We get more animals

I read the craigslist add all the time and come across great deals.  I find eight chickens five dollars each. So we load up our dog kennel and head to Chandler to get them.  They are rhode island reds and Plymouth rocks.  All hens are laying age and producing an egg a day. This is helpful because we are now selling eggs.  Two dollars a dozen for both duck and chicken.  I don't discriminate.  I use them the same way.  This is where we begin to recoup some money spent. 

I find an add for ducks in Casa Grande.  The add listed Peking, but when I finally get a call back  they are only runners left.  It seems the owner was going on a cruz and needed to get ride of all her animals.  So we load up our trusty dog kennel and go get them.  They are handed over a backyard fence.

Our neighbor also has animals.  I have wanted his lone brown nubian since we meet them.  So one day we ask and he says sure.  What can we trade.  We have just purchased an old ford bronco for parts for our old bronco, windows, doors, lights, seats, etc.   We trade him our lovely DQ and some tire rims for that.  whooh!  It is not good to want something so bad, but I have wanted her for ever it seems.  When we first meet our neighbor needed help milking his goats so we assisted.  DQ would not cooperate.  She literally flopped on the ground and bellowed like she was being tortured.  This is when I was hooked.  We call her DQ for drama queen.

She had just kidded three months ago when we got her.  My husband says she needed a mate.  Well I look for some time on craigslist.  Everything is higher in price because of spring.  So we wait.  The neighbor calls and says he just bought some goats did we want to come look.  Of coarse,  after all who can pass up those goaty faces.  The neighbor all ready has his sires lined up for his does.  There is a buck if we want it but he is still young.  I figure DQ needed a rest anyway.  So we inspect the new prospect.  He is maybe a year old.  We buy him for sixty dollars.  This is good because bucks are going for one hundred and up.  My oldest so names him Sprinkles.   I believe the reason for this name is Choclolate. 

We bought chocolate from our neighbor because he is precious.  Also nubian and pure brown.  He has the longest ears.  When we first brought him home we housed him with all the does.  We thought he would be safer with the does then the bucks.  He was only three months old and the bucks do get pretty rough at times. 

Anyway, the puppy Bandit was also housed with the does.  She is a blue heeler.  Only three months old herself.  She tried to herd Chocolate away from the does.  When he wouldn't go Bandit pulled him by his long beautiful ears.  Bandit was moved to and outside house.

It is spring time and all our does start to have babies.

First Heidi has two doelings Suzy and Joanna.
Then Coco has one doeling Lucy.
And finally Abby has two, one doeling and one buck.  Hansel and Gretel.  Sadly Hansel passed away.

The were bred on Sept 25 the day we brought Ned home.  Their due date was Feb 14.  Heidi's came on time, Coco was one week past, and Abby was two weeks past.  They delivered alone while we were in town each time.  We made short trips.  All kids were healthy upon delivery and nursed right away.  Hansel passed away three days later. 

Having all these new babies makes me want kits (baby bunnies).  So I begin my search for replacement Californian / New Zealand breeding stock.  Unfortunately every rabbit I find is young.  I find three adds on craigslist and schedule appointments to view their rabbits.  The first home the rabbits were sick.  Eyes stuck shut, wheezing, coughing and some fur falling out.  I left, stopped at a McDonald's to wash my hands and then flagged that post on craigslist.  Then I proceeded to Gilbert to view a six week old litter.  This home is very clean all cages are clean.  Animals are plump and alert.  I pick two one black buck and one white doe.  Then I go to the third stop.  Mabbs Rabbitry.  Very nice.  Better than the second.  I choose one white with silver tipped buck and one tortoise doe.  I take these little guys home.  Both sets were born Jan 19.  I will have to wait until June to start breeding.  Of coarse I will breed the males and females to the other litters so I have no birth defects, in case you were wondering.  Meanwhile I have plenty of time to get to know these little guys and girls.