The GOAT goat thread (Lizard blogs their farming adventure)

awww I am v glad!

 

Trying something different this week, the video is set as a premier! Join us 2 pm PST to see our new video and check out the Ko-fi link!



Also get hype NEXT WEEK IS BABY CHICKS!!!

 

FINALLY got our chicks and goslings but we lost a couple. Warning for animal death in the video (it's not graphic and no close ups).

 

It's good to see the kitties looking so comfy so soon. Even Sugar's warmed up, looks like.

And the goslings are so cute for babies that are going to grow up to be [dramatic voice] geese.

Sad that they shorted you and you lost a few babies, though only 2 sounds pretty good. Though I mostly know about chick shipments from people in ag who make much larger orders so the proportion may be the same. I think it's really sad that that's just. An accepted thing that happens.

 

Unfortunately we lost more since the pick up. Thankfully the rep in their customer service department was very understanding and they have a live bird guarantee for up to 48 hours after pick up so he was able to refund me for all of them. Both of us were shocked, I've never had chick die off like this before and I've been raising birds for almost 5 years now. The best we can guess is maybe postal mishandling combined with temperature shock. The facility they ship out of was in New Mexico and we got below freezing temps and snow the night before, plus with all the increased shipping demand and strains with movement due to having to maintain social distancing who knows, they could have been left someplace too cold for too long and/or jostled too much.

I'll have more info in the next video including the resolution.

 

This week was Liam's birthday. He's 6 now! I also have some resolution to the whole chick debacle. New order has been placed for 5/18 which will hopefully be warmer and have less chance of mistakes.

 

Your chicken's name is Skeletor I'm dying.

HOLY SHIT THAT CAKE

the goslings remain super cute for future hellbirds

also this is probably weird to say (?) but your family is just. Super cute and all the interactions in the videos are really heartwarming, especially the candid bits. I've actually teared up a couple times (granted I'm a little teary in general lately with the Goings On) because it seems like there's a lot of love and safety in your home. Thank you for letting us see that? Sorry I don't know how to words this.

 

Eris named her when she was still a chick.... I don't even think she knew what He-Man was at the time, she's just addicted to Youtube and memes.

jordan was really proud of it but it didn't quite turn out like what he had in his head.

Oh my god they are so cute? They're SO PERSONABLE they want attention, unlike the chickens who really could not care as long as they got food and water. And they have different peeps for how they're feeling (alarmed, hesitant but curious, wanting to play, happy and relaxed, etc). they're so charming and endearing. I am charmed. I want more but I need to wait until they're old enough to figure out their genders

No I totally get what you're trying to say and thank you! I just try my best and hope everything else falls in the right place. If nothing else I hope my kids grow up always knowing love and safety.

 

It's still a super great cake even if it's not quite what we was going for. I'm a bit jealous, I never got a volcano cake growing up :P

My joking aside I think domesticated geese are probably a bit friendlier than park geese and less likely to fight god for a breadcrumb. I hope they stay so personable! Also they look so soft. Illegal. (From what I know of chickens they can also be right little bastards, I've just never been chased for a half mile by one who wanted to shake me down for snacks)

I'm glad it got through!

 

The chicks are starting to feather out, but the goslings are just. Getting bigger.

Spoiler: Gosling pictured with 10 year old for size comparison

 

Cider trees are supposed to be delivered tomorrow!

 

Cider trees got! Spent all day today with pickaxe and shovels digging a trench so we could heel them in. Will still need to do more digging to create a swale and hugelkultur bed for their permanent home.

I am very tired in the good way that I know will translate to very sore tomorrow morning.

 

Next day, not sore at all actually! Still taking a break today because there is a lot to do. Have roofing materials to pick up tomorrow and we can get started on replacing the old roof. Unfortunately in seems like green just doesn't exist anymore? Like I can only find one manufacturer that did the green and they seem to be not making anything or possibly out of business? And all the other ones come is gray, brown white and red. So red it will be because the rest of those are boring. Also going to have to dig the swale and build up the hugelkultur bed to put the cider trees in permanently. Then gonna build some chicken tractors! We have. A very busy month ahead.

 

This week's video features the cider trees and geese babies having a bath :D

 

Was that "goose goose" in the beginning?

Also the gosling's eyes are getting kind of spooky was they grow. At that weird inbetween stage.

 

Yeah I talk to them and they "talk" back lol. I keep describing them as "fluffy, cuddly dinosaurs" for a reason and that reason is it's the most accurate term I can make in the English language.

 

Today is all goslings! Okay, 90% goslings and a little bit of Nepeta at the end. Babies are finally out of the brooder and onto pasture.

 

Well this week was fun. The chicks went outside full time then almost got blown away on Saturday.

 

Aaaaa the geese are getting so big their peeps are starting to sound like honks.



This next week will be spent building them a big mobile pen to be on property full time. We've also been trying to work on the roof of the cabin but. The weather.... keeps not cooperating....

 

We got a broody hen so it's time to hatch some eggs!



I feel like my editing skills are visibly improving with each video. All of this is self taught on free software of course, so it's.... Kind of heartening? That I can get this much done working with very little.