MIH goes to the hippy soap shop

[binzing]

Yeah, we've got or have had both full size and pygmy goats, two mini donkeys, a few horses, plus chickens that need trimming.

 

[Tsu]

OK. I'll bite. HOW do you trim your CHICKENS?

 

[Tsu]

...and...wouldn't that be hippy DIPPY soap shop??

 

[Moonbear]

We had pigmy goats, and they had lines in the hooves that you could follow... I guess pretty much like growth lines in trees. So as long as we were careful to only trim down one or two sets of lines, we were okay. But in order to trim them, I had to tackle the up to 90 pound suckers, put them in a double half-nelson with a twist and a Hamel-Camel, wrestle, and after a time...eventually, I could finally get the advantage. Then, while I endured the screaming in my ear, and the second generation cud burps in my face, Tsu could trim the hooves.

Nothing to it.

It's easier when you're their pimp. They'd let me lead them anywhere (because 90% of the time, they were going to "get some" when I led them to the other pens) so I could just put a halter on them, tie them to a post, lean against one side to keep them still against a wall, and pick up one foot at a time to trim. Sheep require two people, but are easier to do, because you can just flip them onto their butts and one person holds them while the other runs around trimming the hooves all sticking out.

I never actually tried trimming pig hooves though. If they'll stand still, you could probably try the same approach I used for goats of just reaching down and picking up one foot at a time to trim while giving them a wall to lean against for support. If not, yeah, any trick to get them to just lie on their side sounds good, or else it might require a little sedative from the vet as a last resort I suppose (that's what they do with horses).

 

[lisab]

We had pigmy goats, and they had lines in the hooves that you could follow... I guess pretty much like growth lines in trees. So as long as we were careful to only trim down one or two sets of lines, we were okay. But in order to trim them, I had to tackle the up to 90 pound suckers, put them in a double half-nelson with a twist and a Hamel-Camel, wrestle, and after a time...eventually, I could finally get the advantage. Then, while I endured the screaming in my ear, and the second generation cud burps in my face, Tsu could trim the hooves.

Nothing to it.

:rofl:

Ours would give up fighting as soon as we rolled them onto their backs (which wasn't easy to do!). The big Angoras were easier to flip than the pygmies, surprisingly. Those little guys are incredibly strong. And stubborn!

 

[Moonbear]

:rofl:

Ours would give up fighting as soon as we rolled them onto their backs (which wasn't easy to do!). The big Angoras were easier to flip than the pygmies, surprisingly. Those little guys are incredibly strong. And stubborn!

And lower center of gravity.

 

[Tsu]

:rofl:

Ours would give up fighting as soon as we rolled them onto their backs (which wasn't easy to do!). The big Angoras were easier to flip than the pygmies, surprisingly. Those little guys are incredibly strong. And stubborn!

Yeah! Tell us about it! :rofl: Ours gave up fighting (after a minute or so of wrestling with Ivan ) but they kept the screaming and burping going until the last hoof was trimmed. Poor Ivan.

 

[Evo]

Yeah! Tell us about it! :rofl: Ours gave up fighting (after a minute or so of wrestling with Ivan ) but they kept the screaming and burping going until the last hoof was trimmed. Poor Ivan.

You need those fainting goats.

 

[Tsu]

You need those fainting goats.

I'd LOVE to have some of those. They are FUNNY! :rofl:

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Those little guys are incredibly strong. And stubborn!

Yes they are. As long as they can't use their legs, they are pretty much helpless. But if they managed to get the slip on me and got a leg loose, it could be quite a wrestling match. And of course the first few times probably looked like something from the Keystone Cops, but we got better with time.

We knew there were easier ways to do it, and really we had a pretty workable system, but those burps are tooooooooo much! And they do scream like a stuck pig, so to speak. :uhh: