I know the picture isn’t great, but it’s the view from my office window today. I’ve been grazing my goat and lambs on leashes for a few days each week and am moving them about my back yard. You can’t really see Monty in this picture because he’s above and to the right of the lambs, sitting in the garden bed with just his head peaking out of the vegetation. I like having them in the back yard while I’m working on the computer, as they give me something interesting to watch while I’m waiting for anything internet related to load, and because I can keep an eye on when they get themselves tangled up and need me to untangle their leashes. Right now, they’re taking a noon-time break, chewing their cud in the shade.
The animals have all been really amusing lately. Often, when I let them out of their shelter in the morning I see the chickens sitting or standing on the lambs or goat, and lately, I think one of the chickens actually chooses to sleep nestled with the lambs rather than roosting with her fellow hens on their perch. The other day, one of the hens caught herself a toad in the garden and was having a fun time keeping it away from the other hens, and also trying to figure out how to eat it herself. She certainly looked athletic running around the yard with the toad hanging from her beak! I certainly feel no qualms about eating eggs every day for breakfast since I see how much foraging my chickens do. The yolks of all their eggs are a wonderfully bright orange from their varied diet. I give them some layer feed first thing in the morning while keeping them in their shelter…in vain hopes of having them all lay their eggs inside rather than outside where I have to search for them! But I think I know where their outside laying nests are now. They seem to like making little nests for themselves among the daylilies. For the first time, I’m actually going to put out a sign that eggs are for sale as I do have 3 dozen collected over the past few days that I can sell.
Well, the lambs have gotten up from their grazing rest, so I guess I need to get back to my Farmers Growing Farmers work! One of the lambs has climbed up onto a tree stump now and looks like he may get tangled up in the plants soon. If anyone’s feeling stressed these days, come visit me at the farm…an afternoon spent watching grazing antics is very relaxing!