A view to the east where the creek is at the back of the house. It is lovely and green this year. For a brief period the sheep and goats were here in the electric net fence. The Maremma puppies were chewing on the ear of a lamb so it was definitely time to introduce them to the fat ewes, not just the little ewes. When the pups arrived, they were only 5 weeks old and in order not to intimidate them, they were put in with quiet lambs and not the grown sheep. They had become aggressive with the lambs, though, and needed to be taught not to mess with the sheep. The ewes with babies are very protective and have sent the pups flying a few times over, a good lesson that sheep are not to be bullied. So, the lambs that were separated for weaning and the Southdown Babydolls were integrated yesterday, but not for long. At the end of August the male lambs will have to be removed to the bachelor pad and the female lambs and wethers removed as well for weaning. For a week there will be much crying back and forth. After three weeks the ewes should have stopped producing milk and and after a month apart, the ewe lambs and wethers can be reintroduced to the flock. The Icelandics are still for sale and although there has been much interest in them, no one so far has come to view them.
So, after the panic of the pups gnawing on the lamb, it appears the pigs had decided to taste a duck. Thank goodness she came to her senses and got out of there in time.
In the meantime, the deck is being built where the old interlocking brick patio was. It was terribly dysfunctional, sloped incorrectly so water collected at the house instead of running off and away, and the ants had taken up residence and continually uprooted sand onto the patio. This deck is 16 feet square and will be much more user friendly.
The puppies got their first shots today and Walter is continuing his Oxytetracycline for a terrible condition he acquired prior to coming to the farm, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, a nasty bacterial infection. This is his second go round with antibiotics as the penicillin failed to rid him of the problem.
Also, the Ancona ducklings and guinea keets arrived today. The ducklings vary in age from a week to a few months and are cute as ever. The guinea keets are wild and crazy and try to fly into their wire cage. They are in the hoop house the lambs vacated this morning, where they will stay for three weeks and they are ready to join the flocks foraging in the yard.
The llamas came into the yard through a gate that some one inadvertently left open and munched on the goats' hay. They were reluctant to be shown the gate and went everywhere but out, though finally, they condescended and left after being chased and shooed away.
The raven attacked a rabbit in their kennel this morning. Fortunately the rabbits have protective houses to retreat into and although quite a bit of fur was torn out, the rabbit is fine. One of the projects this evening was to cover the kennel with wire to protect the bunnies from arial predators. Those ravens have hunted the farm critters a little too much for my liking. It is time to shoot another one, maybe the bold one who flew into the rabbit cage and caused havoc there.
In the evening we shared a meal of turkey stew with fresh garden beans, asparagus, organic carrots and organic sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and lots of turkey raised right here on the farm. Whew, and that was another day. Zzzz. Good night.
So, after the panic of the pups gnawing on the lamb, it appears the pigs had decided to taste a duck. Thank goodness she came to her senses and got out of there in time.
In the meantime, the deck is being built where the old interlocking brick patio was. It was terribly dysfunctional, sloped incorrectly so water collected at the house instead of running off and away, and the ants had taken up residence and continually uprooted sand onto the patio. This deck is 16 feet square and will be much more user friendly.
The puppies got their first shots today and Walter is continuing his Oxytetracycline for a terrible condition he acquired prior to coming to the farm, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, a nasty bacterial infection. This is his second go round with antibiotics as the penicillin failed to rid him of the problem.
Also, the Ancona ducklings and guinea keets arrived today. The ducklings vary in age from a week to a few months and are cute as ever. The guinea keets are wild and crazy and try to fly into their wire cage. They are in the hoop house the lambs vacated this morning, where they will stay for three weeks and they are ready to join the flocks foraging in the yard.
The llamas came into the yard through a gate that some one inadvertently left open and munched on the goats' hay. They were reluctant to be shown the gate and went everywhere but out, though finally, they condescended and left after being chased and shooed away.
The raven attacked a rabbit in their kennel this morning. Fortunately the rabbits have protective houses to retreat into and although quite a bit of fur was torn out, the rabbit is fine. One of the projects this evening was to cover the kennel with wire to protect the bunnies from arial predators. Those ravens have hunted the farm critters a little too much for my liking. It is time to shoot another one, maybe the bold one who flew into the rabbit cage and caused havoc there.
In the evening we shared a meal of turkey stew with fresh garden beans, asparagus, organic carrots and organic sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and lots of turkey raised right here on the farm. Whew, and that was another day. Zzzz. Good night.
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