And then there where 16

[GoldenWood Farm]

I did it ladies...I trimmed my herd down even more. I took four goats down to auction today. I tried selling them to no avail so last resort was auction. I will miss all of them each in their own way but the sense of relief in cutting down on the feed bill is amazing.

I haven't been down to 16 goats in a while! I will be down to just 14 as soon as the get the other two slated for butchering to actually be butchered. I am sad about having to make these choices but I admit there is a part of me going .

I also finally got the last doe bred, well at least I hope so! She was due to come into heat yesterday so I put her with the buck and she sure wasn't interested so I held her to get bred. He stayed with her until this morning but she still didn't act totally in heat. I just crossing my fingers hoping she actually was and she took!

Justine

[Lizza]

That's funny Justine, we just trimmed our herd down to 16 and 14 once the two we've been holding for someone go this week. It does feel good! I do miss them, I love them, but this is a much more manageable size for the pocketbook!

Plus the pasture, we moved to a much smaller place and we are hopefully adding back in a dairy cow this spring. Going to try and find the smallest standard Jersey, my last girl was pretty small overall.

[Minelson]

(((((hugs)))) !!! I know how hard this is for you Justine. But so glad you are feeling some relief. You have given all your goats a great life and they all know how much you love them.

[GoldenWood Farm]

How funny morningstar! Great minds think a like eh . Yep once I am down to 14 goats my number will look like 10 milking does, 2 breeding bucks, my old girl Brandy and my hopefully therapy goat in training Milo. I am not keeping any kids from the 2013 kidding season (which is such a relief!) and I am not even bottle raising for I think the 1st time in 10yrs.

Thank you so much Michele for the awesome support . I was looking at Toy the other day and I just really feel like I am making the right decision for him now. He isn't as happy anymore and sometimes I will catch him just staring off into the field next door. He just isn't as happy as he once was and I think his age is catching up with him.

Justine

[andabigmac]

Haha. I tried for 16 the other day too but still ended up with 17. I'm going to sell a bunch of does in milk in the spring and try to get down to 10. Of course that will just give me room to keep some babies. I understand the feed bill dilemma. That's for sure.

[Lizza]

Marisa would have to tell me what is out there , she is the one who decides who goes/stays. I think we will have 5 milking this year though. We have 3 pets, one being Winnie (not to be bred again after her quads last year and dealing with her metabolic issues from it for what felt like months). One is a market goat that never went to market, he is the most pathetic animal to have ever lived. Another being one of Winnie's quads that my youngest daughter fell in love with, the rest are show animals.

We have 2 bucks, LaMancha's, both show guys, Marisa does stud service with them to help pay their feed bill. Personally I would like to go to only AI and sell the bucks but Marisa feels they are needed for clean up and to bring some reluctant does into heat.

[GoldenWood Farm]

The barn felt rather empty tonight . It was weird not to see some of the girls in there....and it will be even weirder when Ric and Toy are gone. I kind of already miss the girls....and even Jack Jack the buck. Okay now I am crying thinking about them .

Justine

[Minelson]

I think you will feel a hole for awhile and it's ok to cry. ((((hugs)))) It will be hard but you will get through it.

[Lizza]

Hugs Justine, it is hard, it is easier knowing they go to good homes. Doing things that must be done are sometimes not easy at all.