Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

[Denim Deb]

There's a reason I call my animals, and especially Licorice, the Brat Pack. And today was a perfect example.

After I gave Stormy his 2nd feeding, I let the horses into the parking area. I wanted to work on cleaning up the area I'm going to seed. So, I grabbed some tools and I got started. Then I heard a noise. At first, I couldn't figure out what it was, nor where it was coming from. So, I went back to work. Then I heard it again as well as the sound my feed cans make if I'm messing w/them. So, I look towards my tack shed. At first, I didn't see anything. Then, I looked a bit closer and realized that it wasn't just dark in the doorway, there was a bratty pony almost completely in my tack shed! I go running over.

By the time I get there, Licorice had decided that this was NOT a good place for her to be. Only problem being, she couldn't figure out how to get back out. Plus, she was completely blocking the door, so I couldn't get in there and do anything! First, she tried to turn around. She realized real quickly that there wasn't enough room for her to do that. I haven't really worked w/her much lately, but decided I was going to tell her to back up and she if she would. Good thing she's so smart. As soon as I told her back, she started to back up until she was out of the shed. I closed the door.

I went back to work. I got quite a bit done and was getting everything put away when I noticed Licky walking DOWN the lane! I had the electric turned off, and the brat had ducked under the rope! So, I had to go and round her up. And of course, she didn't want to go back where she belonged. So, she ran off. She sure is pretty when she runs, but I wasn't in the mood to chase her. So, I just let her run. She ran down to visit KN's horse, then let me catch her. So, I put her where she belonged and closed the gate behind her. Got hay out for the horses, put the chickens away and came home.

I'm beat and would love to go to sleep, but I have a ton of stuff I have to get done tonight.

 

[Denim Deb]

OK, who ordered this colder weather? We STILL don't have any sun. I can't keep my charger charged but the horses haven't been messing w/the electric, so I'm not overly worried about it. (Except for Licky ducking under the wire yesterday. :/) And, they're calling for more wind and rain on Wednesday! So, I have Licky's blanket in the washer. When it's done, I'll be putting Misty's in. Tomorrow or Monday morning, I'll be repairing both of them, then spraying them w/waterproofer. That way, I'll be able to blanket them on Tuesday B4 we get this next system in. Stormy's wearing his blanket. It doesn't need to be fixed, so I put it on him dirty. And, I don't want to take it off of him until it gets a bit warmer.

Today, I had my 4-H club. I had a game for them but wasn't sure if they wanted to go outside or not. Well, they all elected to go outside, so we went out and played Turtle Tag. I have 8 kids this year. That's the most I've had out ever! And, the kids seem to really be enjoying it. I actually have officers for the first time in years. I'm trying something different this year, and it seems to be paying off. We have a craft every time, and I send the kids an e-mail w/some activities to do during the month. I'm trying to come up w/games that are fun, but also are related to what we've learned about, hence Turtle Tag. And, I also told a story. It's one I've heard B4, but couldn't remember exactly how it went, so what I couldn't remember, I made up. (It explains why turtles have patterns in the shells and why they hibernate.) We also have 2 trips planned for late spring and a picnic in the summer.

One little girl is so cute. Technically, she's not old enough to be in the club since she's only 5. But I don't care if she's there. I'd rather get them interested young. Today, we had a new kid, so I had the kids all say their names, where they were from and what grade they're in. Well, according to her, she's 5 yo and in the 5th grade!

 

[Denim Deb]

Today for the first time in over a week, we had sun w/almost no clouds! It would have been great if it had been like that all day, but it wasn't. By the time I got out of church, the clouds had rolled back in. But, the wind wasn't too bad so for the first time in over a week, I took the bike to the farm. It was cold, but it felt good. After I got Stormy fed and put out hay, I put the chickens away. But, I'm missing a pullet. So, either I miscounted, she's hiding someplace or something got her. I'll find out in the morning. I looked all over and didn't see any sign of her. I counted several times and each time only came up w/5 pullets. Hopefully, when I get there in the morning, I'll either see if I miscounted or have a pullet upset because she's not in w/her friends.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hopefully she will be there in the morning - mad as an old wet hen!

 

[Denim Deb]

Yeah, I'm hoping that will learn her to stay out all night! (Providing nothing got her.)

 

[Denim Deb]

OK, today did not go as planned. I had planned on getting my field all cleaned up so that tomorrow I could get in there w/the tractor, push Mt. Manure into as small a pile as I could, seed the next section of my field and cover my hay back up. Well, I hardly did ANY of that.

I get to the farm, feed the horses, and realize that RU's pet emu, Boomer, is out. I go and get her. Have you ever tried to herd an emu? It does not work that well. They can run 60 mph! She decides to open the gate and let it into MY field! I did not want her in there. I was afraid she'd get all tangled up in my electric. But, RU opened the gate anyway. Of course, this was an open invitation for Stormy to get out. And then, the dumb emu wouldn't go in the field. We finally get it in. There's a gate from my field right there so that she could then (hopefully) get the emu in that field and then herd it into it's own pen. Well, we opened that gate. And of course, Licky took this as an invitation to get into that field. We got the emu into there. And, we're trying to get it over towards the gate to it's pen. She jumped the fence.

So what does RU do, but open the gate back into my field and get her into there. We tried driving her to the back so we could get her into CL's field instead. No luck. So now, I had horses to round up and an emu in my field. I get the horses back where they belong. But of course, Stormy now thinks that it's time for his 2nd feeding. And he wouldn't leave the gate to the parking area to go and eat the hay.

I go to start up the mower so I can work on cleaning my field. It wouldn't start. I finally ended up jumping it from the truck. And, I only had time to get 1 load of stuff out. By this time, Boomer wanted OUT of my field. So I decided to feed Stormy, then let the horses in the parking area, shut that gate, open the gate into CL's field and try to get Boomer into there. Well, it didn't work. RU came over and tried to help. It still didn't work. We even tried a bucket of feed. Got her close to the gate, but not out all the way. I finally had to stop messing w/her. It was later than I wanted to leave. So, I got hay out, got the horses put away, rounded up my chickens and left. We have got to figure out a way to get that emu out tomorrow. I think what we're going to have to do is get 2 ropes around her. We tried a couple of times to lead her, but that didn't work. She'll try to get you w/her feet and can really do some damage. So, if we have 2 ropes on her, we should be able to get her out w/out anyone getting hurt. Then I'll be able to finish cleaning my field, and seed it. I'm going to have to leave real early tomorrow because of what all I have to get done.

When I finally left the farm, I went right to the nearest Wally World. I needed get something to fix horse blankets. I thought they had a fabric section in there. Well, they didn't. But, they did have large, iron-on patches. So, I got 3-2 packs since I wasn't sure how many I'd need. I also got some of the spray on water proofer. When I got home, I found out that I only needed one pack to fix both blankets! So, for $1.17, they're both fixed. And, it hardly took me any time. I just need to put a D-ring on the one, and I'll be able to use them!

 

[pinkfox]

emu scare me, there not only fast as heck and as dumb as a box of guinea but those feet can kill a man!
hope shes more apt to co-operate tomorrow...im sure once shes hungry enough shell follow the food bucket, but GOOD idea on the 2 line idea, least that way you can stand far enough away an have a counter pull should she try to hit one of you.
another suggestion woudl be to get a cloth sack or sock ect OVER her head. if you can cover their eyes they are much more apt to behave.

if that doesnt work i suggest trying to rope her feet and dropping her to the ground. we had to do that to a rhea at the zoo male and mean as all get out with claws to kill, he wouldnt lead had never been handled and was terrorizing the place, ended up haivng to esentially hog tie him. cover his head push him onto a tarp and drag him back to his enclosure.

 

[the funny farm6]

if it doesnt coperate... they are good eating!

 

[Dawn419]

But it's true, they are very tasty!!!

Sorry you had a Monday, kind of Monday!

 

[Denim Deb]

Pinky, believe me, I've thought of all those things. And FF6, yes I have thought about eating her and the zebu and the 3 pot bellied pigs.

We had to move a male llama once and used the 2 ropes on him. It was the only way we could move him. RU hadn't been able to find anyone to neuter him. He was fine as a baby, but once he got older, he turned nasty and was attacking everyone. So, we moved him w/the 2 ropes. That way, he couldn't get close enough to anyone to attack.

I did have one good thing happen. My pullet showed up. She wasn't around when I got there and I looked some for her, but couldn't find her. Then, shortly B4 I was ready to leave, I noticed her in CL's field trying to figure out how to get back in. So, I opened the gate and she came in.