Another Broody hen

This is Dusty, our Copper Maran, she has gone broody and is taking all the eggs, even the ducks. I have to keep removing her from the nest box with much squawking and complaining, take her down to the pond where she has a drink and maybe a dust bath before running back. It gives me enough time to gather the eggs providing no one else has sneaked in there. Funnily enough, its only the three hybrids that are laying at the moment, the other Maran and the Barnvelders have stopped. Whether that is anything to do with her going broody or the topsy-turvey weather we've had lately I don't know but the ducks are doing their thing without any trouble. We tried putting her in the Eglu with a couple of duck eggs but she wasn't interested, she just wanted to get back to the nest box. Now Snowy is laying in the Eglu and sometimes Copper. Once the chickens have finished laying I have been closing up the hen house so she cant get in, so she's been sulking in the barn instead.
At least Catherine the Goose seems to have broken the broody bit, she's coming out in the morning on her own without having to be pushed out.
So, the egg count, which covers the last couple of weeks since I last did it,
Chickens - 83 - Total so far - 459
Ducks - 63 - Total so far - 330
Geese - 33, they have finished laying for this year.

The chickens are having a lovely time scratching around in the shrubbery. It's cool and dark in there and there is an enormous number of flies that keeps them busy. It has been warm and a bit humid the last few days so they have spent a great deal of time sitting under there.

The sheep have been laying in the shade of the Silver Birches. There would be more trees for them if they would only STOP EATING THEM!!

That naughty sheep is Marigold, who was the last to lamb and so the last to shed her coat. I have two large carrier bags of wool that I must get on and sort out.

I have had the last of my strawberries from the greenhouse today and the outside ones should be ready soon if the rabbit problem goes away. They have chewed through the fruit cage netting, so not only are they getting in but also the birds. Everything is growing nicely in the veg plot, I have a good crop of peas coming and the Broad beans are flowering. The courgette plants are just budding and the carrots, parsnip, spring onions, beetroot, leeks and lettuce are all growing well. Potatoes are up and looking healthy, I have just finished topping up the ones I'm growing in bags. In the greenhouse the tomatoes are not as big as I would have liked them at this time of the year but they have flowers, and the celery and cucumbers are doing very nicely. The watercress outside is a bit slow to get going and the herbs have been nibbled by... the Rabbits!

Coop Training

Time to get the birdies used to ' upstairs'
Bent Beak and His/Her Brother or Sister both managed to work it out

Some decided to become the Fortress gate keepers
What's the password?

Alden tried to offer Blondie a shortcut.

 But He/She had other ideas

Some Chicks thought that looked rather strange.

Others had to stop for a rest (or Oxygen) on the way up.

Roundup

We thought the Ponies seemed to have got the hang of getting through the Electric fencing, well bouncer had. Then I discovered the cable from the energiser had broken internally.

Yesterday we went out Sofa shopping (looking) as Karen would like to replace our two, two-seaters as the washable covers are fading and the cushions are losing their shape especially the back rests

So the Ponies did not get their Sunday afternoon strool so instead I brought them up here for the evening to play with the Geese prior to going for a walk on the way back to their field, they really like their walks.

A couple of weeks ago we had the local farrier come in a do their hooves not much needed just a trim.

The Geese are finally over being broody! and the ducks are getting brave!
Here's Jar-jar and Duck Norris investigating the Goose shed!

Jar-jar seems to be recovering well, I pulled a huge thorn out of his left foot a couple of weeks ago.

Meanwhile the Geese were being Geese
Jones spends quite a bit of time observing the Chicks

And eating, he does a lot of that as well!

Raptor Handler....... Boris then and now

Alden is a budding Raptor Handler!
 You start them off young with one of these.

And then you befriend it and let it grow into:

Then you plonk it on a post

And give the command....... Stay!

Stay......

 Ok!
Where's some Peas then?

Next Alden is going to teach Boris to jump from post onto his arm to retrieve the peas.....Oh yes you are Alden. 

New Chicks in the tractor

This weekend we christened the Tractor, it is now warm enough for all 28 chicks to be out all day. Some of them are feathering up nicely now. it is quite an exercise catching them all to return to the brooder for the night

A couple more weeks and they should be big enough to overnight in the tractor but at the moment none have yet ventured up the ramp into the coop and they need to start doing that first.



Here's an Araucana and a Wyandotte

 A Welsummer

 Bent Beak

 Two more of the Silver Laced Wyandottes

 A Vorwerk

This is the escape committee

Lamb updates

The Lambs are now growing fast!
Now that I have caught and de-fleeced two of the Mums and half of the third it quite amazing how big the Lambs are, they are almost two thirds the size of their Mums already!

The Lambs can now just about be hand fed as well.

Mars Horns continue to develop nicely as well!

Rolo front, Midnight left, Leo right

 My jumper shrunk in the wash...... honest

 Where's dinner then?

Mum and Daughter 

 The herd!

Chicks first day on the grass

It's been so warm today that Keith thought we should let the babies out to stretch their wings a bit. They certainly did.

Yep, they are in the chicken wire covered goal posts and very happy they were too. Lots of flapping and dashing around, they must have enjoyed the space.

Alden has been cuddling the chicks, especially Boris the brave. He/she has the red ring.

Poor Ja-ja couldn't walk yesterday and was swimming round in circles. We couldn't see what was wrong with him. He wasn't eating, not even the meal worms, so I knew he was in pain. Keith 'flagged' him off the pond at bedtime and caught him, found a half inch thorn stuck in his foot that went up into his ankle, no wonder the poor duck couldn't walk. Anyway, it and another smaller prickle were removed and washed with salt water. Today he's back chasing Pigeons but is limping on the rare occasion he walks. I hope it doesn't turn into an infection, ducks don't like being handled and they are not easy to catch so treating him could be challenging!!

I know it's late, but last weeks egg count -
Chickens - 41
Ducks - 20
Geese - Well Catherine is sitting on about six eggs, she is pinching Zita's and we dare not take any. Keith did candle them and found no signs of life. May well do it again next weekend and if nothing is there take them all away and perhaps put some broken egg shells back. We really need to break of this brooding before she makes herself very unwell, especially if there are no fertile eggs.

I have a carrier bag full of sheeps wool  now. I bought myself some carding brushes and am working my way through the wool but I didn't wash it and now I think perhaps I should. It needs a lot of grass and bits pulled out and theres a lot of dirt in it.