Life On The Farm
These pictures are just a sampling of the animals that you will enjoy while visiting our farm.
The Process of Wool
Dustin Bresin
Removing the Wool
A sheep is caught and taken to the shearer from the catching pen and taken to the shearing board. The sheep are then shorn using electric or non- electric hand sheers. The wool is removed by following an efficient set of movements.
Typical mass shearing of sheep follows a well-defined workflow:
1.Remove the wool
2.Skirt the fleece
3.Class the fleece according to staple length
4.Weigh the fleece and place in the appropriate bags to store the wool until it is washed and processed into batting or roving
Most shearers are paid on a piece rate, i.e., per sheep with a minimum fee per farm visit.
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Skirting and Tagging the Fleece
Once the entire fleece has been removed from the sheep, the fleece is thrown, clean side down, on to a wool table. The wool table top consists of slats spaced approximately 12cm apart. This enables short pieces of wool, the locks and other debris, to gather beneath the table separately from the fleece. The fleece is then skirted by hand to remove the less desirable parts of the fleece. The removed pieces largely consist of shorter, seeded, burry or dusty wool etc. Other items removed from the fleece on the table, such as feces or tags, skin fragments or twigs and leaves, are discarded a short distance from the wool table so as not to contaminate the wool and fleece.
Processing the Fleece
The fleece is either washed by the individual or sent to a professional mill
The fleece is then carded with hand carders or drum carders
The fleece can be combed with English combs to obtain a worsted yarn
The fleece is spun into yarn either using a single, double, or triple ply method
Goat Facts
Dairy goats are usually seasonal breeders. Most breeding occurs in late August through January.
The goat has an 18-21 day estrus cycle or "season." The doe's "season" lasts from a few hours to two or three days.
Meet "Nelly Bell"
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Gestation- is five months or140-160 days
Body Temperature-103.6 degrees
Female dairy goat- a doe
Male-a buck
Young goat:-kid
Group of goats- a trip.
A doe milks approximately ten months following kidding, then is held dry for two months before her next freshening.
Dairy goats are hardy, gentle, intelligent animals. There are six recognized dairy goat breeds in the United States: Alpine, La Mancha, Oberhasli, Nubian, Saanen, Toggenburg.
Nelly giving a vistor a Valentines Day kiss
Rise 'N' Shine Rooster & Chicken
Chicken Facts
A chickens' body temperature: normally runs at 102-103
A chicken is: a bird
A male is: a rooster
A female: a hen
A clutch: a nest of eggs
A brood: a number of young produced or hatched at one time
A pullet: a young hen less than a year old
How can they ship baby chicks without them dying or becoming thirsty and hungry?
Right before a chicken hatches they draw into thir abdomen or yolk for nurishment. This provides them with all the food they need for 48 hours.
How long does it take a chicken to lay an egg?
It takes a hen 24-26 hours to lay an egg
An egg starts growing into a chick when it reaches a temperature of 86 degrees F.
How long does it take a chicken to hatch?
A chicken takes 21 days to hatch.
How much feed does it take to produce a dozen eggs?
It takes 4 lbs. of feed to make 1 dozen eggs
How do I know if my eggs are fresh?
Put your egg in cold water. A fresh egg contains little air in the sack so it will sink. It will lay flat on the bottom of your bowl.As the egg starts to age, it will tip further on end from the bottom of the bowl. An old egg will float.When you crack an egg open the yolk of a fresh egg will stand firm. An old eggs yolk will flatten out.
Why are the yolks of some eggs so yellow and other are not?
When you purchase eggs from free- range chickens the yolks are bright yellow. These chickens recieve sunlight and the vitiman D from the sun is passed to the yolk. Commercial chickens never see the light of day.
How do I know what color of egg a chicken will lay?
A general rule is a chicken with red ear lobes will lay a brown egg and a chicken with white ear lobes will lay white eggs.
Can a chicken lay eggs with out a rooster?
Yes, but the eggs will not be fertile.
How many roosters do I need to fertilize my chicken eggs?
One rooster for every twelve chickens.
When will my chickens start laying eggs.
Usually between 5-7 months of age.
Why do chickens stop laying eggs?
Hens lay best when temperatures are between 45 and 80 degrees.
Chickens molt or loose their feathers at about 18 months of age. Molting usually lasts for about 2-4 months. Chickens will resume laying eggs after they are done molting.
There are over 150 varieties of domestic chickens.
Americans consume 8 billion chickens a year.
Duck Facts
| Male: | Drake |
| Female: | Hen |
| Maturity: | 6-12 months |
| Incubation: | approx. 28 days |
| Young: | Ducklings |
| Fledge: | 40-65 days depending on size |
Indian Runner Ducks come in more than two dozen colors and stand tall and upright like a bowling pin.
They are the most prolific egg layers, some laying up to 300 eggs per year. They do not fly.
Runner Ducks are native to the Indian-sub-continent and Malaysia.
Runners Ducks were first brought to England by a sea captain in the 1850's,
but not well known in the United States before 1900. They are whimsical to watch and will bring a smile to any observer.
(Hens lay best when the temperature is between 45-80 degrees F)
Peafowl Facts
Fledge- a young bird grows its flight feathers and begins to fly. |
Indigo Blue Peacock
White Peacock
Picture are courtesy of Amy from Amy's Peacocks
www.amyspeacockparadise.com
Peafowl are native primarily to the continent of Asia, the countries being India, Burma, Java, and Malaya.
Peafowl are usually quiet except during breeding season or unless they are spooked by
something at night.
10% of all proceeds are donated for disaster relief & mutual aid efforts.
Rise 'N' Shine Farm
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Jacobs Closet #(717) 259-7771