Harry horse & Charlie adventures! Horse chat & much more! Everyone welcome!

[Yorkshire Coop]

For someone who is always so positive in your outlook to everyone else you should try a bit more on yourself. I would love to see a photo of you in your posh clothes. Did you wear a dress and hat? At least indulge me with a description. One of the big things about going to the races is getting dressed up and for those like you and I that live in jodhs and jeans and boots, it's a big deal to get togged up for a special event. I bet you looked fab!
Still haven't been up to see the broody.... Oh the dread! Gotta go tho!

Honestly Barbara no posh frock or hat I feel silly in a dress and to be quite honest would have loved to have gone in my boots & Jods! I just went in smart trousers & and a nice leafy top. Certainly no pics of me!

Hope all is well with the broody

Yes, the price of peace and quiet... thankfully it's not winter!

I have never seen the film, just remember reading about it when the original man tried it. It's always hard to let go of an animal for me, but then I supposed if they had stayed, he'd be looking at them every day thinking they are missing out on a real life.
Do you have Cananda geese in UK? We have quite a few that are permanent residents here. I saw some goslings at a park earlier this spring. Very cute.
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Cute pics Wishing! I don’t like letting anything go either!

Yes we do have Canada geese over here, unfortunately they can be classed as pests by some farmers. Charlie and his Dad shoot them There is a lot though.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Cute pics Wishing! I don’t like letting anything go either!

Yes we do have Canada geese over here, unfortunately they can be classed as pests by some farmers. Charlie and his Dad shoot them There is a lot though.

They are game birds here as well.
Look at Charlie bringing home the bacon! Did you eat the goose? Any good?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Kim

I love the sound of your leafy top. Bet you lookd very smart.

Hatch has been poor. She has crushed another chick that had hatched and was dead this morning and another one that was squashed in the shell. 3 were hatched and healthy and one looked a bit limp but was still alive and was a bit wet looking so probably not long hatched and maybe just needed time to recover. The final egg was sloshy and I would guess infertile so I evicted her from the nest this morning and set up a little area in the coop and she was quite happy with them. I think part of her problems may have been that the nest box she chose was small and she is a big bird, so manoeuvring in and out of that restricted space meant that there was more chance of her standing on eggs and chicks. Hopefully now she is on open ground she will manage better. We have been away on a club drive with Zak today so I haven't been back up to check on her yet but she was trying to feed them this morning so I think she has mothering instinct, just a bit clumsy. If all 4 are still alive I will be happy. I think I have ended up with a buff orp, a RIR and 2 exchequer leghorns but I was in a rush this morning so may have got that wrong. Of course the chances are that they have survived because they are stronger and will most likely be boys.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

They are game birds here as well.
Look at Charlie bringing home the bacon! Did you eat the goose? Any good?

That one was his first goose so he was quite pleased to get it. I’m afraid we didn’t eat it ourselves but a friend did. He said it was ok but tasted a little muddy? Can’t say I’ve eaten mud, at least not intentionally! So I think he was meaning probably a bit earthy from it’s wild diet I would presume.

Hi Kim

I love the sound of your leafy top. Bet you lookd very smart.

Hatch has been poor. She has crushed another chick that had hatched and was dead this morning and another one that was squashed in the shell. 3 were hatched and healthy and one looked a bit limp but was still alive and was a bit wet looking so probably not long hatched and maybe just needed time to recover. The final egg was sloshy and I would guess infertile so I evicted her from the nest this morning and set up a little area in the coop and she was quite happy with them. I think part of her problems may have been that the nest box she chose was small and she is a big bird, so manoeuvring in and out of that restricted space meant that there was more chance of her standing on eggs and chicks. Hopefully now she is on open ground she will manage better. We have been away on a club drive with Zak today so I haven't been back up to check on her yet but she was trying to feed them this morning so I think she has mothering instinct, just a bit clumsy. If all 4 are still alive I will be happy. I think I have ended up with a buff orp, a RIR and 2 exchequer leghorns but I was in a rush this morning so may have got that wrong. Of course the chances are that they have survived because they are stronger and will most likely be boys.

Sorry the hatch has been so porr Barbara I do hope now she is on something more open she is coping better Sounds very promising her wanting to feed them so there must be something in her on the mothering side.

How did the club drive go? Good I hope and I no traumatic events!

 

[rebrascora]

Yes, the club drive was very pleasant with no mishaps I'm pleased to report. Ian shared the driving with me but that may have been because Zak was really strong and his hand/arm was getting tired. I know I could only manage short spells before handing the reins back. The horses and ponies do get so hyped up at these drives. It's OK for the person in the lead but when you are having to keep your horse from breathing down the neck of the driver of the vehicle in front it can be hard work.
The people who were hosting it had put on a lovely spread afterwards, so once we got the horses washed down and settled with a hay net we were able to sit down ourselves and have some food and a natter. The hosts daughter took me to see their new foal..... a month old today and totally adorable. He was very friendly and would have been quite happy to come away with me, I'm sure, as long as I gave him a tickle and Cora would have been more than happy to adopt him, I know. I told her to check our trailer before we left because I might have snuck him into it! It made me feel very broody for another foal. MeMe was my last and she is 9 so it has been quite a while! I had forgotten just how gorgeous they are!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Peeper loves these boots!

“And now I’m tired”

 

[TwoCrows]

Peeper loves these boots!

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“And now I’m tired”
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I've got a smile ear to ear! You can't rehome this baby, at least not without "his" boots!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I've got a smile ear to ear! You can't rehome this baby, at least not without "his" boots!

My smile is bigger I really do love this bird but after much discussion we are not going to be able to keep Peeper We really just don’t have the room. I’ve spoken to James our farmer friend today and he’s going to take Peeper back with his mirror, Teddy and an old pair of my boots! They have been in the cupboard for a while with a broken zip so I’ve gradually swapped them over today so he thinks they are the same ones. I’m not going to miss the boots and I would rather Peeper be happy & take them.
He’s going to set a pen up in his goose enclosure so Peeper can see the adults but they can’t get to him/her for when the weather is nice. At least he will get to see his own kind this way & James has promised Peeper won’t be on the dinner table this Christmas! I’m going to miss Peeper very much but it’s the right thing to do so he/she grows up knowing they are a goose and not human!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes, the club drive was very pleasant with no mishaps I'm pleased to report. Ian shared the driving with me but that may have been because Zak was really strong and his hand/arm was getting tired. I know I could only manage short spells before handing the reins back. The horses and ponies do get so hyped up at these drives. It's OK for the person in the lead but when you are having to keep your horse from breathing down the neck of the driver of the vehicle in front it can be hard work.
The people who were hosting it had put on a lovely spread afterwards, so once we got the horses washed down and settled with a hay net we were able to sit down ourselves and have some food and a natter. The hosts daughter took me to see their new foal..... a month old today and totally adorable. He was very friendly and would have been quite happy to come away with me, I'm sure, as long as I gave him a tickle and Cora would have been more than happy to adopt him, I know. I told her to check our trailer before we left because I might have snuck him into it! It made me feel very broody for another foal. MeMe was my last and she is 9 so it has been quite a while! I had forgotten just how gorgeous they are!

Good to hear all went well Barbara I bet Ian wasn’t rushing to whip the reins out of your hands this time! Sounds tough work but I totally get it with being front is much easier.

I have to say I did a double take as I read “It made me feel very broody” in your post but got it when you said foal! Did she check your trailer?

I have to say it’s quiet at the farm this year as there are no foals this time, first time in must be well over 20 years plus. Do you think you will have another now the broodiness has gripped you?

 

[TwoCrows]

My smile is bigger I really do love this bird but after much discussion we are not going to be able to keep Peeper We really just don’t have the room. I’ve spoken to James our farmer friend today and he’s going to take Peeper back with his mirror, Teddy and an old pair of my boots! They have been in the cupboard for a while with a broken zip so I’ve gradually swapped them over today so he thinks they are the same ones. I’m not going to miss the boots and I would rather Peeper be happy & take them.
He’s going to set a pen up in his goose enclosure so Peeper can see the adults but they can’t get to him/her for when the weather is nice. At least he will get to see his own kind this way & James has promised Peeper won’t be on the dinner table this Christmas! I’m going to miss Peeper very much but it’s the right thing to do so he/she grows up knowing they are a goose and not human!

I think this is the best decision you could make. He really does need others of his kind and will do much better in life not being an only bird. Nice that you are going to send his "toys" and such with him too! You did a wonderful job with hatching and raising him Kim. But gosh, he sure is adorable!! Enjoy him while you have him.