Farm Day 2014

Saturday was Farm Day 2014 at the Dancing Goat Farm and it turned out to be a wonderful day. I got to the farm about 7AM because I wanted to make sure all the chickens and quails were ready for their big day. The weather was a little cloudy and it looked like it was going to rain eventually but the sun was still out and by 10AM the guests started to arrive. I was at the main gate greeting the guest with one of the baby goats whose name is Philomena. As the guests came to the main gate they met a happy bouncing baby goat and many people took pictures with her in their arms. The guests all then gathered in a group and were welcomed by Pam who took them on a tour telling them the story of the Dancing Goat Farm. The guests had been at the farm for about an hour when one of the goats went into labor. Everyone rushed into the barn and gathered around the stale with the expecting mother. Outside it started to rain heavily but no one cared and everybody waitted patiently for about an hour until the birth of two beautiful and healthy baby girls. All the guest were so excited they were cheering, clapping as well as crying it was a perfect ending to a great day. We all would like to thank everyone for coming out to the Dancing Goat Farm and look forward to see you all again soon. Please check back with the City Boy on the Farm during the week for more pictures and stories. The picture is of the two new baby girls born during Farm Day 2014.

Playing with the Baby Goats

Today was a beautiful morning on the farm even though it was a little cloudy. I gave the chickens their new feed this morning which is in the form of a solid pellet. At first the chickens all looked at me a little confused with the new food but within a few minutes they realized it was breakfast and started to eat. After feeding, cleaning and gather the eggs I noticed that the time had gone by very fast and it was time for me to leave but not before I went and visited with the baby goats. As soon as I entered into the stall I was greeted by several excited babies who wanted to play with me right away. I spent twenty minutes with the babies running around, playing and laughing I think I might have even seen a few of the baby goats dancing. Well if you get to come and visit us for Farm Day 2014 this Saturday please take the time and say hello to the City Boy on the Farm and if you like I will be happy to share some more of my stories of life on the Dancing Goat Farm with you.

Quail Security Guard...Motley

At the Dancing Goat Farm the chickens are housed in many cages that are located throughout the property. The quails are all housed in a separate area that has about 100 quails that produce eggs which are sold at the local markets. The quail area is an open air enclosure that offers the quails protection from the weather but still allows them to be outside. The quails are delicate and vulnerable to small animals that are looking for a quick snack and it is hard to watch them all the time. Well about a year ago one of the roosters who name is Motley injured his leg with his own spur and had to be separated from the other chickens to give his wound time to heal. Pam decided to put Motley in the enclosure with the quails because it would be a quiet place for him. As time went by Motleys leg got better but Pam also noticed that Motley had started to act very protective of the quails and their enclosure. If anything entered the quails enclosure Motley would crow as well as protect his territory. Since Motley has been in the enclosure there have been very few incidents or attach's. Also when it is time for me to clean, feed and gather the eggs Motley always welcomes me with a friendly chatter and allows me to do my work without any incidents he is a true gentleman. At one time Motley was a just another rooster on the Dancing Goat Farm but after a small injury he found his true purpose on the farm the Quails Security Guard. Well check back soon for more photos and stories from the City Boy on the Farm.

Snack Time

The goats eat special food but hay is always good for Snack Time.

Baby Goat Love

I visited with Philomena and the other baby goats this morning and they were happy to see me.

Protection from Bing

Bing is the Polish Rooster that wondered into my neighborhood and he is the reason we both came to the Dancing Goat Farm. When Bing was young he was bold, out going and very confident of himself. As Bing got older he started to get aggressive toward people and I knew it was time to find him a better place to live. Through friends of mine I was introduced to Pam the owner of the Dancing Goat Farm and she took Bing in with the promise of my help on the farm. Well four months later Bing and I are doing well we have found a second home on the farm. Bing now has three ladies who are also polish chickens and they all share a nice large cage together. When it is time to clean Bings cage you have to be careful because he will protect his ladies with his life. It started to become a problem to get into the cage to clean, feed and collect the eggs. Every time I went in I had to take a trash can cover in with me to use as a shield this was hard on us both and I did not want Bing to get hurt during his fury. If I have learned one thing on the farm you have to be able to think outside the box. After a few days of thinking about the situation of controlling Bing safely I decided to use a plastic milk crate as a temporary holding cage. When I came in the next day I was ready to try out my new idea. I went and got a red plastic milk crate and went to Bings cage opened the door and as I walked in Bing started to approach me but instead of having to protect myself I calmly placed the milk crate over him at which time he just sat down and started to complain. This was a great moment because I now was able to clean, feed and collect the eggs with no problems. When I was done I turned to let Bing out but was surprised to see his ladies sitting on top of the milk crate enjoying the view of their man in captivity. After enjoying the ladies for awhile I let Bing out slowly as I was leaving the cage he just looked up at me turned around and went to get some food. I have been using the milk crate for a few weeks now and Bing has become used to it and calmly waits in the crate until I am done. Well its been another wonderful few days at the farm so please check back soon to see what the City Boy on the Farm is doing.

Two New Babies Staying Warm

Just wanted to share this picture of the two newest additions to the Dancing Goat Family.

Enjoying the Baby Goats

The baby goats love attention and affection which they always give right back.

Getting ready for the Open House

Today was a beautiful day on the farm and there was a lot of activity. I was busy feeding and cleaning the chickens and quails while Steffie was cleaning and feeding the goats. Jose was rebuilding the water tower in the quails cage and leveling off one of their cages. After I was done with my work I took time to play with Philomena and the other baby goats. The older baby goats are now using a large nursing bucket so they can nurse on their own, this really helps when it is time to feed the babies. I also made sure to stop and visit with the baby bunnies who are getting big so fast and really do not look like babies anymore. In between loving and playing with all the babies I repainted two older plant holders and worked on the flower gardens that we have recently planted. Everyone has been working very hard the last few weeks to prepare the farm for the open house that Pam is having on March 29th for her family, friends and customers. So check back soon to see what is happening with the City Boy on the Farm and all his friends at the Dancing Goat Farm.

Baby Goats Staying Warm

The baby goats wear sweaters, shirts and jackets to stay warm when it is chilly.

Time to Collect the Eggs

Every morning after I am done feeding and cleaning the chickens its then time to collect the eggs. There are four large cages in the front of the farm that house about 100 chickens. Each one of these cages has a nesting box where the chickens nest in and lay their eggs. I always knock on the door to the nesting box to let the chickens know I am opening it to gather the eggs. As I open the door you can hear the chattering from the nesting chickens who do not want to be disturbed. To make the chickens feel more relaxed I always talk to them calmly while speaking in a reassuring tone. The chickens seem to know that my intentions are good and they allow me to collect the eggs as well as clean out the boxes. After I have collected the eggs and relined the boxes with fresh hay they jump right back in ready to start the process all over again. Next I collect the eggs from the row of twelve separate cages that house about forty chickens. These cages are set up so that you can feed and clean the chickens from the front while collecting eggs from the nesting boxes in the back. When the eggs are removed from these cages I then go to the back of the farm where there are four more large cages with another 100 chickens. The back cages are set up with the nesting boxes inside the cage so you have to enter into the cage to collect the eggs. When entering the cages I have to come in slowly because all the chickens come right over to see what I am doing but they eventually clear a path so I can get to the nesting boxes. After all the eggs have been collected I bring them to Pam and she prepares them to be sold at a few local markets. Well check back soon to see more pictures and hear more stories from the City Boy on the Farm.

Sunrises before the Farm

Every morning I go to the Safety Harbor Marina to watch the sunrise and to feed whatever birds are hungry that morning. Here is a beautiful picture I wanted to share from this morning.

Playtime with the Babies

Today when I was done with the cleaning and feeding of all the animals I took sometime to play with Philomena and a few of her siblings. There are now fourteen baby goats and the older ones have been moved into a regular stall while the babies are still in the nursery. Philomena is now three weeks old and she is very confident and full of energy. When I entered her stall to visit with her and the four other babies that are about her age I noticed that they where all outside in the play area. The play area has a little jungle gym with a slide that the goats jump, climb and play on with one another. I sat down on the corner of the jungle gym and was met by five very excited baby goats. Philomena jumped right into my lap as the others tried to join her it was baby goat heaven. Finally everyone calmed down and we got to all play together for quite awhile. I could tell it was time for me to go when the babies where starting to lay down together getting ready to take their nap. It was another great week at the Dancing Goat Farm so please check back soon for more pictures, stories and to see how the City Boy on the Farm is doing.

First Look at the World

This is a picture from Saturday's delivery...his first look at the world.

Delivering Number Eleven and Twelve

This morning was a little chilly when I got to the farm and everyone seemed hungry so I got right to work. After I feed and watered all the chickens and quails I went to check on the baby rabbits who are now hopping around and eating on their own. On Saturday mornings I have some extra time so I decided to give the quail area a good cleaning. There are about two hundred quails at the Dancing Goat Farm and they are housed in a separate area. The quails produce eggs throughout the day which are collected and sold at a few local markets. After I finished cleaning the quail area I decided to go and play with the baby goats before I left for the day. When I got into the barn I saw Steffie and Brianna in a stall with one of the new Starlight Shire goats and they told me that the Starlight was ready to give birth. Steffie, Brianna and I are volunteer on the farm a few times a week and on Saturdays we are on our own so this was going to be our first delivery without Pam's assistance. We where all a little nervous at first but over the last few weeks Pam had trained us to be ready for this day. The three of us got together and worked as a team and successfully delivered two beautiful baby boys who are number eleven and twelve. There are many more babies on the way in the next few weeks so check back soon with the City Boy on the Farm.

Funny Baby Goat Picture

I always like to share the pictures that i know will make everyone laugh and smile.

Now there where Nine

It was a rainy morning and I got to the farm a little early to try to beat the thunderstorms the weatherman was promising. I got right to work feeding and cleaning and when I got to the rabbit cages i could not wait to check on the babies. The five baby rabbits are much bigger now and have started to come out of their little nest to explore their cage. This morning they where jumping into their food bowl for a snack they are doing very well. After I was done feeding and cleaning I noticed a few boxes of day old glazed and powdered donuts which where left for the chickens. As I worked my way over to the donuts you could hear the excitement in the air as all the chickens started to chatter it was as if they where calling out to me for their snacks. As I went from cage to cage I was greeted with happy faces, silly dances and many crows. Once the snacks where handed out I went into the barn to see the baby goats. When I came to the farm on Tuesday there where seven now there where nine. Pam and Mary where busy feeding the babies while Karl was doing some electrical work. I was surprised to see five baby goats running around the barn loose playing, jumping and begging for attention. The babies where content with being out with everyone and playing in the barn. This is a whole new experience for me and to be with nine bouncing baby goats at once is a wonderful feeling and to think there is going to be about thirty more. I took a few minutes before I left to feed Philamena who is now a professional and easily drank all of her bottle with confidence. The weather was not good today for taking pictures but the weather this weekend will be perfect so I will make sure and get lots of baby goat pictures. So check back soon to see how the City Boy on the Farm and all his friends are doing at the Dancing Goat Farm.

Silly Goat Picture

Take a look at this silly picture I'm sure it will put a smile on your face.

New Baby Bunny Picture

Wanted to let you see the babies with their eyes open and ready to see the world.

Bing and the Dancing Goat Farm

I always like to share my story of how I met Pam and how I became a part of the Dancing Goat Farm. I currently live in Safety Harbor but I am originally from New York City. My business allows me to work from my home and since I live across the street from the Bay and my yard is full of trees and plants all kinds of wildlife live there or visit and to be honest I feed them all because my home and yard will always be a safe haven for all animals. One day I came home from the bank and in my yard there was a young lost polish rooster pecking around. I got out and greeted him and he immediately came up to me like a long lost friend. After a day or two of getting to know him I decided to name him Bing for his attitude because he is like a little gangster that says Ba Da Bing and he ruled our neighborhood and much to my surprise Bing was accepted with open arms. Bing is a very resourceful rooster as well as a survivor and he decided to start perching in a small tree right next to my screened porch every night. Right before the sun would set he would return home from his day of adventures and perch safety in that tree until the next morning. Bing came into my life on the afternoon of July 15 2013 and he stayed at my home until December 5 2013. I had come home on December 4 2013 and noticed a police cruiser along with a paramedic just down the road from my house there also was a frantic lady who was claiming she was attached by a wild chicken that had jumped out of the bushes. I quietly stayed at my house until the lady, paramedics and police had finally left. So now Bing was a fugitive chicken and I knew that I needed to act very quickly. So the first thing I did was to call my friend Karl because he has extensive experience with chickens and he also knew Bings whole story. After I told him about Bing both he and Mary opened their home to Bing and allowed me to bring him to stay in their garage until the next morning but my job was to round Bing up which was very easy to do because he came back to his tree that night right before the sun went down. As luck would have it I had also gone that Saturday to the Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Petersburg and had a chance to meet Pam face to face and after promising her my help on the farm she said I could bring Bing to the farm that Monday morning if he had no where else to go. Well fugitive Bing had nowhere else to go so when Monday morning came Bing, Karl and I went to the Dancing Goat Farm and now it is three months later and Bing has a nice place to live, three beautiful wives and I am part of a wonderful group of people who call the Dancing Goat Farm their second home. Thanks for reading Bing's story and please check back soon with the City Boy on the Farm.

Happy Chickens on the Farm

There was beautiful weather this weekend and all the animals on the farm where very happy especially the chickens. There are over 25 chicken coops some with as few as two chickens and the bigger coops have about 50 chickens. The cleaning and feeding takes about 2 hours and during that time i not only clean and feed but i get to interact with everyone which is a big highlight for me. I have a schedule for cleaning so that everyone gets a good cleaning and hay change at least twice a month. Last Saturday I was cleaning the big coops and after removing all the old hay and replacing it with nice fresh hay you can just tell that the chickens where very happy. When the chickens are happy it seems to increase their egg production as well as the quality of their everyday life and that makes me happy. I go again this Tuesday to the farm so check back because more baby goats are on the way and i am sure there will be more interesting stories to tell.

The Guinea's are home safe

I arrived at the farm this morning about 8am and I noticed that eight guineafowl where still running around loose. I decided to start the days work and when Jose arrived I could ask for his assistance since he has experience handling guineafowl. When Jose arrived he approached me with a smile and a chuckle and reassured me that we would get the rest of the guineafowl before the day was over. After all the chickens and quails where feed and cleaned I was determined to catch the guineafowl by constructing a cage with a cover that I would herd them into. No sooner than I began construction I heard Jose yell out that he just got the all of the guinefowl back into their cage. I asked him what did he do and he told me he spoke Spanish to them and slowly herded them into their cage which had a big bowl of water for them to drink. At this point I made sure there was no way for the guineafowl to escape again because I have learned my lesson. Also some great news last night two more baby goats joined the Dancing Goat Farm so check back soon for more pictures, stories and to see how the City Boy on the Farm is doing.

Baby Bunnies

With the goats starting to be born i don't want to forget about the five baby bunnies born two weeks ago. Today i noticed a few of their eyes where opening and they are starting to look like rabbits.