Look at this beautiful but bitterly cold day. 
It honestly does not look as cold as it was. Though in a month we will look back on yesterday and think.. that was not That cold.
Guinea fowl for Deb and Equus.
And my fat piggies. Officially plonkers now. On Dec 10 two will go for their ride in the Black Mariah. The other two will be here until the end of January. Then Sheila will breathe a sigh of relief when she is allowed to move back into the proper pig sty, that has been set up for the cold.
I have sent away for some worming compound for Kupa (the peacock) . Tomorrow I will begin to train him and the girls back into the Peacock Penthouse so they can be treated up there.
The rest of the flock will have the pellets in their feed. But I need to quarantine Kupa and the girls to ensure that they get the proper amount. This will mean I climb the ladder up to the loft in the barn a couple of times a day, but I think I can do that now and the medicine won’t be here for a few days anyway. Needs must. 
I walked slowly around everyone yesterday and it seems we are ok. The cows are round, the sheep are frisky and noisy, Mama is up and about and Hairy is as miserable as ever. With the sudden freeze there are water problems so there were buckets of water to be carried but I had help with that. Sheila had taken things into her own hands, um hooves, and had knocked her frozen water over so she could chew on the ice. She does not like her new warm water bucket – it is too close to her bed. And too high. And too blue. I will try her with a heated dogs bowl tomorrow. It is lower and she has such a chin. She was never one to play in her water so it will be ok I think.
And the chickens are only laying four eggs a day, but they are very sensitive to changes in their feed and no-one mixes it like I do! So I am sure I can improve on that.
So spoiled they all are. My animals. My flocks. But I know all the ins and outs, all the tiniest of preferences, all the drafts and soft spots. The ones who come through the gates first, and exit last. The ones who are highly strung and the ones who will knock you down. The ones who like to eat from the feeder with the others or prefer their hay on the ground in a corner by themselves, thrown down when the others are not watching. That is my job. I study them. They are my responsibility. It is what I do best. I am one of them.
The Tall Teenager is going to do the feed run today and Our John is back to work. I shall move to light farm duties now.
A secret? Or a secret kiss. Maybe a secret and a kiss.
Your friend on the farmy,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
69 responses to “A secret and a kiss”
What a beautiful, beautiful life. Seems that your pain in the arse has not affected your eye for beauty…and it seems there’s a bit more bend in that back than before…the view is changing. The light is exquisite with that cold. Strangely … you’ve managed to convey warmth. The plonkers are impressive. Hate to say it, but “good enough to eat.” God, that is so callous of me. But I confess…don’t tell them…I’m a pork girl. xx
Definitely some sweet nothings there I think! Only 4 eggs per day? You lucky girl! We’re averaging 0 – 2 eggs per day for what seems ages but half the ladies are semi-naked so need their energies for some new clothes I guess! Take care up that ladder!
Christine
I often think, when the weather man says in his mournful tone of voice: “we’re expecting a cold front today; the temperatures will hover down into the 40s…””Wow(this is me thinking, now, ) The 40s will seem like picnic weather in about a month!”
Albert Einstein was right when he said that everything is relative.
How cute they are together 🙂 I saved two 3 week old kittens 13 years ago and it was the kitten I named Blues who adored her dog family. As each would come in wet and covered with snow she would go to each one and lick them dry such a sweet girl she was so sweet something wild took her from us I see the interaction between your two a miss her even more her sister is now 13 and I am blessed she was tough now she too is as sweet as can be but won’t go out without JT now her protector 🙂
Rest well in between your outings you will pay dearly if you don’t. Hugs
I think those two are yammering about mischief, c. Maybe Thanksgiving’s menu, and what they’ll see out of the fixings. 😉 Are you doing Thanksgiving?
few things i learned from older neighbors to help increase egg production
warm water 2x a day, in winter,
do not let outside when temp below 40 degrees
lots windows in chicken house for sun
high protien feed
and if they not improve with that, put lights on a timer so they get about 12-16 hours of light a day
I let them rest for two months first, then add light. Their water is warmed as well or it would freeze solid out there. My biggest problem is that a whole bunch of the you g layers have escaped and set up camp in the barn and i have no idea where they are laying out there, but their eggs will be frozen solid too. I will find them when i am better.. c
Yep! Mine had a few heat lamps in the winter chicken house! They did quit well eggwise! And I played music. 😀
I had leghorns and they loved to roost up high in the rafters! But in winter they had a new home that was easier for me! They went into their laying boxes that I filled with nice fresh straw! It was fun trying to get the eggs!!! LOL
The word has gone out around the farmyard: “Celi’s back!”. They will have missed you, your cosseted, happy, much loved animals. Those sleek Plonkers have had such a good life, their bacon will be fabulous. Take it easy with your light duties.
they are sleek aren’t they!.. c
Shameful me…I see bacon, sausages, pork chops, ham, liver, and liverwurst on the hoof! Okay, okay….don’t throw things at me!!! LOL Celi protect me!!!!! Ahhhhhh…..help!
and the occasional sprinkle of cyanne[sorry, i’m bad speller] pepper, or crushed dry homegrown hot peppers on top of the feed increases production
too much cyanne can kill bantams, but big hens can handle small doses 2 or 3 times a week
the”cousins from hell” are here this week for deer season
1 brings the worlds worst, extremely hot chili
as soon as they gone i share it with poultry
the eggs increase,but 1 neighbor complains that the yokes are orange
That is interesting, chickens cannot taste the hot of the chili, so I put a chili and a clove of garlic into the cider vinegar that I add to their water. c
Interesting!
I would want to photogrpah Boo and Marmalade all day – they really do photograph beautifully together and have clearly got a concrete bond! I couldn’t be more in love with them if I tried!
Hope you can get the Tall Teenager to go up the ladder for you C.
Have a beautiful day.
🙂 Mandy xo
How could I forget to say that you have the perfect header pic. 😉 xo
may be a beautiful life but it sounds as though its a hard life especially with a bad bum bone and the cold weather….I did not know that you could get heated water buckets or heated dog bowls, we always used to put a ping pong ball in the water so that it would not freeze..times change…
Poor wee porkers, but that is what you have them for. I would be useless….
Love to all the animals and of course to all you humans
here it would just freeze solid around then heave out the ping pong ball. .not to mention the wind. c
You’re not kidding! Our lakes get about a foot thick! My fish pond is frozen solid in the winter!!!! Fish inside in the winter not to worry! LOL
just don’t over do it, okay? You’re mending well.
Thanks for the guinea fowl pics.
My dream farm has chickens, guinea fowl, goats, and a couple pigs. If my oldest daughter has her way it will also have sheep and a couple horses 🙂 I’m able to live vicariously thru your blog posts. Although I’m choosing to skip the part where I get blown down the steps.
very good choice deb! c
i think: a secret AND a kiss!
[love your new banner, of course….]
Like you I watch my flock closely. Erin is my oldest hen and doesn’t get around as fast as the others. She is first to bed and last to rise. These cold mornings they love their porridge! I also supplement their protein with some cat food, which they demolish in seconds! Have been mixing their fed with hot water these past couple of mornings to, making it into a mush with some corn on the top. They eat better than I do LOL But I usually get 2 or 3 eggs a day (from 7 hens, although Erin’s laying days are over), so don’t complain.
This is the kittens first winter and they go out the cat door to fly back in minutes later looking at me as if to say “what happened, who turned the heat off!!” Wait until they see snow for the first time!
🙂 They love a hot meal! Oh kitties and the first snow! Mine look out and that’s it now!
Love the first shot..wouldn’t like to have taken it! You sound much better, but keep someone elsecarrying the buckets of water for you for the moment…that’s bad, carrying heavy buckets.
I know it, i only carry light buckets! c