This is why I don't like everyone to leave here at the same time. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the five of us create school schedules that allow at least one person to be here at all times. Yesterday, when Margaret was leaving, she came back to the house and yelled that one of the goats was screaming. "Sounds like it's got its head stuck in a fence or something."
Jonathan went out and discovered Lil dripping wet next to the water trough. He took her into the barn office, and Katherine dried her with a towel and a blow dryer and let her lay down in a chair in front of the heater until she warmed up, which took a couple hours. No doubt if no one were home, she would have gotten hypothermia and died.And it's not just goats. We're responsible for all the animals. Last week, another blogger said she was glad she was home for lambing last summer because a couple of lambs would not have made it if she weren't there. Luckily, we have been here to rescue goats that got their heads caught in a fence or fell into a water trough. (Lil wasn't the first.) We were here when a ram lamb got his head stuck in a fence, but we didn't get to him quickly enough, and he broke off a horn -- that is as bloody as it sounds. We've also been here when a neighbor or a stranger knocked on the door and asked, "Are those your ________ down the road?" (Fill in blank with sheep, goats, pigs, horses, or turkeys.) Whenever these things happen, I always wonder what would have happened if we weren't home. I don't want to find out.
6 comments:
Poor little goatling! I'm so glad she is OK. That is an interesting dryer you have. Is that special for animals? Can you tell us more about it? Maybe that is something we should get...
Your animals are very fortunate to have such a devoted family watching out for them!
It's a dog dryer that I got years ago. I've used it a lot since being out here. It's upside-down in the picture because we were drying her underside, but it has a nice stand so you can set it on a table.
I have both Nigerians and LaManchas and by far the LaManchas get themselves into more trouble due to their nosiness. Autumn Acres Mooshie has gotten herself wedged between gates and fence lines and has wedged her head under the fence trying to get green grass on the other side. I count my blessings that I was able to get to her before she ended up in more trouble:) Now my Nigerians have more common sense:)
Very useful! I think I shall see if I can get one of those on Craig's List or something. It would be great for our dog too!
Kristi -- I have two la manchas also, and you're right! Those two get themselves into a lot more trouble than my NDs. We have an old freezer in the barn for storing grain, and the la manchas will jump on top of it and then jump into their stall. One of these days, I'm afraid they're going to break a leg or something!
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