Tricky Turkeys

It has been a busy week.  Our friends, the Griffins, had their first kidding today, which means the two of their girls I'm hosting shouldn't be far behind.  But then, I've been expecting them to kid any day for at least 8 weeks!  Babies are expected NOW, from the Nigerian Dwarf does, end of November/first of December for the Toggenburg doe, and end of January for the Nubian, the Alpine, and one of the LaMancha/Saanen does.  The rest will all be due middle to end of March.

The turkeys were in full dress regalia today.  This is Tommy, a Red Bourbon.  He and Timmy are quite confused by the warm, sunny weather and are fighting to the point of bloodying each other.  So I've made arrangements to rehome Timmy and the older Royal Palm/Naragansett cross hen, Patience, to a pet home.  They are waiting for their new owner to come and get them.

 

 This is Timmy, the smaller of the two gobblers.  He usually ends up on the short end when it comes to turkey wrestling matches.  They fluff up and show, they drum, they circle, and then they grab each other and pinch and bite.  If I stand in betwen them and tell them to behave, they just reach around me and snap at each other.  Both of them are this spring's babies, as is the other hen I have. 

A few nights ago, dusk was gathering and suddenly I heard splashing in the creek.  It sounded like whales breaching, but I'm too far from the coast for that!  And my creek is deep in spots, but mostly too shallow for whales.  So I eased down across the pasture to see what was going on.  There, in the deep pool by the big rock, was Ducky Duck, my lone Muscovy drake.  (He likes to hang out with the turkeys, too!)  He was splashing and pumping wings and kicking in the pool. Then, he'd make a sudden dive under the water.  Apparently, he was stirring up minnows for his late night snack!  He'd pop back to the surface, then cruise over to the sandbar and swallow his treat.  Then he'd start all over again.  It's hard to believe that one duck could make such a big ballyhoo!

Bev, my ballerina doe, (jumping and dancing all the time) thinks that fences are only mere suggestions.  She only jumps back and forth between the two pastures, but yesterday she missed her footing and caught one hoof in the fence.  Neil had to help her get loose.  She is being more cautious today, choosing an alternate route for her "secret passage."

I trimmed the feet on two of my pregnant LaMancha cross does today.  They are both pregnant, and need to have sound feet to carry their added load.  Gracie, who is due the end of January, has decided to dry up already.  She would be due to dry off the end of November, anyway, so she is only a couple weeks early.  Keelee, on the other hand, the Togg that's due in two or three weeks, is STILL producing milk from her last kidding.  I am trying to convince her to quit, but she's not sure about that.  All of the girls are pregnant, I think, so they are all always hungry.  They are going through a bale of hay a day, not wasting it, but eating it.  And of course they get a ration of sweet feed, as well.

I hope your day is as entertaining as mine have been this week!