Summertime at the Farm......

Summertime is now in full swing at The Old Five Notch Farm.  We have had a unusually wet summer this year and we are grateful for all the rain.  Everything is green and growing very well.

The geese and the ducks have taken all this rain stride.  They enjoy having all these extra "ponds" on the property and explore each one of them. In fact, after the rain stopped for a few days and all the extra "ponds" dried up one of the hens when around inspecting each of them fussing because there wasn't any more water in them.  Funny little ducks!

The ducks enjoying on of the many extra "ponds" that have appeared with all the rain.....what a beautiful Mallard Drake!

One of our four beautiful Canadian Geese....a sunny morning on the pond :0)

The chickens are growing each day and are each getting their own personalities.  Some are friendlier than other and some are more independent.  It is interesting learning about each of them.

Always looking for a treat!  I set the scratch outside the pen...just a little to close apparently!

 We are going to have to either find homes for a couple of roosters or other means to thin the flock.  Unfortunately, we ordered 2 roosters and 10 hens.....we ended up with 4 roosters and 8 hens....not a good ratio.  So far they haven't started fighting, but I'm sure it won't be long as the hens are almost to laying age.  We'll have to make a decision then....not one I like making.

So what do you do when it's hot outside ad you are trying to stay cool? You eat ice cold watermelon and sit in front of the fan! A Big THANKS to Ginger Dail for bringing not only Farmer Man and I a watermelon, but a yummy watermelon rind to share with chickens and turkeys!

Almost all the chickens in one picture!  Enjoying their watermelon.

"Fred" and "Woobie" enjoying the watermelon :0)  These two hang out together along with another hen "Wilma".

"Tommy" enjoying his watermelon and his fan :0)  He will sit in front of the fan during the heat of day and hold his wings out to cool off....just a smart bird <3

Well....construction continues on The Chick Inn II.  Mr. Farmer Man has the power run to the coop, outlets installed,  an inside light and a beautiful outside light too.  We have a fan in one of the windows to help cool the coop and an outside outlet to power "Tommy's" fan.  Water has been run to the coop too.  It is so nice having all the comforts of home available for the animals.


Just when we think we have the coop completed it evolves once again!  We both were concerned with free ranging "Tommy and the girls" when we aren't home, but we need to make room in the nursery for the guineas, who are quickly outgrowing their brooder.  We do like letting everyone out when we are down at the field or barn working, but with previous problems with neighbor dogs and a coyote, we aren't comfortable leaving them free range when we are around. We tried putting the turkeys and chicken together.....the chickens picked on the turkeys! So....My Sweet Farmer man decides we can section off one end of the the chicken's huge run and make a nice sized area for the turkeys.

Sounds easy, huh?  Well, stretch and install more fence, set two more posts, build two more doors, build a three sided learn to, add new perches and add sun shade screen....not much really!  I have the sweetest husband who cares for our animals as much as I do. 

With help from our nephew, Gideon, we managed to get the fence in dividing the section, two doors built, and the perch finished up today.  We had some extra shade screen and had purchased some metal for the roof of the three sided lean too to we placed all of that on the top temporarily until we can build the actual roof this week.

This evening, we took the guineas down and put them in the nursery in The Chick Inn II.  They were a little scared at first, but soon ventured outside. They are amazing!  They were flying up to the high perch the turkeys used within a short time after their first venture outside.  They were thrilled to have so much more space to run, flap and fly.

The turkeys are settled in their new, larger run tonight as well.  I think we have it all figured out!  A little more construction and everyone will have their own safe space....as long as we don't add anyone else!

I am so very thankful to my sweet Farmer Man for a weekend away last weekend. It made getting all of this construction done much easier with a rested body and mind! 

Check back, hopefully later this week, for a post about our trip to Fire Mountain, Highlands, NC.  A beautiful, serene getaway <3

A new additon to The Old Five Notch Farm!!!

We are so pleased to announce some new additions to the farm :0)

We are fortunate to be chosen for a release site for some juvenile Canadian Geese that had been rehabilitated at Izzie's Pond!

We have four little Canadian geese on our pond <3 Each one was a rescue with a story of their own.  These little ones had not been in a body of water .....until they came to The Old Five Notch Farm!

Here they are preening after a hard rain....

A little time to stretch their wings...

The Mallards took advantage of the newly formed "pond" by all the rain

I was concerned that the Mallards we had released wouldn't be too inviting.....they were wonderful. The geese were a little hesitant, but fortunately the Mallards helped them see that there wasn't anything to be afraid of.

 

Three in the water....one to go! One is already checking out what is below the water :0)

  

All four in the water and paddling away! :0)

 

Thirteen Mallards and Four Canadian Geese....all just splashing, swimming, playing and having fun.

The only surprise we had was "Tommy" our turkey and his two buddies....they had not seen the geese.  When the geese wandered up towards The Chick Inn II where Tommy and the other two turkeys were out foraging Tommy puffed up and the other two turkeys ran the geese back down towards the pond.  They were not happy with the new additions. They chased them a few more times and we made sure the geese stayed towards the pond and Tommy and his posse stayed towards the coop.  A little time for adjustments and introductions and I'm sure everyone will get along.

Tommy and his friends found a nice sunny spot to dry their feathers after the rain. Tommy is on the right in the front...we believe that the little one behind Tommy is a hen...not sure about the other one!

 

We took two of our turkeys to Izzie's Pond to share with Izzie, her mom Angel, and Dad Greg.  We miss them, but now there is plenty of room for Tommy and his friends to continue to grow.  We are so happy to know that the turkeys are well taken care of and loved <3

Mr. Farmer man and I worked on running the wiring for The Chick Inn II today...between rain showers!  A little relaxing this afternoon as it is my Farmer Man's birthday :0)

A big shout out and thank you to Angel Durham and Izzie's Pond!  Please check out their page and share it to help these wonderful people continue their work in rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing/releasing God's wonderful animals.