Tag: peeps

Peeking in on the Peeps

Sheeps & Peeps2 Comments

The newest hatchlings are doing well with mama hen in their ultra-protective quarters; the two little ones are shy and just as cute as can be; mama is very protective

This summer’s earlier hatchlings have moved (still with their mama) into juvenile quarters and are at that kind of awkward teenager stage; it’s going to be exciting to see what they will look like when mature

And as for those spring peeps… it just seems that those silver wyandottes are constantly seeking the spotlight… errr sunlight

News from the Peeps

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We had a lot of excitement on Saturday when it was discovered that one of the older hens in the big coop had hatchlings!  We haven’t wanted to disturb mama and her two tiny peeps, so no pictures yet.  
Instead we’ll share a few pictures of the growing chicks in one of yesterday’s rare moments of sunshine… Buff Orpingtons, New Hampshire Reds and Silver Wyandottes. 

The Rest of the Chicks

Sheeps & Peeps5 Comments
A quick look at the rest of the chicks….slowly learning to roost in the new coop addition at the farmhouse:  the Rhode Island Reds and New Jersey Giants.
The lighter colored hen is a Turken from the older layers which kept escaping from the outdoor run and is in time-out with the little ones for now.
The barred chick is the free rare breed chick from the www.mcmurrayhatchery.com order. We think it may be a Cuckoo Maran rooster.

Peeking in on the Peeps

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The peeps are growing… as peeps are bound to do… and enjoying their treats of brush hogged grass, weeds from the garden, etc.  This little group is pretty quiet and calm.  The bigger group of Rhode Island Reds and Jersey Giants moved into their expanded coop at the farmhouse last week.  We will try to share some pictures of them soon.  The Jersey Giants are living up to their name and are significantly bigger than all the others.  They are being raised for a brother-in-law and his family.

Silver Wyandottes, New Hampshire Reds, Buff Orpingtons

Buff Orpington rooster

Buff Orpington, Silver Wyandotte, New Hampshire Red

Some Days Are Rough

Sheeps & Peeps8 Comments
“Some days I feel like crying
It don’t matter if it’s rain or shine
I feel like my heart was broken
At least a million times’
— from ‘Have it All’ by Jeremy Kay

Yesterday was a rough day.  There are times on the farm when no matter how hard you work, or how hard you try to do things right… bad things happen.  Yesterday we found Betty Lou Moo Moo and Beefcakes lying under a tree together, the apparent victims of a lightning strike.  We are so saddened… we loved those cows.  They really meant a lot to us for so many different reasons.  It is very difficult to talk about… or even think about.
Things did not go very well on the ‘peeps’ front yesterday either.  Everything went pretty well on Saturday, but yesterday morning Erma went off the deep end and had to be removed from the coop.  All but one of the peeps is going to recover.  Erma has been relegated to roosting in the barn.  Things are now going well in the coop, and Erma seem quite content to spend her time with the sheep. 

While finishing this, this advice popped up (at what seems to be just the right moment), “You know those bloggers who say “be blessed”? All fine and good but I admonish you to “be a blessing” instead; we’re all already more blessed than about most of the world’s population.”   Thank you, Sandra, just the words we needed.

‘So I try so hard to keep the rhythm of a train
Rolling right along
When the ride gets rough you got to carry on
Carry on’
— from ‘Have it All’ by Jeremy Kay

Moving Peeps

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Erma’s new roomates moved in last night!  We moved the Buff Orpingtons, Silver Wyandottes and the New Hampshire Reds into Erma’s coop at dusk with the hope that everyone would soon roost, and the transition would  go smoothly.  As we closed the coop door, everyone was huddled in a corner… including Erma.  Fingers crossed that everything goes well today.

Scenes from the Open House

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Sunday morning dawned foggy, damp and a little dreary, but it wasn’t long until the farm was filled with…
sheeps…

and peeps…

bake sale goodies…

happy painted faces…

wonderful 4-H’ers…

equally wonderful music…

solar dyeing…

very merry wagon riders….
spinning….
 
and many, many happy faces

(Many thanks, once again, to everyone that attended our open house! We are also very grateful to all the family and friends that pitched in helping out. Photos courtesy of Jonathan and Megan.)

And Then There Was One

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Once upon a time… Sheeps and Peeps Farm was the home to 16 guineas.  They spent their days happily roaming the pastures, eating bugs and noisily chatting away.  Then, one day Mr. Foxey Loxey was seen in the vicinity and mysteriously, one by one, the guineas began to disappear.  Now there is only our dear Erma.

Erma spends her days wandering the pasture looking for bugs…

inspecting farm equipment…

gazing at herself in the ‘mirror’…

communing with the sheep…

and checking inside the barn several times a day to make sure everything is going well.

In a few weeks, Erma will have company because the Peeps are here!  She will be joined in the evenings in the coop in the Granddaddy Green pasture by
**  the colorful, hardy, docile and productive Silver Laced Wyandottes
** the New Hampshire Reds, a pretty, vigorous, cold hardy and very docile breed 
** and the ‘Golden Beauties’, the Buff Orpingtons who have a calm, quiet disposition and heavy, full plumage.
The beautiful and very productive Rhode Island Reds and the White Giants will spend their nights in an enlarged coop by the farmhouse.  So far, all the peeps are doing just great.  We’ll keep you posted.

Peeps!

Sheeps & Peeps6 Comments
Lambing was finished just in time to allow preparation for the arrival of The Peeps.
65 in all…. a mixture of Silver Laced Wyandottes,  New Hampshire Reds, Buff Orpingtons, White Giants, and Rhode Island Reds.
The farmhouse is now filled with the wonderful sounds of ….. Cheep Cheep Cheep!!