A Vote for Ducks

Well that's enough of the porcine view of the farm for a while, to be honest this was turning into Pig Breeders' Weekly. As this week's school travelled all the way from Aylesbury to see us, we have been feeling very special so it must be our turn to blog....yes, hello, Aylesbury ducks here.

It's been quite a week, first we were moved in next to those geese - they never stopped, every time someone or something moved anywhere near them they were off hissing and honking - so who's great idea was to put them right by the main entrance of the farm? After a couple of days to get used to our new quarters we were allowed through to the moat - after the initial shock (it was cold) well we loved it, we never came off the water for 3 days we were having such fun. Then Sid and Lucy discovered a new game - sneaking up behind us (quietly for once) and trying to drown us. Well, we love the water but that was no fun at all.

Fortunately for us someone was watching and before they could hiss or honk the geese were quick marched up the track to the solitary confinement pond. To be honest I think they're very happy up there, we've heard word they've managed two eggs in a week which must be a record.


So now we find we're living in "Duck Heaven", just us and the Khaki Campbells, and they're as good as gold, never hear a peep out of them. It's given us a chance to explore, well it's like living in Venice, hidden waterways that stretch in all directions, and yet all within easy reach of the duck house. In fact wherever you are, if you hear the feed bin lid go you can be back by the trough before the children get there with their buckets.



While exploring this week we met our first mallard ducklings, the adults are a right pain, always trying to steal our food then flying off to help themselves to the pig's food for afters, in fact they eat so much I'm surprised they can still get off the ground. But you can't fail to love the brown and yellow ducklings, and then we met the first moorhen chicks of the season, small balls of black fluff following their mothers around the moat. We tried to get some photos but we weren't allowed to take the camera into the water!




























































Away from the water signs of spring contrinue. Gertie and Grace are getting very brave, even venturing in with the cows.








The bottlefed lambs are growing fast, they have the most amazing bodyclocks and go off on the dot three times a day. A good drink of warm milk and they're quiet for the next few hours.






After the white perry pear blossom the apple trees are catching up with their pink flowers. Which will it be this year - a good one for apples or a good one for pears? Looking at the healthy state of the trees, who knows it might be a bumper year for both.






And behind the old cowshed there has been much activity, Jacob Sutton who has been on and off Artist in Residence here since before Christmas, is putting together an art exhibition to raise some funds. We love to go past and see what he's working on next, Frampton Village Hall is going to look amazing once the exhibition is hung.






Anyway, sun has appeared so it's time to get back to the bank for a snooze.

The Aylesburys





PS Ok for those of you who were hoping for pig news, here it is, Doris has produced 10 piglets, she farrowed mid-afternoon and an audience of children didn't seem to put her off. Everyone was amazed, last time she farrowed she managed 2, and this time it was well known that a similar performance could end in sausages. Fair play to her, she's pulled out all the stops this time, 10 healthy piglets and no-one's using the "s" word now. She has literally saved her own bacon.