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.

Mac Mac & a rooster

I was trying to get a video of the roosters crowing, but one of the goats stole the show.

Blossom and Mac Mac

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.

Woo hoo!!!!

The girls have finally laid!!! What a surprise when my son looked in their nesting boxes today. Bought the hens in january when they were about 4 mths old. So they are now about 8 mths. They're orpingtons, with are a larger breed, so they take a bit longer to mature than other breeds, but I was wondering if we'd have to wait until after winter for any eggs. I'm wondering if the fact that I switched their food a couple of days ago had anything to do with it?? have been buying layers pellets for them, but accidently bought layers mash this time and it seems to be doing the trick. they love it, has to be mixed with water, so takes slightly longer to prepare, but from now on they will be having mash every day. I have also bought some "universal" pellts, suitable for my goats and guinea pigs as well as the chooks. So they get a feed of pellets later before bed as well as scraps during the day. have to take some more photo's soon, realised that I havent got any photo's of the goats or the guinea pigs on here yet.

Mischa

it's been a long time...

well the drought last summer was a bit of a killer, all watering was banned...although like many others I did sneak out for a bit of moonlit watering,
this summer I gave the gardening a miss and grew just one sunflower.

It may have also had something to do with the fact that I had a new job doing 12hr shifts and the time or energy for garden was GONE!! However that doesnt mean that there's been nothing going on in the garden.

The kittens have all grown up. Sadly one has died, but the rest are thriving and all the mice that were plaging us for ages have been dealt to. No more problems there.

And I talked in my last blog about animals and chickens, and that's now a reality. We aquired two young goats that do a wonderful job of mowing the back section, and are proud owners and 7 chickens. (two of whom have turned out to be roosters!)

The chickens aren't laying yet, just about old enough now, and the roosters have just started crowing. But a dream I've had for years is finally being realised.
Over the summer we built a coop. After a settling in period, the cat's goats and chickens all get on really well in their own way and live very harmoniously together...which is cool