Here is the true ‘Duck Merry-Go-Round’ 😁🥰🦆
These three are inseparable 💚🩵💜
Dust Bath
The great joy and benefits of a communal dust bath can’t be underestimated. All the time watched over by Harold the rooster, his girls are safe and well cared for on this sunny spring day ☀️🌼
Jack
Jack the rescued Muscovy duck has a range of pools all varying sizes to bathe in, along with two large dams, however he chose one of the smaller water vessels to splash in 💚
Icy Poles
We sat down in the small paddock to enjoy an icy pole in the sunshine this afternoon, but Finn Lamb and Freya Lamb had firm intentions of trying Shaz’ icy pole and enjoying it to the end.
Needless to say the lambs won out this afternoon
😆🧊
Our injured Muscovy duck
Do you remember the large male Muscovy duck that came to us from AES on Thursday afternoon.
He had been hit by a car and suffered head injuries.
We held him in crate confinement for some rest and recuperation, and this was also a perfect chance for us to monitor him closely.
We felt he was doing well and he needed a chance to get amongst it with the others and stretch his legs.
SO yesterday we did a gentle release in the feed yard to monitor how he would go.
Initially wobbly on his legs, he gained his strength quickly, had a walk around and even had a bathe.
Just look at how confidently he is using his legs. ✅
Things are certainly on track for a full recovery ❤️
I’m hoping in the next day or two he discovers where the dams are and waddles down with the others.
I went out to check on him after dark last night at around 9.30pm and he was right in the middle of the feed yard happily sitting beside a female Muscovy duck.
We have named this gorgeous gentle boy Jack 🧡
Bear
This is Bear’s licky mat this morning.
You can see he had an initial interest then was far more interested in having a pat 💜
He went straight back to the mat afterwards.
Q quarter of a ripe banana on one section, safe peanut butter on another and vegemite on the other.
I pressed dried dog treats into the banana which I think were Bear’s favourites.
🧸💜🐾❤️🐶
The Bear and the Lion
This is the video we sent to Dr Chris earlier today.
Dr Chris Alfree contacted us to enquire how Bear is doing 1 week post surgery.
This video shows a clean, dry wound as well as a comfortable range of movement in the leg.
Dr Chris was pleased with this given it is early days.
Of course Bear is struggling with the crate confinement, but short term pain…
We are of course trying to make this time as enjoyable as possible including making Bear ice cube chews using bone broth, little treat pieces and blueberries.
This along with his special toys he has been sent, and the time will fly by ❤️💜🐶
Darling Brucey
Brucey is a female and was hand raised by me from a tiny poult. We also have his sisters Gary and TomTom.
Gary and Brucey follow me everywhere and wait right behind me. I will often turn around and there they will be sitting on the ground, just waiting for a pat.
I’ve accidentally stepped on them once or twice before as I’ve forgotten they would be there and at such close proximity.
Brucey has egg yolk on her face as we had just collected the eggs and fed them back to the flock. She got right into it ☺️
Turkeys are such amazing animals.
Gentle.
Sweet
Curious
Sometimes bossy 🥰 but so loving.
A milky moustache
A ‘milk moustache’ is absolutely no issue in our house.
Little Manny the pug helps Finn Lamb clean up his adorable woolly face after his small but important drink this morning.
🐾🐑
Mumma and her chicks
We introduce you to this gorgeous Mumma and her 10 chicks.
She is a glorious bantam hen and her chicks are so precious.
Mumma is just the sweetest protective girl, and they all chat and talk to each other lovingly all the time.
This little family has travelled down from up North today from our friends Jodie and Jules at FreeHearts Animal Sanctuary.
Expertly transported by incredible volunteers Maddie and Shai, we can’t express how grateful we are. With the cost of petrol this is an enormous gift to us and the animals. Thank you so very much for your kindness 💚
This beautiful family is looking for their new home.
A home they can live in securely for their lifetime regardless of whether the chicks are male or female.
Being able to provide safety for any roosters is vital.
If you can provide a loving home to this little family in their entirety, we would love to hear from you.
Please message us via email or on our page.
🐣🐥🐓
Here is a little update on our Alfie 🐶
This gorgeous boy has come so far and is learning so very much thanks to his amazing care team that are giving him boundless love, attention, energy and all of their effort.
Alfie is learning to be a dog 💜
Over the last two weeks Alfie has been to a cafe and had a puppuccino , as well as going to the beach and exploring the smells, sounds and sights.
Alfie accidentally did some painting with the little one and turned an interesting shade of blue 🤣💙 only to have a warm bath and return to his white and golden self again 😊🐶
He has almost mastered stairs which he had never experienced before. What a big thing for a little guy to take on! ✅
Alfie now toilets on the grass which was completely foreign to him. He loves snuffling around the garden and is super eager to learn.
Super active with crazy moments, the world doesn’t stop for this very energetic little man.
Full of personality and play, Alfie is loving being with his ‘learning family’ and is a star student 🌟
Bunny Treat Bags
When Animal Studies Cert II students from GYC worked with us this week, we worked on many tasks including feeding and cleaning of all animals, handling and socialising with the puppies and learning about the health needs of sick or injured animals such as Joan our hen.
However one task really caught the attention of our bunnies.
Students were tasked with making ‘bunny treat bags’ which was an enrichment activity.
In a brown paper bag they placed chopped carrot, small amounts of grass hay, 8-10 sultanas, and beetroot leaves.
Bags were then tied up with natural string and placed at varying heights within the enclosures.
All bunnies actively ripped into the bags using their front paws and teeth.
For the bags at a greater height, the bunnies had to stretch which used muscles not necessarily always used frequently.
Not only did the bunnies enjoy some treat foods, but they used muscles not always used and interacted with their food in a different way.
As we discussed, enrichment doesn’t always have to be complex. It can be simple yet so effective, and truly appreciated 🐰
This video shows Lucky (white lop), Poe and Dom enjoying a shared treat bag
