The waiting game

Its that time of year again!  when I spend most of my day either looking out of the bathroom window or leaning over the gate just in case one of the females decides to give birth unannounced.  No doubt despite our constant surveillance Bella will once again still manage it.

 

This year all being well we expect 11 little extra mouths, the first is now a week overdue and still no sign.  LGM Apple Blossom is now 151 days and looking very fat with a body score of 5.  I hope she is not having us on and getting fat on all the extra preggy girl rations.

Our breeding programme here at Quelvehin has now taken on a new direction and the senior partner has got a new project to occupy his spare time !!  chickens ! -   We have had chickens for several years now that wonder freely around the farm -(yes protected by alpacas ) too freely in my mind, two in particular think they are part of the family and if they get the chance wonder around the lounge and sit in front of the telly.  After a hen went broody the other week we ended up with two delightful chicks.  This is the second time this hen has sat on eggs, the first time didn't go so well, when only one hatched and for some reason the good lord decided to put one leg on the wrong way  so it went round and round in circles, needless to say it didn't last long .  So on the strength of our current success,  we are now the proud owners of a new incubator and are hatching our first clutch (does one say clutch) of eggs.
  

One good thing about breeding chickens it only takes 21 days and requires no monitoring on my part.- finally a business idea that requires no picking up poo !