Chooks / Spring / Flukicide
Posted: Monday 3 April, 2023
Monday 27th March
Gwenna seemed to have a good night. She hates going out on her lead though. Wee grumpy face, and if you walk ahead of her, she stops and refuses to move. We took her to our vet at lunchtime. I was expecting the worst – well, not “the worst” but possibly more surgery – and so was the vet, having read the notes from yesterday. So we were all pleasantly surprised that there had been a significant improvement overnight. So painkillers and rest for at least a week – and “quieter” behavior afterwards. Like no trying to kill dogs through the gate.
Cold this morning – frosty and the water troughs had a film of ice. Beautifully sunny though, so no complaints. It was lovely to go out to do the ponies’ evening hay nets at 8pm and not need any artificial light. And the birds were giein’ it laldy. And the washing I hung out at lunchtime is almost dry and smells marvelous.
Tuesday 28th March
I’ve been invites to be part of the Steering Group for the new ScotGov Small Producers Pilot Fund and the first meeting was this morning. Cast of thousands but it was very well chaired and I think there will be quite a bit of sub-group work
Given that calving is approaching, I thought I’d better check the cattle tags. Not a one, so ordered them. Looking at Bronte, I can only imagine her calf is going to be the size of a beagle.
Thursday 30th March
The garden is coming alive! In anticipation, I built the wigwam for runner beans (not even sprouted yet) and the placed the pea supports. I potted up 102 sprouted peas, allowing 6 for each of the 17 supports. If a few fail, it’s not a big deal.
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Shallots Jermor.
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Rhubarb.
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Blueberries.
Friday 31st March
So excited! Collected our four new hens today – they are 15 weeks old; a Speckledy, a Rhode Rock, aColombian Blacktail and a White Leghorn. Dan finished the pen while I was on the road to Perth. 75% of them went to bed tonight – the Blacktail preferred the roof of the hen house.
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New chooks.
On the way back from Perth, I called in at the vet to collect flukicide for the cattle. It's an infeedone, so I'd better get the treacle tin out,
Saturday 1st April
I was in Edinburgh for most of the day; Dan had to work, so he didn’t get as much of his list completed as he hoped. All the hens found their way to bed tonight.
Sunday 2nd April
Nice day; warm when the sun broke through. Andy’s fair tickled with the hens so he’s buying and running the Speckledy and having ¼ of the eggs. She has been named Princess (Layer). We haven’t named the other three yet. I'm not minded to have a "Star Wars" theme.
Dan put up the fence for the nursery – a small outdoor area that we can use for calving and newly calved cows. He did a bit of weeding in the polytunnel and tidied up the vegetable garden and the barn.
I potted up another five hanging baskets with strawberries, making six and leaving two baskets for the cucamelons. I’ve sorted out the seeds for April sowing – now things really get going. The tomatoes are coming away, the sweet peppers have finally appeared and the peas are popping through.
Our little flock of pheasants are working away under the bird feeders. We have a cock and three hens. I rather like them and he’s very handsome.
