Sunday, February 21, 2010

Babies Born On The Farm!!

well, over the weekend we had a baby goat added to the keeslar farm list of new babies!
Sally, is a first time mom, did a great job-an 'unattended birth' which means no medical intervention!! Imagine that, in this so called high tech world with the way we birth both animals and humans here in America...

This little guys name is??? we have not yet named him...
He was doing just fine for the first few hours, then became chilled

So Scott brought him in, and we gave him a mixture of colostrum from the momma...then by finger, gave him some molasses, and Karo syrup, and later a few dropper fulls of strong coffee...along with continued colostrum from momma, and he really perked up.  He enjoys sitting by the fire, watching the flames!  
 
This morning we took him back out to mom to nurse, although we have been milking her and giving him the milk, it is always best to keep babies with their mommas.
He did nurse, but then after about 45 minutes of being outside, become chilled, so we again brought him inside. 

He is getting around checking things out, here he is below looking at the fan...


  

The cats do not want anything to do with him. 

As it gets warmer around here, the other wild animals come out, and last night a coon got 4 of our chickens, killing them.  We are now down to 20, so we will be getting some new chickens soon, come spring.  Not happy with the coons, they may need to eat, but there is enough wild animals out there for them, like rats!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Twins on the Keeslar Farm!!!

Tonight we have just come in from the barn after the delivery of twin lambs...Scott and I had went down to our oldest daughters home to help them with moving a couch they had just purchased (using our truck) and then we decided to go out to eat (just Scott and I).  We took our time, enjoying the evening...and upon arrival to home when Scott went out to do the evening chores, he saw that one of our sheep had delivered...so lambing season is now upon us here at the Keeslar Farm!
Two twin girls, that we might call salt and pepper for fun...!!!  Not really sure yet.   We are not sure if she is finished yet or not, so I will go out in a few hours and check.  We have one more female that is expecting for sure, but not sure about the other two females at this time.  This gives our small herd up to 6 females now, and depending upon what the other has, up to 8-9 females.  Then by next year, if each has 2 more babies, our goal is hopefully by 2-3 years to have up to 25-35 females and begin a special farm -having organic meat, herbs, fruit and vegetables.  (well we prob will not go with the certification of being organic, just because of the mess the government is in right now with that, but we do not use pesticides, hormones, at all.  So will be unofficially organic)
Here are some of the photos!


 
Here is the first born...a female, "pepper"



Here is the second born, a female..."salt"  



With momma...



finding nourishment from Mom....



The two together....