Wonderland Farm

Ducklings are coming!

The next month is going to be extremely busy here in Wonderland!

First on the agenda is ducklings! Sometime the week of May 10 we will be getting 5 female Buff ducks. Buffs are listed as an American Livestock Breeds Conservancy high priority duck breed with a status of "threatened." (I am trying to make any and all livestock I own heritage breeds or breeds needing conservation, rather than commercially bred breeds.) According to the ALBC (http://www.albc-usa.org) the Buff is a medium weight duck weighing between six and eight pounds, and can lay up to 150-220 eggs per year. It is also a very beautiful bird with buff colored plumage. I may invest in a drake sometime in the future, and try my hand at raising them. As is evident by my other blogs and pages on my site, I am all about conservation.

Also, sometime in May is when Sandy and Brownie are due to kid. I'm crossing my fingers for an easy and uneventful delivery!

Now for the gloomier subject. I'm sure everyone has been reading and watching news about the Swine Flu. Now, I'm not a health expert or anything near it, but I do want to share some tips I have gathered from reading news article about Swine Flu.

• First off, wash your hands! Germs are spread by you touching something with a germ on it, and then touching yourself.
  
• Second, try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. These are gateways into the body for germs.
  
• Third, avoid sick people. Anyone showing symptoms of the flu should be avoided if possible.
• Fourth, use a tissue when you sneeze or cough, and throw it away after using. Then wash your hands.
  
• Finally, if you start getting symptoms, stay away from other people, don't go to work or school, and see your doctor.

 Facts about Swine Flu:

• It is transferred from person to person, particularly by coughing and sneezing.
• It cannot be contracted from eating pork. (However, always cook your meats thoroughly and avoid contaminating cooked foods with raw meat.)
• Symptoms are fever, cough, sneezing, aches, chills, and fatigue. Vomiting and diarrhea are also possible symptoms.

Here are the websites I gather this info from. They also contain additional information, so please check them out! Better safe than sorry!

• Hobby Farms: http://www.hobbyfarms.com/farm-industry-news/2009/04/28/swine-flu-pig-owners.aspx ;
  
• CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm
• TN Department of Health: http://health.state.tn.us/swineflu.htm    
  

Spring Tidings to All =]