Why The Difference??

Spring is coming and bookings are coming in.  Sometimes people wonder why it is cheaper to come to the farm than for us to bring fewer animals to them.  Let’s pretend you have booked us for a birthday party a mere 30 miles away.  We’ll bring 5-7 small animals for 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the interest of the participants.  Why does that make a difference?  Because when people get bored or distracted is when an accident might happen, so when interest is over, we pack up.

We put each animal into a crate or carrier.  Today we are bringing a bearded dragon in her plastic travel container, two parrots (which count as one animal since we use them to show why it is important to research parrots before you buy one) – each in his own acrylic travel carrier, a rabbit in his plastic travel carrier, a hedgehog in his bonding pouch, a short-tailed opossum his travel pouch,  a goose in her crate, a turkey in her crate, and our mini pig is in crate – that’s a bonus of an extra animal.  Besides the animals in their crates, we need water and water dishes or dispensers for each, a canopy for shade, a tarp, a barrier to keep people and animals separate except under supervision, a table if we bring the egg game and the eggs.  We need to bring antibacterial soap that can be used without water, and water for us (especially if it is hot).  Sometimes we need to provide benches, so we need to pack those.  We figure that it will take us an hour to 1-2 hours to get everyone and everything loaded and secured.

For most 30 mile treks, it takes 45 minutes to an hour one way.  We arrive, you pay us the balance (you’ve already paid a deposit to secure your date and time), and we unpack everyone.  We set up the canopy and the barriers, get the stand out for the parrots, put down the tarp for under the turkey and goose crates (they have wood chips in to absorb droppings, set up the canopy, if needed, and set up the egg game, if we bring it.  We figure that will take about 15 minutes.  So, before we’ve started, we’ve already put in 1.5-2 hours.

Then we do our favorite part – we present the animals and interact with the participants.  People ooh and aah when they touch the goose (she is very soft!).  They touch her feet and we talk about how they get feathers for featherbeds and pillows.  Participants ask questions about the hedgehog who may or may not be ‘soft’ as they touch him.  We talk about the difference in personalities in umbrella cockatoos and African grey parrots and everyone gets to see Asimov, the cockatoo, do some tricks, and then they get to pet him.  If people want a photo opp – it is often with Asimov.  And so on…. (most of the time 1 hour-1.5 hours).

Then, we pack up the truck, clean up the wood shavings that have fallen from the cages, put away the bird stand, the canopy, the barrier, the benches or table, etc.  We figure that takes 15 minutes and then we head home (45 minutes to 1 hour). 

Asimov, the umbrella cockatoo, being pet.

Once we are home we have to unpack everything and put the animals back into their habitats.  That takes about an hour.  So, at the end of the day, we’ve put in at least 5 hours to bring the entertainment to you and if you add large animals, it is at least 7 hours of work since we have to pack more, hook up a trailer, set-up a corral, take down the corral, clean up after larger animals (we put down a large tarp with the corral around it), etc.

If you come to the farm, we do have to set up our canopy (the county makes us take it down every day), so we have to set up benches and tables and gather the animals (7-10 animals big and small).  It takes us about 2 hours.  The presentation takes about 45 minutes-1.5 hours and then we have a hayride around the property if you’d like.  If you stay to have cake and party stuff, using our tables, we put animals away, so when you leave, all that is left is putting away benches and tables and taking down the canopy.  It takes us about an hour – so if you have partied for an hour, we have 4 hours invested and part of that was a break after putting away animals.  So, you can see why it is cheaper to come to the GEE Funny Farm!  Make an appointment today!!

Our canopy on the farm AND the screened tent for the birds and flying squirrel.  You can also see the edge of the corral where the larger animals are hanging out waiting to be presented.

Emu Essentials

So far this year we, at GEE Funny Farm have found seven emu eggs; one had cracked because it froze before we found it.  The others have been put into an incubator.  Temperature and humidity have to be monitored and the eggs need to be turned at least three times a day. 

Here the emu eggs are in our incubator.  You can see the heating element on top, the fan to circulate the air, the six eggs (the chalk mark is the date they were found), the container I add water to so the eggs don't dry out, and the thermometer/humidity monitor.

Emus are the largest bird native to Australia.  Males and females look alike but make very different sounds.  An adult emu can weigh between 90-150 pounds and stand between five and half feet to six feet tall.  They can run up to 45 miles per hour in short bursts, run in a zigzag pattern, and have a stride of up to nine feet!  And emus can swim!  Our emus like to lounge in a horse trough, kid's swimming pool, or mud (things we have available).  They will also come to be sprayed with the hose or play in the sprinkler.

Emu (I found it on the Internet) on the run!  Ours run, but I've never gotten such a good shot!

Our emu, Eunice, chasing the mini donkey -- or at least running in his direction!

  

Our emus play in a kid's pool.

Emus are ratites, related to ostriches (Africa), cassowaries (New Guinea and North-Eastern Australia), rheas (South America), and kiwis (New Zealand). The only bird larger than the emu is the ostrich. 
 

Ostrich -- notice it's big (relative to the emu) wings.

Eunice, our emu.

A cassowary -- beautiful colors, and the third largest bird.  Also known to be very territorial.

 

A rhea.  I guess it could be called the South American ostrich...

A brown kiwi.  You can only see kiwis in New Zealand since they are not allowed to be exported.

Ratite means 'flat breast-bone with no keel,' therefore these birds do not have any flesh in the breast area and this is one of the reasons that they cannot fly.  While ostriches have big wings, emu wings are only about eight inches long.  Also, ratite feathers are not aerodynamic and ratites have solid bones instead of the hollow bones that most birds have.

Here is a close up picture of an emu wing that I found on the Internet.  Eunice will let me show hers, so I need to get a picture of that!

 While ostriches have two toes, emus have three.  They can use their big strong feet for defense, but emus are usually calm and docile.

Emu feet.

 Interestingly, several sites say that emus mate and lay eggs in May and June -- if only that OUR experience!!  Other sites say that breeding and laying season starts as early as September and runs through March -- THAT is closer to our experience!  Our emu has laid eggs beginning in December, though this year it was almost the end of January before we found our first egg.  Emus can lay 20-50 eggs in a season.  Luckily ours has never laid more than about 15.  We usually find about 10-12 eggs through the season.  In the past, we tried different ways to save the eggs until it warmed up enough for the male to sit on the clutch (the group of eggs), but it is too long a wait in Wisconsin and none of the eggs have hatched, though our male has sat them diligently for about eight weeks, taking no food or water.  The male emu uses the body fat he has stored during the eight weeks and only drinks what he can reach (the sites say 'dew' but we try to keep water near him).  He only stands to turn the eggs and it is the male that raises the chicks once they hatch.

This gives you an idea of the sizes of ratite eggs, compared to a chicken egg.  Actually, the kiwi , which is small compared to other ratites, claims the 3rd largest egg, though in this picture it looks like the rhea's is larger.

 

A variety of emu eggs.  Ours are always the dark green color found in the upper left-hand side of this photo.  It would be fun to have this variety!

Emus are sometimes referred to as 'the most useable bird' because they are known for their unique oil (found in the pad on their back - that they use to regulate body temperature), their iron-packed meat (that tastes more like very lean beef than chicken), their fine leather, unusual feathers, their toenails, and their green eggs -- the last three items are used for decorative purposes.

Some products made from emu oil.

 

Emu meat.

Yep, a Harley Davidson cap made from emu leather!

An emu feather -- notice 2 feathers in one quill!

A fan made from emu feathers.

A beaded necklace with emu feather accents.

A necklace with an emu toenail accent.

An emu egg being etched.

A carved emu egg.

A painted emu egg with combed emu feathers.

Pendant lamps made from emu shells.

 The emu is curious and docile, as mentioned before.  Our emus have followed us around, taking our caps, our tools, my gloves and then running off a ways.  We can always retrieve the stolen items.

Eunice, our emu, checking our the new 'toy' for the goats.

Chicks are about ten inches tall at birth with black and white stripes on a brown background.  When they are about three months old, the chicks turn nearly black.  Then, as adults, their feathers change again into a tan, brown, and black mixture.  Chicks grow very quickly, up to two pounds a week, and are fully grown in twelve to fourteen months.  In the wild, they stay with their family group for about another six months before they split up to breed in their second season.

These chicks hatched about three weeks apart -- you can see the difference in size!

Here are the two chicks on their first day outside.  You can see that the larger one is close to three months.  The stripes are gone and the feathers are coming in black.

Emus are hardy and can survive in extreme temperatures, which is good thing in Wisconsin!  We like them very much, though our favorite is Eunice, our female who hasn't bonded with any male.  We loved having the experience of having chicks last year and hope that we end up with at least a couple this year!  We hope that you get the experience of seeing our emus and at least one chick.  They are wondrous birds!

Things I Learned in 2013

Here it is -- February 2014 -- and I'm just getting around to a year in review.  I decided what I'd write about is what I learned over the past year.  I'll try to keep the list short...

1.  For my birthday, I had spinning lessons and was able to purchase a spinning wheel.  Yep, I started to learn to spin.  This is the third time I'd taken a beginning spinning class, but this class was on the wheel I purchased and over two days, instead of trying a bunch of different spinning wheels during a one day class.  My efforts produced my best yarn so far, but mostly what I learned is that it takes practice, practice, practice to get proficient at it.  Since I've only spun twice since being on my own, my goal this year is to take another class (I am better at meeting other people's expectations than working on my own) and then look into a spinning guild that meets once a month so I will keep working at it!

It's a beaut!  I purchased an additional flywheel so I can practice spinning fine to heavy fiber -- now I need to practice, practice, practice!!

 2.  I learned about hatching emu eggs.  After having emus for several years and trying to let them hatch their eggs with no luck in spite of trying different ways to keep the eggs viable until Wisconsin had decent weather (emus lay eggs from the end of October to March since they are from the Southern Hemisphere and it would be summer there -- their biological clocks do not change to accommodate Wisconsin winters).  It was no easy thing to keep the temperature and humidity just right.  We also had to remember to turn the eggs at least three times a day. Being the father figure for the emu eggs was no easy task, though we did not stop eating and drinking for the eight weeks it took - and it took longer than the normal eight weeks since the first egg hatched in February and the last one the end of April -- we put the egg in the incubator as we found it (you can see the difference in size in one of the pictures!).  We also loved watching the eggs hatch and the emu chicks grow!  We hope to have this experience this year, too.

3.  We learned how important it is to have the right 'tools' for the job!  Though we have had a website and business cards for a couple of years, this was the first year we hooked up with Gigsalad and Partypop. What a difference THAT has made.  These party planning sites make it a lot easier for people to find us and we are grateful for that!

4.  I learned about BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds).  My goats didn't shed out like they should have last year and I was worried about them.  I did research and found that I should give them BOSS.  They loved it, they shed out, they were shiny and healthy looking.  I am grateful for people who know more than I do and add their knowledge to the Internet!

The next two things my cousin shared with me!

5.  I learned that avian respiratory systems are completely different than mammal respiratory systems.  Learning about this explains why many things that don't affect us (at least not immediately) can kill our avian friends!

6.  I learned that there are no blue feathers!  Who'd a thunk?!?  Those blue feathers of blue birds and blue jays are made to look blue from tiny air pockets in the barbs of the feathers that scatter incoming light. 

My cousin holding Asimov, the umbrella cockatoo -- hmm, need to get a bird with blue feathers, David?!?

There are many other things I learned in 2013 as I've purchased new animals, met with a lot of different groups and talked to new people.  And I've learned skills that I need to practice!  I can't wait to see what I learn and start perfecting in 2014.  I hope you are here so I can share what I learn, and I can learn from you!

GEE Funny Farm Thanksgiving

Hi, I've been remiss in keeping up with the blog, but now with Thanksgiving just yesterday, I feel the need, as owner and operator of GEE Funny Farm, to list some of the things for which I'm thankful!

1.  I'm thankful to all of the people who trusted GEE Funny Farm to be part of their lives this year.  We had a great year and we owe it to all of you.  We had fun at your open houses, your assisted living residences, your preschools, and your birthday parties!!  Thanks to all of you!


2.  I'm thankful for my new assistants this year, Sarah and McKenzie.  We learned a lot as we worked together and I'm thankful they were there when I needed them -- and hope they will be again once spring rolls around!


3.  I'm thankful for new animal experiences this year:  5 emu chicks, 1 hedgehog (Prickly Paul), 1 short-tailed opossum (Levi), 1 Richardson ground squirrel (Ammon -- he is still a work in progress), 1 flying squirrel (Lydia), and one miniature pig (Neum)! 

We also had kids (baby goats), chicks, and ducklings on the farm again and that is always a treat. (Hmm, need to get pictures of the short tailed opossum and Richardson ground squirrel...check Facebook soon)

Two of our emu chicks. Taken by Sea J Photography.

Prickly Paul, our hedgehog. Taken by Sea J Photography.

Lydia, our Southern flying squirrel.
Taken by Sea J Photography.

Neum the Juliana mini pig practicing a 'sit.'
 Taken by Sea J Photography.

Two of our six kids --
taken by Sea J Photography

4.  I'm thankful for our new, awesome, wagon for hay rides, complete with steps!!  We were so blessed to have such a handyman in the area who refurbished it and that we found him!

5.  I'm thankful for USDA requiring a written emergency preparedness plan.  I wasn't so happy when I first heard about it, but I am grateful that I have equipment, food, water, and a plan in place for emergencies now -- it is still a work in progress, but I'm feeling good about it.

6.  I'm thankful for the Yahoo group, Animals4Kids2, which has professionals who have petting zoos, educational programs with animals, pony rides, and other animal related activities.  I've lurked a lot over the years and learned a lot from them.  I'm grateful for their experience and advice.  I avoided a lot of mistakes I might have made as our business has grown.


7.  I'm thankful for the photo opportunities GEE Funny Farm has had with photographer Christine Strzalko, owner of Sea J Photography in Sussex, WI.  She has captured a lot of wonderful pictures of my animals.  I'd recommend her if you want a great photographer for your visit to the GEE Funny Farm.  You can see a few of her pictures on this blog and on GEE Funny Farm Facebook page. Check out her Facebook page for more examples.



8.  I'm thankful for my wonderful husband who acts as my assistant when he is available.  He doesn't love animals, but he loves me and he works for free, so I'm grateful for him.  (He does love people, so he has a good time interacting with them).

My better half, David.  He is outstanding in his field -- whatever he does! 
Taken by Sea J Photography.

9.  I'm thankful for the Internet and companies like Gigsalad.com and Partypop.com where our website is easily found.  They have really helped our business to grow.  I'm grateful for Facebook where I can post everyday happenings, if I think you might be interested....

10.  I'm thankful for opportunities I have to meet with professionals, like

•  Kristi Smith and Carol Lowrey, Parelli Natural Horsemanship instructors and Lori Blush of Blush Acres -- she has a fabulous facility and my horse, Porthos, and I have learned a lot from going to clinics there.
• Luci Williams, a master spinner and owner of Sheeping Beauty Fibre Arts, in Hartford, WI.  I bought a spinning wheel from her and took lessons.  I learned a lot and she is always willing to help me when I get stuck.
• Dr. Richard Loof, a veterinarian from Sullivan Veterinary Services, my primary veterinarian who makes house calls, even when I'm out of town (my animal caregivers had an incident with one of my goats, after hours and still Dr. Loof showed up - he's awesome!!)
• Gary Pfeiffer, my farrier, who visits about every three months to trim up the hooves of my equines (3 horses and a mini donkey).  I've learned a lot about horses from him over the years.  
• Dr. Dawn Barksdale, my USDA inspector.  I'm not crazy about government rules, but I'm lucky to have Dr. Barksdale.  She is fair and reliable.  I almost look forward to her visits!

I know that there are many other wonderful things and people who are connected to the GEE Funny Farm.  I hope I didn't miss YOU!  We had our best year ever and we are grateful to all of you.

Thanks,
Kathy Gee

Book Review: Thinking Straight About Animals

Here at GEE Funny Farm, we are passionate about animal education. Besides actually interacting with animals, what better way to increase animal education than through some great literature? Recently, among ourselves, we’ve passed around the book Some We Love, Some We Hate, and Some We Eat by Hal Herzog. It’s subtitled: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals.

This book is entertainingly informative. Herzog is a professor in the psychology department at Western Carolina University. He’s especially interested in the field of anthrozoology, the study of the relationship between humans and animals. If that doesn’t sound complex enough to study, then you haven’t given enough thought to the nuances of our interactions with other species. Even if you do have some grasp of these nuances, Herzog will very likely broaden your view.

For instance, how did a gray wolf transform into all the variations of house pet dog that we now have? (103 – 109) In fact, Herzog investigates the human-pet relationship in many different ways. He discusses the issue of animal hoarding (138 – 141), as well as the reasons we keep pets (78 – 82), and the cost of pet-keeping (75 – 78).

Another angle to our relationship is, of course, our consumption of animals. Have you ever heard how the chickens you get from your local grocer were bred, raised, transported, and marketed to be brought to your table? If you are in the dark on this process, then don’t miss Herzog’s no-fluff description (167 – 170). Of course, when discussing meat consumption, an anthrozoologist would do well to learn about vegetarianism, why people are (or are not) vegetarians, as well as why they are no longer vegetarians (190 – 201). While these may be the obvious angles to humans and meat-eating, Herzog also discusses why eating one kind of meat (dog, or rat, or cat, or sheep brain, or pig intestines) in one place is repulsive in another place (182 – 187).

Herzog also introduces us non-scientist types to the complexities of using animals in scientific testing (Chapter 8). He looks at the benefits of dolphin therapy (18-23), shares tests given to people about whether they would save animals or people with their inconsistent results (54-57), and what we think about what animals are thinking (60-62).

Of course, if you want to learn the answers to these questions and others besides, then the best place to go is the book. While the book is marketed for popular reading, Herzog includes lengthy notes at the end for anyone who wants a more in-depth look at the studies and books he references. This makes it a great starting place for budding anthrozoologists, and also a perfectly acceptable ending place for someone who’s just slightly curious about the subject matter.

Mostly, this book is informative. But each subject he discusses really boils down to ethics in the end, so Herzog does conclude by encouraging us to all make a little more effort to make our actions more consistent with our beliefs about animals, whatever they may be. Herzog has both the merit and the fault of being slightly inconsistent himself, which helps him avoid the pitfall of being uncomfortably preachy. He’s honest about his own animal cruelty as a child and discusses how ethics plays into his meat-eating choices. He’s also open about the confusing nature of animal ethics. So ride along with Herzog on his investigations and discussions and decide for yourself whether your money and effort is better spent preventing cock fighting or improving the lives of Cobb 500 hens.