JACKS

First we have the Jack Russells Meg and Mayci - two little scalliwags! Meg is black and white broken-coated, (long-coat) and Mayci is tan and white - neither broken-coated or smooth - just somewhere in between! We got the Jacks to help keep rodents at bay - and Meg has managed to exterminate a few - but with some help from Brian!! Mayci is still a puppy, and I don't feel I want to expose her to rats just yet, as I'm worried about her getting bitten. I might let her watch Meg and see if she picks up the technique from her. Meg and Mayci are very sweet, though Mayci has the highest pitched screech we have ever heard, and it is, at times, excruciating! We still love her to bits though!

Mayci is now a lot quieter - thankfully - and has developed into a sweet little Jack - with  very short legs!! She is able to get through the tiniest gaps - not good! She is currently enjoying life with my two Goldie pups Tava & Torr - and is very bossy with them! They are learning to deal with her very well now, and things are balancing out nicely at last.

Latest: I have now decided that my little poppet, Meg, is in fact a Golden Retriever in a Jack Russell's body! She is so loyal, loving gentle and sweet - and can't possibly be a terrier! She lies next to me with her head on my hand - just like Maddie and Kara, and follows me about like the Goldies - she is so special to me. Mayci is getting there slowly bless her - living with 16 Golden Retrievers is bound to affect her at some point!

          

              

             My sweet little Meggie                            Mayci doing her ear trick!

CATS

Next we have Sooty and Sweep - our two black cats.They are still kittens really, but growing up fast. Sooty is short-haired, and Sweep is long-haired like his Mum. They are lovely natured cats who also help with the rodent extermination programme. They caught their first rat overnight in the big shed two nights ago - we are very proud of them! The Jacks and cats all came from West Frogwell Farm in Callington (see Meg Molly Maggie and Merlin's page on the menu).

                          

                           Sooty                                                    Sweep        

POULTRY

Next we have our beloved hens who lay the best eggs you will ever taste! Some of them are ex-battery hens, and some I saved from being slaughtered for dog meat - these include Harold our very handsome cockerel. We also have 3 Lavender Pekin bantams whom we called Dickie (after Dickie Bird the cricket umpire!) and Doris - (2 rescues) and their offspring  Dai, who was hatched by Jess our partridge silkie who was brought to me in an almost frozen state, by a young neighbour whose dog had picked her up in a  field in a very cold February. She was in such a state that I couldn't even see what she was. She is fit, well, and very much at home now here at Barnsgold. We also have 3 white silkies - the male we hatched last year in the incubator, and the 2 females were a Christmas present last year, from our friends at West Frogwell Farm.  We have so far hatched 6 of their chicks this year, who are being nurtured on my dining table under a heat lamp! We also have 4 black and 1 grey silkie, which we hatched in the incubator last year.

We hatched 8 silkie chicks in the end this year - 7 white and 1 grey/black. All are doing well, and will soon have a lovely home with my friend Karen in Dorset.

Update:

The chicks are now happily settled in Dorset with Karen who, as expected, is looking after them exceptionally well. Thankyou Karen

 

     

Harold and his adoring ladies    Jess our Partridge Silkie    Dai - hatched by Jess!

 

      Dickie and Doris             Our 3 White Silkies           Our Black & Grey Silkies

                      

Rescue hen having dust bath! Ex-bats & 1 Maran rescue. Wander in the daffodils

N.B. If you are able to take even a couple of ex-battery hens please get in touch with their welfare group - (Battery Hen Welfare Trust) they are great fun (and lay lovely eggs) - and you will be rewarded every day when you watch them scratching about outside doing what hens should do, knowing you have given them the freedom they so richly deserve.

DUCKS

As well as the hens we have 4 ducks - Donald, Daisy, and Buttercup - who are all little white ornamental call ducks, and Desmond who is an Indian Runner x call duck. We took the ducks from people who could no longer look after them, and they now have their own pen with sunken bath en-suite-nice life if you can get it!             

                                      Donald, Daisy, Buttercup & Desmond

27.06.2010

Having tried a couple of times to hatch the Call Duck eggs in the incubator, and failed miserably, I asked Seamon, my daughter's partner, if he would like to have a go for me - and low and behold he has hatched 7 so far - 4 have survived and are now out with the others in the duck enclosure! Well done and a big thankyou to Seamon. Pics to follow very soon...

CANARIES & FISH

When Keli (one of my rescue Goldies) was left with me, she didn't come alone! We also took two canaries - called Ik (that's the sound she makes!!) and Asbo (very noisy chap!!) and 5 goldfish - (who have now become 3 unfortunately) - none have names. They are going to be living with our 5 year old Grandson soon (I'm relieved to say), and I'm sure they will all get very elaborate names from him - like maybe Ben 10, Bionical - or even Spiderman!

Latest: Sad to say we've had a bereavement today (11th May) Poor little Ik the yellow canary died this morning. She will be buried in our pet cemetary along with many other of our much loved pets. I will have to get Asbo a new mate as he will be lonely now. It will have to wait until the pups arrive though, as I can't leave the house at present. I'll just have to make Ik type sounds to keep him happy for now and hope that helps him...(ever felt silly??)

GOATS

We are currently awaiting the go-ahead to collect 2 rescue goats from Crediton. Apparantely they were found running up the motorway a while back and taken in by a fellow breeder, who is now no longer able to keep them - so they are also coming to Barnsgold - but as yet we haven't decided on new names - any ideas would be appreciated! One is black and one white - best I can manage is Ebony & Ivory!!

21.05.2009 Latest: Horray! the goats have arrived! They are just so gentle and lovely - and I adore them already. They are currently munching their way through a large area of long grass and weeds - and are very happy about that! We think we might now stick to their original names of Gert and Daisy - unless anyone comes up with something better.....

 

                

           Daisy                                  and                                    POPPY

                                            At last she has a new name!