Everyday Things

While we’re waiting, along with checking goats numerous times around the clock, I still have all my everyday things to do.  Part of that is wondering if I should try to move more goats into the garage with rain in the forecast for Tuesday through Thursday.

Cutie

The warmer weather means my back door in the chicken room is thawed, and I could put Athena and Hera over there with everyone else if I need to.

Gidget and Hera

I’m a bit worried about the back cattle lean-to though because all the rain and melting snow runs through it.  It is likely to become a muddy mess.  They do have a fair amount of space that will stay clean, but I might have to figure out something else.  I’m just not sure what.

Myson, Casey, LilyAnn and in back Maybeline, Buster, Vinnie, and Stormy

Then there’s the maintenance of my panels that I have separating everyone.  This one was completely undone.

I have to keep my panels in place or I’d have everyone mixed together.  I don’t want that.  It’s a lot harder to check and keep my pregnant girls where I want them to kid when they are all mixed together.  Besides, some big wether keeps thinking he wants his mommy, but his mom needs to focus on the new babies coming.

Moose

I also got new salt/mineral blocks put out.  They melt so quickly in this wet, snowy weather.

Stormy (and a LilyAnn butt)

I am still feeding full hay.  Over the weekend, I ran out of hay on the bottom. I had to start throwing it from above.  At least, I’m not worried about running out.

Astra

There’s still a lot up above.

No babies yet, but if I get busy and can’t get blog posts up you can follow along on the farm FB page for almost real time updates.

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Planning Ahead

I have twenty girls due to have kids over spring break.  That’s a lot of goats due in five days.

Astra (with a photobombing peacock)

I am a little nervous because February has been pretty cold and snowy and it looks like it’s going to continue throughout the rest of the month.  Bless my nephew and his backhoe.

Sky and Nephew #1

You’ll also notice our roller coaster weather from the start of the month.

I decided I better see what March is looking like, and it’s a bit scary too.  It looks like we’re supposed to go back to more normal temperatures right after I’m done kidding.  There’s still plenty of time for the forecast to change (hopefully for the better), but I can’t count on that.

Edit: I just grabbed a new screen shot because it looks worse than it did when I created the post over the weekend.

That means I need to figure out a plan for having babies in the cold.

Blaze looking for treats or kisses.

I have the feeling my garage is not going to like this.

Maisie and boys (from 2018)

But I’d rather plan ahead than doing in the middle of the night like last year.

Snow Day Shoveling Snow

I spent yesterday, my snow day, you know, a day of summer break, shoveling snow.  I started close to the house and cleared the deck, sidewalk, and patio. Granted, I only made paths on the patio, but still…

I also made a path to the garage.  I have to say, the front gate did drift shut again, but I got scooped out again!

Then I started my work in the barnyard.  I made a path to the greenhouse (out of the picture to the right) and shoveled around the door.

I also shoveled a big space where I could feed the goats.  I have to say, it wasn’t as bad as I’ve seen sometimes.

Moose, Joani, and Wanda

I did have to clear in front of the barn door.  Luckily, they stayed in the barn most of the time I was scooping.  Their help is not really as helpful as they think.

Casey and Haley (behind)

I also cleared my red gate leading to the north paddock where my old ladies and young girls are.

Cupid

I also made a path over to the Quonsit hut.  Pistol and Antigone like to stay in there during the day.

Antigone and Pistol

Of course, I had to dig a path to the birds also. I also made a path to the cattle tank so they could get a drink.  Then I made a path to the milk room.  I made a lot of paths.

I even had to scoop the door of the buck room, so the boys and Aurora can get out without walking through huge drifts.  Thankfully, my nephew brought the big snowblower mounted on the tractor to do my driveway because I’m way too old for all this shoveling anymore.  I only had to do from the garage door to a couple of yards out.

Still, it took me most of the afternoon.  By the time I got done with chores after shoveling, the sun was sinking.  I thought it looked like a giant candle flame.