Laffing Goat Farm and Wetland Preserve

06/17/2025

Progress being made. Next up, the jungle in pic 3. The swing in pic 1 and 2 is in my workshop waiting for me to make new seat covers, and then the whole frame gets sanded and painted too. BUT paying clients projects come first. I WAS going to sell the swing after I finish it, but I might just keep it as it would look nice here and I can watch my babies in the garden from it.

06/16/2025

The 2 new adult ducks are integrating well. They hung out with the teenagers for a couple of days, then one went with our older group yesterday (Curly Joe and his harem) and slept with the main flock last night while her sister decided to stay with the teenagers overnight again. Today the second one went with our "Prince and Lady" bonded pair who lost their third several months ago -- now she has a consumated husband LOL I imagine now both of them will go in with the main flock when the geese drive them in before sunset tonite. The teens are doing a good job of sticking together in their group of eight even if the geese wander off briefly so all are safe.

06/14/2025

This is my side gig to supplement retirement, keep me in mind if you need any upholstery or mending done. (very) Reasonable prices and references available. It's part of the reason we don't get up early as I sew in the wee hours a lot.
https://facebook.com/conjurewomanscottage

06/10/2025

The 8 ducklings are 3 months finally today, and I have put the 2 adult khaki hens we got last week in with them now their quarantine is done. NOW they can learn to be ducks. They were raised with a whole flock of chickens and never learned that they are ducks. Day 2, they slept all together last night in the smaller enclosure which is inside the larger one. I put them into the smaller one at night cos it's covered and sealed against predators, daytime they have the larger space with pool and can interact with the other ducks and geese we have.

06/03/2025

Picked up a couple khaki hens this evening, they are still in quarantine, getting used to the sounds and smells of a working farm, which will be very different from a backyard coop for sure. Hopefully they will transition well once they are out of quarantine and introduced to our other ducks. This may be the first swimming pool they have had (not sure) and they haven't tried it out yet, still smelling everything and digging into the dirt and straw checking it all out. We have set up one of our gazillion security cameras to watch them. They are about the same age as our other adult ducks so they should fit in well.

05/27/2025

Babies are now part of the flock. Sticking close together as I hoped and the geese are watching them dutifully.

05/27/2025

I'll be keeping a sharp watch on the wee ones and their nannies today, I have multiple camera feeds on them and watchin in person from my yard chair by their enclosure. Getting them back inside their enclosure this evening will be the real test.

05/27/2025

The baby ducks are finally with the adult flock with three very attentive geese watching over them. They are hatched 3/10 so they are a little shy of 3 months, maybe like 10 weeks. Seems like longer but the calender says so.

05/11/2025

Could not be more clear: we don't sell "meat". Do you sell your pets for "meat"?

05/05/2025

AWW DARN! so out of the transitional pullet cage what do I hear this morning: a crow! Very rusty and gravely but definitely a rooster crow. So I examined all 12 babies (7 approaching 8 weeks now) and ONE has a very pretty 3-row pea comb, bright red. The other 11 have just tiny pale pink where the combs will be. Sooo, I'll be selling a Prairie Bluebell rooster baby in a few weeks. Well so at least I have 11, and that's actually better than average (usually 2 out of 10 will be roos even when guaranteed pullets).

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05/04/2025

LOTS of Eggs available! Currently 6 dozen chicken eggs in lower fridge for eating $5 a dozen
6 HALF dozen duck eggs for eating in upper fridge $3 and another dozen duck eggs for $6.
For hatching :
I have powder ice blue eggs from Whiting True Blue hens fertilized by the WTB rooster. Hens from these eggs will always lay a powder or ice blue egg. They are NOT "easter eggers". They only carry blue egg genes. The feather pattern varies from white to gray to brown, some with crests, most not.
I also have dark brown pure French Black Copper Marans eggs. From pure BCM hens, fertilized by Goliath, my ginormous BCM roo. Gorgeous dark brown eggs, always fresh as I collect them daily.
The birds are in separate enclosures so there is never any cross breeding.
I don't have hatching duck eggs at the moment.
For hatching eggs You'll need to message me in advance with what you want as inventory will change daily and I do sell these same eggs for eating. Hatchers are all kept cool/room temp until you start them in your own incubator or under a broody, but need to be set within 7 days of lay for viability.

05/02/2025

Some people require proof:
Per Google AI query: How susceptable are ducklings to cold water before they are fully feathered?
AI Overview
Learn more
The Sure Fire Way to Raise Healthy Ducklings Who Thrive!
Ducklings are highly susceptible to cold water before they are fully feathered because their feathers haven't yet developed sufficient waterproofing and they can't regulate their body temperature effectively. This makes them vulnerable to getting chilled, even to the point of drowning, especially if they are wet and unsupervised.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Lack of Waterproofing:
>Ducklings, especially those raised in a brooder rather than under a mother hen, lack the natural waterproofing of their feathers until they are fuly feathered. This means that they can easily lose heat when exposed to cold water.
>Inability to Regulate Body Temperature:
Young ducklings, like most baby animals, struggle to regulate their body temperature. This makes them particularly susceptible to hypothermia if they get wet and cold.
>Drowning Risk:
If ducklings are allowed to swim unsupervised in cold water, they can easily get chilled and become weak, making it harder for them to swim and potentially leading to drowning.

To minimize the risk of cold water exposure for ducklings:
>Supervise Water Time:
Ensure that ducklings have short, supervised swims in warm, shallow water, especially during their early weeks.
>Warm Water and Environment:
Maintain a warm temperature for ducklings, especially when they are very young.
>Dry Them Quickly:
If a duckling gets wet, dry them off quickly and provide a source of heat, such as a heat lamp.
>Avoid Unsupervised Swimming:
Do not leave ducklings unsupervised in cold water until they are fully feathered and have developed a more effective preen gland to produce waterproof oil for their feathers.

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