I’m still working on the back story, but in the meantime, I figured I’d post some pics of our farm animals.
Zip (l), our Quarterhorse, and Jasper (r), our Haflinger cross, started this whole adventure.
Next came the chickens. As of today, we have 6 Rhode Island Reds and 5 Araucanas (including the rooster), and 15 Barred Rock chicks hatched on Sept 6th. Our other rooster was donated to a neighbor who had lost his to a fox.
The chickens free-range all over the farm, keeping the population of ticks and other bugs down during the day before heading into the coop to roost for the night.
Here’s our roo – pretty showy.
This Araucana is “Henny Penny,” the friendliest of the chickens, who follows our kids around wherever they go. By doing so, she earned a name (and names usually mean a full pardon from freezer camp).
One of the RIRs – I can’t tell who’s who, but the kids can.
RIRs and Araucana resting on one of our firewood piles.
(Edit: and just in… our Barred Rock chicks):
Ducks followed the chickens. We chose Muscovy Ducks for several reasons – their prolific breeding, good market for sales, and the fact that they eat barn flies like they’re going out of style. (Article). They also free range, and roost in the barn at night.
Our breeding flock:
Doc, the Lavender Drake:
Our hens, in order, Midnight (Black), Cady (Black Pied), Mocha (Chocolate), and Daisy (Barred Chocolate):
And finally, our Boer Goats, Gracie and Jessie:
(I’ll spare you pics of the household pets… and all the red wiggler worms from our vermiculture bin!)