Homestead Diary November 18 - 23, 2011

I'm now busy working on Christmas gifts. I'm making some quilted Christmas stockings for the family gift exchange. It only took me four tries to figure out how to sew the pieces so everything came out right. Just having a pattern to follow could save me so much trouble sometimes! Also making granola and pumpkin pie filling today. As I've learned from a dear friend, pumpkin pies really do turn out much tastier if the filling ingredients have a chance to meld for a while before being baked into pies.

Here's what's been happening with the critters around here this past week. Some fun and exciting, some more discouraging.

November 18 - When I went out to do chores this A.M. Starlight was coughing more than usual (I say more than usual, since she's been sensitive since I got her, coughing/choking on occasion. The other girls never catch anything from her, and she seems to be fine other than that). I gave her some immune support tincture from Molly's Herbals.
Gave weekly wormer to all today.

Still getting an egg a day from the new hens. Hoping some more will begin laying soon.

Bunnies are opening their eyes and are so unbelievably cute! I'm glad they happen to be at the cutest age (2 to 3 weeks) for my parents visit. My mom just loves them at this age.

November 20 - Mom went out with me to do chores this A.M. Had fun seeing the chickens, bunnies (especially bunnies), and goats.
Water is beginning to freeze at night now, so hauling much more than usual.

November 21 - Did fecals. All clear, so that's great! New microscope works great! Will do them again when I bring the girls home from the breeder.


November 20 - 23: Starlight still seems under the weather. Giving her Immune Support tincture. She sneezes once in a while too. I don't like this at all, and I wish I had a good working relationship with a vet (one experienced with goats) who was closer to me than a 3 hr. one way drive. Thankfully she's still eating fine. I hope she pulls out of this soon as there are only about 7 days until they are supposed to go to the breeder. I'm going to make a phone call today (23rd) to the breeder she came from. Hopefully she can advise me what I should do. She's a vet tech. and taught me how to give injections, and draw blood for testing for disease or pregnancy. I'm thrilled that should I ever want/need to do any of this I can take care of it by myself.