Building stalls, expanding the roost, delivering kids, sick

Friday night I began laying out posts for the stalls I have wanted to build behind the shop. The stalls will be multipurpose, but my initial thought is to use them for bottle baby calves. That all turned out to be a bit more work than I had anticipated, but I wanted to get the stalls to the point that we could house a calf if one were available at Monday’s auction. That may have been a moot point, but that was a driver in the work I did all day Saturday. While Mama and Victoria went to Trade Days and then visited with Grandma and Grandpa, I got the five posts set for the stalls. All that took a lot longer (about 45 minutes per post) and required a lot more effort that I had planned on, but if we do get a calf this week, all I would need to do is put up a gate at the one stall I have nearly completed. My back was hurting fiercely when I was completing the posts and wire.

When I was waiting for the water I poured in the half-finished holes to soak in and soften the ground, I worked on doubling the roosts in the side of the coop housing the mature chickens. The chickens are very particular about where they roost. I had a pipe that extended from wall to wall in the coop that essentially doubled the roosting space. Although the chickens liked the pipe, Mama did not want a metal pipe as a roost. She was worried about the chicken’s feet freezing to the metal in the very cold weather. I am not sure we get enough nights at sufficiently cold temperatures for that to be a concern, but she has read that it can happen. So, I replaced it with a wood roost. The chickens would not use the wooden replacement at all. I have no idea why, but I find it a challenge to think like a chicken. Saturday, I removed the extra wooden roost and doubled the roosts that follow the walls of the coop. I just put one more roost board about twelve inches out from the old roost. The chickens seemed pleased with that arrangement. They still fought over the most coveted spaces on the old roost – relegating those lower in the pecking order to the less desirable spots. But everyone had room. Mama was pleased. That’s the main goal.

We had a picnic to go to Saturday evening, so I had to stop around 3:30. Since we would not be back until late that evening, I went out to feed before I got showered and changed. When I headed to the goat barn, I heard one of the goats in distress. It is an unmistakable sound. It was Aspen. She was having trouble delivering her first kid. Before I got down to help her, I went to tell Mama what I was doing. Mama was in the house cooking hamburger to make chili for the picnic. She quickly abandoned that to change and help me. When I got back to Aspen, the kid was crowning, but she was still bleating in pain. When the hooves started to show, I pulled gently to help the kid come out. It was a prefect little red male. I cleaned off his face and put him where Aspen could begin cleaning him.

By that time Mama was in the barn watching. No sooner did Mama arrive and the second, all black little girl pop out. I had to work on her to get her face cleaned off so she could breathe, but she appeared fine as well. Aspen soon got up and began cleaning the kids in earnest. Our first two kids of this season. Mama will keep close watch on these two to make sure they are nursing well. Meanwhile, Millie should kid today – if she did not do so overnight. If she delivers without issue we will be pleased. Last year she lost her three kids. I had to pull one from her in order for her to deliver the other two stillborn kids. A sad memory. This year we hope for better.

After I was certain Aspen was done kidding, I got cleaned up. Victoria went to get the girls. Mama finished the chili and slaw. Once everything was done, we loaded up and headed to the picnic. Everyone had a really good time playing, visiting, eating hotdogs, brownies and cake. We all had our jackets with us. The weather was perfect. Very little breeze. The temperature about 65°; falling slowly. We stayed about three hours. I had one hotdog and one brownie.

For some reason, I could not hold that down. I made several emergency trips to the bathroom through the night. The pain in my stomach and bowels coupled with the pain in my back made for an uncomfortable night which spilled over into Sunday.

I spent all day Sunday in bed. I think I slept more on Sunday than at any time I can remember in the recent past. If I did not sleep 20 hours, I was very close to that. My Fitbit buzzed twice to tell me to get moving. I ignored it both times. Today I am better. At least my stomach is better. The pain in my back is still excruciating. Movement through the day will help that to some extent. I hope.