Fresh Air

Spring has sprung here at Sundora. This gorgeous weather has both chicken coups outside. Crow and his ladies (above) are all out free ranging around the farm, while Gus Gus and his girls are tractoring on the front lawn.

I've been moving them twice a day so they get new grass and bugs to keep them busy. I bought those hens at a couple months old from another farmer, and when we got them they were not happy campers having been trapped in a small space with almost no bedding and stressful living conditions. All winter they've continued beating up on each other, so I'm hoping that constant moving onto new land, some fresh air, and new bugs to chase and eat will help distract them from picking on their siblings. So far so good.

The chickens have some new friends on the farm now too... the piglets have arrived! I picked them up from Hogwash Farm in Norwich, VT this afternoon!

Here they are patiently waiting in Dora's dog crate in the back of the car. I've got a boy and two girls just like last year, which I am really happy about. It's amazing how surprisingly small they are after having 200+lb hogs in the fall. I haven't named them yet, but as soon as I do I'll make sure to let you know.

So far they seem to be much more trusting right off than my last batch, which I'm sure can be immediately attributed to the fact that they didn't get out of their pen within the first 15 minutes and have to be chased around the farm and caught by my brother Jake and I like last year!

They sat in their little crate in their new pen for about 3 minutes, and then immediately shot out and ran right into the electric fence! After a little squeal and some jumpy running, they were off exploring their new digs. I took that as my cue to go grab some corn and start our interactions off on a good foot. So with a scoop full of delicious treats I sat down in the middle of their pen and sprinkled some kernels in front of me while I waited for their curiosity to get the best of them...

Sure enough within 2 minutes the boy (who I just might name George since he is the most curious so far) came right over and started eating, keeping one eye on me every moment. We went on like that for 15 minutes, me staying very still, them eating, watching me closely, and every so often getting the courage to lean forward and smell my boot, or my pant leg before suddenly turning back to their food to continue their snack time. I'm going to go in their pen and spend at least a half an hour with them every day like I did last year with Herkimer, Flo Jo, and Crysta. Those three pigs last year were some of the friendliest animals I've ever met, and I have every confidence that this group will be just as lovely. They really are my favorite part of the farm. I'm so happy they're finally here!

Spontaneous Adoption

So lately our two roosters, Gus Gus and our Black Australorp(whom I will from here on refer to as Mr. Lorp) have been fighting... and Mr. Lorp has been winning. Gus doesn't stand a chance next to that guy. It had only been a little blood on his back, so we were letting them fend for themselves for the time being. However, yesterday afternoon when Ben entered their coup, Gus looked like he'd just been in the dirtiest of street fights. His gorgeous white head dress soaked in blood... it was time to intervene.

So, we took Gus Gus and his friend Big Tuna out of the main coup and set them up in a cage in the second horse stall that was being used to store hay. We knew Gus Gus couldn't return to that coup, but we had no idea what to do with him.

Gus Gus is perhaps our favorite chicken, and certainly not one we're ready to part with. At the same time, he and Tuna couldn't stay trapped in that tiny cage forever. Without a better alternative, Gus and Tuna spent last night in that cage with hay on two sides for them to nestle into, a pan of food, and a waterer full of warm water that we had to change every few hours to keep it from freezing... not at all ideal.

This morning during breakfast Ben suggested I jump on craigslist.org to see if anyone had chickens they wanted to get rid of. I had toyed with the idea of expanding the laying flock anyway, so now seemed a good a time as any. Gus and Tuna needed friends, and they needed them soon... three hours later Ben and I were on our way back from Washington, Vermont with 20 chickens in produce boxes and a huge dog crate in the back of the car... when I make up my mind about something, it happens quickly.

So now we have two coups full of chickens. Our old coup houses our 7 Black Australorps.

And the second horse stall has been fully set up to house not only Gus Gus and Big Tuna, but their new friends, a mixture of Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks.

While I ran around buying another waterer, water heater, more shavings, and food, Ben hung up our old set of nesting boxes in the second stall and made sure the chickens were safe and comfortable in their new coup.

Since these new chickens are 9-10 months old, they are already at laying age, which means that come tomorrow morning, we'll be getting about 15 eggs a day! Three Bean Cafe has agreed to buy our eggs in addition to the bread they already buy from us for their paninis! Needless to say, we're really excited about this wonderful addition to our farm family!