We’re All Hanging In
Well, the first two days of “animal watch” have gone almost without a hitch.
Every year, my parents take the grandkids camping. That means a whole week of just me and the Hubby… and my mother’s animals.
This year, her menagerie includes: 4 kittens, 6 hens, 1 rooster and a GOAT. Yes folks, a goat. A baby goat. A cute, lovable baby goat that thinks he’s a dog and wants to follow you around everywhere and be with you and keep you company and cries when you leave him. Yup, that kind of a goat. Plus, he jumps. And he has horns, which are a bit stubby, but still not pleasant to feel at the back of your legs when he is trying to get your attention.
The trip started on Tuesday, so that was an easy day. All the critters were pretty much taken care of for the day. All I had to do was get everyone settled for the night. My mom has the chickens trained (yes, apparently is possible to train chickens) to go into a cage at night. So all I have to do is close the door (I don’t know why she didn’t train them – or maybe the goat – do to that part of it!) and lock them up for safety from the predators that like chicken at night (no – I am not talking about The Hubby!!) Then in the morning I let them out, put out some hay for everyone to munch on and we’re good to go. I go back in the afternoon to take care of the kitties and back at night to put everyone away for the night.
Tonight I was a bit later than I thought I would be and it was actually dark when I went out there. So I had the flashlight with me. As the light scanned over the pen, there were eyes looking back at me. I was a bit nervous that I was going to have unwanted visitors in the pen. But no, all was ok – sort of. The door to the small pen had gotten closed and the goat and several of the hens got stuck in the larger portion of the pen. So I had to pick up 4 hens and 1 rooster and get them into their night time crate without causing too much commotion. All while the goat was trying to get my attention and give him some food (hungry little guy!)
But we’re all hanging in there!