Of Sick Goats and Horny Pigs

So the cute little dwarf Nigeria goat, Sarah, wasn't feeling well on Friday. This allowed Harvey, the pot bellied pig, to catch her. Oh brother! Now that Harvey has his independance he gets out of his pen any way he can. Keeping him from molesting the sick goat was a challenge. The other goats just run away or jump up on something.

In the past a couple of the goats have had an upset stomach and after a day or two it work through and they are back to eating. Sarah was still ill on Sunday. I became really concerned because she was so lethargic. I took her water, which she drank. She is the most particular about what she eats so I can't imagine her eating something offensive. I kept a close eye on her. She wasn't getting better. We made a bed for her in the barn to keep a little warmer. I started warming up the antibiotics. I carried her into the barn and noticed her breathing was pretty rough. I laid her down on the bed of hay. She jerked rigid, cried out and was gone. Just like that our cute little girl died.

This one I blame on the inexperienced goat farmer, me. I should have gotten the antibiotics into her on the second day. What a bummer. We had to start the track loader Sunday afternoon and dig a hole to bury her.

Anyone know of a cheap place to get a pot belly pig castrated? He is about 6 months old. The vet we usually use what $200. That is hard to swallow for a pig that cost 25 bucks. I'll have to let my fingures do the walking.

Harvey still won't let us pet him but he will come over and smell you hand. He talks (grunts) lots when you are out with him. The other day I was watching him and he didn't know it. He was chasing the chickens. Then he took to rolling a plastic flower pot around the pasture. It was pretty cute.

Due to Harvey's attraction to the goats, they have high tailed it to the neighbor's. I had them all home Sunday evening but they worked a hole in the fence to escape the pig's advances. It is always interesting on the farm. DMP

Obscure Items of No Relevance

1. Returned Monday evening from a successful deer hunt and a great weekend in the land of Promise.

2. At this point in time I have three animals in butcher shops. I've never had this occur before.

3. Boys love shooting... Boys love shooting frogs.

4. Boys catching fish brings a smile to one's face.

5. I am now in pursuit of a loader backhoe. Gotta have one.

6. Fall is here.

7. Being 22 miles from the nearest town equals quiet. I love quiet.

8. One can buy a decent used loader backhoe for the same money as a new compact farm tractor with a loader. One is a compromise the other is built for work.

9. My previous opinion of the .243 is that it is not super effective for putting down an animal. This year's experience has changed that.

10. Pigs are very interesting critters.

11. From a pig's perspective, always being prey, or having an instinctive image of being prey sucks.

12. Feast or famine - design load at work. It is feast. Gluttony.

13. My herd of goats think the grass is greener. They love holes in the fence.

14. I have found a way to get a full size pickup, with Cummins, for around $6k. It isn't perfect but it will serve my needs. That is very exciting!

15. During our hunting expedition we got to use the host's 4-wheeler with much joy and rejoicing from boy #2.

16. Saw lots of bear sign during our explorations.

17. Next year I am hoping to use a 300 Whisper for deer hunting.

17.5. Blind duck is gone. I discovered when the wind blows the duck couldn't hear his buddy to navigate. The wind blows in Corbett. Alas no duck. The duck just couldn't evolve quickly enough to survive.

18. I better post thins thing if I want to keep people coming backing for more.

DMP