As a reminder, this is what the pond looked like during the drought (and, in fact, the water level got much lower than this).
And here is the pond today, along with the little flock splashing away.
Also, today, I opened up one of the pastures for the horses that they hadn't been in since last May. There isn't much green grass in the pasture right now as if was hit pretty hard by the drought. I'm hoping it recovers in spring. Meanwhile, the horses can play in a new area for a few weeks.
The beasties were clearly excited about getting to go into the pasture. They followed me from the barn down to the gate and crowded around while I fiddled with the chain latch, butting my arm with their heads trying to get me to hurry up. Then they raced inside, kicking up their heels. Really, the pasture is only about 3 acres, and they've had free run of about 9 other acres for the last couple of months, but they acted like they'd been pent up in a stall for weeks.
All in all, a grand day watching the ducks and horses enjoying themselves so much. I felt a little bit like Santa Claus with presents for all.
3 comments:
I am so happy to see the Donalds and Daisies swimming.
The minis, it's like a vacation to have some "new" old pasture to cavort in.
Exciting for the critters. Does your road runner still come up to your porch to drink? Or has he/she found other sources?
Does your iguanzilla stay inside these days or is it warm enough for the odd stroll?
Just a thought on the feed for the choke patient and the colic girl. Even though they don't like the pellets that much, have you tried mixing it with a little sweet feed or adding some molasses with water? Just a thought. Dry feed is like my dry morning oatmeal. With fruit I can take it, with some soy milk or fruit juice, well yum.
I worry about the girls. Hope they are fine.
Hi Mac!
The roadrunners generally disappear during the winter. They don't migrate, so I'm not sure why I never see them in the colder months. I would think they need to be out more often to forage for food since they like critters such as frogs and insects.
I caught the iguana outside on the frosty ground right at freezing one morning sunning herself. Mostly, though, she stays indoors now, just not in her cage. I keep a space heater on in the sunroom and when it's especially cold, I'll warm up a towel or two and put them over her. She's seems to do fine in temps I once would never have exposed her to. Go figure.
As for the feed, I've pretty much settled on an equal mix of:
12% sweet feed
rolled oats
alfalfa pellets
senior diet pellets
I have cracked corn for the chicks and ducks, so I'll sometimes throw in a handful of that too as a treat.
Colic girl (she'll be 4 in February) ate a sweet mash of warm water, pellets and molasses once when she was recovering from her first bout of colic. After that, nose in the air.
Choke lady (she's almost 21) said no thanks to a warm mash.
The chickens love it when I mix them up a warm mash on a cold winter day, but the horses, not so much. That's why it takes awhile to get everyone fed every day ;o)
Hope you're doing well and that the crocs and snakes are keeping their distance!
Sounds like you rustle up a great breakfast.
Colic Girl is so young to have such terrible tummy trouble. Sometimes there isn't a why.
My Comet was an easy keeper, he'd hoover up what the big 'uns dropped. He used to "high center" in some of the deep snow forcing him to back up and rethink his route.
Minis are charming. Easy care, usually, and endless entertainment.
Thanks for the farm report, keeps me connected. Appreciate it.
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