The good news is that we got some very much needed rain. Now the hay should grow sufficiently for Tom to cut and bale it and we think we have a buyer for nearly the whole cutting.
The bad news is that our animals have gone haywire. First, the chicken that Harry got last week survived the night, but it looked so bad in the morning that Tom went ahead and killed it. Then we had the episode with Kip chasing, catching, and flinging Rosie goat. After we removed her and her mom from Kip's pasture, I caught him chasing Pansy. I happened to be out there and he chased her for several minutes until she fell down and he ran over her. We had to take all the goats out of the pasture. Unless I can find some way to keep Kip from attacking the goats, we won't be able to use him as a guardian. I've been searching the internet, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to find a solution. I'm not sure why he did OK at first and now has turned on the goats.
Then, this evening Harry got another chicken. Tom had put them in their pen, so Harry was lose and unattended. Tom heard a chicken ruckus, looked out of the barn door and saw that Harry had a chicken. Tom thought he had all the chickens in, but he must not have counted correctly. Last night he put them in before we went to church and when we got home, he found one out and put him in. Then this morning, there was another one out and soaking wet from the rain we got. I'm surprised that one survived the night.
Despite that, we still have 23 chickens. Our neighbor wanted us to have his two chickens because he doesn't have a place to keep them. One is a Barred Rock and I don't know what the other one is. They are bullied terribly by the Reds. Chickens are mean to each other.
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3 comments:
That is bizare that Kip has turned on the goats...wonder why?
Hmmm..did the chickens get out or did Tom just miscount? That's not good about Harry getting another chicken. I think you'd better leave them in under he's older..if he kills one..Tom will have to get rid of him..but of course.you already know that.
Maybe Kip is BORED. Maybe he needs an equine ball. I bet that's it.
I've searched the internet for Kip solutions. Apparently, it is common for donkeys to treat goats and sheep that way. I haven't yet found a way to stop it. I do think Kip is bored, though. He especially does not like to be in the little pasture by himself. He paces and brays. I've started spending time with him every day in an effort to gentle him more and hopefully, eventually, train him to pull a cart.
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