Residents
Here is a partial list of the many beautiful animals that currently live at Ballydídean. You can also see them on Instagram or Facebook.
If you’re driving by you can probably see the cows or Ash, our livestock guardian dog
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The Tumbledown Coop
Silver and his ladies
Silver is the top rooster of the Tumbledown flock. He is generous and kind to his hens, as well as a great ambassador rooster! There are currently about a dozen hens living in Tumbledown, along with a few younger roosters. This flock lives happily under one of Ballydidean’s central apple trees, making autumn a very fun time to come say hi to Silver and his ladies!
Petunia and O’Malley
These two happy pigs were surprise piglets from Mama Friday (see the Piggy Pasture bio.) When Friday was surrendered to Ballydídean, it didn’t take long to realize that she was already pregnant! She gave birth to 10 piglets! Two were struggling to thrive and were taken inside for some extra TLC. Now full-grown, those two piggies are thriving and healthy with their chicken friends! Petunia is even a bit of a local celebrity!
The Casita Flock
Ebey
Originally found wandering Ebey’s Landing after being dumped, Ebey runs a tight ship! He takes his job as a rooster very seriously. He makes sure all his ladies are safe, he lets them know when there is food, and as soon as the sun sets he makes sure they all get inside. Originally very distrustful of humans, Ebey has grown to trust us but he’s definitely not our cuddliest roo! He and his broo (rooster bro) Robin are the guardians of the Casita.
The Casita Gals
The Casita Gals are a diverse bunch. We don’t usually get details on breeds for our animals but some of the casita gals stand out! Silvia, a Polish Hen, was making poor personal safety choices and needed Ebey’s oversight. Crimini, a naked neck hen, was having trouble competing for food and needed someone to protect her. Blanca, a teeny tiny bantam, was getting lost and needed someone to actively watch out for her.
The Cozy Coop
Ducks Galore
Most of our ducks are injured or orphaned feral ducks that found themselves at wildlife rehabbers only to discover that they are domestic breeds and cannot be released. We frequently trade birds with rehabbers in these situations because we also get wild injured birds surrendered to us.
The Muscbrovies
The standouts of our duck flock are definitely these huge boys. Weighing over 15lbs, Muscovy drakes are some of the largest (and quietest!) ducks in the world. They do a very distinctive head bob and slow tail shake and the have little mowhawk feathers that they can stand up on their heads.
The Sassy Saloon
Amy
One of our oldest geese and first residents, Amy was the miraculous survivor of a broken neck by a dog attack almost a decade ago. It has long since healed and fused in a zigzag shape but it doesn’t stop this old gal from sassing up a storm!
Broose and Agoosetus
You’ll hear these boys long before you see them… The “horn“ on their foreheads are actually a reverberation chamber that makes their distinctive call extra piercing! They live with Amy, Frank, Pearl, and several other geese in the Sassy Saloon
Móle and Friends
Móle (like the sauce), and Pico are a bonded pair of special needs ducks. Mole is completely missing one and dur to corneal damage can likely only see light and shadow in the other. Her partner, Pico, developed angel wing as he grew from duckling to drake. We paired the two together in an attempt to make it easier to give them both medical attention. Over time however, a romance budded between the two and they are now inseparable!
The Rumpus Room
Peter Rabbit
Our softest and sweetest ambassador goat, Peter Rabbit joined us at just 15 hours old when he was rejected by his mom and his human guardians because he was unable to stand. Facing euthanasia, we took him in and our vet quickly diagnosed a minor vitamin deficiency which was rectified with a single shot and he was walking within 24 hours.
Louis & Park
Louis and Park joined us in 2019 at 12 weeks old. We adopted them from a local family who bred their milking goats and didn’t want the boys to end up butchered. Though they are twins they have completely opposite personalities. Both are very friendly but Louis expresses that through cuddling and Park through playful bonks!
The Peaceful Pasture
Nutmeg & Juniper
Nutmeg and Juniper are Louis and Park’s aunt and mom respectively. They came to us in 2020 to retire after life as backyard milking goats. Juniper quickly established herself as top goat, knocking her kids down a peg, and they have really unified and calmed the herd. Now starting to feel their age a bit they are part of our older goat herd who live with the sheep in the summer.
Dublin, Burren, and Dingle
Dublin, Burren, and Dingle joined us in 2021 at just 2 days old. They are “Bummer” lambs born to a commercial dairy herd, destined to starve to death because it’s not economical to bottle feed them. Thankfully they were rescued by the PNW Animal Underground and rushed up to us from Oregon! Now all grown up they are the leaders of our growing sheep herd.
The Piggy Pasture
The Fab Five
Lisa, Dawn, Ricky, Biggie, and Tupac are our original five pigs. They were part of a massive rescue of 165 neglected pigs in southern CA sponsored by Ariana Grande. Thanks to her generous support we were able to add the fencing and shelter necessary to add pigs to the sanctuary!
The Hog Pile
After our first five pigs arrived, we were met with many requests for pigs needing homes from all corners of the island. The majority, like the Ollum and Sunlight families, were part of neglect cases we worked with Island County Sheriff. At our peak in February of 2023, we had over 30 pigs! Thankfully we were able to find good adoptive homes for many of them so we are down to a manageable 16
The Moos
Dahlia & Rosie Cotton
Dahlia (brown Jersey) and Rosie Cotton “RoCo” (Miniature Belted Galloway/Panda) started boarding with us in 2019. They were founding members of the “big hoofer” herd. Dahlia is a retired dairy cow who was 12 when she moved in. Rosie Cotton was just a few months old and joined as a companion for Dahlia. Dahlia is the sweetest, friendliest cow you’ll ever meet and RoCo is spunky, sassy, and suspicious.
Archie & ‘Rez
Archie (black and white Holstein) and Perez “Rez” (brown Jersey) joined us in 2020 when they were around 8. They come to us from a private sanctuary in Oak Harbor where they lived most of their lives. Rez escaped from a dairy farm as a calf and Archie was malnourished as a calf by some uninformed homesteaders. They are part of the “big hoofer” herd who rotate together around our pastures. Archie is friendly but timid. Rez is very friendly and a great cuddler.
The Farm Haven Squad
Theo, Eddie, and Daisy joined us from Farm Haven Rescue when they shut down in 2024. All raised there from bottle babies they are super sweet and usually first in line for pets during tours.
Poco & Neo
Poco and Neo joined us in 2020 at just 2 days old. They are twin bulls born to a dairy cow and were destined to live only a few months before being killed for veal. Thankfully they were removed from the farm by a compassionate neighbor and placed with us to live long full lives with our herd!
The Anxious Fluffers
Rocky & His Sheep
Rocky is an 18 year old retired (but don’t tell him that) guard llama. When his herd was gone and his llama friend passed he was left all alone and needed a new herd. We tried to place him with the cows and then the goats, but it turns out he also needed purpose. He didn’t thrive until he was placed with these two super traumatized old sheep who now follow him around like he’s an actual god.
Spryng & Wynter
An 8 year old and her 12 year old mother who retired from being backyard fiber alpacas, Spryng and Wynter are always doing their own thing. Wynter is a little more with it but Spryng only has two brain cells and she left them in another pasture
The Grounds Keepers
Ash
The resident barn cats. Also here long before our time, these excellent huntresses keep a watchful eye on the property when Fintan is not here (and a watchful eye on Fintan when he is). They are both so sweet but they are territorial of their humans. They never socialize with the same people (which is why we only have a good photo of Catniss...). They can be found stalking in trees or grass or curled up on one of the heat pads in the various outbuildings.
Fintan
Fintan “Fifi” is at the farm about a third of the year. He is a rescue from Texas (likely ran away or was abandoned from cattle dog training). He is very protective of the farm and its residents and very destructive of large branches, watering cans, and plastic pots. He has several neighborhood dogs that he meets up with for playdates. His best friend on the farm is Gwen, for whom he reserves every ounce of patience, gentleness, and love.
The House Babies
Finnegan and Moira
Finnegan and Moira are both reformed street cats who have found new joy in the country farmhouse life with Mack. Moira is a little more shy but will go absolutely nuts for a toy. Finnegan is just a big sweet cuddle chonk.
Bingley & Nox
Our two lovely house cats and our first babies. They have lived with us from our cramped apartment at UW, to the bungalow in Ballard, and now the large farmhouse. They love all the space. Nox is almost always upstairs sunning himself on the bed and Bingley sleeps on my desk during the day or follows us around the house. They both sleep on Sarah at night.
The Broos
The “Broos” (Rooster Bros) are a group of five dumped roosters that found themselves together wandering the woods just down the road from the sanctuary. We rushed over when we got the call and it was like they called us themselves! They were just waiting next to the road and they let us pick them up and put them in our van. Now they roam the sanctuary grounds during the day following Sarah from project to project like a little Greek chorus.