We have babies!

Sozo had her babies during the night.  11 total, but when we found them this morning 2 had pasted.  We have been checking on them and re-piling them up all day so they stay warm and we are still keeping our fingers crossed that they make it...One is always laying on his back and he has the biggest roundest tummy!  I think he latches on every time Sozo gets close enough!  Most are sleeping quietly for most of the day and so gosh darn cute!  Not very big though.  They are much smaller than our previous kits have been.  Sozo is about 3/4 Flemish Giant and 1/4 New Zealand (about) and Buck is pure Californian which is a small boned rabbit.  We closed the front of the hutch to keep the warmth in as much as possible and we will just have to see how many survive the night...please God let them be strong enough and stay together for warmth...I will get a photo in the morning and post I promise!

Fingers Crossed

I think Sozo is getting ready to have her kits!  She started pulling fur this morning!!!  This is her first litter so I am not going to kid myself that they are going to make it, from the research I have done and our personal experience first litters rarely work out.  The new moms have lots to learn.  But keeping my fingers crossed!!!

Learning new lessons...

Everyone has heard to stop and smell the roses, a reminder to slow down and enjoy the beauty around us every day.  But maybe slowing down isn't what we need all the time...  I watched my chickens spend about a half an hour running around after a butterfly.  The entire flock would turn on a dime as the butterfly changed directions going here and there.  After the butterfly flew away all the girls took a long nap after their excitement.  I started to think...when was the last time I was that excited about something?  There are so many things that have happened this last year alone that should I should have enjoyed more.  Even just a swim trip to the Y with the boys, maybe instead of not wanting to deal with getting my hair wet I will just dive right into the deep end with the boys next time.  I do know I will never look at a simple butterfly the same way.

Additions and Subtractions

So I have photos of the additions we had.

Here are the turkeys, their names are Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. 

 This is Brooster Rooster who was cock of the farm until we added...

 

 Rambo! a Belgian Shepard who got ahold of Brooster's tail feathers and Brooster has not been seen since.  I hope he is ok.  Shane he had a bare butt.  We are working with Rambo to understand the other animals are to be protected.  He still licks his lips when he watches the baby turkeys...

This is Christmas, who has become one of the family.  When the house is quiet she will chirp really loud until someone answers her.  Yesterday we were out in the garden with the back door open and we could hear her calling for us clear down by the barn!  Christmas is happiest when she is being held.  I hope she is a she, if not no matter how many boys we have if Christmas is a boy he will be kept!

 

Lastly Rosey had more babies, unfortunately none of them made it.  She is getting better these all survived a day but we are going to give her one more chance and if she is not able to be a good mom this time we are going to remove her from the breeding stock and replace her with a female that can do the job right.  Buck is so in love with Rosey I am really keeping my fingers crossed that she is able to raise her next litter of kits due around May 22nd.  Because it will be warmer I am hoping that will be enough to keep the babies alive this time. 

 

 

We have all been working hard on the garden and we have about half of it planted.  We are trying to grow a little of every thing so we can see what grows well and what doesn't around here.  Shane is getting the other half ready to be planted tomorrow, that half will include the strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, corn and asparagus.  If there is any additional space I will plant additional green beans, carrots and beets.  I also need to find a good place to plant my onions, leeks, shallots and chives. 

 

Time to start stocking up on more canning jars!!!!



new additions

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted.  Things have been crazy around here.  Classes started the 17th and it is so hard to get excited about computer programming!  I miss biology so much!!!!  Unfortunately I still managed to score 100% on my final for my last class so I can't get out of learning this stuff on the grounds I can't get it...

Anyway, we have added 3 baby turkeys who have not been named yet.  They are adorable and I will get a photo up soon, just have to find my camera.   The turkeys are a heritage breed called Narraganset (not sure about that spelling though).  Our hopes are to have a male and 2 females so we can raise our own turkeys for future Thanksgiving dinners!  This breed is like the wild type turkeys so they grow slower then the kind commercially grown.  The commercial type born now will be ready in as little as 4-5 months but, the ones we have take about twice as long to reach butcher size.  Some say 8-10 months others recommend waiting tell they are over a year.  We have no plans to butcher these 3 little ones unless we end up with more than one male.  But hopefully they will provide lots of future holiday dinners!

The other addition is a new Roo.  Our neighbor got us a full grown Rhode Island Red Rooster.  He was in the neighbors barn crowing away this morning.  He is use to being a free range roo and so we are trying to give him his space but he is wandering all over our property and the neighbors.  Our main goal is to keep him out of the woods across the street.  Last think I want is him to be hit by a car of cause an accident!  But although he has been wondering around he keeps coming back to our beautiful girls.  We have 17 surviving chickens from the 22 baby chicks we purchased, I am hoping to be able to start telling boys from girls soon.  Keeping our fingers crossed for mostly girls so we will have lots of eggs!  If we have multiple roos then unfortunately...well, let's have happy thoughts that there won't be many.  Chicken soup anyone?

My Prayers

My heart aches for the people in Boston today.  Why has our world become this sad?  Why is there so much hate?  I don't care who is responsible...how can anyone justify these cowardly actions?  You want to prove your way is the best then stand up and state your case, don't hurt innocent people!  The injured are not major decision makers on global issues, just people out to have a nice day...

Home again

So glad to be home again!  We dove to Arizona to visit with the Grandparents and it was SO HOT down there!  Now I am happy to be home, rain and all...

All animals did fine while we were gone.  I can't believe how big the chickens have gotten!  Red Velvet is still a cuddler, I was worried that after a week of us being gone she wouldn't be so lovey but she is!  They have all changed so much that it is hard to tell some of them apart, going to have to really check them out and figure out who is who on a couple of them.  Stripe and Franny specifically look more alike, almost identical at a distance!

We should have another batch of kits any day now.  Keeping our fingers crossed that Rosey is ready to be a mom and steps up...We are also working hard on the Chicken run so the girls can get out and stretch their legs more.  I will post a photo as soon as it is done.