Today brought on one of my least favorite chores. It was time to disbud the goat kids. I absolutely detest this chore. I do it only because I have found that horns on a dairy goat are not really a good thing. They tend to use them to be ugly to each other. I have a couple of horned girls and believe me, they use them to their advantage. Doug cleaned up the holding box yesterday so I was able to do it myself this time. I disbudded them and held them afterwards. To be honest I am probably the world's worst disbudder and may have to do it again. yuck, yuck, yuck.
I checked the garden to see how it had dried (still to wet to plow) and picked about a half a bushel of spinach and lots of brussels sprouts. I also checked the orchard. It looks like we may have a bumper crop of plums if the weather cooperates, which will good since we are almost out of jelly.
I finished most of my afternoon chores and headed to gather eggs. When I opened the chicken house I was greeted by a dead, half eaten chicken. Looks like we had a visitor last night, most likely a possum. grrr...We set a live trap using the deceased bird as bait and then I called Chance down to the coop. I got the "Mama No!! please don't make me guard the chickens!!" look, right before he high tailed it towards the house. That is his least favorite chore! But bribery will get you everywhere and even he couldn't pass up a leftover piece of steak. He is now on guard inside the pen until we catch the offender. Hopefully it will be tonight.
This year will be our first time disbudding. I'm not looking forward to it. We are also in a quest for self-sufficiency. We have goats, chickens, a large vegetable garden, and a root cellar. Two piglets are on their way late Spring. I enjoy your blog. Keep posting!
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