Progress is still happening.

It was really great to have our nieces Blue and Nyssa here to help Bryan and I, (mostly Bryan). They put the first coats of paint on in the shop, helped build a new wall, built a much needed chicken tractor and where just overall great guest.
Bryan also got a coat of paint on most of the barn roof. The cherry picker couldn't reach the far side of the roof. It seems that all of the animals are growing like crazy. The ducks are all feathered, well except the muscovies that keep getting their feathers pecked on. Our duck accommodations are not ideal, and one duck likes to take it out on the others.
The turkey warmers also have another name, The Brats. They quickly outgrew the brooder in the chicken house, thoroughly making a mess of the entire house. We put a baby gate over the door, but they soon flew over that. So they got their way, they are out in the big world during the day and then back inside at night. It is going well, the older chickens give them a bit of a hard time, but nothing serious. Most of the trouble comes from the Plymouth hens, who will chase anybody and everybody. The goats are all well, as are the sheep. Zeus and Pan are both settling in well, I still haven't heard about our last 2 additions, the 2 ewe lambs.
I have been selling soap at the local farmer's market, though it is a very slow market. I figure I can get my name out there and plug the shop once it is open. That is another bunch of fun. I have many calls to make in order to make that happen, that is of course on top of the work still needed in the garage. I hope the inspector doesn't have any surprises for us.

Busy week

Bryan took the week off to get some work done. And we are off to a great start. We started on the garage so my shop will have a home some time this summer. We have been going through boxes still left over from the move. My nieces from Rhode Island have come to help, which is a really great thing.
Today they cleaned out the last of the goat stalls that was still in deep bedding, which translates into a big deep mess of hay, straw and other 'stuff'. They did a great job and Sarah was right there with them. I had them start on another chicken tractor and I went off to take pictures for the blog. I got a few of them taken, when I noticed one of the goats was standing behind the cattle panel bleeding profusely from her side. Earlier I had seen this spot on her, but it looked like she had been laying in poo and gotten it matted in her fiber. Well obviously that was not the case. I called the girls and they came and helped me catch her and get her into the barn.
I started cleaning her side and quickly discovered a bigger problem. Fly strike. Bryan finally was back in the barn area so he came to help. We thought that she had a wound that they had gotten into, but the more we worked the more perplexed we were. She had a bump, but no wound. The nearest we figure is that she had a cyst that started to bleed and the flies settled in.
It took a lot of work to clean her up and finally dress the wound. She also got a shot of penicillin and we shall see how she is tomorrow. I am really glad the girls were here to help.
Before this happened, Bryan was moving metal roofing panels from around the compost pile, he had told me that there was a snake around there, well there sure was. To me it looked like a rattle snake, but no rattle. Bryan finally caught it and relocated it to a far off portion of the farm. I am waiting a response from my nature expert to find out what kind of snake it was. Come on Amy!
I did manage to get some pictures of Zues before the emergency with Pansy. He is a beautiful, big boy and Thistle and Heather really seem to like him. I do have to separate them or I will have lambs out of season.
I was not able to get pictures of Pan, but I think he is one of the cutest goats I have ever seen. He is tiny and so soft and cuddly. He enjoys being petted and loved and I wish we could bring him into the house. The big boys pick on him, but they may not be here for much longer. That is another story.
So my flock is just about complete for now, possibly 2 more ewe lambs for Zeus but we shall see.