Tractor prep

I spent part of this evening in the barn, painting the tractor with my dad. It’s been in my parent’s barn since October or November and we need to get it ready for the busy period beginning at the end of March.

This is it as it was when it went in.

My dad has painted the tractor with undercoat already and I’ll need to finish some of the trickier hard-to-reach parts tomorrow. Tonight, we painted the double wheels that we got to replace the old ones which were damaged last year.

Before, with red undercoat

And now in the traditional grey!

I am not a neat painter!

Pullets laying

Nearly 6 months ago, my first ever chicks hatched and today, they came of age – I got my first egg!

Pullet eggs are smaller to begin with but will soon be normal. Let the egg laying commence!

Brilliant Buzzards.

After my exertions the other day, the Buzzard returned and I got some amazing video footage of it. This is just a snippet of the 90mins I filmed it feeding.

*edit* for those new to the story/blog, I recently lost 2 chickens to the Buzzard, something I’d not seen before. I had to cull a dying chicken on Saturday and thought I would put the carcass to good use and entice the Buzzard back for a photo and maybe some video. The photos took 5 hours to get, while the video took 3 days. Both worth the wait!

Thirsty sheep

It’s been very dry here for the past week or so, unseasonably so. I had to take water to the twins this evening, after coming home from work. I’m lucky in that the other fields I’m using just now have a stream going through them so the sheep always have a plentiful supply.

Amazing Buzzard pics

I had to cull a chicken yesterday and it gave me an idea. I left it on the croft to entice the Buzzards back, in hope of getting a photo. I set up my camera on remote control, along with my wee video camera. Here are the results. I am DELIGHTED!!

This is the set-up I used:

A busy Sunday morning

It’s just after 11 and the first chance I’ve had to sit down and have my breakfast!

I was up early, for a Sunday, out the door at 8.30 to get the animals fed.

Beautiful day here so took my time. Such a difference having good weather, really lifts the spirits after the long dark winter.

Chickens were first.

I had to cull a hen last night, she had been poorly for a few days and was not going to get any better. I’d tried feeding her and making sure she got water but it didn’t help. It was the first chicken I’ve culled and was easier than I expected.

Anyway, back to the animals.

I then fed the twins and the five blackface gimmers I have at home

Then I went out into the moor to feed the singles that I’ve left out there. I’m feeding these every day or so now – but there are still 4 missing! I think they’re with someone else’s sheep further out and he will take them home next Saturday – hopefully.

Then was the real drama of the morning. Next door’s cat got stuck up a telegraph pole. We don’t know how long it had been there for but I called the Hydro and they were going to send a crew out to get it.

It didn’t reach that stage though, half an hour later the cat somehow got itself down. Hydro informed and the cat is back home, safe and sound.

Reminded me that my own cat did that as a 5 month old kitten. I was away in Liverpool on a stag-do and my mother was left to deal with it! The Hydro had to take him down that day.

Being such a nice day, I think it’s time I took Bud for a walk!

A week in pictures

I’ve had a busy week and haven’t really had time to blog so here is a quick summary!

Myself and the crofter next door both lost a sheep each on Monday, so we buried them in the same grave, instead of digging two.

Chops’ son Neil came in to dig with me. Here he is digging away, while I….supervise

Bud was his usual mischievous self this week and I always get suspicious when he goes quiet and this is where I found him the other night. Somewhere he isn’t allowed to go!

I had a day off on Friday and moved some sheep. This is one that had the yellows as a lamb and she was covered by a swarm of black

There is a moose loose aboot this hoose, well the shed. My dad spotted one, maybe 2 this morning. I picked up my big cat and took him into the shed. Within 30 seconds, he had stalked and caught a mouse. What a killing machine!

Within half an hour, he was back in the shed, patiently waiting any further mouse moiv

Nothing to report

I’m in Aberdeen for work this weekend, so no updates from the croft. Spent all day yesterday in this rather nifty office

I recorded my voiceover parts for the Sgoil nan Cuileanan (Puppy School) series I’ve been presenting for Eyeline Media. Really happy with how it looks – all you dog lovers will have to keep an eye out for it. As far as I’m aware, it’ll be shown from 1st April.

Heading back to Inverness today, in an hour or two, and then flying home tomorrow morning – and going straight to work! No rest for the wicked!

Bud’s had an accident

Poor Bud had an accident this morning. We were out for his morning training session on sheep and were moving them away from the barn & obstructions around the back when he sprinted to stop the hoggs from going back towards the barn and went straight into the old trailer. He has superficial cuts above both eyes and the poor fellow is feeling very sorry for himself. We left the sheep and will return another day!

Valentines Day with a bird

Obviously the only bird I was going to get on valentines day was of the feathered variety. I’m away to Aberdeen tomorrow to record voiceover for Sgoil nan Cuileanan that I filmed with Eyeline Media back in November so I’m trying to get as much done tonight, as I won’t be here this weekend.

I’ve got all the sheep and chicken feed ready tonight to save time in the morning but I had to give the pullet attacked by the Buzzard on Sunday its penultimate antibiotic injection.

It was checked over by the vet on Monday and seems to be recovering well.

It needs its final injection tomorrow but I’ll need to ask my mother to administer that. She’ll probably read this before I get round to it so I’ve left the syringe in the plant pot inside the door – thanks!