Adventures on the Farm

Yesterday, I completed the final bit of siding! WooHoo! I also got the boys' hay feeder completed and the gate moved. What's left? I need to cut a notch out of the gate so it will close properly and add the latch. Then there are the boys' mineral feeders and perhaps cutting a new door in the front of the barn directly into the hay room. Oh, and the fence between the boys & girls. Then we might put in a hay loft above the boys... And some electrical spools need to be gathered for them to play upon. Then there is the chicken coop and barn #2. Alrighty then. I'm not feeling quite so accomplished anymore!

This morning, I got up to let Jack out and that started the chorus again. You know, the Arf! WOOF! one. It is so funny to hear such a high pitched little voice out of a boy and a big deep voice out of a girl, regardless of their size! I am pleased that my dogs have intimidating voices, though. That's what they're here for, in part!

I decided to do morning chores while I was up and out there. I put some fresh hay in the feeder for my girls. They want grain. They always want grain and try to tell me I'm starving them if I go out to see them and don't give grain. Even when it isn't time! I went to put chicken feed in the chicken trough, and the goats chased me all the way there! Those greedy girls saw that the chickens get corn--and lots of it--and they want it. I suppose that's a lesson learned: if I run chickens with goats, make the coop so the chickens get to eat their food and the goats don't. I was really concerned about chickens roosting on and pooping in the hay feeders, but so far, they've been very good about that. They are actually reducing my fly population in the barn, because they peck and eat fly larvae!

All in all, it looks like I have confused animals. The dogs want the goats' grain. The chickens want the dogs' food. The goats want the chickens' food. Of course, the goats want their food, too. I could be mistaken, but I think they're part pig, they way they snort around and gobble up feed!

Well, off to make a supply list for the tasks to be completed today! Shhh... don't tell Samuel, I want it to be a surpise: There are two new roads that have opened up in town, and they're on our way to and from the doctor--we're going to take them today! He'll be so excited!