Rams & Rabbits

Rams & Rabbits
So after we placed the rams in their pen with their tires they beat each other to a bloody pulp. The next morning I squirted BlueKote over their bloodied heads and faces- what a mess! They seemed to start settling down, and Jocko seems to be the dominant one this year. This morning when I went out to do the chores the door to the pen was unlatched, and the two rams were in with almost all of the sheep (including all of the ewes). I’m guessing my husband forgot to latch the pen door yesterday morning. So we may have some unplanned pregnancies on our hands. Then I had to separate the rams from the rest of the flock and chase them across three fields to where they are supposed to be.

I had to move James, the North Cheviot-Suffolk ram with the probably broken leg, across three other fields into the pen the rams had vacated early. I was trying to figure out how I was going to move this very large ram with a probably broken leg across three fields many of which are partly under water. I decided on using a device out vet sold us when our dog Mopar had hip surgery. I used this to support the front of James body the best I could- wrapping it around both shoulders. I really hope it’s not his shoulder that’s broken. I manage to get rammed in my hand once in the process. Jocko tried for James through the fence and my hand was on Jocko shoulder then. It seems to have recovered though. It of course was very windy and a torrential downpour when I’m trying to do all of this- quite fun!

Also, Sunday morning when doing the chores we noticed two rabbits had escaped their pen. They had managed to chew through the chicken wire under the bedding and get out. We caught the rabbits, fixed the hole and inspected the rest of the floor and decided we were OK. Until yesterday morning when I notice all of the rabbits were out. They go in the space between the pens and the barn wall which is pretty much inaccessible. During their fun night they had made several caves and tunnels between the pens. I managed to catch all of the rabbits by myself and wasn’t too late for work.

So today I got to figure out a new housing solution for the rabbits. I hate keeping them in individual cages. I had to put the two pregnant Satin Angora does in their hutches anyway as they are due in 2 days. The five smaller rabbits I place in the feed shed with 2 x 6 boards to keep them toward the back of the shed. I gave them food, water and a litter box. We’ll see how this goes. A male ring neck pheasant now has the old rabbit pen.

2006-12-13 23:16:08 GMT
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