April 2023

Diary

Chooks / Spring / Flukicide

Monday 3 April, 2023

by Rosemary at 7:20am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 27^th March

Gwenna seemed to have a good night. She hates going out on her lead though. Wee grumpy face, and if you walk ahead of her, she stops and refuses to move. We took her to our vet at lunchtime. I was expecting the worst – well, not “the worst” but possibly more surgery – and so was the vet, having read the notes from yesterday. So we were all pleasantly surprised that there had been a significant improvement overnight. So painkillers and rest for at least a week – and “quieter” behavior afterwards. Like no trying to kill dogs through the gate.

Treacle / Strawberries / Udders

Monday 10 April, 2023

by Rosemary at 1:20pm in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 3^rd April

Cool but sunny this morning; traces of ice on the water troughs, but full sunshine.

Today was the day to give the cattle the flukicide. I was a bit concerned that they – Rora in particular – wouldn’t eat their feed with the medicine in it so I added a good dollop of black treacle to the feeds – and they nearly ate the buckets. Job done!

Treacle Thank you, Messers Lyle and Sons.

Seedlings / Shrubs / Cookies

Tuesday 18 April, 2023

by Rosemary at 8:52am in Smallholding Comments closed

Week ending Sunday 16^th April

Jings, what happened this week?!

Well, Grey isn’t going on his expected Club 18-30 holiday, so we’ll manage him around the fresh-calved cows and calves – still, it means we don’t have o quarantine him for 28 days when he comes back. It also changes the timetable for health scheme blood testing, but the plan has been amended and I’m comfortable with it. I’m starting to feel a bit keyed up about calving; based on service dates and a 283 day gestation period, they’re due over 28^th April to 2^nd May but they haven’t read the chart, so I’ll start night checks from Friday 22^nd. They’re all working on their udders, but Baby is most successful.

First calf of 2023 / Tatties / Hens

Monday 24 April, 2023

by Rosemary at 8:37am in Smallholding 1 comment Comments closed

Week ending Sunday 23^rd April

We’ve had the loveliest weather this week , and better than forecast. I hate to say it, but we could really do with some rain. We’d had the sprinklers on in the garden Saturday and Sunday evening.

However, that made it a good week for a calf to be born and Blizzard obliged at about 3.30am on Friday. Her due date was the 1^st May, but when they’re cooked, they’re cooked. Dan said he thought she was close so I checked at 2am, and right enough she was starting.