Fawn Still With Us

I found this picture on the Internet but it looks just like the orphaned fawn.

I went out to the barn this morning to fill the water tanks for the cattle and feed the yearlings. Just as Bobby, Bramble and Misty came out of the barn to munch on some old deer corn, the little fawn came running toward me from what I think was behind the barn.  It might have been inside the back of the barn and come out of the backdoor, but I wasn't sure.
It came right toward me, very skittish,  and I noticed there was blood on its snout. It skittered around the cattle munching at their feed bunker trying to find a way out.  Then it ran helter skelter for the paddock behind the barn and continued trying to escape. I figured it found its way in, so it would find its way out and I was right, but it took it a few tries.  I wondered if the bloody snout was an injury from trying to get out of the paddock or if a coyote had scared it into going through the fence, injuring itself in the process.  
Finally it managed to push through one of the 12 inch rectangles in the woven wire fence and went flying into the woods.  It hung around a few minutes watching me and the yearlings, then disappeared.  A few days ago I spotted it running through that bit of woods following a full sized deer who handily jumped the fence and disappeared. I wondered if the deer was its mother and if it came back and forth to the fawn to care for it, but with this episode this morning I continue to believe it is an orphan or abandoned.
I was glad to see that the fawn had grown quite a bit in the last two weeks and that it was surviving among the cattle. In a month or so I'm hoping it will be big enough to jump fences and join the other deer. I keep short sided water tubs full so it can get a drink, as the creeks in that area are totally dry.

Obsessing Over Cows

I woke with a start yesterday at 6:00 am to the bellering of a bull. Since the windows of the house were all closed and the air conditioning running, it was a pretty loud beller to wake me. I decided I'd better get up and check on him, as you never know what kind of trouble a bull can cause himself and others. That began my day of obsessing about cattle.

I noticed that all the AI'd cows were up at the barn getting water and that Bobby and his two girls were talking through the fence at them.  That probably explained the beller from Bobby and that might mean one of the AI's didn't take and a cow was in heat.

As it turned out, Bobby and my big red heifer Juliette were trying to get to each other through the fence.  She didn't look like she was in heat when I checked for signs, but she sure acted like she wanted to spend time with Bobby. After a little messing around with cows and gates I managed to move Juliette in with Bobby's little herd and made a mental note to mark the calendar. Juliette is for sale and I planned to place the sale ads for her this weekend. I'd need to note her AI status and the fact that she was "pastured exposed" to Bobby.

I went about my business, feeding and watering chickens, checking the garden etc. and the next thing I know, Bobby and Juliette are fighting. This was not the activity I had expected but I ignored them and went on with my chores.  Pretty soon I saw Bobby trotting down through the pasture by himself with a definite air of looking for something.  I checked around and could not find Juliette. A bit of trampled fence seemed to indicate that she had broken through the fence to return to her herd. Trouble is she would have jumped into Thor's territory. Then I looked around and couldn't find Bobby. Thoughts of Bobby in Thor's territory and pictures of Thor throwing Bobby down a steep hill into a creek ravine plagued me enough to send me looking for him.

That began the first of three trips through the farm yesterday in 99 degree weather hunting for cows. I looked first for Bobby in his own pastures and could only find Misty and Bramble panting in the shade on the far eastern property line. I was sure Bobby had followed Juliette into Thor's territory. I then checked the AI cow's pastures, found Juliette but no Bobby. Thor came up to the salt feeder with part of his herd, but no Bobby. Did I mention Bobby is an outstanding registered Black Angus bull, sired by the top Angus bull in the breed and worth many several thousand dollars? I tramped the whole of Thor's territory again which is about 45 acres of woods and pastures. No Bobby.

By then end of the day, after three trips through the whole farm I found that Bobby had never left his pastures, Thor and his crew were in the highest, most dense part of the woods on the property line as far west from my house as possible, and Juliette happily back with her little herd and showing no signs of being in heat. With a strong sense of the futility of the entire day, I headed for the shower.

Craigs List Chuckles



Creep feeder used to feed calves grain so their moms can't steal the food from them. Mother's love goes just so far with cows.

I'm selling my creep feeder on Craig's list. I just don't need it any more as I've so few calves. Also, I like to wean my calves early so by the time they need to start on feed I have them separated from the cows anyway.

I posted the picture above and a few lines about the feeder and a price. That was it. I've sold lots of my old farm equipment and stuff on Craig's list in the past and it all went pretty well.

I’ve received a few legitimate emails and I think it will be gone soon, but I've also, for the first time, received a bunch of weirdo emails. They come through with re:re:creepfeeder - so I know up front they are not good emails. The content makes me laugh. They all start out asking if I still have the feeder. Then they tell me how intrigued they are by my post and ask to meet and have coffee etc. Some of the language would lead you to believe that I had made some very sexy suggestions in my post. What a hoot! But also, warning to all - I imagine most of you would figure out not to respond, but just in case you are tempted, DON'T!!! I'll tell you what I tell the chickens when I spot a hawk and they are out in the pasture scratching away. I point to the sky and yell Danger! Danger! They seemed to understand right from the start what I am talking about and they run for cover. So I say to you, Danger! Danger! Don't respond to creepy Craig's List emails.