Decided to put all the mothers and mothers to be into one cage and the boys into another.
So I put "lil Sis" back in with "Big mama" and "Lil Grey Girl" and the three lil babies. Daddy went out with his son in the new cage.
First Daddy and son "Friski" had to sort out who was boss, got pretty serious for a while, lots of chattering and running around the cage.
Then Big Daddy claimed the hutch and poor lil Friski had to sleep under the ramp in the cold.
So today I made another little sleeping hutch for Friski, so he has his own territory and they share the grass. Friski stashed the piece of pumpkin under his hutch and wouldnt let Dad in. They each seem happy with their own little sleeping space, but they'd be warmer if they shared.
Friski was so happy when he was sharing with lil sis, but can't have any more babies so just has to be this way for a while.
The girls had to settle in with each other too but are all getting on fine now. Both females who have already given birth feed and care for the babies and they all work together to look after each other.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
More Guinea pigs
Yesterday, on the shortest day of the year..big fat mama pig had three babies.
I was especting that, but what we weren't expecting was that her daughter would give birth on the same day. All went well with the first lot, but I think her daughter was just too young, she's not fully grown yet and neither of her two babies made it.
The good thing is that she's snuggling up with the other babies and sharing them with her mum, which must make it easier for her. her mum was incredibly supportive when she had her babies, and did her best to help, licking them etc, but it wasn't meant to be.
Anyway the 3 babies left are doing well, and looks like I will need to start making ANOTHER cage for all these babies once they have grown a bit.
I was especting that, but what we weren't expecting was that her daughter would give birth on the same day. All went well with the first lot, but I think her daughter was just too young, she's not fully grown yet and neither of her two babies made it.
The good thing is that she's snuggling up with the other babies and sharing them with her mum, which must make it easier for her. her mum was incredibly supportive when she had her babies, and did her best to help, licking them etc, but it wasn't meant to be.
Anyway the 3 babies left are doing well, and looks like I will need to start making ANOTHER cage for all these babies once they have grown a bit.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Guinea pig hilton
Been building the Guinea pig cage today, more like a guinea pig hotel. It has all the features I've always wanted in a guinea pig cage but never had lol. mainly it's big and has great access. The little nesting box is small and cosy, and it has a hinged roof for easy access. The most of the roof of the outer area can be removed for EASY ACCESS!! and part of the outer roof is covered so that the guinea's have outdoor shelter from the rain when it's wet, and sun when it's hot.
Did I say EASY ACCESS?? there will also be a small food hatch in the side for quick access to put food in the cage without having to take the whole roof off. With the roof off, it's possible for a child (or even an adult) to sit in the cage and play with the guinea pigs ...as long as the cats aren't around...they usually are because the guinea pig cage is their FAVORITE place to hang out. I think they think I got the guinea pigs purely for their entertainment.
the entrance to the nesting box is protected from rain and wind. I've been surprised how easily the cage had progressed, making a lot better choices, and building in a more logical way than the chicken coop, which was our first project.
have this thing about making it up as I go along, and adapting to the materials on hand. This cage is especially cheap, it uses some roofing iron I picked up from the green waste (not meant to be dumped there but a good find), some wood I got from the waste bin at bunnings, and batons. All untreated and wont last forever but I might stain it at some point. Would've finished it today but was getting past the time the neighbours would want to hear hammers and electric saws, so will finish it tomorrow.
have a thing to about not using a plan too, just some vague idea of how I want it to be, turning out pretty well this time round. Must've actually learnt something from the last building attempt. Might make one to sell after this. keep it pretty much the same with just a few minor improvements.
will post some pics once its all finished.
not sure who to put in there yet? mum and dad, or the three kids?? probably the kids, leave mum in her cage where it's familiar.
Did I say EASY ACCESS?? there will also be a small food hatch in the side for quick access to put food in the cage without having to take the whole roof off. With the roof off, it's possible for a child (or even an adult) to sit in the cage and play with the guinea pigs ...as long as the cats aren't around...they usually are because the guinea pig cage is their FAVORITE place to hang out. I think they think I got the guinea pigs purely for their entertainment.
the entrance to the nesting box is protected from rain and wind. I've been surprised how easily the cage had progressed, making a lot better choices, and building in a more logical way than the chicken coop, which was our first project.
have this thing about making it up as I go along, and adapting to the materials on hand. This cage is especially cheap, it uses some roofing iron I picked up from the green waste (not meant to be dumped there but a good find), some wood I got from the waste bin at bunnings, and batons. All untreated and wont last forever but I might stain it at some point. Would've finished it today but was getting past the time the neighbours would want to hear hammers and electric saws, so will finish it tomorrow.
have a thing to about not using a plan too, just some vague idea of how I want it to be, turning out pretty well this time round. Must've actually learnt something from the last building attempt. Might make one to sell after this. keep it pretty much the same with just a few minor improvements.
will post some pics once its all finished.
not sure who to put in there yet? mum and dad, or the three kids?? probably the kids, leave mum in her cage where it's familiar.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Fejoa hedge
a pic of the fejoas that have just been planted, with a row of flax behind them (the flax was all recycled from the green waste tip). I built the fence with the wind netting as well. The plan is that sometime soon this area will be completely enclosed and the guineapigs can eat the grass.
My vision for our garden is that it will be self sufficient, but also that we'll have some produce to sell.
rosemary and daffodils
hope this will one day become a rosemary hedge. The daffs are int the tyres with sme other flower seeds. The wirenetting is to protect the young plants from the cats who think that I have made a personal toilet for each one of them...
want to plant sunflowers in these tyres as well, will look cool in the summer.
plants from the tip
all these plants were rescued from the green waste tip. The pots were bought through trademe
Thursday, June 11, 2009
out of "retyrement"
Have just moved my first tyres into the front yard and planted them with daffodils and other flowers. Would like to plant some sunflowers in them too when I find my seed.
Zen helped me move the clawfoot bath into the front yard, it'll be used to collect water for the front garden. As water is often restricted, and watering even banned in summer around here, water from the roof will be diverted into the bath.
I want to paint some of the tyres, but the only paint I have any quantity of is bright pink, given to me by a friend. as the bath is already a similar shade of pink...it might just work lol. well the house is orange, what can I say...go with it.
Planted the last two fejoa trees today, a different kind so that it will cross breed with my other ones for better fruiting. Once the trees mature, and the flax behind them, it will be very private in the front yard as well as the back. It'll be a really nice place to sit in the summer.
As well as the daffodils, I planted a hedge of rosemary...rescued from the green waste tip, will wait and see if it takes. I also have strawberries, celery, beetroot and spring onions waiting to be planted as well as a mesclun salad mix. And I've ordered 2 Hawera Plum trees that are meant to do really well around here.
The plan is that as well as being self sufficient...we also can have some extra to sell.
The chooks have finally started laying in reasonable numbers. The most so far is four in one day... not too bad when we have 5 hens.
Will have to make a new gunea pig cage very soon, the mother is looking very pregnant. may have to take some of the last lot of babies to the pet shop, it's going to take a while before I can finish the larger enclosure, have just done the windward side, to make a windbreak for the fejoas, I need 8 - 10 mor posts to finish it, and probably another roll of chicken wire.
will take some more photo's tomorrow.
Zen helped me move the clawfoot bath into the front yard, it'll be used to collect water for the front garden. As water is often restricted, and watering even banned in summer around here, water from the roof will be diverted into the bath.
I want to paint some of the tyres, but the only paint I have any quantity of is bright pink, given to me by a friend. as the bath is already a similar shade of pink...it might just work lol. well the house is orange, what can I say...go with it.
Planted the last two fejoa trees today, a different kind so that it will cross breed with my other ones for better fruiting. Once the trees mature, and the flax behind them, it will be very private in the front yard as well as the back. It'll be a really nice place to sit in the summer.
As well as the daffodils, I planted a hedge of rosemary...rescued from the green waste tip, will wait and see if it takes. I also have strawberries, celery, beetroot and spring onions waiting to be planted as well as a mesclun salad mix. And I've ordered 2 Hawera Plum trees that are meant to do really well around here.
The plan is that as well as being self sufficient...we also can have some extra to sell.
The chooks have finally started laying in reasonable numbers. The most so far is four in one day... not too bad when we have 5 hens.
Will have to make a new gunea pig cage very soon, the mother is looking very pregnant. may have to take some of the last lot of babies to the pet shop, it's going to take a while before I can finish the larger enclosure, have just done the windward side, to make a windbreak for the fejoas, I need 8 - 10 mor posts to finish it, and probably another roll of chicken wire.
will take some more photo's tomorrow.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Goats and Chickens laz'n about
The chicken have a coop built specially for them where they sleep at night, but by day they prefer to hang out with the goats, so I added some leanto's to the goats little hut, so that when it rains, they all have some shelter. However when it's sunny like today, the goats sit on the roof, and the the chickens love to sit in side and dust bath in the sawdust on the floor.
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