Feeding the chickens (and Luna)

When I am feeding the chickens the scraps from the kitchen

 Luna checks it all out to see if there is anything interesting for her.

In this mix there was corn on the cob.

I tried to get a picture of Luna with one of the cobs in her mouth.

She picked one up and carried it for a bit.

 

Feeding the chickens (and Luna)

Meeting the family

Odin has been meeting all the animals on the farm. He loves to chase the chickens. He seems to do this a little bit more than Luna. I hope this won't be a bad habit. Hopefully he will get use to them like Luna has and not kill any more than she. Odin met Matilda as we were going for a walk. Matilda followed us along the way. On the other end of the pasture, Lily came over to see the new dog. Lily doesn't come over to see Luna and me as often as she did before but the new dog seemed to interest her.

Luna is pretty much free range when it comes to the daily workings of the farm. She comes in close at night. I don't want her to be coyote bait. And now Odin will begin his training. Mainly he will be loved and exposed to the everyday workings of the farm. We will go for walks among the sheep on a leash like Luna did, but with Luna walking with us. They are both in training and will be for about a year before they will be able to guard the sheep day and night.



Meeting Matilda

Meeting Lily

New puppy on the farm

Last Thursday I drove halfway across the state to get my Odin. He is a Great Pyrenees and is just now 7 weeks old. It is hard to believe that Luna was ever that small. They are getting along great. They play and walk around together. Sometimes Odin growls at Luna and then she paws him. He bites her ear and hangs on. I think they will be great buds.

Luna and Odin

Fishing buddies

My family has come to the farm the last couple of weekends.

The fish are really biting!

My brother was fishing in the pond by the house and got a surprise helper.

 Matilda came to check out his tackle box and the box of worms.

The sheep ran past but did not stop to visit.

Matilda is the curious type.

Fishing Buddies

First Time Out

Yesterday afternoon I wanted to take Luna for a walk around the house pond. This actually is the pond in one of the sheep pastures. The older sheep and one ram are in that pasture so I took a walking stick with me, just in case they didn't get on well with Luna.
Well, Matilda is in the pen with Luna and when I opened the gate, Matilda decided she was going for a walk, too. She went straight for the bale of hay. She rubbed her head all in it, just like the older cows do. And she had never seen a cow do this before! Matilda took off running with Luna close behind. The sheep were so surprised to see the calf that I think they had no thoughts for Luna at all! A one point a sheep challenged Matilda, head to head, and the sheep backed down. They ran all over the pond banks and around the field. It was good to watch Matilda be able to kick and race!
I let them stay out on thier own. At one point I noticed them back in the pen so I made Matilda's bottle. I closed the sheep pasture gate for the night and fed Matilda. Luna laid down by our feet and waited for Matilda. I think they were both very tired.

Nine little ducklings!

Nine little ducklings!

 

Farm breed and hatched!

I love it when the girls raise ducklings of their own.

They are so protective and mothering.

They both laid the eggs in the same nest and both set the nest.

Side by side.

 

I have to give the ducklings starter feed and a water jug

because they can not get into the "pool" yet.

 I have a bird feeder that I set without the stand.

It is the right size for the little ducklings.

They will be able to take a bath and splash around.

 

I love springtime on the farm!!!

9 Muscovy ducklings and their mothers!

 

 

Apple orchard

John bought cider apple trees and has been "mothering" them for the past two years.

We planted them in the "Apple Orchard" this spring.

I think he has twenty out there now.

We plan to make our own apple cider, both light and hard.

Will now have to invest in an apple press.

I think it can work as a grape press too for wine.

 

He got 26 regular apple trees in the other day. 

Apples like Granny Smith, Fuji, Macintosh, Arkansas Black, Red and Gold Delicious.

He planted them in the small buckets to keep a watch on for the next two years.

Farming is very time consuming!

So much planning goes into every little thing.

 

But isn't it beautiful!

Sharing with the chickens

Luna has killed a couple of chickens during this learning experience.

I don't know if they are fun to catch, if she is bored, or if she is hungry.

 I feed her in the evenings when I put everyone away in their pens.

The chickens eat her food during the day so I can't put too much out at a time.

(I would go broke in dog food!)

So she has food in the evenings and all during the night into the morning.

But a little girl will get hungry during the day and I am trying

to figure a way to feed her without the chickens being able to get to her food.

It is easy to separate her from the sheep.

But if Luna can get there the chickens can too.

What do we have here?

Stay out of my bucket!