Farm Animals!

Time surely flies when you have fun!

It really doesn't seem like it has been 2 months since the piglets were born! We weaned them last Sunday and last Wednesday the turned 2 months old!! Boy are they getting big!!! There are some that are already almost 50 lbs! There is a little runt that I have been bottle feeding for over a month, he is just so little compared to the rest and is barely 20 lbs.  I was feeding him a multi-species milk replacer and we didn't see any growth from him until there was only about an inch left in a 10 lb bag.  I am now feeding him pig milk replacer and we are seeing more growth and I am only an inch into the bag. He is going to be the hardest one for me to get rid of. He knows either knows his name or just recognizes my voice and comes running thinking that he is getting a bottle!! We call him WeeOne or Wee-Man.  When the weather is good, I go out and sit in the pen with them and play with them!! They are just so much fun!! There is one that we are keeping, she is the best looking one in the group, Cutie! Jacqueline named her.  A few days after she was born she was stepped on, on her tummy, by the mother. She was really slow for the next day but the next week, she was just as strong as the rest of them and she is now one of the biggest 3!!

Cutie and WeeOne (the day after they were weaned)

WeeOne

He cuddles after he has a tummy full

We got the kids started on a project, well, it is mostly me but the kids do help.  We got some bottle lambs, 2 right now and we are hoping to get a few more. They too are a lot of fun!! They are a little hard to get a good picture of, they just don't stay still long enough to get a good one!! 

We also have baby chicks!! 19 total. I needed to replace some chickens that I lost and I think that there are some that are not laying. Egg production is not like it was.   We have Black Australorps, Barred Rock, Gold Star (also called Red Sexlink) and Production Red.  Hopefully the last three will do good this winter.  We know that the Black Australorps do good, we already have 2.  We might be adding more Turkens later in the year, it all depends on how many of the chicks are roosters and if we can build a bigger coop.  So far of the 3 breeds that are producing, we like the Turkens and the Black Australorps.

Just a few of the chicks!! They have grown a bunch since the picture was taken!!

I got the garden all figured out and I am ready to get started!!! I have seeds started and growing good, potatoes cut and ready to plant!! I am planning on having the garden full and hope that it produces the most of the 3 yrs that I have been gardening (this is my 3rd year).  There are 4 types of potatoes going in, Norland Red, Yukon Gold, Russets, and All Blue (they are purple in color!!).  If things go well this week, the potatoes will be planted and maybe some other root vegetables! 

Hope you have a great day!!! Hope the pigs playing leaves you with a smile!!

Growing the Farm!

2016 is already off to a great start, and a lot has been going on!! Our farm has expanded to more then just chickens and a horse.

We have been talking and wanting to get pigs for a little over a year, but it was never the right time to do so.  We prayed about it and talked some more and then the beginning of this year the time was right! We both felt that God was telling us that now is the time to get pigs and begin our journey of The Etherton Farm.

The end of January, we started out with buying 2, 1 bred sow (due, at the time, in a few weeks) and a gilt that was to be bred in the coming week (she has yet to come to the farm). We then found someone with feeders later that week and came home with 3 feeder gilts that we are going to raise and breed.  Having the 4 and watching them has been a blast, some nights we spend to much time in the barn watching them play and become more friendly.

Left to right....Merida, Reba, and Willow

We have already have had an adventure since getting the pigs.  The 3 feeders we not vaccinated when we got them, so we did. That was entertaining!! Just trying to catch them was a workout, and they have so much strength at 100lbs.  I was sitting on one after we caught her, Kevin was about to give her the shot and she crawled with me still sitting on her! After that we figured out that the best way for her to get the shot, and from now on with the other 2, was to get a hold of her leg, nose in the corner, and pushed up against the wall. She couldn't move that way.  We just have to figure out a way to give them shots when they are full grown.

A week ago today the bred sow had her piglets! First one was born at 9 Tuesday night and baby number 15 was born at 2:30 Wednesday morning!! It was a long night, but it was fun, exciting and a new learning experience for me!! We did end up loosing one, mother laid on it. The 14 piglets are doing great!! There are 'porkers' in the group and a runt or 2.  But the little ones surely don't let the big ones push them around! Boy are they growing fast!! They are getting more and more active as each day passes!!

Sally is the mother's name and all 14 piglets!!  

We have yet to de-tusk the piglets, we did learn that that should have been done soon after birth, but it will be done here soon! So far this has been a wonderful learning experience!!

Yesterday, I added another animal to our farm. A pair of ducks! Muscovy ducks and they are fitting right in with the chickens great!! The chickens on the other hand are not quite sure of them.  They are so fun to watch!! I have yet to name them.  He acts like she is the queen, he will walk to the food, chickens will walk away and then when the 'coast is clear' she walks to the food. The same is for the water, he is the leader and then she follows! I did clip their wings, as they do fly a little and I wanted them to stay in the run with the chickens.  I would like to add more ducks later and I would like to stay with the Muscovy breed.

I really am loving this farm adventure!! I am looking forward to what God has in store for us and this farm!!  Have a blessed day!!