News from Riscombe

On this page we keep you up-to-date with any new arrivals and projects here at Riscombe Farm.

May 9th , 2008 - New Kittens:
One of our cats, Minx, has had 3 kittens today. Two boys and a girl. All well.

Three new born kittens: 2-3 hours old	2-3 hours old - All sleeping after their exertions!
One day old	One day old - the first born & biggest!
One day old - becoming active - but still with eyes closed	One day old - clambering over mum

End April, 2008 - New lambs:
Two of our ewes, Mollie and Mousie, had three lambs between them this year. All are well, except Mollie's one lamb, Baz, who is a bit slow on learning to suckle so we are topping him up with powdered ewe milk from a bottle..

Three new lambs, Bing, Baz & Bong	Mollie with her new lamb, Baz

April 22nd, 2008 - Exmoor Foal:
It's that time of year when the Exmoor ponies on the moorland are having their foals. Whilst walking on the moor yesterday (a beautiful day), Brian came across a mare with a new foal. A lovely sight.

Exmoor pony mare and new foal	Looking sprightly, but only a about 2 or 3 days old!

April 16th, 2008 - Chicks & Ducklings:
This week Brian looked out of the kitchen window and saw one of our hens leading 12 black chicks out of our barn. This was a pleasant surprise! After taking a few photos we put them in a nice safe chicken run to protect mother and chicks until they are bigger.

Also, we put 6 of our Indian runner duck eggs under a broody hen (none of our ducks were broody at the time), and she sat patiently for 4 weeks. The result was 5 lovely ducklings which will be raised by mother hen!

Mother hen and 12 surprise chicks	Five Indian runner ducklings hatched and being raised by a hen!
Three weeks old now ... ducklings bigger than 'mum' !	Three weeks ... do you think she suspects something!

May 2007 - Bluebell Wood:
Our wood is looking lovely at the moment - a wonderful spread of bluebells beneath the oak and beech trees.

Bluebells in May at Riscombe	Wander up through our bluebell wood

A Harrowing Experience! (May 2007):
Our daughter, Alice, harrowing the fields having just dyed her hair for the occasion!

Scary new hair colour!	Good job flattening the molehills

Early April, 2007 - A new lamb:
A new lamb, named Lloyd, was born to Molly and arrived earlier than planned!

Lloyd, our new lamb	Just like his mum!

Saturday, July 8th, 2006 - A Foal is Born:
We are very proud to announce the arrival of 'Moth', a foal born at 2am to Bonnie. Mother and son are very well. Just to make sure that the she was there in case there were complications at the birth, Leo had brought Bonnie into a stable each evening, and then slept in the adjacent stable ... much to the amusement of the village, especially as it extended to 9 nights in the end! He is called Moth, because just before he was born our daughter, Alice, was the playing the character Moth in Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost".

'Moth' born at 2am on July 8th, 2006	Thinking about standing up!	In the field with proud mum

Look at me, I'm 12 hours old!	Three days old	Three days old, with Weaver our lurcher

Two weeks old - not so skinny!	Two months old and his colour is changing (with Maxine - Leone's sister)	Moth at 9 months old, April 2007

July 2006 - new chicks and ducklings:
We've now got 5 Indian runner ducklings and 12 chicks in three broods.

Indian Runner ducklings	Ducklings exploring ... those long necks help in the long grass!	4 of the 5 with mum

New chicks	Do I look different from you?