This morning, the moment after I’ Press Publish’, I will leap up and gently turn the incubating eggs (one more day of ‘turning’ to go) then on with the hoodie, the extra pair of socks, farm overalls, the scarf, hattie, jacket, gloves then overgloves then I am off out the door – feed the two big pigs, feed the barn fowl, feed the peacocks and cats and dogs, feed the short fat kunes, feed the laying chickens (10 eggs a day now) and the cows and the sheep.
Then I will leap into the borrowed Matriarch jeep, with the little trailer already attached and off we will go to Indiana to pick up the two calf/pig huts. It is a three hour drive so we will be back in time for evening chores. Spring is coming you know! Soon the animals will begin their mini migration out of the barn and into the world of fields. They will, you know. Spring is coming! So this is the beginning of the outdoor sleeping arrangements. Plus one of these will be Poppy’s summer field farrowing hut. 
If these work out I will order more of these shelters for the goats and the kunes. Evidently they are very tough. Goats? I hear you say? GOATS! Well maybe, but not until the sheep have gone off to their new homes. I like to stay small and manageable. I am looking at these goats. Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats. They are small, funny, very good mothers and have great milk for cheese. Apparently we are going to need toys. So I will probably milk the mothers. It’s all about the cheese! Plus there is a breeder near by. 
Let’s hope Sheila likes them. But plenty of time – I am still at the research stage.
Speaking of cheese. Yesterday the Cadet and I spent her hour excavating the wee cow corridor – forking out all the old straw so that we could open the interior door. (The kunes had spread their living arrangements all over the show). This way the cows come in one door to be milked then exit another door. It will be part of their training to follow this routine every day from now on. These are older cows remember, they have never been milked by a person so I want to ease them into coming into the milking parlour, being clipped to the head board, (their collars have arrived) pausing for brushing and touching, having something tasty to eat, then reversing and exiting as the next one comes in. So when we have calves as well, they will still know their way and the tension will be mitigated. 
Think like a cow, remember. Cows love routine.
On Sunday the eggs are due to hatch. So from Thursday evening on there will be no more turning of the eggs. As well as the risk of damage to the chicks we also have to keep the incubator at high humidity so the shells are easy for the chicks to break. 
Also for your viewing pleasure. There is a transparent window. So I will hopefully capture images of chicks hatching for you. Isn’t that exciting! Though, as they say, one should not count ones chickens until they are hatched.
I need a video camera. I need to think about that. That might be fun.
However – we have Camera House. And with any luck one of the chicks will hatch in the light.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm
celi
c
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
46 responses to “Pig Farrowing Huts”
How exciting – I had a feeling you were considering goats 😉
Hurray! A road trip to get the pig huts. We had those on the farm and used them for calves, goats, pigs, and sheep. Glad you are able to get them. Love the idea of goats because I grew up with them. Safe travels today.
I have something else for your consideration, Miss C. As well as improved pig accommodation, how about a much, much easier way to take honey off your supers? Take a look at this, which my permaculture-mad brother sent me from the UK:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/11429609/Beekeepers-in-Australia-invent-revolutionary-hive.html
I think I want one right now! K xx
So funny, I was reading about this yesterday, see comments from seasoned Beekeeper in US
http://www.honeybeesuite.com/should-you-go-with-the-flow/
http://www.honeybeesuite.com/out-of-a-job-maybe/
Laura
Thanks for this! I thought it sounded a little too perfect to be true. I shall ensure the brother gets to see it as well.
http://www.honeyflow.com
That bread looks good…do you have a recipe?
Goats …. raise/hide the washing line 🙂 Your bread looks delicious. Exciting few days ahead. Laura
Now should I be surprised that you are thinking of goats? No of course not, this is a Celi thing,….. what animal comes next? I have heard that Lamas make good woolly jumpers ( not them but their fur)…it will be lovely to see little goats running hither and tither. I wonder what Sheila will make of it all….Life is never so exciting as visiting your farm.
Goats are the perfect thing! I can’t wait!
Hey Miss C,
I had a dream last night that I came to work on the farm and you had goats!!!!! I love baby goats, they are hilarious cute and sweet little things. It was the type of dream that you stir from but the dream picks up again when you go back into sleep. I am tired this morning, after all I was working on the farmy all night. I am going on a school field trip today, we are snowshoeing in a conservation area learning about how animals and plants live through winter. Should be fun, hopefully not to cold.
Well you know I must say YAY for the goats and will wait anxiously until they are a real part of the farm, although rushing sheep away isn’t necessary on my account 🙂 That bread does look tasty, I am very partial to bread as well as goats…
You had it right: GOATS I said, Wow, there’s something new to look forward to. You’re having a busy time, and Spring will make it even busier. But it won’t take you so long to get muffled up for outside…
love,
ViV x
Yahoooo!!! I’m so excited you are getting goats Celi!!!! You will love them!!! Of course, as you know, I’m keen on Lamancha goats, but no doubt the Nigerian Dwarf goats will be wonderful too! Talk about antics and preciousness! You’ll have more of that coming your way with goats!!! We will be heading to West Plains, Mo to pick up our farrowing hut in the very near future. We have two litters of Gloucester Old Spots coming in May! Exciting!!! xo
Yay for goats! Safe travels to go get your pig huts. They are wonderful things.
Can’t wait to hear about how many eggs hatch! You often hear them inside the egg before you see them. I’ve read that talking or singing to them helps encourage them to break the shell. Sometimes they seem like they are stuck, but don’t worry. They are almost always able to get out on their own, and trying to help them could dislodge their umbilical cord.
Those little goats are adorable and comical and we would love them! But they are awfully “Tiggerish” for Sheila, I’m afraid.
And so the planning continues. You always amaze me with your planning. Have you had any interest in the sheep? i know you wanted to shear them before they left. I so hope you have goats by June. Wheee! Have a good, safe trip. Can’t wait to see the new fixtures.