Weekend with Animals | Chickens in the Road

Feb
25

It was a busy animal day here on Saturday, one of those days where I handle every animal on the farm. The farrier was coming, and Morgan wasn’t home. Moving the horses and donkeys from the field back to the barn by myself is a task. If I do it right, Shortcake will follow Zip. Usually. Donkeys follow no one and generally require some pushing and shoving and cajoling to go where you want them to go. First, I had to move the sheep and goats and dogs out of their field so I could move the equine people through to the barn within fencing. It must have been my lucky day because this went off without a hitch. Morgan came home not long after I finished doing it by myself. Of course! And she had to go look for herself because she was so shocked that I had done it without her. Ha.

Zip, getting the treatment:

The farrier, showing Morgan how he holds front feet, which is different than how she was taught before:

My beloved:

Morgan’s boyfriend was with her and she thought he ought to learn something about farming. Or she thought it would be funny. Poky is the “difficult” donkey to hold during trimming, so he got that job.

I had Dumplin shut up in the milking parlor because I was planning to milk Glory Bee in the evening. She’s a growing girl and her halter needed loosening. Since I had both Morgan and her boyfriend on hand, I suggested we all tackle the calf together and work on her halter. Three on one.

Morgan, WHO HAD LITTLE TO DO WITH GLORY BEE WHEN SHE WAS A BABY, glanced at the angelic demon-in-disguise I already had handily confined and said, “That’s no big deal. I can do it.” She was scoffing at me a bit. Scoffing!

I said, “Okay, smartypants.” I didn’t figure Dumplin would kill her since the boyfriend was there if (WHEN) this didn’t go so well, so I went back to the house.

Morgan came back to the house a little while later. “I HATE COWS! I’M NEVER TOUCHING A COW AGAIN!”

She says this after every time she touches a cow. I don’t think she gets cows, but I’m here to tell ya, she gets calves now. Dumplin ran her around the milking parlor until she had to get her boyfriend to tackle the new bad baby while Morgan finally got her halter loosened up. Everybody was a little the worse for wear by the time that was accomplished.

Except me. I was sitting on the couch laughing.

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8 Responses
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2-25
7:32
am

Thatn is one fat and sassy lookin’ baby cow LOL! I recall the same sort of adventure the first time my DH decided clipping pug toenails was easy and I was just a sissy. Your daughter’s adventure went easier

DancesInGarden

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2-25
8:38
am

Gotta say, as much trouble as the original Bad Baby was, the new bad baby is half a beefy bad baby. Beef cows and dairy cows really are practically two different species temperment wise. Not that they can’t still be sweet, just a bit… heavy duty and they know it.

BuckeyeGirl

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2-25
9:01
am

I read the last line and cracked completely up!
Sometimes ya gotta laugh at the whipper-snappers and their “mom is such a ditz, she doesn’t know ANYTHING!” attitude. And then laugh some more (somewhere where they can’t see you laughing) when life hands them a dose of reality.

It gets even better when they have kids of their own. Oh. Yeah! Though, sometimes it’s hard to be quiet and just let them learn. But eventually – sooner, rather than later, they will come to you for advice. And wait until you hear YOUR words coming out of THEIR mouths at their kids. And THEY realize that they just parroted you. Yep! Just try not to snicker too loudly, they’re feeling sheepish enough. Plus, you get to snuggle and kiss on the babies and toddlers and then SEND THEM HOME for their parents to walk the floors with and deal with the tantrums.

As the old song says; “Oh, baby, let the good times roll!”

Darlene in North GA

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2-25
9:44
am

Hahaha!!! Hilarious!!! That is one pretty calf, and mischief just popping out all over her! Funny stuff! Love all the comments too – hope everyone has a great week!

Sheryl

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2-25
10:36
am

She sure is a pretty calf, betcha she will be a beautiful cow.

maryellen51

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2-26
10:29
am

Suzanne, there is a cure for moving the donkeys, they will go anywhere for carrots and bread. Mine follows anyone with goodies and every cow will follow you for a piece of bread. They have to have it often for a while to get them used to it then they will come running to you when you call them just because they think you have it. That is how we move the herd and donkey every time we need to work with them. It is so much easier even moving the bull. Remember when you gave the goats cookies and they came running to get them every time they saw you. EVERY other animal on your farm will also. Stand back open the gate and let them have a small piece of bread. One slice a day won’t hurt them until you get them used to it then cut back and just give it often. You’ll NEVER chase another cow, goat, horse, or donkey. Short Cake will eat short cake out of your hand….
Or keep us laughing until our ribs hurt. I love your posts though, I have to admit.

holstein woman

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2-27
5:01
pm

That is a pretty, pretty girl!

Kathi

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2-28
8:29
am

That was just to darn funny!!!!! Poor Morgan, guess she will think twice about thinking its so easy to get a hold of a calf.

Linda Goble

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