Staying Cool on the Farm

Hi all! We are expected to get some 80-90 degree weather this week! Whew! During hot 

days, most people tend to gravitate toward A/C chilled rooms and staying cool by the pool. 

So, what do we do to cool down our animals? Animals exposed to high temperatures are exposed to fatigue, loss of appetite, dehydration, loss of weight, decrease in productivity, illness, and even death. Keeping your animals cool and hydrated is the key to safely bringing them through those high temperatures. What follows is how we do things here on Edgington Farm.

For all of our animals we monitor how much they eat and drink. I water our animals 2-3 times a day on very hot and nasty days. One of the things we made sure of when building our coops and enclosures was to have both sun and shade. If your animals seem to be particularly fatigued, they may benefit from a dose of electrolytes in their water. Make sure your shelters are well ventilated and have circulation. We use a window and small fan in our chicken coop.  

Egg laying production can be completely halted on very hot days, especially if the hens are dehydrated or thirsty. I use 2 waterers in the coop on very hot days and I put extra water out in the yard if they are free ranging. Cold melons can be a very refreshing and hydrating treat for the chickens. Other special treats can be made like this ice wreath from the Fresh Eggs Daily blog. I've made it before in cake pans with equal success.

Pigs are notorious for being mucky and stinky. And that they are. But, slopping in mud serves a very special purpose. A pig's skin is tender. Lighter colored pigs are as susceptible to sunburn as people are! It is important for a pig to have access to mud and water so that it can coat itself in a protective layer. Our pot belly Bacon has already wallowed out is own favorite spots. I like to fill them up with water so he can take a refrshing dunk. They say mud baths are good for our skin too...

I like to provide our duck with a cool and shallow pool for him to swim in. I will be going to a larger pool soon so he can dive. The shallow one is fine though while he is still maturing.

Besides needing plenty of water and shade, our goats don't really need much special care. We water our plants in the mornings or evenings during dry spells to prevent them drying out and withering.

I also taught our two legged animal how to drink from the hose. I can promise that NOTHING tastes like water from the hose. It is wonderful!

Thanks for reading! Stay cool and hydrated on those hot days!

Hot Bacon

Hi all! I have a story too funny not to share! Lately, we've noticed how much our dear little pot belly piggy has grown. He is about the size of a beagle now and very plump and happy. He does many piggy things like rooting in the dirt and wallowing in mud. He just loves to eat and wags his little tail very happily as he does.

Something else we've noticed about our sweet little Bacon is that he sure does like to, well, hump! Hehe! He humps everything! I guess this is because he isn't fixed. He does not discriminate though. He likes dogs, water buckets, lawn sprayers, and bouncy balls! It is absolutely the funniest thing to see. He nudges the inanimate objects around before getting to business. He tries to bully the dogs a little, but they aren't as willing as the buckets and bouncy balls. The funniest thing I've seen yet is when he was *ahem* "loving" the big bouncy ball, it popped!! Oh, life on a farm. You just can't beat it!

If anyone has a little female they would wish to breed this or next year, I don't doubt Bacon could get the job done. Just saying. We could share some little Bacon bits...

Thanks for reading!!

Cute Spring Happenings

Hi all! I just wanted to share a few snapshots of some cute little spring happenings here at Edgington Farm.

Nothing says spring like daffodils blooming.

Our 8 wounded and picked birds were doing well enough that I decided to combine all of our new chicks (except the still tiny little bantams) in our handy brooder box. 

We've been letting Bacon bunk in with our older chicken flock, and judging by this picture, everyone is adjusting well. This was bedtime, and everyone seems comfy and cozy!

These were some of our Easter colored eggs. We had lots of fun doing them.

Toby had a nice upsetting faceplant in a puddle. 

These little bantam chicks are like feathery little ping pong balls. They love being held too. So cute!

Thanks for reading!

New Addition To The Family

Hi all! I'm excited to announce the newest addition to our farm, barnyard and family. I present to you, our seven week-old potbelly piglet, Bacon!

Bacon is little, black, male potbelly pig brought to us as a gift to our son from my mother. He comes from Versailles, KY. He was the last little piggy from the litter to be adopted as he is very vocal! He is not afraid to announce how unhappy or scared he is with a series of very loud squeals or low grunts.

He happily gobbles up little piggy food and is currently residing in a large plastic tote. This will be his home until we figure out a more permanent fixture.

For those of you wondering, NO we will NOT BE EATING little Bacon. He is a PET. So,  those of you who are worried, worry no more. :)

I'm excited about this little venture. Pigs are very intelligent and I love having a unique little pet that fits perfect in our farm. Wish us luck!

Thanks for reading!