It has taken me a few days to be able to write this without choking back the tears (of frustration). My lovely (and expensive) Emden geese settled in beautifully. I loved to watch them on the dam...they had all bonded and Margie was very grateful. Unfortunately for her life must be a little like living in a war zone. Apparently our fox was also very grateful and took my new gander in broad daylight on Saturday. This meant I had to admit to James how much I actually paid for it ($50). Margie and Patricia (newly named left over goose) are now refusing to go down to the dam and spend their days in the goat stable or up at the shed. Clearly they are traumatised (and actually quite sensible).
In that same day we also had a litter of piglets born without skin.... James had gone to Orange market and I was left attempting to do the pigs with Emily telling me "that isn't how Dad does it". Just when we thought she would surely explode, Charlotte our gilt waited for James to be away before farrowing. I went up to check her and couldn't figure out what I was seeing. Thank god for technology - I sent a phone photo to Fiona for clarification and after some research it turned out the piglets had a congenital problem that I can neither pronounce nor spell. Needless to say it is rare and considering the odds suggests that Charlotte had known her brother in a way that is neither right or decent before we bought her. The ones that were badly affected were taken away and we are left with five that seem to be okay.