When livestock becomes deadstock

On our way to drop of D2's (Daughter #2) 4H Cloverbud record book at her leaders house we got a call from S1 (Son #1) that they went out to feed the menagerie and this years show wether was dead and the ewe was looking pretty bad. We tried to give instructions to try to help her while also trying to reach the Vet but she was gone before the Vet returned my call. It turned out that it was a bacterial infection and there was nothing we could've done, but I still feel horrible. 

 

Poor D1 is out quite a bit of cash and nothing to sell at the fair. She still has her Dairy project and D2 can show last years ewe in the Pee Wee show. 

It was hard to accept at first. S1 felt so bad! He and S2 tried so hard to do something, anything, but to no avail. D2 actually took it really well. My DH just said "Well, sheep are stupid and they probably ate something they shouldn't have. These things just happen when you raise livestock." Thanks for the consolation honey.

Growing up the daughter of 2 hairdressers did not prepare me for this!!! I felt so helpless and frustrated! 

A sense of accomplishment

With D1 leaving in a day I actually have a strong sense of accomplishment. The meat birds are "free-ranging" in a MIG run. They seem very happy, even when they got rained on the first night. The laying hens and Gobble (the bronze turkey) are in the new coop and also seem very happy. The new trailer is mostly assembled. The 4H pigs and sheep are in their pens and are more tame everyday. The garden is planted-however late. The fridge is stocked. I feel okay about leaving the men in charge for a few days.

One meat bird is in the fridge as she could no longer walk around enough to be healthy. Thank God for YouTube and blogs. Thank you Deliberate Agrarian for your very helpful post.

The kids took it all very well. They watched the whole process. I was surprised at how comfortable they were the whole process. They can't wait to eat her. She may go on the rotisserie today. I think we did a good job for our first time. We didn't make too much of a mess, we got the job done, and I don't think our bird suffered.

D1 has everything she needs for her adventure in China with G'ma. The laundry is current.

The only hitch now is that my Sis called and the Ford Ranger I was supposed to drive home for S1 won't start. I can only pray that it is a simple fix since D4 and I only have a one way ticket.

Can a poult be cocky?

We have 4 new chicks. A turkey and 3 Buff Orpingtons. They will grow up to lay xlg brown eggs almost everyday and the turkey will grace our table on turkey day(duh). Turkeys have much longer legs and he jumped out of his tank yesterday and took a little stroll around the basement. Thankfully, Jim and I were standing down there, having just stepped in hoping rain would be brief, it was not, but at least we noticed him right away. Strutting around liked he owned the place, pooed once, right before I caught him and put him back. He looked so pleased with himself for escaping.

Wrangler tradition

Sunday again and I just want to sleep in. It is always the same: get up(too early), get dressed(the same clothes every week!), and off to Mass. I feel ridiculous. I would never wear this outfit if I could choose. Mama keeps saying "It makes Papa happy, so you'll wear it and love it or you can go to Mass in your underwear and see how you like that."

Mama gets to wear whatever she wants so I don't think she understands how much I can't stand this suit. It is hard enough to seem cool at church without being the only one there under 80 (except Papa) who is wearing a dress jacket. I feel like a penguin. 

Here we all are, my two brothers, Papa and myself, in our black jackets, white dress shirts and black Wrangler jeans. Same every Sunday. Mama says it is the only time she ever gets him to wear anything other than his blue jeans (still Wranglers). He even wore them when they got married. He even wore the blue ones that day. 

I guess we look pretty good. At least that's what people always tell us. Mama says she is the luckiest girl in the world to sit with such handsome men every week. Maybe more kids in the 6th grade will wear Wranglers too. They all wear them at the fair.