THEY ARRIVE!!

sooooooo I get a call from the post office to say they are holding a chirping box for me ~ yipeeeeeee!!

here's the standard sheet of choices....

this one has extra toes

all very exciting ~ got the heat lamp out of the chicken coup for them... Hazel helped me...

it's a bit of a squeeze...

and while we were in there we found...

music to my eyes!!!

we also discover Hazel likes animal crackers :)

so there we have it... everyone all happy. exhausted from a long day.

this morning the first thing i do is go check on the chicks... & to my horror i find two dead & 2 nearly there. so so sad :(

the 2that were nearly dead i put on foil closer to the lamp & i'm pleased to say they seem to have made a full recovery! The weird thing is i bought 15 chicks ~ 2 have died & i've counted the remainder numerous times & there are still 14...

more chicks!!!!

what beautiful spring day!! the perfect day to get more chicks!! 

they are on their way ~ fingers crossed they don't get lost like last year... 

I managed to get some oliver eggers so we should get some green eggs next year :) 

BAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

sooooooo yesterday we got 4 sheep!!!!!

here they are being backed into our pasture...

here is hazel :)

& Marvin  

& Stan & Rosie  

Hazel in particular is super friendly!! 

BFF's already!!! 

cutie!!!

here's the team!!! 

well a huge welcome to our lovely woolies!!!  thank you so much Rick!! they are a wonderful addition to glenmoore & I'm sure they'll  be very happy & have lots of adventures!!!! because you know there's never a dull moment!

JUST DOING WHAT I THINK IS RIGHT

sooooooo... we had 3 beautiful yellow fluffy ducklings arrive!! they are growing so fast & are really messy... which, if you know me, i don't give a monkeys about, & i definitely won't when they take up residence in our pond. (named after the supremes ~ diana, mary & florence)

also delivered were 15 french guinea fowl (ooh la la)!!! which will grow up to be nice dark dark grey with white spots.

&!!!!... 4 pea chicks (because we don't know the sex) (but i'm hoping at least one is a male)

anyway i was showing them to gabe the babe (who is 2 1/2 years old ~ so i am using babe in the correct manner. when, i noticed, to my horror, one of the pea chicks eyes was fused shut!!!!

i forced it open & to my delight the eyeball inside looked healthy ~ hooray!!!

i was thinking of segregating her ~ but after some research decided against this. Instead I bathed it's eye in tea a few times a day. (something about the tannins??)

Now I am so very very happy to report that the eye opens on its own now :) :) :)

TOUGH DAY

so i haven't blogged for ages, there goes another one of my new years resolutions! i keep kicking myself for not, it is nice to document the craziness ~ i nearly didn't write this one because I didn't want to get back into the swing of things with a sad post.

many of you will remember the whole getting my chick delivery hoopla!! well our 17 baby chicks did well, despite being lost within the postal service...

we kept them under a heating lamp, watched them grow, fed, watered & cared. then it was time to start the transition to the outside coup... the girls were getting big!

this morning i went to let everyone out & to my horror discovered 'something' had dug a hole under the part where the chicks were & killed all but 4. one of them had to be put down because of injuries.

so we are left with 3.

out of the ones we got last year we went from 7 to 5... thanks to a red tailed hawk. there i was admiring it in a tree, little did i know it had just taken out my son flynn's hen (etta james) that he used to carry around & my best layer, mayflower.

we bought a decoy (fake hawk) & i kept having heart attacks when i looked out of the window till i got used to it...

we also use that sparkly tape, that seems to work well as a deterrent & the goats love to eat it...

do i see a 'guardian' animal in the horizon?

I LOVE SURPRISES...!!

so yesterday a post truck pulls up to our house & I am handed a package... who doesn't love getting packages??!!

I had no idea who is was from...

When I open it up ~ someone has sent me a beautiful sign!!!

Thank you so much Suzanne!!! & the beautiful Bakaletz Family. You are so sweet!! We really appreciate this lovely gesture!!! xoxo

Oh.... & we have another surprise (no I'm not pregnant!!!) the 3 guinea hens aren't all hens... so we need to find boy names to replace Rose & Blanche ~ suggestions most welcome!

THE POWER OF THE RITZ CRACKER :)

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BEING FOLLOWED...?

YIKES...

The Saddleback Caterpillar is a unique looking slug caterpillar & is mostly green with brown at each end with a white-ringed purple-brown dot in the center which looks like a saddle. When fully grown, it measures approximately one inch long and 3/8 inch wide. It has a pair of fleshy horns at each end which contain hairs that secrete irritating venom along with protruding spines in every direction. Its stings are painful and can cause swelling, nausea and a rash which lasts for days. The Saddleback Caterpillar can be found in gardens, flower pots, fields and forests. It eats everything from garden plants to trees and shrubs.

This is what it grows into:

WELL HERE'S A FEW OF THINGS I WASN'T EXPECTING TODAY...

I keep saying there are 3 things that happen everyday that I wasn't expecting....

This morning I put the boys on the school bus & then went to let the goats out. Brooklyn, who is by far the most out going & friendly was just lying there, no effort to get up, no struggle to put on the harness... I literally had to drag her to pasture :( The ultimate test ~ the ritz cracker!! Nope, no go... now I'm worried... I text my lovely vet & she says can you take her temperature.... gulp!! i'm praying she means under the tongue!!! i go out, thermometer in hand ~ & almost get the wrong orifice!!!! Temperature is taken & I feel like we both need a stiff drink!!

Our friends ask us if we'd like this bird:

Someone was trying to give it away. Of course I'm going to say yes!!! I was sooooooooooo excited!!! A rainbow lorikeet!!! & not only that it comes with it's own cage & everything!! &!!! it's getting dropped off tomorrow!!!

I start researching these these birds & they are so intelligent ~ I was imagining all the tricks that were going to be learnt.

So you can imagine my surprise when this was delivered:

No name ~ no age known. & I will love her just the same :)

I've named her Yoko & bought it a little friend:

& finally ~ look what we found:

How cool is that!! Have no idea what it is though....

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LOOK WHAT WE FOUND...

Oscar shouts out there's a lizard in the pool... I'm kind of half hoping he's joking, but am always up for a challenge!

I peer into the water where the boys are looking & see this:

I'm guessing it's a newt... but I didn't grow up here. After very carefully following it around with the net I finally manage to catch it.

Of course the next question is ~ Mum can we keep it..? I agree to put it in our observation tank for a day or two.

But not knowing exactly what it is I put on rubber gloves to pick it up. I thought I'd picked it up really carefully but...

oops... sorry mate :\  Oscar wants to keep it till it grows back...

We've just built it a 'habitat' & the boys have named him Magnus Xavier...

A RIDE

never a dull moment :)

When we moved we took down the play yard Mike built for the boys & now he's reconfiguring it into a chicken coup! 

Mike takes the things he needs in his trailer & if we are lucky we get a ride back in it....

THE CHICKS ARE HERE!!! THE CHICKS ARE HERE!!! THE CHICKS ARE HERE!!!

The Pennington Post Office call to say they have my chicks!!! WHOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO ~ & that they can deliver then in about half an hour... way to make 30 minutes turn into 3 weeks... A van pulls up 30 minutes later,  I sign a card & in return I'm handed this chirping box! How can that not make you beam?

My lovely friend, Zebeda, & I inspect the contents...

I bought eight chicks & they are all different. They are so sweet ~ the photos don't do them justice ~ they make soooooo happy :). So without further a do I give you....

Introducing Dame Edna weighing at 33grams ~ an Australorp

Dame Edna will grow up to look like this:

Australorps are the Australian take on the Orpington breed. They are calm and friendly, and excellent layers of light brown eggs.

Introducing Mayflower weighing in at 28 grams ~ a Barred Plymouth Rock

When Mayflower grows up she'll look like this:

Barred Plymouth Rocks are one of the most popular dual-purpose chickens on small farms today. Their heritage is unclear with reports of different crosses, but what is clear is that they're very friendly, great layers of large brown eggs and able to withstand cold weather quite nicely.

Introducing Etta James ~ a Black Copper Maran

When Etta James grows up she'll look like this:

They lay the darkest egg: a deep, rich, chocolate brown. Marans make wonderful pets, too - they are hardy, calm and quiet, and bear confinement well. They are said to be good foragers without being TOO destructive to your garden.

Introducing Ingrid Bergman weighing in at 31 grams ~ a Silver Laced Wyandotte

When Ingrid Bergman grows up she will look like this:

Wyandottes are a favorite amongst backyard flock owners for their dependable egg laying, easy going nature and cold hardiness. Each feather is silvery white edged in beetle black.

Introducing Kim Kardashian weighing in at 31g ~ a Black Jersey Giant

When Kim Kardashian grows up she'll look like this:

although I'm wondering if the one in the picture is stuffed!!!

The Jersey Giant, as its name implies, was developed in New Jersey and is a true giant of the chicken world.

Introducing Mary Poppins ~ a Blue Orpington

When Mary Poppins grows up she'll look like this:

All Orpingtons are gentle, sweet, hardy birds, and good layers too. This one has beautiful, slate blue plumage and is quite rare. The originated from England.

Introducing Sofía Vergara (my favorite Columbian) weigning in at 35g ~ a Columbian Wyandotte

When Sofía Vergara grows up she'll look like this:

The Columbian variety is a more uncommon variety of the Wyandotte. These birds are beautiful and productive.
 

Introducing Shirley Bassey weigning in at 35g ~  a Golden Laced Wyandotte

When Shirley Bassey grows up she will look like this:

Golden Laced Wyandottes are beautiful and productive birds for the home flock. They are a favorite amongst backyard flock owners for their dependable egg laying, easy going nature and cold hardiness. Each feather is golden edged in beetle black.

Can't wait to watch these little peeps grow up & lay eggs!!

THE CHICKS ARE GETTING CLOSER!!!

Your item arrived at our USPS facility in TRENTON, NJ 08650 on August 26, 2014 at 8:41 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later.

ANOTHER CHICK UPDATE!!!

Your item departed our USPS facility in CLEVELAND, OH 44101 on August 25, 2014 at 8:49 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later.

CHICK UPDATE...

I just checked!!! they were in MANSFIELD, OH 44901  but now they are in CLEVELAND, OH 44101...

CHICK WATCH!!!

SOOOOOOO... I am SOOOOOOO excited!!!! I ordered 8 chicks online & they shipped today ~ whoooooo hooooooo!!!! They are coming by post & I have a tracking number... at the moment they are in POLK, OH 44866. I'll have to look up where the heck that is...

Mike is building a coup out of the boys play yard he made in the old house.

WORRIED...

When we bought our guinea hens I bought a treat for them too, it is called a baby cake, minerals vitamins etc. Dorothy caught her claw in the plastic rod that goes through it... & cut her toe.

I thought everything was ok ~ then I noticed the toe getting bigger & darker...

I was getting worried when as if she is telepathic my wonderful vet texts me. So I sent her a photo.

& now Dorothy is soaking her foot, on antibiotics & wrapping up her foot with a medication... 3 times a day.

fingers crossed it works.

It's a good job I have a wonderful husband that lets me do this sort of thing & holds things when I need him to :)

WE HAVE GOATS!!!

We drive 1 hour 45 minutes to look at these goats that are in New Tripoli. Wow the countryside was amazing!! Jess was fantastic with them (she looks after them).

I did pack my wellies ~ but ended up in the barn with my flip flops.... Mike called me a clown (honk honk)

Being an aussie bloke he took charge & checked for all the things my lovely vet told me to look for :)

So we decided to buy 3!! All girls ~ 2 sisters that were born Super Bowl Sunday & are already named Seattle & Denver... & another girl called Patches. You know me & names... I'd love to think more about them... suggestions welcomed!!

My lovely friend, Nonny, asked if we were transporting them in crates... my response:

ermmmmmm...

I LOVE MY MINIVAN!!! ~ how else can you transport a family of 4, 2 bails of hay & 3 goats in style!!!

Traffic was bad on the way back ~ windows had to be opened... Mike pulls up longingly beside a fancy looking audi & comments what a nice car... yeah & I bet they don't have 3 goats in the back!!

The girls were so good apart from the occasional bleat & waft of goatness you wouldn't even know they were there.

that is one fine looking goat!!! [ Seattle ]

my farm hands...

[ Patches ]

They were a bit wild yesterday ~ but have calmed down a lot today. I wanted to bring them nearer the house to graze on the tasty weed patch but they don't like going on a lead... my gorgeous friend said no problem, where do you want her? :)

2 hotties!!

Of course I want to feed them everything, I am half Italian!! But so far I've given then banana, strawberries, melon (water & cantaloupe), swiss chard, cabbage & apple, (but they seem a bit overwhelmed to enjoy them). They love my potted elephant ears though.

I thought the car had survived any lasting odors... but as we ran errands today & it got hotter outside there was definitely a farmyard smell growing stronger. If only I could find where I packed my steam cleaner.

GREAT EXCITEMENT!!!

So we are on our way to look at some angora goats... (well I'm hoping I've got it right this time & they are the right species of animal ;) !!!!

I've spent all afternoon cleaning out, at least, 12 year old horse poo, not to mention that belonging to wild animals of many types, very old straw & spiders webs.  Actually I found it very humbling. The four black vultures were watching my progress... eagerly hoping I'd have a fatal accident so they could get hold of my thighs!!

sparkling clean!!

We are driving to New Tripoli to check them out ~ of course they're no prizes as to is the most excited...