Just wanted to give a quick update about what’s been going on around the farm lately.
We had all of our final 2017-2018 breeding season litters kindle last week 4/26-27. Sookie was bred to Big D and had a litter of 7 (one DOA), 2 blues and 5 blacks – unfortunately the DOA was a blue. Queenie had a litter of 4, all blues, by Navy (who I learned from his new owner is now deceased due to a suspected heart attack). Hymn had a litter of 8 by Yoda, unfortunately 5 of those kits were cold and uncleaned when I found them – the 3 survivors (one blue, two blacks) are doing well. Hoping that I will get at least one show quality rabbit out of the Sookie & Hymn litters. Queenie’s kits should turn out huge and be great meat producers.
I was also a bit naughty and since I DESPISE Faith (aka she’s going in the crock pot), but she’s got really nice type, I went ahead and bred her to Big D (my 3x BOV blue Kamer buck). I know it’s out of season, but she’s smaller and doesn’t seem to mind the heat so we will see. If I can make it work, might even breed her again to Yoda, then when her litter is weaned, cull her. I can’t stand that doe.
We lost our ducks yesterday. Unfortunately, I awoke to the missing. I had thought I heard something in the night, but I went back to sleep. We trapped TWO opossums, one by the meat chicken pen, and the other near where we found some of the ducks bodies, close to the creek. We were only able to find 3 of the ducks, the other 4 are still missing, presumed dead. Very sad day. I did end up relocating the female possum, as she had a pouch full of babies. My temper got the better of me and I killed the male possum.
Miss Marilyn (only one of my two original chickens, she & Elsa) has developed a limp. I’ve gotten my hands on her and I think her right outer toe is dislocated. It’s not broken, she can move it, but the joint seems swollen. I tried to give a tug and re-locate it, but since I’m not exactly sure that’s what’s wrong, I didn’t force anything. I’ve been monitoring her and she seems to be slowly improving, and she’s still laying eggs and foraging around with everyone else, I’m not super worried.
Our pigs are ready to come home May 19. We are slowly working towards completing their pen. We have almost all of the trees cut, and I’ll be working on post hole digging the corners this week. We’ve got the materials, just have to make time to finish it.
I think that’s about it really. Timber had her OFA X-rays done last week, and as long as she gets good scores, we will likely be breeding her in the fall. Also picked out Willa’s first HRC hunt test, September 8-9. Hoping we can get her SHR title this fall before she turns 1! The NAVHDA NA test we will be running her in still has yet to set a date, but will also be this fall.