Relaxed Farming - our farm in your classroom

Firstly, the sad news: our tiny duckling has vanished! We opened up all the houses as usual this morning and enjoyed the sight of 29 ducklings rushing out to eat and drink and then we went to let out and feed the rest of the animals. We returned within the hour to check on him and there was no sign. We searched and searched, sure we would find him and convinced he could not have gone far, but we had no luck!! Guilt then set in as we began to think we should have put him back under the heat lamp where he would have been secure... This was balanced against the fact he was small and possibly had something wrong with him and may not have survived anyway!!! All very difficult!!
The better news is that the remaining 28 are all growing well and whilst we still have the occasional swopping of mums (see 31st May), on the whole the ducklings DO seem to know to whom they belong. The mums carry on regardless, no matter who they have, but today we saw one of Pear's duckling who had got left behind, find Orange and stay with her but then later when Pear appeared again, going back to her! Pear travels far and wide with her 15 strong brood... today she was in with the dairy goats!!! They all must be getting a fabulously varied diet with all the foraging they are doing!!
The pygmy and dairy goats continue to delight and amuse. They really are the masters of play: we have noticed more 'jostling' and pushing when they jump up on their platforms which is actually all part of establishing the pecking order. Most animals will have a pecking order with the more dominant and confident being at the top and in the case of our goats, literally at the top as the more dominant will push the others off the platforms and back onto the ground.
In the wild, the top goat is always a female, she is the 'matriarch' (similar to elephants) but there is also a top male who acts as the scout. He will go on ahead to find the best place to rest and eat and then come back to lead the rest of the herd there. Little Chestnut here is proving to be quite assertive but there is a lot more playing to do yet before pecking orders are established with his siblings.