Lesley Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 I've never found time for a Blog - I make time to come in to the forum so I'm afraid I just keep chatting in here Our hens are back to almost full laying now - and have had our first two quail eggs as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Oh how exciting Lesley...spring is sprung & all that! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Let me know when you have an excess of quail eggs Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I've never found time for a Blog - I make time to come in to the forum so I'm afraid I just keep chatting in here Our hens are back to almost full laying now - and have had our first two quail eggs as well I sat and read the 100's of pages of old posts on here when you saw the farm, and all the stories with the lambs, but all the photos of the farm have gone and been replaced with red crosses, so I used my imagination Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 - they must have been the photos from the estate agents then, and they've now disappeared. I'll post a couple for you....... A not very good photo of the house........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 It looks nice in the snow My favourite picture of the farm is the one of all the eglu's in the snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 Morning!! - glorious day here! I've been out in pink Crocs wellies, pink T shirt and lilac fleece.......to let some hens out I love going out early when no-one is around! Carl and Jazz are still in bed! Yesterday we had to move sheep into another paddock and we had to move some hens. Two little flocks have no grass and we need to rest the land so we moved them to the two empty run areas with wooden sheds where we sometimes have table birds. The grass is a bit long so I hope we don't get any crop problems. They are just taking the tops off the grass as far as I can see. We moved the small flock of 1 cockerel and his 3 hens by catching them in the pen but the other flock was slightly larger so we tried herding them along the 'Yellow Corn Road' ...........a trail of sweetcorn. Hens are just so ****** dozy!!!! They went everywhere We tried to catch a couple and the cockerel went mad and then when Carl tried to catch him he flew up and straight into the pen with a matching cockerel in Both Cream Legbar cockerels together - we can't tell them apart - and they were fighting Carl had to go in with the net and both were bleeding from their combs - all in the space of 60 seconds We don't know if we've moved the right one but one has slightly longer spurs so we decided he was the older one .....and the stupid birds have decided that they are homing hens They've been pacing up and down the netting trying to get back to their Eglus (not so stupid then! ) - a couple of the lighter hens made it over the fence despite having clipped wings and despite having put corn all around the ladder up into the sheds they all tried to go to sleep out on top of feeders, water butts and the top of the fence They all had to be put to bed and locked in. It's very strange to be out early morning, letting hens out. The ewes all have to have their Clostridial vaccinations next weekend - the pregnant ones will pass it to their unborn lambs so they will be protected for a while. The weather is so nice this morning so we'll go and build a race and pen ready for next week - the weather is sure to be bad when we have to catch them all I've put together a spreadsheet listing the movement of sheep to each paddock so that they end up in the right place at the right time as this year we have the Lambing Barn to use......the last two years we've used the field shelter and the stock trailer together. There is also a schedule for feeding as their concentrates have to increase from 100g per day each to 750g per day! Piglets are ordered - they will all be Berkshires though as it is impossible to have pigs from two different farms at the same time - we'd forgotten the 21 day standstill when you move pigs onto the farm We're still trying to source some very young calves for hand rearing - after the experience with two bolshy 11 month olds last time .......and....Clare knows what I saw in the classifieds in Country Smallholder last week............. - very tempting...........and could cure the thistle problem Watch this space!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I can't believe that it could be that small, but baggsy first to cuddle it.. after you that is! You'd have to get two though, so that it had someone who spoke the same language. I was up early too Lesley... walking the hound. It's just beautiful, isn't it? Off to clean out hens and bunnies now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 It was nice earlier - it's been just evil ever since! We had to make a repair on the lambing barn because the strong wind was moving the side panels..........and we did have the cockerels the wrong way round They were both pacing up and down......in the wrong run We've swapped them over and they're much happier now I'll have to put a leg ring on one of them! As there is no price on the 'item' in question, Clare, I doubt we can afford one, let alone two!!! They are very cute though.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Oh come on Lesley, you have to tell I guess goats - go on, two will be perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 The weather was terrible, wasn't it? I felt like I was cleaning out the animals in a washing machine! My mother always says that if you have to ask the price then you can't afford it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I love this thread My guess is Alpaca's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Likewise - alpaca's. Now what type? I reckon the teddybear rather than the dreadlocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I'm thinking goats. They eat everything including thistles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Mmmm, warmish Christian. I shall say no more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Rats! I suppose you can't really milk an alpaca - unless you are South American - they eat them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 I found............... miniature............ donkeys!!!! Like this..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Awww, they are seriously cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Aww!! So cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Oooh, yes yes yes! they are adorable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 (edited) OOOOOOHHHHHH! Lovely fluffy beasties! Never saw that coming! I am NOT going to show DD. Are you??? Going to get one or two or three, a herd??? Edited March 8, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 She's just got to get round Carl now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 Carl is never a problem - we're as bad as each other The problem would be that I've never been interested in anything horsey so I have a lot of research to do! So far, I've read that you have to clean their hooves every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Dear Carl Miniature donkeys are very good around the smallholding. They can be trained to carry straw and feedstuff to the far end of your land. You wouldn't have to use a tractor but you can save fuel for other things. Also just think of the positive attention you will receive from the rest of the family for getting them one each. Er, do you think that would persuade him? Teach them to wipe their feet. There, problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 You'll have to ask Annie, Lesley - she keeps donks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
