Little Potomac Farm

12/09/2022

We’ve had some changes around here…

03/18/2022

Hi friends - we’ve been a little quiet on farm updates after a tough start to the year. We suffered a devastating fox attack which claimed 10 hens (more than half our flock), our gorgeous rooster, Clyde, and perhaps most heartbreakingly of all, Ducky. 💔 Six hens managed to escape unscathed, and over the last couple months they’ve bonded into one tiny flock.

We put everything we have into caring for our animals, and to say it hit us hard is an understatement. But after taking some time to recover from the shock, we’re ready to get back to business as usual. So, some 🐷 updates:

A few months ago the vet came out to the farm and gave both pigs a clean bill of health. Ferdinand was deemed a “healthy adult” but the vet suggested he lose a little weight, although Ferd requested a second opinion (🚫 request denied). Vivian was diagnosed as a “healthy geriatric” and the vet suggested a high fat diet for her, and we are happy to report that she now has a rotund belly! She has spent the winter basking under a heat lamp like a reptile and only burying herself under straw during the coldest days.

The beginning of this month marked three years since Ferd found his forever home with us. He’s still a curmudgeon and his new diet has only strengthened his resolve to be a grump and steal food from all the other animals whenever possible. We recently caught him trying to stick his head through the chicken coop door. 🤦‍♀️ One thing is for sure - life is never boring with Ferd!

Enjoy some pics of what the animals have been up to, and stay tuned for more farm antics!

11/02/2021

In anticipation of colder temps, this last weekend the pig stalls were mucked out and fresh straw was added in abundance.

All the animals love fresh straw day except for Ferdinand, which should surprise no one. Like a teenager, he’s very particular about what he has deemed “his room” and under no circumstances should I go in there and mess it all up. He angry oinks, chuffs (lip smacking indicating displeasure), and tries to stop the process, squealing dramatically when he doesn’t get his way. For the sake of everyone’s sanity, he is given some treats to root for in a separate area of the yard.

Of course once the new straw is in, he acts like nothing ever happened and happily burrows himself into a huge pile of it. Or, as in this pic, was enjoying a cushy nap in the sun.

10/27/2021

07/19/2021

Sharing is caring. 🥰

06/05/2021

Saturday morning vibes. (And yes, he did this himself.)

05/04/2021

❤️

(I had to lure him with Cheerios to get this shot 😂)

04/20/2021

Roll call was difficult today!

02/24/2021

The pig that started it all. Two years ago, we took a chance on a pig named Ferdinand, and took a chance on us. To say it worked out well is an understatement. Over the last year, we’ve been fortunate enough to see Ferd become more social and trusting. He even managed to get himself a sidekick!

02/19/2021

In true Ferdinand fashion, he vocally protested having his hooves being trimmed by the farrier.

Meanwhile, Vivian, who was curious about Ferdinand’s tantrum, decided enough was enough, and went back to bed.

(FYI for anyone curious, sedation isn’t good for pigs. Placing them on their back is the safest option and doesn’t hurt them, despite what Ferdinand might think.)

01/17/2021

Lucy, logging (😂) some time supervising farm pest control.

We have three female barn cats, and Lucy is their matriarch. We adopted them after they were rescued from a dangerous situation, and while at first our plan was to only take two, there was only one left and we couldn’t leave her behind. All three were spayed, vaccinated, and given a clean bill of health prior to their arrival here, which was about a year ago.

When they first arrived, we worried they would run away and never come back. But instead, they quickly became part of the farm family.

Lucy regularly meows at the back door when she wants attention, and she will eagerly follow you around the farm, even going as far as trying to walk into the house behind you. 🏡🐱❤️

01/13/2021

Real farm issues: Having to es**rt the duck home after she stayed out past curfew and got stuck in the chicken coop.

12/04/2020

It doesn’t matter how many nest boxes you have, there will always be a favorite that at least half the flock insists on using.

09/19/2020

🎶 Fresh straw brings everyone to the stalls 🎶

09/18/2020

Vivian might not have ears, but she loves to show off her chompies! Before we adopted Vivian, she was at a rescue, and prior to that, she was in a not-so-great situation where she was over fed to the point where she couldn’t walk. The rescue worked hard to get her weight under control and she’s been healthy for years! Being overweight for so long put pressure on her joints and caused her to develop arthritis, but we manage it with supplements and medication as needed. It also left her with a fabulous coat of loose skin, but that doesn’t bother her. If anything, she gets extra attention from everyone who thinks she is underfed. 😂 It’s already been a little over a year since we got her (we think she is already 11 or 12) and we’re so happy she gets to live out her golden years with us. ❤️

09/16/2020

Introducing... Clyde, the Accidental Rooster. 🐔🤷‍♀️

08/30/2020

Hei Hei and DC love to supervise the barnyard and make sure everyone is getting along.

07/19/2020

Brunch on the farm. (Minus Vivian, who decided to take brunch in her stall this morning.) 🐷🐔🍉☀️

07/16/2020

First garden meal of the season last night! 😋

07/10/2020

DC takes her position as Flock Sentinel very seriously.

07/05/2020

Splish splash, who cares where you take a bath?! 🛁

07/04/2020

Don’t worry, Ferdinand. It’s not like anyone was hoping you’d be cooperative. 😂🤦‍♀️

06/20/2020

Duck: “Hey Ferd, what should we do today?”

Ferd: “The same thing we do every day, Duck. Try to take over the farm!”

06/19/2020

Found a surprise bird nest hidden in the plant on our front steps! 😍 (And yes, momma bird is actively incubating them and our front door camera has been moved so that we can see them hatch without disturbing them!)

06/19/2020

Today the new girls learned about selfies, flattering angles, and... basic hygiene. 😳

06/18/2020

Innocent until proven guilty by the barnyard cam.

06/12/2020

The girls are settling in nicely and have really warmed up to us. So far they’ve each laid an egg which is a great sign. These photos show the types of injuries factory farming birds sustain; missing feathers, bald spots (plucking their feathers due to stress or boredom), trimmed upper beaks (to avoid pecking one another), foot injuries (due to overcrowding), and lack of adequate nutrition and medical care. They’ve all laid brown eggs, which means that whichever company used them probably labeled their eggs as cage-free, vegetarian fed (chickens are not vegetarians), or even organic. If you check your local Craigslist postings, you can most likely find someone with “backyard chickens” which means that they believe in taking superior care of the chickens in their care. The birds are kept in sanitary living conditions and can free range during the day. Plus, the eggs taste amazing! 🐓❤️

06/11/2020

Yesterday we welcomed six new girls to the farm!

A couple weeks ago, multiple crates of live chickens fell off the back of a truck in the middle of traffic. Luckily, the birds were rescued by Loudoun County Animal Services and put up for adoption.

These girls look a little different from our normal crew and they’re being quarantined while they recover and regain their strength. Most are skin and bones - adult hens who weigh four pounds or less. Many have injuries and most are missing a significant amount of feathers. It’s likely that they were factory farm birds of some type - we are guessing egg layers since a lot of the injuries indicate close crowding and poor housing conditions.

We didn’t think they would lay eggs right away due to the stress of transport and a new environment, so imagine our surprise when they laid FIVE EGGS this morning! We aren’t going to eat their eggs until they are 100% healthy and safe to go with our existing flock, but in the meantime they’re learning about the finer things in life, such as banana mixed with oatmeal. 😋

05/31/2020

We spent the last week building our new garden - it’s been absolutely grueling physical work, but it’s really coming together! 🍅🥬🥒🌶 And with the scrap wood, Brad Mabrey made a swing-set for the chickens!

05/20/2020

This is Hei Hei, aptly named after the rooster in Moana who continually tries to eat inedible objects.

You’ll also notice her top beak is shorter than the bottom one but it doesn’t hurt her and she can still eat just like the others.

05/14/2020

It was a bee-sy day around here! 🐝

05/08/2020

Live from Little Potomac, it’s Friday morning!

05/08/2020

The punishment for trying to hatch a golf ball (and pecking a human 😠) is one night in the garage chicken jail.

05/06/2020

Hi friends, sorry for the hiatus - we unfortunately had a fox attack and lost three of our girls (Jolene, Roxanne, & AC). We’ve been spending a lot of time making modifications to lessen the chances of this happening again. 🔨🚜🧰

The good news is that Penny is out of the Recoop and back with the other girls! She gets stronger every day and it was hard to get a decent pic of her because she was moving around so much. We sprayed blukote on her so that the others wouldn’t see her injured skin, which is why her neck area is temporarily purple. She would like to thank everyone for the support and well wishes, they were greatly appreciated during this time! 🐓❤️

04/22/2020

This little 😇 took advantage of a gate that blew open yesterday and took himself (along with his chicken posse) for a stroll. Escapees were quickly spotted and returned to safety behind the fence. Ferdinand is still claiming innocence since he didn’t damage the gate and all chickens were unharmed.

04/21/2020

Penny Update: As of yesterday, she has been officially upgraded to the Recoop! She is walking on her own and has started to make little clucking noises. She’s definitely tired of being inside but still needs to get stronger before she can go back with the other ladies, or else they will pick on her. For now she will continue to heal with supervised back deck time.

04/14/2020

🐓Penny Update: Today she was temporarily relocated to our guest bedroom because 1) I needed to shower and 2) The bathroom was starting to smell like stinky chicken and needed a cleaning. Penny, always able to spot a good opportunity, decided she was feeling well enough to jump out of her box and take a huge 💩 on the bed. 🤦‍♀️ The good news is she’s feeling better. However, as you will see in this adorable video of her eating a blueberry, she’s back in the bathtub 🛁 until further notice.

04/13/2020

Over the weekend, Penny was attacked by a loose dog and suffered some serious injuries, including one to her neck. Although her neck wasn’t broken, she has some muscular injuries which are making it difficult for her to hold her head up. I created a little chicken neck brace by using the top of a one liter bottle, which has helped immensely. She is currently resting in the Chicken Critical Care Center (aka our hallway bathroom) due to the amount of attention she requires. She is on pain medication and being syringe fed water (with electrolytes) and food, and so far has had a good appetite. In between feedings we are keeping her in the dark in order to help keep her sedated and calm. She has a long way to go, but we are hopeful that with continued care and rest she will eventually recover! 🐓❤️

04/11/2020

Chicken enrichment, or Ferdinand enrichment? 🤷‍♀️

04/06/2020

Root Box Weekend! Extra Amazon packaging was repurposed into an enrichment activity for the pigs where they had to go through the box to find small food treats. The activity was enjoyed by all, except for one small timeout for Ferdinand due to unsportsmanlike behavior.