Hint of Green

I have to rub my eyes with disbelief, but I think I see just the slightest hint of green out there today...

Chicks and Buns

The spring babies are all vibrant and healthy, and growing like weeds.  A couple of the bunnies are now venturing away from the nest and out into the world, and sharing carrots with the mothers.  The baby chicks are showing some odd color variations the previous hatches never had.  Anyone know why this would be?  Same roosters and hens, so what gives?

Finally, a Logo

The farm finally has a logo now, and a Facebook page.  Progress is being made.  I'd love any comments or thoughts you might have on the new logo!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mon-Abri-Farm/673020762757618

Chicks!

The first batch of chicks have started hatching out yesterday and today.  With a few winter power outages and some issues controlling the temperature in the incubator, I half doubted any would hatch.  This morning it looked like about 50% were out of their shells so far.  After tonight I think I can assume what's hatched is final.  Little dog BiBi cannot be torn away from them, as it is always with a new hatch.  She's so motherly.

A little blonde Turken

The Pear Shaped Princess

Still no signs of a baby.  I spoke with the vet about the possibility of a blood test to determine if she truly is pregnant.  She's looking in to it for me. Then at least, if I found out she wasn't, I could start her on some sort of diet and exercise plan... Happy Friday! ~A

"Wabbit Season" Part 2

After yesterday's rabbit post I could not resist checking in on the little bunnies yesterday evening, just to see how much they had grown. I still haven't counted them. I plan to get around to that this coming weekend. I took a few quick photos while momma was away eating. Here is one, now at 12 days old. Quite a transformation.  Happy First Day of Spring! ~A

A little Rain

Rain clouds were slowly moving in on the horizon this morning.  Rainy. Cloudy. Windy.  Today's forecast.  But I'm not complaining - the temperature is nearing 50 degrees!  The horses are not at all amused however.  They will be put back in the barn today, safe from the chilly rain that is on its way this afternoon.

Mon Abri Farm, March 2014

Have a beautiful day... ~A

"Wabbit" Season

A long interval between posts, I know. My apologies.  There is a little, and should be a little more, to post on later this week.  On March 7th the white New Zealand rabbit gave birth.  She was bread to a Flemish Giant, who is grey/blue. I am unsure how many little ones there are buried deep in her nest, because she is a very good and protective momma.  Meaning, I cannot get near the little guys without being viciously attacked by a growling mother rabbit.  Good for her.  She's doing her job. 

Baby chicks are due to hatch this Sunday (March 23).   There are 41 eggs in the incubator, and one turkey egg, but that was due to an intoxicated, "Oh why the hell not?" moment when I felt the need to put the very first egg the turkey hen laid into the incubator.  And because I had one spot open in there, staring at me blankly.  (It holds 42 eggs).

This week and next, I will set aside the turkey's eggs, in the hope of collecting at least 6 to incubate.  I can only assume that between her and the two males, they have figured out what they should be "doing" and that these eggs will be fertile and hatch out.  The plan is to put them into the incubator on March 30th, incubate for 28 days and with any luck end up with come baby turkeys on April 26th.  If it ends up being that I have any males from that clutch, they would be ready to butcher and freeze the first week of November.  It (they?) would be the first Mon Abri Farm born, and raised, Thanksgiving Turkey(s). How freakin' awesome would that be! But we'll see...

Nothing new to tell about Chiba.  She still looks pregnant (or fat?), and yet shows no signs of any babies on the horizon.  As I've said before, I've given up on her for this spring. Maybe next year.

Things are thawing now.  I hope you all have a warm(er) day. ~A

King Roo

The "Fishin' Hole"

The chickens are finally making their way out into the pastures

I wonder what they see?  Spring, hopefully...

A break finally

Yesterday evening I baked a loaf of bread, made some croutons from a slice or two, then figured I probably should have salad to go with that, and a little blue cheese and balsamic dressing, only because I had to have "something" to go with my wine, right? 

The weather has finally turned for the better and the temperature will reach 45 degrees today, which should melt off the last bits of snow.  Have a lovely Friday ~ A

A beautiful sunrise

Relaxing Weekend

I made some progress this weekend, even though the weather is still not quite cooperating.  I sorted eggs and loaded the incubator with 41 of them, due to hatch March 23 (give or take a day).  And because I had so many eggs laying around (no pun there) I decided to make a lovely frittata sort of thing for my breakfast.  And that turned out to be a very good decision.

 

 

Then, I had to butcher a young rooster, who was approaching his 6 month birthday.

I also made some soup for my work lunches for the week.  How productive is that? 

I hope you all have a lovely week, ~A

A break in the weather

No changes in any of the animals.  No babies.  No sickness. Nothing but waiting.  Waiting for warmer weather and waiting for babies, hopefully. 

This week I've started setting eggs aside to put into the incubator this coming weekend.  I'm hoping to get 40 of them in there.  But that depends on how busy the ladies are this week, and how many eggs are fit to put in there.  I'm only going to incubate the darkest of the dark eggs, with the hope of improving the Marans line in the future.  We'll just have to wait and see what hatches?

 

It's been a week, but there hasn't been much to talk about or anything exciting happening.  The weather gave us a break over the weekend and reached a high of 40 degrees, so I took the opportunity to clean up the barn a bit and walk over the property to see that all was well.  Chiba spent a lot of time outside inspecting the yard and looking for food. 

 

 

Weekends on the Farm

A quiet weekend, with more snow and more brutal cold. The "norm" this year so far.  Even with the cold, I did manage to get a full day of work accomplished on Sunday, shoveling the stalls and cleaning up the barn a bit.  And of course there was the routine visit to the feed mill for the week's rations. 

Chiba the goat is still waddling along.  She did manage to get out and get a bit of exercise, even with the deep snow and cold.  Still no signs of a baby on the way.  I'm no longer sure she's pregnant.

I wonder what the conversation was about?

The chickens are still hanging out inside (or very close to) the barn.  Its still far to cold for their liking.

Louie and the horses still seem not at all bothered by the snow or cold.  Lucky bunch.

I peeked into the "Bunny Hotel" to check for babies.  None there either.  My guess is that the boy bunny is still just a bit too young to get the job done.  He's only four months old, which is still considered young for the larger breeds. 

The only thing there was left to do after the barn work and errands was cook, eat and drink some wine.  Ahhh winter...

Pumpkin-Spice Cookies sounded like they were in order to offset the winter blues...