Laffing Goat Farm and Wetland Preserve

11/19/2025

Trying again to post the video, not sure why it's been so long but it isn't appearing so trying again.

11/19/2025

All the primos together at last. Tonite they are all in the main duck-goose enclosure and appear happy and comfortable.

11/19/2025

So possibly the original video I tried to post twice is maybe too large? It won't post and it's been nearly an hour, so I changed resolution to WVGA from HD and 24 frames per second instead of 30 (not a big deal the Brits do this all the time) so it is half the file size. These are the primos (cousins) finally joining the main flock and having a good time on the first almost sunny day we have had since they got here.

11/19/2025

And a few more.not sure why the video is taking so long to post. Usually only takes a few minutes to format.

11/19/2025

All the cousins are settling in together. Bobbie even tried out the big pool while CheepCheep stood watch. He is a good guardian.

11/18/2025

Mucked out the main duck/geese enclosure this afternoon, the newbies are getting aquainted with their primos: Bobbie is more into the flock, with CheepCheep hanging close by but preferring human companionship over his cousins. He was a PEST while I was cleaning out the enclosure putting his beak into everything and staying in the way like a toddler child. I have pics and video but have to go through it all before I have time to post it all here. Bobbie LOVES the big swimming pool, immediately learning to navigate the ramp in and out of the pool on her own. CheepCheep is fascinated with the large enclosure the other guys use at night, and MAY go in voluntarily tonite when they do -- if not they can have a few more nights in their own space. They still prefer only scratch chicken feed but they also get bugs, goose feed and fresh peas free choice. Scratch alone is not adequate for them but I figure over time their natural instincts will pull them toward the greater variety they need. Nature is smart. Pics and videos this evening.

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11/17/2025

Just waiting on a semi-dry day (or partial day) to let the new geese out with the flock. Weatherman says might have partly sunny tomorow and/or wednesday. I just want to be out there to supervise cos it's a big property and these guys don't know the routine yet. They are both settling in well, eating well (goose feed, frozen peas, bugs, scratch), and bonding with us. I think Bobbie would be a lap goose if I let her: there are times she doesn't want to get out of their wading pool to go into their warm dry enclosure for the night so she makes me pick her up. She then immediately tucks her feet under and snuggles her belly against me, craning her neck to look around like she's asking "where we going mama?" She seems to like being held (I only ever routinely held Angel bc I had to wrap his wing when he was a teenager). CheepCheep likes still to challenge me, pecking at my feet as he is herded reluctantly into the enclosure: it's only at night for safety, all our critters, birds and goats alike, are secured at night. I suspect CheepCheep will start to bond with our other 2 geese when he can be closer to them, as they are the same breed. His "aggressiveness" is actually a GOOD thing.

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11/13/2025

once again: never ever wash or float eggs. Our eggs are wiped with a dry or barely damp paper towel to remove straw and occasional footprints and refrigerated immediately. ALL eggs once they have been refrigerated must stay that way (even ones from the store). Duck eggs are from a mixed flock consisting of Cayuga ducks which lay black or gray eggs -- that isn't dirt, it's the color Cayugas lay. You could conceivably scrub it off but that definitely contaminates the egg inside because that color is literally the protective bloom (Brits call it cuticle). Same with the brown on chicken eggs: you can scrub a brown egg to make it white but you cannot thereafter eat it bc you have scrubbed off the bloom and allowed bacteria inside.

https://www.facebook.com/laffinggoatfarm/posts/pfbid0J8vxdZSJwsdkNp9jgkHyofBPsCgc2Y2tHz4yEwfvtBMRwji3GanB2nH1QbS2YaCbl

EGG SAFETY -- pinned post
Public Service Anouncement

Some information about egg safety for you.
First a couple of links:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaarumugam/2012/10/25/why-american-eggs-would-be-illegal-in-a-british-supermarket-and-vice-versa/?sh=593964264050

https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/eggs-meat/how-to-wash-fresh-eggs-its-safer-not-to/

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/eggs/shell-eggs-farm-table

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NEVER EVER "float" eggs or wet them in any way until you are going to cook them immediately, as this contaminates them. Water penetrates the porous shell and carries bacteria into the egg, which then grows inside the egg over hours or days and could make you very ill. (same goes for eggs at the store by the way). +++ see pinned post NO FLOAT +++

DID YOU KNOW: eggs sold in the store are often up to EIGHT WEEKS old?! Yikes! Mine sell through fast enough they are seldom over a week old. At 2 weeks I bring them back inside and eat them myself.

ONCE eggs have been refrigerated they must stay refrigerated below 50 degrees F. Warm air causes condensation (water) which seeps into the eggs and contaminates them. I refrigerate duck eggs immediately from the nest after I wipe them (I never ever wet eggs to clean them) and I refrigerate chicken eggs without washing within a few days so they still have the "bloom" on them. My birds never ever p**p on their eggs (I cannot understand people whose birds do this) and MY chicken eggs are always clean straight from the nests. If you want unrefrigerated "counter eggs" just let me know ahead and I'll save some out for you. I'll only do this for chicken eggs though, never duck eggs. Ducks are filthy creatures even at their finest.

"Why should eggs be refrigerated?
Temperature fluctuation is critical to safety. With the concern about Salmonella, eggs gathered from laying hens should be refrigerated as soon as possible. After eggs are refrigerated, they need to stay that way. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the movement of bacteria into the egg and increasing the growth of bacteria. Refrigerated eggs should not be left out more than 2 hours."

11/12/2025

The Winter Mix: If you want to get the best out of your chickens, changing up their feed seasonally helps.
The chickens get special treatment in winter bc their needs change (and I like eggs). Moms w kids make school lunches for the week, I make chicken lunches for the week ahead: the baggies consist of 1 cup instant minute rice, 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of basil/oregano mix and a heavy pinch of home grown and dried mint leaves. It's all measured and ready to add 1 cup of boiling water and set 5 minutes before I take it out to the birds, divided 3 ways for 3 flocks of chickens. If I skip a day the difference is noticeable. They also get a large handful of either fresh cilantro or fresh spinach leaves a couple times a week since they cannot forage like the ducks and geese do. They also get healthy table scraps year round (they love tomato tops, bread crusts especially pizza crusts, meaty bones, leftover veggies) and cut up apples or pumpkin seasonal, extra berries and mash (skins seeds some pulp) that is leftover when I sieve fruits for canning. And any un-pretty eggs. OH and the sprouts they get when I have the wherewithall to set the sprouter up on my kitchen sill (the green tower below).

11/12/2025

They have been eating of course. CheepCheep likes to take worms from my hands while Bobbie likes fresh green peas and they both love 5-grain scratch. But I had the feeders with flock pellets on the ground and it occurred to me just before sunrise that all our waterfowl feeders are always raised to like knee level, so I moved a spare one from our large fowl enclosure to hang on the inside of theirs, and also raised up the other two (amusing the "bento box" one has scratch in one section and that is always empty first, can't keep it filled) and they both immediately showed their approval. Don't know why this didn't occur to me: ducks and geese only swallow with their heads high and necks stretched out straight to let gravity do the work. They approve the new feeders.
CheepCheep bit me last night when I tried to herd him into the safe enclosure for the night -- he wants to swim all night long and refuses to come out of the pool, naughty boy! So I was herding him with arms spread as I do with all my others toward the door and he turned around and bit me! I don't know how this will be once they are out with the main flock and he has a real pool to refuse to come out of. :)

11/11/2025

YUM YUM everyone gets treats. George volunteers for the food back doing pickups/deliveries from local stores, and got some of the discards for our animals today -- little baby pumpkins the goats are loving (chickens will as well, there are plenty), bell peppers the chickens love (and helps them lay eggs), and the ducks and geese got more fresh geeen peas. Also gave chickens fresh spinach today and the two newbies are eating their poultry pellets, bugs, 5-grain scratch and fresh peas (plus whatever grass and bugs are in their temporary enclosure).
I kept a couple of the bell peppers that were in good shape for us (I freeze them) cos those dang things are over $1 each crazy. And I might cook up one of the little pumpkins to make pumpkin soup. :)

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11/11/2025

Loving these babies! Bobbie just finished and is preening, CheepCheep is still at it, but watch till the very end, gotta love that little tail wiggle! This water was clean (honest), have to change it a few times a day. They are going to go wild when we let them join the flock and they discover we have bigger pools they can actually swim in!