Meet the ducks & chickens & goats & sheep!

Got no time to write very much so I just thought I'd share some photo's!

Indian runner duck- BATHTIME!

Small-1 the black Indian Runner duck has gone all broody and is sitting on 10 eggs. I took a sneaky picture of her nest when she wasn't looking! 

This is the gorgeous Heidi. She is sitting on 3 very dark brown eggs from my Cuckoo Marans. They only have a week to go! I'm very excited about getting lots and lots of eggs in the incubators in the next week too! 

Storm and Lightening. My shadows.. I can't go anywhere without them following me (whether there's a fence/giant bank/gate or hedge in the way!)

I watched these two like this for AGES the other day. Sleepily chewing the cud cheek by cheek. So, so sweet! 

Hebridean Ewe.. Lordy she's impressive.

These two Shetlands (well the one on the right is a Shetland/Hebridean cross) right freak me out.. "Look into my eyes.. bring us nuts bring us nuts"

Finnhe the Katmoget Shetland ewe. She's very pretty.

Finnhe puckering up.. she might be pretty but she's NOT my type!

Jingo.. my pride and joy! Shetland ram (fawn)

Hope you enjoyed meeting a few of the animals :)

hen xx

Feeding time with the Shetland sheep, goats, Willow & Adventure Hen!

If you've followed this blog awhile you might recognise some of the ewes in this wee film, especially Nibble and Mini-Finnhe! Some of the girls have started to moult so I've been collecting lots of gorgeous fleece. You can see some strewn about the field, in the film.

Adventure Hen is one of the ex-battery hens we rescued in December 2011. She's getting a bit too explore-y for my liking but I'd rather she was mooching about far and wide than not.

So here is a wee peek into a bit of my evening animal rounds...



Nibble last year:

Mini-Finnhe Mulletina Moonface last year:

hen xx

Our 1st Lamb, Skunk, is born!

*Warning* Over use of exclamation marks in this post!!!!!

This is about 30minutes after Skunk was born. Skunks mother chose a good spot by the bank in the shade and there were no complications.

I watched him try and stand up for the first time and he did a front flip! When he finally found his feet he went straight for some food. His little tail was going like the clappers! Amazing how they know exactly what to do. I was relieved to see him have this first drink as I didn't have to worry he got plenty of colostrum. I left them be after that to be sure they bonded well and went to my make shift office next to the field shelter.

The other ewes came to investigate and Skunk saw them off by rushing them with a head butt! Couldn't believe it, he actually headbutted Magik! Hilarious!

Skunks mum is being amazing but was upset when I picked up Skunk & used him to get her into the field shelter. That was the first time I have ever held a lamb- ever. They're both in shelter now and very settled. Just look....

Teehee! My first ever lamb! Yay!

hen xx

Lambing Field Shelter

It was rather lovely while we were finishing the field shelter yesterday evening. I say 'we', actually Leo was finishing it and I was taking pictures of ducks and chickens and pretty views and sunsets... *flaky* 

It was so beautiful though!

This was built to be a compost bin but it was so perfect for lambing I demanded it for a field shelter! It's made of recycled decking planks and the roofing/walls are corrugated sheets made of bitumen saturated organic fibres. Holds the heat and doesn't condense moisture as badly as tin.

Just the other side of the lambing pen is where I'll be setting up my field office/camp. It will consist of a a huge tarp, my Terra Nova tent, a table, laptop and generator. That way I can keep my beedy eye on the ewes and protect the lambs from corvids, foxes and badgers. Looking forward to it as it's been ages since I camped out in my tent! 

Here's my beautiful boy, Jingo. It's impossible to get a picture of him, as he doesn't stay still for a minute!

Just pulling together my lambing kit and I'm ready to go.

erm.....

*help!*

hen xx