These are photos from the farm from recent days.  We moved the cows to the field where Tom had recently replaced their scratching post.  It’s an old street sweeper brush.  They just love it.

The pigs continue to grow, and I am starting to spoil them more with treats.

Hercules, the Dexter bull, appears to be smitten with our cow Sonja.

And our chicks continue to grow and develop.

We had an open farm on Sunday afternoon.  Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos.  It was somewhat controlled chaos with families coming and going and the animals being petted where possible.  It was great fun.

Yesterday our friend Eliz brought some new (to us) chickens.  This is one of the chicks coming out of the car.

We received some beautiful Black Faverolle chickens (1 rooster and 3 hens).

There are also 3 Mahogany Faverolle hens (hiding in the back of the pen behind the complete gorgeous rooster).

There are two Ancona hens and 2 chicks.  I put them in a rabbit hutch to get used to the place before letting them go.  They tend to be a little flighty.

There was an assortment of other chicks as well.  There are 7 Mahogany Faverolle chicks, an Ameraucana cross chick (the one pictured coming out of the car), a Blue Barnevelder chick, and 2 Ancona chicks.  We put them in the weasel-proof pen with the other chicks.  But this morning they were all hiding in the corner and periodically getting pecked by the older chicks.

So I decided to move them to a rabbit hutch.  They seem happier in there.

Yesterday and today were warm.  I had a cardiology appointment yesterday to try to sort out why I continue to struggle with fast heart rate and difficulties breathing for over 5 years.  This was initially though to be from adrenal insufficiency and then prednisone withdrawal symptoms, but those are no longer issues for me, but I am still having symptoms.  So I want to be tested for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.  My PCP has already started treatment with metoprolol which is helping a lot while I am continuing the fludrocortisone.  But I will be scheduled for a tilt table test which will hopefully clinch the diagnosis.  But I also asked him about dealing with the heat.  I struggled last summer.  So I have some new strategies for this.  He suggested compression stocking and abdominal binders which sound miserable in hot weather.  He suggested liquid IV which apparently is more effective that the Nuum that I have been using.  Also elevating the head of the bed at night.  Not exactly sure how I am going to accomplish this. But I have hopes that this summer will be better than last summer was.

But related to heat, our animals also have issues.  The peafowl seem to do fine with the heat.  They actually seem to enjoy it.  They are the only animals we have that are out in the sunshine on warm days.

I mentioned that the alpaca Fidalgo doesn’t seem to like the heat to the vet.  He lays in the shade quite a bit.  He suggested hose him down with water.  Apparently alpacas enjoy this.  So I tried it this afternoon.  And he did seem to like it.  He didn’t seem to understand that if he walked closer to me (as I was at the end of the hose) he would get more water.  But he stood there while I tried to spray him.

Then he sat down, appearing to enjoy it on his face.

And then he turned around, and I got his butt.  I did try to spray a nearby sheep, but she would have none of it.

One thing I have been doing in the heat is picking cherries.  It is relatively shady and cool under the cherry tree so it is a nice but productive thing I can do in the afternoons.

Lastly, unrelated to the heat, the vet came out this afternoon to recheck Hercules eye.  The globe appears to have closed, but it still is cloudy and uncomfortable.  So he was sedated again, local anesthesia given, received injections of antibiotic and steroids near his eye, and his lids were suture shut to aid further healing.  Here he is before this treatment.  We are really hoping that this will allow his eye to heal further so he won’t be in pain anymore.  There is still some hope that his eyesight might improve in that eye too.