Dear All,
My wife and I have recently bought a beautiful retro fitted Amish house with a 600 square foot wrap around pouch on approx. 17 acres of land in southeastern Tennessee between Knoxville and Chattanooga. We have 7 wonderful chickens and 3 cats.
We have been wanting to acquire some Nigerian Dwarf goats for a long time... and the time is now here... We have found a breeder that we connect with, whom has a beautiful farm where she raises ND goats exclusively.
There is an old animal barn that we are in the process of re designing into a goat home. I just purchased some cedar posts and am in the process of installing the fencing. It may still be awhile before we can bring the goats in as their is still alot of preparation and learning that needs to go on beforehand. We plan to make cheeses and of course share some milk with the neighbors.
Hmm... herd names... well, we dont have a herd yet and will likely inherit part of a herd name when we purchase the goats, being that I understand herd names to be the name of the herd of origin for the breeding of an animal, and the breeder that is becoming our mentor for the ND goat journey is quite serious about the consistency of breeding and the high level of predictability in the goat's offspring.
Although whatever the inherited name may be, we have chosen our own that will be part of our herd name as it grows, which is 'Awiahaluna'. This is the Cherokee word for goat or 'bearded deer'. I have always been very drawn to native American ways of life and lore, and where we live, was once the land of the Cherokee. So... it is a bit of a tribute.
I am glad to have an opportunity to network with others who share a fondness for these animals and look forward to many a conversation in the future.
Attached are photos. the goat barn in the works, one of the does we may purchase at the breeder's farm with my wife and I, and one of a 'too cute' picture of some ND goats in TN.
warm wishes,
Eddie D.
Replies
Terrific! Sounds like you have met the right person. Someone who knows how to handle each step. I hope that works out great. I would love to start a bunch of new poultry but we are holding out til we get all our goatie stuff in full swing. We only have a few chickens right now. However one year about 17 years ago my two oldest sons and I raised about 500 birds. (Chic.duc.gees.guin.&turk.) We had over 70 at the fair that year. It was loads of fun. Hope you enjoy your poultry. Oh, how many did you decide to get?
Well, I have been very fortunate to be meeting all the right people... The Lady that we will be purchasing the guineas from really has a love of raising poultry. She raises chickens, guinea fowl, and turkeys. I was likely speaking to her via phone when you were writing this... Her new born guineas are just hatching now... She will look after them for about 2-3 weeks and then I will come pick them up. She suggested 5-6 weeks in an indoor brooder with the heat lamps until they are fully feathered, just like you were saying... then about 5-6 weeks in the coop so that they get oriented to their new home... and after that let 1 -2 of them out to free range at a time and over several days, start to let them out 1 at a time putting them in at night... after a few weeks of that... well, they can be total free range and roost in the trees at night or I can continue to put them in the coop at night... Thank you for your advice.
Margaret Langley said:
Welcome to the group. !!
Oh, I love your porch. And the peacock fits. You may have to get your own unless he visits enough to where you feel as if you co-own him.LOL! Good on guineas! Hope that works out good for you. I don't know how much you know about them but when I first purchased some years ago they just did not thrive and then I learned later that you have to keep them at a different temperature for a longer time than chickens, So unless you have raised them you will want to study that good before they arrive, I don't remember the specs, but what I do remember is that you are suppose to keep them at a certain temperature until they are completely feathered. They are fragile and also very tiny when hatched. Once you get them feathered out and over that little hump in time them suckers are super tough. And LOUD. Hope all goes well and that you enjoy them! My hubby really likes them.
The guineas are on their way....! A neighbor's peacock has found our porch a nice 'summer' home... flirtin' with the hens, i suppose...
Margaret Langley said:
Yup. lots of ticks, especially since there was a warm winter... that is why the guinea fowl will be arriving in another 2-3 weeks....
Deborah Flint said:
Thanks Deborah and Eddie, I had heard the expression "off the grid", but did not know its meaning. I think I could handle it as long as I was set up just right. It would certainly be challenging though. About those ticks, I am glad Deborah mentioned them because they may be a big lesson for you considering where you came from. I don't know if you have had the experience but it can be very bad. I am in Mobile, Al. and we don't have to many. Not compared to my son up there. My soldiers stationed there were eat up with them last year. There property connects to lots of woods and the ticks were all over their yard and even began to get in there house. Several times they found one on my grand babies head. They had to keep her inside a lot. You might want to talk to some folks around you before summer sets in good and try to find out if it is a problem where you are so you can prepare. If it were me, with that much land and since you like your chickens, I would start out by working on a nice poultry yard and house, and order me lots of babies before it gets to hot to ship them. They are a great thing to start homesteading with and a perfect natural way of controlling those ticks and other pest. You may want a variety of poultry, not just chickens. One of the best things to have for pest is guineas. They can be tricky to get thru the first couple of months (a little dif. care than chicks) but after that they are extremely hardy and take care of them selves well. Great guard critters. EAT the stew out of some bugs. You don't really want just a couple, they're safer and do better in a little bigger group. If I had that much land I would have chickens, ducks, geese, guineas and turkeys. Yea, I love poultry. I personally think the birds are as entertaining as the goats. In case you do want any birds and don't know where to start. You can take a look at some hatcheries online and check out the varieties, etc. My favorite hatcheries are Ideal fo chicks etc. And for water birds Metzer (they have videos showing different breeds, by the hundreds). You can find them both online. Whatever you do just keep a check out for those ticks.
sorry off the grid means no updated amenities (indoor plumbing, electrictity etc...) kind like little house on the prarie. I lived in knoxville when I was a child for a short time loved it. If i remeber correctly the closer you are to the mountains the more tick problems you can acrue. either than that your home sounds wonderful.
Deb
Eddie
Welcome, you are about to become consumed by the NDG magnet. They are amazing animals and you will have so much fun as they teach you about goats. You have a very good start with your barn. Good luck on your search for your charter herd members!
Welcome! & happy goat journey! =D
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