When I was milking this morning, the duck flock came charging into the barn, quacking like crazy. When I went into the barn yard, I caught sight of a red fox and sent Delilah after her. Delilah faithfully did her duty and chased the fox off the property. I have one duck missing and three ducks with minor puncture wounds. I found a pile of speckled sussex feathers so the fox may have got a hen as well. If she came back repeatedly like I suspect she had done before I caught sight of her, she probably has kits and will return again. I called and warned my farmer neighbors about the fox. I went to the range and practiced with my new 22. Everyone got locked up extra tight tonight.
Archive for April, 2009
Fox!
April 28, 2009Saturday Night Barn Report
April 25, 2009Geeze louise…it got hot today…90’s peak temp at late afternoon. Spring is gone…summer begun? Moved the goats into a new pasture which they devoured. Trimmed everyone’s hooves and did a general health check with the morning hours. Got a hay delivery. Moved the turkey tractor from the house yard to the barn yard. Started moving the garden compost bins until I was too hot. Dumped the evening milk because the fridge is full. Must make hard cheese tomorrow.
What’s left for kidding
April 22, 2009I have Elizbeth who kidded poorly her last two times, losing babies, being sick, ring womb so I am fretting about her. Due date up in the air…May? June? I have the three boer nubian crosses bred by POG, again date unknown but beautiful udders developing. Dreamer is pregnant too. I am thinking I have another 4 weeks but it is unpredictable. I will just have to watch closely. Could be 5 to 10 more kids.
Queenie
April 22, 2009My goat share folks are trickling in which is good since there is lots of product right now. A beautiful young lady named Michaela visted the baby goats today and immediately picked out Queenie as the best of the kidding season. Micheala also quickly identified she needed much more handling and she was right. Come back soon Michaela!
Life Cycles Unit
April 22, 2009New York State curriculum has a life cycle unit for 1st grade. Teachers are encouraged to grow seeds, grow butterflies from caterpillers, hatch chicks to demonstrate life. Teachers are looking for fertilized eggs. I have them and I do not have enough incubation ability. I get to have some fun in school and share my farm. This morning I delivered 24 fertilized duck eggs to Willow Elementary here in Cornwall. Next week more are going to Cornwall-on-Hudson elementary, plus some turkey eggs. Butterhill has duck eggs hatching tomorrow. Montgomery school system has asked me to participate as well. Everyone is bored with chicks and want to try the personable ducklings. Baby ducks are sooooo much more fun. This is one of the coolest part of farming. I help the teachers and the teachers help me and the kids are amazed! Instead of just my children getting the experience of a duckling cuddle and nibble, I am able to reach out so much further. This is so important. This experience takes the book learning about life cycles and makes it real. Take my word, it is very easy to fall in love with a baby duck.
ROFL
April 21, 2009Strangeness
April 17, 2009Josephine screamed all morning in the bonding pen, ignoring her baby, wanting to be back with the herd. I was reluctant to separate her from her baby without any bonding and felt it was too soon to put him, less than a day old, in with the herd. Since I was mucking this afternoon, I couldn’t stand the noise and put them both out with my constant supervision. Strangely, Josephine became protective of him and hovered close for the first time since his birth, anxiously sniffing to make sure he was hers.
I mentioned before I have a duck missing and have wondered if it is sitting on eggs somewhere. Now a turkey hen is gone as well. I guess we will see in a few weeks. I have confined the rest of the turkeys so I can gather their eggs for incubation.
Josephine’s buckling
April 17, 2009
After being surprised by two sets of triplets last week, I have now had two does that usually have twins just have big singles. Josephine kidded with this twelve pound buckling during the evening milking. Sadly she continues to be a poor mother, not even licking the poor guy.
Queenie
April 12, 2009
Sophie had a twelve pound doeling that we named Queenie. Given her size and the time that has passed, I think she is a singleton. Sophie is a very good and protective mother.
Turkeys hatching
April 9, 2009Yesteray we had our second batch of turkey poults start hatching, two yesterday, three today, more on the way. Here is a clip from the first batch.
