catching up on the farm

It snowed last night.

Well everyone survived us being gone for five days with our daughter in the hospital.  Thanks to our nephew who came and kept things going.  We had several people offer to help out, we appreciate that.  I cleaned out the back room of the chicken coop today.  I emptied out about 20 empty bags of feed that were just randomly thrown on the floor.  It was getting hard to see where to step.  I really need to dig out the coop, but it only got to 22 F today.  Kinda cold to be working out in the coop.  I need to get it dug out and build the quail run so I can get baby chicks!!  I need another dozen laying hens.  I am going to get Brahmas.  I realize they take a while to mature (around 9 months) but they are very cold tolerant and they lay really big eggs.  So that is what I am getting.  This needs to be a priority, but I have at leasts 3 more trips to Portland to take the child to the hospital, so it is going to be hard to squeeze in.

Hay pile as of 2/25/2010.  The sheep only use about 1/2 bale/day
and there are 19 bales left.

I went out and fed the sheep this morning since it snowed.  They of course were letting me know that I should have been out there sooner.  I really think that the faker (pregnant/fat ewe) may actually be pregnant.  I haven't seen a baby yet but her belly keeps getting lower to the ground.  I had to take stock of the hay today. It is going to be close!  I didn't buy any last year since I had so much left over from the year before.  I may have to get some...

On a positive note the sheep are looking pretty good.  I still need to worm the five adults and band the other male baby.  So on Monday Annmarie is going to have to go out and help me.  We will chase them all into the barn and close the door so they cannot get away and we will get it all done.  I chased the sheep out this morning just so I could get a picture.  I also got to hold and pet on the baby girl.  She did not get out of the feeder fast enough and I caught her (she climbs into the thing instead of eating from the side).

Yes, the dog had to get in the picture.  She wanted to play with the babies but no one would let her get close. All the babies are hiding in front of the flock.  Sprout (our brussel griffin ankle biter size dog) went out to the barn with us (Bailey, chocolate lab and I) and then proceeded to disappear.  I called for 30 minutes and walked down to my in-laws house, but no Sprout.  I even started yelling "cheese" at the top of my lungs.  He loves cheese and will come to that call after ignoring every thing else.  We really should just change his name to "Cheese".  I am sure he would come much better.  He stayed outside for over 2 hours.  He was covered in frost and snow when he finally showed up.  I put him in his kennel for some contemplation time.
I took this barn picture after I fed the sheep their hay.  Eventually, the barn will not have a gaping hole in the roof!!

The chickens are not eating as much food this month after I got rid of the five dead beat dads that were free loading.  I suspect next month will be better yet.  My feed price is over $11/bag now.  Hard to believe I was paying $8.  The chickens are not laying blue eggs.  I took a picture just to prove it.  Every once in a while I try and say that one is kinda blue, but Annmarie just tells me it is still green.  The nice thing is I am getting more green eggs now.  I like the variety.  I have one chicken that lays a white egg.  I may get a couple of white egg layers this year also.  Just a thought.  I planted new grass seed in the baby chicken yard this fall and it has just started to creep out of the ground.  I am going to be ready for chicks soon.  My new favorite feed store already has baby chicks in.  Unfortunately, it isn't any breed I am interested in.  They only have the top three standards and I don't care for any of those.