Keep on Growing
The Plonkers are growing so fast- They are gorgeous healthy animals so far, touch wood, etc.
In fact they might be growing too fast but already there are less eggs being collected because of the season and Lady Astor is dropping her production on schedule so that will influence their diets considerably.
I hope to have them all in the freezers of family and friends by Christmas.
The two Bobby’s are growing very slowly. They had such a rough start. And of course because of all the illness, infections and antibiotics they are not destined for my freezer. They will be sold on before I go to Melbourne. Which works well for me and the other wee farm who wants to raise them. I will get some weight on them first and make sure I am selling healthy animals. They are still drinking milk once a day to help build back their immune systems. 
Tima’s next due date (from the second breeding) is at the end of this month. But I am not holding my breath. I think she is just a fat pig and we know how hard it is for a fat pig to breed PLUS Tane has a bung hip. Ah well.
By the end of next week we should know if our gentle Aunty Del is pregnant. She was very quiet yesterday (Day 18 of her cycle) so let’s hope that is a good sign. I will watch her carefully today… she seldom runs the full 21 days.
I have some bad news. The Tom (the big male turkey who had trouble with his balance from his hatching day) was found drowned in the stock tank – the day before yesterday – it was a very cold night – I went to break the ice on the water for the cows in the morning and there he was. It is sad. However in the wild he would never have gotton past his first day. When he hatched he could not stand up and kept falling over onto his back unable to right himself. Poor fella. Natural selection I suppose. But worse – he was my only male. So my breeding plan is up in the air. I will have to think on it. 
As far as the safety of the flock goes they are better off. They can get around a lot faster now without being stalled by the Tom flopping down into the grass to rest every few minutes. (They stay together as a flock always.) So they are actually safer from predators. And last night they roosted right up high in the rafters of the barn. Whereas up until now they stayed down low with the Tom who could not fly very well.
So I guess it all makes sense in a sad way.
I hope you have a good day. The weather is warm again and Hugo and I have quite a bit to do on the farm before his family arrives then he takes a week off.
Love celi
43 Comments on “Keep on Growing”
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Good luck with Auntie Del and I’m sorry to hear about Tom, though I think you are right about natural selection 🙂
Yes, I think he would not have been able to breed the girls either – ah well.. c
The farmy sure has its ups and downs, c. Be of good heart and courage, and all will be well, my friend. >
Yes all is well!! one way or the other things are what they are .. I am generally of good heart thankfully.. have a lovely evening.. though I think it is the dead of night there now!!
Good morning, c. xx
Just for a minute I thought the bad news may be about Geraldine … phew. Always sad to lose a farmy member, but probably inevitable in this case. Holding thumbs and crossing hooves for Aunty Del result.
Holding thumbs!! c
That poor bird. It is an animal soap opera! The emotions go up, they dip down…the story keeps taking turns…I hate to be at all smug about it and in my heart I absolutely am not, but there really truly never is a dull moment.
It certainly teaches us about cycles and the inevitable end.. c
Lovely healthy, sleek Plonkers! Just one question: Do Tima’s ‘waistcoat buttons’ normally show that much…? Only I don’t recall noticing them before and wondered if she was going to fool us after all!
Hmm – I am looking at her all the time so it is hard for me to tell if there has been a change.. and that is the first indication .. the nipples stretch.. c
Oh Poor Tom, what a way to die..he only wanted a drink of water and then lost his balance…
not the water I think, after all he had to jump Over the smaller water trough (for the shorter animals and birds to get up there) he was definitely looking for a perch, if he had just gone walked sideways two steps he would have been INSIDE the barn.
Oh the ups and downs of farmy life. You win some you lose some, but I’m crossing everything for Aunty Del and Tima. Have a lovely day, lots of love, ViV
Aunty Del is quiet again today – heres hoping.. c
Hope you have a wonderful day as well. There is nothing “easy” about farm life but it is never dull.
NO i am sure it was never dull when you were a farmer either! c
Life on the farm. It’s good to have a reality check every now and then. Sorry about the tom, but a better way to go then by fox or weasel I think. The geese here have mostly moved on and there was only one white American pelican bobbing around the lock. I think the winter will take him in the freeze. It’s interesting to watch the natural turn of the seasons. I hope you enjoy your day.
Yes i am not short on reality checks – oh a white pelican that sounds so calm – do you mean he will fly away from the cold? or die. c
I think it’s the Pelicans time. He’ll just putter round until he’s done. Nature has her way…
Shame about your turkey, you will now have to have a rethink. I know you’ll come up with something innovative!
It is kind of nice having them around – c
Aww! I’m sorry to hear about your Tom. Have you looked into AI for your females?
You know how successful I have been wth AI and my cows – just imaging AI and a TURKEY? They can do that? c
That’s how turkeys have become so oddly-shaped. Modern domestic turkeys have such big breasts, they can’t get the job done on their own.
Really!? Goodness. I guess i never really thought about that.. c
We haven’t done good things to turkeys.
Tima’s belly is as round as if she’d swallowed a football – hahah. What a girl. And she likes to eat too. – That shot of – hm, Geraldine ? – is a beautiful one. Her “crown” has developed nicely.
Oh, and really bad/sad news of your Tom. Sorry about that. Drowned… Oh my. I remember well how you gave him hold from all sides in his first days. What a pity about your plans though…
Have a good day, you all!
Yes that s geraldine – isn’t she beautiful
Would it be inappropriate to ask what use you made of former Tom? I can’t imagine you let him go to waste. But you don’t have to tell me 🙂
Love the Geraldine photo! She does look clever.
Actually I buried him, he had lain in the cows water all night long .c
Poor Tom. Maybe someone has a male turkey looking for a good home. Given the time of year he could do worse than the Farmy. It’s that time… I ordered two hams and a whole scotch fillet from our local farmer yesterday, and Christmas chickens will be ordered in due course. No turkey on the table for us.
John suggested that we may find a male at the Bantam swap in the spring, he would not be a Spanish black but I do need a mature Tom, or I could hatch the eggs again – we will see..
oy. I can’t believe you are breaking the ice already. We, hopefully, have two months before that. Though our nights are cold, the days are warm. I do love the big fat pig 🙂
It is warmer again now but it was a surprise for me too to be smashing ice! c
What a terrible shock you had–minding your own business and then finding your poor turkey. I’m so sorry. I guess it was for the best–for him but gosh !!
It was, but I knew something was up when he was not with his girls so I had an eye out for him anyway.. c
Farm life is never easy. I am about to leave my old farm in Italy…I hate to leave it behind, but there is not much I can do now until spring and I have to be at home sometimes.
You have two beautiful homes – lucky girl.. c
oh poor Tom- so sad. I am so sorry to read that.
Ah, that little Tom was never right. The girls will faire better without him holding them back, I’m thinking.
I love that Ton looks like another bobby out there in the field.
He does – he matches those ones!
It is always hardest for me to hear about the loss of one of the farmy critters. I know it is the way of Nature, but I always think of the sweet memories we have had along the way.