_192840_156" width="312" /></a> <br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">See? Treat, then Miss Tricks is a happy goat again.</span></em> </div>
Now, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t go text book perfect. Sometimes you’ll miss the vein. <br />
Just take a deep breath, “bounce” the vein again until it is right, then try again (<em>and again, and again if needed</em>). If ya have to do it a few times, I’d grab a new needle as lots of pokes with the same needle dull it and it’s more comfy (as comfy as being poked can be anyways) to be poked by a sharp needle vs. a dull one. Make sure the head is up and positioned properly. I’ve found that if my helper pulls the head too far up or too far to the right, it makes the vein kinda skitter back “in” and I have a harder time getting it. <br />
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And, to prove that even after lots of blood draws you can still have screw ups, here is an example of things not going “text book perfect”. I pulled blood for 11 samples and had 2 “uh-ohs”… First, for whatever reason, I had a hard time getting the vein on June Bug, so she got several pokes before I got my sample (she also got several cookies to make up for it)… <br />
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Then, on Tricks, I hit the vein right, started my blood draw, and in the middle, accidently pushed the needle a lil deeper and through the vein, hence the lil pocket in the syringe with no blood. If ya do this, just slide the needle out, push air out of syringe, and then try again…Do not EVER, EVER put air in the vein. I can not stress enough how important that is. <br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IQjCgFMImps/UxPE35DAr0I/AAAAAAAAA7Y/OhY6kf2qo14/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_152656_800.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_152656_800" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rWTN9zmqSZc/UxPE4WvH52I/AAAAAAAAA7g/xj96Egm2ePA/IMG_20140104_152656_800_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="518" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_152656_800" width="406" /></a> <br />
As soon as I get my blood in the syringe, I put it in the labeled tube. This makes sure it’s in there before it starts to clot and prevents me from getting various syringes confused and not getting the right blood into the correct tube. <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3GWXJogVrZU/UxPE4yllqcI/AAAAAAAAA7o/w61oBz4VcWk/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_160216_224%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_160216_224" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDWGGiLbgizxmwXwNXxvhVETKn3vqq76isgjwEEwkL-iSuBqb6n-jLJq2YteQ9yc5rL0JfDDhkCSvAv25qv368mp94_aZAHG6PliEDWwoKChDOdPLZWucBB8n5MBzuTk95Z7Qihc_jX_S/?imgmax=800" height="315" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_160216_224" width="484" /></a> <br />
The tube has a vacuum in it, and once ya poke the needle in, it sucks the blood out all by itself. <br />
Don’t push on the plunger….Just let the tube do its thing. Only poke your tube once and don’t screw up that vacuum. Make sure tube top where you’ll be poking is clean. I wipe mine with alcohol before I start my blood draw. <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-E0Mjx4lH2fU/UxPE520fnSI/AAAAAAAAA74/6VzH9J4ijsk/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_152809_9339.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_152809_933" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KmjQAxFuP5Q/UxPE6eFFBaI/AAAAAAAAA78/bASl0EUhDrA/IMG_20140104_152809_933_thumb13.jpg?imgmax=800" height="370" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_152809_933" width="256" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yNEu87zI6ls/UxPE66v0O5I/AAAAAAAAA8I/m95myp03PvY/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_152811_2868.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_152811_286" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QSoNipbhqTYg_9bvhPlc1Wsd-EUSTALX8Erp72FTuG7r2Ngq14NrTRnGac-oCzwlcrq4phTzO98NkPxqFzJ777skgIIezI1vjy0yKpck_7oI7ogmWw2_-gwKJowii-VcwQsRV8-OriXc/?imgmax=800" height="370" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_152811_286" width="256" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<em>Like a vacuum, the tubes suck the blood in quite fast.</em> </div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--EK-4c8SsK4/UxPE78_jAAI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/mCR_aSmWSNk/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_152816_40910.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_152816_409" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FfeSuhotREQ/UxPE8dVorjI/AAAAAAAAA8g/BAmG4EutcGE/IMG_20140104_152816_409_thumb14.jpg?imgmax=800" height="395" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_152816_409" width="259" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-s2uyVhDrIRs/UxPE8yHZZGI/AAAAAAAAA8o/riwLq1gUJvc/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_152817_9747.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_152817_974" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_qtJ9DjyY7k/UxPE9e-PqAI/AAAAAAAAA8w/w6Kr3MchaK4/IMG_20140104_152817_974_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" height="396" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_152817_974" width="256" /></a> <br />
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Now we’ll get down to packaging, labs and shipping info: <br />
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First up, for CAE and Pregnancy testing, I use <a href="http://biotracking.com/">Biotracking</a> every year. Super great folks and they are always awesome about answering any questions you might have if you just give them a call. For goats, they have 2 forms: One is CAE only, one is the BioPRYN test (pregnancy). <br />
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On the pregnancy form, you have the option of adding CAE in the “added test” column, but on the CAE only form, there is no option for adding other test. So make sure you print the proper form. Here is the <a href="http://www.biotracking.com/pdfs/CAEV%20Sample%20Submission%20Form%20-%2011-23-07.pdf">CAE only submission form</a>. You can find the <a href="http://www.biotracking.com/pdfs/Goat%20And%20Sheep%20Sample%20Submission%20Form%20-%207-7-11.pdf">BioPryn pregnacy + CAE form here</a>. <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0aD6C9gerAU/UxPE99shP9I/AAAAAAAAA84/6ch0r7CMZpY/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_124503_1027.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_124503_102" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6td6x9EumTE/UxPE-kkLa-I/AAAAAAAAA9A/r6d47w61cLw/IMG_20140104_124503_102_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" height="395" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_124503_102" width="306" /></a> <br />
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Once I get my tubes inside, I double check my submission form to ensure I have it all filled out properly and that the names on the tubes match the names and desired test I put on the forms. <br />
Then I package them for shipping. <br />
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First, I wrap each tube in a paper towel. If the tube breaks, this provides something to absorb the blood. <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DCd8yK3zyL8/UxPE_DcOBQI/AAAAAAAAA9I/A6v1kRWPkV0/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_161211_6918.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_161211_691" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ElYG23q57jc/UxPE_2MbekI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/34SczEohKM0/IMG_20140104_161211_691_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" height="291" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_161211_691" width="406" /></a> <br />
Once each tube is wrapped up nice, I bundle them all together with a rubber band so they are snug and can’t roll or clank around in the box, then I wrap with a bit of bubble wrap. <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0zOB60vpPMM/UxPFAp-OObI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/jpS463VT4xc/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_161331_4778.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_161331_477" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZV_l7dME-HMR6mHYGNnnpqIRIfldkkaBghRY5ajVRVM2-vcz_2CPw0s2EQ3ZpV_dM8fbGP7Rf-m7s0hdJzUpMbBW6eQlU770FsKGkg543W_UQFnYVovPRikW-5cT8dKHucg2iEZ_qzPK/?imgmax=800" height="288" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_161331_477" width="406" /></a> <br />
I put my paper towel, rubber banded, bubble wrapped bundle inside a good zip lock bag (haha, say that lil bit 5 times fast!). <br />
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This prevents any leaks just in case my samples get damaged… All this snug, leak proof packaging also prevents the folks at the post office from staring in horror at a bloody box straight out of an old time scary movie. <br />
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Lord knows I don’t want anyone thinking I’m shipping bloody body parts, mob threat style, to some poor soul in a lab… <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ik5zQmcj_Fc/UxPFBrGOgrI/AAAAAAAAA9o/BLHl4jsEKJY/s1600-h/IMG_20140104_161401_7247.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140104_161401_724" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iPVZ9BIpD9w/UxPFCTQhjKI/AAAAAAAAA9w/OjPMnTC1XjA/IMG_20140104_161401_724_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" height="287" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140104_161401_724" width="406" /></a> <br />
Since I draw my blood on weekends, I place this tidy, compact lil blood bundle in my fridge and ship out first thing Monday morning. <br />
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When it’s time to ship, I place my submission form, along with a check for the proper amount inside a separate zip lock bag, once again, to protect the paper from potential bloody accidents. Then I put my samples in, pack in a bunch of paper around it, then put my zip lock baggy with forms & payment on top and seal the box up. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuzr8RzPyhK97p23QaUk5ZiPlmaqTjlU_oS3S2XLfGwxsF3MdnA2g3AxD_aM755DWwdGpO44qWq_3m9pLPSJtm4s4nNF6qZSbVoFJ3Hd6MRYeuiOvInBKVFYhthcYv0yr1ml6yrC2rkkh/s1600-h/IMG_20140106_083841_9197.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140106_083841_919" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BU3Dhklqx30/UxPFDhLIblI/AAAAAAAAA-A/gXjanoJP2W8/IMG_20140106_083841_919_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" height="272" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140106_083841_919" width="406" /></a> <br />
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Most think you have to use pricey over night shipping for your samples which jacks the total cost of testing way up. I don’t. I simply pack in the smallest Priority/Flat Rate Priority box I can fit it in and send it. Rarely ever pay more than $7 for sample shipping. <br />
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Now, you’re supposed to write “Exempt Animal Specimen” on the outside of the box… Despite this truly being an exempt animal specimen, I’ve had a few postal employees raise an eyebrow over it… So I do write it, small, in ink, on a random place on the box, and I don’t tell them what I’m sending. It’s not their business anyways. <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HIByRqG8MDQ/UxPFEdXVZFI/AAAAAAAAA-I/Jfm7e2qzwDU/s1600-h/IMG_20140106_091524_1187.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140106_091524_118" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-n7oZ_399NqY/UxPFE4tJBcI/AAAAAAAAA-M/H0uOjdx9KTQ/IMG_20140106_091524_118_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" height="278" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140106_091524_118" width="406" /></a> <br />
Since I’m fairly new to breeding Nubians, I wanted to have them tested for the genetic disorder G6S. For this test I had to pull blood to send to TVMDL as at this time, they are the only ones who offer G6S testing. Click here for pricing & info on <a href="http://tvmdl.tamu.edu/tests_services/test_info.php?test=G6S-mutation,-Caprine-(SNP-qPCR)&unit_id=907&unit_effdt=2010-06-02">G6S testing through TVMDL.</a> <br />
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I found their website to be confusing, so I had to get a lil help on this one as I had never done it before. For this test, I collected my samples in the required purple top tubes. I do not have a credit account with this lab, so <a href="http://tvmdl.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/s-DS-F0009D-Cash-Sales-Submittal-Form-fillable1.pdf">*THIS FORM*</a> is what I printed out. This is a very generic form that can be used for several test. <br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4zfa-8N4V-0/UxPFFbjoqOI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/aqEMvhXdax8/s1600-h/IMG_20140105_220514_44015.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140105_220514_440" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-w3Cx8pSX6co/UxPFF4z5dBI/AAAAAAAAA-g/BEcN75Ge2sY/IMG_20140105_220514_440_thumb17.jpg?imgmax=800" height="406" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140105_220514_440" width="334" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2F5qTWdqydg/UxPFGfYGubI/AAAAAAAAA-o/vuilR5LG7e4/s1600-h/IMG_20140105_155448_24547.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140105_155448_245" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fABhOiAbu98/UxPFHPZ_h5I/AAAAAAAAA-w/sO_Sr2fqLd4/IMG_20140105_155448_245_thumb50.jpg?imgmax=800" height="409" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140105_155448_245" width="278" /></a> <br />
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For G6S testing, fill out your info on top. <br />
Circle: Caprine under the “Animal ID’s” <br />
In the “Breed” box, write “Nubian” <br />
In “Test Requested” write G6S and I added “(2 samples)” <br />
In the “Specimens Submitted” I wrote what I wrote on the tubes which was #1 Rocco. #2 Rosie. Just leave the “Clinical history” and specifics like gender (in the case of both genders being sent), age and weight blank. <br />
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I did not use, fill out, or send the second page of this form. If you’re in Texas, the cost per sample is $36 plus one, $6.00 accession fee. If you are not in Texas, cost is $42 per sample and a $7.50 accession fee. You only pay one accession fee per shipment, not one on each sample submitted. <br />
Now, I’ll touch a bit on WHY I go through all this trouble to pull blood and run these test… I raise goats because I enjoy them. They make me happy and keep me busy when life plays unfair… I love the fresh raw milk, the occasional buck kid for the freezer and I love the challenge of trying to breed a better animal with each generation. Sometimes I get it right and the next generation is an improvement on the one before it… and sometimes I get it wrong and have to go back to the drawing board, but each time I breed, I make the choice to bring a life into the world and I am responsible for that life. When anyone makes that choice, I truly feel that they should do everything in their power to ensure they are producing a healthy animal free from disease or known genetic defect. <br />
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So…. I’ll start with the WHY for the G6S. Originally, I had no intentions of breeding Nubians… But my daughter’s “ONE pet” turned into me buying another doe, then a buck, and keeping a doe kid… So, we have Nubians now. Nubians with their lovely long ears and roman noses sadly have the misfortune of a sneaky lil genetic defect called G6S which is Glucosamine-6-Sulfatase Deficiency. Thankfully, this problem is a simple recessive gene and can easily be bred out in just a few generations. Since it is a recessive gene, animals with only one copy of the gene can appear perfectly normal. <br />
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When it comes to G6S, you’ll hear 3 terms: <br />
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<em><u>Affected</u></em> – This is the heartbreaker. An Affected animal has 2 copies of the defective gene and has symptoms.. Affected animals tend to be smaller, are prone to heart, reproductive and immune system problems… They often show a lack of muscling and sadly they usually die by age 4, if not much sooner. <br />
<em><u>Carrier</u></em> – Thankfully this animal will live a normal, healthy life. Carriers have one copy of the normal gene, one copy of the defective gene and no symptoms. The downside to having a carrier is that, as the term implies, they carry the G6S mutation and can pass it on to their offspring. <br />
<em><u>Normal</u></em> – Here is the magic word you want to hear in regards to G6S. A Normal animal has two copies of the normal gene and when bred to another normal animal, will only produce normal animals. <br />
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Since I did not want it on my head that I produced G6S affected animals who are essentially sentenced to death, nor did I wish to produce carriers who just make G6S more wide spread, I chose to test. I bought a Nubian who is G6S normal by parentage, but Rocco & Rosie both had carriers behind them, so I had to test them. Thankfully, both Rocco & Rosie came back as NORMAL, which means all of my Nubians are G6S Normal by testing or parentage, and all kids I produce from these animals will also be Normal. <br />
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That is FANTASTIC news for me… Hence the smiley face I added to my test results pictured below. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WSYcDNNiNKanTGF_6umboenK5O0YREFn6966r3NJR4kAwbWGKjhwdx0cqNQR4fkeKOuuNl52xUyFyt2kEdohzOnqex0q0jg9sUMIysTHRRZnwFRxc7ayNwHngwkjHe_LvuxrFw4fJEFn/s1600-h/g6s%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="g6s" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NqZM49yHSYk/UxPFIFeo5WI/AAAAAAAAA_A/XZm1QtO6www/g6s_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="486" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="g6s" width="401" /></a> <br />
Testing is pricey, but worth it… Given the expense of the test, I choose to purchase only normal animals so I won’t be footing the bill for this one again. For more detailed info I recommend <a href="http://kinne.net/g6s.htm">“A Genetic Defect and its Management” By Dagny Vidinish</a><strong> .</strong> For a tidy, easy to understand summary, <a href="http://jekuthiel.com/G6S.shtml">check out this page by Jekuthiel Nubians</a>. <br />
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Goats can be plagued with a variety of woes…. One that is quite common is CAE which is short for Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis. CAE is a viral infection in goats. <br />
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You’ll hear folks talk about hard, unproductive udders in does, or the swollen, painful knees that are very typical in symptomatic animals…. You’ll also hear stories (which are true) of CAE positive animals who live their entire lives comfortably without symptoms. Because of this, there are some out there who would write CAE off as “no big deal”…. But, if you’ve ever witnessed an infected baby die from an encephalitic seizure, seen a animal with over sized, painful knees hobble about pathetically, or seen a positive animal succumb to fatal pneumonia which is pretty common in CAE positive animals, you couldn’t possibly write it off as “no big deal”. Yes, many, if not a vast majority of infected animals will be just fine….. But, if you, as a producer, could prevent just ONE animal from suffering from the above woes, shouldn’t you? <br />
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There is no cure for CAE at this time. Thankfully though, testing has improved vastly over the years and the spread of CAE can be stopped with a bit of work. Testing, as outline above, is so easy, cheap and <strong><em>anyone</em></strong> can do it (<em>and…. I just showed you HOW, so ya don’t have an excuse not to *wink, wink*</em>). <br />
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I test my animals yearly, not because I am worried about positive animals, but because I feel I should do my part to set a good example… I will NEVER purchase an animal without a current, negative test, so I also do not expect anyone else to purchase animals from me without having negative, current test, from an accredited lab, in hand. I also retest all new purchases myself while they are in quarantine and recommend that others have a full round of test run on new purchases as well. <br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4OA0MJfeYWk/UxPFIs4xEbI/AAAAAAAAA_I/Xlx2pvycT0M/s1600-h/caetest%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="caetest" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CD8C3ue34RQ/UxPFJBGoU3I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/C70iNi3gzrM/caetest_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="caetest" width="646" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<em>Noodleville Farms 2014 Negative CAE Results</em></div>
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Depending on your herd and situation, one may want to consider testing for other goaty woes such as CL, Brucellosis, & Johnes… I have tested for CL, CAE & Johnes through <a href="http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/">WADDL</a> in the past and have found them to be a reliable lab, so if you’re interested in more than just CAE/Pregnancy, I recommend contacting them. As a side note, if you’re wanting pregnancy test done, as well as a full smorgasbord of health testing, call <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.biotracking.com">Biotracking</a> and talk to them about it…. They are more than happy to run pregnancy on your sample, then piggy back them on over to <a href="http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/">WADDL</a> for the other test that their lab does not offer…. Pretty darn nifty eh? <br />
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Anywho, this blog post is turning into quite the long worded fiasco, so I’ll try to wrap it up… Here’s a handy video on another method of drawing blood on goats… I personally find the syringe method easier, but thought I’d share this as another option. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/47tlmqXX3eE" width="560"></iframe> <br />
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One final thought from me…… Goats are complex and sometimes frustrating critters. They require lots of time, dedication and work….. Not to mention they have a knack for consuming fundage at an alarming rate at times. <br />
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Don’t let anyone convince you that disease testing is not important. <br />
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It IS important! <br />
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No, it’s not the end of the world if you have a positive animal… These things can be worked around and dealt with, but if you don’t test, you don’t <strong><em>know</em></strong> if you have anything to deal with, and knowledge my friends, is power. Knowing can help you make better decisions for future generations on your farm. The eradication of these goaty woes, one lil farm at a time, saves not only money in the long run, but quite a bit of potential heartbreak as well. <br />
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Noodleville kids are due in 2 weeks, stay tuned for baby pics galore….. When I’m not on blogger you can catch updates and pictures on my new Facebook farm page by clicking here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Noodleville-Farms/695213547185693">Noodleville Farms on Facebook</a> - Please take a sec to stop on by, toss a “Like” my way & check out the albums of the Noodleville crew…. Lots of new pictures that I haven’t had the chance to add here yet… <br />
Happy Kidding Y’all!!! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Blog Summary Links</span></u></div>
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<i><b>Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab:</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/docs/librariesprovider10/forms/acessiongeneraldiagnosticswaddl.pdf?sfvrsn=4">Printable General Accession Form (WADDL)</a><br />
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<a href="http://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/animal-disease-faq">List of goat/sheep test available at WADDL</a><br />
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<a href="http://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/fee-schedule">Testing Fees for WADDL health test</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory:</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://tvmdl.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/TVMDL_CashSaleSubmission-Form.pdf">Printable Accession Form - TVMDL</a><br />
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<a href="http://tvmdl.tamu.edu/tests_services/index.php?keywords=&species=5&species_descr=Caprine&dept=&submit=Search">TVMDL Goat & Sheep Health Test. Testing Fees. </a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Biotracking:</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.biotracking.com/Lab%20files/pdfs/SRLV%20CAE-OPP%20Submission%20Form%20(fillable)%20030514.pdf">Printable Goat/Sheep Pregnancy Submission Form</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.biotracking.com/Lab%20files/pdfs/SRLV%20CAE-OPP%20Submission%20Form%20(fillable)%20030514.pdf">Printable CAE/OPP Submission Form.</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.biotracking.com/lab">Testing Schedules/Test Fees/Lab Information</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Supplies:</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/products/monoject-blood-collection-tubes">Blood Collection Tubes at Jeffers Livestock Supply</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/details/Monoject-Blood-Collection-Tubes/396-350.html">Blood Collection Tubes at PBS Animal Health</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30153878-6713-4603-9edf-ed0215aa1e25">Blood Collection Tubes at Valley Vet</a><br />
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-5448569735149782652013-12-08T19:18:00.001-08:002013-12-08T19:18:43.759-08:00The Bleu Siege of Doe Hill<p>One fine morning, the does of Noodleville milled about the pasture with not much to do. </p> <p>Feeding time had come and gone, milking was finished… All the forage worthy yummies were long ago devoured & the grass was drying up making prospective pasture pastimes greatly diminished…. </p> <p>Until they spotted the hill… The hill was ever present, but just out of reach. No fence blocked their path, no obstacles to keep them at bay… They stared longingly at the hill but couldn’t venture out without the security of The Gal with Food Buckets…. Apparently The Gal with Food Buckets is endowed with magical powers that instantly vanquish the Boogie-men who reside in the imaginations of goats…</p> <p>They milled about at the base of the hill…..Each secretly contemplating how they would reach the top and rule all of Noodleville Goatdom…</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-O2a1O8mz7S4/UqU2aDvijcI/AAAAAAAAA18/ja1ro3cylAE/s1600-h/doehill1%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HZPZypcpw-4/UqU2a6JNUBI/AAAAAAAAA2E/2ha-0SYdgzQ/doehill1_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>A Nubian named Rosie trekked up the hill without contemplation, simply walked on up and surveyed the land……. But to rule, one must have more than bulk. One must be brave and smart…… An alliance was formed. Tricks & Mocha- The Guild of Earless Wonders. Though they lack ears, those Lamanchas are clever. Rosie lost her throne as quickly as she claimed it, so fast in fact, there isn’t even a photo record of her brief rule.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_DiCKvZRlQE/UqU2bQWYegI/AAAAAAAAA2M/K5OQrR1bi-A/s1600-h/doehill2%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE8YtitEFx78mwkAts-7OD7v8UuvXRoRWxz6rUO4-RvkWtKv0AYM1RjPilH2SFNs6_BIb80RRprhciDqoCQLUF2so7dq4EVZKG2KyAq3kRxgWsiZJHp2N19I93Ie7ZMZgfDfT_aaQ8Z7g/?imgmax=800" width="646" height="401"></a></p> <p>Quite smug & cocky, this Guild of Earless Wonders. How easy it was to bully Rosie off Doe Hill. Jr does come and try to sneak by and are beaten back with ease….As they run off the latest threat to their rule, this pair ponders their magnificence and happily surveys their kingdom….. Those who are smug & cocky though must also be watchful….. </p> <p>Places of great power attract those who are power hungry….Like sharks drawn to blood, the pull is inevitable. Quickly Tricks & Mocha find they must defend their throne again…. </p> <p>Bleuberry is Queen. Bleuberry doesn’t need allies. She doesn’t charge up the hill in a fury. She doesn’t try to sneak on by… Ears held high, she marches slowly, with purpose, clearly making her intent known.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-q3fVh_ls7_w/UqU2cNfYejI/AAAAAAAAA2c/t6IsC3I2HUk/s1600-h/doehill8%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill8" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill8" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6QYwLhLrum8/UqU2chsXUcI/AAAAAAAAA2k/3I90GU-UQFk/doehill8_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="406"></a> </p> <p>The battle begins and with a few well placed hits too fast for the camera to capture, Tricks is stripped of her royal title….. Ordinarily, she’d quickly jump back into the fray, but Lamanchas suffer a great weakness…. Curiosity and the ability to be easily distracted…... As quickly as holding the hill caught her attention, she’s now meandered off to fuss at Jr. does over some leaves on the fence line…</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_60s5YCJ8puKzVJ6XHfP8l1wdmWSEGif97pnRc2mwmLKhuzaNW1G0gTkKNVjHVzuJUFNdUsLhNpWQBuXsYmkN74l8r-14LMoUlp7FBYQDjYZPlC7JWgEF0yxEHfAIHq0MmYzI_ivHRkT_/s1600-h/doehill6%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill6" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7a7KhPzFSavqfBAFRYRQjHhioU4Mrc5BaWb7y1Iipgu1soDWTN3ik9vfcI36aMmZoOYTKiiFMnfl5hu7_7T1GGB43KD0m_RLxeJpX2H16gMRa_20gQVjtUiHI8Mbq6ZF-4wDG2bbmf7ot/?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>Mocha grows bold. She is older than Tricks. Not as easily distracted on this day. Perhaps the extra Chaffhaye has fortified her and made her more daring than she usually is….. Or, perhaps she finds this royal seat comfy and isn’t ready to give it up to one lone Alpine who fancies herself a queen..</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlwFDjAVJ0dsiVWdgYntDfaW20Z9zwfaSDF8RXdjK83U668sxIqSTrOIfCWx0LJ9UvDkaT1NNquTqxzQ5JoGJ-r6ak4vnvikJfEcWY_cbiAIcearPQ8igQ6IURT7o_Cb-xpHj4O_ngMnl/s1600-h/doehill12%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill12" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill12" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EJeozQCsqewF80wGd89YVwFdBWS0GIYJmtyL0ZZqg89N4iQBfbqiy3CoYznMG5UKCyKMT3f5oJam0zbTPblGrKDKTavg4NoTI3e4B5cVhjGvUHxf41WP8MuaEPVM1htgWwBCFNC03-qx/?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>Mocha meets the would be usurper head on. Hair bristled, she does her very best to intimidate Bleuberry. </p> <p>Bleu is an old hat at this game though. She’ll not be defeated by a mere first freshener with no ears. She hops happily in between attacks, sneaking in hard nips with her teeth and is ruthless with her rearing assaults.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-p0VaU2Fto9M/UqU2fBXA0BI/AAAAAAAAA3M/4pVrrFI8Rp8/s1600-h/doehill7%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill7" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill7" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-s4P05hPuSCs/UqU2fh0v7WI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/edUHL_svX1w/doehill7_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>The siege is over. All that’s left standing atop Doe Hill is Bleuberry, queen of the Noodleville Goats. Mocha turns away in defeat..</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mk4Gh8TjIaU/UqU2gLxGvOI/AAAAAAAAA3c/1w4CqhHjd34/s1600-h/doehill11%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill11" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill11" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ndz-V3BotEE/UqU2gvxDXII/AAAAAAAAA3g/rAKPJZITIPQ/doehill11_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>Graceful and beautiful she may be, but Bleuberry is not a regal, gracious winner. She flaunts her victory over those she deems inferior and mocks their short reigns. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JYw_uEQU2Yo/UqU2g0YgyKI/AAAAAAAAA3s/VIPbwTLuoNQ/s1600-h/doehill9%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill9" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill9" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-id8XAZePIIM/UqU2hRR-aHI/AAAAAAAAA3w/k-8BNSNxQPA/doehill9_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkcuyj-hIkVedKOqK0nspGYnflS668lY3jFk8t7wSEyoJ1Q8XUzTofGfBSlT0y1ajDx10lg4wKBi0ptVaiz-L6LnNf9b5WHy6SXXG3E2FzOMR6YYaKbCSERlyVpodo2l9Fig28xqlt7qG/s1600-h/doehill13%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill13" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRV43Z_MuUM-mMotM3eM2TGF_8rYYLVyI0gQEUK4SGjK_q3TFxppCoWAzFatsM1A-XKlU1Qt9TMNL1bn-Z7hFHB9w2lBIw6zJTGYTxJyUhdsUKMOD5qNE81SRNU0FXNEtSBPKWYYi8pao2/?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>Oh how she bask in the glory of her newest conquest. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A_Nx1PtPIQY/UqU2i1uaf7I/AAAAAAAAA4M/ryw8er9faU8/s1600-h/doehill10%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill10" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill10" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7bmNshhVfhc/UqU2jVFRdaI/AAAAAAAAA4U/UPcc0hAV-D4/doehill10_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>Being queen is good. Ruling the milk room, having the choicest feeders, the nicest resting places and always being the first to get treats are just royal perks….. This victory at Doe Hill is just another conquest in a long list of conquest…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qGz4xsVN7Yw/UqU2kM0LVXI/AAAAAAAAA4c/g451GktcCcQ/s1600-h/doehill14%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="doehill14" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="doehill14" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SwoYcJaxTQ8/UqU2kh7ym6I/AAAAAAAAA4g/vX_wt11NbpU/doehill14_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="646" height="366"></a></p> <p>~The End~</p> <p> </p> <p>Short video of Bleuberry enjoying her hill….. Right before I started recording, she was rolling, digging and swinging her head from side to side like she was dancing….And of course she stopped most everything once I hit record.</p> <p><iframe height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/voPmscINS30" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> * Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-58519324603201331432013-10-28T13:50:00.000-07:002013-10-28T13:58:28.163-07:00Foul Fetchings & Flashing Lights<p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w2Tbv11kxQY/Um7PqnmqtQI/AAAAAAAAAw4/9ILiFH3Fy-k/s1600-h/flashinglights%25255B33%25255D.jpg"><img title="flashinglights" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 21px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="flashinglights" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--ZRXb3FXGiI/Um7PrQJhXYI/AAAAAAAAAxA/uadMvYn3yyA/flashinglights_thumb%25255B29%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="288" height="166"></a>Once upon a time in the land of Noodleville, lived a girl who took the “just wing it approach” too many times and entered into breeding season quite unprepared. </p> <p>The air grew crisp, the leaves started to fall, the does started to cycle and there was no buck to call. No rank, musky stench on the air, and this poor gal was starting to despair…. </p> <p>Alright y’all, poetry isn’t really my strong suit, but ya get the gist of what I was trying to say. <p>It’s fall, I had no buck. Well, actually, I own a Nubian buck, the uber handsome Mr. Rocco, but he didn’t have a companion, so when he entered into the “man goat” phase of his life around 6 months old, I sent him to work for a friend until I needed him… <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PncMsnEenhI/Um7Pr6azzMI/AAAAAAAAAxI/blTFoe6XW6Q/s1600-h/handsomebabyroco%25255B16%25255D.jpg"><img title="handsomebabyroco" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="handsomebabyroco" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRzxfB64G6NaY9i9pG-dRv4eXAggUCa1iCS-nLL8CMCN7JHEXICP7BU4kcbX11XFdpjs0enCKTK3ljmVJupyFVrVhvgK_Ziy3IfLbhyAB0j3-euTxjqAKUAsvYryHkZV05HRfcbGWZQ4h/?imgmax=800" width="342" height="195"></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-U54JeOp5T_Y/Um7Ps_l9n9I/AAAAAAAAAxY/xHwAHDbso0Y/s1600-h/handsomebabyroco2%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="handsomebabyroco2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="handsomebabyroco2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M5dQLz9rLtY/Um7Ptl565vI/AAAAAAAAAxg/0IfoHujFpHo/handsomebabyroco2_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" height="196"></a> <p align="center"> <em><font size="2">Sweet baby Rocco before he turned into a “Man Goat”…</font></em> <p>My dilemma was I needed a LAMANCHA buck, as that is my primary focus, and yet, here I sat with no earless boy to my name, and no true prospect in sight. <p>Just as I was getting frantically paranoid thinking of all the <em><strong>Numanchas</strong></em> I might get stuck with, along came an offer from a good friend and it was one I just couldn’t pass up. <p>Of course, as these things usually go, the timing was wrong, but I’m nothing if not determined, so I set out to make it happen at any cost. My dilemma was transportation. The big Ford truck had the welding rig set up on it with no room for goat hauling, and hubby’s schedule didn’t allow for him to remove it for me in a timely manner… <p>My car is a lil SUV… A Dodge Nitro that looks like a roller-skate. <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AwCRMCKwAiU/Um7PuWVJVxI/AAAAAAAAAxo/mZ45IhpJ5_M/s1600-h/dodgenitro%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="dodgenitro" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="dodgenitro" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0VnFj1zUP6E/Um7PvEc439I/AAAAAAAAAxw/ufGZVBZ1p4g/dodgenitro_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="371" height="185"></a> <p align="center"><em><font size="2">Yup.... I really was too lazy to snap a pic of my car so I stole a pic from Google…</font></em> <p>Not an ideal animal transporter by any means, but I figured “What the heck, I’ve stuffed a goat in here before, why not do it again?” <p>Why not eh……? Well, I’ll answer that question for ya. <p>In the past, I shoved babies in crates in there and even an older doe… On tarps of course, and it worked well…. But this…. This happened to be a 3 year old, fully grown Lamancha buck, in full rut, in all his <em><strong>pee stained, musky glory</strong></em>. <p>Before I could ponder too hard on the ramifications of this move I was about to do, I wrapped everything in the car in tarps and took off down the road. A short 2 hours later, I arrive at Lynne’s ready to pick up Mr. Tall, Hairy & Stinky, also known as Avatar. <p>I hop out of the car as Lynne eyes my ride with a bit of doubt, and humorous disbelief… <p>“You’re going to put him in there?” <p>Yup… <p>“Will he fit?” <p>I can squish him if I have to… Desperation is a great motivator and I’ve worked too hard on collecting the Lamanchas I have to waste an entire year on “Numancha” mutt kids.. <p>Lynne was kind enough to give me a tour of all her lovely animals……I may have fallen in love with a particular Alpine doe that I shouldn’t have since I’m supposed to be focusing on my Lamanchas, and I got to learn a new goatie skill as well…. <p>I’ve been curious about trimming feet with an angle grinder, so Lynne pulled out hers and did Avatar’s feet for me before we loaded him up… Pretty spiffy, and I can’t wait to give it a go on my own… <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PV4cA-537Vs/Um7Pvj51fEI/AAAAAAAAAx0/8WuOU9-iuF4/s1600-h/avatarblog9%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog9" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="avatarblog9" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ISfBshtk_pI/Um7PwOTJz2I/AAAAAAAAAx8/2dQ_IsUh9ng/avatarblog9_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="406" height="231"></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/PedigreePrint.aspx?RegNumber=L001505713"><font size="2"><em><strong>Dream-Fire LOX Avatar</strong></em></font></a> <p>Anywho… Now comes the loading part… Avatar is such a sweet, mellow boy…Walked right up to the car, but convincing him to hop into the confined world of plastic just wasn’t happening. <p>So, I grabbed a front leg, Lynne grabbed a front leg… <p>She then held him half way in while I went around, hung upside down over the back seat and pulled while she shoved the rear…. This lil acrobatic feat was followed by a swiftly closing door and I swear I could still hear Lynne laughing at the absurdity of the whole fiasco as I drove away with a smug look on my face. <p>Ok, ok… I’ll be honest… I’m not sure if I was actually wearing a “smug” look, or if my face was just contorted in disgust over the overwhelming, extremely pungent smell threatening to choke me out as I drove….… But none the less, I had a buck, a beautiful buck, with genetics I greatly admired, riding comfortably and quietly in the back of my car… <p>Rank smell be damned, I made it work and I was happy!! <p>I hit Dallas traffic at dark, trucking on along imagining what kids I’d get and what I thought they’d look like when my happy musings were interrupted by the flashing red and blues in my rear view mirror.. <p>Well crap! <p>Pull over, get all the necessities gathered up and wait for the officer to approach… <p>The Officer peers into my window with his flashlight as I roll it down and he leans in, with partial words leaving his mouth before he interrupts himself with: <p>Officer: “Woah!!!!!!!...... Ma’am……. are you feeling well?!?!” <p>This statement was said with such genuine concern as he reeled backwards away from the pungent stench wafting from my car that I couldn’t help but to laugh… <p>“Yes sir officer, I’m feeling quite well, I’m just hauling a buck home and he’s a bit smelly” <p>Officer: “A buck??” <p>“Yes sir, a buck, a goat, he’s laying in the back, let me show you” <p>At this point, I roll down the driver side rear window and he peaks inside with his flashlight with a very doubtful look on his face…… You see, Avatar had made himself quite cozy and was laying down, out of sight, behind the seat…. You could just tell by the look on the poor officer’s face that he was highly doubting my sanity…. Not to mention he was wondering what awful medical condition I was suffering from to be emitting such a horrible smell and making up weird stories… <p>Just as the kind officer was about to question me, Avatar popped his stinky, earless head in all its golden bearded glory over the seat and said “Ehh-ehh-ehh” <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9-wip5UFEJA/Um7PwpUypwI/AAAAAAAAAyI/XsTwQSPeamM/s1600-h/Avatarsmile%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Avatarsmile" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Avatarsmile" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xwWdKyaVPWI/Um7PxI3lo7I/AAAAAAAAAyQ/ifOBe3qOoZM/Avatarsmile_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="456" height="323"></a> <p align="center"><em><font size="2">I think Avatar has a sense of humor….lol</font></em> <p>The startled officer jumped back and exclaimed “Holy crap, what the hell is that?!?!” as he eased in slowly for another look.. <p>“I told you, it’s a buck, a goat, a Lamancha, I’m taking him home to breed my does” <p>Officer: “I’m sorry ma’am, that’s no goat, THAT looks like something off of Star Wars!” <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hTwutdOXZzQ/Um7Px9CMuHI/AAAAAAAAAyU/7bwLFmasvZM/s1600-h/avatarblog1%25255B44%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Pj0aIAcYDWA/Um7PyX2hvoI/AAAAAAAAAyc/7G3cxWd_xd8/avatarblog1_thumb%25255B47%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="352" height="203"></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-J5klB9rgCj0/Um7Pyy08ejI/AAAAAAAAAyo/Rx-jLWIQUV0/s1600-h/avatarhead1%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarhead1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarhead1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XZfHDfCbWGk/Um7PzWMmtVI/AAAAAAAAAyw/K-l8DWkOLgk/avatarhead1_thumb%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="203"></a> <p align="center"><em><font size="2">To be fair, I GET the comparison he was trying to make, though it is a Stargate the movie creature he was thinking of, and not a Star Wars creature…. Of course Avatar is pretty, while the creature is quite hideous and only shares a vague resemblance..</font></em> <p>He stares… looks at me, takes another look at Avatar, and while keeping his eye on Avatar, he ask me for my DL and insurance…. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was afraid the smelly beast would jump out and get him or what, but his reaction was absolutely priceless. <p>As he heads back to his car with my info, it dawned on me that throughout this entire exchange, I still had no clue why I was being pulled over…. Apparently the same thought dawned on him once he was away from Avatar, and so he returned my stuff and got down to business.. <p>Officer: “Ma’am, are you aware that your insurance and DL have different addresses?” <p>“Yes sir, I just moved not too long ago and keep forgetting to change the address on my DL..” <p>Officer: “Your DL says “Noodle”…. I’ve never heard of it? That even a real town?” <p>“Well of course it’s a real town! I used to live there, you can Google it, and just to let you know how bonafide legit this town is, there’s even a blog about it online!” <p>Officer: “Who on earth would blog about a town called Noodle?” <p>“Me of course” <p>To this he laughs and says “Ok, ok, how to do I find this blog about this town of Noodle?” <p>So, I write down the address on the back of an old receipt and hand it to him… <p>Officer: “BTW- Did you know you were speeding? That’s why I pulled you over this evening.” <p>“No sir officer, I was not aware I was speeding… But I gotta ask you something….” <p>Officer: “What’s that?” <p>“Wouldn’t you be speeding too if you were locked up with this stench?!?!?!” <p>To this his busted out laughing and said: “Why yes ma’am, I do believe I would! I’ll give you this warning if you promise to watch your speed for the rest of the trip home, perhaps try cracking a window so you can survive and drive the speed limit…” <p>I thanked him, an Officer Daniels according to the written warning I received, and as a parting salute I told him to watch my blog as he was about to become a famous feature here at “The Adventures of Noodleville”. <p>As a farewell greeting he said: “You know, I’ve been a cop for the last 9 years, and I have to say this takes the cake for the weirdest traffic stop I’ve ever made, thanks for the laugh Noodle” <p>Hahahahahahahahahahaha! <p>Happy to oblige Officer Daniels, and thanks so much for not making this foul fetching an expensive endeavor by adding a speeding ticket to it! <p>Now that you know the story of his arrival, I must gush a lil about this handsome boy! I wish I had got him earlier so I could clip him and show him off in his pretty clothes, but the weather is getting a bit chilly, so you’ll have to settle for shaggy, rutty buck pictures instead. <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TOvOQTFX48Q/Um7Pz3bzMrI/AAAAAAAAAy4/veAFxl6giik/s1600-h/avatar%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatar" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="avatar" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0TswYX3m6Sw/Um7P0Zt-r9I/AAAAAAAAAzA/YEvSj0_d3FI/avatar_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="317"></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/PedigreePrint.aspx?RegNumber=L001505713"><font size="2"><em>Dream-Fire LOX Avatar</em></font></a> <p>He is SO SWEET and easy to handle….. I’ve never met a buck with a more laid back disposition. His first night here, he busted out, got in with the does, and bred Rosie, a NUBAIN……..but even that lil stunt couldn’t make me mad at this sweet boy. The following day (October 13th) he also bred Mocha, Tori, Tricks and Bleuberry (the Alpine). So he wasted no time getting to work and made the rounds tagging at least one doe from every breed I own… Not exactly thrilled with that, but I’m flexible and can work around it, so no worries. <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NtyBSc6X_sA/Um7P04sURyI/AAAAAAAAAzI/QyFhk4eIboo/s1600-h/rosieavatar%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="rosieavatar" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="rosieavatar" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nNVWBPs06A4/Um7P1ZUNJBI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/00wyx22rMTE/rosieavatar_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="301"></a> <p align="center"><em><font size="2">Avatar & Rosie enjoying a bit of inter-breed, forbidden love….</font></em> <p>Most of my Lamanchas have quite a bit of South Fork in them…… I love their animals, and Mr. Avatar just so happens to have a bit of South-Fork in his family tree too….. Here’s a lil picture pedigree for this handsome boy. His dam is the very lovely South-Fork Sweet Xcite, and if ya can believe it, she’s even prettier in person. <p> </p> <p> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-v5lWNd5KiZw/Um7P1_r_QBI/AAAAAAAAAzY/Ftb1iaor_Ws/s1600-h/avatarblog7%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog7" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avat" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HPpEMiK-ab0/Um7P2WbFiYI/AAAAAAAAAzg/7LT8Nhnkhpw/avatarblog7_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="246" height="209"></a></p> <p> <font face="Arial"><em>Avatar’s Grandsire: </em></font><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/PedigreePrint.aspx?RegNumber=L001361713"><font face="Arial"><em>Altrese Almost Legal</em></font></a> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CN-kF7FCaoY/Um7P2xDlUZI/AAAAAAAAAzo/75JlNmPQffo/s1600-h/avatarblog2%25255B39%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lhkzsYl_f4M/Um7P3cvjusI/AAAAAAAAAzw/VktW8VGOdg0/avatarblog2_thumb%25255B33%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" height="306"></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wIbuVL3wYLE/Um7P3_2CAvI/AAAAAAAAAz4/_kQeJfXCzRw/s1600-h/avatarblog3%25255B24%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog3" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog3" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k2pS0SQ6npo/Um7P4kUOc3I/AAAAAAAAA0A/Yucwk4d84as/avatarblog3_thumb%25255B22%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="188" height="306"></a> <p> <font face="Arial"><em>Avatar’s Dam: </em></font><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.aspx?RegNumber=L001406012"><font face="Arial"><em>South-Fork Sweet Xcite</em></font></a> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W5IzKRUpwGQ/Um7P4-4AvII/AAAAAAAAA0I/tHwNVuzCPAc/s1600-h/avatarblog8%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog8" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog8" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fzJJRoA3rqw/Um7P5rJ3-fI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/pWD_8j5zNFA/avatarblog8_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="246" height="205"></a> <p> <font face="Arial"><em>Avatar’s Maternal Granddam: </em></font><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.aspx?RegNumber=L001228603"><font face="Arial"><em>GCH South Fork TT Sweet Treat</em></font></a> <p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dtUXVupfGkE/Um7P53rsH2I/AAAAAAAAA0Y/Kb4X3D-GHgs/s1600-h/avatarblog6%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog6" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog6" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-h-91yizMatY/Um7P6abuLAI/AAAAAAAAA0g/UEJqB40-G8E/avatarblog6_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="246" height="214"></a> <p> <font face="Arial"><em>Avatar’s grandsire: </em></font><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.aspx?RegNumber=L001371384"><font face="Arial"><em>Kastdemur’s Twist of Fate</em></font></a> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Hhlh3yRySGk/Um7P6woQ-MI/AAAAAAAAA0k/f5QVNr2eXao/s1600-h/avatarblog4%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog4" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y9DZfSKyQuQ/Um7P7dB_KGI/AAAAAAAAA0w/yH6Ll65wsdI/avatarblog4_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="352" height="306"></a> <p><font face="Arial"><em> Avatar’s sire: </em></font><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/PedigreePrint.aspx?RegNumber=L001406661"><font face="Arial"><em>*B Little Orchard TF Xavier</em></font></a> <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZWwjuX1FYiArRMTOjUMxVabS-KB9TqEaKCeovm-SSto5oVDwh9CjCReo6079Q_EkCj3D6p9XpeCVi3VPGPcYI6Skrzm0QwTmD5MdCqGuKiG5tKKIc8YSz7ORHPS_YPvs-cHxqzjX6Iqm/s1600-h/avatarblog5%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="avatarblog5" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="avatarblog5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkpWiP78CZRcySWmpzKtjkQnOYXwGt_ekBulqqVSM2zpJ8sboNXg-7r5yY2L-xLjk9Q-VhhLj7Am5L2uG-ST_Zw6TZtkkfgjs9drwffigK4fZ4NcnPDAmsjpg0Ixf_YSIrrOw1cI4a4ql/?imgmax=800" width="256" height="240"></a> <p> <font face="Arial">Avatar’s paternal granddam: </font><a href="http://www.adgagenetics.org/PedigreePrint.aspx?RegNumber=L001288359"><font face="Arial">GCH Little Orchard BR Pia</font></a> <p>I am just smitten with this boy… I really think he’ll compliment my girls nicely and am so excited by the possible improvements he’ll bring to my herd. Thanks so much Lynne for trusting this handsome boy into my care! <p>Five months is such a long, long wait….Cross your fingers and hope for golden lil doelings for me! <p>Can. Not. Wait. For. Kidding. Season! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-winkingsmile" style="border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none" alt="Winking smile" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9NA1qMq6zxM/Um7P8gyn8eI/AAAAAAAAA1A/sy2IRVltHNs/wlEmoticon-winkingsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> * Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-61064326519510733032013-10-01T21:58:00.001-07:002013-10-05T20:37:37.195-07:00Meet My Dealer: A Chaffhaye Update<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyS6IDEOievD3LKmOuxcAlUJXzyUVx6-aCEApYvJYhWdJ1V62zEl6V6Bmh3IN-SLoo6ZBQmIaFr4NnaE6eTcz384cemqRQzw1xJ4GR_UgPILoaFTdssYnBJFfZcOMBNF414mZpwM2OrGXh/s1600/update7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyS6IDEOievD3LKmOuxcAlUJXzyUVx6-aCEApYvJYhWdJ1V62zEl6V6Bmh3IN-SLoo6ZBQmIaFr4NnaE6eTcz384cemqRQzw1xJ4GR_UgPILoaFTdssYnBJFfZcOMBNF414mZpwM2OrGXh/s400/update7.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Darktanion owned and loved by New Horizons Ranch</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, about a year ago I blogged a bit about my switch to <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye Alfalfa</a> and I thought some of y’all might like an update on how all that has been going.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Not only will ya get an update, but you get a healthy dose of Equine eye candy too..</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Since we <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/12/goodbye-to-noodleville.html">moved</a>, I’ve had to hunt up a new Chaffhaye dealer and Heather at <a href="http://newhorizonsranch.com/">New Horizons Ranch</a> is my go to gal…</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Heather has the most gorgeous sport horses (looking sleek and stunning on <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye</a> I might add) and on our last pick up she was kind enough to take us on a tour and let us meet her herd.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Shayla-Wayla, like most 8 year old lil girls, is totally horse crazy and this was absolute heaven for her.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEs8hG4Jj1ZavMjcJsBatM3JbTIOvYy2AaqQp79elrjuB7ApwV5V5SNN1lrNGlgEZgSgqES6tJorB3ecdCkcHiMs6forETgYiOqrq3nm3weZeaqgwZqEiRHOm5CdYdhQS-XHUmmFgK4SQ/s1600/updatehorse5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEs8hG4Jj1ZavMjcJsBatM3JbTIOvYy2AaqQp79elrjuB7ApwV5V5SNN1lrNGlgEZgSgqES6tJorB3ecdCkcHiMs6forETgYiOqrq3nm3weZeaqgwZqEiRHOm5CdYdhQS-XHUmmFgK4SQ/s400/updatehorse5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Darktanion- Is he not just stunning??!</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can find Heather in Grand Saline, Texas. Her prices are great, she stores her </span><a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/" style="font-size: x-large;">Chaffhaye</a><span style="font-size: large;"> well so you don't have to worry about damaged bags.......</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Whether you buy by the bag, or by the ton; she's able to load ya up with any size purchase, and she is more than happy to answer any questions you might have ....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The highlight of the trip for Shayla was getting to visit with <a href="http://newhorizonsranch.com/DarktanionsPage1.htm">Darktanion</a>, a 16 year old Friesian stallion with the most laid back, sweet disposition I've ever seen in a horse. He was quite the clown showing off his various tricks he does for treats and was ever so tolerant with this over excited munchkin climbing all over him. Such a big, beautiful sweetie!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Darktanion & Shayla-Wayla</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheK6YymBUymsGxDUIBb7sBWcFAzoiaDC1GFNDGpPyRmIJOonN2dL81Fz78QWFRnb3TPa_0Auczs3ss1WUBDApBC7pBibYGy2zm8Pag4rD8MsO3VTwF5-jlKpxscEpO9Jcl05jGzb9ZC89R/s1600/updatehorse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheK6YymBUymsGxDUIBb7sBWcFAzoiaDC1GFNDGpPyRmIJOonN2dL81Fz78QWFRnb3TPa_0Auczs3ss1WUBDApBC7pBibYGy2zm8Pag4rD8MsO3VTwF5-jlKpxscEpO9Jcl05jGzb9ZC89R/s400/updatehorse2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Shayla enjoyed meeting the adorable new baby</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0bGqwOyAJHhCaF1ssP3zC_rvLTZU1RQm5So2Kl-Hwnb3lkJzYA4_pNQ7GcOqHXmZ7nmTEHYFxpBbmnFluWkxj_-5w8TdXeeTotPelTpuda4uEtjhq4HnMER9pzwKqxv4Epo7ptMbWbxn/s1600/updatehorse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0bGqwOyAJHhCaF1ssP3zC_rvLTZU1RQm5So2Kl-Hwnb3lkJzYA4_pNQ7GcOqHXmZ7nmTEHYFxpBbmnFluWkxj_-5w8TdXeeTotPelTpuda4uEtjhq4HnMER9pzwKqxv4Epo7ptMbWbxn/s400/updatehorse.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Momma didn't wanna be left out of all the attention.. Such a sweetie.</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, I've delivered on the equine eye candy promise and if you'd like to see more, or are in my neck of the woods and are looking for a <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye</a> dealer, please don't hesitate to call Heather... Her info can be found here on her website: <a href="http://www.newhorizonsranch.com/">New Horizons Ranch</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now on to the <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye</a> update portion of this blog post.</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I must say, I couldn't be more pleased… Had my entire herd on Chaffhaye from the end of last lactation, through breeding season and kidding, and more than half way through another 10 month lactation. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Bleuberry, who should be on the milkstand, is stealing Chaffhaye instead, lol</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Lovely Miss Bleuberry</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">My goats are real life testimonials to how great Chaffhaye is. Silky soft, shiney coats... Everyone, including the heavy milkers, have maintained weight very well, even during the peak of their lactations and my milk buckets have been plenty full.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Star, milking 12lbs a day and looking quite pretty.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Tricks, not to be outdone, had to steal a few mouthfuls too before I caught her and drug her out of the feed room.....Such a brat!! </span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">My most exciting report is my kids, the four legged, goat variety, not the awesome 2 legged human variety....</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Typically all bottle babies are fed milk and I offer a meat goat pellet to them in lil handfuls early on hoping to tempt them to try it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Generally I see lil nibbles, but no real, noticeable pellet consumption until after 3 weeks old or so.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">By the end of week 1, all the babies were noticeably eating it with gusto! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I kept all bottle babies on a diet of Chaffhaye and milk for the first 12 weeks of life, then introduced pelleted feed when I reduced the amount of milk I was feeding.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Very happy to report that my kids averaged 18-21lbs of growth every 27 days. Color me happy! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">This year, I gave a little handful to all the babies around 4-6 days old. All were curious and played with it a bit right from the start….. I think the soft texture and sweet smell make it a more interesting item for them to investigate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">These kids are lil monsters and I’m so thrilled that all will be more than big enough to breed their first fall to kid out as yearlings… This means no extra long wait to get a peak at the Jr. does' udders…</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">3 yearlings on the left, 3 spring kids on the right... I'd say these "babies" are well grown!</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Oh, and Mr. Rocco, my lil buck from Oklahoma, was plenty tall enough to breed some yearling does for a friend of mine shortly before he turned 6 months old. If that’s not peachy, I dunno what is!</span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><br /><br />In my original post, <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-noodleville-review-chaffhaye-alfalfa_6.html">A Noodleville Review: Chaffhaye Alfalfa</a> I outlined our switch over to Chaffhaye from alfalfa pellets and I shared a nifty video and some cool pictures of the beneficial yeast colonies... Since then, it's kinda become a habit of mine to snap pictures when I find lil colonies.... These yeasty patches, BTW, belong to Bleuberry.. They are her favorite bit, she'll dig in my bags to find them and she doesn't think they need to be shared with anyone. <br /></span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Yes, they look a lil alarming at first, but these are like the ultimate, uber probiotic supplement for a ruminant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Patch on the left looks fuzzyish as it came from the center of the bag. Patch on right looks smoother as the surface was up against the plastic. These patches are not to be confused with mold, they are yeasty-yogurty smelling and not foul, rank and awful like mold. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">And..... for the grand finale and to end this for y'all...... Since my last Chaffhaye post had a video, I thought I'd share a teeny tiny clip on this post as well.<br /> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is Rosie Posie & Tricks chowing down on Chaffhaye.... Rosie's face when she looks at me with a mouth full just cracks me up... And Miss Tricks, the rotten lil brat, couldn't stop eating for just one second to look at me..<br /> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sorry, crummy cell phone video, but aren't the girls just pretty?? </span></span><br />
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* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-12175029095373519012013-07-19T20:34:00.001-07:002013-07-19T20:52:36.571-07:00A Long Overdo Introduction<p>Following my trend of sporadic post and procrastinations, I'm finally back to update you on my last 2013 keeper kid born here...</p> <p>Most excited to introduce Noodleville's Toi's Tori:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-T7QBk7R7zv0/UeoE_NoBAiI/AAAAAAAAAqs/UlaptOPI6E0/s1600-h/311314_10200186362396227_778045204_n%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="311314_10200186362396227_778045204_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="311314_10200186362396227_778045204_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VMdsPaCffRw/UeoE_ipSkPI/AAAAAAAAAq0/HltDGIJZgnA/311314_10200186362396227_778045204_n_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="446"></a></p> <p>Seriously, is that not the cutest lil baby on four legs??</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlg6YrSl79QZ1tcNQmM6Q2QZpYKhm2oIP19_464PI3hVVD-iUTPRiiWAnKCcTcE2tf-zySkIKSadgsMSMpmZTQV_D9fFtjiB4gM-cXW73bftoxCu5geQqJJc1w0Gbwp3JC5ntGaWnyPBK/s1600-h/60650_10200261009982370_209403770_n%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="60650_10200261009982370_209403770_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 45px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="60650_10200261009982370_209403770_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-u6lqJymXh4c/UeoFA1m807I/AAAAAAAAArE/CGho4mvdyok/60650_10200261009982370_209403770_n_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="556" height="390"></a><br>This lovely lil one is my second <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/held-captive-in-captivating-town-of.html">Tonka</a> daughter to get and I couldn't be more pleased with her, though I wish Mr. Tonka hadn't been so stingy with the doe kids... </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbX-vc88cbmhJjrL1sSHtcXl7Io48moMFbcNqasI3hgmPdsSS9nKBnfd7yDP6c6ytWVKsIgbwf3tFP2kea7rkfdapMATjthjUZg5_GQDwcukyRg20M_3Fbbt7bjLP07cEFbn2LXOPZGTh/s1600-h/IMG_20130407_094014_281%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130407_094014_281" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 45px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130407_094014_281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXhutQ2NdaKp0GOuGbY7Mk2vE3TLzw3_LRnOadtrHbnB2tv6IsqvD_EMiPpS9_j-GZ4Lugogqo_8PBiynpnL-heBOV4UlQW2LhDi8kfapjJEuZ53DLeahkoLbowhTds2rQ1nkGi92txRn/?imgmax=800" width="556" height="412"></a></p> <p>We call her Tori for short and she was one of triplets... Sadly I was horribly ill the day they were born and waited too long to go in and check on what was keeping things so slow... Finally mustered up the strength to go in... </p> <p>Felt around and thought <em>"Hmm, I feel an ear.... No, wait, this is a Lamancha! Darn it, that's a tail!!"</em> Good sized buck kid was presented hips first and had to be shoved back in so I could fish out legs.. Thankfully after he came out, everything else was smooth sailing, though the very last kid was a tiny still born buckling.</p> <p>Quite funny, but check out the markings on the buck kids face... I didn't notice it until his new owner pointed it out, but it looks like a mule face is painted on his face...lol Keeping with the double “T” name theme, his new owner named him Noodleville’s Timeless Treasure and he goes by “Time” for short… Such a handsome lil man.</p> <p><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjld_nm-_jhv2o14CwnU1_cwiQRfkZTRqHoHHJRUOD_l3wPz8NWjZqVT_2d8lMnW7jRX1SGOtYqeoz_3m5DNbVsyJpVUJ9V1OgH3QjMwsQwrDMVw3OpgbwHw4qZJ2oXmfd0e-cuqAxXwflq/s1600-h/317719_10200158437658126_193725174_n%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="317719_10200158437658126_193725174_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 100px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="317719_10200158437658126_193725174_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OYtRj5xTEmQ/UeoFCP0qViI/AAAAAAAAArU/detlSnoZqn0/317719_10200158437658126_193725174_n_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="478" height="366"></a></p> <p>And speaking of Tonka kids.... Check out little miss <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-mothers-day-suprise.html">Tricks</a>! This doe kid is so very precious to me... She was born on <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-mothers-day-suprise.html">Mother's Day</a> last year and was my last baby my mom got to hold.... Can't believe she's already a year old... Time just flew by!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-h7jZacHp7Lw/UeoFC3Cm_GI/AAAAAAAAArc/ndUc5FGSt-I/s1600-h/IMG_20130719_192625_737%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130719_192625_737" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130719_192625_737" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3NHbU8XvlNs/UeoFDfWzLDI/AAAAAAAAArk/XdF6e7KyZRY/IMG_20130719_192625_737_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="322"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Noodleville’s Trick or Treat</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DFxba4yfC1s/UeoFD9lJb4I/AAAAAAAAArs/cOkKSvEPeB4/s1600-h/IMG_20130719_193234_943%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130719_193234_943" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130719_193234_943" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AWus0IRZYgwIPJ4wLppwMeAxsjFrEx_Vc3qKL4Q7TkmtkOviRUXGblom_sXlCebd5T2_pSPU9hiYDN8-i1wGmXD-5mnIAYB__rz38QYF6yWEAK5sHQMNmKW7IaESnV9mv5KVOdRm0ziA/?imgmax=800" width="506" height="349"></a><br></p> <p>Anywho, I'm noticing quite the personality trend in my Tonka kids... All are very sweet tempered, quiet babies. All of them like to give hugs (Tricks still baby talks to me and ask for an invitation to jump up and give hugs, lol) and so far all the Tonka kids I've seen both here and in other herds are nice growthy, vigorous babies. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-635pN4OxidI/UeoFE38q7jI/AAAAAAAAAr8/KHZzLoMr108/s1600-h/tonka2012%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="tonka2012" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="tonka2012" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SRJ1VpZHPi0/UeoFFXQJasI/AAAAAAAAAsE/lM9QrcVRk9M/tonka2012_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="382"></a></p> <p>Goaty hugs are the best…</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yILR0xsgZKE/UeoFGBlQikI/AAAAAAAAAsM/IAymCidPxEI/s1600-h/993059_10200660666373530_411213949_n%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img title="993059_10200660666373530_411213949_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="993059_10200660666373530_411213949_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WYeKcTEiGwk/UeoFGrnBbrI/AAAAAAAAAsU/nu6EONx9AtY/993059_10200660666373530_411213949_n_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="340"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DmAE8Iz_uqc/UeoFHNKO67I/AAAAAAAAAsc/g0XV7O5dXCI/s1600-h/998881_10200660666733539_348167080_n%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img title="998881_10200660666733539_348167080_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="998881_10200660666733539_348167080_n" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYP0qSjDbSgIKO9CYZXrOYMBSX8yt0As1OuaaHz_xt5gJCqYV3IApKJi_arNfSgwkbaPMaMV7-u9_Dcq_YcFzP2vKVFLXK8OQgUCEEdZaJX_FkvvsV0GqbcYYIRGm6de9yflEBC6MC9kCR/?imgmax=800" width="506" height="330"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2G8kqmn_uQI/UeoFIaGOFyI/AAAAAAAAAss/pGxsp--ExlQ/s1600-h/549947_10200319036392994_2145055733_n%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="549947_10200319036392994_2145055733_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="549947_10200319036392994_2145055733_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LBf_4EX-B7I/UeoFI_8Mn4I/AAAAAAAAAs0/wixhJRDo5DM/549947_10200319036392994_2145055733_n_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="606" height="344"></a></p> <p>On Mocha's side of the gene pool I must say I'm pleased with her udder as a first freshening yearling. Great texture, very, very well attached, nothing is budging that udder... Good orifices and pretty easy to milk. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oRiDGs1qL4I/UeoFJV00zBI/AAAAAAAAAs8/_SWVJ11Hk28/s1600-h/215394_10200444719614996_1852442811_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="215394_10200444719614996_1852442811_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="215394_10200444719614996_1852442811_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-klVQQJTBtRM/UeoFKMBtzyI/AAAAAAAAAtE/JJBlXzkc_m4/215394_10200444719614996_1852442811_n_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="287"></a></p> <p>Mocha’s first freshening udder at a couple weeks fresh (please forgive the fuzzy pictures, I hadn’t got around to clipping anyone at the time these were taken)..</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vtwAPCoAMYs0gNBVne0OVTOjIoYaBopeQDOFGsgtWnBAGPY3F0TP0eGJ4ZzCSXhJ6No4-8ocChwPYoso0vXPGcNZQyF3wp8VNayUMpnwiusWq8o8AuNeMb-g8KZCHrQyR_GPh-0Kfas2/s1600-h/935551_10200444719334989_334762619_n%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="935551_10200444719334989_334762619_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="935551_10200444719334989_334762619_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kZ4J6jsbQbc/UeoFL_zltOI/AAAAAAAAAtU/dG4iT9RVAuM/935551_10200444719334989_334762619_n_thumb%25255B22%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="459"></a></p> <p>Thankfully Mocha did not pass on her roman nose to her kids as both babies have Tonka's beautiful head and I see more depth of body in the kids than I see in Mocha, so to say I'm pleased is an understatement.... </p> <p>When breeding goats it's kinda like a mad scientist type of experiment and it’s so rewarding when things work out like you planned. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4qpjIYfVGc0/UeoFMdYo_dI/AAAAAAAAAtc/CKOW0XlzsJ4/s1600-h/580191_10200530230072704_598113393_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="580191_10200530230072704_598113393_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 25px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="580191_10200530230072704_598113393_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dFAf9InS4jg/UeoFM1Z7AhI/AAAAAAAAAtk/vqa7yqr0cuM/580191_10200530230072704_598113393_n_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="606" height="344"></a></p> * Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-86515208039367122572013-03-29T15:04:00.001-07:002013-03-29T17:24:10.420-07:00Bittersweet Endings & New BeginningsI’m happy to announce my 2013 kidding season is officially over! This year was a bit bittersweet. Welcoming the newest additions into the world was great, but each new arrival was just one more kid my <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/06/life-is-short-seldom-fair.html">mom</a> couldn’t “Oooo & Ahhh” over with me.<br />
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I missed the smell of her overly sweet coffee (usually her 7th or 8th cup, lol) while I sat in the barn with laboring does.....There was no excited chatter about what may be coming and there wasn’t an extra set of hands and reassurance in the more stressful times. My first kidding season without her, and I missed her dearly. I had hoped that as time passed her absence would be easier to bear, but the reality of it all is the void she left behind will never be filled.<br />
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On that note, I made some rather large changes this year. I will no longer be raising Alpines. I grew up with the breed and have really enjoyed them, but going through my mother’s goat book with all of our Alpine plans is painful. You would think I’d want to continue on with all we had talked about, but the reality is, I have no desire to do it without her. <br />
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So, all the Alpine kids were sold; a total of 2 doelings, 4 bucklings and 2 grown does.<br />
<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/01/lifes-lil-luxuries-unbearble-waiting.html">Bleuberry</a>, my big silly goober who has starred in <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/blood-bone-bleuberry.html">her own post</a> more than once here on my blog, stays. She’s a rotten mess with an affinity for biting strangers all while doing her fabulous “devil goat” impersonation, so I just couldn’t part with her. <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WH8R2yp5UpI/UVYPgTXuonI/AAAAAAAAAn0/8zlCK3Xf424/s1600-h/549864_10200174254853546_1428745250_n%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img alt="549864_10200174254853546_1428745250_n" border="0" height="319" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6Mttl6BJpK0/UVYPhIZOmJI/AAAAAAAAAn8/HvsOA2k9f2s/549864_10200174254853546_1428745250_n_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="549864_10200174254853546_1428745250_n" width="506" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><em> <u>The Last Alpine, Bleuberry</u></em></span><br />
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When one chapter ends, another must always begin……. Though I can’t believe I’m saying it, we have more Nubians! Years ago I owned a few… HATED them! Loud, obnoxious, dumb, annoying animals who didn’t produce worth a flip. Sold them and swore I’d never, ever do that again! But, ya know what they say about never saying never…<br />
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Last year we bought my daughter a little Nubian doeling for her 7th birthday. Miss Rosie changed my once foul opinion on Nubians. She’s quiet, calm, easy going, sweet as pie and smart. Nothing ever phases this goat and she’s very happy to go along with whatever you’d like her to do.</div>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S0qCiVYtawA/UVYPjA0QJ2I/AAAAAAAAAoE/e8WKt15sESA/s1600-h/644620_4975733785591_545783982_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="644620_4975733785591_545783982_n" border="0" height="287" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZCy6hdNRYxI/UVYPkKs0htI/AAAAAAAAAoM/oU2fYeXvyp4/644620_4975733785591_545783982_n_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="644620_4975733785591_545783982_n" width="506" /></a> <em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rosie-Posie chewing her cud.</span></u></em><br />
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Rosie was bred to TLC Farms Mr. Beau Jangles and kidded on March 8th with a big, beautiful red roan buck kid and a very feminine, sweet blue roan doeling… <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxgp8GJ3CiW51mY_FEJcq8_iCAJuSsGcj9hrOfHu54B09EEL27rrgRHap8gBcFldG_aO1w0jufN0TP8WLF6FJ5rXtPV3d9R-7-dqwXP6brKstvALDp1_VyEskKMEg55tz-YMd_ISh9xI4/s1600-h/301661_10200170297354611_1899211645_n%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="301661_10200170297354611_1899211645_n" border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqu0XTiYZfMJicapUTNHiNQIZZikmQw_ai2LbudJjgzYfPHr7mLY69o7N6Gm14JFjdHhfRRHvATK8Lg4edioBc6UH64IKRjmRcJhaXnln9oXL7a0znTUY2FKDnsVLaDaRw_m1-j-p8tp6l/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="301661_10200170297354611_1899211645_n" width="506" /></a> <em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rosie’s twins- Red roan buckling, “Lucky” & blue roan doeling, “Bonny”</span></u></em><br />
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Keeping with the flower name theme, we named the blue doeling Bonny, short for Bluebonnet. The buck had a rough time getting here, and for a lil bit I thought I’d be pulling a dead kid, so hubby dubbed him “Lucky” when he came into the world yelling his protest. <br />
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Typically I get rid of extra buck kids quickly, but this lil guy is such a handsome man, we decided to keep him as a companion to the buck kid we reserved.. <br />
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Which brings us to Roco:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Milv6GZgvgtdApN-iJStIaIhp3XqJ4nvu3igb8YBdTbOvfX2pZ-_V_W2G76bhXudAUN1OUj057BeIdz-wUU_CVhqv5oCt1BVz40_GU5zPCVm3EJt1_AboeFDOFle6o6pNo5YE54Rc9t2/s1600-h/487893_10200185750340926_527733891_n%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="487893_10200185750340926_527733891_n" border="0" height="338" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1xiCchb2HI4/UVYPq1rSkdI/AAAAAAAAAos/C9rvGKH-pew/487893_10200185750340926_527733891_n_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="487893_10200185750340926_527733891_n" width="506" /></a> <em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">Prairie Nights Midnight Rococo</span></u></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgPUi-1FjH9c-JIMeLD_y8ZX9qzvdkzSBd4dHiBkZc4IwxbR_Bv5kJP3BPtDgJHRmpmqkmAGETjmDmkr6dn3cYmyDQyfHIivAzlAvzQW4NXDepw-zY50bx8Vizjrc4JTmTEy7uvHehd49/s1600-h/228932_10200185764461279_533743957_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="228932_10200185764461279_533743957_n" border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrsGoD315whIVFmZjVvOVADfBKLVVmTAHoJ9GdzHK71gXWYmj2XgIXa4Zqhzd7ue9J-pO9jQ4KradP6kPk1ApBplz5ME02q7KeSp_qxL0PMpWKyfmMTpGxMqYEC1vaDogYBtHWCMsg6DN/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="228932_10200185764461279_533743957_n" width="506" /></a> <em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">Showing off some of Roco’s little spots</span></u></em><br />
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Roco hails from <a href="http://oldpathshomestead.com/senior-does.html">Old Paths Homestead in Oklahoma</a>. We are very thankful that Jana trusted this stunning boy into our care. His dam is <a href="http://oldpathshomestead.com/Graffiti.html">Hoanbu PB Pure Graffiti</a>…. She is such a lovely, correct doe and she has one of the easiest to milk udders I’ve ever milked. His sire is heavy on the Goldthwaite lines and I’m very excited to add these genetics into our little herd.<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IberJOljUbc/UVYPxG9GbcI/AAAAAAAAApE/NjDP7_oLF2I/s1600-h/306007_10200236269883883_884422626_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="306007_10200236269883883_884422626_n" border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGxjopscj2JHGkQ4C6zBcascp742ERuoa9yfVtfGfFnCU_j14ijYbfv5ZkB46Q9nnZPC2H2Um_s-TEC-XrFCtnTULacCXi5t6U-r16wk2eL4dOobecDN4SB-Q_1x2pRElgTjDDF2XjSaw/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="306007_10200236269883883_884422626_n" width="506" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><u>Noodleville’s Nubians: Bonny, Roco & Lucky</u></em></span><br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-APPmHVTScRI/UVYPzYAUeAI/AAAAAAAAApU/fNPV4zLM-0A/s1600-h/544521_10200194474919035_328472133_n%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="544521_10200194474919035_328472133_n" border="0" height="287" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6w6mQ1kKWAw/UVYPz6zAFoI/AAAAAAAAApc/CIQ4YIOme70/544521_10200194474919035_328472133_n_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="544521_10200194474919035_328472133_n" width="506" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><u>Roco channeling his inner artist.. Got a bit of green tattoo ink perfectly around his eye</u></em></span><br />
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One bonus to Nubian kids that you don’t get with other breeds is the EARS! I have had such a fun time snapping pics of flying ears, though this one of Bonny has to be my favorite:<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Uz1O-IN2SmA/UVYP2Lt3oMI/AAAAAAAAApk/YgxrXZVQLMc/s1600-h/486114_10200169421692720_450996509_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="486114_10200169421692720_450996509_n" border="0" height="304" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fGe489qPzoA/UVYP3AcissI/AAAAAAAAAps/xySzxxixdZk/486114_10200169421692720_450996509_n_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="486114_10200169421692720_450996509_n" width="506" /></a> <em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">Airborne Bonny</span></u></em><br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-agJAUWIj_Wc/UVYP5tRXm1I/AAAAAAAAAp0/7X-jd98XNM4/s1600-h/IMG_20130325_114406_237%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130325_114406_237" border="0" height="318" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-y8fJgcC0zsM/UVYP6bLgnTI/AAAAAAAAAp8/wl__pYFgqbQ/IMG_20130325_114406_237_thumb%25255B14%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130325_114406_237" width="506" /></a> <u><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Flying ears: Roco, Lucky & Bonny</span></em></u><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Lam2RU_byY8/UVYP7z0fOII/AAAAAAAAAqE/KGldU6DZBaI/s1600-h/523421_10200242738765601_225909084_n%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="523421_10200242738765601_225909084_n" border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6kdfIK-wJJUNhWMwQnkKGwz8HINioerK2TdzUBt8F9C46P3rVv48jIU6-sqZhfdqKD0Qt_fdYeDxqCF9_7EGZCxPpuxoLPA5Td4PMwqYy7Rb-dZtP2cpQ9m1Q-c1gQhdjSoSFfmUjzPR/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 70px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="523421_10200242738765601_225909084_n" width="506" /></a> <em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>Lucky,</u> <u>Bonny & Roco playing “King of the dirt pile”</u></span></em><br />
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We have one more Nubian doeling due to arrive from <a href="http://buttercupacres.com/">Buttercup Acres</a> in a few weeks and then we’ll be done adding new stock for the year.<br />
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And of course I had some lovely Lamancha kids born too, but my keeper kid from that batch is so stinking cute, she deserves her very own post!<br />
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Until next time… Happy kidding to those of y’all who aren’t finished yet… While y’all camp out with your does, I am very thankful for my nights of uninterrupted sleep. * Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-44275532124888401622013-03-08T08:37:00.001-08:002013-03-08T08:37:17.749-08:00Chain Reactions & Late Night Dashes<p><br>I had this swell plan last year that I wanted to get all of my kiddings done within a month... </p> <p>When kids aren't even conceived yet, this is a sound, idealistic theory. When you have does back to back kidding, no helpers, limited towels (just 5 measly towels available for kidding) and 500 other things going on at once, it's not the brightest plan I've concocted. Either way, the deed is done, so onward we go!</p> <p>Due to Bleuberry going WAY past her due date last year and giving me a monster of a buck kid that was brutal getting out, I decided I'd induce this year right before the due date and hopefully prevent freaks of nature from slithering out of her womb. </p> <p>Late night shot of Dexamethasone & Lute and like clock work about 36 hours later on February 28th, we're in labor. </p> <p>Like Star, we had a day time kidding in beautiful weather. 8lb twins, a super flashy, uniquely colored buck kid and a splashy little doeling:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gWXMpY1gl4E/UToTXsV5BoI/AAAAAAAAAk8/_C3SB7qpxYo/s1600-h/IMG_20130303_095925_431%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130303_095925_431" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130303_095925_431" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iJZKoUBRMVQ/UToTYlbmrWI/AAAAAAAAAlE/Eso_MHvYZW8/IMG_20130303_095925_431_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="367"></a> </p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Andalus">Bleuberry’s flashy buck kid</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-T-cOXfzw8K0/UToTZ6ey8vI/AAAAAAAAAlM/LvtcJ8-NnVk/s1600-h/IMG_20130228_123514_769%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130228_123514_769" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130228_123514_769" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y5D25l3yO4I/UToTaYq958I/AAAAAAAAAlU/XylPFeqkd70/IMG_20130228_123514_769_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Andalus">Bleuberry’s twins. Doe kid on left, buckling on right</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7AolJksHpzkh83K7zgbmFEFqr5gEgCWUxuroolEnY8-iX0ze_sLvvc1Js0Zx6DNzVHiphDwyIAOihturjN6j5e82VW7E5YBE1cH7lWfUFapEmgePQPCyi40yL4GREWQPeYp4dwcMXAM3/s1600-h/IMG_20130303_094813_325%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130303_094813_325" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130303_094813_325" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-v0Esw22C5ag/UToTdmG8API/AAAAAAAAAlk/lfgDE0Xqv0c/IMG_20130303_094813_325_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="433"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Andalus">Bleuberry’s precious doeling.</font><br></p> <p>Ginger, a mothering fiend, LOVES babies... Her antics last year almost cost me my <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-mothers-day-suprise.html">darling Tricks</a> thanks to her barging in and stealing the lil Lamancha buckling from first time momma Casper, while Tricks laid in her sack on the barn floor, forgotten in the confusion. Miss Ginger was VERY curious about Bleuberry during her labor... Would stare at her, poke her head in and baby talk to her and spent a great deal of time pacing in front of the barn while we delivered babies. Finally ran her off and much to my surprise, she decided to stay out of the way and go lay down by herself. I honestly didn't think of her much during the hustle and bustle of the day. </p> <p>Apparently I should have paid better attention though! Bleu's laboring obviously set off a chain reaction in my goat pen....Despite still having her ligaments and showing no signs of impending labor and despite my doubts that she was even bred, Ginger was actually in labor...... I had FINALLY finished up everything on my 2 mile long to-do list and just wanted to crawl in bed. Decided to take one last peak around the barn first and color me surprised when I find Ginger in the process of cleaning a brand new baby! </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IB-C4T0ZCPs/UToTe9ZpHvI/AAAAAAAAAls/b87C7nR2WU8/s1600-h/IMG_20130301_082951_645%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130301_082951_645" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130301_082951_645" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3u7qa0nJSY0/UToTfcUsEGI/AAAAAAAAAl0/ZoZg41qVdvM/IMG_20130301_082951_645_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="351"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Andalus">Ginger’s big buck kid</font></p> <p>Snap the lil one up and run him inside (completely soiling my PJ's in the process) and run back out to deal with Ginger. And when I say run, I do mean run! We don't have proper gates up yet so there isn't a real efficient way to get into the goat pen, so that night I did quite a bit of dashing through the dark... </p> <p>Anywho, I get back out to Ginger and she's just standing there. Since I highly doubted she was pregnant anyways, and the kid I took in was good sized, I'm betting she's done. </p> <p>Of course with goats you NEVER, EVER assume anything, so I decided to bounce her once to see if I could feel any babies... So I wrap my arms around her, right in front of the udder and pull swiftly up and much to my surprise something dark rockets out of the barn and flies a good 3ft or 4ft before hitting the grass and sliding even further!</p> <p>OMG! WTH was that?!?! Of course if a mass goes propelling out of your goat, even if it is pitch black outside, you must run after it! When I finally caught up to the unidentified flying goat mass, I was quite shocked to see it was the cutest lil scrap of a buckling! His brother was in the 10+lb range and this lil dude was right around 6lbs... I dubbed him "the left overs".</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RLffHdNsaAY/UToTgaHrxCI/AAAAAAAAAl8/f1iUote5l90/s1600-h/IMG_20130301_082804_358%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130301_082804_358" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130301_082804_358" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KCWwZrhOgDE/UToTg8E2yqI/AAAAAAAAAmE/7hr5Pm5lQlc/IMG_20130301_082804_358_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Andalus">Ginger’s tiny buckling, dubbed “The Leftovers”</font></p> <p>I must say, airborne kids are certainly a new one for me! I can also proudly say that I ran through the dark, in pajamas covered in birth fluids, chasing and scrambling after a flying, sliding newborn goat kid and I didn't even trip!!! </p> <p>Quite the accomplishment if I do say say so myself.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V49LBfvah3o/UToTi3qZpMI/AAAAAAAAAmM/dTope2Ovpe4/s1600-h/IMG_20130301_164504_162%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130301_164504_162" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130301_164504_162" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pLJS1GUfPYc/UToTjgGpztI/AAAAAAAAAmU/h-G3TufDH7M/IMG_20130301_164504_162_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a></p> <p>Yes, the fast, easy labor and rocketing kids was great fun and all, but the work afterwards just sucked. After tending to momma, heat treating colostrum, getting a few days of milk pasteurized for 4 new bottle babies, and cleaning up the nastier bits of the mess I tracked into my kitchen, it was 3:30am before I even got in the shower...... At that exact moment I really started thinking my fabulous idea to kid everyone out back to back wasn't so great...</p> <p>As I type this though I can't complain. All 4 lil ones have since gone to their new homes. 3 all went together just a couple days after their birth.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GKmoY4LaOUA/UToTllOsBSI/AAAAAAAAAmc/QtPourqcX3M/s1600-h/IMG_20130301_164539_480%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130301_164539_480" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130301_164539_480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcZPbVjleGx_LYng-gGrzqP3kQF6OGJLpszHCpHm_1PKJz0x-vIAM5ouH1dyV7tqRSmg8PhYsk4tutVGnn3w5Fc3FFESCEFww2qQb0YAZHmEKkm8MDNgmsJ5Yf7rMy5AXJQBIoc-VteXI/?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Er7-j449Xl0/UToToZ9wRmI/AAAAAAAAAms/t1PWmNjWtCM/s1600-h/IMG_20130301_164346_652%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130301_164346_652" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130301_164346_652" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Zkj0ufMo4CM/UToTpFhuCfI/AAAAAAAAAm0/2Xaup8GPMaE/IMG_20130301_164346_652_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OsWq8FaM7Tw/UToTq2BGg4I/AAAAAAAAAm8/jvKUjLyVgC8/s1600-h/IMG_20130303_094729_025%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130303_094729_025" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130303_094729_025" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a4dqAFBfeIM/UToTr7pXxeI/AAAAAAAAAnE/Jqq6Dw6x5I8/IMG_20130303_094729_025_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Andalus">Shayla with Bleu’s doeling. “Noodle” to the right, & Houdini in the background as always..</font></p> <p>I was so sleepy, I truly didn’t think very far into the future when I sold the first 3 kids… Goats being the herd animals that they are, do not do well alone. A newborn kid alone with no one to snuggle with for warmth is simply not acceptable. So once Bleu’s twins and “The Leftovers” left, I was stuck with Ginger’s buck kid, now aptly named “Noodle”.</p> <p>Noodle became a kitchen goat. Slept in a crate with Karma, our Chinese Crested, and took his potty breaks with the dogs. Poor lil guy, I do believe we gave him an identity crisis….. He left on Wednesday but I managed to snap a few pictures of him hanging out with Jasper. Little Noodle had such a great time following him around like a tiny shadow and using him as a launching platform to bounce off of…</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8wdcfnB0FIE/UToTswy6xwI/AAAAAAAAAnM/fNjpqZE-tGA/s1600-h/IMG_20130303_205926_555%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130303_205926_555" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130303_205926_555" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kBrqRx3P4TQ/UToTtQKEeRI/AAAAAAAAAnU/r3USLwiTBJY/IMG_20130303_205926_555_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="285"></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZgiszKzmrbAxQjTvbOTGWu36Zm26_FrUYi3XDexSmWPgm9EqDyLVbMNuIi-bIdz8I697mV9dlN8B8kLUm_7GPfvZCUkEILBuyNKbgYmd1_b8Ou7oL60vAhGSD6NgwLTYmB0YdrqsL0WY/s1600-h/IMG_20130303_210317_702%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130303_210317_702" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 75px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130303_210317_702" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3PMbS-kr3Po/UToTvD2-0xI/AAAAAAAAAnk/P-7Zd_ScAeg/IMG_20130303_210317_702_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="349"></a></p> <p>Jasper took his baby sitting duties quite well, though I do admit he seemed very relieved when all the babies were finally gone. </p> <p>We get a tiny break, Nubian kids from Rosie are up next, due March 9th with Lamancha kids right on their heels on the 14th…. Cross your fingers for doelings for me! So far, I’m at 5 bucks, 1 doe kid born…. These numbers MUST even out soon!!</p> * Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-74983497764060595502013-02-20T09:40:00.001-08:002013-02-20T10:00:49.032-08:00New Arrivals & Unique New BondsI had originally intended to start off 2013 with an update of our move and all that hoop la, but baby goats arrived so they of course take priority :) <br />
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Miss Star was due to kid on the 21st. The weather forecast called for "gusty thunderstorms" for the 21st... Since goats NEVER like to be convenient, I was certain she'd wait until her due date and go at 2am, in the nastiest weather possible. <br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d1iwHtx3Hmc/USUKO50bT7I/AAAAAAAAAiA/HewghogaBT0/s1600-h/IMG_20130129_081408_177%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130129_081408_177" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Zo__H2rSBzU/USUKPivQ6PI/AAAAAAAAAiI/e0CPvPEYizk/IMG_20130129_081408_177_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130129_081408_177" width="554" /></a><br />
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Color me shocked when I went out on the 18th and she was having contractions…… Late morning, after all chores were finished and in BEAUTIFUL weather... I didn't even have any lost sleep on the typical late night barn checks! This is proof positive that Star must not really be a goat… After all, goats simply can't make things easy and convenient! <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bzTktG4PmG8/USUKROUofKI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/QYG9nbGQB8o/s1600-h/IMG_20130129_081337_350%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130129_081337_350" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iDKDiAlufw4/USUKRzRX2xI/AAAAAAAAAiY/DEGK_QE5q8Q/IMG_20130129_081337_350_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130129_081337_350" width="554" /></a><br />
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Anywho, 1st lil one had his front legs out, head back over the shoulder….... Took a lil maneuvering, but I got his head turned straight and out he came. This lil one was so vigorous he was sucking my finger while I was trying to get his head turned around properly....<br />
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Look at him! Is he not beyond precious?!</div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xt18uUs3Q5w/USUKS-RgXoI/AAAAAAAAAig/sgmJwy1l1CA/s1600-h/IMG_20130218_135053_039%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130218_135053_039" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fat3HV3YmS8/USUKTkK5gyI/AAAAAAAAAio/CUlkkwyQKW0/IMG_20130218_135053_039_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130218_135053_039" width="554" /></a><br />
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And sadly, yes, you read that right.. it's a he.<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--gMJZ2AfRUQ/USUKVRAPf9I/AAAAAAAAAiw/IFCsRy9sPc4/s1600-h/IMG_20130219_094556_823%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130219_094556_823" border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1brzNpBPyP718lW62wmdk7hXlE4id7pXvE7HCNep7-Tq9LXtSeZqStD9B3zyFfhNolF5B0RMkLdP4vjPce4ZPQkVkGLLDAFRiLyEvjKsAdojFZQeYp4cGkxpzUHSzrDgPQrmGUctlfmO/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130219_094556_823" width="554" /></a><br />
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Right on his heels was baby #2. Saw this lil white zig-zag on the cutest, tiny nose.... Prayed as I pulled that it was a doeling...<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VHGxBt86KOU/USUKXBTQ7FI/AAAAAAAAAjE/iWDfQu4SaLU/s1600-h/IMG_20130218_114014_370%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130218_114014_370" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Vq6uP40RHLE/USUKaP7M9oI/AAAAAAAAAjM/TgmJpsHPDpE/IMG_20130218_114014_370_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130218_114014_370" width="554" /></a><br />
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Of course, this one was also packing a pair of testicles! I checked three times, and no matter how I prayed, crossed fingers and checked repeatedly, he stayed a he. <br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9NirYiIAg2c/USUKcLtewQI/AAAAAAAAAjU/girecZkrzS0/s1600-h/524996_4922937505717_427490031_n%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="524996_4922937505717_427490031_n" border="0" height="383" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cgCR2TWe2oc/USUKdHluneI/AAAAAAAAAjc/_VGe7yYIJX0/524996_4922937505717_427490031_n_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="524996_4922937505717_427490031_n" width="554" /></a><br />
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So very bummed I didn't get my much wanted <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-arrivals-unique-new-bonds.html">Tonka</a> daughter, but I'm thankful for the safe kidding and vibrant, healthy babies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3gSHshOYgJaBIcjgVZUJFoSs9ZvObi2ToJMzSNpEJ_1V8FpFCnDuKglrw57DgzJS3yJFKvDMOqn2vhmQ6aK_X7qov24OQxwIR_lPwZCOSQq22IHOqmWb6UN1BvVdsZeuuIjcpdaTX8yB/s1600-h/IMG_20130219_094539_989%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130219_094539_989" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BF6KN76ZTYs/USUKfrIsH5I/AAAAAAAAAjs/JXwkwhB1ctw/IMG_20130219_094539_989_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130219_094539_989" width="554" /></a><br />
<br />
Now, I pull all kids at birth here and bottle raise them. They are raised on heat treated colostrum and pasteurized milk as part of a CAE prevention program. I literally catch the lil ones before they hit the ground and whisk them away before momma can see or hear them.<br />
<br />
As a result, momma licks and cleans me, bonds to me and never has to go through the stress of being separated from kids she has bonded to and raised for 6 months or so at weaning time. <br />
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This all usually goes off without a hitch. Momma adopts me, loves me, baby talks to me, and tries to lick every inch of skin off my body. This time, we had a lil <em>bump</em> in the road. <br />
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That <em>bump</em> just so happens to look like this:<br />
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JZeUhaLMff4/USUKg-fEmVI/AAAAAAAAAj0/sHtLhLoot6c/s1600-h/IMG_20130129_155446_692%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130129_155446_692" border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcveOkjOIlecKwykPSCmnr5RvRmEDSzEhww6VXqUFpTFGdOgTvL0JNTlVUrqqNxZSb_izhpwi8LoD2Ra1KaPsEUOoSV0jMli3l7SWTdFMnsXbQceuvWGQzdrofwcouwQvzvv9vbmSGGwc5/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130129_155446_692" width="504" /></a></div>
<br />
This is Houdini, the NOSIEST cat ever. She insist on being the in middle of <em>EVERYTHING</em>. <br />
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Usually it's cute, endearing even…. But when you're forearm deep in the back of a doe, you really don't need a nosey kitty in the way. Despite tossing her aside and shooing her away several times, she was persistent in being right in the middle of the mix. <br />
<br />
Well, curiosity killed the cat! Ok, not literally, but she's <em>not</em> happy…… As I was easing boy #2 out, a HUGE gush of birth fluids gushed out, right on Houdini... She was instantly soaked to the skin! The look on her face was beyond hysterical, but I didn’t have time to help her, I had new babies & a new momma to care for….<br />
<br />
On my trip back out to the barn to tend to Star, I find her frantically cleaning Houdini. Houdini would try to escape, Star would start talking and tote her right back into the barn again. <br />
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Houdini would yowl, and try to sneak away…..Star would ignore her protest. She’d talk to her, lick her, cover her in a bit of hay and was just over the moon happy with her new baby! <br />
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Houdini was absolutely disgusted by the thick covering of goat slobber that was now her new permanent accessory… The smell of cud still lingers on her fur…<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-P1qNvId_i0k/USUKjhFKfOI/AAAAAAAAAkE/TLC8dUx1330/s1600-h/485205_4922382131833_245114235_n%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="485205_4922382131833_245114235_n" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0tD7GWWyUxg/USUKkUHgvyI/AAAAAAAAAkM/KVfYjTRbynw/485205_4922382131833_245114235_n_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="485205_4922382131833_245114235_n" width="554" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CvM_KZ7OOUo/USUKleLNmpI/AAAAAAAAAkU/LlYRWozml1E/s1600-h/75505_4920488164485_549971388_n%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="75505_4920488164485_549971388_n" border="0" height="285" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ExkBi-qCb8w/USUKl8IitSI/AAAAAAAAAkc/aD3-hYfbHj4/75505_4920488164485_549971388_n_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 80px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="75505_4920488164485_549971388_n" width="504" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ADd95QP5q44/USUKnMn_G6I/AAAAAAAAAkk/juaf43J8clI/s1600-h/555840_4922366291437_903818988_n%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="555840_4922366291437_903818988_n" border="0" height="313" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M4WOAytOscM/USUKnyFHCbI/AAAAAAAAAks/sN-cAQ_yU5c/555840_4922366291437_903818988_n_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 50px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="555840_4922366291437_903818988_n" width="554" /></a><br />
<br />
I drug a reluctant Star away from “her baby”, got her cleaned up, milked and gave her a nice bucket of hot molasses water. <br />
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At this point, I still smelled like “baby”, so I got my fair share of the typical licking and fussing too... <br />
After getting the immediate needs of everyone taken care of, I headed inside, got a much needed shower, then went out again to see if Star wanted to eat... <br />
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She sniffed me and took in my new, non-baby, soapy smell…….. She looked at me in confusion, snorted, then ran from me, straight to her feline child….. Star gently snatched her up and away she went to the barn for a baby bonding/cleaning session... <br />
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Houdini manages to escape, Star wails for her to return... The moment one of us walk out to the barn, Houdini's nosey nature once again gets the best of her, and she runs out to see what we are doing... Only to promptly be caught again by Star. <br />
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Poor thing never learns!<br />
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Happy kidding everyone! We have girls due next week, all the way through mid March, so I’ll be back with new baby pictures soon…* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-27527302778343300062012-12-17T07:07:00.000-08:002012-12-17T07:07:38.872-08:00Goodbye to Noodleville<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbOP3WsGS4tvEcrWyP4yE_0nRo1poEP0vYSLYcWuMywSMJ8wdw8ff8zwISngQvjlXezSjaDEF55n0-hiB5y5Hfmi6iQs-fzcMHFoBb1UYs1eud8qEoU36gLkKiQiogDA1lcYq3KIYH_n5/s1600/2012-12-17_07-39-43_734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbOP3WsGS4tvEcrWyP4yE_0nRo1poEP0vYSLYcWuMywSMJ8wdw8ff8zwISngQvjlXezSjaDEF55n0-hiB5y5Hfmi6iQs-fzcMHFoBb1UYs1eud8qEoU36gLkKiQiogDA1lcYq3KIYH_n5/s320/2012-12-17_07-39-43_734.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone has a sense of humor, check out the smiley face, lol</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ordinarily, such a topic would be followed by a heartbreaking tale, a sorrowful lament, an endless refrain of sadness, but this time, that’s not the case..<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
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Well, mostly because I’m just being melodramatic and needed a blog starter to grab your attention. Though truly, we are having a goodbye, but the goodbye is to <a href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hnn30">Noodle</a>, not the end of <i>Noodleville</i>.<br />
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Yep, that’s right… We’re moving. It’s been a hectic mess, full of ups & downs and waves of excitement and indecision, but sink or swim, do or die, we are leaving the lil town of <a href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hnn30">Noodle</a> behind….<br />
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Jerimiah took a new job, and since October we have been living apart… He works for 10 days, comes home for 3 and leaves out on day 4. Not exactly the best situation, and not one we care to maintain permanently, so away we go off to east Texas. Found a lil place, not much land, but the price won’t put us in debt up to our ears, it’s close to family, has more space than we have in this lil house and it actually has trees so that’s great. Seriously… <b>REAL</b> trees, ones taller than me and they don’t have thorns. I also didn't see not one single cactus on the place, which is awesome. It's nice when the local plant life isn't out to shred you to bits...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU48yCYVEPt5BPS-BL_Hl7GpQp7pB8BFxQuzmxgprYIFTn_Q-AiLtBlqRZETbinYMa-QhTtPW6dYCL-ThBadqxU15mKDPMJu8MswnR5umAv5NeK-4wP1ZdZW-TObK2ROxlwCEAeZFG4AOk/s1600/2012-12-17_07-41-10_128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU48yCYVEPt5BPS-BL_Hl7GpQp7pB8BFxQuzmxgprYIFTn_Q-AiLtBlqRZETbinYMa-QhTtPW6dYCL-ThBadqxU15mKDPMJu8MswnR5umAv5NeK-4wP1ZdZW-TObK2ROxlwCEAeZFG4AOk/s400/2012-12-17_07-41-10_128.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are even lakes close by and believe it or not, grass actually grows on the property and the soil isn't impenetrable rock. Truly, lots of fabulous changes for us Noodle-ites.<br />
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Of course, the humidity in the summer may actually kill me, and I’ll have to learn the lay out of a new town, new stores and hope I can get from point A to point B without getting lost… But I figure I’ll just take baby steps and conquer each obstacle one at a time as I go along… Except for the summer humidity, I’m not joking, it may seriously kill me. <br />
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Anywho, the biggest downside of the new place it has no fencing and it has a scattered mess of “shelters” that are comical to say the least. Whoever built them had an affinity for particle board and very, very low ceilings… So, we’ve been doing our best to get the fencing completed & will make do with the shelters until we get settled in and can build something else.<br />
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To make the move easier, I sold down my goats… I’m down to 7 now…. 3 pregnant Alpines, 1 pregnant Nubian, 2 pregnant Lamanchas and <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-mothers-day-suprise.html">Tricks</a> who is not bred this year… Most sad about selling <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/held-captive-in-captivating-town-of.html">Tonka</a>….. Geez I can’t even begin to say how much I hated doing that, but he went to a great home and his new owner will allow me to use him for stud in the future, so all is not lost.<br />
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We are moving to east Texas, specifically a lil town called Phalba. I've been told that I’ll need to change the name of my blog.. But to what? <i>“The Adventures of Phalbaville“</i>? Or, since we'll live in Phalba, but have a Mabank address, I suppose we could sub in <i>"Mabankville"</i>....<br />
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Have you ever heard anything so ludicrous? Not happening. Noodleville simply has an air of awesomeness that can't be beat..<br />
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So, while I’m saying a goodbye to <a href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hnn30">Noodle</a>, Noodleville will still exist. It’s my own lil creation… It has significance… Not just as a blog, but as a start of change in my life. After our move here I grew a backbone. I stopped caring what folks thought of me and decided to do what made me happy. I cut the false friends from my life, and stopped dancing to the tune others played for me…. I took time to take stock and focus on what was important in life & I came to an acceptance of who I am, in all my weirdness, and I’m finally happy with me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8BofUxg8lqid3R-d8jcelveySOqN3XP_EALMTWPMUL9OXiaKivGolK8f6WHUPIDzipa9DOe1b7uBEdEC9xdidU1LGBanhdLRce6_ApzcyfEAek-4pxHVXA4jlrSZjMlzyI5LfvnxjfJgi/s1600/2012-12-17_07-39-35_425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8BofUxg8lqid3R-d8jcelveySOqN3XP_EALMTWPMUL9OXiaKivGolK8f6WHUPIDzipa9DOe1b7uBEdEC9xdidU1LGBanhdLRce6_ApzcyfEAek-4pxHVXA4jlrSZjMlzyI5LfvnxjfJgi/s640/2012-12-17_07-39-35_425.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Noodleville also happens to be my <a href="http://www.adga.org/">ADGA</a> herd name for the dairy goats, and due to my absolute disgust for paperwork, I’m not changing it… Even if I thought of some other name I liked better, the paperwork alone would be enough of a deterrent to keep me from changing things up.<br />
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Hoping to finish moving over the kid’s holiday break so they can get settled and start their new school at the beginning of the semester. They are excited, but nervous. They've only been to one school, so this is a big change for them… I’m sure they’ll be fine though (I have to keep telling myself that, I think I’m more nervous than they are, lol) and Shayla happens to think a new school is a wonderful excuse to go clothes shopping, because apparently, if you’re switching schools a wardrobe update is required.<br />
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Anywho, wish us luck!<br />
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Until next time, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!<br />
* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com11Noodle, TX 79536, USA32.60234 -100.052043099999997.0803054999999979 -141.3606371 58.1243745 -58.743449099999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-64512546297898682732012-11-06T22:35:00.001-08:002012-11-06T22:35:53.851-08:00A Noodleville Review: Chaffhaye Alfalfa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuXXP4yJTkLwiOt6vyhO_ploUOmSiv4zHwasCGqifnqY55aL-F0_VnSEir0MDBARqodsDyCcx4xkSPuR9rtQncU-u9W3Pma8AoCh4sDa78LI8vsYRXULGP9q58zW5M7rPjaYjdbpG3uI6/s1600/chaffhaye-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuXXP4yJTkLwiOt6vyhO_ploUOmSiv4zHwasCGqifnqY55aL-F0_VnSEir0MDBARqodsDyCcx4xkSPuR9rtQncU-u9W3Pma8AoCh4sDa78LI8vsYRXULGP9q58zW5M7rPjaYjdbpG3uI6/s320/chaffhaye-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Thought I’d share a bit about one of my new favorite feed items for the goats.<br />
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As my readers know, I raise dairy goats. I want healthy, productive animals who maintain body condition and I want to be able to afford to maintain them.<br />
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Each producer manages their herd in their own way based on what they can afford and what works for them. I’ve always fed a diet that includes grass hay of some sort for roughage, whole grains on the milk stand for calories to maintain body weight, good quality loose minerals and alfalfa in some form as the base of their diet to provide calcium and protein to fuel milk production. I don’t feed much grain or concentrates and feel my animals are healthier on a forage based diet.<br />
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In west Texas, good alfalfa is hard to come by and even harder to afford. And, if you happen to spring for a nice bale, those picky goats will pick through the bale, eat all the soft leaves and waste most of the stems… When a so-so quality, 55lb bale of alfalfa is running $18.50 a pop, this is far from economical. Alfalfa pellets on the other hand have no waste & they store easily. I would only buy Standlee brand pellets because they are a GMO free product and unlike other local brands, it was dust free, not preserved with animal fat (yes, some pellets for herbivores contain animal fat and that's just nasty!) smelled great and at $10 per 40lbs, I felt like I certainly got my monies worth. <br />
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A couple months ago, I started having supply issues… My store frequently ran out. And then the price started creeping on up… Current price is $12.99 for 40lbs. <br />
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Heard about <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye</a> and discovered I had a semi-local dealer and thought I’d give it a test run. First, I gave Kimber a call and chatted a bit… She was really helpful and even sent me these lil sample packs in the mail to try out:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrPc9pIUMAVKYITPePHuSs04TXiUUSZWl-0nA6X4Mm2szHY8ZtwELohW-8uexAr54-_47oyhJxxlAmS98oXZcbcBsu3uFvTamli64rHl0_zEvhWOuPg9k3UKvuqOEaiLTPh8fh_TqMP74/s1600/chaff1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrPc9pIUMAVKYITPePHuSs04TXiUUSZWl-0nA6X4Mm2szHY8ZtwELohW-8uexAr54-_47oyhJxxlAmS98oXZcbcBsu3uFvTamli64rHl0_zEvhWOuPg9k3UKvuqOEaiLTPh8fh_TqMP74/s400/chaff1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaffhaye sample packs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye</a> is a GMO free, fermented alfalfa. It’s chopped in the field, allowed to dry to 50% moisture.. Afterwards it’s misted with a smidge of molasses and then inoculated with beneficial bacteria… Once it’s been inoculated it’s baled into airtight packages so the beneficial bacteria can get to work breaking down some of the plant fibers… The end result is a semi-moist, highly digestable fermented alfalfa loaded with natural pro-biotics and beneficial yeast. Click on the video below for a short clip showing how Chaffhaye is produced.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FQY63J84RO4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I was VERY skeptical.. Price was $12.50 per 50lbs, but since it’s a semi-moist product, part of that 50lbs I’m paying for is just moisture…. Really thought I’d have to feed more pounds per animal than I was feeding with the alfalfa pellets and if that was the case, it would not be an economical choice for my herd….<br />
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Despite my reservations, I bought 6 bags and worked on introducing the new food slowly. Being a new product to me, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I once tried a bag of this chopped, dried TNT brand alfalfa and it was chopped so fine it was almost dust, it smelled stale and no one would eat it…. Knowing this was a product with 50% moisture I had pictured kind of a damp mush.. <br />
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I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the first bag that it smelled wonderful and it was only a coarse chop, not a fine chopped, mushy mess… There were several stem pieces in there in the 6”-10” length, but all were very soft stems..<br />
<br />Here is an up close picture of a clump of <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/understanding-yeast-culture">Chaffhaye</a>… On the left is what 90% of the Chaffhaye looks like… On the right is a picture of a giant beneficial yeast colony I found in one bag. These <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/understanding-yeast-culture">yeasty bits</a> are like a super food…. It has a velvety texture and the consistency of a good Greek yogurt. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhxg2cHU4h3ZnppMdBuLsVqs-0kmY-s-Holr7n6DVoHWjjx66pPJ2pX05dOZjGNGkqJtBGAOoZmhv1VJcxMCyeou6oygTWW7BhoXtY2SRkFLF2IHK9_Ub2i4WRk_9laT06NouA9Y-dCCO/s1600/chaff7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhxg2cHU4h3ZnppMdBuLsVqs-0kmY-s-Holr7n6DVoHWjjx66pPJ2pX05dOZjGNGkqJtBGAOoZmhv1VJcxMCyeou6oygTWW7BhoXtY2SRkFLF2IHK9_Ub2i4WRk_9laT06NouA9Y-dCCO/s640/chaff7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaffhaye up close. Beneficial yeast colony pictured on right...</td></tr>
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Curiosity, as always, got the best of me, so I tasted a bit on a dare from my 9 year old son <em>(He double-dog dared me, so of course I couldn‘t chicken out, so quit with the disapproving head shakes!)…. </em><br />
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It was kind of yogurt-y with a yeasty hint… Almost like someone mixed beer and a mild yogurt. <br />
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I will say it certainly was NOT my cup of tea, I prefer my yogurt sweet, without beer & alfalfa undertones, but the goats fight over these pieces! I have to break them up and distribute evenly between feeders or Bleuberry will hog them all. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJ5I3Hb9BnruAFqnWcm7msgIFqK4JBaotvj-Xd-wE6InwP34rm-6u-YDBcM6_Gf5m5TTqDmNxFFXd77yT_qp5uyqpPQ_1Rd0HJgR_KkmizqytLdEtPaU9xsthEaR3ICc2XIQp6epqG_0f/s1600/chaff3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJ5I3Hb9BnruAFqnWcm7msgIFqK4JBaotvj-Xd-wE6InwP34rm-6u-YDBcM6_Gf5m5TTqDmNxFFXd77yT_qp5uyqpPQ_1Rd0HJgR_KkmizqytLdEtPaU9xsthEaR3ICc2XIQp6epqG_0f/s400/chaff3.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large yeast colony in Chaffhaye</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kimber up at Chaffhaye recommended fluffing up a bucket full and letting it air a bit before feeding the first time and I found this really helped my picky girls give it a try. My grown does LOVED it… Ginger, my old girl who hails from Idaho, land of beautiful alfalfa, was MOANING in her feeder and trying to cram as much in her mouth as possible… She certainly thinks this is much, much better than pellets..<br />
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The doelings shocked me.. Being younger, I thought they’d readily attack it, but they acted as if I put poison out for them. Snorting, head shaking and staring at me as if I lost my mind. <br />
So I mixed it up ½ & ½ with their alfalfa pellets and gradually reduced the amount of pellets each day.. By about 10 days in. the doelings were mobbing me at the gate when I brought in the Chaffhaye & were picking around the alfalfa pellets so they could eat just the Chaffhaye… <br />
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The bucks took about 17 days to <em>finally</em> try it. Goats like routine so I guess I shouldn't be so shocked that they took a while to make the switch. <br />
<br />We’re almost 8 weeks into feeding Chaffhaye and I must say I’m truly impressed. I have dried up all but one of my does and I am feeding my milking girl about 2lbs - 2 ½ lbs per day. When I fed alfalfa pellets, I also fed about 2lbs- 2 ½ lbs a day, so my fears about having to feed more because of the moisture content turned out to be unjustified. <br />
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I had another pleasant surprise… Since I already fed an alfalfa based diet before the switch, I didn’t expect a change in milk production at all, but Bleuberry went from producing right at 4lbs of milk (½ gallon) each morning to producing 4 ½ lbs - 5lbs each morning! She’s a first freshener who has been milking for almost 10 months now, she’s pregnant, plus I cut her down to once a day milking in preparation for drying her up… Yes, I know ½ lb - 1lb isn’t a huge jump or anything marvelous, but to see the jump this late in lactation while feeding the same amounts as I was feeding of the pellets was pretty nifty. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1bCdFiqxeBqNvC0wE5MFBmKb8xfKp-7_5Gdylu4brYndyw-xlGEaN90zNG0sg-uIZA6O-IHdIRVI3tS35VJCcDpnWgIl_Or81Lze2U3IGkQyyi2yIqh6PE4NJYJQwA1x7z3vAct6VtQD/s1600/chaff4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1bCdFiqxeBqNvC0wE5MFBmKb8xfKp-7_5Gdylu4brYndyw-xlGEaN90zNG0sg-uIZA6O-IHdIRVI3tS35VJCcDpnWgIl_Or81Lze2U3IGkQyyi2yIqh6PE4NJYJQwA1x7z3vAct6VtQD/s640/chaff4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2012 doelings: All ear varities love Chaffhaye! Mocha the Lamancha, Heidi the Alpine & Rosie the Nubian</td></tr>
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I’m very happy to see that Ginger, who is going on 9 years old, is putting on weight even though she too is not eating more pounds of Chaffaye than she was of the pellets… And Austin, the scrawny Alpine buck I bought at the beginning of fall is actually putting on weight as well which is awesome!
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Oh! And I must mention the packaging! I love the packaging on these bales.... It's very compact so you don't need as much storage space and the packaging is very durable. If you're like me and don't have a big hay storage area, you can stack this up outside and just cover with a tarp to keep the sun off of it and it will store well for at least 2 years with no spoilage or loss in nutrients as long as the package is intact.... Plus, you can toss a few bags in your car and not worry about a mess:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroextDzamZj0-uAdlQRkt6F52gunpWkYbkhkBWDmT5Lsl9aFItJDNJQpG0vSsDm515tE4vlbvHmZ2zlFgPdzcC8vPXtnUc7Y4vnloADFzK0Zrd5t0xTSLrQRwSpjq44G_CxTs1W0sqTs-/s1600/chaff2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroextDzamZj0-uAdlQRkt6F52gunpWkYbkhkBWDmT5Lsl9aFItJDNJQpG0vSsDm515tE4vlbvHmZ2zlFgPdzcC8vPXtnUc7Y4vnloADFzK0Zrd5t0xTSLrQRwSpjq44G_CxTs1W0sqTs-/s400/chaff2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had 6 bags tossed in my lil SUV, plus still had room for groceries & a few bags of feed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17rttt5Ct48KNb34G3tfzAJ3WWtMyjdviu8qSCIsNGSQ9m2hXcK8Lrra8wHbTx8MOOXUfRKC0IHYFYQCjyOkCNTnS2Q__jjgpRIwgAx8TAxj0uvF-BPTQioBNTKsar_BqjJb4Dtw0k41b/s1600/chaff5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="484" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17rttt5Ct48KNb34G3tfzAJ3WWtMyjdviu8qSCIsNGSQ9m2hXcK8Lrra8wHbTx8MOOXUfRKC0IHYFYQCjyOkCNTnS2Q__jjgpRIwgAx8TAxj0uvF-BPTQioBNTKsar_BqjJb4Dtw0k41b/s640/chaff5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tricks stopped eating to have her picture snapped.</td></tr>
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I have no waste, the goats lick up every last stem & I’m finding that as long as I close up the bag, my Chaffhaye isn’t drying out or spoiling even on a bag that’s been open for 2 weeks.<br />
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So, color me convinced, I love this stuff!<br />
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For those of y’all interested in learning more, hop on over to <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye's website</a> for all the techincal info I left out of this post, and if you still have any questions, contact Kimber by <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/contact-us">clicking here</a>. <br />
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For my local readers, hit up <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/jack-l-cress">Mr. Jack Cress</a>.. He’s been wonderful about accommodating my schedule and is always helpful… Plus, he’s offering the best local price per bale. <br />
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Oh, another nifty thing… I am a frugal goat keeper, so anytime I can save a bit of $$$$$ I’m a happy camper. <br />
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In October, Chaffhaye did a photo contest on their Facebook page which you can find here: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/chaffhaye">Chaffhaye on Facebook</a> and this picture of Blueberry & Ginger won!! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX3Fkes8RsMazes-yOtSVrdymIWIcqTBDGK0uTfyVu_9VVMpRXHBsC15tAznrrEhZ-jYn1Pn0Mo81B8gvk6QjVlLSC_xZR5MXMispL0_xHYTwq8lFDqstskj8QSPXMa7AuVxdR8FnyNR7/s1600/chaffhaye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX3Fkes8RsMazes-yOtSVrdymIWIcqTBDGK0uTfyVu_9VVMpRXHBsC15tAznrrEhZ-jYn1Pn0Mo81B8gvk6QjVlLSC_xZR5MXMispL0_xHYTwq8lFDqstskj8QSPXMa7AuVxdR8FnyNR7/s400/chaffhaye.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Chaffhaye Photo Contest picture.</td></tr>
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I must confess, getting that picture almost killed me. I wanted to be able to show that they were truly eating <a href="http://www.chaffhaye.com/">Chaffhaye</a>, so instead of my usual bucket feeding, I toted the whole bag out. <br />
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I had this cute idea of all the girls standing around the bale eating peacefully and looking serene….. But what I got instead was a mobbing, mad dash of goats everywhere, I was barely able to hold on to the bag and get the gate closed!!<br />
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Fighting, ear biting, shoving and I had my toes stomped on more than one occasion… Star ducked between by legs trying to get around Ginger, which landed me on my rear, and Bleuberry, in an attempt to keep the bag to herself, knocked it over twice.. One head toss sent my cell phone flying out of my hand and I‘m actually very shocked it didn‘t break and I was able to continue snapping pictures…Took about 30 shots to get just one non-blurry picture and I tried to get Star in a shot, but the Alpines weren’t allowing a Lamancha at the bale, so I had to settle for just a shot of Blueberry & Ginger. To say I worked for that darn picture is an understatement! <br />
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And here is our prize.. Hard to read, but it is a coupon for 5 free bags of Chaffhaye! Pretty spiffy eh? They had 2 of these contest in October, so I think it’s great that they hook up customers with cool prizes. So, go “Like” their Facebook page and watch for tidbits and future contest. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtR74W0mm0pSeQjhDvhT8ZcRIN2POUGTnNj_BcD7jOzoWPl_94KHaN8sko54vM9ikc-wmn7_MwwF36S9GYYlWilskj6SGga0Bn5NjXdXOxvj-G0Ziw-MWppMLus2ZfWCFFQFCBH4WN818/s1600/chaff8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtR74W0mm0pSeQjhDvhT8ZcRIN2POUGTnNj_BcD7jOzoWPl_94KHaN8sko54vM9ikc-wmn7_MwwF36S9GYYlWilskj6SGga0Bn5NjXdXOxvj-G0Ziw-MWppMLus2ZfWCFFQFCBH4WN818/s320/chaff8.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
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Kidding season in Noodleville starts February 2013 and I'm really looking forward to seeing how my next kid crop does when started on Chaffhaye instead of pellets... Also looking forward to my milk numbers next year so I can see how all the girls milk on this at peak lactation...<br />
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As a parting shot, here's some of the March/May 2012 doelings chowing down on some Chaffhaye. Cookie the Alpine has a big mouthful and 3 of the other doelings are trying to lick every last leaf from the bag.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0vFdS395-nR7ZhmjDcPM2gL35LpxBunhtWl0FrfFdW032P-AFzldtINeoL7CPRMrqFH6HC9ajU4ki1f2AvMPrRHmMq0x9n3tI5HNcTPpImNAiRw2heqLez-g445H_y9Ha4d4wb1bWoKW/s1600/chaff6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0vFdS395-nR7ZhmjDcPM2gL35LpxBunhtWl0FrfFdW032P-AFzldtINeoL7CPRMrqFH6HC9ajU4ki1f2AvMPrRHmMq0x9n3tI5HNcTPpImNAiRw2heqLez-g445H_y9Ha4d4wb1bWoKW/s640/chaff6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookie, Mocha, Rose & Tricks</td></tr>
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<br />Best Wishes,<br />
C.W<br />
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* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-37445484940123100522012-10-07T09:37:00.001-07:002012-10-07T09:37:20.456-07:00The Fowl EpidemicHaven’t updated on the Noodleville residence of the feathered variety in ages so I thought they’d get their own posting today....<br />
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To start out, would anyone like some chickens???? These chickens are FABULOUS chickens. Each has lots of feathers in a wide variety of colors, 2 legs, 2 wings, a beak & 2 eyes. They make quite a bit of racket and the amounts of s---, err I mean High Quality Organic fertilizer they produce is astounding. <br />
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Hubby has developed a hobby.. Which is fabulous since he spends 99.9% of his time working and he needs something that he enjoys. He enjoys the chickens and has decided we shouldn’t buy chicks when we can hatch our own. To this end, I thought getting him an incubator as a present would be just fabulous.<br />
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Sometimes I don’t fully think through my grand ideas.<br />
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Hubby loved his new incubator. First batch we didn’t have an egg turner so turned them daily by hand. They got to the pipping stage and we waited eagerly for a hatching that never happened. The eggs were too dry, despite the water reservoir being full. <br />
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Second batch we tried a different route. We bought an egg turner to simplify things & the day we had to turn off the egg turner, we wet a few old rags and placed them in the incubator, in addition to having the water reservoir full.<br />
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Success!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygVPkbnv2kO8PHvOxmaolriMxWhBBZa5AFcktHTHY1DG4ols-PcHOuIns4U4gnuRArEgAkT7jGe2IgEoEIBPHmpKxIeaSAA6WjMgFDpjC6bZRlF9MubroLAG9k-Pat8bDHc0aFq8OAc_H/s1600/chickiesplag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="393" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygVPkbnv2kO8PHvOxmaolriMxWhBBZa5AFcktHTHY1DG4ols-PcHOuIns4U4gnuRArEgAkT7jGe2IgEoEIBPHmpKxIeaSAA6WjMgFDpjC6bZRlF9MubroLAG9k-Pat8bDHc0aFq8OAc_H/s640/chickiesplag1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture just cracks me up..... Little booger looks wind blown..</td></tr>
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The first chick hatched almost a full day before the rest, but after that day, they started popping out all over the place.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_bVg8Nt7Zotj4HUT4Dyz9ONTh3_wFo7AZ2a1WPSseRYa5Ka34WHdGg5pzuK7ih3OshdXiiOvAlqTOSIVybGeJ-nYiqpl_vsLE48KF3LJjvUMkuCRBMbA9IWbdAZ0D4d13mMZdEpDZMfv/s1600/chickiesplag2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_bVg8Nt7Zotj4HUT4Dyz9ONTh3_wFo7AZ2a1WPSseRYa5Ka34WHdGg5pzuK7ih3OshdXiiOvAlqTOSIVybGeJ-nYiqpl_vsLE48KF3LJjvUMkuCRBMbA9IWbdAZ0D4d13mMZdEpDZMfv/s640/chickiesplag2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know it's the miracle of life & all that sweet stuff, but man they sure do look gross, and just a tad creepy, when they first pop out of the eggs..</td></tr>
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And here is the crew all nice and dry .... I think we started with 22-23 eggs in the incubator and 17 hatched. Not a bad hatch rate if I do say so myself..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7cZujrM2bbF17fdjAfL2sbQJ4YhCPdvh4_qxrg8bHiWcXd7HBcSRTAMA4HT3Liuph3esQYEbDE6TKu2CrVVxtarRkD2DO2xZ-z60sZZpBWIduwxhSW2IEJRV4MOFryyybXd55JxyHH_C/s1600/chickiesplag5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7cZujrM2bbF17fdjAfL2sbQJ4YhCPdvh4_qxrg8bHiWcXd7HBcSRTAMA4HT3Liuph3esQYEbDE6TKu2CrVVxtarRkD2DO2xZ-z60sZZpBWIduwxhSW2IEJRV4MOFryyybXd55JxyHH_C/s640/chickiesplag5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to be too annoyed by chicken numbers when you're staring at all that cuteness..</td></tr>
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Yea… I’m kinda a sucker for new chicks.. Are they not just the cutest lil boogers???!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1br0L410XULVoD7JHqlfrW5mh0R8zQicX37nAhQsTtdGoJbRMHjn0Vqq-mslvC2zkawmkRP9gXr_C_X86jn5T3PLGsv57QHHkKwtuPoYn9xmxC1S9L8imLDcRDQ6wZjXS8SSpTquYFV6b/s1600/chickiesplag4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="403" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1br0L410XULVoD7JHqlfrW5mh0R8zQicX37nAhQsTtdGoJbRMHjn0Vqq-mslvC2zkawmkRP9gXr_C_X86jn5T3PLGsv57QHHkKwtuPoYn9xmxC1S9L8imLDcRDQ6wZjXS8SSpTquYFV6b/s640/chickiesplag4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hubby has currently has 21 Buff Orpington eggs in the incubator, due to hatch October 21st.<br />
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This wouldn’t be a problem if not for this hen!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-MS-5EUXbnEdZX5kXplWF_uDofGzPxNa3NJkThpq4w4snHRq-JMFQfNQXrqwbQcmxTZlAtOkVvAVTdSC1gBU80jzmoZIsz0l4hL02Q-D-nbICkLwD2opt6MGYo_ujuXzRIUR_vQmRjvb/s1600/chickiesplag3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-MS-5EUXbnEdZX5kXplWF_uDofGzPxNa3NJkThpq4w4snHRq-JMFQfNQXrqwbQcmxTZlAtOkVvAVTdSC1gBU80jzmoZIsz0l4hL02Q-D-nbICkLwD2opt6MGYo_ujuXzRIUR_vQmRjvb/s400/chickiesplag3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Meet our extreme broody hen who has gone broody 3 times this year… Each time we thought she was snapped up by a predator, only to come home about a month later with a fluffy brood of mutt chicks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hcOjswQ3OWWZxMUU-1Y4XL2RWOwD3RpvsRcGOEpypPnXXGW9xbBQcUo3uOKI2xAn-DFtUsRqoa4vHsV3ZXhjS5iCyVhWDyhfFgqU72zV4KJ0CosOtdZWsz30LrJMXfPOZdDSy6lM5hfs/s1600/chickiesplag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hcOjswQ3OWWZxMUU-1Y4XL2RWOwD3RpvsRcGOEpypPnXXGW9xbBQcUo3uOKI2xAn-DFtUsRqoa4vHsV3ZXhjS5iCyVhWDyhfFgqU72zV4KJ0CosOtdZWsz30LrJMXfPOZdDSy6lM5hfs/s400/chickiesplag.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the chicks that were with the hen in the picture above..</td></tr>
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Just this week, about 10 weeks after hatching the brood above, that darn hen came up with 2 new chicks!! There were more in the brood, but a predator got to them before she could bring them up to the house…<br />
<br />
Oy..<br />
<br />
We processed some of the Jersey Giant crosses from the first broody batch and have decided to give the Jersey Giant hens away. Good layers, but their chicks eat so much, and grow these HUGE skeletons with hardly any meat… We fed up several Jersey Giant mutt roos that were absolutely worthless… Plus we can’t seem to end the broody cycle with them so I can’t say I’ll be sad to see them go. <br />
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I do have a bit of news that I am sad to share… Remember Big Red? The sweetest, most awesome Roo ever, who would share snacks with the kids? He hasn’t come home in 2 weeks now … Of all my chickens, Red & <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/noodlevilles-fowl-news.html">Riccardo</a> were my favorites and it’s sad not having him follow me around during the day..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyDasDmqLqeNwmMLiiWA2_6heik2XzXNpWG5RY-MkJq6gms0Mg5ud-zicIDLBUinwq1VcpRtBSb4iL-hn7_rfxCKWjSWaf5GAt-1RqXYbDMn8XqY_lVKPh82u8T_u3_HU0JOdkZ26nKeX/s1600/fowlnews4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyDasDmqLqeNwmMLiiWA2_6heik2XzXNpWG5RY-MkJq6gms0Mg5ud-zicIDLBUinwq1VcpRtBSb4iL-hn7_rfxCKWjSWaf5GAt-1RqXYbDMn8XqY_lVKPh82u8T_u3_HU0JOdkZ26nKeX/s640/fowlnews4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riccardo sharing an appple core with my son, Big Red on the left..</td></tr>
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<br />Anywho… chickens are reproducing better than bunnies here in Noodleville....It's like a reproduction epidemic. I think there are 28ish out there… Not counting the 21 Buff eggs in the incubator. <br />
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I make eggs a lot for breakfast… Sometimes lunch… Maybe even dinner on a regular basis (we had omelets last night). I boil eggs from hidden nest stashes, run them through the food processor & feed them to the chickens & barn cats.. I give eggs away to the neighbors. <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/great-joy-of-plans-gone-wrong.html">Jasper</a> gets 3 eggs a day… <br />
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Really, I’m quite honestly sick of eggs. <br />
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So, anyone want some chickens, just let me know! (Just kidding… sorta.. I may think hard about it, but I wouldn‘t really get rid of hubby‘s chickens, at least not without his consent. He does tolerate my goats afterall....)<br />
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Honestly, it’s not as bad as I make it seem… With the predators stealing a few (we caught a possum in the act and he is no longer stealing chickens) and the future culling out of all the Giants and Giant crosses, the numbers will be much more reasonable..<br />
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Until then, I’m tired of scrambled, fried & boiled eggs. I don’t need anymore mayonnaise. I don’t want another omelet and my crew isn’t crazy about egg salad.. <br />
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So how about a good, quick, munchkin friendly quiche recipe?? <br />
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-48383873639155755532012-09-14T20:47:00.000-07:002012-09-14T20:47:48.419-07:00Playtime in NoodlevilleFollowing up on the tail of my <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/we-may-burn-down-town_9.html">hay blog</a>, I thought I’d share some semi-related pictures..<br />
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Being the youngest, and smallest of the group of bottle kids, <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-mothers-day-suprise.html">Tricks</a> has always had a different routine. She is fed milk outside of the pen to ensure she gets her fair share and at this point she’s the only bottle kid still on milk. <br />
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On her trips out, the munchkins often kidnapped her for play time… They race each other, play “King of the Dirt Pile” and the munchkins have been known to share their snacks with her… Basically, she’s a rotten mess who is convinced she’s one of the kiddos.<br />
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When we first unloaded the hay, we just shoved it off the trailer and wherever it landed is where it stayed until we borrowed the hay spike. <br />
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The kids (and Tricks) found these to be great toys and would climb up them and jump from bale to bale….<br />
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Playing “King of the Bale” is much, much more fun than “King of the Dirt Pile", plus, if you’re quick enough, you can dash down the line and conquer the bale on the end first… Needless to say the kiddos (both human & goat) had a blast. What munchkin needs video games when they have imagination, enthusiastic goat kids, and rows of hay bales???<br />
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Snapped these pics when they took a lil break:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vpV_2RIlq7-qP_rFxvMIosTTXWkd5ADow-6iKMgJPvlc2GZhnFRtqC99QvxvvTA72Tydl3JAWGljGVAJiVfY68W_Xlz3ZE1HRmaJadseKnC-4VgTYpXNb0dUaFNg4Nir6HSBSCYIaU7Z/s1600/2012-09-08_08-47-52_726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vpV_2RIlq7-qP_rFxvMIosTTXWkd5ADow-6iKMgJPvlc2GZhnFRtqC99QvxvvTA72Tydl3JAWGljGVAJiVfY68W_Xlz3ZE1HRmaJadseKnC-4VgTYpXNb0dUaFNg4Nir6HSBSCYIaU7Z/s640/2012-09-08_08-47-52_726.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tricks & one of the barn cats enjoying the hay bale..</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDL82rZg2P6Zac4aQAPO5vEAipDhjNFUmJGA-mjA7A2ago417QdfgS1394JLYiGlwzSDgqgA6na1aaU628YfBl3bVrrRguoUlxEFN9S7VMR75HtXHcGSFJwrzwjUd8AKf7Boe8NIm7L7H/s1600/2012-09-08_08-50-17_244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDL82rZg2P6Zac4aQAPO5vEAipDhjNFUmJGA-mjA7A2ago417QdfgS1394JLYiGlwzSDgqgA6na1aaU628YfBl3bVrrRguoUlxEFN9S7VMR75HtXHcGSFJwrzwjUd8AKf7Boe8NIm7L7H/s640/2012-09-08_08-50-17_244.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I missed the shot, but this picture was snapped right after I caught Shayla holding the sucker out so Tricks could have a few licks.... According to her, they were taking a "sucker break" & the grape swirl she's got in her mouth is Tricks' favorite flavor... Nothing like goat slobber to enhance a sucker eh?</td></tr>
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In the midst of trying to rake up old hay so we could put in the new round bale, Bleuberry found the wheel barrow to be a great perch to reach a few mesquite branches… Mostly though, I think she just climbed in there to be a pest.<br />
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These have nothing to do with the hay… Just candid shots of Rosie & Tricks while out on a walk…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta love those flapping Nubian ears...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tricks all bristled up watching the neighbor's cattle..</td></tr>
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-73861165212723746032012-09-09T20:44:00.003-07:002012-09-09T20:44:52.361-07:00We May Burn Down The Town......<span lang="EN">
But neither fire, nor broken truck will keep me from bringing my goats home some hay!!<br />
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Just as he did last year when he played <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/08/hay-fairy-vanishing-youth.html">"The Hay Fairy"</a>, my father in law has saved me this winter... He baled up quite a bit of very weedy mixed grass hay and on a trip up for a visit, he loaded me up with 4 round bales to bring home…. With the drought, and no grazing here in west Texas, hay has been hard to find and even harder to afford... Rounds are averaging $120.00 each.... Small grass squares are in the $12.00 range and I won't even talk about the surge in grain prices.....<br />
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Forget diamonds and pretty things, give this gal a gift of hay and nothing makes me happier!<br />
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As my readers may have noticed, NOTHING in my life, even the most mundane task, can be simple.<br />
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Oh no, everything I attempt to do must have extravagant fanfare, drama, or in this case, FIRE.<br />
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Trucking on along with a trailer load of hay, I was blissfully happy. Nothing better for me than the security of having hay… Jerimiah is driving, I’m discussing where we are going to store it and we’re hoping traffic won’t be bad as we are just outside of Dallas/Fort Worth…. <br />
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Cars behind us, and one very slow car in front of us… We move on over to the far left lane to pass and just as we start getting up past them, we feel this bone jarring *thud*….. The trailer broke loose, with four, 900+lbs bales of hay, in the middle of traffic…. <br />
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Ya ever wanna clear metroplex traffic, just lose a trailer and watch those folks scatter!! Hate to admit it, but the look on the other driver’s faces was just fabulous…... Yes, I am aware that my sense of humor is warped...<br />
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Gotta hand it to Jerimiah, he pulled some slick maneuvering. Swerved the truck in front of the trailer, it smacked right into us, and he was able to get it across the lanes of traffic and into the bar ditch. <br />
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Had a terrifying moment when we split a large sign…. His truck went to the left, the trailer went to the right, just barely missing it by about 4ft!<br />
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We jump out, absolutely astonished that we didn’t take out the sign and didn’t cause a wreck… Only to panic about the possible damage we did to my father in law’s trailer…. You never, ever tear up something when it belongs to you, but I’ll be damned if the first time you borrow something, ya end up breaking it..<br />
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Ok, I admit, I was a lil shaken, and was giggling like a fool…. Couldn’t go look at the trailer as I <em>just knew</em> it was busted and twisted up… Jerimiah checks it out and yells: “It’s alright!! The trailer is FINE, it was my truck bumper that snapped off and my truck bed is warped!” <br />
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Giddy with relief and our freakish stroke of good luck in a bad luck ordeal, I kneel beside him to check it out…. He’s giving it a good once over and I’m staring above his head in disbelief…<br />
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“Honey….. Honey… It’s <strong><em>not</em></strong> ok, can you call 911?!?”<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rNJLkwlxp9II3bF9tWK1TgP-yTyXJby3dKTeFDnjwlpEcxJ1iWUl9sEQP2RTbm95iWJ90ojWen6f23e3TJjJDyYxLOGbRXDYDiijI-psbcXlOip-Xg7x9K4ld62BL2FyNEISqFQaSebT/s1600/hayfire02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rNJLkwlxp9II3bF9tWK1TgP-yTyXJby3dKTeFDnjwlpEcxJ1iWUl9sEQP2RTbm95iWJ90ojWen6f23e3TJjJDyYxLOGbRXDYDiijI-psbcXlOip-Xg7x9K4ld62BL2FyNEISqFQaSebT/s640/hayfire02.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I may giggle like a fool, but hubby poses with disaster.... You can see the poles of the sign we barely missed in the background...</td></tr>
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He stands & looks in the direction I’m staring in and I’ll not type here the words that came out of his mouth next….<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQX6f90p3BXOCLfceBNa8q4ippXRnWsQaKPKpM3_998M5SQ-5Ysne-BLRpz64SayZIsFo5fTBmCC8sSlEWHrJwbfw7EecwCGiG6FwECQfNsbb50SGX1VK_pLAhp_Sxq4FgsrR0MyilmSAb/s1600/hayfire01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQX6f90p3BXOCLfceBNa8q4ippXRnWsQaKPKpM3_998M5SQ-5Ysne-BLRpz64SayZIsFo5fTBmCC8sSlEWHrJwbfw7EecwCGiG6FwECQfNsbb50SGX1VK_pLAhp_Sxq4FgsrR0MyilmSAb/s640/hayfire01.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out our lovely lil fire...... Fire department just arrived...</td></tr>
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The trailer, scraping across the asphalt, sparked a nice fire, catching a huge stretch of the bar ditch on fire, and thanks to the dry grass, it was spreading quickly…<br />
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With us, it never ends, I swear, I don't know why anything even shocks me anymore.....<br />
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Poor Jerimiah, my giggling while he called 911 probably didn’t help, but it was either hysterics or giggles… Giggles don’t bother the kids like hysterics would..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KoSH74TMrpuSjP_slNVdJRV6qo_Jd-aKM3cMHrhXhnlDTxbdFCkHA2Rk-lZQbvD4SoueqJiwzIEnuFXjA7U7k1TOsJOo6CG90uH6AgpgYfQtenDv96IvuUcC-VSFf8NaKYkEbYEXB12D/s1600/hayfire03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KoSH74TMrpuSjP_slNVdJRV6qo_Jd-aKM3cMHrhXhnlDTxbdFCkHA2Rk-lZQbvD4SoueqJiwzIEnuFXjA7U7k1TOsJOo6CG90uH6AgpgYfQtenDv96IvuUcC-VSFf8NaKYkEbYEXB12D/s400/hayfire03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our bumperless, warped truck..</td></tr>
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Anywho, once again, luck was on our side and the fire department came & got the blaze out before it did more than burn a bunch of grass, and by some miracle, we didn’t get a ticket!<br />
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I also didn’t get my hay that day....... Had to call my father in law since the truck was broke and he hooked up and toted my pretty load of hay back home with him… Such a sad sight. <br />
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Ya know how they say good things come to those who wait?? Well, I was chomping at the bit to bring home my hay, and a few months later, we were finally able to trek back up there again, and this time my father in law loaned us his big pretty trailer and put 10, yes I said <strong>TEN</strong>, round bales up there for me…. Couldn’t have made me happier!<br />
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We made it home in one piece, didn’t wreck, burn or break anything, though I must confess after we pushed that 4<sup>th</sup> round off by hand, I wasn’t loving the fact that we had 6 more to push off….<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My nice lil hay stash all lined up..</td></tr>
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This weekend we borrowed a hay spike to put on our itty bitty tractor to get those bales moved…… <br />
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It doesn’t look like the prettiest hay in the pictures, but once you peel off that outside layer, the inside smells fabulous, has a lot of green and is chock full of big leafy weeds that the goats just LOVE.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Miss Ginger....</td></tr>
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We put one bale in the grown does pen and smooshed it against the fence so the bucks could share it, then tied a panel across the front so they wouldn't jump all over it & waste it... You can see Tonka and my new Alpine herdsire, Austin, hanging out in the background. Doe in the picture is the almost 9 year old doe, Ginger, who I brought home in the back of my car on that last road trip mom & I took.. She is <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-remedy-for-writers-block.html">Heidi's</a> dam...
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And here is Star enjoying the new bale.... Yet another doe I never got around to introducing here.... Star and a cute lil Lamancha doeling named Mocha came this summer after <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-mothers-day-suprise.html">Casper</a> went on to her new home.... I'm up to 10 goats total now: 1 Alpine buck, 4 Alpine does, 1 Lamancha buck, 3 Lamancha does and of course, our 1 token <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-remedy-for-writers-block.html">Nubian</a>... The very generous gift of hay will definately see us through the winter...<br />
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Thankfully all the goats are in hog heaven and are just crazy about this hay... Had they turned their noses up at it, I think I would have had a nervous melt down after all the drama we went through to get it here....</span>* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-14214309762089323302012-08-21T09:03:00.000-07:002012-08-21T09:03:52.043-07:00A Trip Back in Time...Nothing better to make you feel old than to watch your munchkins grow up way too fast....<br />
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Clayton turned 9 years old in March and Shayla turned 7 years old at the end of April.... And yes, I realize it's August, but I have a back load of partial blogs stashed in my drafts and I'm just now getting around to posting them.... Better late than never right?? <br />
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ANYWHO....<br />
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I really hate birthday parties...... REALLY HATE THEM. <br />
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Last year we did the whole pizza party thing at the arcade. Kids had a blast.... I, on the other hand, couldn't help glancing at the fake guns wistfully wishing they could put me out of my misery for at least an hour..... <br />
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This year, I asked if the kids would like a trip vs. a party. If they really had their hearts set on party, then I would suffer through it.... That's what parents do.... Parties are almost as bad as <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/sufferings-of-mother.html">"The Night of Horror"</a>... <br />
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No, no.......let me take that back, <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/sufferings-of-mother.html">the night of horror</a> ended quickly, where as the parties full of hyper screaming kids torture you in a slow, methodical manner with no end in sight.....<br />
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Thankfully, my kids were agreeable to the trip idea!<br />
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Clayton, being my lil brain with aspirations to be a <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/04/could-future-of-palentology-come-from.html">paleontologist</a> really enjoyed the day at <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/dinosaur-valley">Dinosaur Valley State Park</a> in Glen Rose, Texas. He enjoyed the preserved tracks and loved the river, though crossing it by hopping across the stones didn't work out quite like we planned.... The water was deeper than it looked, still quite chilly, and Shayla fell in... We all ended up with soaked jeans/boots. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit shocked by the foot size?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kicked back in a preserved dino track...</td></tr>
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When we finished up our explorations, we hit Dino World for some shopping.... Clayton, of course, picked out more fossils for his collection. <br />
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For Shayla's birthday, we went to East Texas to spend the weekend with her Pawpaw & Momma Jan. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shayla & Pawpaw</td></tr>
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I must say, I think I enjoyed her birthday meal as much as she did!! They took us out to <a href="http://www.medievaltimes.com/">Medieval Times</a> and we had a blast!!! Our waiter was energetic and fun and Shayla giggled over him pouring her a tall goblet of Dragon's Spit (soda)... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful birthday girl outside Medieval Times</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tator showing off his new quill from Momma Jan</td></tr>
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While we waited for the tournament, we met the horses and the falconer and of course, hit the souvenir booths.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shayla sipping her virgin Pina Colada & checking out all the beautiful horses</td></tr>
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Shayla was REALLY into all of it. Standing in her chair screaming for<em><strong> her</strong></em> knight, and turned several shades of red when he kissed a carnation and threw it to her in the stands (to which she blushed and asked me if I thought he was cute too.... Lord save me!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brave knights of Medieval Times</td></tr>
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Clayton, my child who takes everything very LITERALLY was apprehensive.... Eating with his hands was not the norm in Tator's world, and heaven forbid we do things differently. He got into the spirit of things though but still watched the riders very intently. They had dancing Andalusians, the falcon came out for an awesome lil show and a few rounds of tricks and story telling, he was mildly interested in these entertainments, but kept asking when the joust would begin... <br />
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When it came for the actual joust, he was on the edge of his seat.... When the knight was unhorsed and the sword fighting began, he stared, bug eyed, as sparks flew with each clash of the swords.... <br />
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One knight was tiring, clearly loosing and when the victor lunged in for the kill, Clayton jumped up, with a white knuckle grip on the table edge and said:<br />
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"WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!"<br />
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He was so intense, <em>so serious</em>, it was hilarious.... After the downed knight was pulled out of the spotlight, I pointed out to my son that he was ok.... Didn't know why he was so shocked... We told them what the show was.... Later I find out my husband told Clayton that the joust was REAL... LOL <br />
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You'd have to know us to "get" our humor, but the whole things was just freaking hilarious. Clayton laughed about all of it, and enjoyed the rest of the show with the same awe and excitement as before, just none of the worry. <br />
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All in all we had an awesome time and I would love to go again in the future.<br />
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I'm hoping next year the kids are willing to forgo parties in favor of trips.... I know I'd certainly enjoy it.....<br />
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Simply can't beat birthdays that take you back in time with dinosaurs & dashing knights!* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-69094126581131758292012-08-11T16:46:00.002-07:002012-08-11T16:49:27.644-07:00Fun in the SunThis summer hasn't been the best..... It’s been especially brutal on my munchkins and we decided that a lil vacation was in order….… <br />
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<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/search?q=talent">Clayton</a> has been mesmerized by the ocean since he was 18 months old. By 2 he could identify 25+ species of sharks, tell you the depth they preferred to live in, diet & tooth shape….. by 4 he decided he would be a marine biologist & “Shark Week” is an important holiday at this house. So, the ocean was an obvious choice for vacation since the kiddos have never been… Everyone needs to see the ocean at least once in their life. <br />
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Would have loved to take them to a better beach, but Galveston was what was doable (about 8 hours away), so we headed out bright and early on August 2nd.<br />
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Bought 2 day passes for <a href="http://www.moodygardens.com/">The Moody Gardens</a> and Thursday afternoon when we arrived we hit the sea wall & found some seafood (which BTW do NOT eat at <a href="http://www.galveston.com/bennos/">Benno's</a>…. absolutely HORRIBLE.. Both staff & food...). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tator looking for critters in the rocks by the sea wall..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shayla claimed this stretch of beach :)</td></tr>
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Friday was spent at The Moody Gardens- We went through the Aquarium pyramid, the Rainforest pyramid, the Discovery pyramid, watched a 3D movie, & took a ride on a paddle boat. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out sharks in the Aquarium pyramid<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tator in a shark cage! Parents, in case you're wondering.. No, they won't let you take the cage home!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging with the birds in the Rainforest pyramid</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazon river exhibit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took an hour long ride on the "Colonel"</td></tr>
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Jerimiah spotted <a href="http://www.oceanstaroec.com/">"The Ocean Star"</a>which was an offshore drilling rig & museum… So of course we had to go there too….<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerimiah & Shayla under the derrick</td></tr>
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Hit the <a href="http://www.lsfm.org/">Lone Star Flight Museum</a>, had lunch at Landry’s and then went back to the Moody Gardens to swim at “Palm Beach”… Which was a small water park with a lazy river, various pools, live music, water slides and such…. I think I had just as much fun on the water slides as the kids did, though I couldn’t convince Jerimiah to try ‘em out.. At Landry’s the kids decided they’d be “daring” and try raw oysters on the ½ shell…. Absolutely hysterical! To say the kiddos aren’t raw oyster fans is a vast understatement… <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone Star Flight Museum</td></tr>
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Had a blast playing at the water park, but Tator wanted one more dip in the ocean so we headed out to Galveston State Park for some beach fun & swimming in an uncrowned area… Original plan was to go to the State park, but we happened upon a nice stretch of almost empty beach right outside the park so that’s where we ended up swimming and then enjoyed playing on the beach in the dark… Didn’t make it back to the hotel until almost 11:00pm and the munchkins were out cold as soon as they hit the pillows.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerimiah & Tator jumping in the waves..</td></tr>
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Saturday we went for a tour of the <a href="http://www.moodymansion.org/">Moody Mansion</a>. Beautiful, 28,000sqft house, lots of interesting history, though the tour guide was a stuffy, cranky gal who seemed to enjoy trying to shove an entire group of people into impossibly tiny rooms…<br />
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Think “Human sardines”…..Not my idea of fun..<br />
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Bit annoying, but it was neat to see the house.. Well, part of it because half was closed due to un-repaired damage from hurricane Ike… So, for $28 we saw ½ of the mansion, couldn’t take pictures and got bossed around… Like I said, some of it was interesting, but I’ll certainly not repeat the experience. <br />
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Went back to the Aquarium pyramid one last time before heading out, then hit the road.<br />
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There was quite a bit that we wanted to do, but didn’t have time… Had a lot more fun than I expected and will certainly go back….. I’m so happy we got to go, the kids made some great memories, I added an actual color to my legs (we shall call it “off white”, since it’s not particularly “tan”, but it’s several shades darker than my blinding, glow in the dark shade I sported before running around Galveston in shorts) and Jerimiah & I celebrated 11 years together on the trip up there on August 2nd. <br />
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Life deals an unfair, cruel hand sometimes…. I miss my <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/06/life-is-short-seldom-fair.html">Momma</a> every single day….. But life is far too short and you must make the best of the time you have……. <br />
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Take last minute, poorly planned vacations, snap pictures of everything and find something worth laughing about every day. <br />
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-82770730566205443262012-06-30T20:16:00.002-07:002012-06-30T20:58:54.629-07:00Life is Short & Seldom Fair<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There are things in life that you simply can’t prepare for.</span> </div>
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I lost my mom, my best friend, on Saturday, June 16th at 9:00pm. There is no pain I can compare this to, no way to fill the void left behind and though I’ve been told there are steps in grieving and you learn to cope, I simply don’t believe that. <br />
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This pain isn’t one I can learn to cope with, instead, I think I’ve simply developed a greater capacity for feeling pain. The guilt, the "what ifs", though I’m told they are pointless, haunt me. <br />
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How do you tell the story of death? Do I make it cut, dry and use proper medical terminology? Do I simply speak of the time before, and the time after, while glazing over the actual event? <br />
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Friday night, I took the kids to visit mom in the hospital. As you know from previous post, she was diagnosed with a very rare form of leukemia called Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia. Her spleen had grown far too large, so they admitted her into the hospital. The game plan was to do platelet transfusions, get her white cell count down and once the blood work was as ideal as possible, they were going to remove her spleen. Things were going well, the WBC count was coming down gradually and she felt much better after her platelet transfusions. My brother stayed with her at night, and I came and visited during the days. <br />
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Friday, we stopped by, had some idle chit chat and she was in good spirits. My brother said Saturday morning she was feeling great… Got to take a real shower, took a walk around the halls and was chipper. I was supposed to go up there after breakfast to bring her some diversions and visit, but I accidentally hit snooze and was running behind on chores.<br />
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My brother called me, said mom was acting strange, kind of mumbling, fidgeting…. I told him to go grab a doctor and let me talk to her while he did…. I suspected a small stroke at worst… I asked momma if she knew who I was and she said “Of course, you’re Crystal”. I asked if she knew what day it was and she said “It’s Saturday..” I asked if she knew what month it was and she said “Yes silly, it’s January, your birthday month”.. Then she just repeated a loop of “You’re Crystal, it’s Saturday, it’s January” over and over and over… I interrupted her, told her I loved her and I was on my way and she said “Ok honey, love you.. It’s Saturday, you’re Crystal, it’s January”…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My baby brother, Ethan, Momma & middle brother, Kevin</td></tr>
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That was my last conversation with my mom. Why I wasted it with questions the doctor could have asked, I dunno….. I wanted to tell her how much I loved her, I wanted to tell her about the silly prank Jerimiah and I played on the kids… I wanted to beg her not to give up, to please be ok, wanted to scold her for scaring me and have her laugh at my mock stern tone… I wanted to tell her not to worry, everything was going to be okay and she would be getting out of there soon and then we’d go see that movie she wanted to see…<br />
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I arrived when they had mom in the MRI… The waiting was horrible, but I was so hopeful. Maybe momma had a stroke, we could deal with that, lots of people lived just fine after a stroke…. <br />
I followed them out of MRI, down to CT scan…. There was just me, my youngest brother, Ethan, and a nurse…. Momma crashed before they could get her into the CT scan, and I had to hold her head up and to the side because she was sick, then everything erupted into complete chaos. I was pushed out of the way while the room filled with people….<br />
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During this the oncologist came to talk to me… There were spots on mom’s brain…. As the oncologist explained the possible causes of this, machines and hospital staff hustled in the back ground… He was hopeful it was an infection they had somehow missed.. If so, it was treatable and we would know more when they got the CT scan results back and conferred with a neurologist… Up to ICU we went to await results… I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so hard in my life… Hours ticked by, and finally we got to have our results..<br />
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Mom’s brain had hemorrhaged in multiple places all at once. She was on life support and they could not operate. Her low platelets, and the locations of the bleeds (most in the lower center of her brain) made it impossible. Her brain was swelling… They gave us a glimmer of hope, a medication they could give to help with swelling and they would set her up for a blood brain flow test to see how the blood flow was in her brain. More hours of waiting, at 4:30pm, Jerimiah tried to take me to grab something to eat and as we left, my brother called and said they had checked her and she had lost her brain stem…. Her pupils would not respond, no pain response and the area of her brain that controlled functions like breathing was gone. <br />
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At 7:00pm they did the brain blood flow test… At 8:00pm they asked me to come look at the scans. Her brain was so swollen and there was no longer blood flowing in her brain. They asked me to make a decision. <br />
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How does one call for the death of their own mother? They offered to move her to hospice and keep her on life support, but my momma was no longer there and she told me more than once that she had no interest in living as a vegetable.…. The hardest words I’ve ever said was to take momma off life support…. Mom’s heart beat one last time at 9:00pm and my best friend was gone. The one person who knew me from birth… Was there for my first steps, birthdays, heartbreaks, the one knew my every flaw and loved me regardless was gone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVubVQ3TTO-pqzANvpKi90BNVTTY2JDVoGUcEwKg6GORX7PUylz6XajfAho_sVTx2FJLYdyd7WVbU-h-UlR6hS8WV94mv9Erl8SUCqAuFa__TD-kdRQ9KBbjCObXDlioVb3fsEHhEIKtIZ/s1600/momma5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVubVQ3TTO-pqzANvpKi90BNVTTY2JDVoGUcEwKg6GORX7PUylz6XajfAho_sVTx2FJLYdyd7WVbU-h-UlR6hS8WV94mv9Erl8SUCqAuFa__TD-kdRQ9KBbjCObXDlioVb3fsEHhEIKtIZ/s640/momma5.jpg" vca="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Ethan, Mom & Harley 2001</td></tr>
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Did I make the right choice? At times, I think I did when I’m thinking rationally… At other times I can’t help but wonder if I should have left her on life support and hoped for a miracle? It’s a pointless question as I will never know the answer…<br />
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The doctors were amazed that with how numerous, and severe the bleeds were that she didn’t have neurological symptoms before hand that would have hinted to this…. But then I wonder, did she?<br />
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Friday night, during our visit, she signed some goat registration papers for some goats she was sending to a friend… Her signature was sloppy and she was kind of slow signing… I thought it was the low light and lack of glasses…but was it? Did I miss an early warning sign because I was getting ready to leave to get the kids dinner? After all, I’d seen mom sign legibly without glasses on many times before….<br />
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My brother said she had a nose bleed Friday night (Saturday AM actually), from 3:00am to 7:00am and was complaining about it that morning when he woke up… I should have been there, but I was home because I had to be here for chores. Chores! Of all excuses to not be with your mom, that is surely the most pitiful….<br />
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I would not have slept through her being up with a nose bleed and left her to deal with it. Why didn’t a nurse come in and check on her during that time? Dr. Balbastro had warned me about bleeding of any sort… I had been there for every doctor’s visit, all lab work and I was about a fluent as could be in Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia speak as anyone without a medical degree could be….<br />
If I had been there and got the doctors then, could she have been saved, or would it have only been a heads up to an unavoidable outcome? If I hadn’t hit the snooze Saturday morning, I could have been there, I could have had just one more conversation, gave her one more hug, but I hit the damned snooze and then wasted our last conversation….<br />
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My momma was only 48 years old. She was my best friend. She accepted me fully, my hot temper, goofy sense of humor, obsessive nature and every odd quirk. I rarely went even one day without speaking to her… Even before she came to stay with us, we always called each other every day just to chit-chat….<br />
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She shared my goat obsession, was the one who started it all actually, when I was just a little girl. She camped out in the barn with me for days while we tried to save Astra… Was here for almost every kidding and if she missed a kidding, you can bet your bottom she was there shortly after to “Ohh & Ahhh“ over the new babies... She cried with me over losses/disappointments, and was just as excited about doelings as I was…. We joked that we were self taught goat vets, educated at the Google/Youtube University. When we got sick of paying the vet for blood draws, we broke out some Hershey’s Huggs, watched a “how to draw blood” video on Youtube, and then went out and poked until we got it figured out. <br />
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The first few days after she left, I couldn’t stand to even look at the goats. It was raining the night mom died and I didn’t get home until around 11:00pm and had to milk in the rain…. I thought that was miserable, but milking the following morning was even worse.. During milking, she wasn’t out there to chit chat like she always was… When I took the lambar bucket out for the babies, I foolishly expected to see her sitting out there on the play steps playing with the babies like she did almost every morning. Each time she wasn’t there was like a kick to the gut…. I didn’t want the goats anymore, wanted to sell them, give them away, I didn’t care, I just did not want to look at them. What is the point of a hobby if the one you shared it with is gone? When something you once loved turned into a scheduled torture session twice a day, every day…. Jerimiah talked me out of it, asked me to please wait… It is a little easier now, but that flash of pain still creeps up on me when I least expect it… What once was something shared is now quite lonely…<br />
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I see her everywhere. She marks every aspect of my life…. I can’t pack her things away. Her pillows still smell like her. Her crazy, off the wall things still clutter my kitchen. Used to annoy me and now I can’t make myself put them away…..Everything is a marker… When I finally made myself cook, it wasn’t just dinner, it was the first meal I cooked since momma left. When Saturday rolled around, it wasn’t just the weekend, it was 1 week after momma left… <br />
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My mom was so vibrant, care free and never one to try to fit society’s idea of “normal”. If anything, she strove to be anything but “normal”… She was impulsive, crazy, funny and it was so frustrating that she could never be on time for anything….. It didn’t matter the reason, or time of day, I have always known I could call mom and she would talk to me for however long I needed her to. She may not have been able to arrive on time for a scheduled event, but I could always count on her to drop everything and come to me if I needed her. <br />
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She played in the mud with my kids and took them exploring, just like she did with my brothers and I as children…. Gave them their love of coffee and played hide-n-go seek with them. Caught frogs and built “habitats” for them and never hesitated to bring home some stray critter that needed fixing….Anytime I took myself too seriously, she was there to remind me that life was not meant to be a series of serious events… Shopping with her was fun, she’d usually climb on the buggy and let me run through the store pushing her, and any road trip we ever took, she navigated and always got us lost... Mom was a modern day, female Macgyver... She could make anything out of nothing & though the method may have been convolted, if she didn't know how to do something, she quickly figured out her own way to do it.<br />
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The few times we fought, they were loud, intense, heated disputes, that always ended with us laughing and usually chocolate in some form was the icing that made it all better again. <br />
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You never had to guess what was on her mind, because she was sure to let you know, regardless of the outcome. She believed in me, and encouraged me when the world kicked me in the teeth and discouraged me…<br />
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We had so many plans. We would sit up until 3:00am, solving the worlds problems and planning grand schemes. We used to sit in this lil hippy coffee house, she’d drink a pot of coffee (literally), while I worked on my blog… Then she’d read it, pat my head and say “Oh honey, you do worry me”… In some cases, she'd lay her hand on my cheek and ask "Honey, are you SURE you wanna admit that to the world?!" <br />
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I wish my house hadn't burned in 2007... I had so many great pictures of mom that I would love to share.....As it is now, I have 5, just 5 pictures.... I take pictures of EVERYTHING.. Why hadn't I snapped more of mom recently??..... I've been trying to get into her laptop to get pics I know are stored there, but so far my password guessing skills are not working...<br />
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It's hard to admit she won’t be here for my next birthday. We won’t go see that movie we had planned on seeing..... She won't get the kids some horrible, awful, annoying Christmas present that they'll just adore.... I’ll be sitting all alone in the barn this kidding season and she won’t see my children graduate or meet the bimbo girls and idiotic boys my munchkins decide to date.... <br />
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Just so many things I expected her to be apart of and contemplating these events knowing she won'be here just hurts so much.... <br />
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I’m better now than I was a week ago… I can have a normal conversation and keep everyone from worrying. I don’t cry in front of the kids anymore & I’m doing my best to handle everything since she always counted on me to get things taken care of.<br />
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She had no insurance, no will and that has complicated things quite a bit. My youngest brother is taking over her land, the middle brother I gave her jeep to and I’m having her cremated. <br />
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Momma never had much in life. Mostly because she gave to anyone in need, despite how it would effect her. After a rotten 2nd divorces, she saved and bought her dream place… 20 acres of land with nothing on it what so ever. She actually camped out there in a tent for the first 6 months until she could afford water/electricity/septic. Most wouldn’t have done that. Most would have been depressed to have nothing but a piece of land, but mom thought it was fun. A big adventure. A new chapter and a step forward towards her dream.. So what if it didn't have power or running water, to her, that just made it interesting! She eventually worked up to a camper, and then a lil cabin and it was the only thing in life she really wanted… A lil farm surrounded by woods. A place no one could take away from her, a safe haven for her children if they ever needed it. We will bring her home and lay her to rest under her favorite tree where she loved to sit and drink coffee…. I’m thinking of getting a fountain for her as I simply can’t see my mom with a plain old tombstone….. A simple headstone seems so conventional and my mother was anything but conventional. <br />
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At times I’m just angry. Why did I worry so much over my chores at home? Why wasn’t I there the night her nose started bleeding? Why didn’t she calll & tell me about the nose bleed?!? Why did I waste our last conversation? Why couldn’t I at least have a good bye? Why did I have to play to role of Grim Reaper and call for the death of my mother? Why, oh why did MD Anderson screw up like they did?? They lost her paperwork, TWICE, and jerked mom along every step of the way. Had she been able to go, and not get jerked around, her spleen could have been removed way sooner and perhaps it wouldn’t have come to this. <br />
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I miss her so much. I catch myself grabbing the phone to call and tell her something, or ask her a quick question….. Instead I just listen to her voice on her voicemail, acting exasperated, which she was, because I hounded her to set up her voicemail. <br />
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I am a bit more rational now. I can see that though I didn’t get my goodbye, she at least went quickly and unaware. She didn’t have time to be afraid, to worry. She didn’t have to see the terror on our faces. For that one single mercy, I am thankful. <br />
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I’m thankful that my good memories surpass any bad memories by leaps and bounds. I’m thankful she stayed long enough that my kids got to know her. <br />
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I could wish for a goodbye, for just one more conversation, but in my heart I know that wouldn’t be enough. So I take it one day at a time. Some good days and I’m almost normal, and some bad days that feel like the misery will never end…. I’ve had a few rare moments where I laughed till I cried over some memory…. My crazy mother brought laughter anywhere she went. <br />
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"One day at a time" is my chant these days. <br />
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Love you momma, miss you more than words can say, and I hope you’ve found peace.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Demitri Geneva, known to those who loved her as "Brandy"<br />
October 13, 1963 - June 16, 2012</td></tr>
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-15254618706325558842012-05-19T12:29:00.000-07:002012-05-19T12:30:46.642-07:00My Mother's Day Surprise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mother’s Day is that time when you’re supposed to sleep in, get spoiled and then spend hours cleaning up after all the “surprises” your spouse & children made for you (Seriously… If you ever cleaned up after my crew when they cook/create, you’d fully understand the horror) … <br />
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I made mine more difficult by impatience.........<br />
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<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/09/newest-earless-wonders-of-noodleville.html">Casper</a> was due to kid on the 11th. Mom had another appointment on Monday and I knew that with my luck, Casper would kid the moment I pulled out of the drive way Monday morning. I needed to attend the birth to pull the kids, so I decided to induce her. A shot of Lute & a shot of Dex and I settled into a routine of frequent barn checks. <br />
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Last check was a lil before 4am on Mother’s Day… Sat out there for about 20 minutes watching her. Ligaments weren’t fully softened yet… no goo and no sign of impending labor (she was up munching on alfalfa pellets) so I went back to bed. <br />
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Up again at 6:35am (was supposed to be 6:00am, I accidentally hit snooze) and when I arrive at the barn it’s pure chaos!!<br />
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Casper had kidded and her pen mate had stolen one of the kids, Casper was screaming at the end of the run farthest from the barn and the new would be momma was snorting & fussing. One dry lil one and one tiny lil one, cold, still partially in the sack. <br />
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Gathered them up, and brought them in the house… It has been a buck year for me. No doelings… So of course it would be my luck that the cold kid left on the ground in the barn drama was a doeling! The ONLY doeling! And of course it would make sense that the buckling was the warm, fully dry, vigorous one. <br />
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Oh life how I do loathe your sense of humor sometimes…..<br />
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After warming the doeling and failing to get her to eat, we had to resort to tube feeding. Had a few moments where I just wasn’t sure if she’d be ok or not… After food was in her and she had her shot of Bo-Se and a Vit E capsule she was up walking and everything was normal… except that she would not suck and what lil bit of milk dripped into her mouth she wouldn’t swallow. Finally after 2 ½ days of all her meals coming via the tube into her stomach, she started nursing as if she had never an issue one.<br />
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So now I can share her with y’all…. My very first, bred by me, with my herd name, keeper is Noodleville’s Trick or Treat AKA- “Tricks” <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAYYxUkwnAUIO-h4fRfaFcgZZHOwZQeSzbtRPQx7aD1aanaKPYhvI3RrjaUVzc01g9xt8JFVXvH0pTd5Cn89ETFb2wy7JA-A5VdxGX_s6Pafy3Jg5wJOO9xcGqRlY01lrmC45Py4xIE0_/s1600/2012-05-13_14-38-02_352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAYYxUkwnAUIO-h4fRfaFcgZZHOwZQeSzbtRPQx7aD1aanaKPYhvI3RrjaUVzc01g9xt8JFVXvH0pTd5Cn89ETFb2wy7JA-A5VdxGX_s6Pafy3Jg5wJOO9xcGqRlY01lrmC45Py4xIE0_/s400/2012-05-13_14-38-02_352.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newborn Tricks looking a bit bewildered..</td></tr>
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Isn’t she just precious!!!??? Her brother, currently unnamed, is a pretty boy… He’s longer and has a longer neck, but in all else they are pretty equal. Would love it if she were a bit longer, but I’m certainly not complaining! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcsIBPmOFVHZpdAQWeFcZqZpeFGTQ6-nO04kdf8GMe13frVKDHOiQYF3RqLR7D02eF2fJ_ap77l-PfufJHyDRUHqaXuW2d6HnaXLeQ-IrA-PmGnZpDYhJPxRoDu0a2i_nqglrKb9nDOZn/s1600/2012-05-13_14-56-19_729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcsIBPmOFVHZpdAQWeFcZqZpeFGTQ6-nO04kdf8GMe13frVKDHOiQYF3RqLR7D02eF2fJ_ap77l-PfufJHyDRUHqaXuW2d6HnaXLeQ-IrA-PmGnZpDYhJPxRoDu0a2i_nqglrKb9nDOZn/s640/2012-05-13_14-56-19_729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casper x Tonka Twins <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtV5bDs53f8b61xLpUOFDXGotggBgqidIkOeUnLoj1KZScuO9ZjrAOhbQwAlEclMRr84khBDnGXSpOnSwq8wqNONM40TF2bk-55w9bySFlE6S1fb_M8E_TUozR4LoRIX8-Txl0XFAEfhD/s1600/051412094851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtV5bDs53f8b61xLpUOFDXGotggBgqidIkOeUnLoj1KZScuO9ZjrAOhbQwAlEclMRr84khBDnGXSpOnSwq8wqNONM40TF2bk-55w9bySFlE6S1fb_M8E_TUozR4LoRIX8-Txl0XFAEfhD/s400/051412094851.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
New babies meeing the March doelings.... Heidi was NOT impressed! </td></tr>
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I had my doubts about Casper…. She was dam raised and a bit timid, and after my <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/noodleville-bloody-battle-of-wills.html">"Bloody Battle of Wills"</a> with the last first freshener, I was not looking forward to milking. Her teats looked a bit short too, so I prepared for a fight and hand cramps. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOIxfVp_SBETJk_BrbgNTXDmgES5K19ILscv6oNS80Xq7XuxUHmI9zs5ldCNq0trekU_oCq9KgySyiCc6h3YL6ZqeqRT9PB-z3ZIPVEn0Zub58fI_g8y4NQsw0dvqPWBL9qqOZ7taIztx/s1600/casperblog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOIxfVp_SBETJk_BrbgNTXDmgES5K19ILscv6oNS80Xq7XuxUHmI9zs5ldCNq0trekU_oCq9KgySyiCc6h3YL6ZqeqRT9PB-z3ZIPVEn0Zub58fI_g8y4NQsw0dvqPWBL9qqOZ7taIztx/s400/casperblog1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casper at 4 months old</td></tr>
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Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when I had neither!! Casper was a bit nervous and unsure, but stood still anyways.....Her udder is butter soft and out of all my does, she is by far the easiest to milk. <br />
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Here is a picture of her udder at 5 days fresh and about 9 hours full (forgive the bad haircut):<br />
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She actually has a fore udder!!!! Ginger has hardly any fore, Sabrina’s was badly pocketed and Bleu’s is ok, but I’d like it to be more smoothly blended and extend a bit further. Casper though, I have no complaints about and I see this maturing into a really pretty udder... <br />
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Could be blended a lil smoother, but it's very well attached and balanced so I'm happy to keep a doeling from her. She could use a smidge more height in the rear udder too, but there's lots of attachments, its wide and her teat placement is great! <br />
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Her doeling has a higher escutcheon than her dam, and a more level rump, so perhaps luck will favor me and I’ll have a doeling who is an improvement over her dam…. That is the goal anyways...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipMVJ9PepuD4zcnmHf39LW74QW_6Qne33UlCSMbVBayOboFWSz9Es8BNo7u-tVH4_9XbthDo13g4rjvYfAqWq93cGAq5wVSJzT8aNGHVZpmSUnyb_auxfTbp66cBZF0wVakarB0BF07MC/s1600/051912121515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipMVJ9PepuD4zcnmHf39LW74QW_6Qne33UlCSMbVBayOboFWSz9Es8BNo7u-tVH4_9XbthDo13g4rjvYfAqWq93cGAq5wVSJzT8aNGHVZpmSUnyb_auxfTbp66cBZF0wVakarB0BF07MC/s640/051912121515.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tricks 6 Days Old</td></tr>
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I can’t keep many goats… Can’t afford the feed, don’t have the space and can’t handle the work load, so I’m frequently forced to make cuts. I’m not as attached to Casper as I am Bleuberry, so I decided, before she kidded, that I would sell her if she had a doeling for me to keep.<br />
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Made arrangements with a 1st time dairy goat owner, and let her know that if she didn’t have a doeling, then she could take <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/09/newest-earless-wonders-of-noodleville.html">Comanche</a> instead… <br />
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These folks are really nice and have been working hard to get everything set up and ready for Casper… So it is a bit bittersweet that I’m loving her stand manners, her udder, ease of milking and that at 5 days fresh, she milked 6.4lbs of milk. Got in touch with the new future owners to give them a choice of taking Comanche bred, or Casper in milk and they have their hearts set on Casper.<br />
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I keep telling myself it is only logical to let her go.. I have her daughter and I want to add another doe, but this is one that isn’t going to be easy. <br />
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Either way, I hold to my word, and they’ve already shopped for her and are pretty excited, so next Sunday Casper goes on to her new home. Thankfully they aren’t too far away and they are also open to me breeding <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/held-captive-in-captivating-town-of.html">Tonka</a> to her again this fall and we may split the kid crop if the numbers/gender work out, so all is not lost. <br />
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With potential travel in my future (hopefully getting mom into MD Anderson) having one less milker will make things easier on my helpers too…. <br />
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You might recall my husband's <em>attempt</em> at goat milking... <br />
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If not you can read all about it here: <br />
<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/04/helpful-husband-extraordinaire.html">Helpful Husband Extraordinaire</a><br />
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Needless to say, me keeping more milkers than I need will be doing hubby no favors when he is my milker.... He's more than willing to help, always is.... But it's best to make this as easy on everyone as possible...lol<br />
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And since y’all haven’t got to see Tonka in a while… Here he is at about a year old..... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj5nPvG2DAnvQ_pLzY0SMpC4k1RTqJnO6JjsLaZnwj0nQGIf6G3tE4ngUKUZ7Jn66GC0jf7B4XdD5wyClmLM79xjtmF3NSX399Ib6TAAS-AMbwi5DLObYvcWJjQvvP6rkB1zPLxzGcM7K/s1600/tonka2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj5nPvG2DAnvQ_pLzY0SMpC4k1RTqJnO6JjsLaZnwj0nQGIf6G3tE4ngUKUZ7Jn66GC0jf7B4XdD5wyClmLM79xjtmF3NSX399Ib6TAAS-AMbwi5DLObYvcWJjQvvP6rkB1zPLxzGcM7K/s640/tonka2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonka out on a browse eating walk as a reward for tolerating the bath & shave so well.</td></tr>
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I’m so proud of how he’s turned out and am looking forward to watching his doeling grow. He got shaved & bathed as I had intended to take him to the Big Buck Bonanza, but financial obligations with mom’s medical issues came first so we’ll have to try again next year… <br />
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Tonka was added to the <a href="http://www.adga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=241:art-sire-dev&catid=48:sire-development&Itemid=74">ADGA Young Sire Development Program</a> with an <a href="http://www.adga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=268:artabcs&catid=48:sire-development&Itemid=74">ETA of 69-75</a> and I’m really looking forward to freshening daughters from him. <br />
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I didn’t notice it at first, but if you look at the kids, Tricks has Casper’s pattern/markings (even similar shaped white splashed up both sides), but in Tonka’s colors, while the lil' buck has Tonka’s markings/pattern with Capser’s colors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQZsN_fG1tL57jevpKP_pCcpV7WaS5EQbeumaoQXxLughyphenhyphenzF-kRtI-n73mznMc8J2yF8rdPAKBtnEO3vADelfXqPsd0ldsOogFxVZRBkizba3i7PL4UZCeUjsyBkwrEtdz1GhLx4L-2pY/s1600/051312150355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQZsN_fG1tL57jevpKP_pCcpV7WaS5EQbeumaoQXxLughyphenhyphenzF-kRtI-n73mznMc8J2yF8rdPAKBtnEO3vADelfXqPsd0ldsOogFxVZRBkizba3i7PL4UZCeUjsyBkwrEtdz1GhLx4L-2pY/s400/051312150355.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet baby boy...<br />
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Anywho… I hope all the mothers out there had a great day and I do hope all the daughters/sons take time EVERY day to appreciate their mothers.... Mother's Day is a great time for presents & treating mom to something special, but life is short and unpredictable so every day you wakeup is a day to be thankful for.<br />
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Speaking of moms… My mom finally got her diagnosis. It wasn’t what we had hoped for, not at all.<br />
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She has a rare form of leukemia called <a href="http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/ncicdr0000062927-chronic-neutrophilic-leukemia">Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia</a>. There haven’t been many cases documented, and at this time, no cure. Mom is hanging in there though. Some days she’s a trooper about it all, and she has her glum moments from time to time, but we’re not giving up. <br />
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My momma is one of the most head strong people I’ve ever encountered, if anyone can beat this, it’s her. It gives me hope to see her strong, determined and hopeful.......When the inevitable times of doubt creep over her, she has me for a flamboyant, never ending distraction, a job I take VERY seriously….<br />
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No matter what, we’re gonna make it through this!<br />
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They say there is no cure, and gave all sorts of morbid numbers and tossed life span terms around as if we were discussing the weather…. But just because they haven’t found a cure, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, it just means they haven’t found it yet! Here's hoping the paperwork for MD Anderson is processed soon so we can explore more options...<br />
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-41412834159803585492012-05-03T09:56:00.000-07:002012-05-03T09:56:07.626-07:00My Remedy for Writer's BlockWell, I got an email from a friend letting me know my blog was fading & followers were flocking away. Actually, the message wasn’t that nice and was more along the lines of “If you're gonna have a blog, then BLOG, you're boring your followers to death”!<br />
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But here I sit, suffering from writer’s block of the worst sort...... I have a mass of words that won’t string together into actual sentences, and a bunch of jumbled thoughts. Chaos in life tends to do that to you I suppose...<br />
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So, as a remedy, I gave up my previous topic & I have baby goat pictures!<br />
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Yea, yea, I know that’s cheating….but my <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/it-only-takes-one-word.html">last post</a>, I left everyone hanging so now y’all get to meet the newest babies here in the land of Noodle. Plus we all know I have a tendency to get overly wordy anyways, so pictures are a great substitute.. Haha<br />
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As mentioned in my previous post, momma & I made a road trip to go pick up goats… The original plan was to get a<strong><em> single</em></strong> doeling. Then I was offered her dam, Ginger, a beautiful 8 year old doe who has moved quite a bit in her life and I think she prefers her old Idaho home to her hot west Texas home… In addition to those 2, I was also offered the doeling’s half sister who was a tiny lil' thing, half the size of her twin, with the cutest lil chocolate nose & dished face…<br />
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So one, turned into three, and by the time we got up there, we ended up loading a total of 4 goats into my car (Yes, I did say FOUR). Which, BTW was a sight, as I drive a lil Dodge Nitro and hauling 2 humans, 3 goat kids and one adult doe is not what my car was designed for!! <br />
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First up is MY baby….. Her name is Heidi and she is the daughter of Ginger, born March 15, 2012 and is just tooo sweet. Quiet, mellow and loves to snuggle in my lap…. It did not take her long to establish her place as my favorite.. This girl is LONG and just beautiful, I can not wait to see how she matures. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47RR0zjd-lnHCfj9Asi2ADzXVe1dDBAzG0SUcfZywi7HF7DhXGxcB7TktKRw4yjeN_1WUgZ3co8NsYMeCbARKCf5YbnklKaAUtPh0HnCRaP8X1v0QfwHgKntmPrZ4q7bJa1ZzgKmBy78I/s1600/032212135402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47RR0zjd-lnHCfj9Asi2ADzXVe1dDBAzG0SUcfZywi7HF7DhXGxcB7TktKRw4yjeN_1WUgZ3co8NsYMeCbARKCf5YbnklKaAUtPh0HnCRaP8X1v0QfwHgKntmPrZ4q7bJa1ZzgKmBy78I/s400/032212135402.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sweet, fuzzy Heidi, not quite 2 weeks old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAOAq38KCCMhDVONYRcB3VigerCRscIdA6MpROeyyCX7vdVFcx0kS7dLr9w2WYeDwYwbXj4OGOhok-KiIre3kUt6osqwytJFQiykJsz6J0v8cbfw1fFpWjCYNbWS-iEkV_ZZzP83901yn/s1600/2012-03-22_19-30-13_828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAOAq38KCCMhDVONYRcB3VigerCRscIdA6MpROeyyCX7vdVFcx0kS7dLr9w2WYeDwYwbXj4OGOhok-KiIre3kUt6osqwytJFQiykJsz6J0v8cbfw1fFpWjCYNbWS-iEkV_ZZzP83901yn/s640/2012-03-22_19-30-13_828.jpg" width="385" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shayla & Heidi</td></tr>
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Cookie is Heidi's ½ sister and the lil runt, born on March 13, 2012. She has tons of attitude to make up for her small size and isn’t much of a people goat.. Unless you’re my mom…. She adores my mother and they’ve kind of claimed each other. Given the trials my mom is facing right now, I think baby goat therapy is just what the doctor ordered. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhxovuZijOW4vBfxbyQAQiEmH5GHsddpb9Qpp6rlHwAlD4GE8u_h9MJajleV0xxivSQX8OFkMfwpRTBaivzCW0Ey31lQmchhQXl4bXMFXg9McCLlpMPV9Ucl-jZIhXNeJNZlbtDyqJ6eW/s1600/2012-04-18_16-49-40_311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhxovuZijOW4vBfxbyQAQiEmH5GHsddpb9Qpp6rlHwAlD4GE8u_h9MJajleV0xxivSQX8OFkMfwpRTBaivzCW0Ey31lQmchhQXl4bXMFXg9McCLlpMPV9Ucl-jZIhXNeJNZlbtDyqJ6eW/s400/2012-04-18_16-49-40_311.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss Attitude - AKA Cookie :)</td></tr>
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#4 was unplanned, and I swore I’d never buy a <em>Nubian</em>, but once I saw her I had to have her… <br />
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This long eared beauty is Daisy… I wasn’t going to mention her because shortly after bringing her home we lost her in a sad accident… But she was so sweet, and too pretty not to at least give her mention. The smallest of quads, she wormed her way into our hearts very quickly… RIP Daisy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCF0YsBUyUtICQzseBwZgZiNOU4nFlTWft69gIiSbyHZd2oUt8EfDvD2doPWlzVwwruWIhbCVCxrDTLZZYTXLio318RFST2khmLFpnRuGy_MIb91In5n-r51HhnfWtGMzZtQTM7FlSsWTr/s1600/032212203659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCF0YsBUyUtICQzseBwZgZiNOU4nFlTWft69gIiSbyHZd2oUt8EfDvD2doPWlzVwwruWIhbCVCxrDTLZZYTXLio318RFST2khmLFpnRuGy_MIb91In5n-r51HhnfWtGMzZtQTM7FlSsWTr/s400/032212203659.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">R.I.P Sweet Daisy</td></tr>
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I’m usually a planner… I stew and think over every single detail to the most mundane things….. But sometimes I can be very impulsive….. Daisy was Shayla’s present for her 7th birthday and the loss was VERY hard on her…. Right after the accident, and seeing the shock & heartbreak on my kids faces, I called the breeder in tears to see if she had any other doelings she was willing to sell… Thankfully she did, and we loaded up right then and hit the road. We bought Daisy’s cousin, and since the does in this family all had flower names, Shayla named her Rose. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimyYp0ocP7grfpMPkccdnjCfeuxIzTwbj9iYgEub5WGXVM76krxGgyrVBhcwVJ0M28kL-pu1FXtO5UWW8zp6IONtpmUhnHom4MEJshtAQVhhgR_BmEd48BoEmvaDY3GSooThDCFJqj2UI/s1600/2012-04-18_16-53-23_367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimyYp0ocP7grfpMPkccdnjCfeuxIzTwbj9iYgEub5WGXVM76krxGgyrVBhcwVJ0M28kL-pu1FXtO5UWW8zp6IONtpmUhnHom4MEJshtAQVhhgR_BmEd48BoEmvaDY3GSooThDCFJqj2UI/s400/2012-04-18_16-53-23_367.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose - Born March 6, 2012<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFcomnrkUGHN17v-a5WKj_M3uma3BE-cSQBIlndmQdcDNS31gEzRjyCu_Iuf0qvpRY2hlCSAJzcpc33XeCGlx_RpXwsKxcWB_T0GpavsmrQQaMM0DmggMdvEwmTK0vaM_sUnP88ck8T51/s1600/2012-04-18_16-57-07_164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFcomnrkUGHN17v-a5WKj_M3uma3BE-cSQBIlndmQdcDNS31gEzRjyCu_Iuf0qvpRY2hlCSAJzcpc33XeCGlx_RpXwsKxcWB_T0GpavsmrQQaMM0DmggMdvEwmTK0vaM_sUnP88ck8T51/s640/2012-04-18_16-57-07_164.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
Rose enjoying pecan leaves after winning "Queen of the Mountain"</td></tr>
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Rose is just striking and oh so beautiful. Being <a href="http://www.pruittvillefarms.com/">Pruittville</a> on both sides of her pedigree, I wouldn’t expect anything less. <br />
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She is a character and very much the love bug. In the beginning she was LOUD and I kind of wondered if I had made a mistake…. But my lil Alpines seem to be a good influence on her and if anything she’s quieter than Cookie. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xhNQsz0OR8jYXMV4BvwS9sjAJE3eXvBJpTR8XfR2RDaiFGCAexb02N6Ws4Wz06zcxqbGWH6QNOBez3ovh4KFVEKw2FjFFr-Ey8sthhmVmdxRd2zqRtGZdUldayykntGI6g6qmA-TF7cG/s1600/041812171731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xhNQsz0OR8jYXMV4BvwS9sjAJE3eXvBJpTR8XfR2RDaiFGCAexb02N6Ws4Wz06zcxqbGWH6QNOBez3ovh4KFVEKw2FjFFr-Ey8sthhmVmdxRd2zqRtGZdUldayykntGI6g6qmA-TF7cG/s400/041812171731.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view from above the lambar bucket... Lil' chunks are going though 9 quarts of milk per day!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookie headed for the top of the stairs..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN8LqhVozV0JTCiJf-3urag3OG37Eo3zxsZyb9Nzb_bm0kqkEKzzf_mT5NmnYbqgWl6ZKrPqO2nUQLFcuj2bV03jgkim0PL5eD3Z26S-XRHWEgoHz2wtxlc8RpKW3GINz5HDpbva73XbM/s1600/2012-03-27_18-58-44_422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN8LqhVozV0JTCiJf-3urag3OG37Eo3zxsZyb9Nzb_bm0kqkEKzzf_mT5NmnYbqgWl6ZKrPqO2nUQLFcuj2bV03jgkim0PL5eD3Z26S-XRHWEgoHz2wtxlc8RpKW3GINz5HDpbva73XbM/s640/2012-03-27_18-58-44_422.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing better than baby goat snuggles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpfMnU4-YD5xqu8T0q5zel3IdL28zFCIgRvlaumaDS8xD4WKBpEG2Afbh-QFbcTqhOdpKv2Pj7t0a0kH68dUjBmZGgqf9BIgFsfbgRqIEQE43B-T4SVqVxr2O_nrohdo6-xVQEJcayxq4/s1600/040212211033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpfMnU4-YD5xqu8T0q5zel3IdL28zFCIgRvlaumaDS8xD4WKBpEG2Afbh-QFbcTqhOdpKv2Pj7t0a0kH68dUjBmZGgqf9BIgFsfbgRqIEQE43B-T4SVqVxr2O_nrohdo6-xVQEJcayxq4/s400/040212211033.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trio impatiently waiting for their lambar..<br />
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I have a few pictures of Ginger, the 8 year old doe, but technology HATES me and for some reason, I can't get them to upload, so I'll just give Ginger her very own post later on.<br />
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<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/noodleville-updates-both-happy-sad.html">The loss of Astra</a>, and all the plans/hopes she represented really hit me hard. I'm without an Alpine buck for this year and I feel like I'm having to start at square one all over again... But these 3 lil ones give me a bit of hope and a chance to try again...... <br />
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<br />* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-49441910211419585692012-03-25T09:19:00.000-07:002012-03-25T09:19:41.455-07:00It Only Takes One Word...At times life likes to slap you in the face and remind you of the things that are most important. Typical human nature often causes us to take things for granted. <br />
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My slap in the face came on March 20th in the form of my mother. My mom is my best friend, the one who encourages me in all my various insanities, the one who is here at the drop of a hat no matter the crisis. My favorite childhood memories are of momma letting us play in mud puddles, then joining in. Climbing trees, building club houses, taking us exploring and doing her best to help us follow whatever dream we had at that point in time. She encouraged my “turtle farm” when I was 8 years old (which was actually just a huge enclosure that had 5 turtles in it), let me raise hundreds of tadpoles in my bedroom & she always let us lick the beaters when she made cake. <br />
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She did her best to always encourage us to enjoy life and pushed me to be a child and not so much the lil grown up I tended to be. Mom has a zest for life, and even though she’s never been dealt the best cards, she has always done her best and found a way to enjoy life regardless. She does the same with my children and my munchkins always eagerly look forward to a stay with Grandmama.<br />
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On March 20th, mom & I took a trip to visit Young’s Prairie Dairy in Elgin, Texas, to pick up some new goats and visit for a bit. Had a great day, got lost thanks to the Garmin and brought home the goats we intended to, plus one unplanned addition (I’ll post about them later). That evening when we got home though, my mom, who is a go-go-go always active person was very worn and tired.<br />
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For the past 3 weeks she’d been a lil slower and she thought it was because she was getting over a bug. Then she showed me the bruises. Huge, nasty, unexplained bruises. More troubling was the swelling on the left side of her abdomen. She made an appointment with a new doctor, but couldn’t get in until the end of April. Typical of my mother’s nature, she thought she’d just wait it out until April. I thought that was insane and took her to the ER. <br />
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Never in my life did I expect the doctor to come back with a Leukemia diagnosis (the swelling was her spleen). It is amazing how one little word can strike such soul deep terror. Sure, other people could have leukemia, but not MY mom! She’s so healthy, in great shape and always active . It felt like someone hit me in the gut and I just couldn’t catch my breath. I stood there, stupidly staring at the doctor waiting for her to say she was mistaken. They transferred mom to a bigger hospital and from there we spent the week having dozens and dozens of blood samples drawn. <br />
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Then came the bone marrow biopsy. I didn’t know they couldn’t give her sedation or pain meds before. I stood there, holding her hand as they did the procedure and prayed it would be over quickly. They didn’t get enough marrow for the test they wanted, so they took a sample of bone instead. Over the week they managed to get her white blood cell count down from 93,000 to 62,000. Put her on a medication to clear out the uric acid that was trying to build up and then a low dose thyroid medication.<br />
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Mom was bewildered when she first heard the diagnosis, but now is back trying to be the rock for everyone else. She is determined & optimistic. <br />
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She came home with me this weekend (only had to bring home the thyroid meds) and was thankful to be away from the hospital. We go back to see her oncologist on Monday so we can find out what type of leukemia (right now they are leaning towards chronic myelogenous leukemia) we are dealing with and then she will decide her treatment plan from there. <br />
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I’ve never not appreciated my mom, but now I make it a point to appreciate her even more…Even the small, mundane moments are things to be treasured. No one is immortal despite a child’s perception of their parent’s invincibility. Mom is the one person who has been there my entire life to dust me off & help me up when life didn’t play fair. The idea of her not being here is by far the scariest thing I have encountered. I can be a “doom & gloom” type of person…. Plan for the worst & hope for the best. But in this instance, I’m going to do my best to share my mom’s optimism. So I laugh, joke, and be silly just like she expects me to be. My brother, her brother, my husband and I have taken over many of the task she usually does and are trying to encouage her to take it easy... <br />
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Please keep her in your thoughts & prayers….. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more stubborn, determined person in all my life, so if anyone can beat this, MY momma can.* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-74806041735687911482012-03-17T09:07:00.000-07:002012-03-17T09:07:18.421-07:00A Noodleville Bloody Battle of WillsI’m naturally a stubborn person. Persistence is my middle name and I’ll usually stick with it until I accomplish my goal or until it becomes glaringly obvious that persistence is futile. <br />
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I really hate to confess that I may have met my match. Worse yet, standing so stubbornly against me is a goat. <br />
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This goat to be exact... Don't let that sweet, happy face fool ya....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYg6CLFVzzToZ_skvsTOKv1MGwvMt4A8WEqcUzy02iTYIBlq-yW02IhvXWoK5KS2jNTPZu3yzhQQlAPX34SIBPwkM4k2URN52Q24nxr9P2WxMtaPA8BaKjEouYJEI7ev2qzEdHgHIii0ER/s1600/012612175124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYg6CLFVzzToZ_skvsTOKv1MGwvMt4A8WEqcUzy02iTYIBlq-yW02IhvXWoK5KS2jNTPZu3yzhQQlAPX34SIBPwkM4k2URN52Q24nxr9P2WxMtaPA8BaKjEouYJEI7ev2qzEdHgHIii0ER/s400/012612175124.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
That would be Bleuberry of course. She is a 1st freshener this year and our milk stand mambo every morning is getting old.<br />
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In the beginning I tried cutting her some slack… After all she had a rough kidding (<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/noodleville-updates-both-happy-sad.html">mentioned here</a>) and if you recall, she had a nasty <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/blood-bone-bleuberry.html">leg injury</a> a while back… Well I thought the multiple doctoring that injury required (all done on the stand) may have made her a lil wary of it.... So I tried very hard to be sympathetic...<br />
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We had a back breaking routine every morning……. She walks peacefully up to the stand, I break out the treats and try to coax her on. After failed bribery, I pick up her front end, place it on the stand, and pull her forward by her collar so she can’t back off. At the same time, I reach back with my other hand and try to grab a hind leg & heave her forward. <strong>Every day</strong>.<em> Twice a day</em>, this same old routine.<br />
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Bleuberry is <strong>not</strong> a small goat. <br />
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I am <strong>not</strong> a very strong person. <br />
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This game is <strong>no longer fun</strong>. <br />
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<strong>My sympathy and understanding are rapidly deteriorating</strong>.<br />
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This morning in particular I was up late the night before, didn’t sleep well, then my alarm didn’t go off so everything was a bit hectic. To say I was NOT in the mood for her nonsense is an <em>understatement</em>. <br />
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Our battle was more dramatic than usual… she finally figured out my trick and kept backing off the stand before I could grab a back leg, so it took several tries. Then she decided to do the jitter bug on the stand, spilling most of the milk and even splashing me with some. Since she can NOT win this, I ended up milking quite a bit on to the barn floor while she danced, hopped and snorted at me. <br />
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This is great because she finally got the hint that I will continue to milk, regardless of her actions. This is not great, because I would have to come out later and clean the barn floor so the milk wouldn’t sit and attract flies. <br />
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I finish up and I’m wearing more milk than I thought was possible.. My jeans are soaked and thanks to the holes in my jeans, I can even feel lil puddles of milk inside of my right boot!!! <br />
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Unreal! <br />
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Given how much I’m wearing, I’m assuming her production is decent… But I can’t say for sure because I haven’t got a full milking inside to weigh yet…… I grit my teeth, talk sweetly and give Bleuberry her customary treat for finally standing still. I was about to turn her loose when I realized I forgot to spray her teats. <br />
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In the beginning she was really fussy about the after milking spray. I use Fight Bac spray, and it’s a bit cold, so it took her some getting used to, but the past few days she’s not even flinched when I’ve sprayed her. <br />
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I walk around behind her, let her know I’m there, and hold one side so I can spray it well. Then move on to the next one…..<br />
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Then <strong><span style="font-size: large;">WHAM!</span></strong><br />
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Before I even did the second spray, and without a bit of warning, she mule kicks me square in the face! <br />
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I really freaked because I thought she broke my nose and there was blood spraying <em>everywhere</em>. It is really quite amazing the amount of blood that can come from a nose. <br />
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I swear to you she purposely lulled me into a false sense of security and had this attack planned the entire time! <br />
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I don’t have anything but my barn towels to hold on my nose and I just bought new ones so I didn’t want to stain them up with blood. Since the entire front of my shirt was covered in blood anyways, I just held my shirt up to it, sprayed her teat and let her sit on the stand while I leaned against the fence holding my injured nose. <br />
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Called the barn cats up to finish what little milk actually made it into the bucket, & glared at Bleuberry the entire time I waited for the throbbing to subside and the blood to stop pouring. <br />
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On my trek back to the house, I fancy I might have looked like one of those action heros after the grand finale in a top notch action movie…<br />
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Ya know, like Bruce Willis dashing away from an explosion or something. Bloody, beat up, but triumphant...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH2jb7s_-CVJ-jiNFY2NsIBZAWbOmjhaksEJmKtVf2hq8Gq3K9yj30AfRDnILxDbJqkbLRHKwyKEXcKQY_WkOZ6sG6Oe2SHx8w8_UwDx_A56HOZUZRgbavEITunp-8IOvnlxLMxxEbET4/s1600/diehard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH2jb7s_-CVJ-jiNFY2NsIBZAWbOmjhaksEJmKtVf2hq8Gq3K9yj30AfRDnILxDbJqkbLRHKwyKEXcKQY_WkOZ6sG6Oe2SHx8w8_UwDx_A56HOZUZRgbavEITunp-8IOvnlxLMxxEbET4/s400/diehard.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, ok.. Perhaps my slow trek back to the house wasn't THAT dramatic..</td></tr>
</tbody></table> There were no cool explosions behind me as a back drop, but still, the milk soaked clothes and blood EVERYWHERE looked pretty darn dramatic as I trudged back up to the house. Would have been even cooler if I were toting a weapon, or someone I rescued, instead of my milking caddy, but you work with what you have. <br />
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Whatever the image, I do know, without a doubt, that it was shocking, or perhaps “<em>disturbing</em>“ is a better word for it……. <br />
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Hair disheveled. Covered in sweat, milk soaked jeans, blood down the front of my shirt, a bit of blood smeared on my cheek & chin and strangely I had a good bit on my arm too….<br />
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This is the lovely image the Fedex man saw as I met him at the porch. His expression as he took me in was worth a thousand words. I really must start toting a camera just to capture these moments...<br />
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He asked if the name on the package was correct, did his lil' scanner thing, and warily asked if I was ok. <br />
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My uber cheerful reply?<br />
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<em>“Oh sure.. I’m great! Just finished milking a goat…This weather is just fabulous, don’t ya think??? How are you doing today?”</em><br />
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His facial expression after that comment was far better than the first. The beaming smile and overly cheerful tone were a stark contrast to my bloodied appearance....<br />
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It took all I had not to giggle manically at him. Though now that I think of it, maybe I should have…. Would have been funny…<br />
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He wished me a speedy “Good Day” and was on his merry, wary way. <br />
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Poor guy, probably wondering how that much blood was involved in goat milking..... <br />
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Granted I *could* have explained myself better, but vague answers get much funnier reactions, and after my morning, a laugh at the expense of another was well earned. At least he did not get stuck in the situation I put the <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/ups-man-noodle-lesson-learned.html">UPS MAN</a> in a while back… That was a bit more awkward…. lol I really must make a note to try harder not to disturb, embarass or upset those who deliver my packages....<br />
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ANYWHO, looky what was in my package!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GanT9qfBXi4g4dhY-mm-E-TOPO9-E_jr3byAaugzSNfiSJ2lKiMjiM0BU5MtpIU1PFL2Y-dtxG2ERDGoe1EY-ERRGmoCp3iv-ckqF0Zd4oFddwHlLpc49ZBid9606uf08Kcx2IGv3tNx/s1600/031612231911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GanT9qfBXi4g4dhY-mm-E-TOPO9-E_jr3byAaugzSNfiSJ2lKiMjiM0BU5MtpIU1PFL2Y-dtxG2ERDGoe1EY-ERRGmoCp3iv-ckqF0Zd4oFddwHlLpc49ZBid9606uf08Kcx2IGv3tNx/s640/031612231911.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Goat goodies! Dewormers, nipples & tubing so I can build a lambar feeder, needles, Fight Bac, syringes (much cheaper to buy in bulk online that to purchase from TSC), more dairy sanitizing products, new filters for my stainless steel strainer, coccidia meds, a new weight tape since <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/great-joy-of-plans-gone-wrong.html">Jasper</a> ate mine, CIDR applicator, and some products for my momma too. <br />
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As a side note, for the evening milking, I told Bleuberry that there was NO way we were repeating this morning’s fiasco. She could cooperate and get treats, or I’d sell her for dog food. But one way or another, I was <strong>done, done, done</strong> with the drama, and all my understanding and patience went right out the door the moment she busted my nose. <br />
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She glared at me, ears back and stood right behind the stand. I held out a treat and calmly let her know this was her final chance to hop up unassisted......<br />
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After a minute of contemplating, she, for the very 1st time, 12 days after freshening and 25 back breaking, individual battles later, jumped up on the stand all by herself!!<br />
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Dunno if it was my tone of voice, or if she just sensed that I was <em>finished</em>, but either way, I’m thrilled….. <br />
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Persistence does pay off my friends…. Especially when it’s accompanied by a few threats.<br />
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-C.W* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-43077152875704648722012-03-16T22:26:00.000-07:002012-03-16T22:26:10.969-07:00Noodleville Updates-Both Happy & SadHey there blogger world. <br />
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One of my readers brought it to my attention that I’ve neglected my blog for well over a month now…… <br />
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I do apologize, I’ve kind of been in hiding I suppose… licking my wounds. <br />
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As many of you know, my dairy goats are a big part of my life and I’ve suffered some terrible losses this year.<br />
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First though, some good news. I left y’all hanging on my last post, but I’m happy to update that Sabrina had two healthy bucks and milked very well. One boy, now named Moose, was huge… 12lbs and already had visible horn buds at birth! The other lil man, Toby, was 8lbs, and had wattles. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD23cC1Jdqc1mvZmc-TmmKOaSGZmIdlzd20HYP10Ai0ydU9mcLl2FQO1vTb0BJP1FlDZSO8fdyQ_lsiGuu5-a2oRq5CCl4jzS8W1SvDduCAwMuW7Yw5cI8JYfXByE_LsLQfSgwfgjpmm3o/s1600/013012111147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD23cC1Jdqc1mvZmc-TmmKOaSGZmIdlzd20HYP10Ai0ydU9mcLl2FQO1vTb0BJP1FlDZSO8fdyQ_lsiGuu5-a2oRq5CCl4jzS8W1SvDduCAwMuW7Yw5cI8JYfXByE_LsLQfSgwfgjpmm3o/s320/013012111147.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toby, Cou Blanc buckling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UJqzxRgE0hqqqDXfUIdjybincYqhpR1gM60HYsCxLxfkSq67cqziF5iqpzumo3fbOjO144LfSD05eDAXXY_AMlW_h4fJrORqaJ1O3yUAwYJ8_EO-nat31HtPpD7HHubZjSft9Exij9Du/s1600/013012111357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UJqzxRgE0hqqqDXfUIdjybincYqhpR1gM60HYsCxLxfkSq67cqziF5iqpzumo3fbOjO144LfSD05eDAXXY_AMlW_h4fJrORqaJ1O3yUAwYJ8_EO-nat31HtPpD7HHubZjSft9Exij9Du/s320/013012111357.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabrina & buckling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I evaluated my herd and made some decisions on where I want to go with it…. Sabrina, though a FABULOUS milker, didn’t fit into my plans and since I can’t maintain a large herd, I had to make cuts. She went to a great home though… 1st time dairy goat owners who needed milk and we stay in touch regularly. Sabrina is the easiest to milk, most tolerant animal I ever met and she has been just wonderful with her new family and very tolerant of everyone learning to milk on her. Toby, the lil buck with wattles, went with her as a companion and is spoiled rotten by their 5 children and they are loving the fresh milk & have been making yogurt by the gallons. Moose, that chunk, went to replace a buck who was lost to snake bite last year.<br />
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Now a bit of the bad. After deciding which way I wanted to go with my herd and breeding plans, I scraped up the funds to buy a beautiful bred doe named Astra. She was my idea of perfection and I worked so hard to get her, then drove 5 hours to pick her up…. Sadly, she came home with pregnancy toxemia and due to some inaccurate, but well meant advice, I missed the early warning signs. <br />
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We progressed to <a href="http://goats.wetpaint.com/page/Hypocalcemia+-+Feed+for+Prevention">hypocalcemia</a> & <a href="http://goats.wetpaint.com/page/Ketosis+-+What+is+it%3F">ketosis</a> so rapidly. <br />
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Days spent in the barn injecting calcium, spoon feeding her, drenching with alfalfa gruel, trying to boost her energy with sugar…Kefir for her rumen, stole cud from a healthy doe to drench into her (almost lost a thumb in the process), set up a dextrose IV, minced hay in the food processor to feed tiny bits at a time….. Every 2 hours, day & night, tending to her…. <br />
Days of sitting in the barn floor praying, begging or crying…..Small improvements that gave me hope…..only to be followed by crashes that had me watching with a desperate hopelessness…. <br />
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I can’t describe the hopeless horror of watching a dream blow up in your face. Worse yet, that dream felt pain and looked at me pleadingly and I couldn’t fix it… Astra was something I thought I could never have and having this thrown in my lap was just awful. <br />
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We had to make a choice…Our hope was to pull the kids early to take the strain off her so she could recover.. But when the vet arrived, it turned into a last minute c-section to hopefully save a kid, but certainly not Astra. Instead we lost all 3. She had a beautiful cou blanc buck with wattles, and a broken chamoisee doeling…. I couldn’t have asked for more… It was exactly what I wanted and in the end I only got to hold dead kids and gave Astra an apology before we released her. Many people don’t understand…Some don’t see what all the fuss is over a goat, but I can’t explain it to folks who haven’t experienced what I have…. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RIP Astra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>To my goat friends & mentors… Many of you were right there with me through this and I can’t thank you enough for your support and help. Y’all kept me going and though we didn’t get the outcome we hoped for, I’m so thankful for the help & encouragement. <br />
<br />
To those who own goats, please read Sue Reith’s <a href="http://goats.wetpaint.com/page/Hypocalcemia+-+Feed+for+Prevention">Hypocalcemia</a> & <a href="http://goats.wetpaint.com/page/Ketosis+-+What+is+it%3F">Ketosis</a> information. It is valuable information. <br />
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A few lessons I took away from this that may be helpful to some….. Have your vet give you a bottle of <strong>injectable</strong> CMPK to keep on hand (Vet RX). It is much, much more effective than <em>oral</em> CMPK (sold OTC), and unlike oral CMPK it doesn’t have a harsh carrier that burns (oral CMPK burns the throat). <br />
<br />
Inject 30ccs, SubQ and make sure the injections are warmed to body temperature. I microwaved a damp towel until burning hot, then wrapped my syringes in it and reheated the cloth & rewrapped as many times as needed until I got it to body temp (which goat body temp is warmer than humans)…… <br />
<br />
My vet didn’t have any CMPK injectable on hand (it’s an RX) so I had to make due with injectable calcium gluconate (sold OTC at TSC for cattle, give 30ccs, SubQ at body temp). I now have 2 bottles of CMPK injectable on hand, but if you can’t get any, at least keep calcium gluconate on hand. Sue Reith also has a recipe for <a href="http://goats.wetpaint.com/page/Hypocalcemia+-+CMPK+Kitchen+Recipe">homemade CMPK *here*</a>. It won’t work as fast as injecting it, but unlike the oral CMPK you purchase, this you just make with ingredients from the vitamin isle and mix with warm water to give orally… So no caustic carrier like the oral CMPK. <br />
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If you catch the warning signs early enough, the homemade CMPK could just save your doe, but I would still urge you to try to get the injectable (or injectable calcium gluconate) on hand for emergency situations….. <br />
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These metabolic issues progress <strong>RAPIDLY</strong> and as I learned, mere <em>minutes</em> count. Had I caught the small warning signs sooner, I may have been able to save her... <br />
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For a doe needing sugar (ketosis), buy a $5 of injectable dextrose from TSC. It’s listed as an IV for cattle, but you can give orally and at the same time, give injections, SubQ, 30ccs at a time as often as needed. Keep several bottles on hand. I found out about this too late, but it did perk Astra up a bit.. Better than anything else we tried. <br />
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I also had to use the dextrose recently on another doe... She went off her feed after kidding and her urine had a slight "sweet" smell to it. Tested it with a ketone strip and it turned purple. Warmed up 2 syringes with 30cc each, injected the dextrose SubQ over the ribs (one shot on each side) and then drenched her with 60cc orally. Gave 30cc of CMPK injectable & repeated the dextrose in 2 hours. Then again. Next barn trip she wanted her grain. Did one more round before bed, and the following morning I tested he urine with the ketone strips and nothing showed up. So if you are quick, catch the signs early, you CAN turn around metabolic issues like ketosis & hypocalcemia. Anytime you have a doe go off feed... Check her temp!! Don't ignore it.<br />
Many sites recommend propylene glycol for ketosis. I know it *can* help, but try a bit on your tongue. It HURTS!!! Very caustic and can burn the esophagus making them not want to eat which does even more damage........ Not to mention, something of that nature isn’t friendly to beneficial & necessary rumen flora… <br />
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I’m not knocking those who use it, but I’m happy I found an alternative. I will not touch propylene glycol, or items that contain it (Nutri-Drench) with a 10ft pole... Most especially when I found something more gentle, more easily accepted and not harsh.The injectable dextrose is YUMMY (yea, I try goat meds…) and it’s a double whammy because they can have it orally and by injection. <br />
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My nerves are still raw from the ordeal with Astra. I didn’t have her long, but when ya sleep in the barn with a goat for days, it speeds the bonding process. All the “what ifs” & “should haves” haunt me. The images from my barn that night are torture. It looked like a scene from a horror movie after it was all finished and it took me 2 days to fully clean it as I could only bear so much at once… <br />
<br />
I thought I was made of tougher stuff, but this one really hit me hard. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have given up sooner and saved her the pain. But I stubbornly thought that if I held on, if I did more, prayed harder, or begged more I could fix her. I’m sorry I couldn’t offer her more than my lap and tears at the end. <br />
<br />
I will never buy another doe, on management so different than mine (she had no real calcium source in her diet prior to coming home with me) who is bred and so close to kidding. The move I think, tipped the odds against her. <br />
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Very hard lessons, but at least I learned them and I hope to never go through such an ordeal ever again. <br />
<br />
For brighter news, Bleuberry kidded on March 5th. Weirdest labor ever. Contractions were sporadic.. Weak, then strong, then gone. Even with the help of CMPK injectable (good for hypocalcaemia and sluggish labor) and oxytocin, we could not get real contractions from her! During the process she tried to lick the skin right off me… Lick…lick..lick, then a sharp bite when a contraction hit. I’m sporting bruises from the bites!<br />
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After a while with no progress, my mom ended up fishing the kid out. Good grief, that was awful. <br />
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He didn’t want to come out and he was big. This is Bleuberry’s first kidding and she had a 12 1/2lb buckling. Poor Bleuberry has some tearing from it and I just felt awful…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bleu's buckling... Pretty smokey color. </td></tr>
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Add to it, she wouldn’t contract afterwards to expel the placenta. We went in and massaged the cervix, that got us some contractions, but not much. Then we kind of did this heimlich maneuver with our hands right in front of her udder and pulled sharply up…. After several rounds of this we finally got her to start expelling the placenta. She’s got a bit of udder congestion and was pretty sore, but she's mending well.... <br />
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Applied Preparation H to help ease the pain from tearing (which she seemed to appreciate), did a round of antibiotics, and babied her with hot molasses water and her favorite treats. We pulled her kid at birth and he left as a bottle baby shortly after. I was just too tired to deal with him and since I wasn’t keeping him, it was better to place him sooner rather than later. Bleuberry never saw him and bonded to us instead….. Licks us and baby talks to us….Very sweet, but the down side is she screams like crazy when her baby (me) leaves the barn. <br />
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We have had a few awkward moments when I sit in the barn and she starts cleaning me, then starts nudging me towards her udder like she would a kid… Milk stand time has had it’s ups & downs, but other than the huge battle of getting her up there, we aren’t doing too bad at all. She's a first fresehener, so I cut her some slack. Hopefully in time things will go a bit more smoothly.... Pleased with the udder I’m seeing so far… It’s not going to be as nice or productive as it could have been if she would have had multiples instead of a single, but it’s well attached, high in the rear & good sized teats that are easy to milk… Still needs time, but I’m excited about the potential she’s showing. <br />
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Anywho, I am done kidding until May and am so thankful for that. I am down to Bleuberry, Casper, Comanche and Tonka after my losses & herd thinning and have to work to rebuild my Alpine herd…. <br />
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Kind of feels like I’m starting at square 1 all over again, but I feel like I have a better idea of what my goals are, so hopefully this year I can work towards those goals & tuck the heart break away for a little while.* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-83942210148250311202012-01-27T08:10:00.000-08:002012-01-27T08:10:06.558-08:00Life's lil' Luxuries & The Unbearable Waiting GameYesterday I took advantage of the beautiful weather & did some much needed cleaning. Scraped all the old bedding out of the barn, limed the floors, let it air and added a fresh layer of new dirt. Dumped in 2 big ol’ bags of fresh shavings and turned the goats loose to check out their new spic & span sleeping area.<br />
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Bleuberry LOVED it…more so than anyone else. Everyone else sniffed, nibbled on a few shavings and then headed back to the alfalfa pellet feeder. Bleuberry luxuriated in all that freshness…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is an expression of pure bliss!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Silly girl! Speaking of Bleuberry…. We drew blood and sent off samples to <a href="http://www.biotracking.com/">Biotracking</a> to test for CAE & pregnancy. My CAE results came back last Friday (Negative!! Woo Hoo!) and two days ago I got my pregnancy results and am very happy to announce that Bleuberry is pregnant and due March 5, 2012! She’s a big girl (can‘t tell if she‘s pregnant by looking at her like you can with Sabrina), who doesn’t cycle regularly and didn’t take last year so I was on pins & needles waiting for those pregnancy results!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And of course we get to that “Waiting Game”......</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Apparently Sabrina is out of the loop, but she was due to kid, <strong>YESTERDAY</strong>. Since I’m pulling her kids to bottle raise on CAE prevention, I need to attend the birth. Which means for the last week I’ve been doing barn checks every few hours….around the clock, day & night... (to say I’m slightly grumpy & really sleepy is an understatement). </div><br />
Yesterday afternoon looked promising though. She started digging, nesting and moaning a bit. I thought “Surely it’s today!” Bleuberry was the only goat Sabrina wanted around and she would actually cry if Bleuberry left. I snapped this picture of them in the barn together… Every time Sabrina would groan, Bleuberry would start grooming her… So Sweet!<br />
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Since I’m not well rested and over the moon excited, you can guess that Brina didn’t kid yesterday. After a few pitiful hours, she got up as if nothing was going on and chowed down on hay. This morning though her belly has dropped and is hanging low instead of bulging out high to the sides, so maybe, <em>just maybe</em> we can have some lil ones before the day is up….<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting...waiting...waiting....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-15078428601049040902012-01-06T21:43:00.000-08:002014-01-05T08:40:49.280-08:00A Noodleville "How To": Copper Bolusing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN">I read many great blogs. I sit and read blogs more often than I post on my own… </span><br />
<span lang="EN"><br />Why? <br /><br />Well, because most of them provide really useful info in an entertaining format… Throw in a healthy dose of life experiences/stories and I’m a happy reader.<br /><br />My blog is mostly a place where I jot down various happenings in my life, but rarely do I post <i>actual useable info. </i><br /><br />Not sure how this is going to go, but I’m going to attempt to sporadically post useful “How To’s” in the future. Do note that I said <i>sporadically</i>…this gets me & my sporadic, hectic, unscheduled self off the hook for posting specifics at particular times. <br /><br />So… Today’s <em>“How To”</em> is going to be about copper bolusing goats. In advance, I’ll forewarn y’all that this isn’t necessarily the gospel, it’s not the ONLY way to do things and I won’t be getting overly scientific on y’all. <br /><br />Copper has been linked to fertility, parasite resistance, growth, resistance to disease, & general over all health. Most minerals do not provide adequate levels of copper to meet the needs of goats. Copper bolusing is a fantastic way to give a slow release copper supplement.<br /><br />Copper deficiency can show itself in numerous ways. Also, blood samples are not a reliable way to check for copper levels in goats, the best way to check copper levels is by liver biopsy…Which can be performed during a necropsy (I personally don‘t know any vets willing to do it on a live goat, but it can be done). Handy for the goat owner to get a view on how things are going with their management… Not so handy for the goat having the necropsy. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN">So, here are a few outward signs of copper deficiency I can show you from my own goats (do keep in mind, these are not the only signs, just sharing a few from my herd).<br /><br />Sabrina came to me looking a bit rough. Her diet had been a mineral block, heavy sweet feeds (covered in molasses, which is high in iron and <b>high iron levels inhibit copper absorption</b>), rationed alfalfa hay, unlimited grass hay and grazing/browse. If you look at her tail tip in this picture shortly after we brought her home you can see she has a “fish tail” with a bald tail tip and the remaining tail hair resembles a fish tail. Many goats will grow this hair back after proper mineral needs are met and maintained, some won’t. Sabrina’s has filled in some, though not fully so I’m still waiting to see if hers will fill in. <br /> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0j4qSlPaPM_ypxEynh6azkLTVkLI9fzuf8E2m7Z2JyXiH9D-enTQEKCi1Ock7um4mE4YPK358o8EHtKL9gzwO5SPeIkOFtze4864XT2hN9R-EIYF0U1FEA_9fzVXCnZ_wydDEnEEqJpy/s1600/sabrinacopper1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="324" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0j4qSlPaPM_ypxEynh6azkLTVkLI9fzuf8E2m7Z2JyXiH9D-enTQEKCi1Ock7um4mE4YPK358o8EHtKL9gzwO5SPeIkOFtze4864XT2hN9R-EIYF0U1FEA_9fzVXCnZ_wydDEnEEqJpy/s640/sabrinacopper1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabrina 2011. Note the coarse coat & "fish tail"</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN">Next up is this burnt, coppery colored hair tips. No, this is NOT sun bleaching and it was also present on the dark hairs of her legs. Her previous home had loads of trees and shade was plentiful, where as here in the desolate, dry land of Noodle, trees and natural shade are sparse. For a fair comparison, I snapped pictures of her hair almost exactly one year apart so you can look at the difference and can compare winter hair to winter hair (In her before pics which were taken January 2011, she was pregnant & due in 2 months, in her after pics, taken January 2012, she only has 21 days left before her due date). Here we have minimal shade and if anything she spent MORE time in the sun than at her previous home, yet there are no burnt colored hair tips now. Her bald tail tip has filled in some as well, though not fully. The texture of the hair is also greatly improved. A year ago it was course and brittle, now it’s soft and has a healthy shine to it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1D7BRId-jfqG91KVnmSmxx6mjdaldbXl3S9xS697lMxuK14x-nZyGplEhDQ7yNiJGRWfef1yLolqLuLrQD7oBPVshqJHyJcdds9LyNraGrsYe5hZKObi9v9A4nZVU09cKbTpAPe3UVFg/s1600/sabrinacopper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1D7BRId-jfqG91KVnmSmxx6mjdaldbXl3S9xS697lMxuK14x-nZyGplEhDQ7yNiJGRWfef1yLolqLuLrQD7oBPVshqJHyJcdds9LyNraGrsYe5hZKObi9v9A4nZVU09cKbTpAPe3UVFg/s640/sabrinacopper2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before Copper. January 2011 Brittle, coarse hair. Discoloration affected all dark hairs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBl5tzHnQsKf97bbZrRSss__GR3VJwz7-8Ys7bWDTUUnjFo2txelKwpb1q8n1UMVgRgpX4KlHSonBce5ZRm3aj5fr2-LpA2a1i8kgmVDL03GfUN-9BArq7JC01FPcUyZ6mqnoUe8ZnkxB4/s1600/sabrinacopperafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBl5tzHnQsKf97bbZrRSss__GR3VJwz7-8Ys7bWDTUUnjFo2txelKwpb1q8n1UMVgRgpX4KlHSonBce5ZRm3aj5fr2-LpA2a1i8kgmVDL03GfUN-9BArq7JC01FPcUyZ6mqnoUe8ZnkxB4/s640/sabrinacopperafter.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After Copper. January 2012. Hair has no discoloration, it's sleek, smooth (and covered in hay bits)</td></tr>
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I didn’t think about it at the time, but I should have taken pictures of her feet. Good grief they were awful!! Her previous home kept her feet trimmed every 2 months, but the overall condition of the hoof material was very poor..... Now her feet are pretty normal and don't require as much effort to trim properly, nor do they have the tendency to grow misshapen as they did when she first arrived.. <br />Another sign of copper deficiency is a fading out of the coat, or what some folks call "ghosting". Bleuberry shows deficiency this way. She has no noticeable "fish tail" or burnt hair tips. I can't give you pictures of her as I shaved her down and don't have the "before" pics to share.... Just keep in mind, that even within one herd, animals can display deficiencies differently.<br /><br />To make a copper bolus I rely on the info provided by <a href="http://saanendoah.com/copper1.html">Joyce Lazzaro at Saanendoah</a>. Her site will give you all the scientific, technical info on her copper studies (plus show you the other signs of copper deficiency not shown here). Fantastic read, great pictures and any goat owner really should take the time to read her information. <br /><br />First you’ll need to buy a bottle of <a href="http://www.jefferslivestock.com/copasure/camid/liv/cp/16535/">Copasure</a>. I buy mine from Jeffer’s Livestock. These are copper boluses made up for cattle so you’ll need to break them down into smaller doses for goats. The $40+ may seem steep, but a little goes a <i>long way</i> so this should last you quite a while. I'll have to double check, but we bolused my mom's 3 miniature does, my 2 Lamanchas, and the 2 Alpine does & I think we used 3-4 of the boluses total and we typically bolus every 4 months.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfdCYg3o-dBxYmLZX14Kv1rcVMEQmPr_AFQTBx6jGAEb3QAf3TRcJFfuAA8J3s3X2NP1OajasGh0qEa91tlFpdh3M5zaZVc8D0xwhQ9u_qpYdUqCQRoHB46zrsPeF4WwjOit25twH3CDE/s1600/coppersupplies1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfdCYg3o-dBxYmLZX14Kv1rcVMEQmPr_AFQTBx6jGAEb3QAf3TRcJFfuAA8J3s3X2NP1OajasGh0qEa91tlFpdh3M5zaZVc8D0xwhQ9u_qpYdUqCQRoHB46zrsPeF4WwjOit25twH3CDE/s320/coppersupplies1.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copasure & a calf sized bolus</td></tr>
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<br /><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"> </span></span>Using a postal scale, you weigh out the appropriate dose of copper needed for your goat. Repackage the rods into smaller gel capsules. I place the lil' foam pad from the Copasure container on my scale, zero it out, then pour on the copper rods.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeV65AC4PsnWzejwAbfJXT1DQjX5awXipDP_Oy2B6dz4LFig9qzj0xVsaFuiKB0fOLFwreR9U15Ihlw4UvLUwKPOCeXBhV1i2sUkC07xQoZDURzI8NDvllx4e-GURanHwp_Z63HEu1TCC/s1600/coppersupplies2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeV65AC4PsnWzejwAbfJXT1DQjX5awXipDP_Oy2B6dz4LFig9qzj0xVsaFuiKB0fOLFwreR9U15Ihlw4UvLUwKPOCeXBhV1i2sUkC07xQoZDURzI8NDvllx4e-GURanHwp_Z63HEu1TCC/s320/coppersupplies2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper Oxide rods inide a bolus</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHU9EXiVHJq6dmzH3G3sma-kVPbT0cN8ANMeGhPla9dwgRdGlDFp1tv6NaK0k6ex3Sn0fsicMEpdHRHsTmfSbh_V6e1WihKT_5oFBZI0P1OScaQMK26MA7dVTQV5tXy2Fh8uZ9QnAcAhbJ/s1600/coppersupplies3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHU9EXiVHJq6dmzH3G3sma-kVPbT0cN8ANMeGhPla9dwgRdGlDFp1tv6NaK0k6ex3Sn0fsicMEpdHRHsTmfSbh_V6e1WihKT_5oFBZI0P1OScaQMK26MA7dVTQV5tXy2Fh8uZ9QnAcAhbJ/s320/coppersupplies3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<br /><br />I buy the smaller gel capsules at the health food store, but recently noticed Jeffer's is now carrying them, as are several other online vendors. You can buy a variety of sizes but I personally prefer to package all my boluses in one size gel capsule & fill accordingly. I dose according to the data collected by <a href="http://saanendoah.com/copper1.html">Joyce Lazzaro</a> which is 1 gram per 22lbs.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpz87Nu3F-2pky2ailNl-pqtlREmfMwd1HLo8wRxZUX-I6KwWszOVjH9YlHAPi5MaP9ylMyffT_HotTeut28-ycbzBhLodyD6jResok9nvrAHQ4NRW6zOqRrEd1Qu4bmFZfkF9oEsro4m/s1600/coppersupplies4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpz87Nu3F-2pky2ailNl-pqtlREmfMwd1HLo8wRxZUX-I6KwWszOVjH9YlHAPi5MaP9ylMyffT_HotTeut28-ycbzBhLodyD6jResok9nvrAHQ4NRW6zOqRrEd1Qu4bmFZfkF9oEsro4m/s320/coppersupplies4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN">Next is the tricky part.<br /><br /><br />Ok, ok, I confess… I seem to be the only bolusing challenged person in the whole world!!!!!!! <br />I was instructed to use the smallest baling gun. I tried that. I got chomped up, spit out boluses. I found it too long, bulky, and thought it did a very poor job of holding the smaller bolus (even with peanut butter!). The goal here is to get the entire bolus swallowed WHOLE. Which means, using the baling gun, you hold open the mouth, put the baling gun as far back as possible…. I’m not talking just in the mouth. I mean over the back of the tongue and <b>into the throat</b>. Once in position you push the plunger and shoot the bolus, whole, down their throat. <br /><br />I saw videos. I had helpful folks walk me through the process and give me 10,000 pointers. Yet, while all my goaty friends were swiftly, happily bolusing their goats, I was not. I tried empty horse dewormer tubes… Still a no go. I gave up, and went for an alternative method. Hiding the rods in treats. Sabrina would swallow an orange slice with a bolus in it with no problem. My miniature doe liked marshmallows. The rest? Not so much…they spit, chomped and basically did whatever possible to thwart me with every treat imaginable. <br /><br />Sadistic lil critters!<br /><br /><span lang="EN">Then I found my life saver in the form of a $3 piece of plastic. </span></span></span><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Quick & Easy Pill Dispenser" with 2 goat sized boluses inside</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">This <a href="http://www.jefferspet.com/quick-easy-pill-dispenser/camid/PET/cp/39-B7/">pill gun known as "The Quick & Easy Pill Dispenser"</a> freaking rocks!!!!!<br /><br />Granted, it’s not as long as a baling gun, so I have to hold their mouth open wide and get it back there but that’s no biggey. This lil pill gun can hold 2 goat sized boluses at once and fits easily in my hand. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevTDY7ufuHQL6RWQakA7ZsoDmjmVXUe2dR7TnwYYu0DIIybB3Ql5Ds-wGVoV29jejRfOffQheDkxp9j2T12MIOVTlEiU7PXaQCVhMXN1rmzSUGO2C1D-w4dAEtrMUDyXnnjRn95D067FN/s1600/IMG_20140105_095815_340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevTDY7ufuHQL6RWQakA7ZsoDmjmVXUe2dR7TnwYYu0DIIybB3Ql5Ds-wGVoV29jejRfOffQheDkxp9j2T12MIOVTlEiU7PXaQCVhMXN1rmzSUGO2C1D-w4dAEtrMUDyXnnjRn95D067FN/s400/IMG_20140105_095815_340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pill dispenser with loaded with 2 goat boluses</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">Follow up with a treat while saying <i>“Nummy, Nummy”</i> and you’re all done! To ensure your pill gun is longer lived, I highly recommend wrapping the barrel in several layers of duct tape or electrical tape, otherwise goat teeth will damage it after several uses.<br /></span><span lang="EN">I say <em>“Nummy, Nummy” </em>in a "sing-song" voice while giving all oral meds to goats & children. I think it helps the process, my kids contradict me. <br /><br />Now, a few things to keep in mind. In the front, goats only have bottom teeth, no top teeth, instead on top they have a hard “dental pad“. However, in the back they have both top and bottom teeth that are SHARP! Your dog’s molars have nothing on the molars of a goat and I promise you, you do not want to get your fingers caught!<br /><br />Here is a handy picture showing you the anatomy of a goat’s mouth. You can see the lower incisors in the front, the gap, then the razor sharp molars in the back. <br /> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzItU0t7Hj13fRZegn9L1NFjhNyjWCfh7a0mQMNsJM_0_oNtp85nLNk0AypG5hjqKyjKFbzzepRPbOvCiNN7PZv0tgKckIgqaufnrqv7a2ld3afalQ31j2wOHHnVTud9Ih4KJrygWbyC1/s1600/image34h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzItU0t7Hj13fRZegn9L1NFjhNyjWCfh7a0mQMNsJM_0_oNtp85nLNk0AypG5hjqKyjKFbzzepRPbOvCiNN7PZv0tgKckIgqaufnrqv7a2ld3afalQ31j2wOHHnVTud9Ih4KJrygWbyC1/s640/image34h.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
<br /><br />When bolusing, I straddle the goat, grab from the top and hold firmly in that toothless gap, careful to keep my fingers away from the chomping molars. Tilt the head back, push pill gun up over the tongue and as far back as I can get it, then push the plunger, close their mouth and shove a treat in!! With Bleuberry, I'm not tall enough to straddle her, so I lock her in the milkstand to bolus her. Easy Peasy! So easy in fact, that Clayton, my 8 year old, bolused Casper without a single problem….No spit out boluses, no chomped boluses, and no missing fingers. <br /><br />Now, there is some debate on whether or not bolusing via treats is as reliable as the traditional baling gun (or pet pill gun) method, I‘m not getting into all that here. I did the treat method out of desperation, but in all honesty, I prefer the pill gun and giving full, un-chewed boluses. That way I KNOW without a doubt that they received their full dose. <br /><br />Here is a nifty lil diagram illustrating how the bolus actually works:<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN">How the bolus works. Photo courtesy of <a href="http://saanendoah.com/copper1.html">Joyce Lazzaro</a> by way of <a href="http://animax-vet.com/index.html">Animax Vet</a></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN"> Now, do keep in mind that copper is <em>just one part </em>in the mineral equation. Depending on your area you may have other deficiencies to worry about. For my area, and my herd, I have best results copper bolusing every 3-4 months, and I also give Bo-Se which is an injectable Vitamin E/Selenium that you can obtain with a vet RX. In addition to this I feed a high quality LOOSE mineral.<br /><br />Emphasis on <b>LOOSE</b> mineral, as in bagged and similar to coarse sand in texture. Yes, there are mineral blocks available, but have you ever been licked by a goat? If not, come over and I’ll set Sabrina on ya. <br /><br />Goats have very smooth tongues like a dog does which make it a bit more difficult to get all they need simply by licking at the block. Mineral blocks are typically full of cheap salts, so the goat needs to consume more of the block in order to meet it’s mineral needs. Problem is, the goat is attracted to the mineral block because of the salt and they typically get their fill of salt before they've come close to consuming the necessary amount of minerals. So all in all, while it’s a convenient concept, to me, a mineral block is worthless.<br /><br />There are a variety of loose minerals on the market. Steer clear of “Sheep & Goat” minerals. Copper in high amounts is toxic to sheep, while studies have shown that goats need a good bit of it, so a mineral safe for sheep just isn't going to come close to meeting a goat’s copper needs. I prefer to buy dark, loose minerals…grey, brownish, earthy-toned ones. The red ones usually contain higher levels of iron and iron inhibits copper absorption. Add in that many of the red minerals have iffy amounts and sources of copper to begin with and it’s just not worth the money. My all time favorite mineral is <a href="http://www.acnutrition.com/index.php/site/bluebonnet_products_minerals">Bluebonnet Techmaster Complete</a>. Smells sooooo good, and has added kelp, yeast & probiotics.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Sadly, Techmaster is not available in all areas. Used it for many years before my local dealer closed up shop, so for a few years I used <a href="http://www.cargill.com/feed/species/beef-cattle/Products/right-now-minerals/right-now-onyx/index.jsp">Cargill Right Now Onyx</a>, a cattle mineral, and the goats did well on it. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w7vTrohdqN1y9kpGbiyEbkwNZI99kVgvoxi6ZCyjI_jyFH-_PrOZ-Av486o1mXnKDQi_DfS-gjqV933EARvs4vSwEb_l9Vqq9_8RZXatjhd9kB3Lzb675OqzDQ4omZi39a34uY54Tt3r/s1600/mineral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w7vTrohdqN1y9kpGbiyEbkwNZI99kVgvoxi6ZCyjI_jyFH-_PrOZ-Av486o1mXnKDQi_DfS-gjqV933EARvs4vSwEb_l9Vqq9_8RZXatjhd9kB3Lzb675OqzDQ4omZi39a34uY54Tt3r/s400/mineral.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My loose mineral of choice. A 50lb bag last FOREVER.</td></tr>
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<br />To be truly scientific I have even tried a few for comparison.... And yes, by "tried", I mean I went on a taste testing spree.<br /><br /><span lang="EN">I licked a mineral block, a salt block and tried a pinch of both the Techmaster & the Cargill Right Now Onyx loose minerals. Salt block obviously was the saltiest. That mineral block was almost as salty as the pure salt block, with a hint of earthy undertones and my loose minerals were kinda gross (or should I say "very earthly"?)… I could taste a SLIGHT saltiness, but it was barely there… So given that controlled, uber scientific experiment, I have proven that my loose mineral of choice isn't chock full of cheap, filler salts. <br /><br />True, I also read the labels as well, but the taste testing, IMO, made the whole thing more legit.<br /><br />Also, a side note… Copper boluses are made of copper OXIDE. I see some folks grabbing bottles of copper SULFATE and just pouring who knows how much into their water troughs, and some who even have fed it via syringe. Do keep in mind that there is such a thing as <i>“Too much of a good thing”.</i> The copper OXIDE rods in the bolus dissolve slowly over a period of MONTHS in the digestive tract of the goat and when used properly, pose no risk of copper toxicity. The copper sulfate CAN be toxic and it is <b>not</b> a gradual release form of copper supplementation....<br /><br />Anywho, just look how pretty Sabrina is now!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0z3k9UwZKJkotxJDbVvYnNeEpeVB51yllc-Yvcu3WAI92QHgK9KCKMVhGO4ieKCPbH9QflvmXMynd6pv2oKaoE9B-zb5UhYFeLtuFaTA1vC7SyzSsPwiKhXZPNsF1aXlX7f00f1RkD5Hy/s1600/sabrinaafter1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0z3k9UwZKJkotxJDbVvYnNeEpeVB51yllc-Yvcu3WAI92QHgK9KCKMVhGO4ieKCPbH9QflvmXMynd6pv2oKaoE9B-zb5UhYFeLtuFaTA1vC7SyzSsPwiKhXZPNsF1aXlX7f00f1RkD5Hy/s640/sabrinaafter1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No coarse hair, no coat discoloration, no more hoof issues</td></tr>
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.<span lang="EN"></span><br />Before her diet was heavily processed sweet feed in huge amounts (4 1/2+lbs of 16% sticky sweet feed per day), browse, a flake of alfalfa hay, mineral block and grass hay free choice. Here we switched it up a bit. <br /><br />She now gets 17% protein, Standlee alfalfa pellets, good quality coastal & sudan hay, LOOSE minerals and her grain ration is a 12% protein mix of 2 parts whole oats, 1 part Purina Strategy Healthy Edge horse feed (lower protein, high forage content high fat/calcium feed) top dressed with black oil sunflower seeds or rice bran pellets…..When milking she consumes no more than 3lbs of grain per day (usually 1lb each milking) and last lactation she milked 14lbs at 2 weeks fresh. Plus she maintains great condition. So, in summary, she actually looks better on LESS feed. <br /><br />The diet is made up of <b>quality forage </b>(alfalfa & hay), proper minerals and <i>minimal grains</i>. I find many folks will buy the poorest quality hay for goats, when in fact, I find my money better spent when I choose the best quality I can afford. Making the bulk of my herd’s diet alfalfa and quality hay enables me to have better production, better condition on a lot less of the concentrates (grain/pelleted rations) Not to mention the overall health of the herd is much, much better. Good forages make for a happy, healthy rumen. Proper minerals improve the overall health.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjtwjhkUbQZnGB-Xb3rox1XjwCwAwlMFOGQ8cSSLm49-lGZ30bGBR16wxhXTdclXxV7gA8YD1rLf3caGAnaCpiLiTr1YJLu3-el3PWcZvA7XrRb_yS4PCJMz26S_cODK8UXjvxAJPz4de/s1600/sabrinaafter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjtwjhkUbQZnGB-Xb3rox1XjwCwAwlMFOGQ8cSSLm49-lGZ30bGBR16wxhXTdclXxV7gA8YD1rLf3caGAnaCpiLiTr1YJLu3-el3PWcZvA7XrRb_yS4PCJMz26S_cODK8UXjvxAJPz4de/s320/sabrinaafter2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabrina's pregnant belly January 2012. Such a huge difference in overall condition when compared to last year. Kids due January 26th.</td></tr>
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Many people think I’m nuts…after all they are <i>“Just goats, they can eat anything” </i>but the proof is in the pudding my friends! Which, BTW, not a clue how this got started, but goats do NOT eat anything, nor should it be considered ok to feed them food stuffs unsuitable for other livestock. They are actually picky eaters, preferring browse to grazing and if you watch them at the hay feeder they are constantly picking through it to find the best bite (which is why I feed alfalfa pellets.. They pick through the alfalfa hay, eat the leaves and waste a ton of stems..No waste with my alfalfa pellets). A horse will consume hay spilled on the ground and walked on, a goat won't unless that's the only thing available....<br /><br /><span lang="EN">Anywho....usually the folks who think I'm nuts and advise me to use <b>outdated methods</b> of poor grass hay, lots of heavy sweet feeds and inadequate minerals are those with scraggly looking goats and they are the ones losing does to hypocalcemia every kidding season. <br /><br />No scraggly looking goats here, and my does receive enough calcium from their alfalfa that I’ve had no losses & no hypocalcemia. Providing proper minerals i.e- copper, has also allowed me to deworm less frequently as well..... <br /><br />Of course, each person has their own methods. I didn’t invent this stuff folks. I’m blessed to be advised by those who have decades of first hand experience and have been willing to help me out. In turn, I’ve tweaked things to suit my herd’s needs and my budget and all in all, I’m a happy goat owner with healthy goats. <br /><br />I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. If you have goats, I strongly urge you to read <a href="http://saanendoah.com/copper1.html">Joyce Lazzaro's Copper Studies</a> (think I've linked to it enough in this post? lol)..<br />. <br />There are some interesting pictures of animals suffering from extreme copper deficiency as well as more in depth info than the brief review I provided. <br /><br />Good stuff!</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-80774765516301952462011-12-10T23:14:00.000-08:002011-12-10T23:14:47.669-08:00I'm Swearing Off Milk!! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxk-lIKlTO24go1-rP9xWUaoTueCkdzCaTVv_PMegqiCOu5YOQtLCV5sI96DZk3pql6ir-sU0ByKeK0YtUSy2aUDTTPcY9BFz98rrSahw8PBs_m2NyCvJOe3Mb_IxKUhiljjqybWUaDX2/s1600/crystal+phone+923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxk-lIKlTO24go1-rP9xWUaoTueCkdzCaTVv_PMegqiCOu5YOQtLCV5sI96DZk3pql6ir-sU0ByKeK0YtUSy2aUDTTPcY9BFz98rrSahw8PBs_m2NyCvJOe3Mb_IxKUhiljjqybWUaDX2/s320/crystal+phone+923.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabrina's milk for a day. Jar on right is 1/2 gallon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Yup, that’s right folks….. Me, the big milk drinker will be forgoing milk! <br />
Ok, not forever, but at least until the end of January. <br />
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After drinking whole, store bought milk for ages, I have become horribly spoiled to fresh, raw, uber healthy, perfect goat’s milk. So have my munchkins… <br />
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If you recall our <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-dear-munchkins-dairy-drama.html">"Dramatic Dairy Dilemma"</a> you originally wouldn’t have thought my kids would have become as attached as I am to our fresh, raw milk, but they have been 100% converted.<br />
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Sabrina, my sweet polled Alpine is due to kid January 26th. This means she needed be dried up prior to kidding….<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/Blog%20Pictures/2011-03-27_12-17-27_36-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" mda="true" src="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/Blog%20Pictures/2011-03-27_12-17-27_36-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabrina with her March twin doelings on an unexpected cold spring morning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Drying up is a process. There are several opinions on the best way to do this. I’ll share mine, though I promise it’s not the only way to go about this.. <br />
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Some may think it odd that I’ve been milking Sabrina through her pregnancy, but I’ll explain that.<br />
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Some will allow does long, extended dry periods thinking it best to “give them a nice break”. When in fact these long times off do the owner's thought process a lot of good, but not so much for the doe or the long term health of the udder. <br />
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Kind of like those owners who put hats on their dogs… Yes, the owner thinks it’s adorable and it’s keeping Fido’s ears warm, but poor Fido wants to eat the stupid hat, vomit it up on your nicest rug and scream at you that he has furred ears for a reason…<br />
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As long as the doe is in <strong>good condition & maintained well</strong>, there is no reason for them to have extended dry periods. When an udder sits dry for long periods it can be harboring mastitis causing bacteria that is not being flushed out of the udder by milking and since the doe is not being milked the owner is often unaware of any issues until the doe freshens again. <br />
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So, ideally we keep the girls milking for the first part of the pregnancy and then begin drying up for the last 1-2 months of pregnancy. Does do need to be dried up at least a month or so before kidding again so they can produce colostrum for the new kids.<br />
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Now for our drying up process….. Sabrina has always been a great producer… We always got AT LEAST a gallon per day, even though she raised one doeling who stayed with her 24/7 & nursed until she was almost 7 months old. One day, when she was about 2 weeks fresh, we pulled Sabrina’s kids for the day & bottle fed them so I could get an accurate weight on the milk produced in a day without the kids stealing it. That day we got a lil over 14lbs of milk! For reference, 8lbs of milk is roughly one gallon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/2011-04-28_19-33-10_20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" mda="true" src="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/2011-04-28_19-33-10_20-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabrina's udder 8 hours full at 1 month fresh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So… since she has such a great “will to milk” and produced well, I decided a slow process for her drying up… For about a month when I milked I didn’t fully empty her out.. I’d leave about ¼ of the milk in the udder at each milking instead of emptying her. Then I had about 3 weeks of leaving about ½ of the milk each time… This told her body the demand for milk was down, so her production gradually went down as well. <br />
<br />
Then we went to once a day milking.. This was a nice change as I only had to milk in the mornings and wasn’t tied down in the evenings to rush home and milk on time. I had only meant to do this for a little while, but ended up milking once a day for a lil over 5 weeks… Liked the combo of fresh milk & less chores. <br />
<br />
At the actual time of drying up, I simply <em>stopped milking</em>. I hear folks saying they go out and relieve the udder every 5th day (or whatever schedule) but there is NO NEED to go out and relieve the udder UNLESS she is filling to capacity and is becoming painfully full or is risking leaking. If she reaches that point you need to empty out just enough to relieve the pressure and prevent leaking, but no more. <br />
<br />
I see people going out and emptying a few squirts on a doe who is no where near to being uddered up and the only thing this does is prolong the process and tells her body to keep on milking. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/2011-04-13_08-30-53_493-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" mda="true" src="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/2011-04-13_08-30-53_493-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silly 'Brina begging for treats... Her favorite treat being Mountain Dew!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When I decided to dry Sabrina up, the 2 days before I only milked her out less than half way and on the 3rd day I didn’t milk. <br />
<br />
Not only did I not milk, I did not put her on the milk stand or do anything that was even close to our milking routine. She still got a bit of grain, but in a feeder in the pen instead of on the stand.<br />
<br />
This is because for some does the whole milking process tells her body to let down milk… Sabrina instantly let down the moment she jumped on the stand and since we were drying up, I didn’t want her having any of her “Let’s Milk!” signals. <br />
<br />
I did check her udder daily and thankfully it all went smoothly… She never over filled or leaked and now she’s officially “dry”.<br />
<br />
I tried an organic cow’s milk from the store… <span style="color: #990000;"><em>Ick</em></span>. Tasted the same as the non organic stuff to tell the truth… Watery, seemed thin and was, as my daughter so eloquently put it: "Just Blah."<br />
<br />
I went to the health food store and bought a non- homogenized, low heat pasteurized cow’s milk… Not being artificially & mechanically homogenized it at least had the cream on it still, but instead of this smooth cream that’s blended in perfectly with raw goat’s milk, this cream was a big thick chunk that I had to poke at with a spoon in order to let the milk flow through the jar. The actual milk is ok…tolerable, but not fabulous. It is better than the homogenized cow’s milk (both organic & non organic) that I tried, so that’s a plus… For a quick summary on how cow's milk is homogenized click <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/022967_milk_pasteurization_dairy.html">*here*</a>.<br />
<br />
Goat’s milk is naturally homogenized and doesn’t have to be artificially & mechanically homogenized like cow’s milk does & it’s so rich, smooth, flavorful & creamy…. Well to be fair, cow's milk doesn't HAVE to be homogenized either, raw cow's milk left in it's natural state is pretty good, but big dairy business doesn't seem to agree with me on that one...<br />
<br />
I miss my goat’s milk. <br />
I’m getting a silent protest to the “<span style="color: #990000;">store bought milk</span>” (which my kids now say that as if it’s a dirty word).. <br />
<br />
Before, Tator alone would drink <em>at least</em> a quart of goat’s milk a day… If given a choice of soda (rare), sweet tea, water or goat’s milk at dinner time, they always chose milk. Now they choose tea or water….They sometimes hold out hope, check the fridge for goat’s milk before choosing. I have had the same gallon of store bought milk in my fridge for almost 2 weeks now and less than 1/2 of it is gone… <br />
<br />
Ok, I’m done whining (for now anyways)… At least the wait won’t be too awful long. <br />
<br />
My mom’s miniature doe, Keys, is due any day now, and Tootsie, the miniature Alpine doe I sold to my mom (who is also Keys' full sister) is due at the end of December. So I’ll go to momma’s, look pitiful, and she’ll send me home with milk to hold me over until Sabrina kids at the end of January. <br />
<br />
Not to mention, not only will I soon be back in fresh milk, but I’ll also have baby goats! <br />
<br />
I’m stating this publicly so y’all can hold me to it…. No matter how freaking unbelievably cute Sabrina’s kids are, I AM NOT KEEPING <strong><u>ANY</u></strong> OF THEM. So if you see me hinting around or being swayed by the overwhelming cuteness, firmly tell me “No!!”....... I really want a daughter out of <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/held-captive-in-captivating-town-of.html">Tonka</a>, and since I have to keep my numbers low I can only keep so many. So, this kidding season I’m only planning on retaining a Lamancha doe, no Alpines retained until next year.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/Blog%20Pictures/2011-03-24_16-06-33_825-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" mda="true" src="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/Blog%20Pictures/2011-03-24_16-06-33_825-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See?!?! The urge to keep them is hard to fight!<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/2011-03-11_17-32-11_842-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" mda="true" src="http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab58/NoodlevilleBunnies/2011-03-11_17-32-11_842-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's even harder to say no with this munchkin around begging to keep them all!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Thankfully I already have a few folks interested in bottle babies, so my goal is to move them out as fast as possible so I don’t get attached.<br />
<br />
In <em>theory</em> this all sounds fabulous… Let’s see how firm my will power is at the end of January....…* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3187438374932249987.post-16034430628057494282011-12-09T00:37:00.000-08:002011-12-09T00:37:33.420-08:00Noodleville’s Fowl News<span lang="EN">Here’s just a random mish-mashing of all things of the feathered variety around here. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN">First of all, I gave away 7 chickens. The Silver Laced Wyandottes, Buff Orpingtons & 1 Jersey Giant rooster. My mom had a bobcat go on a killing rampage in her chicken coop, killing 27 of her 28 birds. They shot the cat, but all those birds she had raised, and who had just started laying were gone. <br />
<br />
My chickens are the most ill treated birds ever. They have no coop, no pen and half of them suffer from a case of species confusion and believe they are dogs… So these were things I had to keep in mind when choosing which birds to give away. The 3 Silver Laced Wyandotte hens were very flighty and couldn’t seem to grasp the concept of staying on my property. The 3 Buff Orpington hens wouldn’t come when called and weren’t people friendly…. And the big Jersey Giant roo was fondly referred to as “The Survivor” as he survived the inappropriate advances of a buck in rut, but carried the battle scars of a naked bum due to being held down and plucked by that goat. He was an outsider…after all, why would the hens want the half naked roo who had been <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/08/hay-fairy-vanishing-youth.html">molested by a goat</a>? Now all 7 are happily contained in my mom’s nice coop & run… Jersey roo is the only roo, king of his domain, is growing his feathers back, and with it, his lost self esteem. </span><br />
<span lang="EN"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackson- The bloody thirsty rooster</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Next up, we got rid of Jackson, our former top rooster. Jackson was supposed to be a Light Brahma but obviously wasn’t. He was a small, stringy looking bird with a lot of attitude. He fiercely protected the girls though, so we tolerated him…. Until he turned his temper fits loose on us. <br />
<br />
I was attacked a few times and usually gave him a kick, and once beat him off me with a bat. You’d think he would have learned…but NOOOO! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One day, my son was outside & Jackson was stalking him…<br />
<br />
Usually Tator turns around and threatens him and that’s that…. This day was different. Tator ran & the blood thirsty beast of a bird loved that! <br />
<br />
I’m ashamed to say I failed miserably in my motherly duty that day….. Tator is dashing about in one huge circle, that evil bird right on his heels and the entire time Tator is screaming…. Not several screams…but one very long, extended, solid scream that went on and on like a looped recording… <br />
<br />
My gosh it was hilarious!! So funny in fact I could barely help him out due to the giggle fit that had me paralyzed. <br />
<br />
<em>I know! I know!!</em> I already said I was ashamed of myself so stop thinking evil thoughts about me!!<br />
<br />
I did eventually help him though and caught up to them just as Jackson caught up to him. <br />
<br />
That day Jackson went to freezer camp & “Big Red” happily stepped up to the plate as the only roo left.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtbCh8KbBDvbzIW0srLOUr_6Iafjv8MlnEXnYS0ZrlzEMyHhov1AlTnOUCLMwxFIqw94rAgaxx2c4HsU4r6UFr_AWhfYVvilgEXJl1btKRLHFW2DLBuJHyfQ-zWJJo4BRPPezDHWf8WfX/s1600/fowlnews3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtbCh8KbBDvbzIW0srLOUr_6Iafjv8MlnEXnYS0ZrlzEMyHhov1AlTnOUCLMwxFIqw94rAgaxx2c4HsU4r6UFr_AWhfYVvilgEXJl1btKRLHFW2DLBuJHyfQ-zWJJo4BRPPezDHWf8WfX/s640/fowlnews3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Big Red", his girls & the barn cats sharing kitchen scraps.Girls are: Jersey Black Giants, HP Reds, 1 Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, Blue Cochins, 1 Blue Andalusian & Ameraucanas..</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I love Big Red….. He’s watchful & protective of the girls, mellow with people & doesn’t crow non stop like Jackson did. He’ll gently take treats from you, follow you around the yard and round up all the girls for me when I call the chickens. Big Red won’t ever have to worry about a trip to freezer camp. <br />
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Next up a Riccardo update.<br />
<br />
I introduced you to Riccardo <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/and-then-there-were-14our-1st-fatality.html">*here*</a>.<br />
<br />
Well since she received her unfortunate name I think it altered her personality. Perhaps she thought she needed to be simply outstanding to help folks see past such a ridiculous name… Either way, this bird is officially a pet. She’ll stay as long as she lives, regardless if she’s productive or not. She comes to her name, likes to sit on your lap and is very, very smart. She averages 6-7 eggs per week too, so that’s not too shabby!<br />
<br />
One day, <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/great-joy-of-plans-gone-wrong.html">Jasper</a> is carrying on, barking up a storm. I get on to him twice & finally put him in his kennel because he won’t be quiet. Once all is quiet I hear a <em>“Tap-Tap-Tap”…. “Tap-Tap-Tap”</em> on the front door…. Not being able to see anyone through the window at a distance, I assume it’s the neighbor’s kids knocking and I couldn’t see them and that’s why Jasper was barking. <br />
<br />
I open the door thinking to find a child and instead find Riccardo!<br />
<br />
She cocks her head to the side, reaches out her foot and scratches my pants leg…. This scratching is common and means she wants food. So I go grab her some kitchen scraps, take it to her and she happily leaves to enjoy her snack. 15 minutes later the whole thing repeats and I now have a bird that knocks on the door for food…..<br />
<br />
She also went broody on me! She went missing for a few days and I freaked out. Couldn’t find her anywhere… Then one day I found her with this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KjciICYU16ImLLSowW8xAkvPCf0iEzZ6-luXKUTm5zqDL5DIlWV4GRuJgHSx9wTUvhPxwokCxtJDtCUAy_mvXnpiB9G2GtKxYE5e4NZIdjqvPoBOQAbYtYtPo-utgsApLWqFl0N3yJNZ/s1600/fowlnews2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KjciICYU16ImLLSowW8xAkvPCf0iEzZ6-luXKUTm5zqDL5DIlWV4GRuJgHSx9wTUvhPxwokCxtJDtCUAy_mvXnpiB9G2GtKxYE5e4NZIdjqvPoBOQAbYtYtPo-utgsApLWqFl0N3yJNZ/s400/fowlnews2.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><br />
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A big ol’ clutch of eggs… Timing was bad, but I was going to let her have them… Sadly my neighbor's wretched dogs ran her off of it and the eggs got cold so I had to toss them. I really, really, really despise folks who don’t have the decency to contain their dogs.. And this nut has anywhere from 9-12 at a time! Ugh….<br />
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<br />
Next up in fowl news, our odd egg find:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_-OKMtxSJxXHLaOjHWpAvh_47usKTKZtDRhWztEARoWXEJG5aAUcz9WhdpCBD9N-XQwPES3l0uoj4GMvGG5J25-cGjtpYNHvNjcw2y12ERKKbw5MHSGOkUcKJHxNpj82EGmW08z9t8sP/s1600/fowlnews1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="327" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_-OKMtxSJxXHLaOjHWpAvh_47usKTKZtDRhWztEARoWXEJG5aAUcz9WhdpCBD9N-XQwPES3l0uoj4GMvGG5J25-cGjtpYNHvNjcw2y12ERKKbw5MHSGOkUcKJHxNpj82EGmW08z9t8sP/s400/fowlnews1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clayton poking the squishy egg to show it's squishiness</td></tr>
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It was all squishy and had no shell, just the inner membrane. It was also double yoked. The kids thought it was great… Tator wanted to keep it, Shayla wanted to eat it, but in the end the barn cats got it. Haven’t had one like that since…. They have a good diet, plenty of calcium and such, so I’m assuming that one was just a fluke. <br />
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We had our first real predator threat not too long ago… An owl!<br />
<br />
Around 4:00am I hear frantic squawking from the front yard where there’s a door leading to the bedrooms and a covered porch. In the midst of the squawks I hear the “Tap-Tap-Tap” on the door… I jump up, turn the light on and head out with the closest weapon… A broom. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">Never underestimate a woman armed with a broom.</span></u></strong></div><br />
All the terrified birds are piling on each other, Riccardo is trying to get inside and just past the porch overhang a big owl has one of my beautiful blue Cochins by the wing and is trying to gain altitude!!! He was about 7ft up in the air when I took after him with the broom… Two solid hits makes him release my Cochin and he hit’s the ground on the other side of the fence… I check on my birds and much to my surprise he comes back!!!<br />
<br />
Tough lil booger.<br />
<br />
He does another low fly by and once again gets my broom, though this time he was high enough I only managed to give him a swat to the backside.<br />
<br />
He goes from telephone pole to tree….flying just out of reach, back and forth, getting closer to the porch each time. We play our game for about 25 minutes, but by this time, I’m cold and tired. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/great-joy-of-plans-gone-wrong.html">Jasper</a>, excited by the outside commotion, wanted out. <br />
<br />
Turned out to be a fabulous plan! He had such a great time chasing that owl back and forth across the yard and after the owl’s first swoop down with Jasper, he discovered that a Great Dane has a pretty impressive leap and was forced to stay higher up to avoid becoming the most delightful chew toy ever. Jasper faithfully chased the bird and watched him until sunrise (though I don’t believe this was done out of loyalty to my chickens, I think he was just having fun, lol)… <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I cleaned my poor Cochin’s wing (only a few punctures) and everyone survived the night…. Now they all roost in the barn. Thankfully it only took one night to teach them to bed down somewhere safer than a porch! <br />
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My Blue Andalusian is a hen (she's in the top picture with "Big Red"..small blue bird, big comb, white earlobes)! Couldn't figure it out for some time with her big comb, no noise and no eggs...She is a small bird but lays good sized white eggs, is the most scatter brained bird I’ve ever encountered and she can actually fly. She’s my only white egg layer and for the past month or so we’ve been averaging 4-5 white eggs per week. The kids used to be crazy over the <a href="http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-eggs-of-noodlevilletry-them-try.html">*green eggs*</a>, but since we get 14-20 of those a week now, the new competition is to see who can find the white egg… A real chore since that dumb bird lays them in the most inconvenient places.. <br />
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And of course I saved the best for last….and for obvious reasons, this bit once again will feature the famous Riccardo. <br />
<br />
My son has this giggle….. When I hear it he’s either 100% tickled to death about something, or he’s doing something he really shouldn’t be doing. <br />
<br />
I’m in the kitchen one day and hear "The Giggle"…. So I walk from the kitchen, into the living room and glance out the window to see Clayton trying his best to control his laughter, but he's having such a fit he can barely keep himself upright. <br />
<br />
He’s kneeling, holding an apple core in his mouth and Riccardo is jumping up on his knee, taking a bite, and hopping down… Over & over again. I went out and snapped pics really fast, but sadly these were the only two that didn’t come out blurry. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNd0h0YwJjUhKOVcsNkTGORUDHoAm_KHMCZEA-31Uz9ls9NPndvAUquCnqaG0QqE_l-_Ptiv8g8XncjjvvwamHGU0l5G0pIihMMTD1lAJf3rudG385EhJ8a2SFDkdFfMh8i5h1el9Mw_0j/s1600/fowlnews4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNd0h0YwJjUhKOVcsNkTGORUDHoAm_KHMCZEA-31Uz9ls9NPndvAUquCnqaG0QqE_l-_Ptiv8g8XncjjvvwamHGU0l5G0pIihMMTD1lAJf3rudG385EhJ8a2SFDkdFfMh8i5h1el9Mw_0j/s400/fowlnews4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clayton feeding Riccardo an apple core while holding it in his mouth... Big Red wants some too!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkiiimi7kUvzYHhLVBbjW9emFgHeHPoFpK2T7OCi9Wc0lm4c-mYdUeab4Y9vNJL8Aw_SeRMBrb_0FFT8bncioHReiyL_9st1wzhg1_ZFCx990pL3_yEz85tddR7r-pLnGQQwKE5DapTc1/s1600/fowlnews5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkiiimi7kUvzYHhLVBbjW9emFgHeHPoFpK2T7OCi9Wc0lm4c-mYdUeab4Y9vNJL8Aw_SeRMBrb_0FFT8bncioHReiyL_9st1wzhg1_ZFCx990pL3_yEz85tddR7r-pLnGQQwKE5DapTc1/s400/fowlnews5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe the Ameraucana thinks both of them are nuts...</td></tr>
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I asked him what on earth he was doing....<br />
<br />
<em>“Feeding Riccardo of course”</em><br />
<br />
Yes, Yes, I see that, but WHY are you feeding her like that?!?!<br />
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<em>“It’s funny momma, she likes it”</em><br />
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Okay….but WHY did you start this? When did you start doing this??<br />
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<em>“Oh, we always do it and it always makes me laugh… We do it all the time, she really likes bananas! Isn’t it so funny momma??”</em><br />
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Yep honey, it sure is…..<br />
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Of course it’s gonna make folks wonder why I don’t give you better things to do so you're not compelled to invent strange ways to feed the chickens, but whatever floats your boat honey!<br />
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Silly kid…Silly bird..</span>* Crystal *http://www.blogger.com/profile/05747729287507332288noreply@blogger.com3