Feeding the Farm Animals

For the last four days of our time on the farm I fed the animals in the morning. The fist two times with Poni Skalova (I hope thats spelt right) who is the little lady I mentioned in one of my first posts who’s name I have since learned!
The first day was a little frustrating, she didn’t realise that I was going to be filling in for her so she could have two days off, I needed to learn everything and make notes not to forget. She would give me a job and go off to do something else. I think I slowed her down more than anything. I spent most of the time moving hay.

Later I spoke to Petr and he explained to Skalova.
The next day was much better, I felt I had been of some real help and she made sure we did everything together at least once. There was still a couple of things that confused me. Its amazing how much we take communication for granted. The simplest thing suddenly become so difficult. Like “get a wheelborrow”, what? Pick up a bucket? Nope. Collect straw? Nope. Ohh move the wheelborrow? Nope. Ah shes got the wheelborrow. Riiiight. Duh. Not to mention that the word yes in Czech sounds like “no” which I knew by then, but its so easy to forget. I probably said “Dobri?” (Good?) a million times that day. But we got there in the end! Bless her, shes so sweet. She loves all the animals to pieces, they all have names, she pointed out the pregnant sheep and scratched all the pigs :) there are little piglets too. That day they where having their tags done. David and Richard where helping but we kept having problems with the staple like device which is used so it was a little traumatic for everyone, piglets included. The boys worked out a system though and all the males got done, there was lots of stroking included. They are so cute! Some of them are really scared but others will trot up to you lean in and snuffle your hand (and try to bite the odd finger!). The big ones love a good scratch, they come up and ask for it! especially a really friendly huge mum to be. On our last day she had her piglets :)

For the next two days David and I fed the animals by ourselves.

We would begin by letting all the egg laying hens out of their houses, checking their water and food. Then we fed all the chickens, geese and turkeys and gave them water. The geese drink loads!
Then we give piles of hay to the sheep and goats and water too.
Pigs are next, they all get fed with a flour like grain and any vegetable leftovers we have. After feeding we clean them out and give them fresh straw.
Then over to the pheasants, guinea pigs and lone rabbit (that the previous farm manager left!) with fresh grass. This makes the guinea pigs day :)
And back to the sheep and goats with more hay.
Its quite a big job, it takes about two to three hours, but its fun. Although you do stink to high heaven!