Expecting....!!

We are expecting here on the farm. Expecting lots and lots of babies. I just put the new drake in the breeding pen with four females, so the muscovys should start laying soon. Then, I loaded up the incubator with chicken eggs of all descriptions. A few Dorking eggs (the raven's have been stealing most of them, so that's all I was able to save recently), lots of Easter Eggers, and a few ISA/EE mixes. I also am pretty certain Lily the goat is preggers. She is not huge yet, but is starting to get 'that look' about her. Baby goats!! I can't wait for baby goats! Star is probably preggers as well, but just behind Lily. I guess the littler goat is just a bit more slutty than her bigger sister.
I am also planning a breeding between two of my dogs... Reckless, who is a sportmix, and one of the coolest little dogs ever, and Kybosh, my little Border Collie. I spent the last few months getting health tests done on them, making certain neither carries anything genetic (hips, elbows, hearts, eyes, ears). We now have the all clear, both dogs passed everything with flying colours, and I am just waiting for Ky to go into season. Which can't happen soon enough. These pups should totally ROCK. I have been going through puppy yearning a lot lately, and it's time for a new baby to train up in various sports. By the time this pup comes of age to compete, Reckless will be about 7 years old, and in the veterans class. Time goes by wayyyy too quickly with our babies.
Goat, duck, chicken, and puppies. Should be a busy spring!!!

I did have a little oops. (this is my confession time). I foster quite often for a local rescue group... Paws Without Borders. About a month ago, I got this little chocolate coloured 'chiweenie'. (chihuahua x dachshand). She weighs about 2 or 3 lbs, and is the cutest thing you ever saw. I am supposed to keep her until she finds her 'furever' home, but I'm not certain I can let this little girl go. She just fits in so nicely! I am not a small/frufru dog person, but I may have to make an exception;-)

Little Monkey. Think I may have to keep her.....

Making More Plans and another Farm Visit

Through doing dog agility, I have met a fellow farmer. She and her family have a 50+ acre farm not too far from here. They have beef cattle, Boer goats, Muscovy ducks, and sheep. Plus lots of dogs. What's a farm without lots of dogs??!! Anyway, Jody invited me out for a visit and a tour of her farm. I am continually researching what different ways I can make money from my farm, so one day I won't have to do the dog boarding anymore, and I figured this was a great chance to get some ideas.

Jody was amazingly helpful, and gave me lots of good information, and my little brain has been going a mile a minute since I got back.
Partly because I fell in love with her little goats. The Boer goat is traditionally a meat goat, but Jody says only about 10% of the goats she sells are for meat. The rest all get sold as pets. They were super friendly, and very cute. I actually cried a bit when I saw two little kids (about 3 months old). I've never seen anything so amazingly adorable. They have little floppy ears, and the friendliest expressions on their faces. I guess they are a friendly and docile breed.
I think I want a couple! I've been going over plans in my head about how to make it work with the boarding dogs. I think my own dogs would adapt to them very well. If I had 2 little goats, they would go a long way in helping me to clear all the brush and grass I have growing around, and keeping all the brambles in check. That's my main reason for wanting them. They need no extra feed, so upkeep and costs would be quite low. I am thinking of getting a breeding pair, then they would have a couple of babies every 8-10 months or so... these I could sell for about $150-$175 each. I think its' a win-win situation. I get free land-clearing, and the goats get an all-they-can-eat smorgasbord.
Jody's babies are born in January. She has invited me out to see the little ones just after they are born. I can't wait! They are weaned and ready to go in April. So, I have lots of time to figure out some dog-proof fencing. I am going to leash train the little goats, and make sure they grow up super friendly, so they will be easy to handle and move about the property.

They also raise Muscovy ducks. Jody sells live ducks, and meat ducks, and eggs. Next time I go out, I'm going to ask many more questions about those, too. Who knows... maybe another way to make some income on my little farm!