🌱 Castlemains Farm Blog – Week 3 🌱Egg-citing news, cheeky goats, and pony shoe rescues!

What a week it's been at Castlemains!

We’re thrilled to share that the last batch of pullets we bred ourselves — with the help of our handsome resident cockerel — have started laying! Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been collecting a gorgeous variety of egg colours. It’s like a little treasure hunt every morning! These homebred hens are doing us proud, and we can’t wait to see how their laying continues to develop.

Meanwhile, this year’s goat kids have been out exploring the fields for the first time and have been moved into a new shelter field. We added a cosy shelter there for them, which they’ve been happily using this week to hide from the rain — a much-needed refuge during the wet weather!

The adult goats have also been moved to their own field, but that hasn’t stopped the cheeky ones from making a break for it. Our famously escape-artist goats pulled off another great escape earlier this week. After some chasing (and a lot of laughter), we’ve spent a few days goat-proofing the fences and gates. Fingers crossed this latest effort holds — we’ll update you next week on how it goes!

This week, we also brought every horse in for a thorough tack check. Ensuring that saddles, bridles, and all gear fit properly is vital to keep our horses comfortable and prevent injuries. Ill-fitting tack can cause sores, restrict movement, and lead to behavioural issues, so regular checks are a key part of responsible horse care.

Alongside this, we carried out preventive insecticide treatments to protect our horses from ticks and other pesky bugs. These little critters can cause serious health problems, from irritation and infections to transmitting diseases. Keeping our horses pest-free helps them stay happy and healthy through the grazing season.

And in a bit of drama, two of our little ponies managed to pull off their shoes! Luckily, our superhero farrier swooped in to the rescue and popped brand new shoes on them, so they’re back to tip-top shape and ready for their next adventure.

Thanks to everyone following our farm adventures. Whether you’re here for the animals, the eggs, or the occasional goat chaos, we’re so glad to have you along for the ride.

Until next time,

The Castlemains Team 🐓🐐🐴🌧️