The farmingfriends website was set up at the end of 2006 and started as a diary of daily life on the farm but has grown into an online magazine and forum community packed with information, resources and products relating to farming, keeping livestock, food and nature. If you are a farmer, smallholder, animal enthusiast, parent, child or anyone interested in animals and the farming lifestyle, then the Farming Friends website and forum is for you.
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Many thanks, and I hope the information has been useful. If you cannot find the farming information or growing card that you are looking for then just ask and I'll try and offer some advice. Sara @ Farming Friends
I have been looking at the top 10 articles on the farmingfriends website since the site was first set up. So why not sit back with a cup of tea and catch up with the most popular information posts.
Hope you enjoyed catching up with these popular articles on farmingfriends.
If you have an article idea related to farming and smallholding then please feel free to contact me.
I often receive emails asking about the behaviour of guinea fowl.
“Hi! I have just bought 4 several week old guinea fowl- I noticed one looking poorly and it was dead by morning- today I noticed that 2 are jumping from the roost onto the back of the 3rd- it is now looking quite lame and not good at all- I was wondering what and WHY the other 2 would be doing this? They have not been sexed, so I dont know if they are males or females. I havent had guinea fowls before. Hope you can help! Joon”
My response was;
Hi Jane,
Sorry to hear about your guinea fowl dying and then the odd behaviour of the guinea fowl. The males can be aggressive towards each other especially during the breeding season or if the group loses a guinea fowl and they have to re-establish the pecking order. My males tend to jump up and at each other face on and then chase each other and one will grab hold of the other from behind.
It could be that they are also attacking a weaker one, often birds will attack another bird if they sense or can see it has an ailment or isn’t very well.
Hope your guinea fowl are ok and settle down soon for you.
I have a free forum with a section on guinea fowl. http://farmingfriends.com/forums/forum.php?id=6 I have posted your comment here to see if any of the other guinea fowl owners have experienced this.
Kind regards
sara @ farmingfriends
Have you come across this unusual behaviour in guinea fowl, if so then please leave a comment.
If you keep guinea fowl and want to ask a question to get some advice or just to chat about your guinea fowl then why not join the free farmingfriends guinea fowl forum.
Here at farmingfriends we are a fan of Katie Thear’s books on keeping poultry and home incubation.
Katie Thear, who sadly died earlier this year, wrote 22 non fiction books about smallholding and keeping poultry and livestock. Katie wrote from first hand experience and her books are packed with tips and advice for the smallholder and poultry keeper.
Here are some of Katie Thear’s books about keeping poultry.
I have read that double yolked hen eggs are caused by two eggs separating from the birds ovary at the same time and joining into one egg!
I would like to know if double yolks are on the increase. I rarely get a double yolk duck, hen, guinea fowl or quail egg. Occasionally we have had a double yolked quail egg but I have never had a twin yolked guinea fowl egg.
I am posing the question about whether double yolkers are on the increase as I received an interesting email from Sarah yesterday.
“I have read today in national paper one womans shock at all 6 of her eggs being twin yolks and that the british egg forum states its rare and to find 1 in a box is 1000 – 1 chance. However, I would like to point out that the cheaper eggs that I have been buying from “well known supermarket” are nearly always twin yolks. Easily 6 twin yolks this week in the 10 I have used so far. Im sure if it was looked into this is more common than the experts think. What I would like to know is…how can this be happening so often. What are they doing to the chickens! Is this a case of more interference with nature with inevitably a knock on effect in the human diet? Sarah B”
Thought this was interesting so if you wish to enter the debate then please feel free to comment, would love to know what you think. You can either leave a comment here on the website or you can catch up with the debate on the farmingfriends forum.
It’s always good to hear from my farmingfriends and Sandy who lives in the US has been in touch about her guinea fowl and naked neck turkens!
Sandy's Hens
Hello Sara,
Well it’s been some time since I’ve checked in with you. We have since removed our guineas to a farm. They had decided to roost on the roof of our house (during ice storms and when hubby caught them and put them in a pen for shelter, they almost killed themselves trying to get out) and on the gutter of our back porch. Oh my the mess they made and the noise. We ended up with 4 our of the original 10. 2 boys 2 girls. One of the boys was quite ruthless to the other. A couple times I thought he was going to kill him. They were interesting to have for a while, but did not do the job on scorpion control that we’d hoped for.
My daughter was renting a house so could not keep her hens, we have them and in the photo is the naked neck, Marie. The rooster has since be carried off by a coyote.
The hens do a great job of insect control. (And snake control too, if you want I’ll send a photo of Marie with the snake she caught and killed and ate.) We have a lot fewer scorpions this year, the hens are constantly scratching an searching. A friend gave me two of the prettiest little BB Red roosters. They decided to roost away from the hens, who we lock up every night. Lost one probably from raccoon. The same friend gave me two little BB Red hens. We get such a kick out them.
Someone dumped dogs out where we live and one chased my little rooster down and killed him. So sad that folks only think of themselves by dumping dogs.
Well Sara, so sorry not to be in touch with you. Life has been well, life. I had started a note to you so long ago and ran across it which prompted me to write this. Hope all is well on your farm. Would love to hear from you. Have a great day.
Shalom Y’all
Sandy
My penpal David lives in Cyprus and I do look forward to his emails and letter. David has beenwithout the internet for some time now but has managed to get to a computer to let us know what he is up to.
Hi Sara
I have borrowed a friends computer with broadband (fast isnt it) so have the chance to send you a little message regarding my latest happenings.
The move to Kedares went well and the cats and I are now happily settled in our new house. Not as big as the house in Tsada but still with two bedrooms and a large yard where I can park the car off the road. I have two flower beds where I have planted tomatoes which have already given me at least 25 kilos of fruit and they are still cropping! My chillies peppers melons and aubergines are all doing well and I hope to have produce well into the autumn.
Kedares is a small village with a coffee shop and restaurant but little else. No shop so I have to go over the hill to Arsos if I need milk or water etc. Various traders come through the village on various days. The vegetable man comes on Wednesday and the cheese man is here on Fridays.
I have no real address so any letters sent to me tend to arrive eventually usually to Leo who runs the coffee shop.
I am off to pick the Shiraz grapes for Nelion winery next week which will be interesting and I hope informative.
I need to get some manure for the land and I am hoping that Neofitys will come with his tractor and do some ploughing for me in the autumn.
I have decided to sell the land in the Troodos. I do not think it will be possible to build houses there and in any event I am being offered land near Kedares which is more fertile and will produce more crops.
The weather here has been very hot with some record temperatues being achieved. Are we being told the full story about global warming!! I rather doubt it. With major fires in Russia and drastic floods in Parkistan it seems that the world is telling us something but are we listening? Any way enough of that.
Well I do hope to get the internet connected very soon so I should be able to ramble on to you all again. I keep up with the happenings on the web site and all the news.
Best regards to you and all farming friends
David
Having visited this part of Cyprus myself a few years ago it is always interesting to hear about village life. David always gives us a sense of the real Cyprus and I almost feel I’m there!
If you would like to read David’s other letters then click on the following links:
I received an email on behalf of the RSPCA about encouraging supermarkets to do more for animal welfare.
For the second year running, the RSPCA Good Business Awards is open to the public through the People’s Choice Supermarket award which means that people can vote for the supermarket they think is doing the most for animal welfare.
The People’s Choice Supermarket award is back and bigger than ever before. Voting is open to the public again this year, which means that people can directly reward the supermarket they think is doing the most for animal welfare, helping to encourage other shops to do more.
The RSPCA has short-listed four stores that have achieved high welfare standards in the past twelve months. Now they are just waiting for the public to choose a winner. The four supermarkets that have made it through to the short-list are the Co-operative, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
By casting a vote for the one you feel has done the most for farm animal welfare, you will be encouraging all supermarkets to follow suit and raise their standards. So a vote for your favourite is really a vote on behalf of farm animals everywhere. Voting closes on September 10th, and the winner will be announced in October. You can find all the details at http://www.independent.co.uk/voterspca
Sarah, one of the farmingfriend’s forum members has emailed through some info about the Big Butterfly Count taking place from 24th July to 1st August 2010.
Butterflies are disappearing and are in serious decline, they are both beautiful and vital to the health of our environment.
So be part of the big butterfly count from the 24th July to the 1st of August this year and help Butterfly Conservation gather information to save them.
Just find a place where you might see butterflies, such as a garden or park, and count the different butterflies you see in just 15 minutes. You can make counts in several places during the week.
Submit your sightings at www.bigbutterflycount.org and you’ll receive 10 per cent off plants when you shop online at M&S.
I have been asked about whether a duck that is sitting on a nest of eggs should get off the nest and get food and drink.
“This is my ducks first time laying eggs. I don’t know what to expect. I notice there a fox now in the neighborhood and my duck is sitting on her eggs all day and night. My question is she’s not eating/drinking or leaving the nest. Is that normal and how long will she stay there. What can I do to protect her for the fox. Can i move the eggs?
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for visiting the farmingfriends website.
Your duck does need to leave the nest – once or twice a day to eat and drink, so you will have to encourage her to do so. I would also place some sort of protection around her to protect her from the fox. I would avoid moving the eggs if possible as they don’t always sit on the eggs if moved.
I added your question my free farmingfriends forum http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=844 which has alot of duck keepers and they may have advice for you, infact Sarah has already left a reply “Hi Stephanie.
Last year I had to move my girl off her nest once or twice a day so that she ate and had fresh water, but this year i have a different girl sitting and she comes out with the others in the morning for a wash and feed, then again about 9pm to do the same – so this is normal.
Are you really sure she is not eating or drinking at all?
If so, you will have to encourage her off the nest and get her to eat/drink and bathe. They go into a sort of trancelike state, but she won’t be able to last for 28 days. Make sure she has close access to food and water so she doesnt have to move far as she is worried about leaving her eggs.
Don’t move the eggs unless there is no other option.
She needs to be protected at all times from the fox so secure her area with a wire netting enclosure or similar.
Regards,
Sarah”
Do you have any advice for Stephanie about whether it’s normal for the duck not to want to come off the nest for food and drink and how to protect the duck from a fox without disturbing her sitting on the eggs?
If you keep ducks or are interested in keeping ducks then check out the books shown above about keeping ducks which are informative and excellent for the beginner and a handy reference for the more experienced duck keeper.
If you would like to receive regular information about ducks then why not sign up to the farmingfriends newsletter.
Just thought I would let you know that I received an email from Gary who recently bought some of my guinea fowl eggs for hatching.
He emailed a few weeks ago to let me know that the guinea fowl eggs had hatched and he had 4 keets.
Hi there farming friends, once again thanks for the Guinea fowl eggs the eggs were put under my broody bantam, and exactly 28 days after a good result 4 eggs out of the 6 hatched I am very pleased, the keets are doing well, once again many thanks.
Gary
He has just emailed through some photos.
Gary's Four Guinea Fowl Keets And Pekin Bantams
Gary's Four Guinea Fowl Keets And Pekin Bantams
“Hi there, it’s Gary here, my little keets are doing well and are running about the hen coop with their two bantam mums, I am enclosing a pic taken last week, they are enjoying the sun and surprised me by flying onto the perches like budgies lol, I am pleased to bits with the 2 bantams which hatched them, and I can say I am getting a lot of pleasure watching their antics, thanks for the prompt delivery of the eggs, and very pleased with the hatch, now I am sitting back enjoying them. Cheers, Gary. PS My partner was waiting for them to darken lol”
It’s always great to hear from customers who are have had a successful hatch and are enjoying their keets.
If you keep guinea fowl and want to ask a question to get some advice or just to chat about your guinea fowl then why not join the free farmingfriends guinea fowl forum.
Dave is a member of the farmingfriends forum and Dave has just joined our forum community as he and his son are awaiting the arrival of a pair of call ducks. This photograph is of a heron at Esthwaite in Cumbria. I have never seen a heron in the wild like this, so thanks for sharing Dave.
If you like taking photographs then why not enter our Farming Friends ‘Foto’ Of The Month Competition.
The photographs need to have a farming theme and can include the farming landscape, farm animals, farm machinery, farming life or nature and wildlife on and around a farm or the countryside both from the UK and abroad.
If you would like to enter then please send your photographs by email keeping the photograph attachment to a size of about 600 x 400 pixels. If you don’t know the email address then please leave a comment or use the contact form on the contact page and I’ll email you back.
Please supply some details about the photograph – the name of the person who took the photograph, when and where it was taken and what is happening in the photograph.
The winning ‘Foto’ will be posted at the beginning of the following month. I look forward to seeing your entries for the Farming Friends Photograph of the Month Competition.
Click on the camera image below to visit Amazon.co.uk to find out more about this camera or visit Amazon.com.
