Animal Anarchy
Posted on December 13, 2008 - Filed Under animals, cats, dog, donkey, goats, horse
It’s really been a tumultuous few months with the animals. Battles being waged, injuries sustained and sometimes worse.
You know already of the war between the dogs and cats which to my utter dismay the dogs are winning so I won’t go into detail on that. I fear this is an ongoing battle.
We also have some inter-fighting between the dogs, Buster and Junior. Buster is the instigator struggling to get Junior to submit. Junior is not a fighter, but refuses to be dominated. It mostly arises when food and toys are involved. Buster is first-born, jealous and has a hard time sharing. Seriously thinking about begging Cesar Milan for help.
The horses apparently hate baby goats. We woke up one morning to see the big male horse, Brutus, going up to a week-old newborn. We thought to nuzzle. Aw, how sweet! Not. We watched in horror as Brutus bared his teeth trying to snatch the little goat. Then attempted to stomp it to death. I ran outside to intervene. Brutus hesitantly went to the other side of the pasture. I stood there holding the baby not knowing what would happen next. I put the baby in the adjacent pasture, but he was still able to access the horse’s pasture and wanted to follow his mom who was already there. I hoped, considering what had just happened, he would have stayed safely away, and Brutus would be bored of it anyway. Again, not.
I came out a bit later to find the baby goat pinned to the ground by Brutus. Rescued him again and “hid” him in the roots of a big oak out back. Things were okay for a while until Jett discovered he can perfectly mimic the loud, annoying bleating of a baby goat. So, being 6 and pleased with his talent, he bleated. The dogs came running looking for the little sucker. And so did the horses. Apparently, the incessant noise was giving Brutus a headache and he was determined to put an end to his suffering. Baby goat spent the next few days in a dog kennel until we could rig a new fenced area for him. He survived. Just a bite-shaped scar marks his back. Unfortunately, we found a dead baby goat a few days before this incident. Couldn’t find anything wrong with him and his mom had always had successful births. I think I now know the culprit.
To make matters worse for this little goat guy, he was born with a bum leg. We seem to be destined to have at least one goat at all times that can only use 3 legs. John accidentally stepped on him not knowing he even existed. At least it was John’s foot and not the tractor that followed closely behind. I have learned how to make a mean leg splint out of duct tape and plastic tubing.
Sonic the donkey continues his ongoing love/hate relationship with the goats. He hates being alone, but when the goats come to visit, spends all his time chasing them away one by one. Then brays and heehaws for someone to come visit again. Sometimes, Jim goat, of big ram-like horns, fights back against the donkey tyranny. He’s managed to get Sonic pinned to the ground a few times, although not for long. He’s also managed to get his horns hooked in Sonic’s halter resulting in a giant nasty gash to Sonic’s chin. I did manage to rig a nice halter bandage. I’m becoming the Farm version of Florence Nightingale.
Our female goats are horned and irritatingly determined to eat only foliage beyond the fence line which means we have to trek across the pasture to unhook them from the fence at least 1-2 times a day. It’s easy sticking your head into the fence, not so easy coming out.
We’ve caught 3 mice in our house, and then un-caught 3 mice in our house when Jett was determined to keep them as pets, but failed to be able to keep them contained. The lazy cats that remain just watch. And of course, the cats are the only ones I would be pleased to see be more aggressive.
I complain, but I really do love all the animals. I just wish they loved each other. Old McDonald’s farm this ain’t.
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