Alaskan
Herd Master
Well....incredibly sad. So sorry about your frogs.
Everything else sounds exhausting but exciting!
A Greenhorn's Journal
- Thread starter Lizzy733
- Start date
Everything else sounds exhausting but exciting!
- Thread starter
- #12
Lizzy733
Loving the herd life
Hard to believe we've been here almost two weeks now!
So much has happened since!
If you've seen my other post, we've come to find our sheep have been a bit neglected and we lost a ewe to anemia shortly after IDing there was a problem within our first week of being here.
We've had the shearer come round and everyone has had a good trim. The vet had recommended having the shearer assess her and it was after her trim that she gave up on us. Had drench on-hand and ready to go too.
Hard to believe they've been carrying all that wool into the start of summer. Packed up one big sack and three heaped wheelbarrows full leaving me soaked in lanolin up to my elbows.
We also lost our little orpington cockerel who decided to sleep on the above ground pool while it was being drained for removal, slipped in and drowned.
I've just picked up a new SLW cockerel around 8 weeks old to replace him as my heavy line breeder and my flock is keeping with the easy-going integration and not giving him too much trouble. Little guy seems a bit small for 8 weeks though. Will put him on some extra protein and get him caught up with my campine boys in no time. NZ seems to really skimp on the protein in their feeds. I've been supplementing my turkeys with hard boiled eggs and b complex in their water because apparently, 20% meat bird crumble is supposed to be good enough to raise poults on
. Cannot find game bird crumble to save my life at the moment.
It seems like all our friends have been having a bit of a drought while we've been getting a bit of rain here and there - benefits of being on a ridgetop, I suppose. Today though, there's a supposed cyclone coming through and it's bucketing down!
Won't be getting much work done outside at this rate. We're behind on getting the greenhouse up for the chooks - they're secure and have space, but there's only so much cover, so will be some wet birds today for sure! They really arent fussed though; at least it's warm here and if the tanks weren't full before, they will be now.
Will be picking up two little kune kune mid-next week when the auckland border lets up. Still sorting out their paddock, but they'll probably be indoor piggies for some time anyway and we'll be home constantly to keep an eye on them.
They're only about the size if a boot, so shouldn't be too much of a hassle... Hopefully.
The garden's a bit overgrown and probably the most secure grounds, so will let them loose on it to get those weeds and grasses under control around the raised beds.
Also, the former farmer was very mono-crop, so won't mind them gobbling up a few kumara, garlic and shallots - there's too much as it is... All overcrowded and pest-riddled.
My husband is already on it with diversifying a bit, pulling up what's overcrowded and putting all those sample seeds we've been hoarding to good use getting us some lettuces etc going.
Released some predator insects in the spanframe too and they've been smashing the aphids etc.
The coffee is so happy, they've put on new growth and started flowering again.
Here's hoping the next week will be productive. I'll be working all next week then it's three weeks off for the holidays and I'll have a chance to get things to a manageable state... Hopefully...
So much has happened since!
If you've seen my other post, we've come to find our sheep have been a bit neglected and we lost a ewe to anemia shortly after IDing there was a problem within our first week of being here.
We've had the shearer come round and everyone has had a good trim. The vet had recommended having the shearer assess her and it was after her trim that she gave up on us. Had drench on-hand and ready to go too.
Hard to believe they've been carrying all that wool into the start of summer. Packed up one big sack and three heaped wheelbarrows full leaving me soaked in lanolin up to my elbows.
We also lost our little orpington cockerel who decided to sleep on the above ground pool while it was being drained for removal, slipped in and drowned.
I've just picked up a new SLW cockerel around 8 weeks old to replace him as my heavy line breeder and my flock is keeping with the easy-going integration and not giving him too much trouble. Little guy seems a bit small for 8 weeks though. Will put him on some extra protein and get him caught up with my campine boys in no time. NZ seems to really skimp on the protein in their feeds. I've been supplementing my turkeys with hard boiled eggs and b complex in their water because apparently, 20% meat bird crumble is supposed to be good enough to raise poults on
. Cannot find game bird crumble to save my life at the moment.It seems like all our friends have been having a bit of a drought while we've been getting a bit of rain here and there - benefits of being on a ridgetop, I suppose. Today though, there's a supposed cyclone coming through and it's bucketing down!
Won't be getting much work done outside at this rate. We're behind on getting the greenhouse up for the chooks - they're secure and have space, but there's only so much cover, so will be some wet birds today for sure! They really arent fussed though; at least it's warm here and if the tanks weren't full before, they will be now.
Will be picking up two little kune kune mid-next week when the auckland border lets up. Still sorting out their paddock, but they'll probably be indoor piggies for some time anyway and we'll be home constantly to keep an eye on them.
They're only about the size if a boot, so shouldn't be too much of a hassle... Hopefully.
The garden's a bit overgrown and probably the most secure grounds, so will let them loose on it to get those weeds and grasses under control around the raised beds.
Also, the former farmer was very mono-crop, so won't mind them gobbling up a few kumara, garlic and shallots - there's too much as it is... All overcrowded and pest-riddled.
My husband is already on it with diversifying a bit, pulling up what's overcrowded and putting all those sample seeds we've been hoarding to good use getting us some lettuces etc going.
Released some predator insects in the spanframe too and they've been smashing the aphids etc.
The coffee is so happy, they've put on new growth and started flowering again.
Here's hoping the next week will be productive. I'll be working all next week then it's three weeks off for the holidays and I'll have a chance to get things to a manageable state... Hopefully...
Alaskan
Herd Master
Sounds like maybe a bit of a breather!
Good update
Good update
Baymule
Herd Master
You already have experienced losses in farming, it happens. Now you can move forward to the joys in farming and there is a lot more joys and happiness than there are losses.
Piggies the size of a boot just means they are small enough to find tiny escape holes you never dreamed of. LOL LOL
3 weeks off! You will get a lot done!
Piggies the size of a boot just means they are small enough to find tiny escape holes you never dreamed of. LOL LOL
3 weeks off! You will get a lot done!
- Thread starter
- #15
Lizzy733
Loving the herd life
I'm well aware of a pig's propensity for escape. I'm going to try a dog shock system cause its much cheaper than a hot wire and can be run through vegetation as their orchard is bordered on one side by a stand of harakeke and is at the property border.
It isn't here yet though and, as mentioned, will start them inside where I can keep an eye on them. Will treat-call train them early, that's for sure! Need to get a giant cast-iron dinner bell - I want a stampede every time I ring that thing!
Mini Horses
Herd Master
I had some pigs who had been contained well and one day began escaping. I checked and checked, couldn't find escape spot. One day, I'm near their pen and they decided to join me.....I watched them put a nose under the gate, lift and scoot under! Bam, gate dropped back down, no evidence. 
. Fixed that!!!
. Fixed that!!!- Thread starter
- #17
Lizzy733
Loving the herd life
I just hung ours with gudgeons as it had been hung with twisted wires only. The way the gudgeons are, they have a lip which catches on the gate, blocking it from opening outward and making it harder to lift when the gate is closed. - unplanned bonuses, I suppose. If needed, I'll solder on some caps, but will be a while before they're big enough to try lifting.I had some pigs who had been contained well and one day began escaping. I checked and checked, couldn't find escape spot. One day, I'm near their pen and they decided to join me.....I watched them put a nose under the gate, lift and scoot under! Bam, gate dropped back down, no evidence.
More worried about them squeezing under on the high side (the ground isn't level). I've gotten it as close as I can to the ground, but there is a bit of a gap. - another reason they'll stay inside for a while. Let them get a bit bigger and wait for those shock collars to arrive.
- Thread starter
- #18
Lizzy733
Loving the herd life
Our little boys are settling in.
Spotty Dotty, looking over his little brother Rusty Venture... They're so tiny! No way they can fit their harnesses.
Having a look at the parents, looking like they'll stay pretty small. Their moms were hardly up to my knee.
Spotty is surprisingly heavy though... All muscle!
Can't wait till these guys are either treat-trained or can fit their harnesses so I can get them out in the garden. At the moment, they'd probably just bolt.
Spotty Dotty, looking over his little brother Rusty Venture... They're so tiny! No way they can fit their harnesses.
Having a look at the parents, looking like they'll stay pretty small. Their moms were hardly up to my knee.
Spotty is surprisingly heavy though... All muscle!
Can't wait till these guys are either treat-trained or can fit their harnesses so I can get them out in the garden. At the moment, they'd probably just bolt.
Alaskan
Herd Master
Finnie
Herd Master
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Just thought I would mention, we think of eggs as high in protein, but they are actually only about 16%. So supplementing your 20% feed with eggs means you’re actually lowering the protein content of your poults’ diet.
If you can’t find gamebird starter, they should be ok on 20%. Due to skyrocketing feed prices, I’ve been raising all my birds this year on 16%. (Chickens, turkeys, ducks) I don’t know if it will cause any long term effects, but so far they all seem to be developing properly.
