The Dogmother Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Holy Buckets! They've grown since I cuddled them! Still gorgeous though Yummy, duck dinners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Holy Buckets! That's not a bucket Claret, it's a dustbin !!! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Blimey, you're on the ball this morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 They were tiny bundles of fluff when we came for a visit Lesley OH was quite taken with them Maybe I will get bantams one day after all. Yes, I know they aren't bantams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 They look beautiful Lesley! As crazy as a bucket of ducks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Sooo sweet Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Cute ducklings! Hope a couple more turn out to be ducks and not drakes Might make a point of showing these to mother - always wanted a duck called Jemima Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 How about this? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8330956.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGirlsMum Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I love ducks but my neighbours wouldn't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 How about this?http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8330956.stm How amazing!! Ducks are quiet - but messy, Girlsmum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 30, 2009 Author Share Posted October 30, 2009 Some of our table birds are bok bok bokking each day as they let us know they've started laying We do it every time......we watch and wait for them to be big enough and then they are all ready when we don't have time to despatch them.........and then they start laying......and growing to turkey size! At least we'll have plenty of turkey-sized chicken dinners at Christmas time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 I've just hauled a humungeous bird out of the freezer to roast on Sunday - one of a friend's excess birds. Lesley, that bird of yours that I plucked ended up in a very nice chicken, bacon and leek pie with a white wine sauce and puff pastry crust t'was delicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Yummy, sounds good Claret! You've been up to load Lesley! I love the look of the ducks too...so where are the puppy pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 In the My Family and Other Animals section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 It's a lovely sunny day here - still cold but it feels like Spring! We've let the cows and sheep out of the barn into the small, attached, paddock so that they can enjoy it all as well. The barn is quite open so it isn't overly warm but the animals are protected from the worst of the elements. One of the sheep had frost in her foot when we moved them in and just keeping them on straw underfoot helps to sort problems like that. We're not letting them into the next paddock just yet as we have vaccinations to do before we move them away from the enclosed area and the cattle crush. We didn't have the ram in to our ewes last November due to the uncertainty of our other (paid) work so no lambs of our own to come this year. We have spoken to a friend who has sheep - he's not a farmer as such, he rents fields and does his farming in his spare time. We've offered to take any cade lambs for him..............he starts lambing on the 19th We've got a large cardboard box ready to put in the utility room and have also made a small pen in one of the outbuildings where we can use the heat lamp. Bottles are at the ready......... If we do take any they will start off in the box and then move to the pen. Fingers crossed......... Other news......not anywhere near as exciting........The Big Green Poo Machine has a problem again Two years ago it kept overflowing and we had to pay to have it emptied three times in just a few weeks - it should need emptying every three years or so. We worked out that it was a soakaway problem - we think the previous owners/builders attached the nice new BGPM to an old soakaway We think the soakaway has collapsed somewhere along the line. Then we had the big floods of July 2008 and water flooded the electric pump housing, we lifted the pump clear and left it to drain for a couple of days....when we switched it back on it all worked and the flood had obviously cleared the soakaway ....but now we have the problem back again We phoned on Thursday to ask for the tank to be emptied and it can't be done until Monday.....we're trying to use as little water as possible in the meantime...... I had my belated birthday outing yesterday - an evening at the ballet in Birmingham.......instead of a lovely shower to look forward to I had to jump in as soon as the water was just off freezing and shower really quickly - not quite what I'd been looking forward to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Looking forward to seeing any lambies Lesley I shall spend a penny before we visit or use your hedgerows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Thanks for the update Lesley, I always look to see if you've posted. Hope the spring brings good things for you, fingers crossed for lambs and a working poo machine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 (edited) Looking forward to seeing any lambies Lesley I shall spend a penny before we visit or use your hedgerows! We were just thinking of visiting you Clare - I've just been eyeing up one of the dogs' poop bags We might have to resort to building a straw bale loo earlier than planned! Edited February 14, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Nice to see the update Lesley. Have you ever thought about a reed bed for poo problems (you probably have though as you seem to have everything covered as a rule )? Could be the answer for sometime in the future for you and you wouldn't have to rely on a machine at all. Then the water is all yours to flush to your heart's content! Claret you might find a new meaning to family flush when Lesley comes to visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Koojie - I just cross posted with you on an edit to my post above Hadn't thought of the reed bed system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Aha - a trip to Ryton to see how it works! I remember quite some time ago on a programme that a family was trying to change to a greener life, now whether it was a garden makeover or self-build project I don't know. I think it was a family of 4, the reed bed was fairly near the house but not a huge pond. From what I remember I think it may pong a little until the reeds get established. You'd never know from Ryton - no smell at all, but it is huge (but they have to cater for lots of visitors so it needs to be). I have no idea of the cost, but it must cut down on emptying expenses and reduction in water rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Just another thought - what happens if it freezes over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 An acquaintance has a reed bed system, seems to work well and never pongs. When it's just Rosie and I, we do family flush at home anyhow - saves water. Which poo bags were those Lesley? I don't think anybody will fit in my house at the moment - the kitchen is distributed between the dining and living rooms and everything is covered in dust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Just the starch poop bags Clare - I haven't used the flushable ones yet as I need to check whether they can go in the BGPM - I'm glad I hadn't used them or I'd have been wondering if it was those casuing the problem. A trip to Ryton sounds like a good idea - perhaps their reed bed needs a bit of thinning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 A trip to Ryton sounds like a good idea - perhaps their reed bed needs a bit of thinning I'm sure they wouldn't notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
