Watching the Horror Film

There's nothing like watching a horror film from behind a safe cuddly bodyguard...

Especially when it talks about killing three girls in one night! These three girls are rhea chicks, about 3 weeks old, in their favourite snoozing spot cuddled upto white German Shepherd, Bella.

Spring Blossom

Spring blossom from the trees planted last winter.

Badger kills and eats chicken

Having finished his meal while two of us quietly watched, the badger made his way off, leaving behind the egg in uncharacteristic preference to the chicken. His speed increased as he reached the pony's paddock ( they chase foxes and badgers!) his set is in the woodland beyond, across a narrow road straight ahead of him. Incidentally, badgers are protected in UK, so I can disuade him from visiting but not kill or harm him. My personal view is that we all have to eat... and in fact I actively encourage the badgers to use a play hole in the middle of my field, so if the odd rogue one decides to hunt hens then I can't really blame them! Hopefully I can stop him taking more by being more vigilant with pen fencing as he is not actually torn the fence himself to get in.

Badger With Kill

Badgers are known for having a keen taste for eggs, and even killing a sitting hen in order to take the eggs from underneath her, but this is the first badger I've known to kill a chicken to eat. It was the 6th one he'd killed, always eating his fill and leaving the remains. Unlike a fox, he at least had the good grace to only kill one bird, leaving the rest unharmed. Also unusual, the badger was out and hunting in daylight - perhaps because he'd already taken the birds that roosted in a place that he could reach at night. This photo was taken about 2pm on a sunny afternoon, while I was collecting eggs. The hen had obviously been laying her egg when this very brazen badger attacked. Natural instinct kicked in, and the hen remained on the egg to guard it, just as a broody hen will guard a clutch of eggs.or chicks with her life.

My guess is that this badger is old or ill - as you can see, he made no attempt to run when I lifted the coop roof, and certainly didn't look to be in the prime of life or health. He is also an opportunist, slipping in through a broken bar in the fencing rather than digging or breaking in. Hopefully this means I can easily prevent him from making more hunting trips.

Double Trouble

Two mischief makers - Mia and Spot, the Lleyn lambs.

LLeyn Lambs

Two Lleyn ewe lambs doing what cade lambs do best - downing a bottle of nice warm milk! Lleyn are a Welsh breed, renouned for their easy lambing and great mothering abilities. Like most bottle reared lambs, these two were both one of a set of triplets. As sheep only have two teats triplets do better if one is taken away and fostered, either by another ewe with milk to spare, or humans (who can quickly become their slaves!)

I actually bought three Lleyn lambs, the third has been fostered by one of my Wensleydale ewes who sadly lost her own lamb.

Lleyn Lambs

Bought three Lleyn cade lambs today, one to replace the lamb lost by my white Wensleydale who is absoluteley heartbroken and trying to steal lambs from every other mother in the flock. I wouldn't have thought of keeping Lleyn, and only got these because they were the only lambs I could find for her... but having discovered them I was taken by their good looks, beautiful fleece and sweet temperament, before I'd been told about their practical qualities such as easy lambing, hardiness and ease of keeping. Perhaps I will keep them as another breed to give me a smooth, fine fleece... will see how they grow up!
The one below is wearing the skin of the Wensleydale lamb that died. A sheep will usually only accept a lamb if she believes it to be her own, and of course she relies much more on her sense of smell than sight. This little girl was quickly taken by the keen-to-be-mother.