Friday 20 May 2016

Sad day

This am did animal welfare check. Short of a lamb! After further investigation found a half eaten lamb in the field. Horrific sight! I feel so sorry for mother sheep she must have seen it all in the night. She was pointing and barring. I can tell she is upset! Think the fox got the lamb. Looking into a guard alpaca for next years lambing. Alpaca can kill a fox. Better start saving money!! 

Tuesday 17 May 2016

Cute Lambs

All pals together



Cute




Pigs all warn out!


Back to all lambs together. A gang of four Bound to be mischief occurring soon!


Sunday 15 May 2016

What's going on with the chickens!!!

Broody hen sitting on duck and chicken eggs. Be interesting when they hatch!! Cockerel getting aggressive with me. He will be in pot if he carries on!! 

New bees doing well. Pollen going in the hive so all good. 

Lambs well cute when they jump in the air. Pigs seem happy. 

Planting um behind as usual. Note to self stop watching the lambs!! Strimming mind and neighbours garden all up to date. 

Kittens loving where they live

So all going well down on the smallholding


Thursday 12 May 2016

Return of the bees

Just picked up my new replacement bees. Thanks Anthony and Anne at Hill View. Put them in their new hive this evening. Managed to get stung by a bee that had clung on the suit and got me as I took suit off. Looking forward to beekeeping again. Found a new sheltered spot for the hive under the willow their food source. 

Lambs are all doing well. Found the older lambs jumping all over the male sheep. He seem to find it a good game and just played with them. Brilliant to see the lambs bouncing about the field. 

The piglets seem to be getting on well growing by the day. Running around digging up the pen and seem very happy. 

Ninja is now chief mouse catcher. He does like to bring them in the house through the window alive and play Tom and Jerry. Very cruel boy!! Truffle I don't think has caught anything yet! 

After a fox attack chickens and ducks liking their new enclosure. Mr fix will need wire cutters and a shovel!

Plants are coming on. So are the blackberries!! We are into grass cutting season again. Neighbours garden at the holiday cottage looking good that I look after with all the wild flowers. I must get round to sending them photos. 

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Worth the wait...............................................

After keeping me waiting patiently.......................... Born in the night. I missed it again!! So still know very little about lambing oh well always next year!!

Judging by looking at them they haven't been born very long.






Monday 2 May 2016

Are we in labour!

Just done welfare check on sheep and clear watery discharge from the suspected pregnant ewe. It could be a long night!! 

Today sorted polytunnel left the plants longer than hoped due to lambing but plants are all fine. Planted out peas, cabbage, spinach, chard and rest of the spuds. 

Dug up blackberry roots and Built three willow obelisks for my peas. Running out of space will have to dig out more blackberry roots. Veg patch coming on well. 

Houdini the chicken two fences and she can still get out!! Really don't know how!! 

Piglets are growing and doing well. 

Anyway here's hoping no complications with ewe number 2. 

Sunday 1 May 2016

Patience is a virtue

You definitely need patience with this lambing lark!! 

Pregnant ewe is still pregnant. Udder getting hard and full, very fat but no signs yet. 

I decided to check the dates! 

Returning to dates and not knowing how long Amos visited we could go to the 5th May and still only be 4 days overdue!!

Telling the ewe to give birth is not working so I guess patience is the only way! 

The other lambs are a week old now they are looking rather good. Mum still doing sterling work. So much easier to look after lambs when a ewe does all the work!!