Chickens are cute...

but ducklings are cuter - see!!  There are 9 brand new Ancona ducklings and 4 week old Call ducklings in the tub.... somebody said 'bunch up for the photo'!!

This is a pied Call duckling, even its beak is pied!

Waterlilies and Polish Chicks

 Only one thing nicer than having a new waterlily, and that's 2 new blooms!!

Other new arrivals this week are these cute little polish chicks.  No rooster in residence any more so these will be the last.

New Bugs and Cria Updates

First the bad news - sadly we didn't get to choose a name for Medallion's cria because barely a day after she was born, she died, very sad :(

But the good news is that meantime Rapunzel and Voodoo are doing very well :)  Rapunzel is doing quite well with her lead and halter training, had her second 'turn' at a halter this afternoon, but she is very much a mummy's girl!  Here she is with mum Red Riding Hood (post brekkie nap time):

And Vynka caught mid-blink with Voodoo :)

Sevanah has come to stay for a while, to see if we can convince her that motherhood is a good thing, the biggest hurdle will be getting her to submit to a boy to achieve that... she's not best pleased!!  She is a very pretty girl, with a very people friendly disposition and we are pleased to have her company :)

Babies, babies, babies

Nothing makes time disappear like babies happening.  This morning started with Vynka (Lee) delivering - with quite a bit of help - a lovely medium brown female cria that we've named Voodoo Love.  Everyone is keen to meet the new cria, most of Phoebe who cannot wait to have one of her very own!!

She's up and dry now and seems to be doing well.

Next cab off the rank was Medallion, with a very undercooked white female cria that we'll name a little later.  I think she looks to be a blue eyed white, so may be deaf, wait and see.  You wouldn't give much for her now, but she's doing OK.  Medallion is very protective and has covered me in spit as I try to help the cria... she's a bloody ingrate!

Rapunzel is thriving and looking gorgeous... and she knows it!

 Misty is always keen to check out what's going on... what's this camera thingey you have there??

 Tiana Rose was due on Saturday, she would appear to have a transverse lie, hope it straightens up and pops soon, looks huge already!!

Welcome Rapunzel

This morning Red Riding Hood gave birth to a very pretty appaloosa female cria.  We've named her Rapunzel.  She's already up and about and has figured out the milk bar, Ms Hood is a first time mum, and she's done it all by the book so far, so its working out very well :)

Everyone is very keen to meet the newcomer, Aymara with her head through the fence!

Pete without Dud

Unfortunately we were not able to save Dud, and he died quite a few weeks ago.  Pete seemed very upset by the loss, and spent several days deciding whether or not to join his pal.  When I took this pic, I thought it would be the last one of Pete.

But luckily, he pulled through...

and is now thriving :)

Pete finds the alpacas as interesting as they find him, he likes that if he runs at them, they run, and then he can chase them!!  It seems like a good game :)

Snakes, Goannas and Roses

On Wednesday evening I found Kiki in the orchard with a small red belly black snake, the snake was peppered with teeth marks and pretty near dead, I called both dogs away and put it out of its misery.  Ruby was mostly a spectator - as usual, smart dog!

Yesterday morning it was obvious that Kiki had been bitten and she was very subdued, light sensitive and generally out of character.  I took her to my friend Gayle's place to give her a Vitamin C shot - not a one person job.

She spent all day in bed under the couch, finally got up at 6pm and seems pretty much back to normal now.

Yesterday evening she gave me another heart attack as I looked over the fence in the middle of feeding chooks and ducks to see her in the orchard, yet again with a snake in her mouth!!  ARGHHHHHH  Closer investigation revealed that it was the dead snake from the day before... but really, it tells me that she's learnt nothing from the whole experience!!  Most vets will tell you that there is no scientific evidence for using Vit C in the case of a snake bite, but this is the second time it seems to have 'worked' for my animals, one alpaca, one dog - all good!

Other creepy crawlies in the garden this week included this young goanna.  Cute now, but won't be getting so close when its a bit bigger!

The roses have been doing their thing and looking gorgeous, something good happening in the garden - no reptiles involved!!