Rabbits, Broody Hen, Bonny, and More

It has been terrible windy here, as it always is in the spring, and we had an off season thunderstorm yesterday. Despite the ongoing wind, it is beautiful and somewhat warm today, so I headed out with my camera to collect materials for a blog post! 

First off are some critters that don't often make it on my blog-rabbits.

My rabbit enterprise has not been going smoothly thus far this year. We were having a mild winter so we went ahead and had three does kindle in mid February. Unfortunately, a cold snap hit just then, which caused the rabbits to act wacky, and we lost a lot of kits. Brittany's rabbit just wasn't gonna take care of them, didn't build a nest or anything, so I had her give them to Spruce to raise, because Spruce had lost all but one of hers to the cold. We kept them in the house in a box for a couple of weeks, bringing them out twice a day so Spruce could feed them. They are doing great now. 

Kenzie, Spruce's daughter from last year had three kits in the cold snap and they all froze. She is currently on her second litter, and has spent the majority of the last 4 days sitting in her box, rearranging her hair-hurry up and have them, fatty! 

 Just after complaining that our hens don't go broody until June, this hen went broody! I moved her into the house in the dog kennel, and gave her some duck eggs to hatch.

Yesterday I found an egg on top of the wall, and assumed I had put it there for some reason. This afternoon I went into the coop and found this. Okay, whatever, you crazy hen! Lay where you want, as long as you lay! 

My chicks are getting big. They had to get moved out of the brooder to make room for the ducklings I hatched, and are doing great outside. 

 

I had Jinger help me move the ducks down to the pond for the summer, and the duck-that-thinks-she's-a-chicken got left behind in the chicken pen, to her overwhelming joy. (She was raised with the chickens and won't give them up!) 

 My calves and Mr. Black.  

Hassie, Minx, Eclipse, Simcoe, Flora(and one ear of Fauna), Sonnet and Isabelle enjoying the sun.

 Most of the other does, enjoying sun out of the wind. 

 Bunny and her B kids-Brody and Bentley. Blythe died at a few days old. 

Bentley will likely be our new herdsire.

  

But Brody is really pretty too! 

Annie Laurie

 Dora

Clare's kid, Cooper

Izzy's kid, Veronica

 Jazzy is due to kid today! 

(Yes, she needs copper. Even on this mineral that is high in copper, all the adults need boluses once or twice a year. Brittany and I are headed out with the first dose of the year soon.)

And now for what you've all been waiting for-dogs! 

Bonny always tries getting my attention by bringing me her cable when I go near where she's tied. 😂

Jinger and Polly, who didn't want to be left out of my post. Polly is due to have kittens next week! 

As I said earlier, Jinger helped me move my ducks down to the pond, where they live during the summer. Here is a video of that journey. I'm liking this little dog more and more as time goes on! 

My goodness, what a post! A picture and snippet of news about at least one of every species on this farm! That doesn't happen very often, if ever. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it!