Ducks Cute Ducks

While shopping at the local feed store, I bought some ducks. The ducks were cute if they survive they will grow up to be Pekin ducks nice white ones and they will lay duck eggs. Why ducks? I guess I am a sucker for cute little animals. I hear they eat bugs, we shall see. I hope they don't eat the garden instead of the bugs.

Stormy Night

April 4th, about 8pm, a large intense storm hit the farm. About a half hour previous to this lightening could be seen and thunder was heard. I turned on the weather channel and heard them announce that a series of severe storm cells were moving rapidly across the state, from the weather tracking radar the cells appeared to be north of us. Shortly the wind began to increase at a rapid rate, suddenly the wind was hitting a high pitch and a crash was heard as the door to the second floor flew open with a bang. A rush of cold air came down the stairs and another crash as one of the living room windows broke, then the lights went out! Wahoo this was getting interesting! So there we are in a howling storm, windows broken, cats running to hide, dogs looking worried and I was searching for a light.

Upstairs there were three windows out in the upstairs bedrooms, two could be replaced as they were just pushed out of their tracks the other was in pieces. Some cardboard and wooden shelf boards nailed up to the windows solved that problem. Next was the window in the living room, more cardboard was nailed up against that window. By then the lamps were lit and things had calmed down a bit. The rain was fierce for a while, when it let up the animals were checked and all was well. The new Purple Martin bird house was bent over at a ninety degree angle, one of the big barn doors was bent in at an odd angle and the furniture was blown off the porch. By ten thirty everyone was snuggled in bed listening to the rain on the metal roof. The lights came back on at 4am (humph not out long enough :) ) I guess the adventure was over.

The next day the windows were replaced quickly as I had spare ones on hand. The barn door was pried back into place and just needs a bit of reinforcement. All and all the placed fared rather well, some folks not to far away lost their roof and others lost part of their house. An old barn was demolished and several badly damaged ours seemed no worse than before the storm. We didn't lose any trees, others lost big trees and were busy cutting them up the next day.

Just a little adventure on a dark, stormy night in the mid-west :) The weather mavens are still trying to decide whether or not we had a tornado, I think not as I didn't here the chug, chug, chug of the demon go by.

Now it is cold again and like the cats I hang about the wood stove soaking up warmth.

More goats little itty bitty ones

An interesting day to say the least. I got a bee in my bonnet about looking for a tractor and went searching for one. Found a John Deere I liked and had a neighbor go with me to look it over found out something about how to inspect an old tractor. He found that the clutch pedal was traveling way high before engaging the clutch and with the number of hours on this tractor 4700 this meant that the clutch was worn almost out and would have to be replaced $$. Also a few minor other problems like a drive wheel rim that would have to be replaced soon because it is rusted out $ and that even warm the tractor took a while to start meaning the motor was worn and would need to be rebuilt soon$$. The dealer dropped the price but I didn't buy it because I don't want to put up with the hassle of hauling a tractor to the shop for expensive repairs every few months. I am getting an education about tractors that's for sure thank goodness for helpful and experienced neighbors. I tried out a Massey Ferguson tractor just been worked on needs new tires in the front and a hydraulic outlet on the rear, ran good looks worn out though.

When arriving home we found that the little white goat had her babies, three kids two females and one male. So that makes five new goats added to the herd this week, wow what a week and it is only Tuesday :)

Birthing day

This morning I checked the goats and found two baby goats from my brown and white Nubian. The mother wasn't nursing the goats she was kicking every time one got near or I got near. So I got her into the milk stand and milked her a little and then put a kid on her and the kid suckeled well. The second kid wouldn't suck I got some milk into it by using a baster that seemed to help but that kid won't go near the mother. I am worried I will lose that kid. The mother was so sensitive that it was hard to milk her I had to use a hoble, and still there was a fight to get the milk. She is nursing the one kid now but ignoring the other.


I'll update this entry as events unfold.

Update, I have seen both kids nurse on the mother goat now so I am a bit relieved by that observation. Still a bit concerned that one got is not getting enough milk. I will keep an eye on the kid in question and take over for mom if things are not going well.

I think there are two does there, so if they stay healthy that's a going to be a real bonus. Gosh they are cute. Mother is still not thrilled to be handled by anyone. I think there is a chance she will get over the jumping and kicking stage (ya, sure :\)