Penguins

I went to Churchill Island yesterday and all I could look at was the chickens and ducks. There were a few Old Boy lookalikes but none of them had the charisma my hens. There was lone Muscovy that looked really old and bored. I felt sorry for her and then realised my ducks have got it pretty good.
I also went and saw the Little Penguins at Phillip Island and I want one. It was so cool watching them swim into shore and then turn back and then finally come in. Afterwards as we were walking back to the main area you got to watch them calling out and going to their little homes. I was going to say I'll post photos but you weren't aloud to take photos of the little chaps so I hope I've described it well enough.
Oh and the wine and food has been amazing here. Such great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Fetch

I was throwing the stick for Boris the other day, when who should start watching me? Lady, she was totally running with Boris to catch the stick. I think she must have thought it was food. While Boris beat her every time it was so cute to see her run for the stick.

BluRum13 gave my blog and the farm more press on his myspace. I tell ya, my ducks are soon to be celebrities.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=44251819&blogID=409511833

Winter sun

Today was a lovely day, so warm in the sun and not a cloud in the sky. I sat outside for an hour or so watching the ducks and eating mandarins. Tommy was his usual boring Winter self - just sitting under a tree and occasionally moving. Lady was all over the place catching butterflies and other assorted animals. Old Boy just slept in the sun.I'm off to sunny Melbourne tomorrow, so I'm off for week. I'm leaving the precious chickens and ducks in the care of Katch and the neighbours. Fingers crossed they will all be here when I get back.

Spike

I managed to get a shot of Blondy Bear. He's totally rockin' the blond look more than any rooster I've seen before. I think I like him because he reminds me of Grey Bitch.

Brown Bitch has hit the road, I think she may be nesting on some eggs - not sure where, your guess is as good as mine. I got told the other day that Brown Bitch wasn't going to go anywhere with a name like Brown Bitch, but its too late the name has stuck. So I'm guessing she'll turn up in a months time with some chicks or she's dead.

Miss Muffet

Here is Miss Muffet and her sore foot. It seemed to be a little better today.

When I went to let everyone out this morning Old Boy was still in the pen, he was awake but he was just chillin. I think it must have been too cold and dark for him to get up. What rooster doesn't get up in the morning? I'll see how he is tomorrow.

Princess Speedy

Here is the original Miss Muffet. Princess Speedy the Wonder Chicken. Yesterday was a great for photo shoots. This was a one-take photo. Speedy will be two this year.

Miss Muffet is still limping around on one foot. I got her out of the pen today and she pottered about, I worried about her getting depressed by being in the pen by herself. I'm still a little worried about her as she was breathing through her mouth. The baby girls did that when they were dying. I'll keep a closer eye on her.

Saturday

Here's Old Boy, every bodies favourite rooster. We got rid of another rooster yesterday so all chickens have been allowed to roam free today (excluding Young Boy, who is in the old duck pen). I'm a little worried about Old Boy, I think his age may finally be catching up on him. This has been his first day he's been out of the chicken pen in a few days so he's been enjoying the sun.

Its been a while in between photographs for Old Boy and he still manages to nail this photo, he is and will always be my favourite model.

Little Miss Muffet

Miss Muffet is back to laying eggs again and unfortunately being unable to walk again. I think she must have something in her that presses against nerves or something that makes it difficult for her to walk, when laying eggs. I took most of the eggs in the pen and left her some water and food and now she's sitting in there. I think I read too much of the Mr Flapper blog as its sounds similar what is happening to Miss Muffet that is Kosmo Kirby has got. She was fine yesterday walking around and today she can't. Either that or its her way to stay sitting on her nest.

Lady is fine, she keeps walking down our driveway. I think a rooster is getting curried tonight by the neighbour. Here's Tommy having a bath with Lady, his new favourite girlfriend now that Miss Muffet is out of action.

I'm going to check on Miss Muffet....

Thursday

We had a a problem of a leaky tap this morning. The babies thought it was so much fun and have turned an ordinary piece of ground into a muddy slip and slide.

Tommy's been getting down and dirty with them, but in moderation. I got two duck eggs out of the pen the other day so I'll I need is two more eggs and I've got duck pasta. I'm not sure which of the two is laying the eggs but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

RIP Young Rooster

Papa killed the injured rooster tonight and we cremated him. I'm still not sure what happened but whatever it was it happened on Thursday night so he definitely wasn't better by now - it was time to end it for him.
I had to help papa along as he kept putting it off, even wanting to do it tomorrow, but that was until I told him he was going soft in his old age. Damn I'm a hard arse.

Whats that, can I eat it?

If I didn't know it I'd think that these girls liked me. I think I'm really starting to win them over (with food of course). I was feeding them paw paw here, pity only Tommy liked it though.
I brought back some special food from the larder today so perhaps I can entice them closer tomorrow. I've been discussing further my Ducks of LBC enterprises. I was at the markets a few weeks ago and while I was able to buy most of my food for dinner I was unable to buy pasta. So I think I've found a gap in the market. I thought that if I could get more lady ducks then I could get their eggs and make baby girl pasta for a hobby . Now this would require me to run a market store, which is sort of like my nemisis but from there I'd be able to sell other assorted merchandise.
I see a stall with lots of big picture of my ducks around me.
How changed am I? This Mullumbimby air must be getting to me.

Mindi and Bindi

I went to Australia Zoo on the weekend on a VIP tour (obviously they knew who I was) and it was fantastic. I got to feed and pat an elephant, plus lots of other assorted animals.
I took quite possibly the worst photos known to man, below is the best photo of the day. It is of some baby turtles. I'm not quite sure of the story here as we arrived late to the tour, but it was at the wildlife hospital.

Friday morning

So here I was bragging that I'm a changed woman. I think I spoke to early....
I went out to do my morning ritual of feeding the animals and saying good morning to them when I noticed one of the young black roosters lying on the ground. He was wet from dew and was breathing, but only just. I'm not sure what happened to him, I don't think this was either of the ones that were fighting yesterday as he has no marks on his crown.
He ended up standing so I've walked him into the chicken pen and now he's on the ground in there. I think maybe something bit him last night. I heard chicken noises last night about 6pm and while I went out to have a look I couldn't find him. I'm going to get someone else to check him out as that stuff (injuries) freak me out.
I was thinking about doing a WIRES (I'm not sure of what it means, wildlife rescue is probably some of them) course. But then I realised I'm not good with blood and injury on animals.
Its kind of strange though, we tried to kill two roosters yesterday and failed and one has nearly died of 'natural' courses. By natural I mean not us.

Farmer Mel

Those roosters were at it again this afternoon, it only took them a few hours until the games began.
I'm quite the farmer and a different person to the one that moved here a few years ago. When I heard that they were fighting, I grabbed my rake and went over to the scrub where they were hiding. I crawled into the lantana and grabbed the rooster who was on top and penned him up. He was bleeding and panting. He was in the zone for fighting.
Once upon a time I would have just squealed and called for Papa to come and fix it, even if he was in Hungary.
Also, my favourite duck blog (aside from mine of course) Mr Flapper has started a blog.
http://www.mrflapper.com/blog/ One of the ducks has just come back from hospital and can't walk. Its a great read. I'd like it if I could get my ducks to pose with me they way she does.

RIP Young Boy IV

The grim reaper arrived for Young Boy and the new fighting rooster this morning. They have gone down to the neighbours to become korma.
At least now all the chickens can be let out at once and there is no more fighting (for the time being).
STOP PRESS: I was a little hasty in the above post and it turns out the roosters that were caged started fighting and they opened the lid and escaped to freedom. So there will be no chicken tonight. I had to hurry over to lock up Old Boy to prevent him from harm.

More Press

Check it out. While not yet discussing the ducks (he will) BluRum 13 is offering his opinion on those crazy cocks.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=44251819&blogID=403803972

Here is Mr Chatty Pants (Tommy) with the ladies. I've noticed he talks much more than the ladies. Gone are the days when I'd hear the ducks talking from my desk. The ladies are becoming much more aware of me and my ability to feed them. Give it about a month and they will be eating out of my hand. I was surprised but Miss Muffet is more into it than Lady. I think Tommy is just jealous that he's not just getting the food anymore. This afternoon when we were having a snack the whole gang was around - the ducks, Old Boy, Blondy Bear and Ralphy. All that we were missing was Speedy.

RIP Mongy Foot (for real)

I went over to take some photos of the animals today and my batteries went flat. But I'll start posting some photos as soon as they are charged and read to go again.

The angry cock in the cage still managed to fight with the other rooster and hurt it pretty bad. I'm really not sure how it managed to fight with the other rooster as the cage its in is pretty small but it did.

I asked the neighbour this morning if he wanted the rooster for curry and he's going to take it in the next day or so. We reminisced over stories of George and Old Boy and he informed me that Mongy Foot died. She was having problems walking and they were trying to catch her to take he to the vet when she ran straight into the jaws of Sarsha the dog. The neighbour thinks she died of a heart attack not by dog but who knows.

Press

My babies are bound for stardom. I found this article about the larder in the new Virgin Blue Vitality mag. The ducks and even my blog got a mention. Please note though, the nest of eggs at the top right are not duck eggs. They are Speedy eggs, only a mother would know that. Plus I remember taking the photo.

The problem rooster has been caged and papa is going to sort it out tomorrow. I think he's going to try and give him away rather than kill him. I think he must be turning soft in his old age. It couldn't possbily be that my vegetarianism is rubbing off.

Cock Fighting

The roosters put on quite the show yesterday and I had my own little cock fight. I could have sold tickets to the event. I should have called up my Dad - as you know he specialises in anything from Thailand or the Phillippines. Like most fights that happen between my animals I watch for a little bit and then move in to break it up. Unfortunately they are not like ducks and get over it, you pen them for a few days and then its back to normal. As all three of the young roosters sort of look alike its hard to tell the story. But rooster A fought with rooster B and there was quite a bit of blood, well not gushing or anything but there was a trail of blood. He seems fine today and I think I've left him penned up.
Then.. after all this happened Old Boy was going for the rooster that won the fight yesterday. I couldn't stop that one as they were fighting under the shed. I don't like it when Old Boy fights.
So I made the call and death is coming to get them on Tuesday. Except Blondy Bear. I like him.
Yesterday he was chilling in the pen (or hiding) while all this fighting was going on. Smart rooster.
Then to top it all off I've got Young Boy itching to get out of his pen and get into it. Dramas. I look forward to when they all can be let out and live in one pen. Its hard having to seperate Old Boy and Young Boy not to mention these new roosters. I HAVE TOO MANY COCKS!

Thanks for all of your condolences and hart felt sympathies for Speedy. I have passed them on. She's so smart, last night she slept up off the ground in a bed we've made. And with her kids.

Tsunami

I tell you, when is it not flooding here? Last night we experienced major rain and flooding. This morning I went to check on the animals and found Speedy to be a little freaked out. We had so much rain last night two of her baby chicks drowned. The water flooded the chicken pen and well obviously they didn't make it to higher ground.
It looked like the water levels in the pen made it to about knee level so the water would have been over Speedy's head. Poor little princess.
Also, Blu Rum 13 did a fantastic job at looking after the animals even spending much time bonding with Tommy and hanging with the crew.