Settling In: The First Days for Our Four New Residents
/Their first days at Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary have been a whirlwind of care, comfort, and cautious curiosity for the new arrivals!
Whenever new residents arrive, our goal is to give them the best start possible—not just a safe place to land, but the healthcare and attention they need to truly thrive. Prince, Emma, Lorraine, and Mimi have already been through quite a bit (in the best way).
Day One: The Health Spa Treatment
From the moment they arrived, it was all hands on deck. Over the first couple of days, they each received:
Skin treatments for lice
Parasite cleanses to ensure a healthy start
Comprehensive health checks
Hoof trims and soothing hoof soaks (including a very patient Prince, photographed mid-soak in a bucket)
Blood draws and fecal sample collection for diagnostic testing
And, of course, plenty of photos to mark the occasion
It’s thorough work—but it’s also an important part of making sure we can safely welcome them into our herds and flocks.
The Goats: A Little Mystery
Emma, Lorraine, and Mimi have kept us guessing already. All three have udders that appear full, which can sometimes happen in goats experiencing a false pregnancy. We’ll be exploring this further with our vet, but rest assured—they are not pregnant (or at least we really hope they aren’t—ha!).
For now, they’re still adjusting to their new surroundings. They’re timid, and we know it will take time, consistency, and kindness before they feel truly at home and begin to trust us.
Prince: The Storyteller
Prince, on the other hand, has wasted no time making his presence known. He’s bringing his unique energy to the barns with a voice that carries far and wide—often crowing at anyone (or anything) that will listen. He’s proving himself to be quite the storyteller, keeping the caregiving team entertained during his quarantine stay. As you can see he is quite the cuddler.
Prince has cleared his quarantine and is trying his luck at co-mingling with Brian and Sunny from the other side of the fence. He has moved to Dolly’s house and is side by side with Richard and his ladies. He will remain here for a couple of weeks while we bring his inoculations up to speed.
Safety First
For now, all four remain in quarantine. We’re following strict protocols—washing boots before entering and leaving, changing clothes between visits—to ensure the rest of our residents stay safe while we learn more about our new arrivals.
It may be a slow introduction to sanctuary life, but it’s also the foundation for their future here. Every hoof soak, every quiet conversation, every gentle moment brings us closer to the day when Prince can join his hens, and Emma, Lorraine, and Mimi can confidently step into their forever herd.
Their First Vet Visit:
The vet came out to meet them. Check their feet, their udders, and their feathers.
They all received their first round of shots and vaccinations from Dr.Glen.
Abraham watched nervously, as I think he had the jitters that the doctor was there to see him. Not today Abraham!
With a nearly clean bill of health, they were cleared to head outdoors for a little enrichment. Andrea and the team escorted them to the nearest cedar tree buffet, where they happily filled their rumens with fresh, fragrant cedar before heading in for the night.
As we watch Prince, Emma, Lorraine, and Mimi begin their new chapter here, we’re reminded of why this sanctuary exists at all—because one pig named Esther changed the way we saw the world. She taught us that every animal is an individual, deserving of safety, love, and the freedom to simply be themselves.
Each new resident is part of her legacy. Every crow, every cautious step toward trust, every contented bite of cedar is a continuation of the promise we made to her—that kindness will guide us, always.
