We have decided to solve our problem of hens not sitting on their nests by acquiring some bantams, which we did at auction last weekend. While the majority were not breed specific (and have proven to potentially be young pullets just past chick stage rather than actually bantams), among our purchases were four Old English bantams  -  three lovely little hens and a proud little bantam rooster.

 They all fit comfortably into a standard pet carrier, although were less than thrilled to be so rudely acquainted; still, they survived to make it home to the farm, where we set about enclosing them in a mini-run of their own with straw bales and bird netting, to keep the other chickens separated for health, safety and sanity.

 While we worked on their enclosure, we also picked up the latest batches of eggs; it makes for a very pastoral image indeed, in a modern American way!

 The Old English birds were immediately and visibly less timid than the others, exploring their new surroundings right away. Only gradually did some of the other hens, the black ones, begin to follow suit, the buffs preferring to stay under cover.

 Perhaps the most amusing part of the whole thing is the new cock's crow; he gets into crowing competitions with the other two all the time, and he sounds just about exactly like a squeaky chew toy. It's a good thing we don't keep dogs!

 The apple trees are in particularly full bloom, with petals beginning to gently drift downwards. Standing under the trees means being subjected sudden loud buzzings; we couldn't tell which kind of insect it was, so we backed off just in case.

 Going into the sheep pen means there is the expectation that treats will be forthcoming, even to the point of risking sheepy nibbles at trouser legs. Denim tastes nothing like sweet feed, though, so it doesn't last long, and allows us to examine the shelters we built to provide the sheep a little extra wind, rain and sun protection.

Ample blossoms now should mean lots of apples later!

Lambing season has been steadily continuing, with sheepy presences making themselves woollily known. We are up to 13 live lambs from 13 mothers, including a pair of twins and a single ewe lamb who didn't last the full day. The sheep complain that it's beginning to get hot, with days occasionally and unusually creeping above 80 degrees Fahrenheit; their wool peels from them and hangs in dripping clumps.



The geese and ducks have been making it quite clear that it's also nesting season; while one duck has produced three ducklings (of which two so far have survived), other ducks have chosen far stranger and less sensible places in which to nest. Please note that the following pictures were not altered, nor set up in advance. This is exactly how we found things. Unfortunately, finding things was enough to cause the duck to abandon this nest - although 'unfortunately' might not be quite the right word.

That is, in fact, an outdoor extension cord which the strange, strange duck chose to use for a nest bed... and well over a dozen eggs in total were in and around the disused mailbox which she had converted into her pied a terre.


Sadly, one of our nesting geese is gone; she foolishly went for a midnight graze on her own and a coyote took her. We found some feathers, and in the woods we found her head, but apart from these ghoulish remains we found no sign of her. Should the coyote return, we hope to welcome it with open arms and a hail of bullets.

 The lambs are healthy, happy and vigorous, and surprisingly loud, as always. This little one already is beginning to have visible horn nubbins, a promising trend.

 Mitey is very pleased with himself - as he should be, the sire of thirteen lambs and counting. The count so far is very heavy on the ram lambs, so we will be culling in the fall. We look forward to tasty lamb sausages, chops, flanks and haggis.

 One ewe in particular, number 15, is always hoping for treats. She even has to doublecheck to see if the camera is edible!

 In among the lambs' gamboling, the ewes' escape attempts and the general placidity of life on the farm there have been other developments. We have a construction firm currently doing work taking down some unwanted trees threatening the power lines, and they have done a stellar job so far, and very quickly. They'll be doing another job for us very soon as well.

 In the meantime,we remain supplied with eggs thanks to our chickens, although we are still considering the addition of banties, as the hens just aren't good sitters or nesters. Half a dozen banties should be sufficient to take care of the problem.

 In the meantime, every day continues to hammer home one message in particular: lambies are so disgustingly cute that it constitutes an unfair evolutionary advantage!