Enrichment Activities

Today I took a couple of barrow loads of 'mulch' from under the 3 big gum trees near the back gate - no visible dent in the amount as a result - but some very happy chooks.

The moderns wasted no time getting started on the job of levelling their pile.

Bigger chooks, bigger pile!!

Nigel viewed his role as largely supervisory.

Happy Days

Hazel is pleased that Mummy and Daddy have been using the wheelbarrow for its 'proper' use - ferrying Hazel about the orchard!!  Kiki is pleased to supervise activities as usual!!

And here's one of Arctic Dreamer, in happier days - miss him :(

This year Florence, one of our modern game bantams, has thrown her heart and soul into moulting with outrageous results, when she gets her new feathers she'll surely look amazing good, because now...

While she's been here Lindy has been making clothes for Hazel, here Hazel models an ambitious jumpsuit and carries it off beautifully!

Yep, winter is definitely on its way, the sunsets are getting more speccy, the trees are loosing their leaves and the mornings are definitely getting a bit chilly!!

Hazel, Kiki and the TV

Hazel is having lots of fun here on the farm, and she loves spending time with Kiki - they take it in turns to be too rough with each other!!  I am very pleased that Kiki is being very patient and not even slightly aggressive in her treatment of and with Hazel, couldnt ask for a better natured dog.

Hazel likes to spend time naming body parts, here she helps Kiki with 'mouth'!!

Hazel is also enjoying feeding the chooks, here in the modern pen

Not much time to watch TV, but when there is a down time, its a good way to spend the time.

 Kiki enjoys watching too!!

The Moon's a Balloon, Kiki in the Orchard and the Moderns

Kiki loves chasing moths in the evening, she spends a long time racing about in the orchard every evening trying to catch them!!

 Modern Game Bantams are lovely chooks, the girls make good mums and my 2 roos, high stepping Harry and George take excellent care of every chicken in their care!!  The hens lay a large egg compared with their size and their food intake is less than larger birds, they are a friendly happy breed of chook, would happily recommend them for any backyard pet situation :)

I recently re-introduced a hen and her 8 chickens, all the aunties, plus Harry and George share in their care.

Hetty, with Dalma a spotty pullet and ginger pyle cockerel chick.

Same bunch, but now showing George who is snuggling up!!

All the moderns at bed time :)

The moon is nearly at 'full' and looking quite speckky this evening :)

Roses, chickens and ducklings

The roses in Yass were superb, but I have some here at Mt Tanga too, and they are pretty good - although they may or may not be competing with more weeds than their Yass cousins ;-D

Really like this rusty red one:

Betty (Black East Indies Duck) hatched 10 ducklings the other day, and 2 days ago her friend Bertha hatched 2 - and I gave them to Betty to raise.  I gave Bertha a 'must try harder' chat!!  LOL!!  They look like little ants scurrying around the pen, most look pretty good, some might have white eye liner :( but they are all thriving.

Ginger is raising 7 Modern Game chickens, 5 white/cream (ginger pile), one black (gold or silver birchen) and one red (hopefully silver duckwing), and whereas Betty is not keen to let me even look at the ducklings, Ginger and her brood always come out to meet me - sometimes I bring meal worms and that's worth being at the front of the queue for!!

Guineas and Moderns

The two lavender pied guinea fowl I bought at Berry in April are growing up.  One is definitely a girl, not sure about the other... or technically which is which, since I've only heard the girl noise!!  LOL!!

I had been told that Modern Game Bantams werent hardy, and wouldnt survive up here, but turns out they're doing fine!! This is one of our roos, (High Stepping) Harry.

And this is Hetty, our original starting bird :)  Still looking gorgeous.

This is VoVo, Ginger - the other pyle girl - is up at the house with chicks :)

This is Micki, our spangle OEG bantam, soon off to join a boyfriend down at Bemboka.

I have some appleyard coloured Call Ducks this year, they started life looking like trouts, but adult plumage says appleyard - Calls dont obey most of the colour rules!!