Springtime Endeavors

Oh my goodness, there is so much to do in the spring! I feel bad, as usually my chickens are out on grass by now, but I don't want to deal with the mess they leave all summer long. To combat this, we are chicken wiring over the existing fencing in the goat/sheep run, which is a good acre, so they will be better maintained. A few frisky ones will need a wing or two clipped to keep them from just flying over (because they can and they know it), but it will be nice to have them safe from predators, for the most part, too. That is on hold, though, as I have managed to sprain the other side of the previously mentioned sprained ankle and now the opposite foot as well. I just can't sit down. I can for like, a day. Then, I have to be up to fix something and hobble too much and I hurt something else. Luckily I can still do a few things on my four wheeler-a farm mama's wheelchair :) The fence wouldn't take long to do-I need to go get more fencing and in about a half a day or less it would be ready.
Another part of that, though, is that they would be able to get through the goat barn to the other side and out. So, the wall I have been planning on building in there needs finished. That can't be done though (which by the way, Sarah R., I am officially recruiting you to help me with that project when I get there) until all the winter deep bedding is removed.
That needs done asap, as it needs to be spread on the future garden spot before it gets tilled. It could go on after, but I would really rather it happen first. Husband is itching to get the tilling done for the year, though, and as it has been dry, I may lose this battle.
Speaking of my petting zoo, the four leggers have been turned out to the back pasture. I was taking Super Boy for a ride on the four wheeler the other day and realized as I was riding how tall it has already gotten back there, and just how sick of hay they have all gotten. They hardly touch it and have pretty much eaten the pasture they're on down as much as I am comfortable with. I let them out yesterday. It took a while for them to make it back there, but once they did they were definitely happy. They came back in on their own last night, which I figured they would as there isn't shelter back there yet, and this morning were back out. By 10:30, though, they had returned to the front pasture, apparently with rumens full and are currently lounging in the shade chewing their cud. I hope they keep it up. It need eaten down, and there are a lot more of the beneficial plants they need out there than on the front pasture. I also hope they continue to stay away from the creek. I know the llama will be okay, but the goofy sheep and ornery goats worry me. There is water available in tanks, but they get ideas... The plan is to eventually have one llama back there, plus add a shelter of some sort, and then some calf huts and the main herd of sheep. That should effectively keep the pasture maintained, while keeping them all healthy. The other llama, goats, and handful of bred ewes I may have or pet sheep will stay in the front for the most part. I'd like to get a rotation system going, but it will take awhile. They are all happy enough I think electric temp fence would hold them, but I need a plan and some other small pieces of equipment before we go there. My group is small enough right now it isn't a big deal. So long as the coyotes don't catch on (I had nightmares about that last night) we should be good.
Arthur has taken to Pony Gal like she is his mommy. He follows her around the yard everywhere. He is starting to eat more forage and is most certainly happiest when with her.
Our two goat kids are doing well, as well. They wish they were out playing-we definitely need to get them a playset-but are growing. Pierre, the La Mancha we are keeping for our buck, is definitely far more dominant and ORNERY than Frank, who will be his wethered buddy. They are both eating hay a bit, too, and drinking water pretty well, which I was hoping for as the weather starts to heat up a bit.
I think that is where we'll stop with today. See-even on technical couch restriction, there is a lot going on out here. I can't wait until I can be more involved with it again. The original sprain seems to have stabilized so hopefully I can slowly start using everything else in a couple days once they stabilize, too. I am just going to have to use more help than usual to make sure I am not over doing it. Life on the farm :)