2ND OBERHASLI DOE: Angie needs a friend. Not just any friend. She needs someone that won't take crap from her and be pushed around by her, but still be able to be friends with her. I contacted Marcia at St John Creamery (where Angie came from), to find out if she has another older girl that would be a suitable pasture mate for the oh so bossy Angie.
PINKIE THE BORROWED FAINTER (MYOTONIC) DOE: Until I get another Ober doe from Marcia, my friend Judy has graciously loaned me one of her Fainter/Myotonic does, a lovely girl named Pinkie. She's a little shy, but getting used to all the noise and activity on our mini farm, and is starting to accept attention from all of us. She and Angie initially disputed who would be the boss, but it didn't take long for Pinkie to realize that it would be Angie. End of discussion.
PILGRIM GEESE: Our pair of Pilgrim goslings are growing quickly, and only have a little fluff left on their rumps. They like to sleep with the goats and turkeys in the goat shelter :)
LITTLE SHED: Today the little shed got a slight makeover. I moved it back up against the fence, on a couple pallets, and reorganized the inside, so that the feed cart can *just* fit inside with the feed and bin of DE (Diatomaceous Earth). Eventually the little shed will be replaced by a 10x16 shed, and then I'll be able to comfortably fit EVERYTHING in there, though I'll keep the little shed to store the DE and various other weather/pest-proof items (when it rains really hard, water will leak in, and it's not pest proof by any stretch of the imagination).
LAST OF THE RABBIT HUTCHES: I currently have ONE rabbit hutch left, the double with the swinging divider. The 3 hole hutch has been claimed in trade by Gryph, so probably tomorrow we'll be moving that big hutch out, and making room for the rest of the temporary pallet/box spring tabletop cages. Hooray!
POOLS FOR DUCKS AND GEESE: Andy picked up a couple kiddie pools for our waterfowl; one for the geese, and the other in the Muscovy pen. They LOVE their pools!
OH MY DUCK (MUSCOVIES!: Ah, the dilemma of the Muscovies. The drake is still extremely aggressive, though he has learned that if he charges at me or bites at me, he will instantly receive a boot-assisted launch to the other end of the pen (he hasn't attacked in a while now - not so stupid after all). The Muscovy eggs in the incubator are almost ready to hatch out; I'm hoping there will be several females and perhaps 1-2 replacement males, since I refuse to keep aggressive/unpredictable animals on our farm. The duck hisses, but won't attack, so I'll let her be for now and wait to see if it's the mean drake's influence or not.
CHICKENS: There have been some BIG changes in the flock. I've been putting most of the flock's eggs in the incubator, and have had just 3 hatch out so far; a Turken/Ameracauna, and 2 Ameracauna mixes. I sold most of the original flock, keeping Captain the Ameracauna rooster, Big Momma and Diva, and 2 buff Orpington hens. My fancy lovely Bielefelders died except for 1 girl, who is still in the outdoor brooder with her incubator hatch mates. I traded a PVC & wire bunny pen for a splash Orpington hen with 2 chicks, named her Dazzle, and she has also adopted 6 incubator chicks (3 lavender Orpingtons that were hatched out for John). Right now no one is laying eggs, but with everything else being so busy, and with eggs still saved up in the kitchen, that's ok ;)
GUTTERS!!!: I found a local gutter company that is happy to donate their scrap sections of steel gutters to me and Judy; we went there yesterday with my trailer and picked up our first load of them. Here I come, rain catchment and fodder projects!
CHAIN LINK: I am so incredibly grateful to everyone that offered, donated, and helped with my huge project of locating and collecting as much chain link fencing as possible! I believe I have enough now to complete my rabbitry and rabbit colony projects, and there may even be just enough extra to fence in the main garden for next year. I can't tell you what a relief it is to have that fencing, and have saved that money! :)