Our Backyard Animals - Meet the Goats!

We have pygmy goats, four of them - Hermione, Neville, Harry & Ron (yes, they're named after Harry Potter!!). We got goats in 2012 and so that makes them all around 2 years old, as they were all born within a few months of each other.

We first were interested in goats, as we loved their personalities and we had a area of our garden with steep banks that was really hard to mow - perfect for goats of course, as they could keep the grass down and are mountain animals. A lot of people ask if we milk them, the answer is no, for a start three of them are boys, and as they are pygmies they wouldn't produce enough milk to make it worth the effort. So, they're basically pets who help with the lawn mowing!!

We got them from a farm in Carlow when they were a few months old. Hermione's mum died so she was hand reared so is totally people orientated. Ron and Neville are brothers and Harry is the youngest by just a week. When we first got them, the boys were quite scared, but they soon came out of their shell, helped by Hermione's confidence too. 

We've made them a big field area with lots of toys for them to jump and play on. They are such fun to watch and love lettuce leaves as treats. They get on really well with the chickens, they all share together. Although, saying that, sometimes the chickens will go into the goat shed, and if the goats come to the door, the chickens will flap and cluck and scare the goats away, lol!

Anna xoxo

Amber with Hermione

Ron, Neville & Harry exploring the wheelbarrow. Just a few seconds after this picture was taken, they all jumped out!!

Hermione climbing on one of the toys, this picture is from just a few weeks ago

Our Backyard Animals - Meet the Cats!

Okay, so I know a lot of people don't consider cats to be a 'backyard' animal, and to be honest ours aren't really. Anyway, lets start with how we first got our cats.

We used to go to dog training at a veterinary surgery in town, I think it was with Wilson as a puppy. (All of our dogs have been at some point!) The dog trainer who runs the classes is also a family friend and she said we could peek at some young kittens they had, who had been handed in to be put to sleep. (This happens so often in Ireland, it's unreal) They were two blacks and a black and white. They also had another litter, which also had three kittens - a tabby, a ginger and a black & white. These kittens were actually born in the vets - the Mum was brought in to be spayed, but the next morning they found she had given birth to these kittens overnight. The owner of the cat was unable to take on the kittens so the Vets were trying to find them homes. We had a quick cuddle with the kittens, they were adorable.

We had actually been trying to persuade my parents that it would be a great idea to get a cat/s. We had mice problems, so that would be the reason behind getting one, we told them - even though really it was for the cuddles and fun. Later that week, we had to pop into the vets for something and whilst we were there we asked if we could see the kittens again. By this stage they only had three left, in the less popular colours - two blacks, one black and white. We thought they were so cute and we couldn't bear to had them back for an uncertain future. So we managed to somehow convince Mom & Dad to bring them home!!

We named them Tilly, Tara & Toby. Tilly and Tara were from the litter brought in to be PTS, they were black sisters and around six weeks old. Toby was from the other litter, the ones who were born at the vet and he was slightly younger at just five weeks. We have several people in our family who are allergic to cats, so we setup the kittens an area in our garage. Our garage is fully insulated like a house, but we also gave them a heat lamp as they were so tiny (they also get a heat lamp in the winter, spoiled kitties :) They had toys, beds, food, water, litter tray and lots of cuddles and attention from us. The two girls were very nervous of humans initially, but they soon learnt that we weren't going to hurt them, and enjoyed our attention.

Toby was the total opposite to the girls - he adored being petted, cuddled and carried around by us. To this day, he is a super friendly cat. As they got bigger, they were allowed free in the garage and started to explore outdoors, and meet the other animals.

They are now 1 year old (plus a few months) and love hunting in the farmers fields that our house is surrounded by. They sunbathe with the chickens in the Summer and when we're doing the animal jobs outside they're always sure to be nearby.

Just over a month ago, the Vets had 10 day old kittens handed in (usual story, unwanted and to be put down). As these kittens were so much younger they needed bottle feeding every hour, including through the night. We said we'd take one, a little boy who was tabby and white, we named him Humbug. Sadly a few hours after bringing him home, he got too weak and didn't make it. We fed him, gave him a warm, cosy bed and lots of love for his last few hours.

We knew that at some point, we'd love another kitten, and started to keep an eye out for any that may be suitable. A few weeks later, we heard about another tabby and white kitten a local rescue had up for adoption. We rang up to ask about them, there was a boy that sounded perfect and he was 8 weeks old. That weekend we brought him home. He was very small for his age - at ten days old he and his siblings had been found crying under a shed with no Mum to be seen. They had been out for 24 hours and were very lucky to have survived. We called him Simba.

I think we have had Simba about six weeks now - he's doing awesome! Such a confident, adventurous happy-go-lucky boy. He is unfazed by the dogs, and even plays with Holly. He will sleep beside the Bernese. He and the other cats rub along okay, although Tara likes him best.

When we first got the cats they were 100% going to stay outside at all times. Although they do spend the majority of their time out and about, Simba & Toby have beds in the house by the fire!

Anna xoxo

Simba on my shoulder

Simba's first experience of grass!

Toby as a kitten

Acrobatic Toby!

Tilly

Tara as a kitten

Tilly as a kitten

Tara again

Our Backyard Animals - Meet the Chickens!

Our first pets weren't actually dogs - they were chickens (unless you count a few goldfish we had when I was little more than a toddler!). We are lucky to have a big garden and we liked the idea of having a few hens to give us fresh eggs each day. One Saturday, we went along to a local poultry farm, just to look. That morning, we came home with six chicks - they were so cute, we couldn't resist leaving them behind! We got a mix of breeds, three cuckoo marans (Jessie, Whitney, Lily), a White Leghorn (Flora), a Light Sussex (Hettie) and a Blue Jersey Giant (Maisy). They were around three/four weeks old so we set up a heat lamp in the garage, they were still too young to be outdoors. That evening, my Mom & Dad went out to check on them, and there were only five chicks in the pen - Lily was missing! After a little while of searching, and getting worried, they found her exploring the corner of the garage, enjoying her little adventure! We still have five of those original chickens, sadly Hettie died this Summer. There now around four years old, so don't lay as much but still love free-ranging during the day and eating leftovers.

Just this year, we decided to hatch some eggs. We had fallen in love with Lavender and Chocolate Orpingtons and as there are no breeders of this colouring in Ireland, the only way to get hold of them was to hatch eggs yourself. So we got an incubator and ordered a dozen eggs. We candled the eggs several times but only two hatched - both Lavenders - Peppa and Clover. When Peppa was six weeks old she got pneumonia and unfortunately died because of this. Clover was left by himself, and was missing his sister. 

We heard about a Poultry Sale locally, and went along. We had never been to one before, so didn't really know what to expect! That's were we found our five young pullets - all different breeds - Heather (Silkie), Nutmeg (Welsummer), Sparkles (Wyandotte hybrid),  Ebony (Australorp) and Victoria (Cream Legbar). Clover, who was renamed Captain, as we had now decided he was a rooster, loved his new friends. Victoria became sick one morning, we weren't quite sure what was wrong with her, but she died that day. Thankfully none of the others became ill, and they are all still doing well. There not laying yet and I don't think they will until Spring now. 

Between hatching the chicks and going to the Poultry Sale, we were looking for some more pullets to add to the flock, specifically Orpingtons. There was a breeder doing Lemon Cuckoo's, I was delighted as this is probably my favourite kind of chicken. He had a trio for sale, which meant we'd be getting another rooster, but we decided that we could cope with two, so we got Albert aka Bertie, Apricot and April. 

We've since decided Heather, is also a cockerel, bringing our rooster count up to three - certainly the limit! He's become Hiccup instead (after the How to Train your Dragon movie). We've got a broody sitting on a couple of eggs right now, who knows if they'll hatch, but we're hoping so!

So I think that's all fourteen of the chickens - nope, I've forgotten Mrs Weasley! Oops. Our friend had agreed to take on three red hens, from someone who was no longer able to take care of them. Just a few days before she got them, two of them were taken by the fox. Lucky Mrs Weasley was able to fly on top of the coop to safety. However, as our friend doesn't have any other chickens, she didn't want to have Mrs Weasley all by herself with no fellow poultry company. So, she asked if we'd take her, and we said yes, of course. Mrs Weasley has been with us ever since. She's the friendliest of the bunch and a real character! 

Anna xoxo

13 of the chooks having a drink of rainwater