Ladies of the Farm

With the Weather bouncing around like it has we have all been trying to just stay warm. I tried to get out there and get some Award Winning Pictures of our Ewes but they could care less and they just wanted to sleep. So if it looks like a few of them might fall over...they just might, you just have to keep checking to make sure they are still standing.


This is Avery, She came to our Farm last year with two others. We bought them all from a farm in Missouri. Avery is pretty bossy and protective of our lambs. I am looking forward to a possible Fall Breeding with one of our Moorit Rams.







This is Liese, she came with Avery. She is more timid than the others but pretty curious as well. We bred her with Slate but we will see if anything happens.










This is Edelweiss, she is the head of the flock and the oldest member. She came to us already bred (unknowingly) and had our twins Gretl and Marta. She is very sweet and looks after all of the Sheep. We bought a few girls from a Farm in Georgia and She has adopted them and looks after them as well. Avery does not like it but it all works out.


Here is Gretl, This is one of Edelweiss' twins. I could not get one of Marta but it will show up here soon. Gretl is shy as well but she will not be left out of anything. Her Wool is so soft and I love her color.





This is Cocoa and Patience. We bought them along with two unproven Rams in Georgia. We had to keep these two in a separate smaller pen because of bossy Avery. We moved them back over there about a month ago so that they would be big enough to stand up to everyone else. I know that their fleece will not be as clean as the others but thank goodness that I know how to clean it. We will be breeding these two in the fall.




I saved the most spoilt lady for the end... Bela, my Cat (named after the composer Bartok). She tries to follow me wherever I go. The other day I caught her making friends with Cocoa and I just missed them smelling noses. Patience and Meriallen came running over to take a look and it spooked Bela. Sometimes I have to rescue her but I thought she was safe from the Dogs on Duty. Looks like Miles was having a Siesta...

The 1/2 Naked Rooster

You remember that Rooster that loves to chase everything and drive his point home?? Well.... he didn't have a good week. Last week he had all of his feather but still running for his life. I just think he picked on the wrong two dogs! Vance had to rescue him and put him back into the Pen (minus A LOT of Feathers) with Alluicious and the Boys.


I think the other Rooster will have to move there as well in the morning. They are so handy at keeping the Tick population down, it is too bad.



Some other Fowl news... We are getting even MORE Chickens! I am told another 100 plus 1 doz. Ducks. That is to add to our 100+ we already have. There will be some more Buffs, Black Sex Links and Barred Rocks. The dozen Ducks are White Pekins and Rouens. Looks like I will have a lot of pictures to take soon.






I have not been told yet but I have a STRONG feeling that I will be helping with the expansion of the Chicken Yard...just a guess. The yard is a lot bigger than in these pics. It goes down the hill to the left. I will try to get that in next time.















We had our first Goat Sale at our Farm this past week. We sold a Pygmy Doe Cocoa to a Nearby Alpaca Breeder (Coldwater Alpaca Ranch). It was exciting and kinda sad too. She was our first and of course it didn't help that we bottle fed her. It is good to know that She is at a good home and that the new owners are happy as well.




In the meantime we are currently breeding two of our Pygmys, Oreo and Bully. I PROMISE you it is no small feat to catch that Billy! It took three of us to get him in there.




It started out with just the two of us but once we had him we quickly realized that we needed help to pick him up and move him. YUP, We knelt there and stared at each other (Billy included) wondering what are we all going to do now... Vance had to hold down the front legs and shuffle his butt close enough so I could get the phone off of his belt. I desperately called our neighbour (while holding down the back legs) during that last full day of Football before the Superbowl (not sporty, am I?). It was hard for him to leave and we apologized A LOT! but we moved that Billy and I will take names now for volunteers to help us move him back in a couple of weeks.

A Farmy kinda Week...

Yesterday we moved around a lot of Animals and cleaned Pens. We are worried because our Donkey Alluicious loves to play and run the animals at times, well this would just not work well with our Pregnant Ewes. So, we swapped the Pyrenesse with the Donkey and already we are VERY happy with our decision. Once we cleaned out our smaller pen close to the Barn we wrestled the Girls (Fab.4 they are called) and trimmed their hoofs and moved them all into the main pen with the Shetlands and Dogs.


MeriAllen is one of Our Pygoras, She is a VERY quiet Goat...and sneaky. She is our inspiration in wanting to breed her with an Angora Goat.




We have chosen a Red Angora that we have named Chili, it will be a while before these two hook up but with the Red in both of them it should be interesting to see what happens.




Now, in the pasture where we moved the Fab.4 we have a small issue that is a spur in our side...well, HE doesn't think he is so small. He was moved in there almost a year ago and feels a need to drive his point home every time you are in there. I carry a "Rooster Stick" every time I go in there and one time I thought I hit him good...but no, he survived.


Today I think he might have calmed down. When I woke up this morning I saw him running for his life with those two dogs behind him. We could not find him for hours so we just assumed he didn't make it...but no, He showed up later that afternoon. I swear if you look closely at him you can see that he is crazy!

Another thing that has been getting our attention is how long the Fiber is on two of our Ewes. Almond Joy and Baby Ruth are the two (out of three) Sheep that we started our Farm with. These two Sisters are Icelandic/Shetland and Lincoln Crosses. We bought them at Three Creeks Farm where Beth and Steve have been nothing but a great support network and wonderful friends! We are going to have to start shearing these two balls of wool twice a year now...


This is Baby Ruth. She likes long walks in the Pasture, a Hearty Meal and will be your best friend if you carry corn in your Pocket.
I am just amazed at how much Wool they have in just less than a year!


Here is Almond Joy, I think she will be loosing her legs soon and we will just see a wall of wool moving around the Pasture. We will be building a stand for Shearing and hopefully we will have many curious volunteers over too.

Drop Offs!

It was a pleasant morning here at Blue Goose Farms. The Sun was shining and I had planned on taking a lot of pictures to post here. In order to get to a few of our younger animals I had to climb through a small door on the side of the Barn. Once I was in I couldn't understand why all of the animals were on the corner closest to the dog's pen. Well imagine my surprise when I saw four eyes peeking over the cement blocks right at me...I had to blink a few times wondering what exactly I was looking at! I immediately ran to the dogs pen to get them out of there and check out what was going on and this is what I found...


This is our first Major Drop Off since we have been here, but our Second one in total. Last Easter my Husband went on a trip to Alabama and I had to stay home to bottle feed two of our Goats. One morning while I was in the Bathroom I could not figure out where all this Rooster noise was coming from. It was Loud so I knew it was just outside the window. I came out around the corner of the house and had to laugh...our first Drop Off was a Rooster and a Hen! I then had to get our Fishing Net out and catch them... I am glad that I could not get a picture of that!!




Even though I love all Creatures great & small, it just ticks me off when People do a "drop off"! I feel that People should have been responsible enough to take care of their own animals and had them Spayed or Neutered. If they can not afford to look after them...why have them?! I am sure this topic has been beaten to death but at least I am on the record for my own opinion. In the meantime...Anyone want a Puppy???