Farm happenings
Sadness.So to make this easier, let me name the new calves and reintroduce you to them.
Pumpkin, the tiniest one of all. She has remained penned up and hasn't gotten loose. She is also the one that had the two holes in her shoulder that we treated.
Bonnie, the escape artist. The one who spent the night in the corn and then continued to escape out and be with Bethel.
And then there's Peace and Harmony, but we aren't talking about them today.
We're only speaking of darling Pumpkin.
Yesterday when we went in to feed them in the morning, Pumpkin was lying on her side. She seemed very weak so we took her temp- 97. Calves normal temps should run around 101. So I called Lloyd and he told me that she was dying so just let her be and he would be by to get her later.
This was difficult. But we assumed nothing could be done. So we carried her out to the grass and sunshine and laid her by Peace and Harmony who were in the outdoor pen. And then we waited.
Periodically we would walk over to see if she was still with us, and she was.
A couple hours later, Tori went and took her temp and it was up to 100! Hurrah! Tori also got her to drink a little water.
Then the storms were coming in so we brought everyone inside to the barn. She curled up in the corner and stayed there until night. All evening we tried to get her to drink more but she was really giving up. At about 9pm, she began grinding her teeth. I found out this morning that it meant she was in pain. So we covered her with straw for warmth and left her for the night.
I sent Doug out in the morning to check and see if she was still alive. She was, and she had wiggled out of the pen and in front of the gate. Doug reported that she was grinding her teeth and it was then that I had had enough. I called the vet. He came down about an hour later and took her temp. It was barely 90. She was dying. But he gave her some electrolytes and vitamin shots and we covered her with a heating pad, blankets and straw.
She died a little over an hour later.
It was heart wrenching. I beat myself up, saying we should have called the vet the day before. And if it was our calf, I would have. But I am at this in between place of someone else calling the shots and trying to respect and maintain a life.
The kids handled it well, even Tori who had invested so much in her.
It was a melancholy day at Green Gables Farm today.
Shell be buried tonight.
Bonnie, the escape artist. The one who spent the night in the corn and then continued to escape out and be with Bethel.
And then there's Peace and Harmony, but we aren't talking about them today.
We're only speaking of darling Pumpkin.
Yesterday when we went in to feed them in the morning, Pumpkin was lying on her side. She seemed very weak so we took her temp- 97. Calves normal temps should run around 101. So I called Lloyd and he told me that she was dying so just let her be and he would be by to get her later.
This was difficult. But we assumed nothing could be done. So we carried her out to the grass and sunshine and laid her by Peace and Harmony who were in the outdoor pen. And then we waited.
Periodically we would walk over to see if she was still with us, and she was.
A couple hours later, Tori went and took her temp and it was up to 100! Hurrah! Tori also got her to drink a little water.
Then the storms were coming in so we brought everyone inside to the barn. She curled up in the corner and stayed there until night. All evening we tried to get her to drink more but she was really giving up. At about 9pm, she began grinding her teeth. I found out this morning that it meant she was in pain. So we covered her with straw for warmth and left her for the night.
I sent Doug out in the morning to check and see if she was still alive. She was, and she had wiggled out of the pen and in front of the gate. Doug reported that she was grinding her teeth and it was then that I had had enough. I called the vet. He came down about an hour later and took her temp. It was barely 90. She was dying. But he gave her some electrolytes and vitamin shots and we covered her with a heating pad, blankets and straw.
She died a little over an hour later.
It was heart wrenching. I beat myself up, saying we should have called the vet the day before. And if it was our calf, I would have. But I am at this in between place of someone else calling the shots and trying to respect and maintain a life.
The kids handled it well, even Tori who had invested so much in her.
It was a melancholy day at Green Gables Farm today.
Shell be buried tonight.
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