Ducks 4 in '24

[ducks4you]

If I haven't said so, we made our last payment on our Kubota Compact Tractor in October!
I got comfy by the fire pit in our nice bench seat (that DH gave me for Christmas several years ago.) Eva kept me company and I was entertained by one tractor trip after another. Surprisingly he didn't rip up the sod in the south yard very much.
The sod in front of the barn is a different story, BUT, when we moved here it was all gravel. The grass has dropped seeds and spread, no real loss.
DD's had a planned beer break by the fire pit midway.
DH had the brilliant idea many years ago to create stalls from pieces of round pen panels, one being the gate. It wasn't hard to take them apart, and tonight's rain will do them all good, what with ALL of the cobwebs! We parked the tractor inside of the barn for tonight, pick it up tomorrow.
Here is Day#1.

 

[heirloomgal]

Eva is a big girl!

 

[ducks4you]

German Shepherd. She was the largest female puppy. I couldn't find any other way to choose--ALL.SO.CUTE!!

 

[Dahlia]

I am reposting an email from Joy of Illinois Farm, for your pleasure.
March 31, 2024
A big white ewe delivered healthy triplets, two large and one tiny one, maybe 2 pounds. They all nursed the first milk, colostrum, but on the second day the tiny ewe lamb looked bad, just lying in a corner of the pen. She was not able to compete with her big siblings and without intervention would quickly starve to death.
Every spring we have a laundry basket or two in the kitchen with newspaper in the bottom, a heating pad or microwaveable beanbag, old towels, and a weak lamb or kid. 2024 was no exception...
I got the powdered lamb formula out of the freezer, brought the lamb in from the barn, warmed her up, and warmed up a bottle with 1/2 cup of formula. A lamb or kid can't begin to digest unless its body temperature is at normal (102F). She was still too weak to suck; death was near.
Decision time--should I keep trying with the bottle, or try to tube feed her? Tube feeding can have near-miraculous results if the tube empties correctly into the stomach, or it can be instant death if the tube mistakenly goes in the lungs. Well, what did I have to lose?? Since she kept breathing, the formula went the right way. By this time it was late at night after a v-e-r-y long day.
The next morning she was still alive! and able to suck on the bottle! That began a regimen of 1/2 cup formula 4X daily, which graduated to 3/4 cup 3X daily. As the formula supply dwindled, I introduced goat milk for part of her ration.

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She began to gain weight after about 6 days and now hollers loudly for her bottle when she hears people coming.

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She's back out with her mama and siblings and looking great!

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Her name is Resurrection Lamb, or Easter for short!
Til next time, Penny

Lambs are so cute! I have always thought it would be fun to take a lamb for a walk! I'm asking the professionals! Are lambs fun to take for walks or is it even possible!?

 

[ducks4you]

Day 2: Just a few photos bc my phone battery died! Suffice to say, ALL.CLEANED.UP!!
It took the afternoon, after 1PM bc we had a deluge Saturday night. Saturday the tractor made minimal ruts in the south yard, but Sunday they were more pronounced, but they were behind the garage. DON'T CARE!!! I will buy oats and plant them in the ruts in the Spring if I need to. A 50 lb bag of oats is about $12. Same weight in grass seed is far pricier and you can grow and mow Both.
DD's were able to back the truck into the stall areas to unload while it was still raining. You can see all of the slop in the turnout. My two boys Do have a big shelter btw to get out of the weather.
Couldn't find my leaf blower so the ceiling cobwebs must wait. They did use a broom for the mess along the walls. They carefully placed the mats so that they were all touching. I Did get comments about, "howEVER did you get all of these in here?!?!?" 3/4" mats are heavy.
Kinda like building Rome...brick by brick...
Since I had leftover stall pine pellets from last year I asked them to put down 5 packages in each of the two stalls. "Equine Fresh" or the knock off, absorb a LOT of moisture and the whole idea of stalling is to get your horses DRY when it's cold and wet. On top of those went several packages of fine pine shavings. Before they go into their stalls I will put straw in them, as well.
It smells so Nice--Baby Jesus would be Happy to spend time in these stalls!!!

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

Looks so clean… isn’t it nice to get one of those big projects done and over with for awhile.

 

[ducks4you]

Boys might go in this weekend. DD is trying to wean off of feeding. She double fed hay last night and I will handle graining today, filling buckets and pushing under the fence since they are still outside. I would like to be closer to 12 weeks post surgery before leading them out of the stalls and that will take me to right when the DD's go on their January cruise.
This should be my last 2024 post...on to the new one!! I will post more clean barn photos on the thread below.

Ducks ALIVE in 2025!

@ducks4you Good news to here how good you are doing. Let’s celebrate your healing success and more to come.

www.theeasygarden.com