Kids are here!

They arrived on March 14th. I spent the day home and checking Faline every hour while I got rabbit cages cleaned out and a few others chores finished. I checked on her one more time before I heded in...eating and drinking and no signs of labor. Decided to take a bath and get dinner started, so headed inside. Affter my bath and dinner, I went out to check...and found the second one had just been born. I dipped thier cords in iodine and made sure they nursed, gave mom some feed and hay and left them for the night. I had to go back out and check as I forgot to look the first time to see what they were....2 bucklings. Sigh. I was so hoping for a doeling! I guess I will sell these 2 and use the money to buy another doeling or 2 as I do not need another buck.

Frick and Frack with Faline

The last photo is Frack, the one with the large spots is Frick.

Babies and momma continue to do well. Faline has loads of milk. I will be building a milk stand this week and start milking soon- I have to wait for my milk bucket and strainer to arrive. I plan to milk in the mornings, let the babies spend the day with mom and then lock them in a stall at night until I am finished milking in the morning.

I am calling tomorrow to order my Blue Plam turkeys. They said that it should be June when they are ready. That is fine. The hens are starting to lay again- finally! The Salmon favorelles have settled in and are very sweet. I am getting the wire on the tops of the chicken pens on Tuesday and then I will get everyone separated by breed.  I will order my chicks next week.

My seeds are just not coming up well this year. Looks like I will be buying started plants :(

I cleaned out my butterfly garden and herb beds.  The butterfly bushes are leafing out. The basil, mint and oregano is coming back.  I need to get my herb seeds planted, hope I have better luck with those. Also picking up my potato sets and onion bulbs tomorrow.

Spring has sprung!

Tom has been working on cleaning up the property, saving the bathroom for rainy days when he is off.  It was in the low 60's today! I got the bird feeders filled and out, the chickens, ducks and turkeys are back in the coop and we are still waiting on kids. Looks like Faline is the only one that took. She is huge! I would not be shocked if she had triplets. I checked the goats eyelids yesterday and it looks like I have a couple that need wormed. Will do that on Tuesday when I will be home. I would like to pick up some chicks at the farm store this week. I will see what they have when I go in, would like to get some aussies and white rocks.  If not, I am still placing an order with Ideal for the rest of the chicks (brahams, cochins and cornish). I am  going to try making some new varieties of Brahmas and Cochins....Partridge brahams, silver laced brahmas, gold laced brahama and blue partridge brahams and blue partridge standard cochins.
The salmon favs I picked up are so sweet. I was petting the rooster and the hens the other day :)
My seeds are not doing very well as far as sprouting goes. The lettuce did well but only got a couple peppers and a couple broccoli - I replanted once, if nothing more by next weekend will replant again. I started tomato seeds a couple days ago.
 I got in the faucet for the tub- it is one of the victorian ones with a hand held shower. Still waiting on the swing arms and supply lines to be delivered. Work has been slow. I wish it would pick up a little bit so I can afford to get more things accomplished- but at least I have more time to devote to the farm.  I am planning on getting the rabbits bred on Tuesday.