This morning I put the goat back in her sling, and unfortunately she attempted to climb out and managed to strangle herself.
Steph has shorn her, and I've skinned her. She'll go to the butchers this afternoon.
Shit happens!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
My First Possum
Shot my first possum last night. It took 5 shots, clubbed across the back of the neck, and then simply chopping it's head off to kill it!! Tough little buggers.
Don't read ahead if you are squeamish.
3 shots hit, one went in the thigh, and left through the chest (taking some of the internals with it, and making them externals!). Another went through the shoulder from underneath and out the top, and the last was from point blank in the head! After that I caught it by the tail, and it was still pretty grumpy (and alive). Having no bullets left, I found a big branch and clubbed it, that "seemed" to work. We went home, and I started to pluck it when I noticed it was still breathing! The only thing really else I could do was to remove the head. After that I continued to pluck, and remove the good thigh for the freezer.
Yay, one less possum!
Don't read ahead if you are squeamish.
3 shots hit, one went in the thigh, and left through the chest (taking some of the internals with it, and making them externals!). Another went through the shoulder from underneath and out the top, and the last was from point blank in the head! After that I caught it by the tail, and it was still pretty grumpy (and alive). Having no bullets left, I found a big branch and clubbed it, that "seemed" to work. We went home, and I started to pluck it when I noticed it was still breathing! The only thing really else I could do was to remove the head. After that I continued to pluck, and remove the good thigh for the freezer.
Yay, one less possum!
The weekend
OK, so you've had the pictures, now for the blurb...
It was a pretty full on weekend. It started late Friday with the building of the shed thing, which is primarily to make some space in the barn ready for shearing. Then on Saturday we went out to look (and purchase) a set of scales to weight sheep, goats and pigs. Whilst there I managed to wrangle hunting access to another 6acres where there are quite a few bunnies.
In the afternoon, we brought all the ewes in, and seperated out the ones with lambs, and put them on better pasture, and checked the rest to see how close they are, 1 we thought would be due shortly. She popped on Monday morning.
Then we weighed all the ewe lambs to see if they are ready for moving on, they aren't..oh well back into the pasture for them till next week, and we'll weigh them again (now we can).
On Sunday Steph and I went down and checked the goats, some were lame, and others had poopy bums, we cleaned them up, and dealt to the foot rot we found.
Whilst doing that I noticed Queeny was looking quite preggers, so when we got back to the house, I checked up on her dates, she is due today or there abouts....
We also dagged Monty, hmm, such fun!
It was a pretty full on weekend. It started late Friday with the building of the shed thing, which is primarily to make some space in the barn ready for shearing. Then on Saturday we went out to look (and purchase) a set of scales to weight sheep, goats and pigs. Whilst there I managed to wrangle hunting access to another 6acres where there are quite a few bunnies.
In the afternoon, we brought all the ewes in, and seperated out the ones with lambs, and put them on better pasture, and checked the rest to see how close they are, 1 we thought would be due shortly. She popped on Monday morning.
Then we weighed all the ewe lambs to see if they are ready for moving on, they aren't..oh well back into the pasture for them till next week, and we'll weigh them again (now we can).
On Sunday Steph and I went down and checked the goats, some were lame, and others had poopy bums, we cleaned them up, and dealt to the foot rot we found.
Whilst doing that I noticed Queeny was looking quite preggers, so when we got back to the house, I checked up on her dates, she is due today or there abouts....
We also dagged Monty, hmm, such fun!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Even more photos
The goat who almost died through worms, after a face trim
Goat Physio rig, note the bungy cords straighten the legs
A little shed, Steph and I made this the other day so we could have some space in the barn.
My new super crook, so I can really pretend to be a shephard.
More goats
Shh....I've got a secret....
Our new buck (actually we've had him since April)
One very pregnant Queeny, due August 28th, or up to 17 days thereafter, so very soon!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Three little pigs...
Another weekend, and this time serveral things of note happened.
It all started on Thursday when Steph's parents arrived, and 'cause they don't come down very often, I took Friday off work, and we thought we would go down to the beach and do some kite fishing. Friday came, and we had to run a few errands first thing, but once that was done, and we had had some l;unch, we checked the wind down a Ngawi, and whilst it was marginal for kite fishing, we thought we would give it a go. So after loading the car, we headed down. Thankfully with the skyhook, the kite went out quite nicely and in the first set we only caught 1 dogfish, so we baited it up again and put it back out. Oh dear, after about 20 minutes out, the weather looked like it might turn so we started pulling it back in, at which stage around 100m off shore the main line snapped! The kite was still anchored to the bottle so it was still flying and it probably stayed there till around 5pm on Saturday when the wind finally dropped.
Oh well, shit happens!
Saturday, Steph, Connor and I headed up to Hawkes Bay to see Mum and Dad for Dad's birthday, and we just happened to organise the collection of three Wessex Saddleback pigs. We spent the morning shopping in Y'Puk and had a reasonable nice meal at a pub, and then in the afternoon Amy bathed Connor and we then went down to collect the pigs.
We left soon after getting back to Mum and Dad's and finally got home around 8:30pm. We gave the pigs a quick feed, and headed to bed.
Sunday was pretty full on, we had heaps of visitors, Craig came up, and brought his two daughters. They had great fun patting everything from the pigs,chooks, rabbits and the horse, then Joe and Michelle turned up to drop off a trough for the pigs, and then just as Craig was leaving, someone from work dropped in for a cup of tea. After that, we brought the ewe flock in for their 5-in-1 vacs prior to lambing, and it looks like the ram that shouldn't have been fertile got to all but three going by "bits" and nipples! Oh well, at least they will all lamb together! Whilst the flock (and the three lambs) were in the pen, I vaccinated the lambs, and also docks their tails. Left our boy entire as he'll be freezer fodder so his nuts won't be a problem.
Also today, I started cleaning out the barn, trying to get that a bit more organized, that pesky goat down there, she has started being very mobile, keeping her off her knees is proving to be quite problematic!.
Later that afternoon, Alex came over to have another play on the lathe, he's started turning a fruit bowl.
I think it must be near bed time for me, so here's a photo of our pigs!
It all started on Thursday when Steph's parents arrived, and 'cause they don't come down very often, I took Friday off work, and we thought we would go down to the beach and do some kite fishing. Friday came, and we had to run a few errands first thing, but once that was done, and we had had some l;unch, we checked the wind down a Ngawi, and whilst it was marginal for kite fishing, we thought we would give it a go. So after loading the car, we headed down. Thankfully with the skyhook, the kite went out quite nicely and in the first set we only caught 1 dogfish, so we baited it up again and put it back out. Oh dear, after about 20 minutes out, the weather looked like it might turn so we started pulling it back in, at which stage around 100m off shore the main line snapped! The kite was still anchored to the bottle so it was still flying and it probably stayed there till around 5pm on Saturday when the wind finally dropped.
Oh well, shit happens!
Saturday, Steph, Connor and I headed up to Hawkes Bay to see Mum and Dad for Dad's birthday, and we just happened to organise the collection of three Wessex Saddleback pigs. We spent the morning shopping in Y'Puk and had a reasonable nice meal at a pub, and then in the afternoon Amy bathed Connor and we then went down to collect the pigs.
We left soon after getting back to Mum and Dad's and finally got home around 8:30pm. We gave the pigs a quick feed, and headed to bed.
Sunday was pretty full on, we had heaps of visitors, Craig came up, and brought his two daughters. They had great fun patting everything from the pigs,chooks, rabbits and the horse, then Joe and Michelle turned up to drop off a trough for the pigs, and then just as Craig was leaving, someone from work dropped in for a cup of tea. After that, we brought the ewe flock in for their 5-in-1 vacs prior to lambing, and it looks like the ram that shouldn't have been fertile got to all but three going by "bits" and nipples! Oh well, at least they will all lamb together! Whilst the flock (and the three lambs) were in the pen, I vaccinated the lambs, and also docks their tails. Left our boy entire as he'll be freezer fodder so his nuts won't be a problem.
Also today, I started cleaning out the barn, trying to get that a bit more organized, that pesky goat down there, she has started being very mobile, keeping her off her knees is proving to be quite problematic!.
Later that afternoon, Alex came over to have another play on the lathe, he's started turning a fruit bowl.
I think it must be near bed time for me, so here's a photo of our pigs!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Lambs, albeit early
Well,
Over the weekend, we had a pretty rough time with the weather, some really nasty winds came through and we lost 1 tree and a couple of good size branches. Other than that, the weekend wasn't too bad. Initially the plan was for a spot of fishing but with the really bad winds, and rain, that was all called off. On Saturday morning during the fine spot, Steph played with the horse whilst I looked after Connor, and then after that once it started raining and blowing, I went out and continued to chop up the tree we felled a few weeks back. It's finally all done, just the debris to burn now. After that the afternoon was spent cleaning the workshop, it had become a bit of a mess!
Saturday evening the winds came in, and Sunday morning we had planned to take some lambs to get slaughter, so I spent a while out in the rain checking the property, found the trees etc, and my manger that had been picked up and thrown about 4m, and is now broken. After ensuring everything was basically OK, I started getting the yards ready, not wanting to fart around trying to lift the sheep into the trailer, I backed it up to the race, and quite cobbled together a loading ramp (which worked quite nicely).
Once the yards etc were all ready, we brought all the ewe lambs in to select the "lucky" one, and then I headed off to the abattoir. Murpheys law, that afternoon the weather cleared up, and it was fantastic, but whilst working outside in the morning, it was raining, cold and windy!
Later that afternoon Alex came over to have a go on the lathe, which he quite enjoyed.
On to the subject of the email, several months ago (namely 5), Julia told us that the ram lamb was "showing interest" in the ewes,so we wisked him out before he could get to them, whoops, too late. This morning Steph discovered a new lamb, and then this evening there was another set of twins born. Once I got home, I headed down to check on them, and noticed that they weren't feeding, so we caught them via lamb light, and gave the mother a quick cleanup underneath with the shears (she had matted wool that was stopping the lambs). After that the lambs (1 ram, 1 ewe) got in there.
We're quite glad she finally got a ewe lamb, as that is her replacement this year.
Anyway, photos tomorrow, as lambing is always a great photo time.
Over the weekend, we had a pretty rough time with the weather, some really nasty winds came through and we lost 1 tree and a couple of good size branches. Other than that, the weekend wasn't too bad. Initially the plan was for a spot of fishing but with the really bad winds, and rain, that was all called off. On Saturday morning during the fine spot, Steph played with the horse whilst I looked after Connor, and then after that once it started raining and blowing, I went out and continued to chop up the tree we felled a few weeks back. It's finally all done, just the debris to burn now. After that the afternoon was spent cleaning the workshop, it had become a bit of a mess!
Saturday evening the winds came in, and Sunday morning we had planned to take some lambs to get slaughter, so I spent a while out in the rain checking the property, found the trees etc, and my manger that had been picked up and thrown about 4m, and is now broken. After ensuring everything was basically OK, I started getting the yards ready, not wanting to fart around trying to lift the sheep into the trailer, I backed it up to the race, and quite cobbled together a loading ramp (which worked quite nicely).
Once the yards etc were all ready, we brought all the ewe lambs in to select the "lucky" one, and then I headed off to the abattoir. Murpheys law, that afternoon the weather cleared up, and it was fantastic, but whilst working outside in the morning, it was raining, cold and windy!
Later that afternoon Alex came over to have a go on the lathe, which he quite enjoyed.
On to the subject of the email, several months ago (namely 5), Julia told us that the ram lamb was "showing interest" in the ewes,so we wisked him out before he could get to them, whoops, too late. This morning Steph discovered a new lamb, and then this evening there was another set of twins born. Once I got home, I headed down to check on them, and noticed that they weren't feeding, so we caught them via lamb light, and gave the mother a quick cleanup underneath with the shears (she had matted wool that was stopping the lambs). After that the lambs (1 ram, 1 ewe) got in there.
We're quite glad she finally got a ewe lamb, as that is her replacement this year.
Anyway, photos tomorrow, as lambing is always a great photo time.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Connor's progress.
Yesterday was Connors 3 month trip to plunket. The nurse is very happy with his development with rolling, batting and nattering. He weighed in at a hefty 6.4kg (almost 14lb 2oz for those stuck back in time :) and is 63cm long. After plunket he and Steph went for a walk around Henley lake with some of the antenatal group, ~5km and Connor slept the whole way.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Still no photos
It's been quite a good weekend, yesterday morning Steph actually managed to get a ride on Markissa whilst I was baby sitting, then I spent some time in the workshop carrying on with the wine rack, and then once I got to a point where I had to leave it for a few hours (gluing the boards for the sides together), I decided to clean up the back lawn with the tractor, sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but what I had to clean up I couldn't do it by hand, they were huge tree trunks from the Marcocarpas I had felled. I put them on the cargo tray, and then moved them over to the fire spot, I'll burn them next time we have a bonfire (probably a few weeks time). After that for some reason I decided to mow the lawns. Whilst doing the front lawn, I noticed that the goats, alpacas and sheep were grazing around the arena, they were supposed to be in the next paddock down!, they had broke through the fence (well all that was holding it together was bailing twine, what did I expect! I chased them back into the right paddock, then thought I would put them on the driveway (we're still pretty short of grass). Didn't take long to get them out, they know the drill now, and as it's more grass, there is much persuading needed.
That evening I made up a recipe for Kelfitko, very yummy, and Steph and I played Myst End of Ages till bedtime (well past bedtime).
Today, Steph had a good lie in, whilst I got the flock of grass munchers out on the driveway again, and gave our neighbour a ring so that I could teach him how to dag a sheep, albeit slowly.
We did his flock, then started on our ewe lamb and ram flock, discovered that we have some good rams, and a ewe or two that I doubt will last a week, oh well shit happens, we gave them another drench just incase.
After dagging that flock, we did the same to the ewe (in lamb) flock, and the goats, they all seemed quite good, except that the goats were a little light still light, whilst the goats are great little animals, they are a bugger to keep the weight on. As a consequence of this, we've now seperated the goats and the rest of the flock, in the hope that with a paddock to themselves, they will gain some more weight.
Before moving the stock I had to do some prep work with the sheds etc, basically trundling around the place in the tractor dragging buildings, good fun!.
Then it's tea time!
And more Myst!
Connor is still doing well, he's got more jabs on Tuesday, and plunket on Friday.
At some stage, I'll put photos up. Oh I had a feel of Queens tummy this afternoon, and she feels preggers, I compared her to the one that almost died (still alive, but still can't walk on her front legs), and there is a definite difference. Cute kids (now that will be photo blogged with in a few hours!)
Till later.
That evening I made up a recipe for Kelfitko, very yummy, and Steph and I played Myst End of Ages till bedtime (well past bedtime).
Today, Steph had a good lie in, whilst I got the flock of grass munchers out on the driveway again, and gave our neighbour a ring so that I could teach him how to dag a sheep, albeit slowly.
We did his flock, then started on our ewe lamb and ram flock, discovered that we have some good rams, and a ewe or two that I doubt will last a week, oh well shit happens, we gave them another drench just incase.
After dagging that flock, we did the same to the ewe (in lamb) flock, and the goats, they all seemed quite good, except that the goats were a little light still light, whilst the goats are great little animals, they are a bugger to keep the weight on. As a consequence of this, we've now seperated the goats and the rest of the flock, in the hope that with a paddock to themselves, they will gain some more weight.
Before moving the stock I had to do some prep work with the sheds etc, basically trundling around the place in the tractor dragging buildings, good fun!.
Then it's tea time!
And more Myst!
Connor is still doing well, he's got more jabs on Tuesday, and plunket on Friday.
At some stage, I'll put photos up. Oh I had a feel of Queens tummy this afternoon, and she feels preggers, I compared her to the one that almost died (still alive, but still can't walk on her front legs), and there is a definite difference. Cute kids (now that will be photo blogged with in a few hours!)
Till later.
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Friday, August 03, 2007
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