We are still lambing. Lambs, lambs and more lambs. I don't take pictures anymore. I don't like lambs. We have a handful of bummer lambs right now. One of the Suffolk ewes labored long with triplets. All three babies are fine but the mama ewe decided that she'd rather go back to her bar hopping and ram flirting rather than nurse three babies. We gave her a little tough love and set her up in the barn with all the bummer lambs. She's very vocal about being jailed with the babies. In addition to her three, she's babysitting a couple more and Gaston the goat buckling. Since I made the incredibly wise decision not to breed any goats this season, I didn't have any milk to feed these babies. I managed to find a couple of Nubians in milk in Black Forest. Bean and I picked them up of an afternoon and we were in business. The girls, Kenya and Leisel are black with loud, obnoxious Nubian personalities. I've been milking them twice a day but it seems don't have the presence of mind to take pictures.
We also adopted two more donkeys from LongHopes Donkey Rescue. Ahura and Angel came to Rolling Thunder last week. Angel is just over a year old and loves attention. It doesn't matter who the attention comes from. She is nose to nose with the Nubians and the lambs that flank both sides of the run. Ahura is Angel's mom and is very shy. She is warming up nicely with the help of daily apple treats. We now have six donkeys if you count the minis as a whole each. Clover and Mookie (mini donkeys) have a direct line of sight of Angel and Ahura. There have been more than a few LOUD conversations. Tansy, Ellie and Angel, Ahura will all be working at the ranch in Guffey this summer guarding stock. I know it's the reason why we have them but I will miss them in the coming months. I don't make it out to the other ranch often. I'm too busy forgetting my camera.The first batch of summer broiler chickens are doing great. They will be four weeks old on Wednesday. Half of their short live is gone. I decided to experiment with this batch and have not been leaving the grower food in front of them all the time. I started feeding them once, then twice and now four times per day. So far all seems to be fine. They are strong and I've had minimal losses. They will be moved to the outdoor coop this week and the brooding stall will be made ready for the next batch due in on Saturday. Never ending.
The wind had been HORRIBLE. That's all I have to say about that.
In the middle of trying to adjust to early mornings, helping with homework (which I am LOVING, except math), and trying to please everyone's taste buds, Maggie Mae my ancient Saanen doe kidded two bucklings out in her pasture. I had placed her in the pasture with Abraham my old Saanen buck last November as I was moving around animals in the barn. She wasn't in season and shouldn't have come into heat for at least two weeks. Five days after I placed her in the pasture Abraham died. I wasn't worried about her being pregnant. Abraham and Maggie have always been tight so I guess it fitting that the last few days they spent together were meaningful. I now have two boys to choose from in replacing Abraham. Maggie true to form is producing a massive amount of milk. She is cranky about one of the bucks and does not let him nurse often so I'm bottle feeding him a couple of times per day.
We also had Fly Dog visit for a week. I love Fly Dog. Her visit was not just for fun, we the humans had a motive--Fly Dog puppies. She had a daily date with Will one of the Border Collies that chase sheep around here. Things seem to go according to plan, so I'm counting down the 63 days until I can smell puppy breath. Since we already have nine dogs running around most of the time another one is not a big deal. Fly is an easy keeper. She grew up around here and knows the routine, AND...I got to give her back at the end of the week. Unfortunately having her here gave Shelly the thought that we handle another dog. I've tried to keep Shelly busy. We've had an occurrence at the other ranch that has made her think we could slide another canine in among the pack.
Tessa, had puppies. Tessa and her beau Jesse are Australian Kelpies. More sheep dogs. Puppies are cute and wonderful but I keep having dreams of seeing my image on "Animal Hoarders." I've got three male Kelpies for sale if anyone is interested.
Amid the cat hair, hound slobber, dust, goat milking and egg collection, Pepsi has decided to lighten up and share the bed with Ichabod. How sweet. I think Pepsi is just waiting until the time is right and then he'll whop on him! We all know that Pepsi only has a sweet side toward those with thumbs and only when those thumbs have food.
I'm also getting ready for Easter. I love Easter. Not for any religious reasons, I'm definitely not religious. I like it because I can rip apart ties, and use them to dye store bought white eggs. I was hoping that Gizmo Duck would start laying eggs and I could make them pretty but she's got other ideas. She's too busy bossing the drakes around. I'm sorry that the kiddo is growing up so fast and doesn't care about things like an egg laying bunny anymore.Other than that, everything is pretty normal. Taco Dog still thinks he can push around Dillweed Hound and I still need a good nap.
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