Six Hedgehogs

As the sun sets over Gribin Isaf tonight

our evening meal is overlooked by jealous sheep outside

and interested ducklings inside

Meanwhile, outside six hedgehogs enjoy their dinner (we can only show four of them here)

As it is Bank Holiday Monday it is only right that our thoughts turn to winter.  Working out how to frost-proof the new water supply

and putting some vegetable plots to bed

But also, thinking even further ahead we prepare the ground for another polytunnel having realised gardening is probably best done indoors

Being responsible for a community of chickens is very complicated.  We wanted a Speckled Sussex cockerel, hearing they were friendly, and Floppy is growing into that role

The problem is, he is still corralled as one of the youngest while in the Main Enclosure cockerels Shelia and Fanny are, in cooperation, ruling the roost.  Plus they are both very friendly.  Can Floppy ever have a role?

Pethau eraill ar y tyddyn heddiw

Caring for Big Things

As the sun goes down tonight

we are getting used to the fact that the hens need shutting up for the night, the guineas need their supper, the ducklings are safe as they are back on the dining table after their first outdoor experience

but we presume Spot

and Bert have put themselves to bed.

They have had their dinner

and Spot has had her postprandial tummy rub

(not sure that Bert would appreciate that)

so we presume they are safely in bed – one thing for sure; they don’t need protection from foxes.

Pethau eraill ar y tyddyn heddiw

The Arrival of Bert

He had been away from his former holding visiting some lady friends and arrived direct from there in need of a bit of respite. He took a little persuasion to enter his new home

but was keen to start exploring

Spot mooned at him through the fence but he initially ignored her

Before deigning a brief greeting

She was content to admire him from her viewpoint

We feel the weight of responsibility of being the carers of creatures bigger than ourselves

It seems a liitle different from drying ducklings’ tummies

and helping baby hedgehogs

Spot gets dug in

Spot

starts ploughing her patch

making her bed

choosing her toilet site

Spot Day

Spot has officially moved

She had never left her previous holding, having been born there, and found the journey a bit stressful

But as soon as she walked out of the trailer and into her new home

and was given a guided tour

she started to make herself at home

investigating the wood

testing the water

starting to root around

and testing the tummy tickling skills of her new custodians

Too soon it is time for goodbyes

Other animal developments today:

Duckling bathtime includes a broccoli sprinkling for the first time

and the rabbits are surrounding us with a pincer movement

Pig Day Minus 1

The torrential rain of yesterday drained away and this morning mist drifted up from below

For Pigling Bland it went like this:

“And remember,” said I impressively, “if you once cross the county boundary you cannot come back. Alexander, you are not attending. Here are two licenses permitting two pigs to go to market in Lancashire. Attend Alexander. I have had no end of trouble in getting these papers from the policeman.” Pigling Bland listened gravely; Alexander was hopelessly volatile.

I pinned the papers, for safety, inside their waistcoat pockets; Aunt Pettitoes gave to each a little bundle, and eight conversation peppermints with appropriate moral sentiments in screws of paper. Then they started.

Now it is all done on line

New home awaits

The second brood swallow chicks are overflowing their slight nest; magpies lurk outside and have to be regularly moved on.

Pethau eraill ar y tyddyn heddiw

Pig Day Minus Two

Almost ready for Spot, just got to put some preservative on her house

Then the dark skies gush forth

and wash it all off again.

At least it shows the wallow hole holds water

as does the phone line repair hole

which does need covering up before Bert comes rooting.

Later things clear a little

and Spot’s house can be positioned

Elsewhere on the plot today

Pig Day Minus Three

Dates have been fixed for the arrival of Spot and, a few days later, Bert. Excitement mounts.  Also looking forward to the end (for the time being) of digging out two-foot deep water pipe trenches

although it is satisfying to think that (maybe) we have pig water sorted that will not freeze up or be dug up

Maybe having provided for adult pigs their needs will not change, unlike young ducklings who need a new water dispenser and a new type of carpet every few days

The hens are pushing the boundaries of their five foot fences

Little do they realise, it is not there to keep them in…

Elsewhere on the plot today

A Watery Day

A watery day here with the sky saturated with the stuff, which sprays down and mists up the crevices in the hills.  Now that the ducks know about water they queue up for their twice daily supervised swimming lessons

Today their bath was seasoned with chopped up lettuce

after which is was time to preen the difficult to reach spots

Construction proceeds on providing for the water needs of Spot and Bert.  We wonder if this is can do the job without being excavated

After using the thoughtfully provided concrete nesting spot for her first brood the swallow is bringing up family number two on a more precarious ledge

although the nest is fully lined with hen feathers.

The lack of sun means the tomatoes are taking an eternity to ripen

Elsewhere on the plot today

Ducks to water

At five days old the ducklings are getting a bit bored with life

Time for a first swimming lesson.  If ducklings are with their mother she waterproofs them from the start but without a mother it takes them several weeks to develop the glands required to do the job themselves.  For that reason early swimming lessons have to be well supervised to prevent Over Wetness resulting in Extreme Chill.  The recommended apparatus is a paint roller tray which provides a gently sloping beach leading to a safe swimming zone.  However the ducklings did not know this

They examined it warily from all angles

before deciding it was more fun to go off and eat grass, seen for the first time

Eventually one of them got the hang of it

while the others watched.  Then everyone decided to have a go

Later, back at home, they had fun exploring new food and water dispensers

Meanwhile the spare room was occupied today by this visitor

who must have come in through a window last night.  We would be interested if you could tell is what species this is.