Mainely Ewes Farm

The chickens are getting bigger on our farm. Thank heavens they have started laying eggs again. I guess with the longer days the girls have more time to think about it. Did I say longer days? Yes I did, and it brightens the spirit and lets us know that spring is still a long way off.

Got eggs? We do now. Yep, eggs.
Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm, the home of giant chickens and other scary things. Thought you could use a smile.

Are Goats Really Drama Queens?

YES, YES, and most emphatically YES! A little history here. I was working Sunday afternoon and I get a call from Ted. "Corina is limping on her right front hoof and won't put any weight on it." Now, going through my head is. "oh crap, has she broken her leg, gone lame, or developed some horrible foot disease?" What was going through Corina's head was "Watch this girls and learn. Oh, Ted, I can't stand. It hurts so badly. I think I'm going to die. Go call Goatmama and tell her I need to be taken care of immediately." When I got home from work, around 8:30pm, we checked on Corina and she was laying down with the other goats. No distress. She just looked up, chewing her cud blinking her eyes to the sudden light. Monday morning we went out and she still wasn't putting weight on her leg and limping around like it would fall off any minute. I felt up and down her leg and shoulder. No swelling, no blood or open wound. She just wouldn't put any weight on it. I did the next logical thing. I called Janice from Stony Knolls Farm. Remember Goat School? Well, she is a wealth of information. Good information that every goat owner needs to know. She verified that goats were definitely drama queens. She then went on to educate me on goats and hoof trauma. Evidently, they can get anything poked up in the soft tissue between their hooves and this will initiate the drama queen mode. I was to look for any signs of infection, foreign objects, swelling or small specks of hay. Anything that may cause pain or even the thought of pain.
I felt between her toes and found nothing but a little bit of stink. I cleaned the area and applied Dr. Naylor's Hoof 'n Heel liberally as instructed. Corina thought this was a hoot.

Then I let a baby aspirin, 81mg, dissolve in a small amount of water and drew it up into a syringe without the needle and gave it to her. She knew we were serious with this. She gaged, shook her head and gave an Oscar winning performance.

After her treatment she was given a bit of grain. After all, sweet feed makes the medicine go down, the medicine go down............

Happily, Corina is back to her pushy self. We treated her foot for a couple of days and all is well. She is keeping up with the other goats in the mad rush for hay. Don't you just love her beard and wattles?

Yep, that is my Diva. What a girl!

Learning is an every day process here on the farm. We have gone back to square bales. There was just so much waste with the round bales. We will look into a better feeder system in the spring. The goats didn't like going out into the weather to eat and drink. Now we have the water in the barn along with the hay. Everyone seems happier. In their defence the snow is up to my hip and difficult to walk in. We have been having at least one snow storm every three to four days. It is really building up. Then again, we may have spoiled them a bit. Still working out the kinks.

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Winter Olympics...Maine Style

Winter Games. Not quite THE winter Olympics, but none the less entertaining. Definitely entertaining. Our Winter Olympics happen every year. Maine is the host state, and Bradford the site. Otherwise know as "Our Backyard". The contestants are both American. Ahem....Emma and Lucy. Both of our contestants are very proud of their country. They celebrate every 4th of July with gusto. Really into the hot dog and hamburger grilling thing. Today we are having the opening ceremony. Here are Emma and Lucy parading onto the platform. Aka..... the Snow Mountain. Created and maintained by Ted and the John Deere Girl. They arrive with such self assurance. Webbed feet gripping the snow like old pros.

And the music begins. Our contestants have arrived. (applause and standing ovation)

Welcome to the first competition. Snow Ball catching. Emma dominates this sport with natural grace and ease.

Whoa, it's a sneak attack from Lucy trying to take the spotlight and the gold. Is nothing sacred?

Emma dominates, paws down. Just look at that intent gaze. Just try taking her gold. I dare ya.

There was a complaint submitted by the guineas that fowl play was a paw. We will be investigating any cheating and report on our discovery tomorrow. For now we go inside to warm up. Our temp registers 12 on the thermometer and all paws need to toast by the wood stove for a bit.
Much Love and Prayers from Mainel Ewes Farm.

Waiting.....Waiting....Waiting

We are having a very snowy winter this year. Last year all of our blogfriends in the Mid-Atlantic states received so much more snow than we did. This year we seem to be sharing very well. We have all been working on our sharing skills. Looking out my kitchen window...I see the grill and dream of chicken grilled out in the afternoon. I can almost smell it.

Inside I smell homemade beef soup.
The wood stove is working at it's best and keeping us warm and cozy...because..... outside it is snowing like crazy

blanketing everything in white

Happy Winter. Just heard from my mom in Florida and it is raining and 65 degrees. Hmm... I still think I like my snow. I may have a different opinion in May, but for now I love it. Stay warm and cozy. All of the goats are happy and de wormed. The sheep are eyeing me and keeping their distance. Spring will come and we will be ready. Just like the crocus we are waiting under a blanket of snow. Waiting....waiting...waiting....

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.