Gangster Sisters

Let me introduce you to the gangster sisters.........

....... Belvidere & Bristol.  10 month old, twin Shetland ewe lambs that prey on innocent playmates.

Bristol, taking a sheep charge at innocent Dixie who came out to play on a snowy winter day.

Belvidere taking a shot at Dixie!  

The gangster sisters planning their next stategy in the snow play game. 

Going in for the big attack, figuring if they double team quick Dixie they can take her down and roll her in the snow for the win!

Dixie, " Can you believe those gangster sisters Bethel?  They are like sheep gone wild!"

Bethel," I know, they give sheep a bad name, such a shame!"

Dixie, "Are you going to join their gang?"

Bethel," No, my momma said those kinda girls are bad news, kinda like the black sheep in the family."

Dixie," Hey that was kinda funny, their black sheep....your a white sheep.....too funny!"

Bethel," I know, I'm cool like that."

Day 3 for the Triplets!

Today was the big 3 day for the triplets......the 48 hr, hold one's breath zone, passed and I am relaxing a little more.  Everyone is nursing well, they got their BoSe shot yesterday, and today little personalities started coming out.

I try not to pass judgement or be partial with the kids, but seriously....ain't she a cutie?! I didn't even get a blood curdling scream from her when I picked her up today.  Usually the girls tend to be fussy screamers, but so far she is not.

Everyone up for the mid day stretch..............

.......opps, how did she get in the picture again?!?!

Sassy is so patient when the babies start climbing all over her.  The littlest boy likes to sprawl out on top of her and claim the throne.  I think he is weighing in just over a pound or 2!

Check out those lil' elf ears.  I was thinking because of the very Nigerian like markings, that Texas was the sire and they would be full Nigerians.  However, those ears might be indicating someone else is the sire making them mini-manchas.   I actually really like the qualities of the mini-manchas based on the 2 does born last year that are mini-manchas.  Wonderful personlities!

The 2 little boys will definitely be for sale as wethers.....as for the doe......well I refuse to name her, well at least not right now I am not naming her.

Mine & Sassy's first Triplet Babies!

All was fine this morning, no signs given by Sassy that labor was forecoming.  Udder was same as it was yesterday and no signs that the babies had dropped.  Of course, this is coming from me, who didn't even know Sassy was pregnant until Thanksgiving. 

Off I went to with my parents to do some shopping down in Amish Country, came home, unloaded my goodies, started dinner, grabbed a bale of hay to start feeding, and there was a very tiny, newborn goat in the doorway of the barn and Sassy was very concerned he was not listening to her!!

Bale of hay was dropped, I scooped up the baby, and ushered Sassy into her "preplanned stall" which I did already have the heat lamps ready to go.  I got him under the lamps right away and Sassy became content.  I made sure her milk was flowing and I finished the feeding.

A good hour had passed and Sassy was still looking very large.  She has always had twins so I ws pretty sure another was due.  Contractions started after 20 minutes and she pushed out, with some assistance from me, a very large buck.  He was easily double the size of the first buck (he is the one stretched out below looking for his legs) and I "knew" she was done.

I got her a nice hot bucket of water with some Karo syrup in it which she sucked down right away and she minded her babies.  I checked on dinner, closed up the other barn, and within 15 minutes I was back to check on Sassy and I noticed a presntation of 2 hooves!  Straight up honest, I freaked.  Triplets have never been born here.  I was not prepared.  I ran to get more towels.  I ran back.  Sassy was not up to pushing.  Finally she got the head out and then the shoulders and then I did the rest. And it was a little doe, spittin' image of Sassy!  She helped clean up and was just a busy, tired, goat and so was I darn it!

I am sure I will be up all night to check on her and the babies.  Probably should just grab a blanket and get cozy by a heat lamp.  Next goat due is Sweet Pea  and I have those dates on the calendar cuz I was in charge of that breeding!!!

Jerk. Idiot. Hater.

It was 5 degrees this morning with a wind chill below zero.  And where was Ripton? At first I thought he was down in the shelter.....no, no, the jerk had put a nice size hole in the woven wired fence and was standing on the other side with 4 ewes around him.  Idiot.

Oh, he was proud of his wooly self and has a nice red nose to show how hard he worked at that fence (which did have a weak spot but I thought perhaps he would just not notice it....stupid me).  So I fed everyone, got the corded drill and extension cord because why would have I charged the cordless drill, dragged an 8 foot 2x16 piece of wood from the other barn back to the mess, fixed the fence hole, then got Ripton's wooly butt and put him back in his proper home. 

He gave me the " I am going to do it again if I don't get laid look".  Jerk.  Idiot. 

I knew he would too.  I had no plans on breeding any sheep this year, afterall its January and that would mean end of May babies.....so I guess I might have May babies now.  Miss Bittersweet, who has never been bred and is now 4 years old (she has the white blaze) was chosen and so was Savannah, she went unwillingly because Jed is actually her ram of choice.   

Ripton is not getting any more ewes....final answer.  My sheep breeding was suppose to take a rest this year.  So much for my plans.

Hater.

The Scarlet Letter on the Farm

  My BA & MA degrees mean nothing on the farm, they are but pieces of worthless paper stuffed in some miscellaneous folder in my room (actually I am not sure which folder they are in).  My head is held in shame as my attempts to be a premier breeder of "something" is shattered again.  There is always one animal on the farm that outsmarts me every year.  This, however, is year 3 for this animal.  I know.  I know.  I should know better.  Should have learned my lesson.......I am blamimg it on faulty fencing this year. 

Above is the problem.  This is the "Scarlet Letter" on the farm, the big "S".  Her name is Sassy.  A Nigerian dwarf hussy.  I think she just likes being pregnant.  She is due when?  I don't, maybe 2 weeks at the most. She pulled this stunt last year at the end of January, in the middle of a blizzard.  Who is the father?  Ears will tell me who.  I am going with Tex, the Nigerian Dwarf buck or Mr. Annoying, the big LaMancha buck who jumped the fence on a few occassions.  Last year she had twin mini-manchas.  She started bagging up 2 weeks ago and then gave me the "I am pregnant look and I can't stand up long, could you bring me the grain?" look the other day.  She kills me.

This is Gwennie, Sassy's mini-mancha doeling from last year. Gwennie is an awesome doeling!  Lots of personality but hopefully she will not carry on the Scarlet Letter traits of her mother! Lucky for Sassy she is an insanely good mother!

Never a dull moment on the farm. 

A Holiday Kiss from Emma

Who says the animals don't like the holidays?

Lil' Emma, a 6 month old mini-mancha planted a holiday kiss on Jammer yesterday and Jammer did not seem to mind at all! 

So who have you been kissing on the Holidays?! 

A Very Muddy Christmas!!!

Is it just me or are there more people looking for some holiday cheer?  To say that the weather has been insanely uncooperative is an understatement.  Now I am not complaing about not having snow.  Believe me, I am totally fine with no snow.  The first dusting snow was a 2 weeks ago and yesterday there was some.  What I am complaining about is this ridiculous mud!  Good grief!  Is there any Christmas song titled, "Muddy Christmas"?  My barn is like its own little island surrounded by mud.

It needs to freeze and stay frozen till mid-March.  Sheep & goats are sinking, I am sinking in it and as for the dogs...................

.........well Dixie just loves it!  Nothing like a good romp and mole dig in the muddy fields!

I try to find humor in the mud,  usually throwing in a few swear words to add to the humor.  

I refer to this as "Mud Alley".  Its stretch of land between the house and garden area and the big barn.  Its a high traffic area and a muddy mess.  But have faith, there is rain in the forecast this week!

Last day of school is the 22nd which sucks but I don't back till January 9th.  In order to bring some cheer to this Muddy Christmas, I bought myself a 46 inch flat screen TV and a new HP laptop to enjoy when I come in from outside covered in mud.  The laptop was actually a necessity because the old laptop was causing issues in regards to my mental health and the last straw was when I eyed up the laptop with the sliding glass door and rationalized my home owners deductible and the cost of a new laptop.  I took the more mature route & bought a new laptop.  The flat screen TV was a total spoiled  "I want a Christmas gift for me only" move.  The flat screen does wonders for my mental health however, its good therapy, calms my nerves, helps me reconnect with my inner self.

So I hope everyone has a good rush of a week before Christmas and for all the readers who stop by and understand farm & mud......."Muddy Christmas" to you!