My pretty girl, Mocha, eating lots to build up her energy for birthing!
I know my last couple of posts have been pretty heavy, but that is because life around here has been about heavy stuff…death, beefing up protection and trying to catch a cunning predator, etc. But, I thought I would share with you some of the joys of this morning.
First, I am pretty bleary-eyed due to the fact that Mocha began the early stages of labor on Friday. So, for the past two nights, I have set my alarm and dragged myself to the barn multiple times through the night to check on her. To date, no calf, but it’s only a matter of time! Her due date is actually Wednesday, but when I saw the beginning signs of labor, I thought she might deliver early.
Mocha’s baby belly
Each time I go in there, I muck her stall so the baby has a soft, clean place to land and I love on Mocha. I love spending time with her during this phase because she is especially responsive to my loving. I rub her side, and this morning I talked to her calf as I was feeling her/his hoof and told him/her that I was so exited to meet him/her and that she/he has a sweet uncle who is eager to play with him/her. I hope he/she was listening! Feeling that little hoof move under my touch is just about one of the coolest things!
By the way, if it’s a little heifer, her name will be “Elsie”, after the Borden milk cow. My grandpa used to bring Borden milk home from the company store where he worked and I just loved the picture of that jersey cow. If the calf is a little bull calf, his name will be “McQueen” and that simply because we named Herbie, not after the VW Bug, but it is also the name of a famous car…so I thought I would continue the trend to this calf and name him “McQueen” after “Lightning McQueen”! So, we shall soon see which name applies!
Big boy Herbie has only a few days left to enjoy his mama’s milk.
The second laugh I had this morning was while was mucking Herbie’s stall and had his back to me, I was startled and might have let out a little yell when HE TRIED TO RIDE ME!!! That’s the first time he has tried that but Oh! my word!
Merlin and some of his girls enjoying being outside.
Thirdly, I was in the chicken coop feeding and watering them. I keep them in the coop for the first half of the day so that they lay their eggs in the coop and not in various hide-outs they find around the farm. Anyway, behind me there was quite a ruckus and squealing! Now, since the attacks on our chickens, I am a easily startled to sounds of squealing in the hen house. But, when I looked to see what the noise was all about, I laughed out loud to see Merlin desperately doing his little dance, trying to stir up some romance with his girls and NO ONE wanted a thing to do with him!
So, as I head into the house, I hear Mocha and Herbie yelling from their respective stalls in the barn and Jersey yelling from the shelter in the pasture. They do NOT like being separated, even if it’s for a very good reason! But, I know I have done my best to love and care for the animals who have been entrusted to my care! And, I love every (well, almost every) minute of it!
I hope you have enjoyed my tales of laughter here at de Good Life Farm this morning. Watch for news of the arrival of Mocha’s calf! It will, no doubt, be very soon!
It has been a nerve-wrecking and stressful week here on the farm. If you follow my Facebook page (@dianeramseyorr), you already know that last Sunday morning, as I was feeding the chickens in the coop around 7:15 a.m., I heard a strange noise behind me. I spun around to discover that the sound I was hearing was one my layers expelling her last breath. I was heartbroken and the tears started flowing! It was a gruesome sight. Besides my sadness at her death, is my disappointment at my own inability to protect the creatures entrusted to me!
We buried her and I think I was in shock and disbelief. We had believed that our coop was pretty safe. After losing our entire flock in the span of two nights two years ago, we installed a solid wooden floor in it and covered the outside in half-inch hardware cloth three feet high. But, when it happened again the next morning, I knew something had penetrated the security and I was on the warpath!
A dear friend who who is part of our herd-share program and her daughter helped me inspect the coop to determine where it had gotten in. Her experienced eyes quickly found the points of entry. I spent the day making a plan and gathering supplies.
Because it was such a big job, we loaded up the chickens into dog crates and drove them around and settled them into the safety of the garage for the night. Then, we proceeded to spend hours in the coop installing hardware cloth on the inside and repairing the hole that the unnamed predator had made. We were exhausted and just could do no more that night, so we stopped.
heading back to the pasture…rattled, but safe after a night in the garage
The next morning, the flock was loaded back up into the back of the truck and I drove them around to the pasture so they could lay their eggs and eat and drink. Understandably, they were not so keen on spending much time in the coop. I spent that day researching and gathering more supplies so that we could finish the job that night.
By the time we finished chores Tuesday night, the chickens had already put themselves to bed and since the side of the coop that needed finished was on the opposite side of their roost, we decided to leave them in the coop, hoping that the light, the talking, the drilling and pounding wouldn’t bother them too badly. They were so cute! A few of them slowly opened their eyes to see what we were doing, but overall we didn’t seem to disturb them much at all!
Thankfully, we finished a little earlier than the previous night and although we had covered the holes and now had a good layer of hardware cloth between them and a potential predator, I still didn’t rest easy that night. I was so rattled and concerned. It’s tough to protect against an unknown enemy that can decimate your entire flock in one night.
So, since both of the attacks happened between the hours of 6 and 7 am, right after Jeff finished chores and before I went out to milk, I decided that I would sit in the coop with the chickens and drink my tea until daybreak and the time of the greatest threat was passed. The first morning, they seemed a little confused why I was sitting in there with them. The second morning they weren’t sure what the sounds were when I played music and talked on the phone. As I prepared to leave at daybreak, I sang the famous Carol Burnett song “I’m so glad we had this time together….” They cocked their heads and listened!
In addition to the improvements we made to the coop, I have been setting a trap each night. Tuesday night we put some salmon I had on a cardboard and set the trap. Each morning, the trap was empty. One night it was tripped but the bait hadn’t been touched and every night after that, it wasn’t touched or tripped. I was a bit discouraged but I was determined to do all I could possibly do to protect our flock and trust God for what I couldn’t do!
My practice has been to set the trap only once Ollie and Gandalf (our sweet barn cats) were safely secured in the barn for the night so they wouldn’t get trapped! But, last night I couldn’t find Gandalf! I called him from every side of the barn and he never did come. So, again…I almost didn’t set the trap, but was afraid not to! I have struggled much with where to place the trap, but settled on putting it right by the coop in the area the predator gained access to the coop on Sunday night. Finally, I got it set and headed in.
Last night, I was so tired. We worked to winterize Odin’s kennel, just the two of us doing a job that really needed three pair of hands, but we persevered and got it done. After dinner, around 8:30, I told Jeff I really didn’t feel like going outside to set the trap, but I was afraid not to!
In addition to all the things I have mentioned, I also started letting our golden retrievers out into the back yard between 6:00 and 6:30 a.m., so that there was some deterrent until I got to the coop. I was just trying to cover as many bases of protection as I possibly could.
Then, this morning, Jeff forgot to leave the corral light on and I was so concerned…but when I got out there, I made the discovery that thrilled my heart and I ran all the way to the house saying “I praise you, Father! I praise you, Father!”
we caught the murderer of my two morning layers!
“Micah, are you awake? Get your gun! We got him!! We caught a weasel!”, I breathlessly squealed, my voice shaking as much as my knees were! Actually, we had caught a mink, but until I had done my research, I didn’t know the difference! All I cared about that WE GOT HIM! I am telling myself that finally we caught the scoundrel that decimated our flock in November, 2016 and had killed these two layers this week! I felt so thankful and victorious!
Now, I have continued the practice of sitting in the chicken coop and drinking my tea each morning since, EXCEPT today, when as I approached the coop, I saw that there was something in the trap I had set. I couldn’t tell what it was but I knew it wasn’t a cat! I ran to the barn to put the feed back so it wouldn’t get wet and headed for the house, literally saying “Praise You, Father, Praise You, Father” the whole way! I burst into the sliding door and called for Micah to find out if he was awake and to tell him to grab his Henry Golden Boy and come – we had caught something in the trap!
Micah came back in a short time later….it was a neighbor cat! Bummer! However, I have continued to set 3 traps each night since then and to date, we have caught nothing! I am relieved…I feel sure if there were others out there, we would have caught them, but I will continue to set traps for a few more days before I will be convinced that they are out of danger…for now!
Merlin with some of his girls enjoying a sunny day in the pasture
Now, the chickens seem less afraid and settling back into their normal routine! They are enjoying days in the pasture seem to be feeling safe again. I take it very seriously to care for all our critters here on the farm. I may start relaxing again soon….BUT WAIT!
As of this morning, Mocha is in the beginning stages of labor! We will soon have our newest resident here on the farm! Stay tuned! Big announcement coming soon!
Well, he is here…finally! Because Jersey’s last calf, Oreo, was almost two weeks early, I was in full-expectancy mode for awhile now. I began seeing the beginning signs of impending labor early last week, so dutifully took her to the barn, against her wishes, so that we could monitor her progress and so that should the calf be born during the day, I wouldn’t have to figure a way to get mama and baby to the barn by myself now that I am the “lone farmer” during the day.
To say that I am “sleep deprived” is an understatement! The first couple of nights Jersey was in the barn, I set my alarm multiple times throughout the night to get up and check on her. Additionally, now that Micah is working a full-time job and cannot help, Jeff and I are getting up at 4:45 to get the milking done, and then after I get him off to work, I sleep…sometimes not voluntarily…because I am just that worn out. Compound that lack of sleep with getting up multiple times a night for several nights in a row…I am surprised that I know my name!
can’t keep my hands off of precious Herbie!
Finally, Thursday morning, which was her due date, I thought she might be making progress. I ran out to the barn to monitor the labor about every two hours. Bless her heart! I think she was sick of my checking on her, but I hope she understands it’s just because I love her! She was making slow progress and I checked on her around 9 or 9:30, before I began turning in the for the night.
Just before I got into bed around 10, being the AAA personality that I am, I threw my clothes back on to go out and check just once more! I felt like my eyes were tricking me when I peeked into the stall and she was cleaning him up! I estimate that he was just about 10 minutes old at that point. Immediately, I checked his gender and was thrilled to discover she had given us a precious little bull calf!
Jersey cleaning Herbie up right after birth
I ran back to the house and with breathless and shaking voice, announced to Jeff and Micah that we had a calf and it was a boy, and did they want to come out and see him? Of course, that last part was not really a question…but was more a rhetorical. As soon as I could grab my camera, I was running back to the barn.
As precious as he was, he didn’t seem to get on his feet as quickly as most of our other calves have, so I have continued to watch and monitor him often. He didn’t really seem interested in nursing and even after some “calf perk” was definitely not interested in the bottle I offered him, so eventually on Friday, the vet came out, tubed him and got about 3/4 gallon of the “liquid gold” colostrum into him. It plumped his belly up nicely and it seemed to help him turn the corner.
I still have to gently remind him occasionally that the milk supply is not under Jersey’s neck or between her front legs, but he has found the milk on his own a few times. This morning when I went out to milk, it seemed he had pretty much drained one quarter, and wasn’t interested in any more, so he must be getting what he needs for now.
If you have read my blog, or my book, “My Name is Mocha” (available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07RLMHJY7,Barnes and Noble, or Pen It Publications), you know how much I love my cows. However, I have said over and over, that it’s the calves that to me, are the icing on the cake! As exhausted as I am, I look forward to seeing him each time I make the trip to the barn.
Mocha, lonely in the pasture
Oh! That reminds me to remind you that this little guy is Mocha’s brother. She is very curious about him but mostly she just misses Jersey being in the pasture with her. Once I am convinced that he is able to find the milk on his own, which should be today or tomorrow, they will be in the pasture together again and Mocha will get to meet her little brother face to face rather than gazing at him from afar.
Herbie
We are definitely “living de good life”. Country life is hard sometimes, but there are many joys that make the hard so worth it, and precious little calves are one of the biggest joys for me!
Some of you may not realize that in 2017, we lost our entire flock of chickens and “Griffin”, the sweet, beautiful rooster we had then, to a predator or predators (likely weasel or mink). We went all of 2018 without any chickens because we were concerned how we could protect them, if the electric poultry fence hadn’t done the job of protecting our flock.
Micah and Lynnix bringing home Odin
Then, in July of 2018, we brought home Odin, a Great Pyrenees, who trained for the first twelve weeks of his life with his parents to be a livestock guardian dog. He is now fifteen months old and still has much training to be accomplished, but we are hopeful that his presence on the farm and in the pasture has lessened the presence of predators looking for a free chicken breakfast/lunch/dinner.
Odin, our livestock guardian
Last summer, we brought Merlin, then just sixteen weeks old, home to our farm. We gave him the coop to make his own and then we brought several hens we purchased from a neighboring farm to keep him company and to be his “girls”. Well, they ended up picking on him, as chickens are known to do. He was afraid of them, and rightly so! They wouldn’t let him eat or drink. When we realized this, we went out several times a day and stood over him and protected him while he ate and drank. He seemed so appreciative of that.
Eventually, last fall, we butchered those hens because they just weren’t nice hens and had taken to breaking and eating their eggs. We then purchased four ten-month-old hens from another farm just to keep him company for the winter. These hens had never been out of their pens, so we watched him teach them all kinds of things (further explained in Merlin’s book).
May 2019 female chicks (we thought)
In May of this year, we bought 16 female just-hatched chicks. They were a nice variety of Golden Comet (great brown egg layers which now are the majority of our flock), Easter Eggers (for their beautiful eggs in varied shades of blue/green, Wellsummer and Cuckoo Maran (both of whose eggs are a dark, chocolate brown). Sixteen chicks added to our flock of four hens would make a nice round twenty hens for Merlin. Well, so much for my love of things being all neat and tidy and in round numbers!
our “baby rooster”
Well, a couple of weeks ago, my son, who to date, has a 100% accuracy rate, predicted that one of the “pullets” was in fact a young rooster. I rushed out to see what made him think that, and after looking at them and comparing them all, agreed that he was probably right. Then, just a few days later, I heard a squeaky, weak crow. I smiled! Micah was correct…again! We had a cockerel among the pullets!
Now, each morning, Merlin wakes up the farm and I love the sound of his crow. But, shortly after he crows, I hear this little guy crow…still weak-sounding, but definitely growing in strength and volume! It’s beautiful! They crow back and forth. I wonder what they are saying! Maybe Merlin is just doing his thing and then “Kellogg” (as he has been named by his new family) tries to emulate him. But, regardless, it makes me smile every day, every crow.
“Kellogg” (named by his new family)
Tomorrow Kellogg will go to his new home where I hope he will grow to be as good a rooster as Merlin is for us. I will miss his squeaky little crow! But, I will still smile because when I hear Merlin crow, I will think of him and know his crow will be making a new family smile!
