Chicken Scraps Blog

What happens when you have three girls with time on their hands, a dirty sheep, dish detergent, a camera and a lake?  Well, sometimes you get this:   How to Wash a Sheep the Old-Fashioned Way Of course though, if you chose a dirty lake to wash her in (like we did), you have to finish it with the hose! The finished product!

Note:  At the bottom of this article I have a video of teaching these commands.  In the video I am working with Fragoso (later named Charlie), from the January 2013 litter of "Great Labenees" puppies. Passepartout.      There aren't too many animals cuter than a puppy.  I mean, look at the photo!  It is all too easy to fall in love with one, and buy it simply because it's cute, and hilarious to watch.  But once you bring him (or her) home, the work begins. Socializing Emaline with the puppies.      First, to have a good dog, he must be socialized.  Basically, this is gently and carefully exposing him to new people, places, animals, and things, and teaching him to respond properly, without fear or aggression.  The goal is to teach him to accept new things, and to be a friendly dog.  Once you begin other basic training, you can also use these scenarios to teach him to obey under pressure...

     Inez is expecting again!*  We now have another litter due the third week of January.       The puppies will be available for sale/ adoption to good homes when they are eight weeks old.  I will post on here and advertise them when they are born.  If you would like to contact me now about one, please do.  If you have questions about them, please email me ( chickenscrapsblog@gmail.com ) or text 352-seven four five-3576.  Asking $210 per puppy, cash only please.      If you are interested in a puppy, email me, and I will send you an application form, or you can go to it  here .  My goal is to find all of our puppies good, responsible, forever homes where they will be properly loved, cared for and trained.  So many people simply buy a puppy because it's cute, and then discover that puppies are a lot of work, and are mischievous little rascals.  So please, if you t...

Update:  Both kids have been sold. Jolly,  buckling Holly- Doeling (Sold) 4:30 AM, December 19th.  My alarm woke me up with its insistent chiming.  I hastily silenced it, then jumped out of bed.  After dressing, I stepped out the back door to go check on Mabel, who was due to kid several days before.  As I walked to the electrical outlet near the pump to turn on the barn lights (which was Christmas lights we had strung around the stall), I heard Mabel bleating, grunting, and "talking" in the barn.  Right away I knew something was different.  That was not her usual long-drawn "Maaaaaw!"  I called to her and ran.  (I know that may sound a little silly, but I wanted to make sure she wasn't having complications or something.)      She kept on "talking" and grunting.  I had to run around to the far side of the stall to see into it.  Needless to say, I was on pins and needles, even thoug...

Mabel will be kidding soon! We had a little fun with this photo... She is due to kid on Dec. 16th.  I have no idea how many kids she will be having, but it will most likely be multiples.  She is bred to Ritz (below).  The kids will be available for sale to good homes.  They can go as bottle babies, or at 8 weeks old.  Perfect Christmas present! I will post when they are born, with prices and contact info.

Here are some more photos of Nelly's triplet doelings, and some of their family... Ophelia. Ophelia. Pegatha.  (My grandfather suggested the name as a joke, and it sort of stuck.) Nutmeg and Flavia. Nutmeg checking out Buttercup (the Jersey calf). Emaline spending time with the kids.  (Doelings L-R:  Nutmeg, Pegatha, Ophelia.)  Nelly, their Saanen mama, has a beautiful and soft udder.  She is currently giving between 2 and 3 quarts per day.  I do not feed corn, mainly because it's genetically modified, and super unhealthy.  So I don't get as much milk as most people, but it's a higher quality.   Little Heidi- their half-sister. Violet, also their half-sister. Violet is turning out to be a good milker (when she stands still).  She gives between 4 and 6 cups daily.  I don't feed her tons of alfalfa or anything either, and she didn't actually kid, just started producing milk one day...

I finally got around to making this short video of how we milk our cow.  Bo was the camera man for most of it, and the music came from Internet Archive.  Enjoy!