Goats n' guninea pigs

A few weeks ago we added five new members to our animal family. 5 little piggies....guinea pigs that is.

Somehow the cage and it's inhabitants ended up being loaded into my car during my last visit to friends in new Plymouth.

The cage was a rattley old thing, and I've spent the last few days sprucing it up for the comfort of the guineas.

They now have rain and wind protection along on side of their A frame hutch, extra netting along the other side, and I've opened up half of the cage bottom (which was all wired over) so they have access to the grass, which they love.

They are very very cute, however every animal here has to earn it's keep and I'll be putting them to work soon!

The plan is for the back yard to belong to the chooks and goats, and the front to be for food production.

I've planted a row of fejoas along the windy side of the front section, next to a row of flax that will offer more wind protection. The role of the guineas will be to eat the grass beneath the fruit trees, officially they will be in charge of weed control and compost lol.

For this to work they need to whole area to be fully enclosed, top and sides - to be cat and dog proof.

I've aquired the necessary fence posts, but It will take me a while to do all the work involved, so in the meantime their little cage is more than adequate.

Once the fejoas are sorted, I'll put olives down the other boundary, and extend the guinea pig run further. Then with the shelter in place (as well as the wind tolerant fejoas and olives, wind netting will surround the outer boundary), The less wind tolerant fruit trees will be planted. I'm thinking peaches, plums, apples etc...yumm

Eventually all the fruit trees will be securely fenced, with the guinea pigs inside with the fruit trees, protected from the goats and chooks, which will be able to graze the front yard as well as the back.