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Posted by kenneth spear on December 19, 2020 at 9:49am

 our girls are really getting big now, and showing . they will be due late March early April, we r so excited .  we wanted, to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.   will keep u all posted later, bout our girls

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My ND goats

Posted by Julia M Willams on January 2, 2017 at 2:26pm

Hi everyone! I thought maybe you all might want to see some pictures of my goats. So here they are, I hope you enjoy them...

I'm glad they don't mind the snow, because we're sure getting a lot this year!…

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A Year (and a half) in Review

Posted by Naomi D'Andrea on December 11, 2016 at 9:29pm

Bought the kids July 2015. Bred Mira January, first travel and goat-sitters March, babies June, learned how to milk, sold babies August, started playing with chevre and cheddar, built cheese press, rigged a sort of cheese cave, expanded goat yard, added more play structures for the goats...

...and I keep putting off the eternal question from Willow, "Can I keep another doe next year?" I keep waiting for the proverbial bloom to fall. I waited to see if she'd get tired of the constant…

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Old Haunt Blog Announcement!

Posted by Old Haunt Farm on May 21, 2016 at 6:41am

Hi Folks!

I'm announcing my new (still being edited and added to, but published) farm website complete with blog! I wanted to put the blog link here, since it's about my recent (and first) kidding experience. I've gotten a TON of support here over the past few weeks, and I thought I'd share this story with you as a sort of thank you! I hope you enjoy it! Here's the link...…

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Videos

Latest Activity

Johanna Trimble is now a member of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
Welcome Them!
Saturday
Katie Phillips is now a member of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
Welcome Them!
Sep 26
Tammy Gallagher replied to Patty Meyer's discussion Is he for sure a wether??
"Alexis- forgive me if this comes through twice. It is hard to tell who the reply goes to since they changed the layout here :/
If his scrotum is the size of or smaller than the little guy on the left below, you have a wether. By 3 months of age testicles are quite large and hang deep down to the bottom of the scrotal sack,away from the body.  If you feel his testicles, they should be quite small and pulled up towards his body. Actually, at 6 weeks for castration, you may barely be able to feel…"
Sep 21
Tammy Gallagher replied to Patty Meyer's discussion Is he for sure a wether??
"Little guy on the right in the photo you provided. Would be the one on the left in my photo ;)"
Sep 21
Tammy Gallagher replied to Patty Meyer's discussion Is he for sure a wether??
"If his scrotum is the size of the little guy on the right, you have a wether. By 3 months of age testicles are quite large and hang deep down to the bottom of the scrotal sack,away from the body.  If you feel his testicles, they should be quite small and pulled up towards his body. Actually, at 6 weeks for castration, you may barely be able to feel anything in there. It is not uncommon for them to mount, even does will mount others in heat and many will actually keep a wether in with their does…"
Sep 21
Alexis Bond replied to Patty Meyer's discussion Is he for sure a wether??
"I am having the same issue and it makes us a bit nervous. We actually had the vet do burdizzo. She didn't recommend it but I wanted the lower pain. I also wanted someone with experience who I felt should know for sure she has the right spot. She had done them in vet school. The first guy we did was in May, you can't even feel his testicles and yet he is shows a lot of Bucky behavior. He was possessive with one doe in particular, we figured she was in heat. He blubbers, tongue flicking, fighting…"
Sep 21
Thrifty Homesteader Team posted a discussion
Saanen Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/saanen-goats/
In today’s episode, we are talking with the oldest Saanen breeder in the US about these gentle giant of the dairy goat world. If you’ve ever looked at the American Dairy Goat Association’s Top Ten list for milk production, you’ve seen his goats. 
Scott Hoyman of Caprikorn Farms has been raising Saanens for more than four decades along with his wife Alice. He talks about why they originally chose Saanen goats and why they went on milk test.
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Sep 21
Alexis Bond is now a member of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
Welcome Them!
Sep 20
KATE FISHER is now a member of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
Welcome Them!
Sep 16
Pam is now a member of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
Welcome Them!
Sep 14
Thrifty Homesteader Team posted a discussion
Testing Goats for CAE, CL, and Johnes | For the Love of Goats Podcast
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/testing-goats-for-cae-cl-and-johnes/
Whole herd biosecurity screening is a valuable tool that we can use to feel confident that we have a healthy herd. Washington State University has a biosecurity screening test that uses one tube of blood from a goat to run tests for caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), caseous lymphadenitis (CL), and Johnes. 
In this episode, we are talking to Dr. Claire Burbick, Associate Professor at Washington State University and a faculty…
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Sep 14
Thrifty Homesteader Team posted a video
Kidding in Cold Weather
Living in Illinois means we have had more than our fair share of winter kiddings, including quite a few at below zero temperatures -- yes, that's Fahrenheit!
For more information, check out ...
Episode #38 Kidding in Cold Weather podcast: https://thriftyhomesteader.com/kidding-in-cold-weather/
Kidding in winter: https://thriftyhomesteader.com/kidding-in-winter/
My free online course on getting ready for kidding season: https://thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/kidding-season/
You can find…
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Sep 10
Tammy Gallagher replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"Your Welcome. :)"
Sep 9
Kathryn Gullage is now a member of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
Welcome Them!
Sep 8
Ann Bodling replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"Thanks for answering Tammy!  I think nervousness is like a germ sometimes, in the way it can pass from one person to another.  In this case, to me! 
I'll just go back to Timothy and stop worrying, as I seem to be following all the other good practices.
Thanks again :)
    Ann
 "
Sep 8
Tammy Gallagher replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"I also forgot to mention that Orchard grass is higher in protein than Timothy, which wethers really don't need unless they are perhaps under stress from a high worm burden, so if you have a choice, I would go back to the Timothy =)
Tammy"
Sep 8
Tammy Gallagher replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"Hi there Ann!
Deborah is away until tonight sometime, so I thought I would pop in here since it seems you are worried =)
Somewhere along the line, the rumor began that anyone feeding "grass" hay should feed alfalfa hay to "balance" it. To date, I have never seen any research or scientific data to support that. In fact, if you look up general hay analysis, grass hays are typically well balanced at close to 2:1 (0.4/0.2) ratios while alfalfa comes in at about (1.4-0.2). 
To ease your mind, I have…"
Sep 8
Ann Bodling replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"Hi again, Deborah,
   I have been reading since last night and find that the orchardgrass pellets have a lesser Ca to P ratio than the timothy pellets, which are around 2:1 and that the sunflower seeds aren't a good idea at all, being that they are way higher in P.
So, now my question is, though I don't see evidence of stones yet in the wethers, should I be adding some ammoium chloride to dissolve whatever has already precipitated in their bladders and if so, do I do that through a goat feed…"
Sep 8
Ann Bodling replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"Also, she said that timothy was a "balanced" feed source, as in having calcium and phosphorus, as opposed to orchardgrass that was high in phosphorus alone.  Cany you speak to that? I'm trying to do my own research as well."
Sep 7
Ann Bodling replied to Thrifty Homesteader Team's discussion Urinary Calculi in Goats | For the Love of Goats Podcast
"Hi Debra,
   Having just listened to this podcast and coincidently, talking today to a woman who trims goat's hooves for a living, I have a couple of questions about feeding wethers. They are now a year and a half old. I was feeding timothy pellets and a grass hay (I don't know which grass) and they have Purina goat minerals and fresh water at all times. Now they are on orchardgrass pellets because a few months ago, Tractor Supply didn't have the timothy.  Sometimes I fed the Alfalfa/Timothy…"
Sep 7
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Need goat equipment?

Yogurt Maker

2-quart milk pail


Mineral feeder (put minerals in one side and baking soda in the other!)

 

Whether you're a long time dwarf goat breeder or just considering getting a couple backyard pets, you're welcome to join us!