The First Time Mum

It has taken me nearly all week, to write this. Actually, it has taken me all week. Everything takes triple the time it used to these day! But anyway, exciting news…

We have chickens back!

The farm has been a bit like a ghost town the last few months, which has been very odd but also nice to have Hayden about, popping in and out of the house. It’s been very satisfying getting all the jobs done around the house that have been on the list for a while. Although, I hate to tell Hayden, but there are still a few more to do!

I wasn’t as involved in the Bird Flu outbreak as Hayden was, but gosh, what a time it was. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone; to have to go through that process. Unfortunately though, it was just really bad luck, nothing we could have done to stop it. The farm is very close to the coast and so that sadly doesn’t fall in our favor either. Hayden has been putting together new biosecurity plans for the farm, so I really hope that keeps things at bay.

But anyway, on to the positives. How good to have the farm starting again! The first flock of 20,000 brown shavers arrived on Monday. We swapped parental duties for an hour or so on Wednesday and I went and weighed the chickens whilst Hayden drove Peggy around the farm. She slept the whole time of course! It was great to be back and something that I used to find quite mundane, was suddenly quite exciting. They’ve come to us from the rearing farm across the road at 15 weeks, so hopefully we will have eggs again in another month. Wahoo!

Another very exciting thing is happening today too… Larry is back! I cannot wait to hop on him and have a wander around the farm and down the beach with him. I am so lucky to have him, I really could not wish for a better horse. I also cannot wait for the day Peggy has her own pony and we can go riding together. Hayden… not so much. He is excited for the day Peggy goes fishing and gets her first motorbike.

In other news, Peggy is doing great. She has huge fat rolls on her legs and big chubby cheeks. She’s certainly got the ginger fire in her belly, so I am bracing myself for the teenage years. She is however, an extremely good sleeper and we’ve had a couple of records the last few nights. I am still getting up to pump in the night though, only once now rather than twice. It just helps keep up with her drinking as she always has a hungry spurt in the afternoon.

We go through about 5 bibs a day now. She has become very dribbly and spewy! Although she doesn’t seem bothered by it, the washing machine is in full use!

The sun is shining today and I cannot wait to see Larry later. I hope everyone back in the UK is coping with the warm weather and please send it our way.