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Post by petdesigns on Sept 26, 2009 20:59:08 GMT 1
This morning (before we got Pearl and Maisy) we found these eggs - looks like all 4 Khaki Campbells are laying now, but the size difference is unbelievable: Nobody wants runner drake. So for the moment we opted for .... getting two more girls in, Pearl and Maisy: And just quickly a photo of the geese:
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Post by petdesigns on Sept 26, 2009 21:00:59 GMT 1
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Sept 26, 2009 21:05:00 GMT 1
Jutta, you will find that the egg sizes increase as the ducks age. I guess they get bigger as their 'tubes stretch' to accomodate bigger eggs.
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Post by petdesigns on Sept 26, 2009 21:06:59 GMT 1
Aaaah. Thanks, Al
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Post by petdesigns on Oct 31, 2009 10:18:28 GMT 1
Just to quickly update you: The runner drake and 'applesauce' are rehomed as they were bullying (and raping!!) the others too much. Luckily I did find a good new home for them, phew! The little boys are MUCH happier now and the whole gang is a lot calmer! The piggies are outside now in their own run/paddock, churning up everything, as they are supposed to do (that is when they're not playing hide and seek or 'tag' or trying to eat our wellies! ) Hopefully today we'll be able to separate the geese from the ducks - the geese will get their own run in our "orchard" and the ducks will also be put onto a new stretch of grass to make sure the ground gets enough rest! And I'm planning to get some rare breed chicken next year... Or maybe I just lose the plot!
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Oct 31, 2009 12:16:09 GMT 1
never a dull moment!
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Post by petdesigns on Nov 12, 2009 11:05:19 GMT 1
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Post by petdesigns on Nov 12, 2009 11:06:56 GMT 1
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Post by Florrie on Nov 12, 2009 12:42:31 GMT 1
great photos love the piggy's and their muddy faces
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Nov 12, 2009 15:50:29 GMT 1
Super photos, Jutta... and the pigs are called Jay, Sea and Bee, perhaps? ;D
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Post by petdesigns on Nov 12, 2009 16:10:00 GMT 1
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Nov 12, 2009 16:57:27 GMT 1
Don't ask me which is which, though, Jutta, they all look the same to me! They could always be 'Cracklin' Rosie', Stanley Sausage, and 'Charlie Chops' - BTW, what sex are they?
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Nov 12, 2009 21:00:16 GMT 1
I can't remember where I read that the easiest way to clear rough ground is to turn pigs out on it .... but it came back to me reading their names! They do look very cute, though!
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Post by petdesigns on Nov 14, 2009 12:57:48 GMT 1
They're girls, Al - and yes, they are very cute and very funny!
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Post by marypoppins on Dec 1, 2009 10:49:50 GMT 1
What a lovely set up you have. I have 3 ex battery hens running round the back garden. Would love to get some duck geese and pigs but I don't think the OH would approve.
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Post by petdesigns on Dec 15, 2009 11:42:34 GMT 1
Thankfully, my OH is just as keen on all the animals (and the pigs are his!), so we share the work involved! Here are a couple of pics from the weekend: View from the field: The geese and 'their property': The pigs the weekend before, honoring their Jay Sea Bee names
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Post by Florrie on Dec 15, 2009 16:30:56 GMT 1
great photos love the last one what a face
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Post by petdesigns on Feb 9, 2010 15:48:51 GMT 1
I'm afraid the piggies have gone quite a while ago... After we have seen a few documentaries on how pigs are kept in factory farming, where 95% (!!!) of British (and foreign) pork in the shops comes from, I'm not even feeling too bad about it! At least they had a 'pigs' life'.
On Sunday we found our first goose egg!!!! And yesterday the second one. So at long last we know we haven't got two ganders as I was afraid we did!
The ducks now have nearly half an acre of land to themselves with access to the brook. They're having a great time! The geese don't have access to the brook yet, but as they are slowly moved along our 'orchard' area, they're getting nearer to the place where they can access it. The brook is like a canal along one side of the field and mostly simply too deep down for the geese or ducks to get to (and certainly to get out of!)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 11, 2010 4:13:47 GMT 1
You'll be able to enjoy some lovely BIG ommelettes now, Jutta. Are you planning to let them raise any goslings? It's ages since I had any geese now, but have been thinking a big nasty gander might be useful! It might even teach that terrorist some respect? Talking of the pup, the ex took her and Moss out for the whole day on Wednesday, only returning when I was locking the chickens and ducks up down the allotment. The ex came looking for me there, and the pup got wind of the old hob ferret the ex keeps down there. You'd never credit the racket the pup made to try and get at it, and when the ex dragged her off into the adjacent shed, she leapt up onto his work bench to get at the little window between the sheds and actually went THROUGH that, still screaming her head of 'cos she wanted to kill the ferret! The ex had to dive back into the other shed, grab her again, and put her on a lead! She was still making a racket when we got back to the house and was trying to scrabble and chew her way out through the door! As I have said before, she's kill crazy! Absolutely tireless, too, as she must have walked about 20 miles during the day. The old collie was knackered.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Feb 11, 2010 14:57:02 GMT 1
As a youngster my staffie slipped his lead and grabbed a muscovy drake in the park - Monty was quite glad to spit it out and was respectful to them afterwards. Sadly he wasn't respectful to much else, although after a cat nearly blinded him he would ignore them till they ran
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