Unity Farm Journal - Second Week of June 2014

My wife and I did not think it was possible for a duck to hatch guinea fowl, but this week it happened.Guinea fowl are horrible parents.They lay their eggs in piles throughout the forest and then abandon them.   Even if a “designated layer” sits on the communal egg pile, the young often get wet and chilled after hatching and do not make it back to the coop.A few weeks ago, the guineas decided to lay a few eggs in the duck house.    Five of the ducks instantly began sitting on the eggs in shifts, keep them warm and protected.Our sense was that dry guineas offer a very different humidity environment than constantly wet ducks.Imagine Kathy’s surprise when she went into the duck house and found baby guineas running around. In the end, it was nature over nurture - the guineas had no interest in swimming and the duck parents thought their new offspring were defective - a different kind of ugly duckling.   We brought four baby guineas into the warmth of our brooder and today they are happy and healthy.   In a few weeks, when they’re older and stronger, we’ll introduce the babies to the community of guineas so they can integrate into the family.Speaking of ducks, one of our harlequins, Belle, had a traumatic eye injury, likely from her interactions with wild ducks which frequently visit the duck pond.   As the farm medical care professional, I know that Pseudomonas infection of the eye is a real barnyard risk.    Kathy and I did minor...
Source: Life as a Healthcare CIO - Category: Technology Consultants Source Type: blogs