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| Princess' Grace |
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| Mother daughter photo. |
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| Princess and Princess' Grace. |
Sunday, March 04, 2012
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Meet Princess Grace
T. Cupp's Little Princess gave birth this morning around 2 am to T. Cupp's Princess Grace who was sired by Cape Fear Dave.
I had a strong suspicion that Princess would calve last night and put her in the birthing stall so I could check on her easily. I went out around 10:30 and she was contentedly chewing her cud and resting peacefully. I intended to get back up around 1 am to check on her again but didn't wake up until just shortly after 2 am. I got dressed and went out to the barn. When I got close, I could hear Princess making those soft "momma moos" that cows make shortly before and after their calves are born. (Nothing sweeter than those "momma moos"!) I shined my flashlight in the stall and there was the sweetest little baby already up on it's feet and being cleaned off by momma. The calf was full of energy and momma was very much in the moment, so I tried not to disturb them. I wanted Princess to bond immediately with this calf, something she did not do with her first calf. So, as hard as it was, other than to check to see the sex of the baby, I stayed out of the way. In fact, I went back to the house for about 45 minutes and then went back to down to make sure the baby was getting colostrum. I was not sure that Princess was letting the calf nurse. Since that was an issue in the beginning with last year's calf, I wanted to make sure. When she would not let me put the baby on her in the stall, I decided to move her to the stanchion and try it there. I was able to successfully get the calf to nurse. I went back to the house but was still unsure if Princess was going to let the calf nurse without my intervention so I set my alarm so I could sleep for about an hour and a half and then went back down to check on things. I was thrilled when I finally saw baby running from teat to teat and nursing on both sides of momma while Princess stood still except for all the kisses she was giving Princess Grace.
I had a strong suspicion that Princess would calve last night and put her in the birthing stall so I could check on her easily. I went out around 10:30 and she was contentedly chewing her cud and resting peacefully. I intended to get back up around 1 am to check on her again but didn't wake up until just shortly after 2 am. I got dressed and went out to the barn. When I got close, I could hear Princess making those soft "momma moos" that cows make shortly before and after their calves are born. (Nothing sweeter than those "momma moos"!) I shined my flashlight in the stall and there was the sweetest little baby already up on it's feet and being cleaned off by momma. The calf was full of energy and momma was very much in the moment, so I tried not to disturb them. I wanted Princess to bond immediately with this calf, something she did not do with her first calf. So, as hard as it was, other than to check to see the sex of the baby, I stayed out of the way. In fact, I went back to the house for about 45 minutes and then went back to down to make sure the baby was getting colostrum. I was not sure that Princess was letting the calf nurse. Since that was an issue in the beginning with last year's calf, I wanted to make sure. When she would not let me put the baby on her in the stall, I decided to move her to the stanchion and try it there. I was able to successfully get the calf to nurse. I went back to the house but was still unsure if Princess was going to let the calf nurse without my intervention so I set my alarm so I could sleep for about an hour and a half and then went back down to check on things. I was thrilled when I finally saw baby running from teat to teat and nursing on both sides of momma while Princess stood still except for all the kisses she was giving Princess Grace.
Friday, March 02, 2012
More Prego Photos
We are getting closer to a baby from Princess and then we will be carefully watching Apple, Emmy and Sharzee who will also calve this month. Princess is much calmer with this pregnancy and seem smuch more comfortable than late in her first pregnancy. I could still feel the baby moving quite a bit last night and don't think it had moved into birthing position as of late yesterday afternoon.
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| Photo taken late afternoon yesterday. Photos taken today: |
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| The "Udder View" |
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| Udder fuller. Pin bones becoming more distinct. Some discharge. |
Thursday, March 01, 2012
The Waiting Continues
Princess is still pregnant.
I really did not feel that she looked close to calving and would not have made the midnight trek to the barn to check on her except that we were getting so much rain and I could not sleep thinking "What if she did have a calf out in this weather?" Sometimes when you least expect it is when they calve and the "what ifs" kept running through my head. Princess got a big fat "F" in motherhood class when she first started out last year. She had the calf and ignored him. She did not dry him off and would not accept him. I had to fight with her over a period of several days to get her to actually let him nurse. (I almost lost him due to cold and not being able to get any colostrum in him right away.) I had a number of folks suggest I just bottle feed the calf, but I refused. I was determined that Princess was going to at least graduate her first year of motherhood with a "C". We had such a battle. I would have to tie her up close and force her to let the baby nurse at first. She would kick me and the baby. The baby would follow her around and try to nurse and she would kick and stomp him into the dirt. This was my Princess. This was the little cow that had been born on this farm and whom I had turned into a big pet. This was the cow that would reach up with her nose and let me give her kisses. This was the cow I could wrap my arms around and hug. Hormones had turned her into a major witch!
Thank goodness over time, Princess became a wonderful mother and earned an "A" before her first calf was raised. She loved him dearly and would lick him and learned to let him nurse. However, I am not taking any chances that she might once again become overwhelmed (or just plain hateful) and neglect this year's calf. Thus, I have been keeping a close eye on her.
Of course, while I was checking on Princess, it gave me a chance to check on the chicks as well. We lost another two (for a total of four now). These two were not in the tub of chicks that got wet (they are all doing great.) I guess they were just weak and finally gave up (although I did not notice any of them that looked suspect.) If one is going to lose any due to stress and weakness, it is usually during the first three days. So, I have my fingers crossed that we won't lose anymore (at least until we start battling predators when they are turned out).
I really did not feel that she looked close to calving and would not have made the midnight trek to the barn to check on her except that we were getting so much rain and I could not sleep thinking "What if she did have a calf out in this weather?" Sometimes when you least expect it is when they calve and the "what ifs" kept running through my head. Princess got a big fat "F" in motherhood class when she first started out last year. She had the calf and ignored him. She did not dry him off and would not accept him. I had to fight with her over a period of several days to get her to actually let him nurse. (I almost lost him due to cold and not being able to get any colostrum in him right away.) I had a number of folks suggest I just bottle feed the calf, but I refused. I was determined that Princess was going to at least graduate her first year of motherhood with a "C". We had such a battle. I would have to tie her up close and force her to let the baby nurse at first. She would kick me and the baby. The baby would follow her around and try to nurse and she would kick and stomp him into the dirt. This was my Princess. This was the little cow that had been born on this farm and whom I had turned into a big pet. This was the cow that would reach up with her nose and let me give her kisses. This was the cow I could wrap my arms around and hug. Hormones had turned her into a major witch!
Thank goodness over time, Princess became a wonderful mother and earned an "A" before her first calf was raised. She loved him dearly and would lick him and learned to let him nurse. However, I am not taking any chances that she might once again become overwhelmed (or just plain hateful) and neglect this year's calf. Thus, I have been keeping a close eye on her.
Of course, while I was checking on Princess, it gave me a chance to check on the chicks as well. We lost another two (for a total of four now). These two were not in the tub of chicks that got wet (they are all doing great.) I guess they were just weak and finally gave up (although I did not notice any of them that looked suspect.) If one is going to lose any due to stress and weakness, it is usually during the first three days. So, I have my fingers crossed that we won't lose anymore (at least until we start battling predators when they are turned out).
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| The baby appears to have dropped. I can see her ribs now. |
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How I found her Royal Highness this morning around 5 am. |
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| The End!!! |
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Speckled Sussex Chickens
The Sussex breed of chicken originated in England and comes in a variety of colors. The Sussex chickens are thought to have been bred as early as 43 AD, making them one of the oldest known breeds of chicken. They were originally bred as a meat bird but have been bred in more recent times as a dual purpose bird. The Speckled Sussex is the most common variety of Sussex in the United States.
As with any dual purpose breed, they are not going to max out on egg production or on table weight as meat birds. I have read egg production averages for the Sussex that range from 200-260 eggs a year. The eggs are cream to light brown in color. (For a comparison, the Rhode Island Reds are said to lay an average of 200 eggs a year and the Sex Link breeds ~ bred for strictly egg production ~ around 300 eggs per year.) They are also known to be decent layers even in the winter months.
The Sussex are suppose to mature quickly, at least for a dual purpose/heavy breed. Their shape (a long deep body) makes them more suitable to fattening for the table. (One can't compare the Sussex to the commercial meat birds of today such as the Cornish X.) It is to be noted that the speckled variety is said to be the slowest to mature in comparison to the other colors of Sussex birds. The Sussex have been known for centuries as having exceptional taste as a dinner bird. A mature Sussex Rooster will weigh nine pounds and a hen seven pounds.
The Sussex has a very mild temperament and they do well in a variety of settings. They do well in confinement but also do very well as free range birds for they tend to be good foragers. The Speckled Sussex colors help to camouflage them from predators.
The Sussex are not excessively broody but the Speckled variety go broody on average more than the other varieties and are known to be good mothers.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists Sussex as being on the recovery list for endangered and rare poultry. From their web site:
"By 1900 there were precious few flocks of the old Kentish, Sussex, and Surrey chickens that had not been contaminated by crossbreeding.
Speaking to a group of Sussex farmers in 1903, Edward Brown, a noted writer on the rural poultry industry, reminded them of their history and reputation for producing the finest poultry and berated them for being on the point of letting this breed die out. His speech moved many and in July of that same year E.J. Wadman took up the mantle and formed a club for Sussex chickens. Soon farmers networked to find relatively pure pockets of the breed and began its promotion. So it is that an ancient breed was brought back from the brink of extinction and became a “new’ player in the emerging poultry industry of the early 1900s.
Sussex chickens are a dual-purpose breed with a deep broad body, close fitting feathers, and white skin, shanks and feet. The breed will put on fat very easily, making it well suited for market poultry. The hens are fair to good layers of brown eggs, though they lay best if not allowed to get overly fat. This could be a wonderful breed for a small farm or homestead, being active and all-around an excellent breed for meat and eggs. Sussex chickens have a reputation, in some circles, of having flesh superior even to that of the Dorking and Old English Game chickens."
The Speckled Sussex lends itself to a variety of settings and is an all around efficient, dual purpose bird that we are happy to have as a part of our farm!
. Note: Information for this post taken from the following links:
Wikipedia
Murray McMurray Hatchery
Pickin A Chicken
American Livestock Breeds Consesrvancy
As with any dual purpose breed, they are not going to max out on egg production or on table weight as meat birds. I have read egg production averages for the Sussex that range from 200-260 eggs a year. The eggs are cream to light brown in color. (For a comparison, the Rhode Island Reds are said to lay an average of 200 eggs a year and the Sex Link breeds ~ bred for strictly egg production ~ around 300 eggs per year.) They are also known to be decent layers even in the winter months.
The Sussex are suppose to mature quickly, at least for a dual purpose/heavy breed. Their shape (a long deep body) makes them more suitable to fattening for the table. (One can't compare the Sussex to the commercial meat birds of today such as the Cornish X.) It is to be noted that the speckled variety is said to be the slowest to mature in comparison to the other colors of Sussex birds. The Sussex have been known for centuries as having exceptional taste as a dinner bird. A mature Sussex Rooster will weigh nine pounds and a hen seven pounds.
The Sussex has a very mild temperament and they do well in a variety of settings. They do well in confinement but also do very well as free range birds for they tend to be good foragers. The Speckled Sussex colors help to camouflage them from predators.
The Sussex are not excessively broody but the Speckled variety go broody on average more than the other varieties and are known to be good mothers.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists Sussex as being on the recovery list for endangered and rare poultry. From their web site:
"By 1900 there were precious few flocks of the old Kentish, Sussex, and Surrey chickens that had not been contaminated by crossbreeding.
Speaking to a group of Sussex farmers in 1903, Edward Brown, a noted writer on the rural poultry industry, reminded them of their history and reputation for producing the finest poultry and berated them for being on the point of letting this breed die out. His speech moved many and in July of that same year E.J. Wadman took up the mantle and formed a club for Sussex chickens. Soon farmers networked to find relatively pure pockets of the breed and began its promotion. So it is that an ancient breed was brought back from the brink of extinction and became a “new’ player in the emerging poultry industry of the early 1900s.
Sussex chickens are a dual-purpose breed with a deep broad body, close fitting feathers, and white skin, shanks and feet. The breed will put on fat very easily, making it well suited for market poultry. The hens are fair to good layers of brown eggs, though they lay best if not allowed to get overly fat. This could be a wonderful breed for a small farm or homestead, being active and all-around an excellent breed for meat and eggs. Sussex chickens have a reputation, in some circles, of having flesh superior even to that of the Dorking and Old English Game chickens."
The Speckled Sussex lends itself to a variety of settings and is an all around efficient, dual purpose bird that we are happy to have as a part of our farm!
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| Photo Courtesy of McMurray Hatchery |
. Note: Information for this post taken from the following links:
Wikipedia
Murray McMurray Hatchery
Pickin A Chicken
American Livestock Breeds Consesrvancy
Monday, February 27, 2012
Peep, Peep, Peep, Peeps!
They are here! Those cute, little, fuzzy, chirping birds were shipped from McMurray Hatchery yesterday morning and in approximately 24 hours arrived at the Staunton post office. ( I had requested a phone call to alert me that the chicks were leaving Iowa and bound for Virginia. McMurray efficiently called me at 5 am on Sunday morning to let me know my birds were in the mail! )
You would think that I would have my act together, knowing that the birds were on their way. I mostly had my act together but needed the increased pressure of having chirping peeps in a cardboard box sitting in the sun in my milk kitchen waiting for me to get their "homes" ready for them, to encourage me to finish the final details.
I had two small tubs but decided I would go all out and buy two more (larger) tubs. After spending as much money as I did on chicks, it only made sense to make sure they had plenty of room and safely housed in various large tubs rather than trying to come up with cardboard boxes or other means to make a temporary brooder for them. Besides, I can wash the tubs, sterilize them and use them for watering troughs (their intended purpose) later and/or I can use them to start future batches of poultry. I also opted to buy a couple of bags of the commercial wood shavings to use in the bottom of the tubs (thanks Tractor Supply for making your birds always look so appealing. I have given in to peer pressure and want my birds to look just as clean and nice, much to my husband's chagrin.) This meant I had to make a mad dash to Tractor Supply when they opened this morning. (Note to self: One can get more help and personal attention when one is the only individual in the store early morning.)
Having not started any chicks in about three years (maybe longer), I needed various and sundry supplies such as feeders, waterers, and additional lights. (Have I ever started this many birds at one time before?) My husband is just happy that I am not starting them off in the bathtub in the house like I have done in years past!
We ended up with a total of 105 live birds: 103 designated as pullets (three of them being the freebies), 26 roosters (one being a freebie) and one mystery sex and breed (rare breeds freebie). I was hoping that the roosters would be in a separate section so that I would know them from the hens and could keep them apart, but they were not designated. We will have to figure that out later. The plan is to keep a few to mate with the hens and fatten the rest up and butcher them. Raising the roosters for meat will be an experiment and I will document the process here on my blog. I am hoping that with lots of clabbered milk along with their free range lifestyle, we can come up with a nice size bird for butchering.
Wish us luck!
You would think that I would have my act together, knowing that the birds were on their way. I mostly had my act together but needed the increased pressure of having chirping peeps in a cardboard box sitting in the sun in my milk kitchen waiting for me to get their "homes" ready for them, to encourage me to finish the final details.
I had two small tubs but decided I would go all out and buy two more (larger) tubs. After spending as much money as I did on chicks, it only made sense to make sure they had plenty of room and safely housed in various large tubs rather than trying to come up with cardboard boxes or other means to make a temporary brooder for them. Besides, I can wash the tubs, sterilize them and use them for watering troughs (their intended purpose) later and/or I can use them to start future batches of poultry. I also opted to buy a couple of bags of the commercial wood shavings to use in the bottom of the tubs (thanks Tractor Supply for making your birds always look so appealing. I have given in to peer pressure and want my birds to look just as clean and nice, much to my husband's chagrin.) This meant I had to make a mad dash to Tractor Supply when they opened this morning. (Note to self: One can get more help and personal attention when one is the only individual in the store early morning.)
Having not started any chicks in about three years (maybe longer), I needed various and sundry supplies such as feeders, waterers, and additional lights. (Have I ever started this many birds at one time before?) My husband is just happy that I am not starting them off in the bathtub in the house like I have done in years past!
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| Notice: Little, brown wagon again! |
We ended up with a total of 105 live birds: 103 designated as pullets (three of them being the freebies), 26 roosters (one being a freebie) and one mystery sex and breed (rare breeds freebie). I was hoping that the roosters would be in a separate section so that I would know them from the hens and could keep them apart, but they were not designated. We will have to figure that out later. The plan is to keep a few to mate with the hens and fatten the rest up and butcher them. Raising the roosters for meat will be an experiment and I will document the process here on my blog. I am hoping that with lots of clabbered milk along with their free range lifestyle, we can come up with a nice size bird for butchering.
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| We started the peeps out on newspaper so that they can find their food the first day. Will use the paper for a couple of days and then switch over to wood shavings so that their legs will grow properly. Newspaper can be too slick and cause leg problems if used too long. |
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| Red lights were used in the heat lamps to discourage the chicks from picking and pecking each other. |
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| Information from McMurray on starting peeps can be found at this link. |
Wish us luck!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
That Little Brown Wagon (Again) & Princess Update
Yes, that little, brown wagon is making trouble again! Yesterday morning I did not take the wagon down and Midnight came in to be milked just as nice as can be (although she did glance around to see if there were any monsters lurking anywhere)!
This morning, I used the wagon to haul some dirty bedding out of one of the stalls and pulled it around back where we have our manure pile. (Mike periodically removes the pile of manure and straw and spreads it on the fields with the manure spreader.) When I began pulling that wagon across the pasture all of the cows became quite animated! Some of them ran in fear, other looked on with interest, and still others had to come and check it out. The bull acted like he wanted to "take on" the little wagon so I kept my eye on him!
When I left the pasture pulling the wagon behind me, Apple ran behind me kicking up her heels!
Crazy cows!
Princess is still a week and two days away from her due date and this photo was actually taken yesterday morning with my phone. Today, her ligaments have started to relax and it looks like her pins may even be dropping. I cleaned out the stall, put down fresh straw, and I am keeping an eye on her. I am not getting worked up yet but just keeping a cautious eye on her. She is still eating hay, cudding and although she appears somewhat uncomfortable, is not extremely so.
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