Picking out a hutch

All the critters are doing well here on the farm. I've been looking at various rabbit hutch designs for my hubby's honey-do list. We currently have 4 rabbits (1 mix breed & 3 lionheads). The males both have their own spacious pens but I'd like a little bigger set up for the females than we have now.
This one has been my favorite so far.

Even though it was made for chickens I think it would work great for rabbits as well. It would not be functional outside in our summer heat. I'm hoping that keeping it in the barn (which is where their hutch is now) and adding a fan would keep the buns cool. With a few additional tweaks here and there I think it would make a great rabbit hutch. I love the window and think it's my favorite part. Now I just got to get my honey to build it!

Et tu, Olive?

I'll start by saying yesterday did not start off well. I woke up to find my chicken yard gate wide open. My silkie roo and my Rouen hen were laying in the yard not moving. The schnauzers were out and eager to get back inside. They all ran straight to their crate. I'm sure my anger was radiating by this point. Our boxer, Olive, and Basset Hound, Lexi, are the yard dogs. They looked just as guilty. Anyone could be to blame at this point. The rooster and duck were astonishingly still alive. They were missing a good bit of feathers but had no visible injuries. I put the duck back with the Pekin who was still in the coop uninjured. They were raised together and I worried if I separated them it would only stress her more. The rooster I put in the brooder with the Silkie chick. The rabbit, Clover, was in the barn on top of our Lionhead doe's hutch. I put him back in the coop. He was very disappointed. My Silkie hen was safely in the coop. Everyone was accounted for. After the roo warmed up and settled from his traumatic morning I put him back with the rest. I fastened the chicken yard door with wire so that even if the latch was opened the gate would stay shut.
Later, I discover the golf cart seat has a small tear in it....again. Our boxer, Olive, is a lovable goofball but she can be very destructive. I parked the golf cart in the barn and got 3 portable dog kennel panels to block off the front of the barn. That will hopefully keep her out of the barn and out of trouble. While I'm setting up the panels Olive tries to paw open the chicken yard....ah the culprit. I'm sure at least some of the schnauzers participated in the chase.
Today, all the victims are doing well considering. I think they'll pull through. I read a description once that said Boxers are a lot like having a 3 year old. Very accurate statement in my opinion. Owning a Boxer reminds me of those toddler stages where we spent hours baby proofing every nook and cranny of the house. I'm off to toddler proof...er... I mean Boxer proof the yard!

Rain is a good thing...in moderation

After about a week without rain the storms have come again. The backyard is a river of red clay. The Schnauzers are turning an unflattering shade of reddish orange. No one wants to go outside except the kids. They can be so contrary.
A tornado touched down in town late yesterday afternoon. Thankfully, all we got was some rough wind and lots of rain. Several businesses still had no power this morning. Pre-k is cancelled for today. That leaves me trying to entertain a 4yo and 3yo. Let the fun times begin!

Just another day

I like productive days. I've been doing the most productivity outdoors. :) It's more fulfilling in my opinion! The housework gets undone too quickly and it just bums me out. I managed to get a lot of  my to-do list done. Mostly, rake leaves here, clean out that pen/stall, tidy up this area that things have accumulated for far too long. I'm very pleased with the progress!

Recently, a dog attacked my father's goat herd. It mangled a young buck's hind legs. Fortunately, he will survive his injuries and is recovering nicely. This has caused me to start looking into livestock guard dogs. After tons of research of the various breeds we've narrowed the breed down to a Great Pyrenees. They are often referred to as the "gentle giant". We feel a GP would do well with guarding our livestock as well as our children. I've joined the site Backyard Herds and a LGD advice group on Facebook. I tend to lurk and ask questions when needed.  Both sites are full of great information for newbies and experienced alike. I hope to add a LGD to the farm when the timing is right. For now the move has been pushed back a good bit. Some of the projects are taking longer than anticipated. Our children would have to change schools mid-year. I'm not sure that would be ideal for our family.We may wait until next summer depending on when everything gets done.  More waiting on the home front. *sigh*

Other news my little brother is down with his family from Kansas. They stopped by this morning and I got to spend some time with my adorable nephews. I missed those sweet smiles! 

Well, I'm off to grab some grub!

Springing into Spring

Of all the things I missed over the winter months I think I missed the green grass the most. Winter can make everything look dreary. We've had an unusually wet and cold winter for South Georgia. If I had the option to hibernate all winter I would have! I'm so glad it's starting to feel like spring. Nothing says spring time like fields of green. Well other than hatching chicks! My favorite has always been the Silkies so I bought 1 chick (partridge), 1 hen (white), and 1 roo (black) from a friend. He's got a few Silkie eggs in the incubator that should hatch in a couple of weeks.
                          I've been told that I have always found cuteness in ugly animals...

 

 

I don't know about that but this little thing is adorable! I just have to give it a name!

Starting Our Adventure

We set up this website as a way to chronicle our move to the farmhouse and the little adventures we experience as we expand our hobby farm. The site is part marketplace, part blog, and all us. We hope that along the way our learning experiences not only help us grow but also help anyone else who might be interested in the same endeavors.

Currently, we’re a tiny alpaca farm with a small scale Miniature Schnauzer kennel. The Schnauzers are the best pet breed of dog ever. That’s a certainty. Of all the dogs we’ve owned across our lifetime, none of them compare to the love and cleverness we see from those little creatures.

Owning and caring for the alpacas has been a blast! They’re weird, but in a good way. Often aloof and completely unlike anything we’ve experienced. They’re full of little idiosyncrasies. They serve as a comical relief on the farm.

The farm has been in the family for 3 generations and was once a working swine, cattle, and poultry farm. It’s the perfect farmhouse. As my father-in-law puts it, it’s a "turnkey farm".

We are currently renovating the family farmhouse to better suit our family of seven. We've already moved the four quirky alpacas (Katie, Kiona, Dobby, & Totoro), a charming miniature horse (Ghost), and a stocky pony (Cheyenne) to the farm. We've got a great video of Cheyenne and Ghost galloping through the new pasture while the alpacas graze happily on the lush greenery.

Since we know we’re going to have a lot of space, and since I volunteered to bottle feed four orphaned Boer mix goat kids having goats just suits us. We've recently added six more to our little herd. Bringing our total to three bucklings and six doelings. We’ve got them wormed, vaccinated, and we know they’re going to love it out there. A few more revisions on the house and it’ll be time to load up the family and critters!

So we start our journey raising kids (human and goat), alpacas, and Schnauzers. Perhaps even venturing into starting a garden. And, above all, staying humble, grateful, and close as a family through the quality time we spend together. Give GOD the Glory!

That’s what Farmhouse Grace is all about.