Perhaps I spoke to soon about it being so dry. I woke up to hear rain pelting down, and then a whopping crack of thunder rattled the house. I got all geared up in my wet weather gear and went up to see the family. Hoby came with my too in his raincoat, side stepping all the puddles. There was no noise coming from the pig pen so I peered around the corner and found the sweetest sight...Sheamus and Tallulah spooning in Sheamus' big bed. Tallulah was snuggled right up to Sheamus with her back against his warm belly. I tiptoed around but their hearing is so good that my gumboot-ed shuffle was not going to go unheard. There were a few grunts but no squeals of being squished from Tallulah which was a relief.
All the chooks came out to see me except Slick's babies. I looked everywhere for them, I listened for them but they were nowhere to be found. Poor Slick she looked very lost and kept peering over at the other babies, perhaps wondering where hers were. I suspect the neighbour's revolting cat was the culprit as I found a mangled bird body up the driveway later in the day but it was wet from all the rain and I couldn't tell if it was one of Slick's. The cat had beheaded one of my young chooks before and left it up the driveway in about the same place. I not a huge fan of cats, for a start I'm quite allergic to them but they also seem rather sadistic.
The goats sounded very unimpressed and called out to me as if to say "mum, its raining, do something!" I let them out and fed everyone undercover. Tarka called out to me too, I saw him standing in the paddock trembling with no sign of Ella. I walked through the paddock calling her and found that she'd jumped out of the taped area and was right at the top of the gorse paddock waiting to be struck by lightening. I called her but she was more interested in being up in the wind and rain. Tarka was freezing cold, his knees were knocking together, literally. I chucked a halter on him, put him in a stall, made him a warm bran mash and rubbed him down with a towel. Then I draped an old dressing gown of mine over him and tied the arms around his neck, it fit him perfectly. I left him in the pen with the goats and chooks and Tallulah who'd gone in there to escape the rain and nibble at the dropped mouthfuls of bran mash. I called Ella down, she finally listened and carefully made her way down. Sheamus was happily grazing out in the open paddock, obviously not worried about the rain, with that thick covering of fat who could blame him.
I took some sugar syrup up to the bees, worried that they'd be hungry as I wasn't sure if they'd have any honey stores to keep them going for the day or week if the weather continued. They were all tucked up in bed with only a couple of guard bees at the entrance. The buzz coming from the hive was encouraging. I just hope there is a queen in there somewhere.
When Hoby and I got back to the house Tallulah was there to meet us at the front door, grizzling. I found that she too was trembling with cold. I stripped off my wet outer clothes and Hoby's and wrapped Tallulah in a towel and took her inside, I lay down on my bed (yes, with a piglet wrapped in a blanket) and hugged her. She sighed and snuggled in. We got comfy, Hoby jumped up on the bed too and rested his head on my leg and we all fell asleep for about half an hour. When I woke up Tallulah was heavy breathing and no longer shaking, Hoby was out like a light and looked very happy, the rain still steadily beat down on the roof. I sent Tallulah back outside gave in to the copious domestic tasks that I'd been putting off for a rainy day....well here was that dreaded day!
Farewell baby bunny.
I arrived home from work tonight to find one of the little bunnies beside the driveway looking very sad. I picked it up and gave it a snuggle and checked it out. It looked fine but breathed with little enthusiasm and had no objections to me holding it which is odd for a wild animal. As it has been pretty dry I thought perhaps it was a bit dehydrated so I tried to eye dropper some water into its mouth but it wasn't interested. Off to the cardboard box lined with a flannelette sheet to recover hopefully.
I checked on it throughout the evening and it seemed ok, just resting. Then at 10.30pm I gave it one last check before bed and I thought it had passed away. It was stretched out, eyes wide open. When I stroked it the little hind legs started thumping. I picked it up and cuddled it, hopefully having it close to my chest hearing my heartbeat would be some comfort and the thought of it not being alone certainly gave me some comfort. I went inside and sat down with it. Sam came in to say goodnight and found me hugging this bunny on its way out. It hadn't moved for a while so I asked him it had gone and as he touched it suddenly its head thrust back and it let out the most heartbreaking squeal. And then the cries continued, its little body in spasms and the terrible squeals. I was reduced to a sobbing mess and I begged Sam to do something to stop its suffering. Sam took bunny outside and very heroically 'assisted' this little being depart. He wrapped bunny in the sheet and performed a burial in the graveyard at 11 pm while I showered and washed away my tears.
There is nothing more horrible than seeing a creature suffer, I just hope it was in pain for a long time. I will miss seeing bunny on the driveway. I know, like possums, they're considered a pest but they are living beings, just like us, that have every right to being on this planet and, if compared to what we do to our planet, leave less destruction in their paths than we do.
I checked on it throughout the evening and it seemed ok, just resting. Then at 10.30pm I gave it one last check before bed and I thought it had passed away. It was stretched out, eyes wide open. When I stroked it the little hind legs started thumping. I picked it up and cuddled it, hopefully having it close to my chest hearing my heartbeat would be some comfort and the thought of it not being alone certainly gave me some comfort. I went inside and sat down with it. Sam came in to say goodnight and found me hugging this bunny on its way out. It hadn't moved for a while so I asked him it had gone and as he touched it suddenly its head thrust back and it let out the most heartbreaking squeal. And then the cries continued, its little body in spasms and the terrible squeals. I was reduced to a sobbing mess and I begged Sam to do something to stop its suffering. Sam took bunny outside and very heroically 'assisted' this little being depart. He wrapped bunny in the sheet and performed a burial in the graveyard at 11 pm while I showered and washed away my tears.
There is nothing more horrible than seeing a creature suffer, I just hope it was in pain for a long time. I will miss seeing bunny on the driveway. I know, like possums, they're considered a pest but they are living beings, just like us, that have every right to being on this planet and, if compared to what we do to our planet, leave less destruction in their paths than we do.
Where's that buzzing coming from?
Well, the answer to that question today was the boot of my car!
Yes, I finally got some bees. A lovely lady called Jennifer that I'd met at a club meeting a couple of months ago sent me an email saying that she had collected a swarm and they were in a nuc box at her house on the north shore. Sam and I were already heading over that way to collect some trade-me purchases so we jumped at the chance to add bees to our list of collections. I was a bit apprehensive about Sam coming because I know he's not too keen on bees but he assured me that as long as there weren't any flying around in the car he'd be ok.
So off we went, me armed with all my gear that to date (other than the hood) hadn't been used. Jennifer had written me a great list of instructions and I followed them to a tee. The nuc had a entrance with a turndial (similar to the lid of a salt shaker) that Jennifer had closed the night before. I donned my hood and picked up the box. There were about 30 bees that hadn't made it home, perhaps after a hard night on the town. They got left behind. We brushed the 30 'dirty-stopouts' onto the grass and carried the box to the boot of the car, Sam did his containment and safety check and we popped the buzzing box in. I was so nervous all the way home that they were going to die of heat exhaustion as it was a roasting hot day and we'd been held up in the morning so it was mid morning when we picked them up.
Once home I was excited and relieved to hear the deep, contant buzz coming from the box, phew, they made the journey. I sited the nuc box in the pet cemetery and left them there while I transferred all the hive components to the site and got suited up and fuelled my smoker. The site has good fencing, easy access for me and it is out of the way of people and pets. There is a lot of Japanese Honeysuckle and Gorse growing on the neighbouring land which we call no-man's land so I'm sure the bees will find plenty of nectar.
Whilst transferring the hive components the horses, especially Ella became interested in the activity so came over to watch, as did Sam. I went in all suited up and Ella and Sam stood at the gate and watched while Tarka stood a bit further back on the hill and also spectated. Jennifer had 3/4 depth plastic frames in the nuc, my boxes are full depth so the aim was to transfer as few of the 3/4 frames into my hive as they'll build additional comb onto the base to fill the void. I would have to inspect each frame to see if the queen had layed anything. With my smoker lit for the first time I opened the box expecting for a mass evacuation of bees but to my surprise only a couple flew out, all the rest stayed put. And when I say all the rest I mean ALL the rest. It was a huge colony, I was thrilled. I smoked the bees and they retreated down the frames into the box, carefully I removed the first frame laden with bees and inspected it. They'd begun building comb in the corner but it wasn't significant enough to warrant transferring to the hive, I also couldn't see the queen so I shook the bees into the hive and put the frame to one side. The second frame contained more bees and more depth to the comb, I couldn't see the queen but I decided that they'd worked hard on this frame so they deserved to keep it. On the third frame which had come from the centre of the nuc box, a good section of comb had been built and the frame was heavily laden with bees, I thought I might see the queen here but my untrained eye missed her. I identified a few drones in the mix though. I transferred this frame to the hive and realised that the 3/4 frames were a blessing for nervous little me as I wouldn't squish any bees under the new frame. I checked the remaining three frames for the queen and then brushed the scattering of bees from the frames into the hive, I gently slid the frames into place and brushed the remaining bees from the nuc box into the hive, gave it a light smoke and then put the mat and lid on and secured it with a strap. When I looked up Sam was still there, smiling from ear to ear and taking photos and Ella had decided it was boring and wandered off. There were bees buzzing around but they weren't angry, they were very quiet and compliant.
I think I inhaled more smoke from the smoker than a 60+ a day cigarette smoker so I'll need to be more clever in the placement of my smoker in future. All in all I was thoroughly pleased with the whole exercise and more than just a little impressed that I didn't get stung.
It is funny how the universe works, it was only late last week that I'd replied to an email about some nucs for sale, I missed out on them but I was directed to lady selling nucs for quite a bit more than I could afford to pay. I decided to think about it over the weekend and that's when I received the email from Jennifer. I was very fortunate, Jennifer gifted the bees to me and here is what she wrote: My payment will be that you enjoy learning and having bees (and look after them). And one day you help someone else out in some way. That way we all win.
So, my aim will be to keep you all updated on the progress of "Cleopatra's Colony" and provide you with some useful links.
The course I completed was the Introduction to Beekeeping course run by Auckland Beekeepers Club. I couldn't recommend it highly enough, I came away feeling well informed and couldn't wait to embark on this exciting pastime and get some bees of my own. The club meetings are also fantastic, there are plenty of knowledgable people willing to answer questions and you get to see a range of different hives at the club.
If you have a hive it needs to be registered, more about this once I've completed the process.
Yes, I finally got some bees. A lovely lady called Jennifer that I'd met at a club meeting a couple of months ago sent me an email saying that she had collected a swarm and they were in a nuc box at her house on the north shore. Sam and I were already heading over that way to collect some trade-me purchases so we jumped at the chance to add bees to our list of collections. I was a bit apprehensive about Sam coming because I know he's not too keen on bees but he assured me that as long as there weren't any flying around in the car he'd be ok.
So off we went, me armed with all my gear that to date (other than the hood) hadn't been used. Jennifer had written me a great list of instructions and I followed them to a tee. The nuc had a entrance with a turndial (similar to the lid of a salt shaker) that Jennifer had closed the night before. I donned my hood and picked up the box. There were about 30 bees that hadn't made it home, perhaps after a hard night on the town. They got left behind. We brushed the 30 'dirty-stopouts' onto the grass and carried the box to the boot of the car, Sam did his containment and safety check and we popped the buzzing box in. I was so nervous all the way home that they were going to die of heat exhaustion as it was a roasting hot day and we'd been held up in the morning so it was mid morning when we picked them up.
Once home I was excited and relieved to hear the deep, contant buzz coming from the box, phew, they made the journey. I sited the nuc box in the pet cemetery and left them there while I transferred all the hive components to the site and got suited up and fuelled my smoker. The site has good fencing, easy access for me and it is out of the way of people and pets. There is a lot of Japanese Honeysuckle and Gorse growing on the neighbouring land which we call no-man's land so I'm sure the bees will find plenty of nectar.
Whilst transferring the hive components the horses, especially Ella became interested in the activity so came over to watch, as did Sam. I went in all suited up and Ella and Sam stood at the gate and watched while Tarka stood a bit further back on the hill and also spectated. Jennifer had 3/4 depth plastic frames in the nuc, my boxes are full depth so the aim was to transfer as few of the 3/4 frames into my hive as they'll build additional comb onto the base to fill the void. I would have to inspect each frame to see if the queen had layed anything. With my smoker lit for the first time I opened the box expecting for a mass evacuation of bees but to my surprise only a couple flew out, all the rest stayed put. And when I say all the rest I mean ALL the rest. It was a huge colony, I was thrilled. I smoked the bees and they retreated down the frames into the box, carefully I removed the first frame laden with bees and inspected it. They'd begun building comb in the corner but it wasn't significant enough to warrant transferring to the hive, I also couldn't see the queen so I shook the bees into the hive and put the frame to one side. The second frame contained more bees and more depth to the comb, I couldn't see the queen but I decided that they'd worked hard on this frame so they deserved to keep it. On the third frame which had come from the centre of the nuc box, a good section of comb had been built and the frame was heavily laden with bees, I thought I might see the queen here but my untrained eye missed her. I identified a few drones in the mix though. I transferred this frame to the hive and realised that the 3/4 frames were a blessing for nervous little me as I wouldn't squish any bees under the new frame. I checked the remaining three frames for the queen and then brushed the scattering of bees from the frames into the hive, I gently slid the frames into place and brushed the remaining bees from the nuc box into the hive, gave it a light smoke and then put the mat and lid on and secured it with a strap. When I looked up Sam was still there, smiling from ear to ear and taking photos and Ella had decided it was boring and wandered off. There were bees buzzing around but they weren't angry, they were very quiet and compliant.
I think I inhaled more smoke from the smoker than a 60+ a day cigarette smoker so I'll need to be more clever in the placement of my smoker in future. All in all I was thoroughly pleased with the whole exercise and more than just a little impressed that I didn't get stung.
It is funny how the universe works, it was only late last week that I'd replied to an email about some nucs for sale, I missed out on them but I was directed to lady selling nucs for quite a bit more than I could afford to pay. I decided to think about it over the weekend and that's when I received the email from Jennifer. I was very fortunate, Jennifer gifted the bees to me and here is what she wrote: My payment will be that you enjoy learning and having bees (and look after them). And one day you help someone else out in some way. That way we all win.
So, my aim will be to keep you all updated on the progress of "Cleopatra's Colony" and provide you with some useful links.
The course I completed was the Introduction to Beekeeping course run by Auckland Beekeepers Club. I couldn't recommend it highly enough, I came away feeling well informed and couldn't wait to embark on this exciting pastime and get some bees of my own. The club meetings are also fantastic, there are plenty of knowledgable people willing to answer questions and you get to see a range of different hives at the club.
If you have a hive it needs to be registered, more about this once I've completed the process.
Littlies everywhere.
The feathered family has taken a significant leap in numbers. We have Violet babysitting one of our neighbour's little chicks. Rosa has a trifecta, one each - a black, ginger and yellow chick. Boots is such a great mum to her four chick, two gingery and two yellowy. Pippi continues to foster the late Ovaltine's baby Little-Bit, although Slick hatched her she soon realised it wasn't her baby so she abandoned her and that's when Pippi was able to redeem herself as a mother. Slick became broody again a few weeks after the abandonment and set up house in the old tackroom after we removed the door and put it on the gypsy shed. This gal really likes big houses, first the gypsy shed and now the tackroom, anything without a door and she's in! Anyway, she's just hatched five, one dozy little one didn't make it but the other four are doing well. Interesting colours, a yellow, a greenish-black, a ginger and a cream coloured one. They're so tiny. She would have had another two but they got stuck in their shells as they were hatching and died. They received a compost bin burial, it is starting to look like a mass grave in there now.
While I was out and about on the farm I also noticed that our resident wild quails have a string of cotton wool sized chicks too. Quails are hilarious, they have a feather dangling in front of their faces and it seems to throw off their ability to run in a straight line, they run, swerving all over the place looking quite intoxicated. The babies run straight and then veer off to follow their wonky parents, it is quite entertaining. How these tiny little bundles survive is a miracle to me, they look so vulnerable but boy are they fast and they cover a lot of ground in a day, they're on the fenceline of the bush at one end of the farm in the morning and by the afternoon they're at the opposite end.
We also have baby bunnies, two of them. They live in amongst the woodpile under the upturned dinghy. They spend a lot of time out nibbling on the driveway and in the Jenny Craig paddock. They mix and mingle with the chooks every day. I can get within a metre of them before they turn and very slowly hop away their little white tails flashing with every hop.
There's a huge, colourful cock pheasant hanging around at the moment, he's quite stunning. I've heard that pheasants are creatures of habit and like take the same route on their journeys, I can't remember where I read it but the theory was proven when I noticed tracks in the grass and stumbled upon a few birds at the same place whilst on my morning walks. I remember years ago when a new motorway was cut through a piece of farmland, on the week that it opened a pheasant was struck and killed and lay on the side of the motorway for weeks. Every night that I was stuck in traffic I would creep past this lifeless little body and feel so sad, such a beautiful creature wasted, killed because of this motorway. I feel ashamed to be a human sometimes, a member of a race that has so much to answer for. So destructive and flippant about this planet and all of it's inhabitants.
I decided to make a purpose built large a-frame maternity unit. The maternity ward is proving to be a bit of a problem with all the little chicks going into a frenzy at feeding time and overprotective mothers pecking anything that isn't their kin. I cut the timber to size, assembled the apexes but before I had a chance to put the retangular base together I was rudely interrupted by the most intense rain shower I've encountered for a long time. It started with a warning of a couple of rain drops and then launched into a full downpour of epic proportions, the icy cold droplets seemed to aim down my butt-crack and neck of my t-shirt, before I knew it I was drenched.
While I was out and about on the farm I also noticed that our resident wild quails have a string of cotton wool sized chicks too. Quails are hilarious, they have a feather dangling in front of their faces and it seems to throw off their ability to run in a straight line, they run, swerving all over the place looking quite intoxicated. The babies run straight and then veer off to follow their wonky parents, it is quite entertaining. How these tiny little bundles survive is a miracle to me, they look so vulnerable but boy are they fast and they cover a lot of ground in a day, they're on the fenceline of the bush at one end of the farm in the morning and by the afternoon they're at the opposite end.
We also have baby bunnies, two of them. They live in amongst the woodpile under the upturned dinghy. They spend a lot of time out nibbling on the driveway and in the Jenny Craig paddock. They mix and mingle with the chooks every day. I can get within a metre of them before they turn and very slowly hop away their little white tails flashing with every hop.
There's a huge, colourful cock pheasant hanging around at the moment, he's quite stunning. I've heard that pheasants are creatures of habit and like take the same route on their journeys, I can't remember where I read it but the theory was proven when I noticed tracks in the grass and stumbled upon a few birds at the same place whilst on my morning walks. I remember years ago when a new motorway was cut through a piece of farmland, on the week that it opened a pheasant was struck and killed and lay on the side of the motorway for weeks. Every night that I was stuck in traffic I would creep past this lifeless little body and feel so sad, such a beautiful creature wasted, killed because of this motorway. I feel ashamed to be a human sometimes, a member of a race that has so much to answer for. So destructive and flippant about this planet and all of it's inhabitants.
I decided to make a purpose built large a-frame maternity unit. The maternity ward is proving to be a bit of a problem with all the little chicks going into a frenzy at feeding time and overprotective mothers pecking anything that isn't their kin. I cut the timber to size, assembled the apexes but before I had a chance to put the retangular base together I was rudely interrupted by the most intense rain shower I've encountered for a long time. It started with a warning of a couple of rain drops and then launched into a full downpour of epic proportions, the icy cold droplets seemed to aim down my butt-crack and neck of my t-shirt, before I knew it I was drenched.
Best buddies?
Today was my day off work. I'm still feeling green around the gills so I woke up early and needed to get up and do something. So I visited all the animals early and let them out. Sheamus and Tallulah wandered out, and then as I was walking down the driveway to feed the chooks with Tallulah trotting along behind me I heard the 'click' of Sheamus's gate, I went back and opened the gate and saw Sheamus was asleep in his wallow. A little while later I heard another click and looked over to see Sheamus walking away from his gate back to his wallow, and then something went click in my head.
Lately I've found Sheamus asleep in his house in the afternoons, locked in with the gate shut. I thought that it was a case of him getting locked in first by accident, then getting bored and falling asleep but it seems I'm wrong. Tallulah isn't scared of Sheamus anymore, she knows when to stay out of his way but now she also knows that if he's laying down she can poke him in the tummy with her nose, climb around him, push at his legs and if he objects it takes him a good 3 seconds to get up and chase her away. In that time she's well out of the way and hooning across the paddock squealing in delight. Turns out that Sheamus realises he's been beaten so, as a testiment to the intelligent creatures they are Sheamus devised his own plan. He closes his gate so that Tallulah can't get in and torment him so he gets to lay in his wallow in peace and quiet. Tallulah is quite a determined wee thing so after realising that Uncle Shamey was locking her out decided to breach the 7 strand wire fence, while she's still little enough to fit through the gaps in the wire, and continue her tormenting game. Now, here's the other interesting bit, Tallulah can also shut her gate, I often ask Sam why he's put her away so early and he says, 'She did it herself', I wonder if perhaps she does this when she's pushed Sheamus too far and he's out to get her.
Having said all of that, it seems there are times when they get on well and this afternoon was one of those times. My neighbour Liz came over and the excitement was all a little too much for these guys...
Lately I've found Sheamus asleep in his house in the afternoons, locked in with the gate shut. I thought that it was a case of him getting locked in first by accident, then getting bored and falling asleep but it seems I'm wrong. Tallulah isn't scared of Sheamus anymore, she knows when to stay out of his way but now she also knows that if he's laying down she can poke him in the tummy with her nose, climb around him, push at his legs and if he objects it takes him a good 3 seconds to get up and chase her away. In that time she's well out of the way and hooning across the paddock squealing in delight. Turns out that Sheamus realises he's been beaten so, as a testiment to the intelligent creatures they are Sheamus devised his own plan. He closes his gate so that Tallulah can't get in and torment him so he gets to lay in his wallow in peace and quiet. Tallulah is quite a determined wee thing so after realising that Uncle Shamey was locking her out decided to breach the 7 strand wire fence, while she's still little enough to fit through the gaps in the wire, and continue her tormenting game. Now, here's the other interesting bit, Tallulah can also shut her gate, I often ask Sam why he's put her away so early and he says, 'She did it herself', I wonder if perhaps she does this when she's pushed Sheamus too far and he's out to get her.
Having said all of that, it seems there are times when they get on well and this afternoon was one of those times. My neighbour Liz came over and the excitement was all a little too much for these guys...
Grumbles, tumbles and new bundles.
Last week we ran out of water so we got it filled and ever since I've been waking up at the crack of dawn with a rumbly tummy, a panicky feeling and nausea. It has been awful. The very thought of food before lunch time makes me want to hurl and before you start jumping to conclusions, no, I'm not preggers.
And now, Sam's feeling it too.
A call to the local farm services people and we think we might have solved the issue. Giardia. Yuck. Apparently it is rife in the district at the moment with the higher than average temperatures the little devils aka bacteria have been multiplying in our water tanks. Gross. Now I'm thinking, can I brush my teeth with it, should I wash my hands with it, are the animals safe? The guy assured Sam that the animals will be fine and he'll come out tomorrow to test and treat the water.
We had a great weekend, we didn't achieve as much as we'd have liked but we did spend a LOT of quality time with the family. Most evenings we take some 'ground' time with the littlies like the goats, chooks and pigs. We literally sit on the ground, at eye level with them and they love it. Usually they come over for a tummy rub, a nosey or a cuddle. The chooks use us as human perches too.
To recap on what's been happening lately.
Horses:
Tarka is sore on his feet again, seems this wee guy is destined to spend spring in lock up, poor fella, I know he hates it but the results are dramatic. His last bought of laminitis saw him staggering around so I took him out of the paddock, fed him a sachet of bute and two days later he was waltzing around as if I'd imagined the whole thing. Ella is gaining weight but she's not suffered with laminitis yet, hopefully we can keep it that way. Both of them spend a lot of time free-ranging on the driveway and following us around, it is really sweet. The goats have been keeping Tarka company when he's oin lock up, going over completely voluntarily and spending time in his pen and paddock with him. Ella's taken quite a shine to Tallulah and yesterday Sam and I watched in horror as Tallulah wove in and out of Ella's legs, Ella kep and eye on her and made sure not to stand on the little ginger. Sam was especially nervous knowing first hand the pain that Ella's hooves can inflict, she cleanly removed Sam's big toenail the day after we got engaged, and the worst thing is, I think it was intentional. Since it didn't scare him off and he continued coming back to the farm and eventually moved in, Ella's admitted defeat, realising Sam's tougher than she originally thought and she's been building a relationship with him ever since.
Pigs:
After the scary introduction [where my heart was in my mouth, terrified that Shamey would hurt Tallulah] they've been getting on just fine. Sheamus is the boss but Sam tells me that Tallulah is memory banking all of Shamey's grumpy outbursts and in years to come when she's grown into a big, moody young lady she'll get her own back. I think he's got a good point and Sheamus is probably trying to get his way while he still can. They're very cute together, Sheamus is monstrous next to her, he's so much more relaxed now, we built her an enclusre within Sheamus's enclosure and Shamey spends so much more time in his enclosure now that she's there. She is a trooper, taking everything in her stride and she's quite a speedy little girl, she runs and jumps and at the very sound of Sam's voice she's at his feet, she loves her daddy-man. I love brushing her, that's our special one-on-one time together. Most evenings Tallulah and Sheamus go off into the hill paddock together and as soon as its dusk Sheamus comes running home leaving Tallulah at the top of the hill on her own, Sam is usually the one that carries her back and she objects with some grizzly little whinges and then snuggles into Sam's arms and enjoys the transport back to her house where she has pellets and a bedtime apple waiting for her.
Goats:
Mabel and Lucifer have been going further afield on their daily expeditions. I'm thrilled to see they're confident enough to head over to the open paddock and graze on the hill without any shrub protection, they must be feeling safe here now. At the slightest sign of trouble Lucifer belts back to the vege garden, whips around the fence post and onto the roof of the maternity hutch and into his enclusure and onto his wooden cable reel. He calls to Mabel and she dutifully wanders over but without the drama or urgency that Lucifer displays. Late last week we had a little sunshower and afterwards Lucifer leapt onto the roof of the maternity hutch and his feet went out from under him and he fell clean off the roof. He picked himself up and seemed fine but I vowed to trim his hooves which I did this weekend. Both Mabel and Lucifer got their hooves trimmed and their dandruff and clumps of winter coat brushed out, they looked a million bucks when we'd finished but neither of them enjoyed the event. They've finally started the leaping, jumping and bucking that all happy little goats should do, I love to watch them.
Chooks:
Nigel still has his head, he's mellowed a lot. The other roosters have left him alone too. Its the season for broodiness and we've had our fair share of broody hens. Little Boots' hatchlings are adorable, she's got four left now, Mumma Rosa has three - a white, a ginger and a black, Pippi is being a fantastic adoptive mum to Little Bit and Little Bit's biological mum Slick is sitting on eggs in the old shed/ tackroom. The latest large hen to go broody is is Violet who hasn't had littlies before. She got terribly upset every time I removed our eating eggs from under her. So, to solve the problem, our neighbour Liz had 25+ eggs under her hen Oprah. Oprah hatched two and then left the eggs. Liz was certain that there were more babies in there so we put them under Violet. A day later there were two health happy newbies and one that got stuck departing the shell, they got collected by Liz. After that another one hatched and sadly got squished in amongst the eggs, then a day later another which survived and this one Violet wasn't letting go. She's been a great mum but the little one needed to get out and about so I moved her and baby into the maternity ward with Slick, Rosa and their babies. I put the eggs under Violet and some others under Matilda the most amazing mother in the world who hatched a clutch of 13 babies in one go and abandoned one egg which was a dud anyway! The maternity ward is looking fantastic, there's a plan to extend it a little.
And now, Sam's feeling it too.
A call to the local farm services people and we think we might have solved the issue. Giardia. Yuck. Apparently it is rife in the district at the moment with the higher than average temperatures the little devils aka bacteria have been multiplying in our water tanks. Gross. Now I'm thinking, can I brush my teeth with it, should I wash my hands with it, are the animals safe? The guy assured Sam that the animals will be fine and he'll come out tomorrow to test and treat the water.
We had a great weekend, we didn't achieve as much as we'd have liked but we did spend a LOT of quality time with the family. Most evenings we take some 'ground' time with the littlies like the goats, chooks and pigs. We literally sit on the ground, at eye level with them and they love it. Usually they come over for a tummy rub, a nosey or a cuddle. The chooks use us as human perches too.
To recap on what's been happening lately.
Horses:
Tarka is sore on his feet again, seems this wee guy is destined to spend spring in lock up, poor fella, I know he hates it but the results are dramatic. His last bought of laminitis saw him staggering around so I took him out of the paddock, fed him a sachet of bute and two days later he was waltzing around as if I'd imagined the whole thing. Ella is gaining weight but she's not suffered with laminitis yet, hopefully we can keep it that way. Both of them spend a lot of time free-ranging on the driveway and following us around, it is really sweet. The goats have been keeping Tarka company when he's oin lock up, going over completely voluntarily and spending time in his pen and paddock with him. Ella's taken quite a shine to Tallulah and yesterday Sam and I watched in horror as Tallulah wove in and out of Ella's legs, Ella kep and eye on her and made sure not to stand on the little ginger. Sam was especially nervous knowing first hand the pain that Ella's hooves can inflict, she cleanly removed Sam's big toenail the day after we got engaged, and the worst thing is, I think it was intentional. Since it didn't scare him off and he continued coming back to the farm and eventually moved in, Ella's admitted defeat, realising Sam's tougher than she originally thought and she's been building a relationship with him ever since.
Pigs:
After the scary introduction [where my heart was in my mouth, terrified that Shamey would hurt Tallulah] they've been getting on just fine. Sheamus is the boss but Sam tells me that Tallulah is memory banking all of Shamey's grumpy outbursts and in years to come when she's grown into a big, moody young lady she'll get her own back. I think he's got a good point and Sheamus is probably trying to get his way while he still can. They're very cute together, Sheamus is monstrous next to her, he's so much more relaxed now, we built her an enclusre within Sheamus's enclosure and Shamey spends so much more time in his enclosure now that she's there. She is a trooper, taking everything in her stride and she's quite a speedy little girl, she runs and jumps and at the very sound of Sam's voice she's at his feet, she loves her daddy-man. I love brushing her, that's our special one-on-one time together. Most evenings Tallulah and Sheamus go off into the hill paddock together and as soon as its dusk Sheamus comes running home leaving Tallulah at the top of the hill on her own, Sam is usually the one that carries her back and she objects with some grizzly little whinges and then snuggles into Sam's arms and enjoys the transport back to her house where she has pellets and a bedtime apple waiting for her.
Goats:
Mabel and Lucifer have been going further afield on their daily expeditions. I'm thrilled to see they're confident enough to head over to the open paddock and graze on the hill without any shrub protection, they must be feeling safe here now. At the slightest sign of trouble Lucifer belts back to the vege garden, whips around the fence post and onto the roof of the maternity hutch and into his enclusure and onto his wooden cable reel. He calls to Mabel and she dutifully wanders over but without the drama or urgency that Lucifer displays. Late last week we had a little sunshower and afterwards Lucifer leapt onto the roof of the maternity hutch and his feet went out from under him and he fell clean off the roof. He picked himself up and seemed fine but I vowed to trim his hooves which I did this weekend. Both Mabel and Lucifer got their hooves trimmed and their dandruff and clumps of winter coat brushed out, they looked a million bucks when we'd finished but neither of them enjoyed the event. They've finally started the leaping, jumping and bucking that all happy little goats should do, I love to watch them.
Chooks:
Nigel still has his head, he's mellowed a lot. The other roosters have left him alone too. Its the season for broodiness and we've had our fair share of broody hens. Little Boots' hatchlings are adorable, she's got four left now, Mumma Rosa has three - a white, a ginger and a black, Pippi is being a fantastic adoptive mum to Little Bit and Little Bit's biological mum Slick is sitting on eggs in the old shed/ tackroom. The latest large hen to go broody is is Violet who hasn't had littlies before. She got terribly upset every time I removed our eating eggs from under her. So, to solve the problem, our neighbour Liz had 25+ eggs under her hen Oprah. Oprah hatched two and then left the eggs. Liz was certain that there were more babies in there so we put them under Violet. A day later there were two health happy newbies and one that got stuck departing the shell, they got collected by Liz. After that another one hatched and sadly got squished in amongst the eggs, then a day later another which survived and this one Violet wasn't letting go. She's been a great mum but the little one needed to get out and about so I moved her and baby into the maternity ward with Slick, Rosa and their babies. I put the eggs under Violet and some others under Matilda the most amazing mother in the world who hatched a clutch of 13 babies in one go and abandoned one egg which was a dud anyway! The maternity ward is looking fantastic, there's a plan to extend it a little.
Introducing Tallulah
Our little piglet finally has a name. Tallulah. We were throwing names around and this was actually one of the first ones we came up with.
She's adorable, becoming more and more a part of the family every day. I'm sure she misses her brothers and sisters and her mum but she has a very doting new family.
We introduced her to Sheamus today, he was a bully but she's a tough little cookie and didn't let his grumpy attitude deter her affections. She even went up to inspect his underside for milky boobs and was quite disappointed when she didn't find any.
She's adorable, becoming more and more a part of the family every day. I'm sure she misses her brothers and sisters and her mum but she has a very doting new family.
We introduced her to Sheamus today, he was a bully but she's a tough little cookie and didn't let his grumpy attitude deter her affections. She even went up to inspect his underside for milky boobs and was quite disappointed when she didn't find any.
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