worse than spoiled

The dreaded monster of Mocabee Creek, doing her part to make sure that Dandelions cover every inch of her pasture. Malia- still on the bottle, and still rotten (obviously).

chickens and eggs

Well chicken still has two living babies, It's nice to see her protecting them from the turkeys that like to pick on anything little.  Here she is with one of her biddies, settling into the woodpile for the night.

Cathouse chicken (Maj) was on the these eggs again last night until this morning.  I really hope she goes broody.

Also, the nest boxes that we built last weekend were a huge hit.  So far the girls have tried them all out.  One egg in each box.  I'm so relieved that the hens even want to still lay in the chicken house, after being free range for so long.

strawberries

It's amazing what a little bit of rain will do.  Each strawberry plant has 4 or 5 fruits, all roughly the size of a nickel. I'm still looking for strawberry/rhubarb recipies. If anyone has a good way to enjoy these fruits, just let me know.

a post for jason

Jason's memorial garden... We miss you hasone.

Redbuds still hanging on...

The Redbud blossoms are still on the trees.  We have had frost the last two nights, that pretty much fried the young green leaves on these and  a lot of other little trees.  It's nice to still have so much spring color to enjoy.

The creek flows pink with redbud petals.

For Sale: Teeswater ram (#1)

Percentage Teeswater Ram.  This ram was born this spring, but is not registerable, as his percentage isn't high enough.  He is a single, and has great teeswater markings, and wonderful wool.  This ram would make an excellent flock sire or wether for a spinner's flock, or a nice locker lamb.

For Sale: Eva

4 horn black and white Jacob ewe born this year, from Wisconsin (cold valley) and Indiana (4 horn farms) bloodlines.  More info and photos available upon request.

the newest ram, all cleaned up.

This little guy-born on monday evening is doing well, all dried off and cleaned up. He followed his mother out to pasture last night, and seems to be healthy.

cat house hen

It may be too soon to tell, but it seems that the goddess of broody hens has heard my prayers.  This hen has been settling into the cat house, where she and her sister have been laying eggs all spring.  She's not setting tight yet, but when she does, I'm going to throw some other eggs under her.  Who ever heard of an old dirty pillow as nest?  This chicken was one of the handful that we were actually able to hatch last year, her egg came from our neighbors up the hill.  She lays a lovely light green egg.

creek hen

Nothing really new to report, this hen's bitties are all doing well. Just wanted to post these because I know everyone likes to see fresh fuzzy baby chicks.

ram lamb...surprise!

Shortly after the sheep were let out to pasture last night, we went out into the field to get the cow-for her grain.  On the way we noticed this lincoln ewe in labor and ready to drop a lamb.  I ran nearly a mile to get the camera, to share more birth photos! 

The head and front feet

A healthy large single ram lamb. Born in the rain, this ewe took nibbles of grass between licks on her baby. I took a great shot of the placenta bubble exploding, but decided to spare everyone that detail.

One of the teeswater ram lambs (born a few weeks ago), came over to check out the lamb.  He's up on his feet now and nursing, in from the rain.

ewes-5 rams-8

pigs and stuff

Here's the runt, out of the house, in the rain, limping on a leg that his mother probably stepped on.  Seriously, if anyone wants a bottle piglet, here's your chance.

Darryl Faye has kept the babies in her house for the last couple of days, because of rainy weather.

there's something you don't see everyday!

welcome to my nest.

For everyone out there that thinks I'd make a terrible mother, You're probably right.  Here's my current nest (overcrowded and dirty).  It's the first incubator load of the season, and the humidity and temp. levels are probably not worked out.  Most of these eggs went in on 4-11 the others 4-21.  So I should have chicks as soon as monday or tues. of next week.  In the mean time I'm praying for a hen to go broody, because this nest is full.

We label and date them... but when there are 10  or more chicks hatched out through the night, it becomes impossible to tell which is which.

rainy days

This is all we could see of the piglets all weekend.  Rain kept them cooped up in their house.  Darryl Faye has been a very attentive mother, all ten piglets seem to be thriving.

berries.

The strawberries are loving all this rain.  As you can see they are full of blossoms.  More than a few of these plants have fruits the size of dimes on them now. 

without a nest box.

This  easter egger hen hatched out 7 chicks sometime over the weekend. Because there were no nest boxes up in the chicken house (yet), she layed out somewhere near the creek, or under a building.  I'm glad she did, because this represents 7 less eggs to have to turn in the incubator.  Also it seems like chicks that are raised by a hen do a lot better, when it comes to survival.

Well chicken, on the other hand, is turning out to be a terrible mother.  She did fine hatching 14 babies, but is now down to 2 chicks.  The next time she goes broody we'll let her hatch and then steal her babies and take care of them in a brooder. 

finally some nest boxes.

We've been putting off building nest boxes for too long.  Sunday we finally got to work on the project, they are built completely out of materials we had laying around the farm(including nails).  These are old supers from beehives that had been infested with rats many years ago.  Rob included a tutorial for the birds on the bottom right, incase they can't figure it out.

pretty clear, eh?

Installed and ready for egg collection.

more piglet photos.

The piglets are all doing well.  They've all survived some pretty cool nights since they were born.  It's interesting to see how differently each one is built, and personality traits are already becoming clear.  It's probably too soon to be choosing which will be keepers, and which will be sold.  I'm sort of fond of this little girl on the left (with the white diamond on her head).  In case anyone is wondering, Darryl Faye, the mother of these pigs is a cross breed, prob duroc, and tamworth in her pedigree-and she was bred to a purebred Hereford boar.

There's the little girl I'm thinking of keeping (Ermine) and we'll prob keep the spotted boy to the right, just because he's different.  He's also one of the longest pigs in the litter.

 

And I wanted to include this photo where you can see all ten piglets... including the runt on the top of the pile.

turkeys and apple blossoms

well chicken

Well Chicken has been moved out of the well with her children.  She started out with 14, and hid the food from them and acted crazy.  Only 5 have survived.

pam is one gone pig.

We sold Pam the boar on Sunday.  He's going to be with purebred Hereford sows somewhere else. Here's a farewell shot of the good ole boys. So long Pam,you sure threw pretty pigs.

another sunny sunday...

Just a bunch of lambs jumping around.

piglets!!!! (photo heavy)

Finally this weekend Darryl Faye had her piglets.  She went into labor Sat. morning.  When I got back to the farm from town, She was laying down and ready.  I stayed with her about an hour.  Rob came down to the pig pen and hand fed her strawberries, minutes later the piglets started squirting out.  I was a nervous wreck that she was going to roll on them all and kill them, but she's turned out to be a good mother.  The whole birthing process took 20 minutes.  She had nine by the time it was dark.  But when we all got up and moving on Sunday morning... there was another one.!  10 healthy little piglets.  One or two little runts, but they've survived their first two evenings...we even had a frost the last couple nights.

here are the photos more or less in order.  pic heavy, and prob. considered graphic to some...

there's a snout...

already napping.