CrazyGoatLady

I'd love to hear from your Mrs. on this subject. I don't mean to talk so much about animals on a blacksmithing site, but I know more about them than I do smithing and they are a great passion for me. I mostly study here and keep the comments down until I have more to contribute to the vast library of knowledge. We also try to avoid kids being born in winter. I shoot for spring to early summer. I used to keep an intact buck on site, but now just does and a wether who was my first goat. My father- in- law runs a much bigger herd and we get stud services from him when it's time to breed. Plus the herd is a lot calmer without a buck in the mix. Sounds crazy, but I kinda miss the pungent "cologne" of a big ole ' buck

Reading Mr. Rotblatts ' comments above makes me think I may have committed a faux pas. He quoted Irondragon warning about not staring into the fire in this conversation. I had mentioned Frosty instead. That's only because I read that comment from Frosty a few months back and that is what sticks in my head when I'm in the shop. I apologize if it appears I wasn't giving credit where credit is due

I can attest to all the above. I raised a bottle baby in the house til he was about 3 months old. He was born in the dead middle of January and his dam didn't want him. He belonged to my father in law and he didn't have the time for a bottle baby, so he went home with me. Too cold for him outside without a mother. He became close with my smallest dog and she would clean him and play with him. But as he got older, the puddles and poop got bigger, so it was time to go outside into warmer weather. He had to learn to become a goat because he thought he was a dog. I wouldn't advise doing this if you can help it though. It's a LOT of work for one thing. And bucks tend to like attention a lot and when you have a bottle fed one, they don't have any fear of you at all. When they get mature, they can become a problem or even downright scary. I ended up having to sell him because he got out of control. He's the second bottle buck I've had that turned out like that.

Yep my goats know a red or black bucket means time to go back in the pen. Or if I hollar "Goats!" real loud, it's time to eat and they come running in all their awkward looking glory

The waiting game is a long one when it comes to livestock. Unless you have a huge established herd. Which I don't either. Not enough land to sustain the amount I'd like to have. My plan is for cheese and soap making also. I hope your doe recovers quickly from the mastitis. Thankfully, I've never had to deal with that

SLAG: when I first started, I was very impatient and had a hard time letting the piece get up to heat and I took it out all the time. So I started thinking, just let it soak and leave it alone. So until you pointed out what I could do, it never occurred to me to just take it out and look for a second. Thank you and my eyes thank you too. Happy birthday Mr. Curious. Hope you have many more. I'm 46 myself and out of commission at the moment because I hurt something in my back a couple of days ago. So understand the back thing

Very nice. A great example of using what ya got

Olfart Those are good looking goats! Do you milk them? Mine are meat goats, so not so good for that. We looked into Nubians for milk, but decided we may go with Nigerians because they are supposed to have a higher butterfat content than nubians. And a lower feed bill is always a bonus

My gas forge sits on the frame of a barbecue grill with wheels. I can move it, but it sits low. I find myself stooping down to be able to see what's going on and it makes me think of Frosty warning about not staring into the forge because it can cause damage to your eyes. I'm going to figure something out to raise mine

Oh yeah I can agree with that I usually manage to get the"we had an anvil, but just sold it" speech

I wonder how many people at these auctions are the ones buying up blacksmithing equipment, then putting them up for sale at big prices? Nothing wrong with turning a profit. But it makes it harder for the folks who want them to actually use

I saw an ad for someone giving away goats because they were climbing on cars. It said " Come get the d#%@ things and you can have them!" We have goats, rabbits and chickens and we sell eggs and meat rabbits and have raised bed gardens. Most everyone likes to tour the farm when they come. Occasionally, I'll get someone with kids who'll stop by and ask if they can look at the" bunnies". I enjoy seeing the kids light up when they interact with the critters.

Jlpservices: Seeing ýou post makes me think of a few days back to the conversation about your videos. Just wanted to say, I like the split screens because I can see what both hands are doing instead of just the hammer hand. Your whole format is good just the way it is. Thanks for being so helpful to the blacksmithing community. No time in the shop today. Went to a gun show. There were 4 bladesmiths there and I talked to all except one. He had been on forged in fire and his booth was pretty busy as he was sharpening knives for people. But I talked to one extensively and there may be a little business opportunity for what I do. I'm not a bladesmith. So I may pursue it and see what happens if anything. As always, I really enjoy looking at everyone's contributions and comments.

That's good thinking JHCC

Das: it's great you got an order for those cigar picks. I've never heard of them either. Learn something new every day

That must have been a sight to see! This doe is the Princess of the group. Her mother is the Queen. Jack, the dog, started out trying to play with her. That didn't fly and they've not liked each other since then. Sometimes she'll put him on the ground. But thankfully, she doesn't try to do any more damage to him. And don't feel bad about not rembering names. Especially when it's a bunch of the same kind of animal. I have 20 breeder rabbits and I get them mixed up all the time

Very well said Jim. I have a R R track anvil that I started on. And I was thankful to have something I could work on. But it was nice to have more real estate to work on when I got another anvil. I think if Forged In Fire ever goes off the air, the prices will drop like crazy IMHO

Most old barns around here are just that. Still standing, but not a house in sight We stopped at a sale at a storage building place and he didn't have much. But I spotted a leg vice sitting in the corner and acquired about it. He said I couldn't afford it. Then said he had an anvil also, but I couldn't afford that either. Not sure what he meant by that, but I didn't buy anything else from him either.

Thank you for the information Thomas. I have a lot of sucker rod, but I haven't tried forging any of it yet. I'm afraid my little anvil might not be able to take it. We got a bunch of stuff one time from a neighbor who moved out, and he had a pile of branding irons made from it.

Those are great pictures and cute little critters! I have 3 dogs. No LGDs, but they get along with the goats well. Except one of the does and my Great Dane mix. They rub each other the wrong way and they'll butt heads so to speak. But no violence ever comes from it. She usually sends him yipping the other way when she puts those horns down

Dual purpose

It's really good that you have business drummed up for selling your hoof picks. I've never made any myself, although I should. Horseshoes make up a good bit of my smithing and I live right in the middle of horse country. I hope you sell a lot of them

Goats love to be scratched and stroked once they learn how good it feels! Their natural fear of man makes them want to run from you, but once you start scratching them, you can see the light bulb go on and them thinking this petting thing is good stuff! I like to sit with them and they start trying to climb up ýou and bounce off. Then find their balance and stand on your shoulders. And I like it when they curl up in your lap too, Frosty. Mine are like dogs. They seek me out for lovins'.

I love watching them too. They jump and flip and play"King of The Mountain". Not too many cuter farm animals than new goat kids

They are mutts basically, but have Boer and Spanish blood. We don't usually band or disbud either one. But these are going to be our first actual foray into meat goats. Up till now, I've just raised them and sold a goat or two here and there And I agree about band dehorning. It sounds awful.